Chapter 42: Contracts

After calling Shining to prepare for their travel to Columbia, Ash immediately flew to the country of science and researchers with Margaret and Degenbrecher.

Building the necessary tools and machines for intensive gene therapy and manipulation is hard and time consuming.

He might know a lot of things, but he still has limits. And engineering something of that caliber would need years of studying and researching. Time that he does not have at all.

"Why are you in a rush Ash? Did Shining and Liz have a huge discovery and we'll take over Columbia already?" Degenbrecher thought that his uncharacteristic concern about the matter is rare.

"Not likely, something's bothering you Ash. What's happening? Why do we need to go to Columbia?" Margaret raised a brow and Ash sighed heavily.

"Hah, the problem is with Skadi and Specter. They're part seaborne. I'll explain a bit more later." Ash narrowed his eyes. Skadi and Specter are top of the line warriors.

Even with sloppy techniques, they are extremely dangerous. And when they get influenced by their seaborne blood... It will absolutely be a disaster of epic proportions.

After flying through the skies, leaving shockwaves in their wake. They landed nearby Rhine labs and Ash gave Margaret and Degenbrecher some papers about his findings.

"Is this true?" They gasped after reading it and now understood why he was in such a hurry. The seaborne were a global threat. Especially with what they did to Iberia not long ago.

"Yes, they'll be a big problem. The abyssal hunters are that strong due to their seaborne blood. Problem is, the buggers have a hive mind. They must be fighting against the influences of it right at this moment." Ash sighed and wished he could've noticed it with Specter much earlier.

"Then are they a breach to our security?" Margaret squinted her eyes and would not hesitate to kick them out of Paradiso if they would be a problem in the long run.

"No, not really. They aren't influenced by the hive mind exactly like what you think. They're being corrupted by their seaborne blood and the abyssal hunters are fighting it." Ash explained and the two sighed in relief.

Specter was one thing, but Skadi looked like a good person. A bit lonely and sad, it would put a bitter taste in their mouth to try and kill her or exile them.

"I need to research more about their gene sequence. Come on, let's go meet with Shining and Liz." Ash gestured for them to follow and they went to Rhine labs.

At Rhine labs Shining and Liz were right in front of Kirsten's office as the control administrator. "What!?" The Perro woman cried out.

"Yes you heard me, doctor Wright. My master, Asmodeus is most likely arriving here in 30 seconds tops." Shining looked at the time and calculated their travel time.

"Why didn't you tell me that sooner?" Kirsten was annoyed as hell. But Shining was his agent, she couldn't blow a fuse on them.

"Well, with how fast he travels. We basically told you as fast as we could." Shining sipped some tea and gaslighted her to be the impatient villain.

Kirsten thought she was messing with her now, not really knowing that Shining was telling the truth. Based on Ash's orders and urgency, he didn't give them much time to prepare.

"It's true you know? After all, Ash can fly much faster than anything in Terra." Liz explained with her blank face and Kirsten didn't know if she should believe them or not.

"Ugh, come on... Let us welcome his majesty." Kirsten was ill prepared, but she has to get him to their side at all costs.

So she considered it as a great opportunity instead. Smiling, pleased with possibly meeting the largest money bag in Terra.

"Pft, she's having some delusions." Liz whispered to Shining and the Sarkaz chuckled softly. "Yes, yes she is. I hope that Ash doesn't traumatize her, much." Shining smirked.

They waited in front of Rhine labs' entrance and the researchers and scientists that saw control instead of busying herself with her experiments were shocked.

The employees bowed at her and she just ignored them like they didn't exist. Except one of them who was pleasantly surprised.

"Kirsten... I thought you'd never get out of your office and personal lab..." Saria blinked at the sight of Kirsten lounging around. She has been busy with her personal research for some time now.

"Saria, it's a pleasure to see you. Miss Shining and Liz here informed me of something really important you see? Someone is arriving and my full attention is needed." Kirsten smiled at Saria.

The vouivre noticed that her smile wasn't the same as before they started Rhine labs though. It felt eerie, as if she was focused only on one thing. Her obsession is consuming her.

"Is that so... Then as defense, I will have to provide security." Saria lifted up her ID as administrator of defense and they waited patiently for Ash.

"Is that them? Why are they walking?" Saria expected something more grand. A limo, a car, a chopper even. Because businessmen at the level of Ash make the yearly budget of Rhine labs in just a few minutes.

"Ash!" Shining waved at him and had a sweet smile on her face. She was really pleased that they invaded Kazdel and tons of Sarkaz were now in Paradiso.

