Chapter 120: Negotiations!
Chapter 120: Negotiations!
Regretting that he turned a blind eye to the abnormalities in Elliot and cursing himself for letting greed get the best of him, Instructor Leonardo smacked his forehead. “Why give me respect when you’re going to be extremely informal with me?”
Elliot didn’t utter a single word and only directed a carefree smile his way. Yet, from the look in his eyes, instructor Leonardo inferred that the boy is not going to let him take advantage of him.
Instructor Leonardo knew that his life would be in jeopardy if he refused to give his best in exploring the settlement and salvaging things. Therefore, he compromised, “80-20! You get the bigger numbers, alright?”
Elliot’s eyes narrowed in thoughts. Demanding for more and disrespecting a powerhouse that could squish him like an ant wasn’t something he wanted his fragile heart to handle one more time. Since the old man has already given him an inch, he didn’t want to risk his life by trying to take a mile.
After pondering for a brief moment, he beamed towards him.
“It’s a deal!”
“Don’t forget your words.” The instructor also readily agreed as he was worried that otherwise, the young boy would demand more.
“Sir, I don’t believe in words, though.” Elliot didn’t trust him or himself at all, so there is no way he was going to take his or someone else words at face value.
The opposite party laughed. He couldn’t help it. Seeing such a cheeky youngster who was good with his words, it wasn’t common for him.
“Haha, what a coincidence. Neither do I.”
“Great! Then, let’s do it the magician’s way and sign a magic contract!”
Anyone could break their promise. Keeping true to one’s words of honor truly never matters unless the said person is a stupid creature. Greed corrupts the holiest of man! What’s great in front of a pile of magic coins? Nothing and nothing ever would be.
Who dares say with absolute conformity that the instructor wouldn’t go back on his words and leave nothing for him, especially when the items in question were more precious than a person’s life?!
Elliot wasn’t going to risk his earnings on mere words! He considered words spoken out of one’s mouth less than a pile of shit. In this world, the only thing that could force a person to his words was a magic contract. Using a magic contract that ties a person’s life to some clauses they must never ever break was the best way to protect himself. With it, there is no need for him to fear getting betrayed by the instructor. Without it, he believes that he would be backstabbed a thousand times.
Instructor Leonardo nodded his head. “Since hundreds of artifacts are involved in this deal, signing a magic contract to protect our rights is indeed the correct choice.” He said those words to explain why he is willing to agree with his words:
“Then let’s draft a contract and be done with it,” Elliot said.
“Alright, let me take one out.”
“No need to trouble yourself, sir.”
The instructor was about to take out a magic contract from his pocket, but something happened that made him stop in the middle of his actions.
To his surprise, a magic contract and an ink box, both comparable to high-quality items that only the rich could afford, appeared in the hands of the orphaned and poor boy with no backing whatsoever, or at that’s what he knows about him.
Such a happening made his eyebrows jump in shock and left him with many unanswered questions.
Purchasing a magic contract wasn’t something possible for an ordinary student. The sale of this thing was limited only to the higher-ups of society. So, how could Elliot get one?
Is he secretly related to a big shot? Leonardo kicked this ridiculous thought out of his head. He was sure that Elliot was merely a humble boy and registered as such even in the association.
He wondered how he got his hands on a magic contract and the life-binding ink.
While he was busy pondering over a trivial matter, Elliot dipped his index finger in the box, soaking it with the life-binding ink before pulling it out and using it as a pen to write a few clauses on the magic contract. After writing one clause, he did the same thing all over again before writing another. And he continued until there were thirteen clauses on it. Then, he bit his thump, causing blood to come out of it. Smearing that blood on the contract by pressing his thumb in the paper, he bound himself to rules that he could easily break whenever and wherever he wanted.
When he finished creating and signing the magic contract, instructor Leonardo also got an answer to the questions in his mind. He satisfied himself by believing that the young princess of the Charlotte family must’ve given them to him.
“Sir, please sign the magic contract,” Elliot said as he extended it towards him.
The instructor grabbed it from his hands and brought it close to his face, reading it at eye level, making sure that there is no leeway or loophole in it.
“Huh?” Instructor Leonardo was a bit taken aback by the last clause.
He moved his eyes away from the contract and focused them on Elliot before saying, “Clause no.10: You want me to keep your artifacts and use them as I like until you request them for me. Are you sure about it?”
“Decorating myself with eye-catching pearls when I don’t have the strength to protect myself from possible adversaries is the same as asking the ones with ill intent to rob me.” Elliot said, “I’ve no intention of appearing as the most searched news in which a thief murdered a talented boy young because of his treasures. So, I will trouble you to safeguard them for me, sir.”
“You sure do trust me a lot.”
Trust? That’s such a fickle word.
“I believe in the power of the magic contract and the life-binding ink.”
“Alright, fine.”
They signed a magic contract that stated that Elliot will get the lion’s share while the instructor will get the leftover for the dogs. However, he wanted Leonardo to safeguard them until he is strong enough to carry them all on him without worrying about getting killed by a powerful magician acting as a robber. Although he was reluctant at first, when he found out that he could use these artifacts as long as Elliot doesn’t demand them back from him, he readily agreed. He has no reason not to. Such a great deal, he might never come across it once more in this life.
“We should return lest someone start thinking that we’ve made a run for it.” Instructor Leonardo said.
Elliot blinked his eyes in response, expressing that he also agrees.
They stepped out of the vacant area and made their way back to the barrier. It was only hundreds of meters away from their current location. With a few leaps and strides, one could see them making their way towards the barrier.
“Leo, come here, boy. Let me introduce you to my brother.” The moment their feet touched the ground, an elder from the Academy called out to the instructor.
Instructor Leonardo looked towards him, then said, “I’ll be there in a minute, elder magician.”