I have a word with the innkeeper. He waivers any additional charges for cleaning because it is already part of the room service. I make my way to the dining area just as breakfast service starts.

"Bjorn, good morning."  I greet Bjorn as see him already fully somber and digging in at breakfast potatoes at a nearby table. Bjorn mutters "morning" before nudging a customer besides him, "this is John that I told you about. He is a new alchemist, and I bought the material for our repair job from him." 

Arne looks up and offers a handshake. Arne has a light brown hair in crew cut. He is much slimmer compared to Bjorn, and unlike Bjorn with his bulky armor, Arne wears a well-fitted chainmail with a bow and quiver behind his back.

As I shake his hands, he introduces himself, "I am in a party with Bjorn. We have regular expeditions around outskirts of town. Bjorn chipped his axe on the last trip, and we have been looking for materials to repair it. We are lucky to find an alchemically refined iron."

"It is just business. I was about to sell it to Adventurer's Guild yesterday when Bjorn offered a much sweeter deal. I am just happy that it is worth more than gathering requests" I replied.

"You are doing gathering requests?! That is such a waste of time. What in Gaia's name is an alchemist gathering unripe fruits and berries for coins?" Bjorn bursts out.

"I can make you an offer of 1 gold each day for 10 refined iron ingots. We will supply you with regular iron ingot, and all you need to do is to perform the alchemical refinement." Arne cuts off Bjorn.

Damn 1 gold is 100 silvers...it is 20 times what those gathering requests give. Though, "I am curious. What do you use refined iron ingots for?" 

Bjorn takes out his battle-axe and places it on the table. The wooden dining table creaks as it has been forced to carry a load that it is ill-designed for. The axe has a long, beautiful handle, an ornate pummel, and wicked dual edge. Unfortunately, there is a catastrophic crack on one of the edge - big enough to put a thumb through.

Bjorn explains, "a blacksmith can forge magic weapons by infusing mana before each fold and mechanically smoothen the material through folding and hammering. Heat-treat and tempering solidifies the mana and form enhanced weapons. The only way a blacksmith can repair a magical weapon with this kind damage, is to melt it down and re-forge it. I made this magnificent axe myself" he pounds on the axe proudly, "and it took almost 2 weeks."

"Now watch," Bjorn takes out the alchemically refined iron ingot and places it near the axe. Tendrils of iron get sucked out of the ingot and be devoured by the axe. As the ingot shrinks, the crack on the axe begins to heal. In minutes, the axe looks good as new. Arne shakes off the left over iron dust on his hand, and says, "you can imagine, having to fight some mobs for a day, and then be forced to return town for 2 full weeks to get equipment repaired." 

"How much do you make on average per week from doing all these expeditions? And what kind of loot do you get?" I ask.

"It varies greatly, I would say around 70 gold per week. We sell most of them to the guild. The loot is quite a mix...We get some for blacksmith, some for alchemist, and many others." Bjorn recalls.

I contemplate for a moment, take a deep breath, and look at Arne in the eyes, "I will make you an offer. I will provide you the service for refining iron ingots. You can order in advance based on the duration of each expedition, and I will produce up to a maximum of 10 per day. In return, I don't want you to pay me for each order. Instead, I want a 10% share of your loot at the end of each expedition and a priority for selecting alchemical ingredients."

"Argh, you became shrewd after just one day. Arne, what do you think?" Bjorn looks to Arne.

Arne smiles and reaches out his hand, "It is a deal if you also give us priority access to buying any alchemical potions in the future."

I shake his hand and seal the deal. 

* Contract Established