Tragedy of Divinity

Chapter 47: A New Proposition

The tavern's common room was quiet as the trio sat at their usual table. Seraphine was nursing a cup of tea, her sharp eyes scanning the bustling street through the window. Lucian leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, his usual scowl etched deep into his face. Quintin, as usual, was fiddling with something—his newly acquired revolver, spinning it in his hand and marveling at its design.

The calm was interrupted as the door creaked open, and a figure stepped in, immediately drawing their attention. It was Alaric, dressed in his usual finely tailored suit, his hair perfectly parted down the middle, his faint smirk already in place.

The trio exchanged glances.

"What does he want now?" Lucian muttered, his tone dripping with irritation.

Alaric approached their table with his usual unhurried grace. He didn't ask for permission before pulling out a chair and sitting down, his presence commanding the space as though he owned it.

"Good morning," Alaric greeted, his tone light and conversational. "I hope you're all feeling better after your rather… harrowing encounter yesterday."

"We're fine," Seraphine said curtly, setting her cup down. "Why are you here?"

Alaric's smirk widened slightly as he placed a new folder on the table. "Straight to the point, as always. I appreciate that. I'm here because I believe we got off on the wrong foot with our last discussion. So, I've decided to revise the terms of my offer."

Lucian's eyes narrowed. "We already said no."

"You did," Alaric acknowledged, leaning back in his chair. "But this is a different kind of arrangement. One I believe you'll find more… palatable."

Quintin perked up, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. "What's the catch this time?"

"No catch," Alaric said smoothly. "You won't need to become official members of the Adventurers Guild. Instead, you'll operate as private allies—partners of mine, if you will. You'll receive all the benefits I mentioned before: access to resources, lodging, supplies, and, of course, information. But you won't be tied down by guild obligations."

"And what do you get out of it?" Seraphine asked, her gaze piercing.

Alaric chuckled softly. "Straight to the heart of the matter. Very well. I get… your cooperation. If I require assistance with certain matters—discreet matters—I can count on you to handle them. Nothing more, nothing less."

Lucian scoffed. "So, you want us to be your personal problem solvers. Sounds like the same deal with a different name."

"Not quite," Alaric countered, his smirk unwavering. "You'll have complete autonomy. You're free to refuse any request I make. However, I think you'll find that the benefits of our partnership far outweigh any potential inconvenience."

Quintin leaned forward, visibly intrigued. "So we get all the perks, and we're not forced to do anything we don't want to?"

"Precisely," Alaric confirmed.

Lucian's eyes narrowed further, his suspicion palpable. "And why would you go out of your way to make this deal with us?"

Alaric's expression softened, though his smirk remained. "Because I see potential in your group. You're resourceful, capable, and, most importantly, unpredictable. Loyrn is a city that thrives on unpredictability, and I believe you three could be valuable allies in navigating its… complexities."

Seraphine studied Alaric carefully, her mind racing through the implications of his words. She could sense that there was more to his offer than he was letting on, but she also knew that their current situation was less than ideal.

"We'll need time to discuss it," she said finally.

"Of course," Alaric replied, rising from his seat with practiced elegance. He placed the folder on the table and tapped it lightly. "Take all the time you need. The terms are outlined in detail here. I trust you'll make the right decision."

With that, he turned and strode toward the door, his presence leaving a lingering tension in the air.

The Debate

Once Alaric was gone, the trio sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the new offer settling over them.

Quintin broke the silence first, flipping open the folder. "Okay, this doesn't sound bad at all. We get everything we need, and we don't have to be part of the guild? I mean, come on, guys, this is perfect!"

Lucian shot him a withering glare. "Perfect? Are you seriously that naïve? He's playing us, Quintin. There's no way this is as straightforward as it sounds."

"Well, we're barely surviving as it is!" Quintin shot back, his frustration evident. "We need this, Lucian. You can't just keep saying no to everything without giving it a chance."

Seraphine held up a hand, silencing them both. "Enough. This isn't about who's right or wrong. We need to look at this logically." She glanced at Lucian. "You're right to be suspicious. Alaric clearly has his own agenda, and we'd be fools to trust him blindly."

Then she turned to Quintin. "But you're also right. We're not in a position to turn down help. If we're going to survive in Loyrn, we'll need resources and information. This deal could give us that without tying us down."

Lucian scowled but said nothing, his jaw tight with tension.

"So what do we do?" Quintin asked, his voice quieter now.

Seraphine leaned back in her chair, her gaze distant. "We proceed cautiously. If we accept this deal, we do so with our eyes wide open. We don't trust Alaric, and we don't let him manipulate us. But for now… it might be our best option."

Lucian exhaled sharply, clearly displeased but unwilling to argue further. "Fine. But if this backfires, don't say I didn't warn you."

Quintin grinned, relief washing over him. "Great! So… when do we tell him we're in?"

"Not yet," Seraphine said firmly. "We'll let him wait. If we're going to accept, we do it on our terms, not his."

With that, the decision was made, though the air remained heavy with tension and unspoken doubts. As the trio prepared to face whatever came next, they couldn't shake the feeling that Alaric's shadow loomed larger over them than they realized.

End of chapter 47: