Chapter 60: That Huge
"Yes," Seraphine replied. "But not openly. Deploying a large military force would cause panic, and if the dragon relocates, it becomes harder to track."
Marcus leaned back slightly.
"How powerful is this Red Dragon? And why is it that it sounds like that your only party will be fighting it? Based on that, I can tell now that your fellow party members are strong."
Seraphine held his gaze for a moment before answering.
"They are," she said. "Each of them is capable on their own. But a Red Dragon is not something you measure the same way as other monsters."
Marcus didn’t interrupt.
Elaina remained quiet beside him, listening closely.
Seraphine continued.
"A Red Dragon is classified as a S-level threat," she said. "Not because it is simply strong, but because of what it can do over time."
She paused briefly, choosing her words.
"Fire that doesn’t just burn, but spreads uncontrollably. Scales that deflect most conventional attacks. Flight, speed, and intelligence high enough to adapt during combat."
Marcus’s expression didn’t change, but his eyes sharpened slightly.
"...So brute force isn’t enough."
"No," Seraphine replied. "If it was, armies would have dealt with them long ago."
Elaina shifted slightly.
"...Then why only your party?" she asked. "Why not multiple high-rank parties working together?"
"Yeah, not to mention, I’m a B-rank adventurer..."
"That’s because other parties were hesitant to join, subjugating a Red Dragon is a difficult task that can often lead to death. No one is willing to take the risk. Only we do."
"Why?" Marcus asked.
"Because, if it’s not dealt with, it’ll continue to bring calamity to the other places. More deaths."
"That sounds noble," Marcus noted. "Well, why approach me again?"
"A Red Dragon is a flying creature similar to wyverns. But more agile and faster than the wyverns. We believed that you have the power that could reach a Red Dragon and deal meaningful damage to it," Seraphine finished.
The room went quiet for a second.
Marcus didn’t respond right away.
He just looked at her, reading between the lines.
"...So you watched what happened in Berm," he said.
Seraphine gave a small nod.
"We reviewed every report available," she said. "Eyewitness accounts, guild logs, even partial recon notes from nearby observers."
Elaina glanced at Marcus briefly.
"...They did their homework."
Marcus ignored that for now.
"And you think that translates to fighting a dragon," he said.
Seraphine didn’t flinch.
"I think it gives you a unique advantage," she replied. "You were able to engage multiple airborne targets at once and eliminate them efficiently."
She paused slightly.
"That is not common."
Marcus leaned back again, crossing his arms.
"...Wyverns aren’t dragons."
"No," Seraphine agreed. "They are not."
Her eyes held his.
"But they are the closest comparison we have."
Marcus let out a quiet breath.
That was fair.
"So, what do you think? Can you help us? Of course, if money is concerned we can share the rewards with you."
"How much is the reward?" Marcus asked.
She reached into the pouch at her side and pulled out a folded document, placing it calmly on the table between them.
"This is the official contract draft issued through the capital," she said.
Marcus didn’t touch it yet.
"Just tell me the number," he said.
Seraphine met his gaze.
"The base reward is one hundred million kinah."
Elaina’s breath caught slightly.
"...One hundred..."
Even Marcus paused for a fraction of a second.
That wasn’t just a big number.
That was absurd.
Seraphine continued as if it were just a normal statement.
"If the Red Dragon is successfully subjugated, the one hundred million will be released in full."
She tapped the document lightly.
"Additionally, all participants involved in the hunt will have claim to the spoils."
Marcus narrowed his eyes slightly.
"...Dragon parts."
"Yes," Seraphine said. "Scales, bones, core, organs. A Red Dragon’s body is worth more than most high-level dungeon rewards combined."
"And there is more."
Marcus leaned back slightly again.
"...Of course there is."
"Felsis," she continued, "has also pledged an additional fifty million kinah as a bounty for eliminating the threat."
Now the room fell completely silent.
One hundred million.
Plus fifty million.
And that didn’t even include the value of the dragon itself.
Seraphine folded her hands calmly.
"One hundred fifty million kinah total, not including spoils."
Marcus exhaled slowly.
"...And the split?"
Seraphine answered without hesitation.
"Equal distribution among involved primary parties."
She looked directly at him.
"With your inclusion, that makes five."
Marcus did the math instantly.
"...Thirty million each."
"Yes."
Elaina looked at Marcus, her expression serious now.
"...That’s more than what most high-rank parties earn in years."
Marcus didn’t respond to her.
His attention stayed on Seraphine.
"...And you’re offering that without hesitation."
Seraphine’s expression didn’t change.
"We’re offering it because the risk matches the reward," she said. "And because failure is not an option."
Marcus tapped his finger lightly against the table again.
Thirty million kinah.
Plus dragon materials.
Plus exposure.
This is a great opportunity for Atlas Private Military Company.
"In that case, I am in. But, since I’m a corporate entity, we’ll have to enter in a new contract instead of me joining as an individual," Marcus said in a businesslike tone.
Seraphine’s eyes narrowed slightly, not in rejection, but in focus.
"...Explain."
Marcus leaned forward, resting his arms on the table again.
"I don’t operate as a lone adventurer anymore," he said. "Atlas is a company. If I’m committing to this, then it’s Atlas Private Military Company entering the contract, not just Marcus Manfred."
Elaina glanced at him briefly, then nodded to herself.
That made sense.
Seraphine remained silent, letting him finish.
"That means," Marcus continued, "everything we bring to the operation falls under Atlas. My men, my equipment, my logistics. We’re not an attachment to your party—we’re a separate entity working alongside you."
Seraphine tapped a finger lightly on the table once.
"...A joint contract."
"Exactly."
Marcus held her gaze.
"And because of that, the agreement needs to reflect it."
Elaina stepped slightly forward now, naturally moving into her role.
"We’ll need a revised contract," she said. "One that formally includes Atlas as a participating force, with defined responsibilities, compensation structure, and operational authority."
Seraphine shifted her attention to her.
"...You’re handling administration."
"Yes," Elaina replied without hesitation.
Seraphine nodded once, acknowledging it.
Then her gaze returned to Marcus.
"And what changes do you want made?" she asked.
Marcus didn’t take long.
"First, compensation remains the same," he said. "Thirty million kinah share, plus equal access to spoils."
Seraphine nodded.
"That’s already agreed."
"Second," Marcus continued, "Atlas operates under its own command structure. We coordinate with your team, but we don’t take direct orders from them."
A brief pause followed.
Seraphine studied him.
"...You want independent command."
"Yes."
Elaina didn’t say anything.
But she agreed.
Seraphine exhaled lightly.
"...Fair."
Marcus continued.
"Third," he said, "operational zones. We handle area control, suppression, and support. Your team focuses on direct engagement with the dragon."
Seraphine nodded slowly.
"That aligns with our initial plan."
Marcus leaned back slightly.
"Then we don’t have a problem."