In business, there's a common adage, "stagnation is death, if you don't grow (or change) your business dies."

This adage was a reason why Will asked Pamela to add seasonal menu items. The reason he asked, Brenda and Harry, to make rose soap and sell it in the general store. Why Yvette's seasonal dishes boosted the cafe sales.

Unfortunately, Will's gaming business had hit a point of diminishing returns. The market in Guidon and Yorkshire was becoming saturated. The profit from his games had started to slow, and Will could see the market for games starting to flatten. That is one of the reasons, Will was willing to auction off licenses for his game patents.

After a particularly difficult morning workout, Will ran up to the room washed, and changed his clothes to immediately get started on his new transportation industry. When Will first analyzed Fermion, he realized the entertainment and transportation industry were undervalued.

Will began his business with entertainment because he had the lowest cost of entry to Fermion's market. Now, that Will's entertainment sector was secure, it was time to expand.

Since his return to Guidon, Will had Vanessa look into various crafters. In Guidon, everyone knew Vanessa was Will's head clerk. Who she talked to and where she went, became immediate gossip.

Even worse, since Bradley spoke to this father, the City Lord, Timothy vont Alms had blabbed to everyone Will was working on a new secret project. At this point, it was common knowledge the City Lord's son, Bradley, was hired by Will and swore an oath of silence. This was why Vanessa's routine trips to the Crafter's District never when unnoticed.

However, one place that caused less suspicion than others, was McGreggor's Cartwright. Since the King announced Will's bestowment to the peerage, Will was interested in purchasing his first carriage. This rumor had already been spread and was old news among gossip circles. Nowadays, people were consumed with the rumors of whether or not Will was courting Ms. Marlicia vont Hernandes.

Will welcomed the change of conversation away from his business to his budding personal life. As far as Will was concerned, people cared more about who he was courting, than he was.

After sending a letter to his mother and father about last night's evening, Will walked to Crafter's District with Vanessa. As they walked, Vanessa remained eerily silent. Yesterday, Will had reprimanded her and now he was mailing a letter to his mother, about their collaboration. As they walked to the McGreggor's Cartwright, Vanessa wondered if Will harbored any ill will towards her.

When the carpenters, stonemasons, blacksmiths, weavers, and other crafters saw Will and Vanessa walk along the street, many decided to hawk their wares directly to Will. If Will purchased from them, they knew it could spur more business.

Will thanked them, refused each person. After all, he was only here to purchase a carriage. Or at least, that's what he wanted people to believe. The real reason Will came to McGreggor's Cartwright, was to purchase bicycle tires.

"Hello Sir, William vont Ballard! Vanessa told us to expect you at this hour." a haggard old man said. His voice was commanding, but his body was withered and full of gray hairs.

"Hello, Mr. McGreggor. I am anxious to purchase my first carriage," Will replied with a half-truth.

"Your Senior Clerk, Vanessa is quite the hard worker. She visited on several occasions to ask questions. From our discussions, you are concerned about the wheels. Well, sir. I can tell you we make our wheels good and strong. My carriages can carry all your piles of gold while you're trying to outrun bandits," Mr. McGreggor said thumbing his chest in pride.

Will looked at Vanessa quizzically. He was curious to know what she told Mr. McGreggor.

Vanessa saw Will's curious glaze and shrugged her shoulders in apology. She did not know how to ask about their hires without, giving away Will's true desire. Whether or not Mr. McGreggor could produce tires for him in great quantity.

"Yes, Vanessa is indeed a treasure. I am lucky to have her as my senior clerk. Now let me see the designs you have my carriage," Will replied.

After several conversations with Vanessa, McGreggor felt confident in his plans. To him, William vont Ballard was only another noble, in a long line of famous, upcoming nobles. He was oldest enough to remember the other young hot jumpstart before Will. He was not fazed by his popularity or the gossip. He just wanted to please his clients.

However, unlike other clients that focused on aesthetics, Will was concerned with the mechanics of the carriage. That was a first for him. Never before had someone, asked him about every part of the carriage and its utility.

McGreggor unrolled the blueprint, then he began to explain, "This is a larger carriage than we normally make. To accommodate your desires, we stretched the frame of the carriage. We make the wheels and axels sturdier. We also added an extra wheel and axel under the carriage. You didn't ask, but we added cushions and down feathers to the seats. Most nobles want gold everywhere, but you requested silver. Given the title of your business that made sense, and was easy to accommodate. All that is left is for you to tell us your emblem, and we'll add it to the carriage doors."

Truth be told even Vanessa was curious to learn Will's how Will's emblem would look. In Fermion, when a noble is bestowed peerage, they can decide how their emblem is designed. Of course, the design has to be approved by his king, before it becomes the noble's official design. However, Will had already received approval from the king.

"My emblem is a silver phoenix on a black shield, behind the shield are a crossing sword and staff. The phoenix head faces the right, with outstretched wings and a long tail. No feet or talons are displayed, just the tail," Will said.

"Hmm, that shouldn't be too hard to draw," McGreggor said out loud as if thinking to himself.

"That brings our business to a close unless there is anything else I can do for you?' Mr. Greggor asked.

Will and Vanessa quickly eyed each other before Will spoke to McGreggor.

"Is there someplace private where we can speak?" Will asked.

"My office, follow me this way please," McGreggor said motioning them to follow behind him, as he lead the way to his office.

A short walk from the factory floor, found Vanessa, Will, and Mr. McGreggor seated in his cramped office. The office smelled of rye whiskey and pipe smoke. Although cigarettes didn't

"I know what this is about," McGreggor said

"You do?" Vanessa asked, thinking she had somehow accidentally leaked Will's intent.

