"THAT FUCKING BITCH!!!"
We were currently back on the main street headed for Emira's forge, when Flora finally let loose.
Yeah, we got a lot of stares from that, also all of the vendors Flora upset before are smiling at our obvious misfortune.
"You should calm down, we've got a whole year to figure something out."
Flora gave Eric a death glare.
"Yes, we've got a whole year to figure out something, but how are we to figure out getting a fortune that very likely we'd never even get to see, never mind have!"
I decided to try to cheer her up.
"Hey, we still have close to fifty grand after paying for the extension, and who knows, maybe Emira got enough of the land ready to be built on."
Flora rolled her eyes at me.
"Optimism doesn't suit you. Even if she did get it ready, we'd still have to build, get residents, and after that we still wouldn't even come close to the amount that we would need."
We finished making our way to a Craftsman's pride in silence.
_________________
"Are you serious?"
Emira was with Thonie - who is huge now - in her forge.
I nodded my head at her.
"Yes, do you think you could ask your friend Siel to loan us some coin?"
She shook her head while she answered me.
"I'm sorry, but I can't ask for that much. He'll expect something in return."
"I understand."
"I don't, what could be so bad not to ask for a loan?"
Flora irately said.
"He is not someone who you want to be in debted to."
Emira calmly responded.
"Fine."
Flora crossed her arms.
Jurea pointed at Thonie.
"How do you walk her around town without causing a panic?"
"Siel set up a teleportation circle connecting here with our land."
Flora was shocked by that.
"Really?!"
"Yes, it's right back there."
She was pointing behind the forge.
We all decided to head on to the property, so Emira locked up her store and we left.
We were immediately in Emira's new forge.
It's bigger than A Craftsman's pride, it also has more equipment.
Equipment that would look more fitting in my world than this one.
Next thing I noticed was the half finished and finished pieces of armor.
Some were the big bulky type of armor you'd see a knight wearing, others were basically metal bikinis.
I looked at Emira.
"What's with these armors? I thought you said no one buys from you anymore?"
Normally, the only thing I see her forging are weapons that she just stores away.
"Someone I know talked up my services. At first I only received orders for swords, arrows, or the like.
Then, came the orders for armor when they liked what I'd already given them."
I pointed at the bikini armor.
"Okay then, but why would you forge that kind of armor? Those are completely worthless, it protects none of the vitals."
She cocked an eyebrow.
"Whoever told you that doesn't know what he's talking about.
Every armor has a purpose, and this is no different.
Would you kill a giant of man barging towards you to kill you?"
"Yeah."
"How about a defenseless woman begging for her life?"
"Of course not!"
"See, you're sexist."
She raised her hand to stop me from interrupting her.
"Don't worry, so are the majority of men and women.
Which is the purpose for these types of armor.
Most warriors will hesitate before killing a fallen woman warrior - either because he wants to rape her, or because of sympathy - and in that moment of hesitation a dagger can find its home in your opponent's flesh.
As for the heavy armor, it will provide extra protection, but no matter how strong you are it will slow you down."
She went over to a weapon rack and picked up a mace.
"And your enemy will use something like this or the pommel of their sword to bash the weak points of the armor.
They'll probably go for the joints, to halt any more movement, then keep bashing until you were dead.
If you're strong, can take a beating and keep swinging, then heavy armor is for you.
If not, use as little armor as possible and be more agile. It's why I gave Jurea heavy armor, but Eric got a leather brigandine and pauldrons."
"So, that's why you wouldn't give me another set of armor!
Because you realized how awesome I am, and therefore didn't need it!"
"No, you just kept ruining them."
"Oh."
Shut up Patty!
"Ma'am you have returned."
A bull beastman came into the forge.
"Yes, did you need anything?"
"Me and the others were just wondering if you wanted us to finish clearing the path to the main road miss?"
"No, it should be clear enough. What?"
Jurea, Eric, and I were staring at her.
"I thought we agreed not to buy slaves."
It was the bull guy that answered me instead of her.
"The mistress freed us! Gave us a place to call home, and even pays us!"
"Wait, you pay them?! I agreed that we could let them live here, not pay them!
We gave you that money to fix up the land, not waste it on them!"
Instead of answering Flora's outburst, Emira headed outside with us in tow.
When we made it outside, I literally had to shut my mouth.
Our land looked less like a rundown farm, and more like a miniature city!
There were modern buildings, water towers, people, and beastfolk.
"How... did you... do this?!"
