He had offered her the maximum level of cleaning to gain achieve more benefits in the negotiations. Besides, he had plans for her power that would be equal to his.

Her beautiful, perfectly lined lips trembled with rage. The jerk was messing with her! She could never pay him back if he was talking about the price of his cleaning.

«Once you mentioned that you wouldn't take money for cleaning. I can offer you protection from the killers guild, some battle techniques, and the chance to spend time with me.»

Kyon felt a gurgle of laughter welling up inside him. – «It's a great honor, indeed… To spend time with you… It changes everything!»

The girl suddenly had an urge to grab the lousy negotiator and throw him to jail. It would shut him up! However, she had sworn by the dearest to her heart, her uncle. She couldn't go to extremes or be aggressive towards him.

Kyon stopped fooling around and looked seriously at the beautiful girl. - «You will be my personal guard for the next five years. You will kill those I tell you to kill. Your guild will strictly obey my orders. Also, you will return the contents of the ring that you stole in the library. It's my condition!»

Her breath caught in her throat. She rose abruptly from her seat and banged the table with her fists. – «Bulls.h.i.+t! I've never heard such ridiculous nonsense! I'm not going to obey orders! Especially if they come from a maniac whose place is in a rotten dungeon!»

They looked each other in the eye across a sudden ringing silence, and both could effortlessly hold each other's stare.

The girl's rapid breathing gradually returned to normal. She returned to her seat, giving Kyon a look that should incinerate him on the spot. No one in their right mind would offer this to her. Wasn't he a bit too arrogant? He must be out of his mind even thinking she might accept his condition. How could he feel safe around her, anyway? He knew too well who she was! If he wasn't so valuable to her, she would have done away with him long ago and walked away.

«Alright, I'll cut you a deal. Let's make it four years as my personal guard.» – Kyon said impa.s.sively.

«I am not going to serve you. Do you understand?»

It would hurt her self-respect to become his servant. This boy had an overdeveloped sense of self-importance. She would never obey anyone! Quite the opposite, several hundred people followed her as their leader, honoring and respecting her. Her accomplices always chose their words well and brought her only good tidings.

«If you do not like my condition, offer yours. I might accept if it suits me fine…»

There was another long silence.

Kyon could feel her strong reluctance to reckon with him. She wanted to do things her way, giving nothing in return. What a selfish, arrogant, and determined little thief! If she wanted to have her keys cleaned, if she didn't want to let him go, she would have to offer him decent conditions!

«What about beautiful girls?» – She finally said, looking him straight in the eye.

«Do you want to pay me with your slaves? Forget it.» – Kyon shrugged it off indifferently. He knew too well that she would be disappointed in him, had he answered differently.

«Aren't you interested in slave girls?!»

«I already have one. But that's not the point.»

«Maybe, you prefer boys.» – She said without thinking. For some unknown reason, he could remain cool and keep his calm around her. Any boy of his age would already feel nervous and look away, even not knowing who she was.

Kyon's gaze went to her mouth-watering b.o.o.bs, but he had to look away at once. For a moment, the room filled with icy-cold deathly aura. It was like he was about to die from a deep cut in his neck. Anyway, the little thief would have no doubts now about his orientation.

A couple of silent minutes dragged by:

«Here is my offer: you swear that you won't tell anyone about me, about my past, you won't do anything against me at all. You will make me the master of all the elements as quickly as possible, without ridiculous pretense or excuses. In my turn, I will swear by my uncle that I will protect you one year long. I won't work for you. More than that, I am not going to obey any of your orders what go against my will. I will only follow you and protect you in case of mortal danger.»

Kyon laughed at her insolence. – «It's too vague! You can blame me for no reason, and it will be good enough for you not to keep your promise!»

The girl released dense, cold aura that cut to the bone. – «How can I unjustifiably blame you if I swear by my uncle? Think before you speak!»

Kyon wondered. Indeed, given her principles, if he didn't play games, delaying the time of key cleaning under stupid pretexts, if he didn't do anything against her (something he wasn't interested in), she couldn't blame him for anything. She would have to keep her oath as should be. Kyon became convinced once again that this girl was a very cautious person who would find any breaches of the agreement.

«Suppose I'm ready to make a promise but for one miserable year? Really?! No way! My offer is four years of your service and the contents of the ring.»

«Four years… It's too long…» – Her voice sounded strained. The girl curled her hands into fists, her glare burned through him

How could she give away four years of her life to him? It was out of the question! He was asking too much! His condition was too categorical… One year should be more than enough for him...

After another moment of silence, the girl said:

«Two years it is, then… And not a single day more.»

A frown crossed Kyon's face. The tone of her voice and the expression of her face told him that she wouldn't give in any more. Time was the most precious resource for her. Even if his service was millions of times more expensive, he would never sell it without dire consequences for his life or his freedom. Two years with her powerful protection would be enough for him to become stronger with minimal risks, and rise to the imperial investigator. Then he would have a personal army for any purpose. Moreover, this time would be enough to attach her emotionally to himself. She would stick to him like glue! And yet, he wasn't satisfied. His service was priceless! He had to ask for more.

«Two years of being my guard, the contents of the ring you stole in the library, and ten million spheres in advance.»

She gasped and rose from her chair. – «Ten million spheres in advance?! You told me that you wouldn't charge me! What if you run off?!»