"Well sure I do! Do you think your the first noble to ask me to build in secret compartments? Well, that's the reason you asked for a longer carriage, isn't it? Don't worry I won't tell anyone, secrecies a part of the job," McGreggor said with a wink.

"Just so you know, there are four possible places for a secret compartment. The first is under the driver's seat, the second is under the floor of the carriage, the third is behind the rear passenger seats, and the fourth is under the front passenger seats. Each hideaway cubby is going to cost you," he said with a swig of whiskey.

"That's not the reason for our private conversation with you, but a safe under the carriage floor, and add the rest of the compartments. I'd like an individual key for each, please," Will said graciously.

"Well if that's not the reason, what is?" said a confused Mr. McGreggor.

"I want to purchase a thousand cartwheels," Will said confidently.

"Cartwheels?" exclaimed a nervous-looking McGreggor.

"You aren't planning off going into the carriage business, are you?" McGreggor asked anxiously.

"No, I plan to create an entirely separate business. I need small cartwheels, similar to what you use with your handcarts. I need wheels that are 66 to 68 centimeters around and delivered to my general store, is that possible?" Will questioned.

"As long as you're not competing against me, I'm happy to oblige Sir. vont Ballard. We can have the first shipment to you in two weeks," he said holding up to stubby fingers.

"Now as far as the price for everything?" Will raised an eyebrow.

"The carriage is going to cost 250 to 300 gold sir. I need to see how much the safe will add to the price. As far as they cartwheels, the first hundred are free. The other 900 will cost 20 silver a wheel, for a total of 180 gold. And if we are to be business partners in the future please call me Otis, sir." Otis McGreggor said stretching his hand out to finalize the business.

Will was surprised that the cartwheels only cost 6 silver apiece. He was so used to dealing in gold, that the low number surprised him. However, low for Will was not low for Otis. Otis felt that 6 silver a wheel was just a little over the cost of the materials and labor. Otis felt as long as Will bought wheels in bulk, he could make up for the small profit margin.

Otis McGreggor came from a long ancestral line of cartwrights. He was old now, his large muscular body was deteriorating. He retired from the factory to the sales floor and his primary focus was drawing blueprints and customer service. His sons and grandsons built the carriages, handcarts, and wagons. Yet, he felt this agreement with William vont Ballard would be the legacy he would leave to his sons and grandsons. His children and grandchildren would enjoy a much more prosperous than he ever saw.

"It's a deal. Vanessa paid the man 204 gold. Otis, well pay you the remainder when we pick up the carriage," Will said shaking Mr. McGreggor's extended hand.

"Vanessa, make sure to send word later to Brenda and Harry to expect a shipment of cartwheels into weeks," Will said as they walked out of McGreggor's Cartwright.

"Yes, Boss Will. Also, Dhriti asked that we meet with her before we leave the district," Vanessa said.

Will and Vanessa walked toward Dhriti's shop. Compared to Will's first visit a year ago, The rundown shop had gone through a dramatic remodeling. Outside the carpenter shop, there was a sign that read 'Dhriti Carpentry--official carpenter of the Silver Phoenix Games--.

In the expanded remodeled shop, men sat around the shop sawing, whittling, nailing, and sanding wood.

Will was impressed, he thought back to his first visit a year ago. At that time, Dhriti sat along carving an item. Now, there were more than 20 men were working for Dhiriti.

When Will and Vanessa approached the shop they were stopped by a snobby carpenter apprentice.

"Do you have an appointment?" said a pretentious young man that looked like an apprentice carpenter.

"Yes, Dhriti is expecting us," Vanessa said calmly, even though she was irked by this young apprentice's ego.

"No, one gets to see the boss! I meant do you have an appointment with one of the carpenters working. If not the waitlist is a one-month long. I'd be happy to take your name and address, and we'll send for someone when there's an opening," the apprentice said proudly.

"This is Boss Will, Dhriti asked to see us today," Vanessa said frustrated with this young man's inflated self-esteem.

"They all say that now please leave," he said as if he was shooing away a lost stray animal.

"The audacity, you little imp. You would shoo away Boss Will?" Vanessa raised her voice, the hatred was evident as she annunciated every syllable.

"You impetuous child, this marks the tenth time, you've upset our clientele," said an angry Dhriti.

"But boss, he's another claiming to be Boss Will," the apprentice said apathetically.

"You dunderhead, he is Boss Will!" Dhriti said.

The young apprentice turned his head in slow motion, the 20 busy carpenters looked up at the commotion.

"Hello," said Will to the apprentice.

Immediately, the young apprentice fell to the ground and began crying and begging for forgiveness.

"Boss Will, this young apprentice needs 20 lashes. We cannot allow people to disrespect you," Vanessa said, with an evil sadistic grin.

"I agree," said Dhriti looking equally as genuinely upset.

"Dhriti, you have done well with this place. Did you buy it from your former master?" Will asked looking at the establishment and disinterest with the game Vanessa and Dhriti were playing with the apprentice.

"Calling him my master is too high of praise. But yes, I bought a workshop from him and then remodeled it myself to display my craftmanship to the whole district," Dhriti said.

"Well you've done a marvelous job, why did you ask us to come? Besides seeing your success," Will was curious to learn the reason.

"My success is due to you Boss Will, I owe you everything. But, I must ask for a favor Boss Will. I asked you to visit is because I need your help. I recently learned my brother will be sold off as a debt slave in the slave auction next weekend. He's a rural blacksmith, in my hometown, he got in debt through no fault of his own. I promise you he'll serve you well. Please, Boss Will, purchase my brother," Dhriti begged.