“So I had this story about an enter who was saved by the Rot family, or maybe the Rot family helped them in some way, so they helped the Iyrmen by making magical ons as thanks.”

  Iromin’s heartbeat rexed. He had thought Adam was going to tell the Great Elders his story, not the story he had pnned for the business.

  “Then, the Iyr assisted the enter iing a business for them so they could create magical ons, and so they then began to offer the service to others. They just really like enting, right? So the Rot family decided to work closely with the enter.”

  The reat Elders defted, having thought that Adam was going to tell them all about his story. They had hoped Iromin would have told them as it had been well over a year, but the Chief had kept it to himself.

  “I could be someone who works closely with the enter, or maybe they accepted me because I worked hard, and so Fate’s Golden, who perhaps assisted the enter, became the managers of the business. The enter has decided to create a number of ons yearly, which would then be sent out periodically into Aldnd and other nds to be sold. I don’t know, I o figure it all out.”

  Iromin bowed his head. “So, you, as the enter, will create the boutique ons, and you will escort the ons out as Adam, leader of Fate’s Golden?”

  “Basically,” Adam said, nodding his head. “Then I’ll train some enters, teag them just the way to ent specifius, and they’d work six hours a day, five days a week. I want them to make a on per week, so eater will make the business about a thousand gold each week, maybe more if there are other entments. Roughly fifty thousand gold a year from eater, which will then fund the entire operation, from the inns, to the smiths, to funding temples for education for everyoo the guards, and to whatever other pns I have.”

  “How much will you pay the Iyr and the Presidents of your pany?” Iromin asked.

  “I’m not sure, holy. I was thinking about capping wages of the highest paid person, but with all the bes, the lowest rank employees won’t make much, and sihose bes are already provided from the Iyr to the Presidents that may be a little silly.”

  “If you do mao create such a way to ent, will you train enters for the Iyr?” Iromin asked, asking perhaps the most important question.

  “Chief,” Adam said, smiling at him. “I’m making a pretty stupid deal. I’m giving you, the Iyr, so many bes, more than any sane person should. I do it because I have faith in you, the Iyr, and in my family, my Aunt especially.”

  Adam knew he retty stupid, but even he khis much. “I’ll teach your enters. I’ll pass on all my spells to the Iyr. I’ll pass on my formus to Aunt, and if she wants to pass them to you, she will. Some of them may be too dangerous, so she’ll veto them from me, and perhaps even you, in which case, she burn them if she wants to.”

  Iromin hadn’t expected Adam to have so much wisdom. ‘So you really do know how dangerous this matter is.’

  “I’ve e to you with all this information, this sweet, dangerous information, which may make you want to kill me even more, because I want to be close to the Iyr. In the same way I want the King of Aldnd to think twice about messing with the business, I want you guys to think twice about messing with me too. I want to be so invaluable, that even when I do something stupid, you’ll think twice before killing me.” Adam sed the faces of the Great Elders.

  All of them khe significe of Iromin’s question, but they also khe significe of Adam’s fhtness.

  “I have a question too,” Adam said, after allowing them to stew on his words. “Will you look after them? My people? The people of the business, I mean. I think the Iyr is the best py headquarters, not the Iyr itself, but on the nd of the Iyr, beyond the vilge. I know that it will make people think twice, and… if someone does attack, I hope the Iyrmen will respond.”

  “Having a fn power, a threat, on Iyrman’s nds ot be tolerated, Adam,” Iromin said.

  “A fn threat?” Adam asked. “I know I might be a fn threat, since I’m only a Nephew of the Rot family, but the one who will own the business will be my Aunt Sonarot. She will have supreme authority over it. If she wants to use the people to help the Iyr, she . They work for her, and I’m the one whose doing all the hard work to traihey’re not fn, Chief, they’ll be w directly under an Iyrman. I’m just asking you to look after them in case I’m not arouher because I’m too busy, or because it’s too big for us to handle.” Adam paused. “Or, because I’m dead.”

  The Great Elders remained silent. Iromin tapped the table gently with his fingers. It was a code to tell the others his thoughts.

  “What will be the structure of the business? The buildings, the way it will be id out.”

  “I assume it’ll be a rge, walled vilge, or fort. I want the workers and their family to live there, to work the nearby nds, to be taught there. Basically, a little Iyr he Iyr.”