Kirsten and Saria looked at her like she grew a second head. In all the time they've spent with the VIP, she never cracked a smile in front of them. Beating even Saria who is pretty strict.

"Ash, we missed you. Margaret, Degenbrecher." Liz waved at them too and smiled at them. Gaining her emotions more and more as her brain healed.

"What's up, we've missed you too Shining, Liz." Ash gave them a hug. Control and Defense just stood there awkwardly as they got sidelined like some 3rd wheel.

"And who are they?" Ash patted their heads and looked towards the founders of Rhine labs.

"Ahem, hello your imperial majesty. I am Kirsten Wright, one of the founders of Rhine labs and its current chairman." The Perro bowed and he nodded.

'Hmmm, so this is the crazy woman that Emperor wrote about? I guess I'll learn more about her later after I talk with Shining.' Ash rubbed his chin.

"H-hello sir, I'm Saria. The administrator of Defense, I am the co-founder of Rhine labs." Saria introduced her stiffly and she didn't exactly know how to greet royalty.

"At ease, call me Ash. I'm not here as the emperor of Leithanien. I'm here as chairman of the Asmodeus enterprise." He licked his lips and was quite excited to have more researchers and scientists.

'Ahhh, I can't be distracted. I need to get some nice little toys from Columbia.' Ash shook his head slightly and shook hands with Saria and Kirsten.

"Can you follow me sir Ash?" Kirsten smiled and gestured for him to go with her.

"Later, let me talk with Shining." He waved his hand and followed Shining inside the building. Making Kirsten freeze on the spot like a statue.

"Oh my... He just ignored you Kirsten... He's going to be a tough customer." Saria sighed, trying to hold in her laugh.

"W-what's with that expression Saria?" She glared at her best friend, albeit with a strained relationship nowadays.

"Nothing, nothing. Come on, let's prepare your office to receive him." Saria rolled her eyes because she knew that control's office would be a mess.

At one of the lounges. Ash and Shining began to talk business while Margaret and Degenbrecher listened to Liz on what was happening in Rhine labs.

"Ash, read up on what's the current political environment here." Shining gave him a folder and has summarized the data impeccably.

"Ferdinand Clooney, the head of the energy division is selling Rhine lab's equipment to numerous parties in Columbia. Ahrens Parvis is a slimy bastard that wants to experiment on humans for some data." Shining immediately shone light on the ones needed to be taken care of.

"Hmm, is that so? I'll handle the former immediately. While the latter, we still lack evidence. How about Kirsten?" Ash read the papers quickly.

"Kirsten Wright, she's not focused on running Rhine labs at all. She accepts the projects immediately if they are presented to her. Her main focus seems to stem from an accident years ago." Shining gave him some newspapers.

Ash then looked at Margaret, remembering her uncle who loved newspapers for some reason. He then read it and found out that her parents died in a reckless experiment for flight.

"Quite ironic. Being named Wright and failing at this endeavor. So, she's obsessed with trying to do something along the lines of what her parents did then?" Ash raised a brow and Shining bowed.

"Forgive me Ash, I still haven't found out what she's been experimenting on. She has impressively tight lips and security. But I believe that there is someone behind her. The Maylander foundation." Shining squinted her eyes.

"That Maylander? So they aren't as altruistic as they seem..." He remembered the request of Maylander back then to recover Narcissa from Columbia.

"Well, let's take care of this Clooney first? He'll be the easiest." Ash grinned and Shining sighed, thinking that he should have done better in his life.

So they went to the energy section and used their titles as bait so the man of the hour would invite them with open arms.

"Welcome your majesty! I am so happy you are going to cooperate with me." Ferdinand rubbed his hands like the greedy little shit he was.

"Is that so? How happy?" Ash asked him which made him blank out for a second because of the weird question.

"V-very much so. Then, please sit down. Let me show you the things that may interest you." Ferdinand started to scramble for some papers in order to show him and hope that he'll invest in the energy department.

Ash just watched the man with amusement as he presented him with a project that is being developed by one of the youngest administrators. Dorothy Franks, she was leading a project that used originium arts extensively.

"Hehe~ Sir, can you imagine if this is successful? I heard that you are quite a generous man. Helping infected and war refugees. When this is completed, we can make a simulation that will be a peaceful utopia." Ferdinand smiled at him.

'This guy's smart, he's definitely used to politics eh?' Ferdinand definitely did his research on him and was thinking to take advantage of a bleeding heart.

What he didn't know though, was Ash was anything but a bleeding heart. The man is cold blooded against enemies.

