"Correct."

Sir Harold took a deep breath, struggling to compose himself. His voice was filled with disbelief and staunch resistance. "My lord, this... this goes against all trade conventions! A transaction of this magnitude has never been settled entirely in Gold! Even when the Kingdom imposes its harshest war taxes, only a portion is demanded in gold and silver; the vast majority is paid in-kind with regional goods! A cash flow of three hundred thousand Gold Coins... It’s simply unheard of! And it is not a decision I have the authority to make!"

He pressed his hands on his knees, his tone exceptionally firm. "A demand of this nature—one that concerns the very foundation of my family, involves an enormous sum, and requires such an unconventional method of payment—is something I must take back to Blackstone Fortress. I must present it to my elder brother, and it must then be deliberated upon by my father and the Peric Clan’s council. I am not empowered to give you any commitment here."

Murphy’s expression remained calm, as if he had expected this response. "I understand. A sum of this size certainly requires the Duke’s final say. But time, Sir Harold, time waits for no one."

His gaze was so intense it felt tangible as it landed on the other man’s face. "The proclamation from the Tower of Secret Silver still echoes in our ears, and the shadow of the Iron Ridge Mountain Range already looms large. Does the Peric Clan truly believe this turmoil will subside in three months... no, from the looks of it now, perhaps even two? So much so that you’re hesitating on the payment method, thinking that by the time of delivery a year from now, the situation will be irrelevant?"

Sir Harold remained expressionless. He fell silent for a moment before speaking slowly, "The chaos will not subside easily, but the payment method for three hundred thousand Gold Coins... is a matter of immense gravity. The authority I was granted for this visit extends only to discussing the letter of intent and broad terms. The specific payment method and the final commitment must be decided by my father. I can only promise to convey your terms, and all the stakes involved, to my father without omission."

"Very well." Murphy nodded, ceasing to press the issue. "In that case, let’s finalize the framework for the steel ingot purchase today—the intent, specifications, quantity, and price premium. As for whether the final deal will be for three hundred thousand Gold Coins, we will await the Ironspine Duke’s response."

The atmosphere eased slightly as they moved on to discuss the finer details.

However, just as Sir Harold thought the main topics for the day were concluded, Murphy spoke again:

"Furthermore, there is a separate transaction, one that you might be able to finalize yourself, Sir Harold. I require a shipment of Thunder Steel. It must be delivered to Monte Castle within two months."

"Thunder Steel?" Sir Harold raised an eyebrow, perplexed. "My lord, you want that? It’s not as the rumors claim—that mining it triggers lightning strikes and injures people—but its yield is pitifully low. It’s buried deep at the bottom of rich iron deposits, and you’d be lucky to sift a single kilogram from ten thousand kilograms of ore. Furthermore, it’s brittle and hard, making it difficult to forge. Aside from being mentioned in a few ancient formulas, or by some Alchemists who believe it has a symbolic property for ’channeling lightning,’ it has almost no practical use. The little that circulates on the market has an inflated price; it’s a classic case of having a price but no buyers."

"I’m aware it has limited applications." Murphy nodded in understanding. "However, I require it for some special experiments I’m conducting, related to Duke Temeris. As for the price, we’ll use the market rate from the last recorded Thunder Steel transaction, add a ten percent premium, and settle it in Gold Coins. The timeline is two months."

A flicker of calculation crossed Sir Harold’s gray-blue eyes.

’Duke Temeris...’

His mind raced.

’We do have a stockpile of Thunder Steel in the warehouses in the Eastern Territory. With no steady buyers, the family has never bothered to mine it extensively. The occasional Alchemist or collector inquires about it, and the price fluctuates wildly, but it’s not an especially expensive material—just rare. The price Murphy is offering, a ten percent premium on the market rate, is fair. It’s not like we’re desperate to offload it, but the profit is hardly a windfall. More importantly, this is a separate deal, the amount is relatively small, and it’s a decision within my authority. Trading a batch of practically idle "Exotic Stones" from the family’s inventory for a decent sum of Gold Coins, while also demonstrating efficiency and goodwill to the Monte Territory... it would lay a good foundation for the difficult negotiations over the three hundred thousand Gold Coins. This is a deal worth making. And involving Duke Temeris could have immeasurable benefits in the future.’

"Regarding the Thunder Steel... I can approve that deal." Sir Harold made his decision quickly, his tone becoming considerably more brisk. "I will send word back immediately to have our inventory counted and to arrange for a modest collection from the relevant mineral veins. The price will be as you’ve proposed, my lord: market rate plus ten percent. We should be able to gather a shipment within a month. However, the exact quantity will depend on how much we can find in our warehouses and the mines."

"Acceptable," Murphy replied. "The final payment will be based on the quantity actually delivered, settled at the agreed-upon price. The Thunder Steel must be shipped separately and as soon as possible. My men will receive it at a designated location on the border."

"It’s a deal." Sir Harold nodded. The swift conclusion of this transaction seemed to put him a little more at ease.

When the meeting concluded and Sir Harold took his leave, he felt more composed than he had the day before.

The major deal for three hundred thousand Gold Coins had not been finalized, but the success of the Thunder Steel transaction was, at the very least, a positive sign.

The Monte Territory required a special material that the Peric Clan happened to possess. This, perhaps, could be an opening for deeper cooperation in the future.

In the small hall, Aurora walked to the window and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Murphy, watching the carriage depart.

"He understood the implication," she said softly.

"Mm," Murphy said, his gaze fixed on the distance. "This is for the best. We offer a reasonable price and a pretext that connects it to Duke Temeris. It motivates him to act promptly without digging too deeply or feeling coerced. What’s important is getting the Thunder Steel as quickly as possible."

Aurora gave a slight nod. "And the three hundred thousand Gold Coins..."

"That’s a different matter," Murphy said, pulling his gaze back. "That isn’t just about money. It’s a test of their attitude and a way to apply pressure. If the Eastern Territory truly feels the sting and decides our steel is indispensable, they will find a way."

"For now, let’s focus on securing what we can use immediately."