Head:

After the kids left, Head continued to work for another 5 minutes to make sure no one came back in after them.

“Shade, you can come out now. Which Shade are you anyway? Have we met before?” Head asks the air around him.

A person cloaked in black slowly materialises into view as they walk from the edge of the pavilion to the side of Head’s table.

“No, I am afraid we have not crossed paths before but our files from other Shades that have worked with you only say nice things so I expect us to get along well…” A deep voice comes out of the cloak. The Shade is robed in a black cloak with some kind of enchantment that doesn’t allow anyone to look in but gives perfect vision out. It is rumoured that the cloak also hides a great assortment of weapons and is armoured against physical and magical attacks too.

“So, what do you now see why I asked you to be present instead of searching for that Yeti tribe? Was it worth it to the king and the university do you think?” Head enquires politely. You have to be polite with the Shades, they speak with the king’s voice and in his name. But when they are on duty they give up their individuality too. There is no glory or honour for a single member. All accolades go to the order and they hunt their own rule breakers more stubbornly than the royal guards protecting their charge.

The voice continues but it seems to have changed slight, how do they do that? “Yes, I can see how this could be useful even to us. No one has ever thought of such crude enchantments for disposable items. This could be very useful…” As the Shade talks his figure seems to flow from a muscular man of 190 cm to a slim woman 160cm tall. The voice also shifts with the changing figure. “I believe we can use this but you know how the ADMINS deal with people that steal intellectual property. You will be heavily fined and debuffed by them if you do not take the items in combat or by announcing the theft in the open.”

Head cringed at that, he had heard about the exorbitant mana fines and they even inform the original owner of the knowledge if it’s taken in a way that breaks the rules. “And I hear that if the knowledge is from a child then it is held in trust until they reach maturity until any form of rule to taking the knowledge can be used.”

The shifting of Shade’s form and voice always made Head a little queasy but it was nothing new. Shade tilted its head, or at least the hood tilted a little. “How about we just ask him, don’t have to deal with any of this circumlocution either and no problem with the ADMINS. And maybe we can teach him about the world of adults at the same time?”

“Yes, that would be best, do you mind hiding again so I can get an aid to get him, thank you.” Head concedes. As he calls for an aid as the Shade starts to vanish again, slowly blending in with the white cloth of his pavilion.

Alex:

Alex runs up to the pavilion again and rings the small gong outside to inform Head that he has visitors. Shortly a call from inside is heard urging him to go inside.

This pavilion is amazing. I didn’t get a chance to look at it properly last time as it was so rushed. How are the walls still so white? And where did all the rugs and painting come from? Is that a liquor table in the corner?

“Sir, you wished to speak to me?” Alex stops in front of the table and starts to salute.

“At ease Alex, please take a seat. I would like you to meet someone that works for the King. Shade, would you please say hello?” As Head finishes, Shade starts to materialise again while walking towards the seated Alex. “Alex, do not be afraid, you see Shade is an agent of, well, Shade. They are an organisation created by an ancient queen that saw that even if she was the best monarch to her subjects, there are some things that still need to be done in the dark. The Shade organisation came from that.”

Alex watched as Shade made its way to the other seat and sat down. “Sir, and Shade, may I make some observations and deductions about Shade? I understand that telling anyone about Shade’s existence will likely lead to me having an “accident” correct?” Head seems to be taken aback by such a suggestion but Shade seems to bow slightly at the assertion.

I think I might have to show some mental prowess again, not too much but enough to make them think they are going to be bargaining with someone too big for their britches at least. This call back is obviously for the designs of the stones though why they bother and not just steal them is something to wonder about later.

“Yes, I assumed so. Can I start of by noting that the skill you used to hide and reappear is the same one as the skill used by the Registration Ceremony leader at the University?” A nod of the head from Shade. “The way your figure is changing must be some kind of illusion, either you are not really present where you appear or you have a way to alter my perception of scale?”

The Shade moves slightly and the chair creaks and moves a little too. “Thank you for the confirmation. You are actually present but you have some kind of enchantment or skill that can alter my perception of you without me being able to detect it. This is more likely an enchantment as it would be easier to make it have a basic proficiency for newbies to the order than to have a skill that develops and is slightly different for everyone. That way everyone else can’t tell the difference between a newbie or a veteran Shade correct?”

The Shade seems shocked a little but how it was visible no one could tell, it didn’t move or jerk or anything and with no face to view there was no way anyone should be able to tell but Head could see it, and for some reason so could Alexander. Who is this boy?

“Ah apologies if that was a secret you wished to keep from the rest of us, I did not mean to violate some kind of rule. I believe that is all, please could you tell me what you wish of me? Is it to get the plans for the stone enchantments?”

Head had been watching the two interact but now even he was stunned by such deep vision from this 6-year-old. Head looked at the opening of Shade’s hood but received no response so continued, “Yes we can see some very interesting uses for your stone enchantments and would like to develop them to use in our army and by special actions units like the Shades. All we need is your permission and a sample and we can take it from here.

Ah that is what they want, then I did guess right but they seem to assume I will just give it to them. Hmmm how to spin this slightly to my advantage? Ah I will use that – honesty and a splash of excitement!

“Sir I would love to just give you them but I was hoping we could come to a deal, with the Shade here, they can probably act as a witness to the deal too correct?” Alex looks at the Shade still sitting in the seat across from him. The Shade seems to relax slightly but still sits with its back straight and legs together. It nods exaggeratedly as a small motion may be hidden by the enchantment and this is a time to be serious.

“Okay, so the Shades are the king’s voice and act in his name so they can be witness to this deal and put his honour on the line, right?” Alex looks back at Head. He seems shocked again, Head never considered Alex would say something like that! The shame! Though he would do the same in his place too.

