Snickers contract

Kit's mind was lost in a haze as he strolled along, replaying the events of his first day running a stall at the market. He already had ideas for how to make things better next time.

It was seemed like it was going to be crucial for him to have a stall in every town they passed through on their journey to the forsaken state. That way it would make saving money for his restaurant faster than just collecting plants and selling them.

Next time he logged out of CAL, Kit made a note to check the current conversion rates. With that thought, he suddenly realised that he hadn't been keeping track of how many days he had spent in game. He began to count back from when he first entered and realised it was now his 11th day. Mars had started a day earlier, so this would be his 12th day overall.

If they were going to travel together and keep their schedules aligned, Kit would need to log out one day early. He knew he would have to discuss this with Mars tonight. Preoccupied with these thoughts, Kit nearly walked right past the Large Fuzzy Chicken until he caught himself and turned towards the door.

Taking a deep breath, he entered the bright and lively restaurant. He wasn't looking forward to signing a contract with Snickers - someone who had been alive for over 500 years. He felt completely out of his depth around her.

Pushing aside his nerves, Kit made his way towards the back kitchen where he could hear people cleaning up. Not wanting to barge in unannounced, he called out to let them know he was there. A familiar melody responded, "Come on in Kit, we're almost done here."

Kit stepped into the kitchen and spotted the source of the voice: Arnold, perched on a stool chatting with Morrigan. "Hey Kit, I was expecting you earlier. Snickers has been worried sick all day thinking you ran off," greeted Arnold.

"Sorry, Arnold. I went to the markets this morning and set up a stall," Kit explained.

"Ah, so you're the one everyone's been talking about today. I overheard some gossip about a vendor selling stat dishes in the market," chuckled Arnold.

Kit shifted nervously. He hadn't considered how other restaurant owners might feel about him selling meals at the market.

Morrigan patted his shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry about it, Kit. Competition is normal in business; it pushes us to improve ourselves."

Kit relaxed at his words and looked over at Arnold, relieved to see him smiling. "This is great news for me, Kit. It means you have a good chance of opening your own restaurant soon and I can finally get rid of my lovely niece," said Arnold jokingly, his dazzling smile leaving Kit momentarily stunned.

Once he recovered from Arnold's charm, Kit realised what he had actually said. His stomach dropped as dread replaced the happy mood he had been in all day. Panic started to set in as he tried to grasp the implications of those words.

The cause of his distress entered the room. "KIT! Finally, you're here! I was just about to come and find you. Let's go!" A small hand grabbed his wrist and pulled him towards another room.

Kit heard Morrigan chuckle as he was dragged away. "Good luck, Kit." Kit turned to him with a look of fear, but Morrigan just laughed even harder. He tried to pull his arm out of Snickers' grip, but it didn't budge. Before he knew it, he was in an office with a large wooden desk and three chairs in the centre.

Arnold followed them into the room and took a seat in the big leather chair behind the desk, leaving two wooden chairs for Kit and Snickers. "Uncle, I wanted to sit there," Snickers pouted.

Kit knew from his father that the chair Arnold sat in was known as the seat of power. He could already see Snickers trying to take control of the situation through her words. He knew this negotiation was going to be difficult. Kit sat down before his legs gave out.

He had no idea what kind of conditions Snickers would demand, but he knew he wouldn't like the outcome. He let out a deep breath to calm himself down; he needed to stay composed, or this would end badly.

"Let's get started," Arnold said eagerly. He opened his desk drawer and took out a large parchment and quill, placing them on the desk. Snickers reached for the paper, but Kit quickly grabbed the quill and paper, not wanting her to write anything sneaky in the contract. Snickers shrugged, unbothered by Kit's forceful move.

He looked at the blank paper in front of him, feeling overwhelmed with how to write a contract. He hoped Arnold would help since he wanted to get rid of Snickers and knew he would want to help create the document.

Arnold began dictating the first part of the contract: "Kit, as owner of the restaurant, will enter a binding employee contract with Snickers. She will hold the position of restaurant manager at Kit's establishment." He then turned to Snickers and paused, signalling for her to input her terms.

Kit remembered from his previous binding contract with Morrigan that contracts in CAL were different from real-life ones, so he made sure to pay close attention to every word in the document.

Kit took his time writing, determined not to miss any important details. Snickers, on the other hand, was growing impatient and began tapping her finger on the table. "Hurry up, Kit," she urged.

Ignoring her, Kit focused on carefully crafting the contract. But Snickers sat up straight in her chair, fixating her gaze on him without blinking. He could feel the weight of her stare and couldn't help but glance up at her nervously every now and then. It was like being a rabbit facing a hungry lion.

But Kit knew he couldn't let her rush him. He desperately hoped he could get through this process without losing his integrity.

