Chapter 110: A Strategic Shift
The wariness in Ren's eyes made it abundantly clear that he hadn't been swayed in the slightest by Mei Mei's suggestive words.
Mei Mei let out a quiet sigh, her elegant brows knitting together slightly.
How unfortunate...
There was only one thing about him that dissatisfied her.
The boy was excellent in every respect—except he was utterly lacking in romance.
Then again, considering his age, that was only natural.
And besides...
There was a unique charm in personally cultivating a flower bud that had yet to bloom.
Nurturing it.
Guiding it.
Watering it.
Watching it gradually open beneath her care.
When that day finally arrived, she imagined it would be extraordinarily beautiful.
The thought caused her pupils to narrow slightly before she forced herself back into a more professional demeanor.
After all, this was nothing more than a perfectly ordinary business negotiation.
Her teasing had simply been a momentary indulgence.
"Although you're still in the process of qualifying for promotion to Grade 1 Sorcerer," she began, "based on my observations during our joint mission, I believe you've already reached the level of a Special Grade."
"Therefore, this contract is a revision of our previous agreement, drafted with your status as a Special Grade Sorcerer in mind."
"It represents both our respect for you and our sincere desire to deepen our cooperation."
"That's it?"
Ren blinked in surprise.
"What's with that reaction?"
Mei Mei stared at him for a moment before suddenly bursting into laughter.
Then she understood.
She had been evaluating him by Special Grade standards for so long that she'd unconsciously assumed he was exceptional in every aspect of life.
But in reality, he was still just a student.
A prodigy in jujutsu, certainly.
Yet outside that field, he lacked the experience and perspective that only age could provide.
"You really don't understand how valuable you are."
Her smile softened.
"But you'll learn eventually."
"Anyway, look through the contract first."
She tossed the document into his hands.
"All of our sincerity is contained in those pages. With a brain supposedly twelve times more efficient than an ordinary person's, I'm sure you can understand it."
Then she added teasingly,
"Of course, that was only a joke. If you want to run to Utahime and ask her opinion about every little thing like a good little boy, I won't stop you."
Ren shot her an annoyed glare.
A faint flush crept across his face.
Yet he didn't reach for his phone.
Instead, he opened the contract and began reading it carefully.
---
Still just a kid...
Mei Mei watched him with amusement.
A little teasing was all it had taken to make him abandon the idea of calling Utahime.
Not that this contract contained any traps.
Quite the opposite.
Still, if he wandered out into the world with this level of innocence, someone with genuinely malicious intentions could take advantage of him very easily.
Which was precisely why she needed to keep him under her protection.
---
Ren spent several minutes reviewing every clause.
Then, after confirming that nothing seemed suspicious, he signed his name.
Truthfully, once he'd calmed down, he realized there wasn't much reason to worry.
Mei Mei had intentionally confused and manipulated him earlier, leaving him dizzy and suspicious.
But if he thought about it rationally, there was no way she would try to cheat him through the contract at this stage.
The reason was simple.
There were only three Special Grade Sorcerers in the entire jujutsu world.
Each one possessed power equivalent to a strategic national asset.
For an organization to encounter a recruitable Special Grade-level talent and then choose deception over cooperation...
How insane would they have to be?
Still, as he signed his name, a lingering doubt remained.
"Isn't this contract a little too generous?"
He looked up.
"If the company isn't taking any percentage of my mission earnings, then you won't make any money from me at all."
"Not only that, you're giving me twenty percent of Black Bird International Security."
He frowned.
"Isn't this basically a losing investment?"
—And considering what Mei Mei had said about Black Bird Security being the dominant force in the freelance sorcerer industry, that twenty-percent stake was likely worth an astronomical sum.
Ren could understand why they wanted to partner with a "Special Grade" and expand their profits.
But wasn't profit the whole point of a partnership?
Where was the profit in this?
"What exactly are you gaining from a contract like this?"
Mei Mei shook her head.
Looking at the bewildered boy, a faint smile appeared on her lips.
As expected... he's still far too young.
"The company doesn't intend to profit from you at all," she said frankly.
"The reason we're offering you such a large share of the company, along with all these preferential terms, is simple."
"We want you to think of Black Bird as your home."
"Or, if you prefer, your own business."
She waved a hand casually.
"You can just pretend the company belongs to you."
The silver-haired woman looked at him with an expression so warm and caring that Ren found it strangely unsettling.
"Tell me, have you ever seen parents whose goal was to squeeze as much wealth as possible out of their own children?"
"We simply hope that our family members can develop more successfully..."
"Live more comfortably..."
"Have brighter futures..."
She paused, her eyes gleaming.
"And earn more money."
Ren's eyes spun.
Home? Family?
He understood each word individually.
Yet somehow, when she put them together, he couldn't make sense of any of it.
And what was all this about treating the company like his own?
The whole thing sounded absurd.
If someone overheard this conversation, they'd think Black Bird Security was on the verge of bankruptcy and Mei Mei was desperately trying to dump its debts onto him—
Wait.
Ren suddenly stiffened.
Don't tell me that's actually what's happening?
Mei Mei watched his increasingly suspicious expression and smiled.
"That's right."
"Family."
She repeated the word deliberately.
"We want you to think of yourself as part of this family."
"And who knows?"
"In the distant future, you might even become the head of the household."
"We want to become family with you."
---
That was the simplest and most fundamental purpose behind the contract Mei Mei had drafted.
The moment Ren's strength had been conclusively recognized as being on the level of a Special Grade Sorcerer, both her personal attitude and the company's strategic approach toward him had to change completely.
Before this, he had merely been viewed as a highly promising talent.
A powerful employee.
Someone whose labor could help generate greater profits.
Nothing more.
But now...
A Special Grade Sorcerer was not merely a resource.
A Special Grade Sorcerer was the resource.
At present, only three Special Grade Sorcerers existed within the entire jujutsu world.
The first was Satoru Gojo, heir and head of one of the Three Great Clans.
A man born with every advantage imaginable.
Someone like him would never have much to do with a company like theirs.
The second was Yuki Tsukumo, who spent most of her time wandering overseas and rarely involved herself in the affairs of jujutsu society.
The third was Yuta Okkotsu, whose sensitive status and complicated relationship with the higher-ups made him an unsuitable business partner.
And now...
A new Special Grade was emerging.
One who would stand beneath Black Bird Security's banner.
One who would place the company beneath his protection.
The implications were immeasurable.
Just the information that Black Bird Security possessed the support of a Special Grade Sorcerer would be enough to send the company's reputation and credibility soaring.
Ren wouldn't even need to do anything.
Clients would flock to them.
Elite sorcerers would seek employment with them.
High-value contracts would pour in endlessly.
The company's influence would eclipse every competitor in the industry.
Because of that, the company's priorities had fundamentally changed.
The question was no longer how to extract value from Ren.
The question was how to make him stay.
How to make him feel valued.
How to make him feel that Black Bird Security was his home.
How to make him cherish and protect the company as if it were his own family.
After all—
Could the home of a Special Grade Sorcerer possibly be anything less than extraordinary?