Chapter 365: Dividing The Spoils [ 2 ]

"Guildmaster," one woman began carefully, "this is already more than some of us have earned in years."

"That’s why it’s called a reward," Sage replied. "Take it."

The reaction that followed was quiet but emotional. Several adventurers bowed their heads deeply, while others hugged the sacks against their chests with stunned expressions.

One man looked close to tears but coughed and turned away before anyone could notice.

Boren, who had also received a sack, wrapped both arms around it and rested his cheek against the rough cloth.

"My beautiful child," he whispered.

Gregor stared at him. "You have known that sack for three seconds."

"And I already love it more than some relatives." Boren shot back.

Mina abandoned her counting and rushed toward Sage. "Where is mine?"

Sage tapped the pouch tied around her waist. "You stole enough coins inside the treasury to count as an advance."

"I did not steal them. I rescued them."

"From what?"

"The bubbles."

Sage stared at her for a moment before sighing. "We’ll discuss your share with everyone else."

She climbed back onto her chair with a satisfied expression, apparently accepting that answer.

Once every adventurer had secured their sack, Lyana pulled the recording papers closer and cleared her throat. "The immediate rewards are settled. The larger issue is everything else. We have gold, weapons, armor, books, Skill Stones, Mana crystals, rare ores, herbs, artifacts, and objects we have not even identified yet. Dividing all of it equally by number wouldbe simple, but not necessarily fair or useful."

"That’s exactly the problem," Gregor said. "If we split everything into equal piles, someone might receive an artifact they can’t use, while another person ends up with three books written in a language nobody understands."

Brutus leaned forward with his hands clasped. "We could sell most of it and divide the money. Keep only the things the Guild needs."

Several people nodded, but Vanthrice immediately pointed out the weakness. "Selling rare treasures in large amounts would attract attention. It would also lower their value if too many appeared in the market at once. More importantly, some of these items cannot be replaced after they are sold."

One of the expedition adventurers suggested an internal auction where everyone could use their share of the estimated value to claim whatever they wanted.

Another proposed that the Guild evaluate every item first, then distribute treasures according to contribution during the expedition.

That idea caused a longer discussion because contribution was difficult to measure.

Valeria had fought most of the golems alone, Sage had stored and transported everything, Lyana’s vines had made the harvest possible, and each adventurer had taken different risks at different stages.

Trying to attach exact numbers to those actions quickly became complicated.

Boren raised his hand with a thoughtful expression. "I have a reasonable idea. We divide the gold equally, give every fighter one weapon, and place the rest somewhere safe. Then, whenever someone needs something, they ask Boss."

Gregor narrowed his eyes. "Your ’reasonable idea’ begins with dividing the gold equallybecause you want the largest possible sack."

"I am thinking about fairness."

"You are hugging your current sack like a newborn."

"That does not make my argument wrong."

The discussion continued without turning hostile. People disagreed, asked questions, and changed parts of their suggestions after hearing better points.

Sage mostly listened, occasionally asking Caelis to record a useful proposal or reminding everyone that some items needed identification before anyone could claim them.

Even Valeria eventually spoke from her corner.

"The Guild should keep the rarest weapons and Skill Stones until their value and requirements are known," she said. "Giving them away blindly may waste them. Gold can be divided later, but knowledge and power should first be placed where they strengthen the whole Guild."

The room became quieter because Valeriararely offered opinions during administrative discussions.

Sage considered her suggestion and nodded. "That makes sense."

After nearly an hour, however, they still had no complete solution. Every method benefited someone while creating problems for someone else.

Sage finally leaned back in his chair and looked around the room.

"I’ve been thinking about my own share," he said. "I’ll keep the Skill Stones and ancient books because they can help train future Guild members. I’ll also take a few weapons that suit my needs and two-tenths of the gold. The rest can be divided among all of you."

The refusal came almost immediately.

Gregor’s expression hardened. "No. You’re taking far too little."

Brutus nodded in agreement. "Without your storage, we wouldn’t have brought back even a tenth of this. Without your magic, half the treasures would have shattered before reaching the floor.

"Lyana added quietly, "You also led us through every stage and carried all of us during the final escape."

Several of the twenty adventurers agreed at once, some insisting Sage deserved the largest share while others argued that the Skill Stones and books were not truly personal rewards if he intended to use them for the Guild.

Even Boren stopped hugging his sack long enough to object.

"Boss, I love money more than most honest men are willing to admit, but even I know that division is shamelessly unfair to you. If you take only that much, I’ll feel guilty every time I spend my share, and guilt ruins expensive meals."

Mina nodded firmly. "Petty Uncle Sage should get more. But I should also get more because I am small."

Sage rubbed his forehead while the room filled with overlapping objections. He had expected some resistance, but not a united refusal.

For several minutes he tried to explain that strengthening the Guild benefited him too, only for Gregor to point out that this still did not make the division fair.

Valeria said nothing further, but the way she looked at him made it clear that she agreed with the others.

Eventually Sage raised both hands, asking everyone to settle down.

"Fine," he said once the room quieted. "If none of you will accept that division, I have another idea."

Every face turned toward him.