"Kit, don't take all day. We have work to do," Snickers tapped impatiently on the table.

"Snickers, please give me some time. I've never written a contract before and I don't want to make any mistakes," Kit replied with shaking hands, trying to calm his nerves under her intense scrutiny.

Suddenly, Snickers made a demand: "I want one gold crown per day."

Kit's jaw almost dropped at the outrageous request. He stopped writing and shook his head without even realising it. "No, that's impossible. I won't be making much money to begin with. How could I afford to pay you so much?"

"Since I know your business is new, I'll accept a very low wage. But make no mistake, young man: my worth is one platinum per day." Snickers looked insulted but also held herself with pride as she sat up straight and adjusted her hair.

Kit's heart skipped a beat when he heard the amount of one platinum. He glanced at Arnold, who nodded in agreement. Kit's eyes widened with the realisation that this girl must have some extraordinary ability to be worth such an amount.

All his worries about hiring Snickers faded away in that moment, replaced by anticipation and excitement. He was determined to sign a contract with her at any cost. He should have known from the start that she was special, being over 500 years old.

His initial hesitation was due to her strange behaviour, but now he saw how lucky he was to have this opportunity. As he thought about the one gold crown she wanted as salary, he heart sank. There was no way he could afford the price.

Kit placed the quill back on the paper with a sigh. He was disappointed that he would be letting this chance slip away. He regretted not realising sooner the benefits she could bring. He had come into this negotiation unprepared, thinking he would be content if the contract fell through.

But CAL is full of rare opportunities and benefits; he should have known better. He felt devastated at never knowing what he could have gained from employing Snickers, but perhaps it was for the best.

Kit lowered his head apologetically. "I'm sorry, Snickers. I regret promising you a job without considering the consequences of such a large offer."

His heart raced as Snickers slammed her hand on the table. "You gave me your word. You will fulfil it!" she bellowed.

A sense of dread washed over Kit as he saw the fierce determination in Snickers' eyes. He could almost feel her intent to harm him radiating off her. He was at a loss for what to do in this intense situation.

"Snickers, I truly wanted to give you a job. But I can't afford it," Kit pleaded, trying to calm down the enraged elf.

Both Kit and Snickers were disappointed, but Kit knew there was no way out of this situation. He was worried he had ruined any chance of returning to this restaurant ever again.

Snickers confirmed his fears with her next words. "This was your only opportunity, Kit. So … Pick. Up. That. Quill. Now."

Without thinking, Kit instinctively reached for the quill as Snickers' anger filled the room. In that moment, he feared for his life. But amidst his panic, he also realised something important: Snickers was desperate to find a job.

What was driving her desperation? With each passing moment of their contract negotiations, Kit could feel the urgency in Snickers' voice growing. Curiosity and concern led him to ask why she was so desperate to work with him specifically. After all, she came from a wealthy family who owned a restaurant. Why couldn't she just stay here?

Snickers gave him a look as if he were missing something obvious before letting out a deep sigh. "I can't get a job anywhere else. Every time I try, my fiancé intervenes and sabotages my chances. The only reason I've been able to keep our contract a secret is because it's with you."

"Why would your fiancé not want you to work?" Kit questioned, now genuinely perplexed. From the way Snickers had exuded powerful aura earlier, he felt she was powerful being. Was she being controlled or threatened by her fiancé?

Snickers' face flushed red, she glanced over at Arnold. "We made a bet," she explained to Kit. "If I could land a job with a human within a year, we would call off the marriage. But if not, I would have to go through with it."

Kit was taken aback by this revelation. He had never considered this as one of the potential reasons for Snickers' desperation. He felt sympathy for the young girl - who would want to marry someone they didn't love? It was clear that Snickers only wanted to avoid the arranged marriage.

Despite his desire to help her, Kit couldn't think of a way out of her dilemma. "I'm sorry, Snickers, but I can't afford that much money. I wish there was some way I could hire you, if only you could be hired for a meal a day."

As he spoke, a loud bang echoed through the restaurant. All three pairs of eyes turned towards the source - the door. "SNICKERS, COME OUT HERE RIGHT NOW! DON'T YOU DARE SIGN ANY CONTRACT!"

Snickers' eyes widened with excitement. "Deal." She quickly grabbed the parchment and quill, scribbling something on the paper, then shoving it towards Kit. "Sign now," she ordered forcefully, pushing the quill back into his hands.

Kit didn't hesitate to comply with her request, the menacing pressure Snickers was exuding right now was frightening. Just as he finished signing, a large man burst into the room. The man's blazing eyes fell upon the newly signed document.

Curiosity piqued, Kit followed his line of sight to see two golden threads emerging from the parchment and connecting Snickers and himself together.