So that was their offer? This mission had been reported as being more dangerous than it actually was, so the reward she would receive from up above was worth more than it should have been? The brass had their eyes on this mission so anyone who was involved in it was sure to rise up in their estimations.

Great.

There was leverage there to be sure. Leverage she could use to ask for anything she wanted, as long as she was willing to try and negotiate with the brass for it. A raise, a promotion; those were just the suggestions, there were sure to be other things she could ask for. Wealth, fame, status, luxury goods, attention, attention, attention; her family would love all of that. She could even use this situation to get an in with the higher-ups, get her name out there and introduce herself to some of Agartha’s major players. Maybe even earn herself a title to go along with all those other famous Mediums. She’d be famous.

After all, if she was responsible for killing one of these legendary three kings or whatever, wouldn’t her name be just as well-known as those others red had mentioned?

Fuck, this was terrible.

While she had been thinking the executive had gotten up and left the room with a bow and a wave, leaving Candice with no opportunity to respond to his ‘deal’ before he did. It didn’t escape her notice that the reward for slaying this monster was nothing more than some goodwill and the promise that maybe someone [i]else[/i] would give her something in return.

Nothing, in other words.

What would happen if she just walked out the door right now? Nothing good, surely? She’d just had a face-to-face meeting with a fairly important man, been offered what he probably thought was an exceptionally good deal to accept a mission he clearly had a lot of personal investment in. If she walked out now, what would his response be?

Candice let out a sigh before mumbling under her breath. “Tsk. Didn’t even give me the chance to turn this down.”

She was in then; against her will, but what was new about that? She was going to fight a dragon. If Candice made if back alive, the first thing she was going to negotiate was making sure her name didn’t end up anywhere near an official report. There was no changing the fact that the executive and the three Mediums in this room knew she was doing this but if she had her way then that was where the spread of information would end.

One of those Mediums was talking to her now, asking her to introduce herself after they had all done the same. “Pioneer. I use earth and water. I hit things, I kill things and I take care of myself. Don’t use any of your spells on me.”