Liam remained silent for several seconds.
His gray gaze stayed fixed on Noah as if he were trying to determine whether this man was a genius or simply mad.
Perhaps both.
Finally, the vice-captain straightened up slightly.
“I understand better.”
Noah raised an eyebrow.
“Really?”
“Yes.” Liam clasped his fingers together.
“I understand why you refuse to join an organization.”
‘He doesn’t want power.
He doesn’t want prestige.
He just wants to be free.’
This conclusion surprised even Liam himself.
People like Noah were rare.
They were often harder to control than the most powerful Ascendants because they were chasing something that money alone couldn’t buy.
Liam resumed: “In that case, I can modify my offer.”
Angel slowed down his meal.
The negotiation was entering its interesting phase.
“I will grant you a clause guaranteeing that Stormshield will never interfere with your research.”
Noah thought it over.
The offer seemed honest, very honest, even but one problem remained.
Always the same one.
‘Too much power in their hands.’
He shook his head.
“No.”
Angel rolled his eyes.
Liam didn’t seem surprised.
“And why this time?”
Noah replied calmly, “Because a promise is just a promise.”
Liam didn’t flinch.
“You are more powerful than me.
You could easily change your mind in six months.”
Noah’s gaze didn’t waver.
“Or in a year or after the discovery of something important and I would have no way to stop you.”
An amused gleam crossed Liam’s eyes.
For the first time in a long while, someone was refusing a Stormshield offer with coherent arguments.
“So you refuse access to our resources.”
“Yes.”
“To our protection.”
“Yes.”
“To our influence.”
“Yes.”
Liam’s smile widened slightly.
“Did you come all this way just to turn down all my proposals?”
Angel choked back a laugh.
Noah shook his head.
“Not at all.”
“Oh?”
“Simply because none of your offers suit me.”
Not another word was spoken for a moment.
Then Liam asked,
“Then what kind of agreement exactly are you looking for?”
This time Noah didn’t hesitate.
He had been thinking about it since the night before.
“I will supply you with my potions, exclusively for Stormshield.
You can use them, distribute them, sell them, do whatever you want with them.”
He calmly placed his hand on the table.
“In exchange, I’m proposing an exclusive one-year contract, with a fifty-fifty split of the profits.”
The table froze.
Even Angel remained completely still for a few seconds.
Then Liam leaned slightly forward.
His suit remained perfectly immaculate despite the movement.
“Potions?”
Noah nodded.
“Yes.”
Liam narrowed his eyes slightly.
“You used the plural.”
Angel’s head immediately shot up.
Liam continued,
“You possess something other than the potion used on Sarah?”
Noah simply replied,
“Yes.”
This time even Angel set his fork down for a full second.
“Wait.”
“You have a second potion?”
Noah nodded.
Liam didn’t answer right away, but his mind was already working at full speed.
‘A second potion, on top of one capable of rivaling the Crimson Halo…
How much value does this man really hold?’
For the first time since the beginning of the meeting, Noah’s strategic value had already surpassed Stormshield’s initial estimates.
Noah went on: “The development isn’t entirely finished, but yes.
I have another potion.” This story is hosted at g.com.
The image of the mutant ginseng appeared in his mind, the crystals, the calculations, the sleepless nights.
The invigorating potion was coming along well.
Very well, in fact, Its main problem was no longer scientific.
It was financial.
“So?”
Noah looked at Liam.
“What do you think?”
The vice-captain took a few seconds to weigh his words.
Then he replied,
“We’ll accept your proposal.”
Angel exhaled.
Then Liam added,
“But we’re going with an eighty-twenty split.”
Noah blinked.
“Eighty-twenty?”
“Yes.
Eighty for Stormshield, twenty for you.
We have the network, the logistics, the distribution, the security, the marketing, the contacts.
Without us, Noah, your potions will stay in your lab.”
The researcher thought it over.
The argument wasn’t wrong.
But…
“No.”
Liam sighed inwardly.
“Fifty-fifty.
I spend hours crafting them, and I need money to fund my research.”
Angel watched the two men.
‘They’re really haggling.’
‘Unbelievable.’
Liam replied,
“Seventy-thirty.
And we provide the crystals.”