Flora asked her.
I think she is actually surprised.
Emira shrugged.
"It wasn't that hard.
I knew want to build because I saw it in his world, Siel provided me workers, after I brought and freed the beastfolk they agreed to stay on and help, and I have crafting magic."
"But all of this must have cost more than what we left you."
Emira nodded while she answered.
"Indeed, I had to supplement an income. So, I sold monster and beast parts - that I hunted, accepted quests from the guild, and - for the last month and a half - sold weapons and armor."
Flora broke out a huge smile.
"Are the buildings ready to be lived in?!"
Emira shrugged.
"Most of the work effort went to clearing the land, and building the wall.
There are a total of eleven buildings built, three of those are for farming, and three are for business space.
You told me you wanted as many rooms as possible, so the first two floors are the public baths and toilets, on each floor there are thirty twenty by twenty rooms. In total there are two thousand and seven hundred rooms.
Also, there are storage spaces behind the buildings. "
"Twenty by twenty seems like a lot of room.
If we cut those rooms in half, we could double the amount of renters."
"Stop being greedy, we have over two thousand rooms."
I told Flora.
She looked at me like I am an idiot.
"You idiot, we need a veritable fortune.
Even if we fill every single room, which is unlikely, we'd have to charge each one around eighty thousand gold to even come close to the amount that would we need.
We can't do that of course because we need to undercut the prices those in Saltwater are charging, so that we can poach their business.
Which means we'll have to charge them five gold a month, which will only give us one hundred and sixty-two thousand yearly.
Which is just under two thousand times the amount of what we need."
I tried to follow her math, and failed.
"When did you have time to do all of that math?! Don't you need a calculator for that?"
"It's basic math. Whatever, here."
Flora took out the egg we had been given in the dungeon, and tossed it to me.
"Put that in our house. I'll go back into town to see if I can poach some borders after I walk around this place."
Emira pointed at Flora's new capacity ring.
"Give me that ring, I'll make something out of it."
Flora took it off and tossed it to her.
"Here, be careful with it."
We all went our separate ways, Flora went back to town after a couple of hours, Eric went to explore our new home, Jurea went with Emira, and I went to the house to put the egg inside.
When I got inside I headed for the basement.
It is a spacious room filled with junk.
Near the back of the room is a fireplace - with a pile of wood right next to it - with a chimney that leads into the house above.
Wow, really?
Yeah, I don't really care.
I gathered some old blankets that were laying about, and formed them into a soft mound to place the egg on.
Then, I placed some wood into the fireplace, and lit it with a little stream of fire.
I turned to leave, in a couple of hours I'll return to check on the egg.
If we're lucky, in a couple of days it will hatch, and we'll sell the newly born monster.
Crack!
I slowly turned back around.
Is it really ready to hatch already?
I went over to it, and poked it.
I felt a good deal of my energy leave me, and get sucked into the egg.
Crack!
Crack!
Crack!
Out of the egg came a spider the size of a small dog.
Seeing it made me realize something, I've been in this world too long.
Back in my world someone would probably have had a heart attack when faced with a spider this size, but this isn't even the strangest thing I've seen this week!
I can't get too numb to this world, I've yet to see a gryphon!
Time to take this guy upstairs.
I reached for him.
< Activating taming process. Gauging resistance. Gauged. Taming. Tamed.>
Wait, what?!
I didn't say tame it Patty!
Yes, really! Is there a way to undo...
So, I will have to split XP with him and Thonie as well?
That's good to hear.
What?!
If everyone else gets sixteen levels, Thonie would get eight, and both of you would receive four.>
I can't believe this, you did this on purpose!
You're the devil, aren't you?
Why do I get the impression that she's smiling?
.......................
As soon as I landed in Edith's forge I headed for the adventurers guild.
When I got there, I went into the tavern next door.
It is full of adventurers like it normally is, good.
Before the bartender - I think her name is Hellon - could spot me, I jumped onto the nearest table.
"Hey! My beer."
A random loser tried to interrupt me, but I just ignored him.
"WHAT IS THE WORST CRIME THAT WE AS ADVENTURES HAVE TO ENDURE?!"
I screamed to get everyone's attention.
The bartender came from behind the bar.
"Flora! You're banned from here!"
"Hush Hellon, I'm not buying any beer, just selling a once in a lifetime opportunity!"
"Helgrid, my name is Helgrid!"
Continuing.
"To answer my own question, it is the despicable profession of adventurer housing.
