The response to his speech was quite different from what he expected it to be. The happy exclamations he was hoping for was pretty non-existent. Instead, the faces around were filled with bemused smiles, pity and scoff. Only Hannigan and Mathew remained unmoved.

“Buddy, nice one,” one of the new faces said. He looked to be no older than a high-schooler. Lean built with fair failing up to his eyebrows, his genial laughter expressed his sincere condolences well.

“We have tried before sir. But it is too expensive to even get in,” Alma, the camp’s cook said.

“Everyone, let’s hear him out please,” Hannigan said, calming the group at once.

Once the group quietened, Rick started again, “I cannot guarantee that you will be able to live there forever. But am willing to invest in this camp so that you can set up shop at the City depending on the quality of products you can make.”

“So you want us to show you all our stuff? All for a vague promise that you will ‘invest’, is it? And what will the great Rick invest with, pennies or notes or maybe you will write us a check?” Julia said with a scoff. “All that is useless now, you might as well burn that all up. Do you even know what they use? Do you know the entrance fee? Do you know how much it takes to start a shop? Do you know how you need to pay a monthly fee to keep the shop up? Invest he says,”

“Oh right, Mr. Hannigan, the last time we talked you said there were taxes and entry fees. Do you know how much they are?” Rick asked Hannigan instead. Ignoring the fuming girl.

“Well, the entrance fee is ten copper Cillacs per person. Opening a shop is fifty gold Cilliacs for a small shop with a monthly tax of five silver Cilliacs and the residence cost for five persons would be another ten silver Cilliacs a month…” Hannigan gave a long-winded estimate of all the costs.

With all the numbers flying around, Rick had zoned out a while back but snapped back in once Hannigan stopped speaking. Looking at the others in the room Rick asked, “Do the rest of you agree with this estimate as well?”

The group nodded there head yes, satisfied with the estimate put.

“Mr. Hannigan, can you give me a monthly estimate of the costs?” Rick asked.

“Of course. With everything considered, monthly expenses for the entire camp alone come up to more than seventy Gold Cilliacs,” he replied. But afraid of scaring away the potential ‘investor’, he quickly added, “But it should be definitely less than eighty. And from the second month, it should not be more than seventy.”

‘Eighty?!’ Rick was surprised by the estimate as well. But it made sense that the costs would decrease after the second month. After all, they would not need to pay the entrance fee anymore.

“Bro chill, it’s no big deal. But thanks for trying,” the bowl haired teen said with a knowing smile.

“I know everyone here must be hesitating to share their crafts. But you have tried my food. We tried selling that for entry last time. But that too only sold for five copper a plate last time. Weapons sell for no more than one gold Cilliac,” Alima- the camp’s cook said.

“Even the golems you gave would probably sell for no more than three to five gold coins,” Hannigan added.

“I am willing to loan you the money worth three months of stay so that you can shift to the Celestial City with the entire camp. I will give you eighty for the first and seventy for the subsequent two months that is two hundred and twenty gold Cilliacs.” Rick said.

The entire place fell silent at the amount. Hannigan was the quickest to get back his wits.

“How- how will you make this payment? Do you maybe have more golems or other products?” he inquired.

“No,” Rick said without explaining further. “But that’s the amount I am willing to give. It is contingent on you five here proving it to me that you can repay the sum.”

From the corner of his eyes, he could see Julia fuming, about to say something. But with a quick wave of his hand, Hannigan stopped her.

“Of course it is only logical that you want your investment repaid. What time duration are we talking about?” Hannigan asked, cleaning the lenses of his glass.

“You can pay me in instalments of ten gold a month. According to the Heaven’s Dictate, there are seven months for the invasion of our planet. If you agree, I will take the first instalment in eight months from today,” Rick said. Looking straight at Julia he added, “Is that acceptable?”

“And what do you want in return?” Julia asked coldly.

“Julia, you are smart enough to realise that you guys can’t stay here for too long. The forest will overtake this entire camp in a month, tops. You guys have treated me fairy here, all I want is for you guys to reach there safely and carve out a place for yourself,” Rick said solemnly and then mimicking Hannigan’s smile the best he could, continued, “Of course I want access to your creations for a fair price and fifty-one percent stake in your shop. But don’t worry, I will only be a silent partner. And we can negotiate about it again once the loan amount is repaid at two percent interest.”