  “Do you love the Iyr so much you wish to emute it?” Iromin joked, trying to break the tension.

  Adam smiled. “As much as I love the Iyr, I’m actually not copying you as much as you think. I e from a pce where it’s very Iyrly, in some ways. I just want to take it to the level, to make it almost as good as the Iyr.”

  “You are always so upfront, Adam,” Iromin said.

  “Like I said before, Chief. With you guys, I’ll always tell the truth and I’ll always be upfront. If there ever es a time when you want to kill me, I hope you’ll show me some mercy. If it’s because I did something wrong, I hope you’ll at least let me plead my case.”

  Chief Iromin thought. Adam’s pn was far te in scope. However, it was a good goal to have. “The Iyr was built one building at a time, Adam. You are thinking te. For now, if you wish to create a small homestead to protect your people. We will lease some nd to you for that much. You may create your homes, your temple, and you may pay for them with ons you sell to the Iyr. This much we agree to for now, and we will discuss your expansion among we Great Elders.”

  Adam smiled. “I knew I could trust you, Chief!” He sighed with relief. If he could do it step by step, he’d be happy with that. He assumed that the lease would be one way to tie him down, but that was fine. He had to trust the Iyr in the same way the Iyr had to trust him.

  “However, you may not be able to this year, or the ,” Iromin said.

  “Oh?” Adam asked.

  “The Iyr is currently preparing for an important matter, but o passes, we should be able to assist you,” Iromin said, noting the looks of the Great Elders.

  “Alright. Do you need any help for the matter?” Adam asked.

  “We…” Iromin stopped. It wasn’t because of the Great Elders, but rather because Adam had offered his help. There had been something on his mind, something which he couldn’t believe, but si was reted to Adam… “Would you be willing to assist us iing a theory?”

  “Sure?” Adam asked.

  “When you ent using the gems, the dust settles on the on after the first session. Your basitments require only three days. I would like to see whether someone else finish the entment after you fihe first day.”

  The Great Elders remained ral, faces stuck like those of a statue, as they listeo the Chief’s request.

  “Oh,” Adam said, thinking about the matter. “Oh.” He uood why the Chief asked, and the significe of such a thing if it was true. “Sure?”

  “You are uain?”

  “I just don’t want to disappoint you.”

  “It is merely a test,” Iromin said. “It would be beneficial for us all.”

  “That’s true. Alright, well, what kind of entment should I put on it?”

  “A basius, nothing more,” Iromin said. “If it works, we will request a more plicated entment.”

  “Sure.” Adam nodded.

  “Thank you, Adam.”

  “Alright,” Adam replied, before they waited in silence. “Should I leave?”

  “If there is nothing else, you may.”

  Adam turned, and began to walk away. Theopped. He had something in his back pocket, something he was going to use on Aunt Sonarot, but since she had agreed, he had saved it for the Great Elders. ‘I may as well.’

  The Great Elders waited.

  “Actually, Chief, there is one more reason why I wao create this business. I mentioned wanting to train warriors, right? Creating my own force?” He turned, looking baeet the Chief’s eyes.

  “Yes.”

  Adam swallowed, and nodded. “Good night, Chief.”

  “Good night, Adam,” Iromin replied, staring as the Half Elf left. He leaned ba his chair.

  It all made sense.

  The biggest tention would have been that Adam wao create a group of warriors loyal to him. It was something the Iyrmen would have refused without a doubt, unless it was heavily restricted.

  “He’s talking about it, isn’t he?” called a voice from the rooftop.

  “Yes,” the Chief replied.

  The Great Elders igrom, who was allowed to listen to even these secrets.

  “I wonder what’s gotten him so spooked,” Strom said, sipping his drink. “He’s seen you and me, but it seems he’s scared of something bigger than all of us, thahe Iyr.”

  Iromin remained silent. If Adam did want to create a force, one which could threaten a being he did not believe the Iyr could defeat, then it would be best for it to be kept uhe Iyr’s watchful eye. They could rent out the nd, and trol the pace of growth with the al. They had more than enough nd to allow Adam to do as he pleased. There was the question of the enting shrine, however.

  “Do you trust him?” Strom asked.

  “Yes.”

  The Great Elders were finally allowed to reveal their surprise.

  “Then, you should show that trust,” Strom said. “He’s already shown that he trusts you.”

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