Pirate: Crew of Desire and Bonds

Vivian didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, she looked at Barbara.

"Barbara."

The old woman straightened slightly.

"The reward for capturing the Black Tide Pirate’s vice captain... how much was it again?"

At the sudden question, Barbara thought for a moment.

"If I remember correctly... it was a thousand gold coins."

Vivian nodded before turning back toward Jake.

"I’ll offer you... one thousand gold coins."

At the sudden huge offer, Jake’s eyes widened.

His first reaction wasn’t excitement, but it was disbelief.

He had expected perhaps a hundred or two hundred...

...Maybe five hundred if he was lucky, considering he knew he had very little leverage in this negotiation.

He had no influence, no workshop, no craftsmen, and no ability to mass-produce the toy himself.

And yet... One thousand?

That was far beyond his expectations.

For a brief moment, Jake almost agreed on the spot as he opened his mouth.

"I—"

But before he could finish, he felt a gentle squeeze on his hand.

Jake turned and saw Grace smiling gracefully at Vivian, as she stepped forward slightly.

Her golden eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she looked directly at Vivian.

Jake blinked in surprise.

"Grace?"

She didn’t look at him.

Instead, she spoke in a calm and respectful voice.

"Madam Vivian."

Vivian shifted her attention toward Grace, curiosity flickering in her purple eyes.

"Yes?"

Grace took a slow breath.

"May I ask you a question before Jake answers?"

Vivian nodded.

"You may."

Grace then glanced at the sketch on the desk.

"You are willing to offer one thousand gold coins immediately... without even seeing a finished prototype."

Vivian remained silent.

And Grace continued.

"That tells me you believe this concept has the potential to be worth far more than one thousand gold coins."

Grace lowered her head slightly in respect before continuing.

"I know Jake doesn’t have the resources to develop this idea himself. Nor does he have the means to negotiate as an equal with the Vivian Caravan."

She looked up, meeting Vivian’s gaze.

"But... If even you, Madam Vivian, are willing to offer one thousand gold coins after seeing only a drawing..."

"Then I believe this idea deserves a higher valuation."

Barbara couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

This was no longer the shy young woman she had met a few days ago.

Grace’s voice remained gentle, yet every word was carefully measured.

She wasn’t being greedy.

She was simply presenting her reasoning.

Then Grace clasped her hands politely.

"So... if Madam Vivian truly wishes to purchase the concept outright... Would you be willing to offer two thousand gold coins instead?"

At those words, everyone except Vivian looked surprised.

Even Jake was stunned.

’T-Two... thousand??’

He looked at Grace in disbelief.

He hadn’t even dared to imagine asking for that much.

Barbara slowly turned toward Vivian, curious about how she would respond.

Garrick simply folded his arms, watching the negotiation unfold.

Vivian, meanwhile, remained perfectly composed.

Her purple eyes studied Grace for several long moments.

Then, a faint smile spread across her face.

"Miss Grace, you negotiate far more boldly than Mr. Jake."

Grace smiled modestly.

"I’m only trying to ensure he receives a fair price."

"Jake may not understand business very well... but that doesn’t mean his ideas should be undervalued."

Her voice remained gentle and respectful.

There wasn’t a trace of hostility in it.

Yet everyone in the room could sense her determination.

And for Grace, for some reason...

The thought of someone taking advantage of Jake made her feel strangely unhappy.

She couldn’t quite explain why.

Perhaps it was because Jake had always looked after her.

He had protected her, trusted her, and never once treated her as a burden.

So now... she wanted to protect him as well, even if it was only during a negotiation.

Then Grace met Vivian’s gaze once more.

"If my request is unreasonable, then I apologize. But... I still hope Madam Vivian will consider it."

Jake stood beside her in silence.

He could only stare at Grace with a complicated expression, as a warm feeling quietly spread through his chest.

Vivian, meanwhile, remained composed.

She gently interlocked her fingers on the desk as she met Grace’s golden eyes head-on.

Then a moment later, she let out a small laugh.

"Haha... you certainly are fierce, Miss Grace."

Grace lowered her head slightly.

"I’m sorry if I’ve been disrespectful."

Vivian shook her head as she smiled faintly.

"Not at all. In fact, I admire it."

"Many people become timid when they stand before someone with greater wealth or influence. But you remained calm and spoke for the person beside you."

"That takes courage."

She paused briefly before continuing.

"Very well. I’ll make one final offer."

Everyone in the room subconsciously focused on her next words.

Then Vivian raised a single finger.

"One thousand..."

Then a second.

"...five hundred gold coins."

Jake’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

"O-One thousand five hundred??"

Even Barbara looked genuinely surprised.

"Madam..."

Vivian raised her hand, signaling that she hadn’t finished.

"That is my final offer. And there will be no further negotiation."

Her tone remained gentle, but there was an unmistakable firmness behind it.

She looked first at Grace, then at Jake.

"I’ve increased my offer, not because I believe my previous offer was unfair..."

"But because Miss Grace successfully convinced me that this concept deserves a premium for its originality."

She lightly tapped the sketch resting on her desk.

"However... I am still purchasing an unproven idea."

"There is no prototype."

"No proof that it can be manufactured reliably."

"No proof that people will enjoy it."

"And no proof that the market will accept it."

She continued calmly.

"After leaving this room, the Vivian Caravan will bear every expense."

"My craftsmen will spend time developing the mechanism. If they fail... the losses are mine."

"If multiple designs fail before one succeeds... the losses are still mine."

"If customers show no interest after production begins... the losses remain mine."

She looked directly at Jake.

"That is why I cannot justify paying more than this."

Her purple eyes held no trace of arrogance.

Only the confidence of someone who had spent decades making investments.

"One thousand five hundred gold coins is, in my judgment, a fair balance between the value of your idea and the risks my caravan will assume."

The room fell silent.

Even Barbara found herself nodding inwardly.

It was a generous offer.

More importantly... Vivian had clearly explained the reasoning behind every coin.

She wasn’t simply bargaining for the sake of bargaining.

But she was pricing risk.

Vivian folded her hands once more as she smiled politely.

"So...Mr. Jake. Do we have an agreement?"

Jake looked at Vivian for several long seconds.

"..."

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!