“You-” Julia started but shook her head and calmed down. “Never mind. Fine, I agree. But whether the others in the camp agree is up to them.”

“You have already seen mine,” Alima added next.

“Well, I am a potter. I know some runes that help preserve food and toughens it and stuff,” the straight-haired high-schooler said next.

Rick looked over at Hannigan for his reply. It was obvious that he was going to be the final word in the group.

“I am sure you will want to see them all. And I am willing to show mine. But as for the others, I have to ask for their approval. You must have realised how we operate here in the camp,” Hannigan said with a shrug.

“No need for that,” Rick immediately stopped him. “I don’t want to know about others. The five of you and Mathew can represent the camp. I will deal only with you. Let’s call you… the Camp Trustees. The deal is between me and the Camp Trustees. The camp will just be the beneficiary. I want nothing from the rest of the camp and they don’t need to worry about me. It’s up to you guys. If you can prove your creation can rake in enough to pay me ten gold a month eight months from now.”

After another hour of back and forth, the five finally relented and accepted that he was not trying to dupe them. Although with some hesitation they showed him their products.

Hannigan’s creation was something he called the Sensor. It was an artefact made out of used tin-cans that acted as a perimeter warning system. “That’s how we knew you were coming over before you reached,” Mathew added with pride in his voice.

Next up was the silent fourth man that did not speak a word during the meeting, that everyone just called Janitor, which Rick took to mean that he was the janitor at the school. He was a pot-bellied middle-aged man with thin hair and a thick moustache. He was the only weapon maker of the group and made wooden bows and arrows. Apparently, it was a trade he knew even before.

‘Well, I won’t mind one of that’ Rick made a mental note to ask the Janitor for one before leaving.

Rick already knew of Alima’s food so the next up was the high-schooler. His name was Daiki and although what he made was just pots, Rick was surprised at the variation in rune inscription the boy used. Rather than inscribing it on the product later, Daiki was a literal potter and would inscribe the runes while making the pots itself.

Finally, it was Julia’s turn.

“I can toughen things. Make them harder, more resilient,” Julia said. Reaching out with his hand she touched a rusted spot on the ground. Immediately her face lost colour and she started breathing harder. But when she removed her hand, it left Rick shocked.

The brown rust was completely gone and was replaced by a black material instead. When he reached out to touch it, it was cool to the touch and completely solid. He knocked on it and it didn’t ring as metal would.

“What is it?” Rick asked surprised.

“You overdid it,” Mathew whispered from the side receiving a glare from the already irritated girl.

“I named it Elementium,” Julia answered. “I can repair it with the same substance it is made of or hardens any material I touch.”

To demonstrate she touched the Janitors’ arrow and the few cracks on the wooden shaft completely disappeared.

“But it consumes a lot of energy and generally you can pay a blacksmith to repaid your sword or save up and buy a piece of new equipment.”

Rick had a lot of questions in his mind but decided it was not the time to ask. He needed to finish the task at hand.

“I believe you can do it,” Rick said after a pause. He smiled, “I will give you the money.”

Everyone sighed in relief.

“Why don’t you go and take the vote? You should move out as soon as possible. As for the money, I will give it to you tomorrow if that is fine. I will have to still inconvenience you with my presence for another day,” Rick quickly added.

“It’s not a bother at all. You are one of us now. A part of the camp,” Hannigan said getting up. “You get some rest. We will see ourselves off.”

The others also stood up with that.

Rick had no use of the money at the moment and this way he could help out a friend from before. But more than that, it could give him easy access to the City. He had “customers” there, but him being a wanted man and having to keep up his appearance as Kir, it was a hassle he wanted to get out of. Besides, building a good rapport with them would help him once shops in the Blessed Exchange opened as well.

“Julia, can you stay back for a minute,” Rick said, “It won’t take long.”

Everyone stopped but to everyone’s surprise, she sat back down and replied, “Don’t make it too long. I have work.”