I became Villain's Best Friend

Julian inspected the tool carefully, turning it over in his hands. His sharp green eyes gleamed with interest, but his expression remained unreadable.

"This is well-crafted," he finally said, running his fingers along the smooth handle. "Simple, but effective." He placed it on the table with a soft thud and leaned forward. "Where did you kids get this?"

Seraphina met his gaze without hesitation. "We made it."

Julian's lips quirked upward in amusement. "You?"

"Yes." She kept her tone steady. "And we can make more. But we're here to sell, not to answer unnecessary questions."

Jonny fidgeted beside her, gripping the edge of his chair. Rose, meanwhile, flipped her red locks over her shoulder, smirking. "We're not just some clueless kids running around, you know."

Julian chuckled, clearly entertained by their confidence. He tapped the tool against the table thoughtfully. "Alright. You have my attention. What's your price?"

Seraphina didn't hesitate. "For the tool, five silver coins per unit. For the technique—exclusive rights—twenty gold coins."

Chloe, who had been standing quietly at his side, nearly choked on her tea. "Twenty gold? That's—"

Julian lifted a hand, silencing her. His eyes were sharp, but there was something almost approving in his gaze. "You drive a hard bargain." He leaned back, steepling his fingers. "And if I say it's too high?"

Seraphina's hazel eyes remained steady. "Then you lose a business opportunity. Someone else will buy it."

For a moment, silence stretched between them. Then Julian burst into laughter, a deep, hearty sound that filled the room.

"You've got guts, girl." He picked up the tool again, rolling it between his fingers. "Fine. Ten gold for the technique, and three silver per tool. That's my counteroffer."

Seraphina didn't flinch. "Seventeen gold for the technique, four silver per tool."

Julian arched an eyebrow. "Fifteen gold. Four silver per tool, and I guarantee future deals with my guild."

Seraphina pretended to think for a moment, though she already knew she'd won. With a small smile, she extended her hand. "Deal."

Julian's firm grip met hers in a handshake. "Deal."

As soon as the words were spoken, Jonny exhaled in relief, his shoulders slumping. Rose grinned triumphantly.

Chloe sighed, rubbing her temple. "I have a feeling this isn't the last time we'll be dealing with you lot."

Seraphina's smile deepened. "I wouldn't count on it."

Julian leaned back in his chair and gestured toward Chloe. "We'll need to make this official. Chloe, prepare the paperwork."

Chloe nodded and pulled out a leather-bound ledger, flipping through its pages before laying it on the desk. "Since this is your first official business with the guild, you'll need to register. A proper guild card will be issued to you, which will serve as proof of your identity and allow legal contracts under guild regulations."

Julian smirked and tapped the desk. "Normally, registration in our Merchant Guild costs five gold coins," he said smoothly. "But since you're such a valuable contractor, we'll settle for two gold coins."

Seraphina's lips twitched. She knew what he was doing—testing her. Trying to rob her of extra gold under the guise of a discount. With a calm expression, she tilted her head. "Two gold? That's still too much. Considering our deal, waiving the registration fee would be much more reasonable."

Julian let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. "Sharp. Alright, fine. I'll let it slide. No registration fee."

Seraphina knew he had never intended to charge her seriously, but it was still another small victory. She had won this battle, though Julian was clearly just pulling her leg.

Chloe jotted down Seraphina's name, scribbling efficiently before passing a document to Julian. He skimmed through it, then signed at the bottom with a flourish. "This makes it official. You are now a recognized seller under the Merchant Guild."

Chloe handed Seraphina a small, elegantly crafted card with a faint magical glow and the guild's insignia. "This is your merchant card. Unlike temporary ones, this is a permanent registry under your name. It also functions as a magical banking tool, allowing you to deposit and withdraw money at any guild-affiliated location. This way, you won't have to carry large amounts of coin and risk losing them."

Seraphina's eyes flickered with interest as she turned the card in her hands, feeling a faint pulse of magic. She hadn't expected it to have such a useful function.

"That's convenient," she admitted.

Rose peeked over her shoulder. "Not bad! We're real merchants now."

Julian smirked. "Real merchants indeed. Now, let's get this paperwork wrapped up so we can move on to business."

As they finalized the deal, Chloe handed Seraphina a pouch with their payment.

"Deposit everything except for the silver into my merchant account," Seraphina instructed. "We'll take the silver with us."

Chloe nodded, setting aside the coins before finalizing the transaction. "Done. Your funds are secured in your account."

Seraphina secured the silver and stored the guild card safely in her pocket.

"Well then," Julian said, leaning back in his chair. "Pleasure doing business with you, little merchant."

With that, the trio left the guild, their spirits high. This was just the beginning.

Meanwhile, back in the slums, the atmosphere had shifted. Inside a dimly lit alley, Lucian sat in a worn and torn makeshift chair, his dark eyes cold as he scrutinized the group of children before him.

His voice was low but sharp. "Tell me everything. Where did Seraphina go? What was she up to?"

The children shuffled nervously, some avoiding his piercing gaze. Lucian had just woken up, and the first thing he did was interrogate everyone about Seraphina's whereabouts. His expression was unreadable, but the weight of his authority pressed down on them.

"I won't ask twice," he warned.

One of the boys hesitated before speaking up. "She went to sell the tool Luke made."

Lucian leaned back, his fingers tapping against the armrest of his chair. His eyes darkened, unreadable thoughts swirling behind them.

"I see."

The storm was brewing.