This time Noah hesitated.
Crystals.
Now that changed things significantly.
A large portion of his time vanished into sourcing materials.
If Stormshield took on that burden…
His projects would progress much faster.
‘Interesting.’
But not enough.
“Forty-five-fifty-five.”
Liam raised an eyebrow.
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.
You provide the materials, I produce the potions.”
Angel looked back and forth between the two men.
‘They really think they’re at a flea market.’
The negotiation continued for several more minutes.
The numbers went up.
Went down.
Went back up.
Every proposal was immediately analyzed.
Dissected.
Then rejected or modified.
Finally, Liam let out a soft sigh.
“Alright.”
He set his glass down.
“Here is my final offer.”
The tone of his voice had changed.
Angel understood immediately.
This time it was serious.
“Stormshield receives sixty-five percent.”
“You receive thirty-five.”
Noah didn’t take his eyes off him.
Next Liam added,
“The crystals, the equipment, the logistics, the distribution.”
He paused before uttering the decisive words.
“And the protection of your family.”
Noah’s expression shifted instantly.
Liam noticed.
He had hit the right nerve.
“My family?” Liam pressed.
“You are still underestimating the value of your creations.”
The vice-captain steepled his fingers.
“If someone wants to control you, you might not necessarily be the target.”
The atmosphere chilled.
“Your mother, your loved ones, your friends.
Those are the most obvious targets.”
Noah’s gaze darkened because he knew Liam was right.
This was exactly the kind of problem he hadn’t anticipated.
“It would be unfortunate if a rival organization decided to use them as leverage.”
Noah stared at the tablecloth for a long moment.
Then asked,
“How exactly do you plan to protect them?”
“Simple.
We will quietly assign agents to watch over them.
No one will be able to reach them, and they won’t even notice their presence.”
This time Noah truly thought it over.
For a long time.
The crystals.
The equipment.
The security.
The protection of his family.
‘He’s raising a valid point.’
A very valid point, in fact.
Finally, he extended his hand.
“Deal.”
Angel almost dropped his glass.
Liam shook Noah’s hand.
The contract was practically sealed but Noah immediately added,
“Don’t forget one thing.”
The vice-captain observed him.
“I keep total control over my research.
I refuse to join the corporate ladder, answer to a division head, or be told what to work on.”
His gaze grew firmer.
“I want to remain free.”
No one breathed for a moment.
Then Liam nodded.
“I understand.”
And surprisingly, he actually meant it.
The rest of the meal proceeded in a much more relaxed atmosphere.
Even Angel seemed relieved.
Then Liam spoke up again.
“There is still one detail, however.”
Noah immediately sensed the catch.
“Which is?”
“You need to be registered with the HMA.”
Noah blinked.
“Why?”
“Because you are an Ascendant.
And because Stormshield cannot officially sign an agreement with an unregistered Ascendant.”
The researcher grimaced.
“Will I have to take their exams, their training, their evaluations?”
Liam raised a hand.
“No.”
Noah relaxed slightly.
“Angel will accompany you.”
Angel nodded.
“I’ll handle everything.
You’ll be registered as a Stormshield ally.
The paperwork will be simplified.”
Noah thought about it for a few seconds.
‘I can make this concession.’
After all, it didn’t compromise his independence.
“Agreed.”
Liam quietly finished his liqueur.
Then he stood up.
The movement was elegant and precise.
Like everything he did.
“In that case…”
He adjusted his jacket slightly.
“We have a provisional agreement.”
Noah stood up as well.
“Provisional?”
“I still need to get Logan’s final approval.”
Which made perfect sense.
Even Liam couldn’t single-handedly bind Stormshield to a contract of this magnitude.
“Meet me tomorrow.”
“Alright.”
“We’ll sign the final papers then.”
“I’ll be there.”
Liam extended his hand.
This time the atmosphere had completely changed.
They were no longer two strangers nor two adversaries but potential partners.
“It was a pleasure meeting you, Dr.
Ainsworth.”
Noah shook his hand.
“The pleasure is mutual, Mr.
Heartwood.”
Deep down, however, one thought persisted.
‘Stormshield…’
‘I may have just changed the course of my life.’