Deal

"The only thing I have to report is that after finishing the book, he didn't hesitate to burn it. It was very peculiar as he seemed overjoyed afterward"

Brigand looked pensive and went through various scenarios in his head.

"An interest in necromancy, uh... I have to say he has a mysterious aura, but not one that emanates death like what was written in the records. It might be a weird hobby of his? Anyway, we've already determined that he doesn't have ill intentions, so I'm determined to go through with this meeting"

"As you wish, Master"

***

It was time for Derrick to leave his room and go to the meeting. The creepy feeling of being watched had also stopped, something that, he presumed, had been ordered by the merchant.

While escorted by James, the ever so silent butler, he went down many hallways before reaching a secluded area.

The general eccentricity of the building had been toned down, and there was a large central fireplace. Placed next to it were buttoned leather chairs and small tables made of red oak.

Brigand was, of course, sitting there while tumbling a crystal glass in his right hand. He was sipping his wine and talking to the elf maid who Derrick had seen before.

When his head finally turned to Derrick, he got up and was all smiles.

"You're here! I have to say that I wasn't able to sleep well because I looked forward to this meeting!"

Derrick also broke into smiles. Brigand really knew how to make people feel comfortable.

"Oh, you also wanted to meet the person who spied on you, right? Here she is! My personal bodyguard. Her name's Alma Aubree"

The gorgeous elf courteously bowed and advanced, meeting Derrick's gaze head on.

The necromancer's eyes also narrowed, looking at the foe he hadn't been able to find. That's why he had felt something the first time they met.

Neither of them wanted to look away, and tensions started rising, much to Brigand's dismay.

That's when Derrick suddenly chuckled and broke their stalemate, sitting down in a chair opposing the merchant.

"Such a fierce servant. She's quite skilled as well, you're lucky to have her"

Alma's face twisted in anger when hearing him call her a servant, before coldly harrumphing and going back to her previous position.

She was also wearing a tight dress that emphasized her generous curves, causing Derrick's heart to misfire.

"You should have seen her when we first met... She was so fierce that I feared she'd devour me completely!"

Brigand laughed loudly, while Alma became embarrassed. She couldn't refute the man, as she really was a viper that didn't let many get close to her.

After calming down, a serious expression materialized on his face.

"But enough small chat. What business would you like to discuss?"

It was time to get to the crux of the matter.

"Are you affiliated with the Krakow Empire in a permanent way?"

The merchant was immediately taken aback. The question had been so unexpected, he almost spilled his precious wine. He pondered for a moment before giving an honest answer.

"My businesses currently are, but my loyalty lies where the money is"

Since his merchant 'baptism', Brigand's ideals had always been ruthless. The economical world was a jungle where the strong preyed on the weak.

If your product was inferior to another, it would be replaced. The cycle's beauty laid in its simplicity.

His answer didn't surprise Derrick.

Which merchant would refuse an opportunity to grow richer elsewhere because they were currently tied down? It was just against their nature.

"What if I told you there was a chance to support something that'll become... bigger?"

Silence.

Brigand, and Alma to a certain extent, didn't know what to say, and Derrick didn't leave them hanging before elaborating further.

"I'm the ruler of a relatively small area, but I've started expanding, with no intentions of stopping. My aspirations are quite lofty, meaning that I'll be in need of... basically everything"

Madness. That was what flashed through Derrick's eyes at that particular moment.

His entire demeanor had suddenly changed to one of oppression and death. His very existence seemed to frighten the world around him.

Brigand and Alma were stifled and glued to their spots, to the point that sweat started trickling down their foreheads.

After his little display of force, Derrick was satisfied and reigned in his aura. From what he had learned so far, establishing dominance was a must during negotiations.

What he didn't expect was that Alma pounced on him directly after. She had instantly conjured a blue knife while directly aiming it at his heart.

Her speed was astonishing, and if Derrick had been a simple necromancer, he'd have died right then and there.

However, and right before she could close the distance, she saw something that sent shivers down her spine.

Derrick was... smiling.

What came next was staggering, and the elf couldn't believe it.

Just as she was about to reach him, she became restricted and couldn't move a single muscle. Heavy pressure had enveloped her entire body, pressing her down more and more.

"Human, what do you want to do with her?"

A loud and almighty voice echoed in the room, crushing the elf's remaining bravado.

It was Drako.

In fact, what had betrayed Alma was Derrick's shadow. As soon as she had reached him, her fate had been sealed.

"You're quite formidable in the darkness, but when you're out in the open like this, you're not my match"

Derrick sneered, to the dismay of Brigand, who was on the verge of panic. Everything had just spun out of control.

"Keep her like this. She needs to be taught a lesson"

"Kekeke as you wish"

"Don't worry, Brigand. I have no intentions of harming either of you. I really came for business, and what I previously mentioned is true. My small town is called Akata, and it has 1500 inhabitants, counting 140 soldiers. That's why I bought these slaves and had a long list of demands"

Derrick paused and watched as the burly man scrambled to get his mind straight.

This whole situation was crazy, but as a genius of his profession, he could see an untapped mine of wealth that would keep on increasing due to the strength Derrick had just displayed.

Alma was someone he had nurtured, and if she could be beaten this easily, it meant that the person in front of him was a monster.

After straightening himself up, he finally answered.

"Interesting... Even though the current numbers are small, I can see the potential. What is your growth projection by the end of the year?"

Betraying the Empire for an upstart was no small matter, so he had to make sure that he wouldn't embark on an unrealizable venture.

When Derrick heard the question, he awkwardly scratched his nose.

"I've been... away for some time. What's the date right now?"

That sentence came out of nowhere and made Brigand chuckle, lightening the still heavy atmosphere.

"There are 4 months remaining to the calendar year"

In his mind, Derrick started analyzing the map that showed the villages surrounding Akata. If he maintained a certain pace...

"15 000, give or take"

What the fuck!?

A growth of ten times your current population in 4 months?

Brigand wanted to burst out laughing, but when he saw that his counterpart was dead serious, he became solemn.

After another few moments, he spoke.

"Right now, I'm ready to offer you a 5% fee on every major transaction starting at 100 gold coins. If you reach your goal, I'll transform the fee into a fixed one. In exchange, I want exclusivity on the weapons you sell"

That was what he was after, and Derrick knew it.

The greed Brigand had shown when seeing their quality had bordered on psychotic. Derrick had no trade experience, but even an idiot could see that he had the upper hand in this battle.

"I agree to the fees, but you'll have to pay an exclusivity right, since I'm the craftsman"

The last words dropped like a bomb on Brigand.

The young man in front of him was unfathomable! A hen that kept laying golden eggs!

While trying to hide his excitement, he tried frowning at the demand.

Derrick smirked at the pathetic attempt before Brigand finally gave in. It was the first time he had been this excited in the last 15 years.

After a bit of haggling, they came to a deal that paid Akata 500 gold every month during an entire year, after which they would renegotiate.

When Derrick was about to leave the room, Brigand stopped him.

"Here, take this as a token of our new partnership. It's a storage bag, in which you can freely transport goods to your town"

Derrick was ecstatic. This thing solved a lot of his logistical issues.

Before setting off once again, he suddenly turned to the still petrified elf.

"I almost forgot about you. You should be more careful in the future, because not everyone will be as merciful as I am"

He caressed her soft cheek with the back of his hand and winked before turning around and leaving.

Once he was out of reach, Alma felt all the pressure disappear before falling powerlessly to the ground. She let out a snarl of anger and swore to avenge this humiliation.