Old Sam silently grumbled in his heart as he took the paper and scanned it ten lines at a glance. After reading the abstract, he exclaid, took off his glasses, wiped them, and continued reading carefully:
"This approach is excellent!"
The experintal data was thorough and convincing, and most importantly, it provided a direction to solve the problem of "how much other fertilizer we need if manure is insufficient."
The clerics saying, "I feel" or "I think," couldn’t be the basis for the council to gamble the year’s harvest and the lives of millions on their intuition!
He put down the paper and looked at Garrett seriously:
"Quickly, fill out this paper and draw a conclusion. Then—how much do you want?"
Ah, negotiating terms is good. Garrett happily extended his hand, counting on his fingers:
"First, Elder Wood’s team could finish in a month. With cooperation, we can shorten it to a week—ti is life for the council, right?"
"You sure know a lot!" Old Sam rolled his eyes. The Lord of Thunder spoiled this kid too much, telling him everything!
Just the other day, talking to Carlisle, he hadn’t heard of the council’s recent moves or preparations for next year’s famine!
Garrett took his silence as agreent and confidently counted another finger:
"Elder Wood’s team has a dozen people. My team also has a dozen people. So, we should get about the sa, right?"
"How is that reasonable?"
Old Sam, wanting to save money for the council, imdiately objected. Garrett didn’t give him ti to argue and quickly continued:
"Also, to ensure Elder Wood’s team’s enthusiasm and the council’s reputation, this money must co additionally, not deducted from their funds. No problem with that, right?"
Old Sam: "..."
He grabbed the paper and turned to leave, instructing Garrett as he walked:
"Finish the experint and write the paper! I’ll take this draft to the review eting to discuss remuneration. Rest assured, when has the council ever shortchanged you?"
At worst, they would stop other groups’ experints and withhold half their pay if they couldn’t finish. Old Sam thought righteously.
So, as long as the paper is finished, a minimum of 2,500 contribution points? Garrett’s eyes lit up. 2,500, he would keep half, and the workers would get the other half—a fair split since he took on the project, designed the experints, wrote the paper, and secured the funding!
Money can move mountains.
No, money can make mountains move.
At the very least, the alchemists at the Alchemy Guild, motivated by Garrett’s promise of "work hard, get rewarded," were not only enthusiastic and efficient but also started accepting help from skeleton soldiers!
Yes, these guys, always proclaiming "we are alchemists," refused to use anything other than alchemical products.
Everything else was heresy!
Evil paths!
Those things were unworthy of alchemists!
Yesterday, Garrett watched them shaking flasks, first with Mage Hand, then with Invisible Servant, and when their magic ran out, manually shaking, each one grimacing in pain.
Garrett kindly released a dark gold skeleton to help, but no one was willing…
"We are alchemists! Use golems or spells!"
The leader hugged the flasks and racks tightly, refusing to let the skeleton touch them:
"Using skeletons to work, we’ll be laughed at back at the Alchemy Guild!"
"But you don’t have golems…"
"That’s the motivation to advance!"
Well, Garrett couldn’t beat them up for this and had to shrug and walk away.
But today, after learning about the rewards, the alchemists’ favorability towards him increased, and they even let the skeletons touch the flasks…
Of course, this was also because Garrett was generous. A week later, the completed paper was submitted on ti, and he received 1,250 contribution points from the council—the remaining half to be given after experintal verification.
Garrett handed 500 points to Master Norwood to distribute among his apprentices and gave the remaining 750 to the Alchemy Guild.
"Oh, you are too kind!"
The vice president of the Alchemy Guild, the old man who assigned people to him, was pleasantly surprised.
Though the money wasn’t much, as the vice president, he wasn’t short of this amount—especially not in terms of the guild’s funds.
But money aside, Garrett’s gesture was generous!
A group of second- and third-level, third- and fourth-level mages in the Alchemy Guild were just a step above apprentices and laborers. Garrett needed people, and he could easily assign them.
The guild paid them fixed wages, so working anywhere was the sa—
And Garrett even included a few nas in the paper. Even if they were just second or third authors, it was a big deal for these junior mages.
Getting their nas in a high-level council paper was an unexpected joy, plus they got paid! 750 points, shared, was equivalent to their monthly inco. They only worked for less than half a month!
"It’s all the council’s generosity." Garrett spread his hands with a smile:
"Everyone worked together, I took the big share, but it’s only right to give so allowance. Everyone worked hard in the wind and rain, doing dirty and exhausting tasks. Now that the rewards are here, I have to show my appreciation."
Not only was it dirty and exhausting, they dug earth and handled manure, brought their own experintal instrunts, and potions.
Moreover, casting spells itself should be rewarded, but mages didn’t charge each other as they would outsiders.
Garrett couldn’t bear not giving so reward.
The old man stroked his beard, looked at Garrett, and nodded with a smile. This kid was generous!
"Rest assured, the guild will distribute these points fully to them without any deduction!" he assured Garrett with a smile:
"And we’ll make it clear this is your reward to them, not from the guild. With this, you’ll have no shortage of volunteers next ti!"
"Thank you so much!"
Garrett humd a tune as he returned to the Mage Tower. His mobile tower spirit still owed 20,000 gold coins, or 5,000 contribution points. This project had covered a quarter of that debt, yay!
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