They Called Me Trash? Now I'll Hack Their World-Chapter 191: Deal!

Two hours later, we were back at the guild.

Tessa had wanted to come with me to the council meeting, but I’d convinced her to wait in the common room.

The third floor was quieter than the chaos below, carpeted hallways, proper doors instead of open archways, the atmosphere of actual administration rather than adventurer chaos.

A guard directed me to the council chamber at the end of the hall.

I knocked.

"Come in." A muffled voice came from inside.

And I pushed open the heavy wooden door.

The council chamber was a large room, with a long table, five people seated on the far side looking at me with varying degrees of interest and calculation.

Three men, two women. All middle-aged or older.

The woman in the center with grey hair pulled back, sharp eyes, the bearing of someone used to being in charge, gestured to the chair on my side of the table.

"Jin Raith. Please, sit."

I sat, keeping my posture relaxed but attentive.

"I’m Councilor Varen," the woman continued. "This is Councilor Marks, Councilor Theron, Councilor Silva, and Councilor Hayes." She indicated each in turn. "We oversee guild operations for the Thornhaven region."

"Pleasure to meet you," I said neutrally.

"Let’s skip the pleasantries," Marks said, the older man, weathered face, the look of a former adventurer. "You found a dungeon seed. You can treat corruption. You’re selling high-quality potions at rates that suggest either you’re an idiot who doesn’t know their value, or you’re deliberately undercutting to establish market presence."

"The second one," I admitted. "Building reputation first. Can raise prices later once people trust the quality."

Theron, younger than the others, maybe late thirties, leaned forward.

"Smart." He looked at the others. "I told you he wasn’t just some lucky amateur."

Varen pulled out papers, which seemed to be my mission report, receipts from this morning’s sales, gods knew what else.

"You’ve been in Thornhaven less than a week. In that time, you’ve registered as D-rank, completed a survey mission that discovered a critical threat, saved a life with specialized medicine, and made nearly five hundred silver in a single morning selling potions." She looked up. "That’s not normal."

"I’m good at what I do," I said simply.

Silva, the other woman, practical-looking, arms crossed, spoke up.

"Too good. Which brings us to why you’re here." She exchanged glances with the others.

"The guild council wants to offer you a position as an official guild alchemist for the Thornhaven branch."

Here it comes.

"I’m listening."

Marks pulled out a contract, which they had already prepared I assume, and slid it across the table.

"Base salary of fifteen gold per month."

I blinked.

Fifteen gold.

That’s... actually significant money.

He continued, "Plus performance bonuses, two to five gold per successful expedition, depending on difficulty. Access to guild resources, unlimited ingredients at cost, dedicated laboratory space with professional equipment. Priority protection on missions. Official guild backing and security."

Theron leaned forward. "We’re also offering research grants. Develop new formulations, the guild funds your experimentation. No cost to you."

Hayes added, "And full legal protection. Anyone tries to interfere with you, competitors, rival merchants, nobles with grudges, they deal with the guild. We have lawyers, connections, and enough weight to make problems disappear."

They’re serious about wanting to lock me down.

"What’s the catch?" I asked, not touching the contract.

Theron grinned. "Smart kid. The catch is exclusivity. You produce only for the guild. We handle all distribution, set all prices, take our cut. You get stability and resources. We get exclusive access to your formulations and your full output."

"All formulations you develop become guild property," Silva added. "Intellectual rights transfer to the guild. You get credit and bonuses, but ownership is ours."

I looked at the contract without picking it up.

So they’re offering fifteen gold a month... but in exchange I become their employee. Complete control over my time, my work, my formulas.

I’d be rich. Secure. Protected.

But... completely owned.

Varen was watching me carefully. "That’s a hesitation. Most people would jump at fifteen gold monthly."

"Most people didn’t just make nearly five hundred silver in thirty minutes selling independently," I said.

Marks snorted. "You think you can maintain that rate? Kid, this morning was novelty. New supplier with quality product, pent-up demand. That’s not sustainable."

"Maybe not at the same rate," I admitted. "But I don’t need to match it. I just need to make more than fifteen gold a month to come out ahead. And without restrictions on my time or formulas."

Silva leaned forward. "You’re also not accounting for costs. Ingredients, equipment, security, legal protection when competitors start causing problems, and they will. Running an independent operation has overhead. The guild handles all of that."

"And you’re gambling on staying alive," Theron added bluntly. "Dungeons are getting more dangerous. Corruption is spreading. High-quality alchemists are valuable, which makes you a target. Without guild protection, you’re vulnerable."

"Some merchant families won’t appreciate competition," Hayes said quietly. "They have resources. Influence. They can make things very difficult for independent operators who threaten their market share."

