Contract

Ki sat in front of Myra and Lumi in a private room within the Bombyx mansion after successfully smuggling them into the village during the night without anyones notice.

Ki poured a cup of tea for each of them elegantly and took a sip of hers then spoke calmly. "Now that we have got back to a safe place we can begin our discussion and state our terms and make a complete contract of what is expected of each other in the future."

Myra looked helpless but nodded as she spoke. "Go on.."

Ki smiled calmly and extended her finger pointing towards Myra and Lumi and back at herself. "In order to have a mutual and beneficial cooperation we need to state what we wish to gain from each other. It's give and take between us all and I will not offer an unfair payment for what I need. First I would like to know of your capabilities and past so that I can draw up a plan for your future role, where were you most happy in your life? What places are you familiar with? What is your families involvement with those that invaded the divine ice palace? What skills do you have? What is the story behind your mother and your birth?"

Myra frowned and looked towards Ki filled with hostility. "Why would you need to know all of this?"

Ki ignored her hostile glare and continued. "If the past is known then the future path will appear. Even if it is shameful the past is a part of you and has built you into what you are today, if you own it rather than let it bring you down then you will become much stronger. If you have any knowledge and skills picked up during your past it can be put forward to creating a steadier growth since you are using the things you know to start up your new life rather than picking up something new and unfamiliar. Take martial arts as an example, someone uses and grew up around swords has a hatred for them and refuses to use them and then later chooses to use a spear. Is it truly the correct path for them only time would tell but it would definitely be a more difficult road to learn a completely new skill rather than building on what they previously knew. The time passed being around and the familiarity with swords would be wasted in the end which is a shame. It's better not to lock away your potential because of a past trauma, hatred or any other reasons."

Myra sighed and then replied. "My mother was an entertainer within a brothel, she was a popular musician but once she caught my fathers eye he bought out her contract and moved her into a private home near the brothel. After my birth, he rarely visited and I grew up around my mother and her friends so I mostly know about how those places are run. I learned how to play a wooden flute from my mother but when I was around six she passed away, then I was brought into the Wraith family. As an illegitimate daughter you can imagine how I was treated as I entered the house until I was eventually kicked out and sent to the sect. The wraith family is a part of the unorthodox alliance and they had me work as a spy within the sect, their main business is in weapons dealing and they have control over the gangs in their territory so they are involved in a lot of other things including the brothel my mother was from since it was so easy for my father to buy her from them."

Ki nodded. "Indeed. Most businesses would not be willing to let go of their best people unless they are either offered a big enough price or it is the request of someone with a big enough background or control over the business."

She took a deep breathe after thinking and began to speak once again. "What is it you wish to do from now on?"

Myra looked into her eyes and spoke. "I want to live a new life and build my own strength up so my family and their supporters can never touch me or even recognise me."

Ki nodded and then spoke. "What I want is the martial arts books, anything you have brought from the sect as payment for my support and any information about the sect I need to know. I have a feeling that you mainly killed your master and wanted to also kill Lumi for the sect leaders martial arts books and scrolls so I will allow you to keep a copy of them for your own use. For your and my goals to go ahead we need to make the best use of our resources and come up with a proper plan."

Myra looked hesitant but as she heard she would get to use the martial arts books she calmed down. "Okay, so what is the plan?"

Ki pointed towards herself and stated. "I need the materials, medicines, herbs and the martial arts along with information."

She then pointed towards Myra and Lumi. "In return I will give you a new name and identity. I will provide you financial support to start up your own business that I have a share of, over time you will be able to buy 49 percent of it at maximum but you can use your money earned from the profits to start up your own separate businesses or invest it as you please. I will also provide you with enough support to build your own forces within your business but if I do help with that we need to state certain terms that you must offer support during times of crisis or work alongside me during certain future events. As for Lumi she can stay by my side and I will try my best to make sure she improves herself, opens up and sees more of the world. Maybe one day the divine ice sect can be revived or at least come in another form."

Myra thought for a moment and then made a decision. "I agree but what kind of business do you think I should start?"

Ki already had a detailed plan in her mind so began to speak about it. "How about opening up an entertainment hall or pavilion? A place where people can go to eat and drink for private meetings for business or family matters or just for a gathering to have fun together. The women employed will work as cooks, waiters and entertainers and guards. The entertainers are dancers, musicians and poem writers or readers. The rules are that there is no physical contact between the workers and the customers unless there is consent given by the staff and only if they intend to leave their place of work because of wanting to risk the security of their job for love or a chance to enter a wealthy family."

She continued as she looked into Myra's eyes seriously. "You were brought up around those kinds of things in your early childhood so you should know a little about the inner workings of those kinds of places and have learned to play the flute from your mother so you can continue to learn while continuing your martial arts and being the head of the business. You can also purchase a noble title with the money you own in the future but do not expose your face until you have grown up and nobody will be able to recognise you."