About the deal (Part 2)

“Are you sure you can promise something like that?” I asked Mr. Allen.

“I am. I may not look it, but I’m 40 years old and have been in this business for the last 10. I have business partners, friends and employees who help me keep everything under control, and my own abilities help me choose people I know I can trust. I’m extremely picky about who I make deals with, Mr. Brooks. I’m very risk-averse, so I’d rather lose an opportunity than risk a deal with someone I don’t fully trust. Be it lawyers, accountants or bodyguards, I have been blessed with extremely capable people.”

I smiled wryly. “I don’t know how to feel about that.”

Mr. Allen nodded. “I’m sure. You don’t need to answer, but just think this through. Am I your first encounter with the supernatural beyond your own powers? Do you think I will be the last? Power and money are not very different, you see. People either love you or hate you just for having it, and what you have is particularly rare and special. Mr. Brooks, it’s true that I want your powers, but my soul demands that I treat you fairly. I am not the only tycoon in this business, but I am one of the biggest ones. The protection I offer is not inconsiderable. Simply being in my list of employees would be a deterrent to those who would try to **** your power.”

It’s true that was a big concern of mine. Much as I tried, there would come a time when I’d get on someone’s bad side. It had already happened before, and we managed to just barely overcome it. It could’ve been much worse.

“...” I couldn’t answer just yet. There was one more thing I needed to ask. The most awkward question of them all. I swallowed and **** the words out. “And… About p-payment…”

Mr. Allen took out his phone, tapped on the screen with his thumb, set it on the table and slid it over to me. I saw the number on the screen and my eyes nearly popped out.

With my jaw hanging, I asked, “Y-Yearly…?”

“Monthly.”

MONTHLY!?

“Considering enough magical energy to make four potions,” Mr. Allen continued. “If four doses turn out to be too taxing on you, we can lower it and make arrangements.”

Now my head really was spinning. This was… like a mid-range, world-class soccer player’s salary! The kind of money I thought I’d barely see in a lifetime if I was lucky, let alone a year!

Mr. Allen took his phone back and began to do something else. He then slid his phone back to me. On the screen was… a document. A financial document, I realized. I didn’t understand it fully, but I did see a table with expenses and profits from the previous year. The numbers for the profits were at least 20 times more than what he would pay me in a year.

“That’s from the resort I opened three years ago, just one of the businesses I own. I can pay you what I say I will, Mr. Brooks, and I am very willing to do so.”

I was starting to become numb. Imagining an expensive diamond’s worth of a salary was lowballing it. This couldn’t be real.

Mr. Allen chuckled, but there was no humor in it. He joined his hands, interlocking fingers. He had a sad smile on his face. “It’s difficult to even believe so much money can exist, isn’t it? Your reaction tells me you’re just like I was.” He looked up to the ceiling. “I started from nothing, with a small tailoring business I ran from home. I made pants and dresses, fixed coats and shirts… but with how easy it is for people to simply buy new clothes when one is ruined, growth was slow. But it did grow. When I could, I bought a sewing machine, then hired a friend to help, then bought a second sewing machine, all leading to eventually having my own clothing store. I was able to make things snowball from there, but some days I think I can still feel the sting of the needles in my clumsy fingers.”

Mr. Allen frowned at the memory. He then took a deep breath and turned to me again. “Mr. Brooks, is there something specific you want?”

“Ah?”

“Like I said, I will pay you fairly for your services, but if there is something concrete you want, I’d also be willing to help you obtain it.”

“...”

I know what you’re thinking. I should just tell him. Accept his offer, tell him what I want and my problems would be solved. But… I couldn’t. Not yet, at least. And… I didn’t know if I could at all.

“I’d… need to think about it,” I said. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my chest. The spacious restaurant felt small and constricting. “Mr. Allen, I… T-Thank you for your time. I understand more now, but I’d still like to give it some thought and… talk about it with some people.”

“Take all the time you need,” Mr. Allen said solemnly. “I think I have an idea of what is going through your mind. Give it further thought, decide what is important to you, then come back. We can talk again and I will be happy to accommodate.”

I nodded stiffly. “Thank you. If you’ll excuse me.”

I stood up but I barely remembered walking out of the building and getting into mom’s car. I wasn’t ready to drive, so I sat there with my hands and forehead on the wheel, the pressure in my chest remaining.

It was hard to doubt Mr. Allen’s honesty. When he said his soul demanded he treated me fairly… I understood it. I felt much the same in the way I treated the girls, my soul demanding I returned tenfold the happiness they gave me. No, the issue now was different.

It was… too easy. With that amount of money, even if I only worked with Mr. Allen for a year… I could basically do most of what I had to do. Buy a house, pay for the girls’ studies for about two years… If we used the money carefully, we had enough to get by for long enough until we could support ourselves. But it was too easy.

I… didn’t deserve it. I hadn’t done anything to deserve it. Mr. Allen wanted my help with something only I could do, but that was actually Frey’s power. She was the one who could give him what he wanted. I’d just reap the rewards without earning them.

It was stupid. My mind said I should just shut up and accept the deal. It was the smart thing to do. But my heart, my pride… It was too difficult to fully put into words, but I knew I’d feel dirty. People like my own mother worked their hardest to get by every day, but I’d be able to earn so much more by doing practically nothing? It wasn’t fair.

But then again… What was important to me? If this was my opportunity to stay with the girls and help them follow the paths they wanted… My pride seemed like a very cheap price to pay.

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