So it’s both carrot and stick. Generous offer, plus implied threats about what happens if I refuse.

I met their eyes calmly.

"I appreciate the offer. And I understand the risks." I leaned back. "But I’m not interested in becoming an employee. I left my family estate to avoid that exact situation."

Varen’s expression shifted slightly... reassessing.

"So you’re refusing fifteen gold monthly and guild protection?"

"I’m refusing the strings that come with it," I corrected. "But I’m not refusing to work with the guild entirely."

Marks raised an eyebrow. "Explain."

"Supply contract instead of employment," I said.

"I produce potions independently... my formulas, my process, my business. I supply the guild in bulk at wholesale rates. You distribute through official channels at whatever markup you want. Both sides profit, but I maintain independence."

They looked at each other.

"You’d be competing with yourself," Silva pointed out. "Selling to us wholesale and independently retail. That splits your market."

"Different markets," I countered. "Guild serves adventurers who want official verification and guaranteed quality through established channels. I serve the immediate-need market, people who need something right now and don’t want to wait for guild processing."

"And you avoid paying us our cut on independent sales," Theron said.

"You avoid paying me a salary," I shot back. "Lower fixed costs for you. You only pay for product you actually receive and can sell. If I die or disappear, you’re not out a full-time employee, just a supplier you can replace."

Varen tapped her fingers on the table. "Percentage split on wholesale. What are you proposing?"

"I take seventy percent of wholesale price. Guild takes thirty percent as distribution fee."

"Absolutely not," Marks said immediately. "We provide market access, verification, legal protection, and reputation. That’s worth more than thirty percent. Sixty-forty split, our favor."

"I’m producing the product," I argued. "Sourcing ingredients, spending hours in synthesis, taking all the production risk. You’re just moving inventory."

"We’re providing everything else that makes your product viable in the market," Silva countered. "Without guild backing, you’re just another random alchemist. Our certification makes you legitimate."

I let them argue, watching their positions.

Finally settled on...

"Sixty-five percent to me, thirty-five to the guild. I retain full ownership of all formulas, this is a supply agreement, not IP transfer. And you get first refusal on new formulations before I sell them independently."

Varen considered that. "First refusal, meaning we get to decide if we want exclusive rights?"

"Meaning you get the first opportunity to buy bulk supply. If you pass, I can sell elsewhere."

More wordless communication between the council members.

"Deal," Varen said finally. "But we want guaranteed minimum monthly supply. Can’t have you prioritizing independent sales over guild contracts."

"What quantity?"

"Start with twenty corruption treatments, thirty stamina restoration, twenty purification compounds... We’ll adjust based on demand."

I did quick math. At wholesale rates, that was still significant income and left me plenty of capacity to sell independently.

Plus I can scale up production through Oakmere.

"Agreed. But I need time to set up proper production infrastructure. First delivery in two weeks."

"Acceptable."

Varen pulled out a new contract and started writing in the modified terms.

While she worked, Marks leaned back. "You’re turning down guaranteed fifteen gold monthly for the gamble of making more independently. That’s either brilliant or stupid."

"It’s freedom," I said simply. "I’d rather risk making less and control my own business than make guaranteed money as someone else’s employee."

Hayes actually smiled at that. "Idealistic. But I respect it."

My mind was already racing ahead.

This works. Better than I’d hoped.

I can supply them from Oakmere. Set up proper production there. Use Tessa as head alchemist, train some of the villagers who have aptitude. Bulk production at lower individual cost.

Guild gets their supply. I get steady income. Oakmere gets employment and protection through association with the guild.

Everybody wins.

Except I’ll need to split profits with Oakmere too. Can’t just take everything when they’re doing the production work.

And it ties me closer to Oakmere, which... might not be terrible.

Varen finished writing and slid the new contract across.

I read it carefully, making sure every verbal agreement was properly documented, checking for loopholes or hidden clauses.

It was clean.

Surprisingly decent negotiation.

"One more thing," I said. "Payment structure. I want half up front when I deliver product, half on successful sale."

"That’s not standard..." Marks started.

"I’m not standard," I interrupted. "You’re getting high-quality compounds at wholesale rates from an independent supplier who doesn’t answer to you. I need guarantees too."

They looked at each other again.

"Fine," Varen said. "Half up front, half on sale. We’ll track monthly and settle accounts every four weeks."

"Deal."

I signed the contract.

Varen countersigned.

Official guild supplier, not guild employee.

Much better.

We finalized a few more details—delivery procedures, quality standards, dispute resolution—and then I was dismissed.

I walked out of the council chamber.

Tessa was waiting in the common room, bouncing anxiously.