In any case, their contributions cannot be overlooked.
Angel and the Black Earl reached a secret agreement, which can be temporarily put aside; however, the interests of Dox and Kaier also need to be safeguarded.
Especially Dox.
Throughout the journey, although he often showed an attitude of wanting to gain a big profit from this exploration, when he actually encountered something of slight value, he still allocated as needed rather than forcibly taking possession.
In truth, Dox, without any background as a Wandering Wizard, is the one most in need of interests on site, even if only immediate ones.
Angel is very aware of this. So, although he occasionally comments that Dox only sees immediate interests, when it comes time to redistribute those interests, Angel still has to speak up.
Moreover, as the leader of this exploration, he inevitably has to shoulder this responsibility.
As for how to safeguard their interests, naturally, that requires a guarantee from the greatest vested interest party—the Black Earl.
Even though Angel considers himself a vested interest party as well, his interests lie in the Nightmare Realm rather than the remaining land in reality. Therefore, he can shamelessly skip over.
In any case, no one else knows the significance of the remaining land to him...
Upon hearing Angel’s words, Dox was undoubtedly the most surprised. Previously, Dox had learned the remaining land was related to Noah, and he had actually thought about this possibility.
However, Dox did not care at that time, as he felt he had not contributed much in his perspective, simply going along to fish in troubled waters.
Moreover, his inspiration talent awoke; this harvest alone was enough. Not to mention maintaining "friendship" with Angel—which is self-assumed by Dox. Therefore, Dox did not feel he needed preferential treatment.
But if there really was "preferential treatment," Dox naturally wouldn’t refuse. He just didn’t expect that the one to propose "preferential treatment" would be Angel.
Dox hesitated for a moment, then said, "Whether it’s here or at the Hall of Wisdom is fine. As for staying or leaving, I definitely want to stay."
After Dox spoke, he glanced at Kaier, who immediately followed, "I am the same as Lord Red Sword. I, I haven’t finished recording the historical relics here."
Angel nodded, saying nothing, but looked towards the Black Earl.
The Black Earl, presumably considering this issue beforehand, didn’t hesitate, directly stating, "Where to discuss with the Wise Sovereign, you decide. As for staying or leaving and interest distribution, you can talk to me now, or after leaving here."
Although the Black Earl tossed this issue back again, it was already clear from his words that he would safeguard others’ interests.
As for whether Dox and Kaier would discuss it with the Black Earl now or later, that was up to them.
Choosing now or later seems indifferent, but in reality, it determines whether their final profit is more or less.
Talking now, because the benefits of the remaining land are unknown, there is no standard value for demand. If they negotiate now, they bet this standard value is low, aiming their interests far beyond this standard.
Discussing after leaving sets a standard value. It would then become a negotiation between the Black Earl and them.
The former might bet big, while the latter bases allocation on the standard value, never gaining exceedingly high benefits.
In other words, negotiating now belongs to the gambler’s feast; discussing after departure is the path of the prudent.
Whether to be a gambler or a prudent person depends on Dox and Kaier.
Angel, knowing Dox and Kaier’s personalities, guessed there was a high likelihood that Dox would choose to talk now, while Kaier would be more prudent, opting to discuss after leaving.
But to his surprise, the result was the opposite of what he imagined: Dox chose prudence, while Kaier took the aggressive route.
As for the reasons, Dox and Kaier’s responses were shockingly similar.
To sum up in one sentence: "As long as we can secure interests, the amount doesn’t matter."
When Dox said these words, Angel sensed satisfaction and gratitude in his emotions. This implies that Dox genuinely believes that as long as he secures some interests, regardless of the amount, it’s good.
This actually doesn’t fit Angel’s impression of Dox. In Angel’s view, Dox should be more impulsive and willing to gamble. But upon reflection, it seems to make sense for Dox.
Dox, during their time in Princess Town, clearly expressed wanting to get involved in the chaos in Gumman Kingdom to gain interests.
Angel originally thought this was aggressive, but now it seems Dox might not be aggressive; he simply wants a slice. Being a Wandering Wizard, he lacks the intelligence sources of a Witcher Organization or a patron, making it hard to gain significant profit in one go. So, in any situation with potential profit, he wants involvement. He doesn’t aim for huge profits; he just wants to reap a bit.
On the contrary, even though Kaier is also a Wandering Wizard, he has ’Voidwalker’ Esos as a patron and can rely on technology for steady earnings.
In a sense, Kaier is much like Angel. Being able to rely on skills for a living gives them the qualification to gamble without significant impact from loss or win.
This is why Kaier chose "to negotiate now."
Of course, should Dox exert full effort, he could also continuously and stably profit from "hunting," with returns surely greater than Kaier’s.
However, Dox and Kaier are ultimately different. One is an Official Wizard, the other merely an Apprentice, leading to different thresholds of desire, and varied mindsets affecting their expectations.
Various factors influenced their choices, not just simply "personality" as Angel initially thought.
After Dox and Kaier made their choices, the Black Earl promptly contacted Kaier, discussing for two minutes via an encrypted Mind Ribbon.
When the talk ended, Kaier showed neither concern nor joy, making it impossible to see whether the interests offered by Black Earl met Kaier’s expectations.
However, given that the discussion concluded, it indicates both parties agreed on each other’s terms, resolving a safeguard.
As for Dox, it can only wait post-departure from the Underground Aqueduct to see whether he will be thrilled or concerned.
At this moment, the Black Earl’s gaze shifted to Angel.
"And you, do you want to negotiate with me now?"