Chapter 330: A Partnership Agreement.

A short while later, Kael finally stepped out of the Spectre Guild headquarters, and the moment he passed through the building’s main entrance, a gentle breeze brushed against his face, carrying with it the familiar sounds of the bustling Second District.

Kael stopped for a moment, raised his head slightly, drew in a deep breath of fresh air, and released it in a long, satisfied exhale.

"Haa..."

What an eventful day.

And that was putting it mildly.

When he’d left home earlier, he’d expected a relatively straightforward visit. Collect his repaired Spectre X Nano Bracelet, test whatever improvements Evelyn and the other engineers had made, and return home before evening.

Simple enough.

Yet somehow, things had developed in a direction he could never have anticipated.

First, there was the unexpected upgrade to his armor, that alone was already more than he’d expected his day to involve. But then came the run-in with the two Automaton sisters.

Kael’s expression grew thoughtful.

He still found it rather strange that the mysterious leaders of the Spectre Guild turned out to be members of a nearly extinct mechanical race. And the fact that their mother had supposedly predicted his arrival years in advance only made the whole situation feel more unbelievable. Even now, Kael wasn’t entirely certain what to make of that particular revelation.

However, there was one thing he couldn’t deny, the encounter had been extremely rewarding, because he’d walked away with a great treasure: the Spirit Mine.

A faint smile touched his face. Just thinking about the strange metallic orb currently resting inside his Inventory was enough to lift his mood. According to Athom, the treasure possessed the ability to produce different kinds of metallic ores, including exceptionally rare materials, provided it was properly nurtured.

Kael had yet to discover exactly how that process worked, but he was already looking forward to experimenting with it.

Of course, there was also the matter of Nora’s request. She wanted him to help avenge the destruction of the Automaton race.

However, since Nora had made it clear that accepting the Spirit Mine didn’t obligate him to anything, he’d decided not to dwell on the matter for now. If he eventually became powerful enough to help them, he’d consider it. Until then, he had more immediate matters to worry about.

And speaking of immediate matters, Kael’s smile widened slightly, the deal with the Spectre Guild had turned out pretty well too.

That was another unexpected benefit of the visit. Nora had made her proposal in her capacity as Guild Master of the Spectre Guild, and after a lengthy conversation, the two of them had managed to reach a preliminary agreement.

The deal was relatively straightforward in principle.

The Mothlight Guild would establish a technological partnership with the Spectre Guild, gaining access to certain technologies and technical expertise that would otherwise be difficult for a newly established organization to obtain. More importantly, the arrangement would allow Mothlight to receive assistance from some of the Spectre Guild’s technicians.

Naturally, the exact scope of that assistance would depend on the final contract, but even so, it was an opportunity Kael had no intention of passing up.

After all, his ambitions for the Mothlight Guild extended far beyond simply selling potions and valuable Tower items.

From the very beginning, he’d envisioned building an organization capable of standing at the top of multiple industries, a powerful establishment with influence stretching across various fields.

He didn’t want Mothlight to become an organization that relied entirely on him to stay relevant. Instead, he wanted it to possess enough resources, expertise, and influence to operate independently, a Guild that could continue growing even when he wasn’t personally involved in its daily affairs.

And now, he was gradually moving closer to that goal.

Dun was already handling much of the Guild’s research into Mana Potions and other medical products, and given enough resources and time, Kael was confident Dun could accomplish extraordinary things.

However, medical research was only one part of the larger picture. There were still numerous fields where the Mothlight Guild lacked the necessary personnel and infrastructure.

Technology was one of them.

And that was precisely why the proposed partnership with the Spectre Guild was so valuable.

With access to experienced technicians and advanced technical knowledge, Mothlight could begin developing capabilities that would otherwise take years to establish on its own.

Of course, the agreement wasn’t entirely one-sided. Nora might regard Kael as the Great One her mother had instructed her to find, but when she’d approached him as Guild Master of the Spectre Guild, she’d made one thing very clear.

Business was business.

She wasn’t going to hand over the Guild’s valuable technology and personnel without receiving something worthwhile in return.