How much gold are y'all charged to live in a room y'all barely live in?
How many times did y'all pay for being absent for four months, only to have y'all property sold when you arrived only two days late?"
"Yeah, she's right. I'm barely in that house, and I'm charged forty gold!"
"That's nothing! I had killed a wyrm and stored it in my house, only for it to be sold when - due to an injury sustained by saving a group of fucking orphans! - I was late by a single day!"
Yes, I've got them right in the palm of my hand.
"And what if I told y'all I knew of a place where they only charge twenty-five silver a day!
Where if you expect to be absent for a while, you don't have to pay for a room, instead you can just pay to store your things!
And wait, there's more!
By horse, it is only a couple of hours away from the dungeon!"
"I call an ape's tail!"
A loser stood up from his beer and came up to me.
Good, once I convince the nonbeliever, the rest will fall into place.
"Good sir, whatever do you mean?"
"Not only is all of what you said probably a sham, but there's no protection against monsters out there.
The town might be expensive, but for good reason! The wall and guards protect us and our stuff, so we can relax without worry."
The fool is making this almost too easy.
I was originally - before I knew she had built a wall that good - going to play on their insecurities about being strong enough to live out in the forest on their own.
Now, only thing I got to do is convince them to just come see the wall.
"I'm glad you asked that question sir.
There's nothing I worry about more than the safety of any who would come to live in my care.
Which is why I made sure there is a wall that is better than the wall around Saltwater."
"Bull..."
"I can attest to that."
Gregg - or was his name George? - spoke out in my defense from the doorway of the tavern.
Not apart of my plan, but I can roll with it.
"Yes, he is a guard, so you can definitely trust him."
He came forward to join me in the middle of the fast growing group of people.
"You've seen this wall of hers?"
"Yes, with my very own eyes.
If any of you have any doubts, I'll take you there myself and travel back with you if you don't find it up to your standards."
They all - including the naysayers - shut up and were seriously considering my offer.
Which means they're going to say yes.
"And what will they drink?"
Heather the irritable bartender decided to speak up.
"Where will they eat? Buy gear? Or any of the other necessities that they'll need?"
She doesn't give a single damn shit about these idiots, just about the coin in their pouches.
"I would never forget the ones that make life bearable for us adventurers.
That's why we have built buildings for you to use, free of rent for the first month."
"You expect us to just drop everything, and take a risk like that?"
"No, the shops and taverns should stay open in town. After all, the guilds are here.
All I am saying is that you should send someone who you trust with some merchandise to sell, that way you'll be making complete profit with no overhead."
I could see the gears turning in her head, not that I needed to.
There's one thing that will never let me down as long as I live.
Greed will out do everything else in this, or any other, empire.
Hailynn smiled and stuck out her hand, which I promptly took as I came off the table.
She pulled me in close to whisper in my ear.
"I still don't like you."
I smiled and whispered back.
"See if I care."
After making arrangements and telling the people where our land is, I left with Gregor.
Once we were a decent distance away, I stopped him via pulling his arm.
"What do you want?"
He stopped and looked me in the eye.
"And how do you know that I want something?"
"Because you don't drink at that tavern, the only reason you'd be there is because you saw me and followed me in."
"How do you know where I drink?! You barely remember my name."
"Yes, I sometimes forget the trivial things, but I always remember the habits of potential enemies."
After all, any change in routine could mean that they're trying to kill you.
"You thought I was a enemy?"
"I said potentially, so stop acting callow. Also, yes, everyone is potentially an enemy of mine.
But stop trying to change the subject, what do you want?"
"Fine, yes I helped you earlier in the baron's house and now because I want a favor.
You know about the two guards that died, right?"
"Yeah, the idiots who got offed by a weak ass monster."
He had a flash of anger show on his face, before it passed just as quickly.
"Yes, well, they had family, and they were the breadwinners.
I was hoping that you would take my friend Mary on as an employee, and give her room and board.
The current place she's at is evicting her."
"That's it?! That's all you're asking for? What's the catch?"
He scratched his head.
"What do mean? I helped you, now you help me."
This can't be everything he wants.
No one would use this much extortion for a 'friend', he must be up to something.
But I can't for the life of me figure out what he really wants.
"Fine, I can convince the others to hire her, but then we're square."
This is my trap, no fool would call us even.
He barely got anything.
"Sounds good to me."
Oh. My. Gods! He's truly an idiot.
I can work with that.