The main hall of the outpost was a disaster area. Dust coated everything, and the air still smelled faintly of burnt stone and Troll-Hound breath. Varya was frantically trying to clean up the mess, sweeping piles of fallen debris with an ancient, useless broom. Garl was already in the small storage room, applying the Tier One healing paste to his fractured leg and cursing under his breath.
Rian, surprisingly, was calm. The immediate survival threat had passed, and his mind was already back on the numbers. He was leaning against the command desk, his eyes fixed on the metrics.
[WEST WALL VEIN. STATUS: STABILIZED. INITIAL YIELD: 18 G/DAY.][DEBT LIABILITY: 1,500 G. REPAYMENT TIMELINE: 83 DAYS (at current rate).]
"Eighty-three days," Rian muttered, calculating the failure. "We have six days. The current income stream is entirely insufficient. We need to acquire high-value collateral immediately."
Varya stopped sweeping. She walked over, wiping a streak of dust from her cheek. She didn't look tired anymore; she looked focused, her eyes challenging Rian.
"Lord Rian, you asked me the price of my future," Varya stated, cutting straight to the point. "I secured your capital. I weaponized a mining drill and pushed back a Troll-Hound. Now, I want my payment."
Rian looked at her, seeing not a woman, but a High-Value R&D Asset. Her motivation was high, her skill was unique, and her fear of the Guild meant she was a flight risk.
"The payment will be structured to ensure your continued commitment," Rian said, his tone utterly professional, devoid of any personal warmth. "If I simply pay you a wage, you might leave when a bigger threat arrives. That creates an unacceptable Risk of Defection."
"Then what is the contract?" she challenged, crossing her arms. "A better wage? More resources?"
"A salary is just an operational expense," Rian dismissed with contempt. "I want you to own your loyalty. I propose a Performance-Based Equity Share."
Rian tapped the desk, displaying a simple concept in his mind. "The Vayne family's legacy is useless. We are building a new enterprise. I will grant you 10% Equity in the entire 5th Floor Outpost and all future holdings acquired within the Tower. This includes the West Wall Vein, any future monster essence harvested, and the profits from future acquisitions."
Varya gasped. Ten percent of the total assets—not just the profits, but the property—was an astronomical sum for a non-noble Sorcerer. It was instant, permanent wealth and security, provided Rian succeeded.
"Ten percent... that's unheard of," she stammered, her voice laced with greed and disbelief. "It's an empire."
"It's an appropriate price for an irreplaceable asset," Rian confirmed. "It links your future directly to my success. If I fail, you lose 10% of a massive fortune. If you leave, you forfeit all ownership, and I will ensure the Guild finds every single research note documenting your unauthorized Deep-Bore Conduit modification."
He paused, letting the subtle threat sink in. "Your payment is not for your skill, Varya. It is for your absolute, undivided ambition."
Varya stared at him, the thrill of the offer battling the chill of his ruthlessness. He hadn't offered her flattery; he offered her power, chained by a threat of professional ruin.
"And the freedom?" she asked, her voice tight. "My research is esoteric. I need resources and a total lack of oversight."
"You will have an annual Research Capital of twenty Gold Marks, reserved exclusively for your projects, no questions asked. And you have my promise: Zero Oversight," Rian affirmed. "Your success is my profit. Your lab is your kingdom."
Varya's eyes flickered, the allure of the contract too potent to resist. "And what about Garl? He's the one who almost got swallowed by your market correction."
"Garl is a tactical asset. His skill is easily replaceable," Rian dismissed instantly. "He will receive a generous, high-risk Performance Bonus and a steady wage. He desires stability, not empire building."
"And the women you will need later?" Varya challenged, her gaze sharp, betraying a sudden, competitive spark. "The spies, the warriors—will they all get 10% Equity?"
Rian's expression remained perfectly neutral. "Each employee will receive a customized contract based on their Scarcity and Risk Factor. If I need someone to be as fiercely dedicated as you, Varya, then yes, their price will be high. I don't buy sentiment; I buy dedication. That is the only promise I make."
He stepped back. "Do we have a contract, Varya? Are you ready to convert your ambition into 10% Ownership in the future of the Tower?"
Varya pushed herself off the desk, her eyes blazing with newfound purpose. She wasn't just joining a team; she was becoming a co-owner in a ruthlessly efficient empire.
"Yes, Lord Rian," she stated, her voice strong and clear. "I accept the terms. I will not be the source of your risk, nor will I tolerate any other asset reducing my profitability."
She extended her hand, not for a handshake, but for a formal, cold agreement. Rian took it, his frail fingers surprisingly firm. The exchange was brief, professional, and utterly binding.
[ASSET VARYA: CONTRACT FINALIZED. RISK OF DEFECTION: LOW. PROFITABILITY: EXCELLENT.]
"Good," Rian said. "Now, go check on Garl. We need a full debriefing on the Troll-Hound's capabilities and a plan for long-term defense. And Varya—"
He paused, a tiny, almost imperceptible flicker of genuine acknowledgment touching his eyes.
"That repulsion array was brilliant. Pure efficiency."
Varya flushed, a small, genuine smile lighting up her tired face. It wasn't flattery; it was professional respect, and it was the most potent motivator Rian could have used. She turned and rushed off to tend to Garl, her movements quick, energized by her new status.
Rian watched her go, then looked down at his Ledger. He had stabilized his R&D department, but the problem of the 1,500 Gold Mark debt still loomed, shrinking his time frame daily.
"Ledger. Initiate Scenario Analysis: Bridge Loan Acquisition," Rian commanded. "I need a high-risk asset capable of generating one thousand Gold Marks in a single transaction."
The Ledger immediately pulled up a single, flashing red file that sent a jolt of cold realization through Rian. The name that appeared was known across the Lower Floors, a noble who had crashed harder and faster than House Vayne itself.
[ASSET: DISGRACED KNIGHT COMMANDER – SERAPHINA VAST.]
VALUATION: 800 G (Projected Acquisition Cost).
LIABILITY: Treason (Wanted by the Royal Guard).
LOCATION: THE TOWER DISSOLUTION FACILITY (Maximum Security).
Rian's eyes narrowed. Seraphina Vast was in the Tower's most secure low-tier prison. Breaking her out would be the riskiest, most insane thing he could imagine.
Perfect, Rian thought, his cynical mind running the numbers. Maximum risk means minimum competition for acquisition.
He had an efficient Sorcerer and a wounded mercenary. Now, he needed a dangerous killer.
A/N: The first contract is sealed! Varya is a co-owner, and Rian has set his sights on the ultimate high-risk asset: a disgraced, imprisoned Knight Commander. Chapter 5 is the prison break.