And Kael had actually appreciated that. After all, there was a difference between Nora personally gifting him the Spirit Mine and her making decisions that affected an entire organization, the Spectre Guild had its own interests to protect, after all.

Naturally, the Mothlight Guild would have to provide suitable compensation and benefits in exchange for the assistance it received.

As a result, their discussion had involved several rounds of negotiation.

Kael had laid out his expectations. Nora had explained what the Spectre Guild was willing to provide.

And whenever one side proposed something the other considered unreasonable, they’d adjusted the terms until both parties were satisfied.

It had taken considerably longer than Kael originally expected, but in the end, they’d managed to reach an understanding. All that remained now was to draft the official contract, review the final terms, and sign the agreement.

However, Kael had deliberately chosen not to finalize everything immediately. Instead, he’d suggested waiting until after the Mothlight Guild’s upcoming auction.

And there was a good reason for that.

If the auction went as planned, the Mothlight Guild’s bargaining position should improve considerably. The auction was going to be one of Mothlight’s first major opportunities to establish its reputation on a larger scale.

Kael had already prepared several valuable treasures to attract attention, and Joy had spent a considerable amount of time making arrangements to ensure the event reached the right people.

If everything went well, Mothlight’s influence would increase significantly. And with that increased influence would come greater negotiating power.

The Spectre Guild might already recognize Mothlight’s potential, but there was a difference between potential and demonstrated success, and a successful auction would provide tangible evidence of the Guild’s resources and capabilities.

That, in turn, might allow Kael to negotiate more favorable terms once the final contract was drawn up.

Naturally, Nora had understood his reasoning, and she hadn’t objected to the delay. So, they’d agreed to revisit the matter once the auction concluded.

Well, that’s something to look forward to.

Kael nodded in satisfaction. Overall, the visit had turned out far more productive than he could have imagined.

Not bad, for a trip that was only supposed to involve picking up a repaired bracelet.

Kael chuckled.

"Alright, enough thinking."

There was no point standing outside the building all day, he’d already spent far more time at the Spectre Guild than he’d originally intended. And considering how much had happened, he was beginning to feel like heading home and relaxing for the rest of the evening.

With that thought, Kael made his way toward the parking area. His motorcycle was still exactly where he’d left it. He approached the vehicle, mounted it, and started the engine.

Vroom!

The familiar rumble brought a small smile to his face, and after adjusting his position, Kael guided the motorcycle out of the parking area and onto the road. Soon, he was weaving through the streets of the Second District, heading home.

---

By the time Kael arrived, the sky had already begun to darken, the sun gradually disappearing beyond the distant buildings, casting a warm orange glow across the city.

After parking his motorcycle, Kael entered the house, and the familiar atmosphere immediately greeted him. Unlike the busy streets and the rather extraordinary events he’d experienced throughout the day, everything here felt peaceful. And that was something Kael had come to appreciate more than ever.

After everything his family had endured in his previous life, simply being able to return home and find them safe was enough to put him in a good mood.

He spent the remainder of the evening with Hannah, Lyra, and Ezra. Naturally, the three of them were still thoroughly enthusiastic about their favorite television drama, House of Seven.

It was becoming increasingly apparent that he’d severely underestimated the show’s ability to keep them entertained.

At one point, Lyra even attempted to explain a particularly complicated conflict between several of the Hunters in the show.

Unfortunately, by the time she finished, Kael was more confused than when she’d started. Something about a sabotaged hunt, a secret alliance with a rival group, and one of the Hunters getting caught withholding critical information about a mark, information that had nearly gotten the entire house killed.

Kael listened for several minutes before finally asking a question.

"Wait. What was the purpose of that? What does he even stand to gain?"

Lyra looked at him, then sighed.

"Brother, you really haven’t been paying attention."

Kael stared at her and shook his head, but ultimately chose not to argue. Some battles simply weren’t worth fighting.

Given how invested she clearly was in the show, pointing out its ridiculousness probably wasn’t going to end well for him either.