“Okay so you have a guarantee, now what do you want?” Head starts.

“Sir may I interrupt. Please let me finish, you seem to be asking me, a child for permission so there must be some kind of law that prevents you just taking the knowledge from me. This means that I have a little more power than normal but if I don’t want to become an enemy to the university, the army and the kingdom I can’t really ask for anything too special. So, all I really want in exchange is free unrestricted access to the rune crafting section of the university library and a supply of materials of materials to experiment with. Maybe there will be something else you would wish to buy from me in the future too? How about first pick goes to the university and the army and then I will look in the public domain after?” Alex finishes.

Head and the Shade exchange glances again, who was going to teach who about being an adult? The Shade shakes its head in the negative, that is too much for just the stones and Head nods. The exchange is silent but the meaning still gets across to all three of them.

“That is too much, how about one day access per month to the library, you will get no resources but will still have to come to the army and the university for first choice?” Head says in a final commanding tone.

That is much too low, I am sure I could show the stones to mother and she could make a better deal but how about I try to bargain some more first. Don’t want to turn these people against me but more importantly, the family.

“Sir, Miss Shade, I do not believe you are bargaining fairly. You are going to exchange stones that could change lives for one day of library access and I still have to give you first pick to anything in the future?” When the Shade hears Alex call it Miss Shade it seems to stiffen again.

Alex notices the stiffening and seems his guess was accurate, “Miss Shade, when men relax they generally spread their legs a little, it is subconscious. Women on the other hand will keep their knees together even when relaxing.” There is no response from Miss Shade but it turns its head towards Head and nods slightly.

Seeing this interchange Alex decides to bargain a little, maybe he can get something out of this and not be branded a rebel. “Sir, Miss Shade, how about this: 1 day per week access to the university library for rune crafting and 25% of all profits you or whoever produces them later will be given to me in the form of a trust fund that can be used to buy materials to experiment. Most of all I would like for my identity to remain a secret. Can’t have anyone know who I am as I don’t want assassins after me from internal and external sources” Alex looks at the Shade who seems to nod in reply.

“Alex, that seems reasonable to be honest, but the 25% of all profits may be a little high considering we will have to do all the work to produce and distribute, how about 3% instead? As for your identity? Until you are of majority and agree to use your own name, then an alias will be used anyhow. We will have to come up with one or you can come to us after you have thought of one.” He looks Alex straight in the eye and asks, “Agreed?”

3% is much more than I could ask for considering how unilaterally useful the flashbangs will be and what other effects they will develop. The core idea is putting an enchantment on the stone and not what enchantment so that’s good. As for the alias, I will have to think of something that is not related to weapon production. Yes, this looks agreeable.

“Sir, please confirm that we are bargaining for the idea of putting enchantments on stones or other consumable items… Correct?” Alex makes sure, making assumptions makes an ass out of you and me and all that. Assume is Ass u me.

“Yes, I will confirm that any enchantment that is produces that is placed on a disposable item that is used by the military will give you a pay-out of 3% if anyone in the public sector uses the same idea, to make something else then we cannot provide you with anything from that but we will stop anyone outside of the deal producing anything not for the military for the next 3 years. Is that all of your concerns covered?” Head asks.

Alex considers the news but is more than happy to confirm for the three-year lockout on other people, by the end of the 3 years he will have other things out and everyone else will continue to play catch up.

“Yes, I agree with those terms. Is there a contract to sign or anything? A blood pact maybe?” he asks.

“No there is no contract, really we didn’t even need the Shade but it was nice of you to consider it worthy. Now we write the conditions out and read them out to the ADMINISTRATION like how you would create a skill.” Head responds.

Once all the niceties were finished with, the wording was written out and debated, changed and rearranged a couple of times and everyone was happy Head and Alex took turns reading the contract to the ADMINISTRAION.

Once that was done Alex received the following notification:

CONTRACT FOR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CREATED

Rodress Alphain and Alexander Derroid have agreed to a binding contract to use Alexander’s intellectual property before his age of majority.

BINDING PARTICULARS

1. Access to rune crafting library in the University of Rodium – 1 day per week

2. 3% royalties paid to Alexander for any production of an enchanted consumable item for the army

3. No one else is allowed to use the idea for 3 years

4a. This is a binding agreement to the kingdom as a member of the Shades is present to vouch for the Ruling Monarch’s position.

4b. This is a binding agreement to the world as the owner of the intellectual property is below the default age of majority.

Head and Shade:

Sometime later, after Alex left back to his team and to get ready for the night watch.

Head and Shade look at each other and Head starts, “Did we just get fleeced by a child? That deal was much too good? 3% and 3 years? He got everything he wanted, didn’t he?”

Shades cocked its head at an angle as if considering, “Yes it seems so, I think it was my fault too. The initial “reasoning” about me was supposed to put us on our back foot and make us chase him instead of him chasing us for a better deal. We have been totally had, hopefully he will use the experimental money to come up with something truly amazing in the future that will vindicate us.”

Head nods at that, yes, there is always hoping; he then asks the Shade, “Was he right about your gender? I had noticed your posture but never considered it was anything apart from extreme training or an illusion.”

Shade seems to consider how to answer and suddenly starts to fade from view, a voice is heard as it walks out of the pavilion, “The Shades have no name, they have no gender and they speak with one voice. But he is an interesting child, he may be the youngest to have a folder with us apart from the children of the aristocracy.” And then it’s gone as if it was never there.

Head seems to sink into his seat just a little and starts talking to himself, “So the Shade was a she this time, and what he said about the illusion enchantment seems to have hit a mark too. Was this actually a new recruit for the Shades? And to identify its gender. Just who is Alexander Derroid and What will he do in the future?”