«I told you that I would not charge billions. Ten million spheres is worth two years, isn't it? You can buy your time! Or you can go to the tournament of empires, take the first place and get your keys cleaned by the G.o.ddess herself... Oh, it will be only thirty percent. Good luck, anyway!»

Her face radiated killing intent. Her gaze could burn a hole in a weak-minded person. But Kyon was as calm as a metal wall.

«It's a deal… I will give you the money and the ring when the job is done. I don't trust you. It won't take more than a week, anyway. You can wait.» – The girl said adamantly.

The atmosphere was extremely tense. Kyon drummed his fingers on the table. He could stand his ground, but was it really worth it? He could wait for a week if she kept her promise. If she planned to break the oath, which he strongly doubted, then what is the difference if she paid in advance or not? She could always take all his money sooner or later. However, something unexpected could always happen, so Kyon decided to do it another way.

«If you are afraid that I will run off, pay me one tenth of the total amount every time I do one tenth of the total cleaning.»

The girl hesitated a little, then she nodded.

«Great.» – Kyon nodded and gave her his word not to tell anyone about her, not to do anything against her, and finish the cleaning as quickly as possible.

The girl breathed a sigh of relief, and after a little hesitation, she said:

«I swear by my uncle Leon that I will protect you for exactly two years, and return the contents of the ring that I stole in the library when you make me the master of all the elements. I will also pay you one million for every one tenth of the cleaning.»

Kyon broke into a smile and showed her the nephrite. – «I have our oaths recorded. Let's seal the deal!» – He held out his hand.

She gracefully put on a thin leather glove and shook his hand. – «When will you start?»

«Follow me.»

Time to make promises and deals was over. It was time to get down to business.

…

Kyon left the library, took his horse, and headed for his subordinate's house. The girl went invisible didn't show any signs of presence.

Soon, he arrived at the place and left the door wide open. It slammed o its own.

«It smells like gra.s.s in here.» – She said in a cold voice, materializing out of nothing.

«A friend gave me an air freshener "The Goat Paradise." Do you like it?»

«It's not funny.»

Kyon pointed to the bed and said:

«Take off your clothes and get into bed.»

The girl narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

Kyon hurried to put it another way. – «Don't worry, you're not the first to hear this phrase, and everyone was satisfied with results.» - He gave her a conspiratorial wink.

«Stop fooling around!» – The girl sounded exasperated. If she didn't feel his playful mood that turned his words into a "joke," she might consider them a "lie" and severely punish him.

She raised her blouse, exposing her flat toned tummy. She didn't dare to demand the key cleaning through the clothes. What if he really died? And yet, after the terrible events in the past, not a single man had ever touched her...

«Get started. Take the key of the pure force first. Try to do as quickly as possible.»

Kyon shrugged. – «It took me a bit more than at once to clean the key by five percent. Now I'm going to clean the key even more. You'll have to be patient.»

The girl did not see any evil intent in his eyes and nodded.

«Can you lie down?»

«No.»

«As you wish.» – Kyon came closer to the unapproachable girl, whose cold beauty was like the winter dawn, appealing to his sense of beauty. Her incomparable scent crept into his soul, sending chills all over the body. He put his finger in her navel. Her pale skin looked stunning, but it felt even more amazing, so delicate and tender like a petal of a marvelous rose...

The girl visibly tensed at the touch. She stretched her body and winced a bit. Dangerous lights flashed in her eyes, her face turned marble white. She started emanating a gloomy aura that took away a desire to live.

«Will you stop overreacting? I am not a slug!»

«You're even worse…Get it over with, maniac!»

Kyon's finger traced her navel in slow circles.

«You're driving me crazy on purpose, aren't you?!» – The girl got angry and squeezed his wrist hard.

«Your body resists too much. Circular movements help to weaken your defense. Let go of my hand.» – Kyon said seriously, his gaze extremely focused.

She hesitated but let go of his hand, trying to put up with her inner sensations.

A minute had pa.s.sed.

The girl was a bundle of nerves, she could no longer endure this torture and wanted to push away the nasty boy as soon as possible... But all of a sudden, he pulled away himself, breathing heavily.

«It's done… Come in six hours…» – He said, catching his breath. He had spent 90% of Synergy on the key cleaning. It would take some time to recover.

The girl took out the purity checker and, in a moment, cried out, shocked and delighted at once. - «Wow! It's thirty percent cleaner! Unbelievable! So much!»

She glanced at him before leaving, her face somewhat kinder this time. Then she disappeared. The door opened and closed. The little thief left the house, leaving behind her amazing scent.

«She might have thanked me.» – Kyon grumbled but didn't relax. He knew the mysterious girl well enough to suspect that she could have stayed to check on him. After a while, her smell confirmed his guess. If his breathing had immediately returned to normal, then all his previous fainting and nearly dying would have turned against him.

The girl's excessive caution and mistrust gave him this sort of idea. He also remembered it was nearly impossible to convince her that he could clean the keys, a talent that saved his life in the end. In the future, he should be more careful without using intuition.

The girl failed to catch him cheating. Her intuition kept whispering that he was scheming, but she never found any evidence.

It was late in the night. Kyon looked really tired. He lay down, yawned and pretended to fall asleep.

A minute later, the door quietly opened and closed. Now the little thief had gone.