Ash read Dorothy's private project and it was supposed to use originium arts to put people in a simulation.

Where their collective consciousness would experience a nice life unlike reality on Terra.

"It seems that this is a very good project Mr. Clooney, very nice indeed." Ash nodded at him and the feline thought he got this in the bag.

"So, you and the Columbian government will use this to pry some secrets from the people and control the masses eh? Pretty good indeed." Ash had a shit eating grin on his face that would make Satan shiver.

"W-wha? What are you talking about your majesty?" Ferdinand got spooked and gulped heavily. He was sweating bullets from the dangerous aura coming from Ash.

"Let us cut to the chase Mr. Clooney. What would Saria do if she learns of this, hmmm? I believe that the vouivre is quite strong?" Ash tossed a folder on the table. And it was evidence of his dealings with several parties in Columbia.

"Kekeke~ How about we start with the real negotiations?" Ash sat down beside him and put his arm on his shoulder like a gangster.

The obviously smaller feline researcher wasn't like a typical stick figured researcher. But besides Ash who is an absolute unit, he looked like a small kid and he was shivering in his shoes.

"Hey, hey. We're friends here right? You're so nice, helping Rhine labs to advance. Selling some unneeded equipment for funding projects. Isn't he such a good guy Shining?" Ash laughed as he smacked him on the back.

"Yes, that is correct Ash. Mr. Clooney is definitely a cut above the rest, a true visionary." Shining said without inflection.

"Come on, speak up. You should own up to your good deeds yeah?" Ash whispered to him and Ferdinand nodded quickly.

"Y-yes, that's true." He was panicking inside and Ash tapped on the table with his finger. Making the atmosphere even tenser.

"I'd guess that Saria and Kirsten would really love to know this, ain't that right Ferdinand?" The feline saw the expression on his face that would scare ghosts away and he paled.

"Now, now. I shouldn't tell her, you should be the one. It's your nice little achievement yeah? But let's change the topic. You see, I'm really in need of some equipment." Ash gave him some examples of what he needed.

"T-that, we do have that with us..." Ferdinand wanted to save his hide and that's the only thing he could do. Sell his dignity, along with Rhine lab's equipment.

"Good! Good! So, let's talk about the price yeah? We're going to use it for a very good cause. As Shining said, you're a visionary yeah? Deliverance, our non profit organization that helps people is having a problem see? We're running a little low on funds, oh woe is me." Ash exaggerated.

'Low on funds my ass!' Ferdinand screamed inside his mind, but he could only listen with anxiety.

"So, we would really appreciate a little discount. Anything that comes from your noble heart, it would be enough." Ash patted him on the back and left it to him.

"F-five percent." Ferdinand couldn't finish his next words as Ash frowned at him with displeasure.

"T-twenty!" Ferdinand immediately rectified, but Ash just stabbed a knife on the table and Ferdinand yelped in fear.

"F-fifty." He looked at his face again and Ash just stared at him coldly. He then put a hand on his neck, squeezing until he almost got strangled.

"Oh, sorry. There was a fly on your neck. Don't worry, I will take care of it much better next time." Ash smiled at him and gestured to Margaret and Degenbrecher who unsheathed their weapons.

"Eighty! Eighty percent!" Ferdinand was crying tears of blood and puking blood like a young master. In his mind that is.

"Hmmm, did you say 95? My goodness. You wanted to just give it to us for free, but technicalities must be there. Why thank you very much Ferdinand, my friend." Ash smiled and patted his back pleasantly.

Ferdinand looked like a husk of a man as he calculated how much that state of the art equipment costs. And it was gonna cost a fortune.

"Such a great man he is, as NTR knight. I must thank you kindly." Margaret bowed at him for show.

"As the black knight, I promise in our honor that we will never forget this. You are a good man." Degenbrecher smirked at him that was definitely meant to ridicule him.

"Well then, thanks buddy. I hope we have many more dealings in the future. I look forward to it." Ash put his elongated tongue out with a malicious grin on his face. Scaring the shit out of Ferdinand.

They forced him to sign multiple contracts with his seal and copies were made as well.

"Y-yes, i-it's an honor..." Ferdinand did an ORZ and he just slumped on the floor from the ruthless shakedown.

Right outside, Margaret had a smile on her face and she grabbed his arm. "You know, I never thought that blackmailing people would... Feel nice." Margaret chuckled.

Ash laughed and Shining thought he was definitely a bad influence to Margaret who is a shining paragon of justice.

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Thank you for reading everyone, ciao.