“So I had this story about an enchanter 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 weapons as thanks.”

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

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

The other Great Elders deflated, 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 enchanter, or maybe they accepted me because I worked hard, and so Fate’s Golden, who perhaps assisted the enchanter, became the managers of the business. The enchanter has decided to create a number of weapons yearly, which would then be sent out periodically into Aldland and other lands to be sold. I don’t know, I need to figure it all out.”

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

“Basically,” Adam said, nodding his head. “Then I’ll train some enchanters, teaching them just the way to enchant specific formulas, and they’d work six hours a day, five days a week. I want them to make a weapon per week, so each enchanter will make the business about a thousand gold each week, maybe more if there are other enchantments. Roughly fifty thousand gold a year from each enchanter, which will then fund the entire operation, from the inns, to the smiths, to funding temples for education for everyone, to the guards, and to whatever other plans I have.”

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

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

“If you do manage to create such a way to enchant, will you train enchanters 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 benefits, 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 was pretty stupid, but even he knew this much. “I’ll teach your enchanters. I’ll pass on all my spells to the Iyr. I’ll pass on my formulas 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 can 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 come 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 Aldland 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 scanned the faces of the Great Elders.

All of them knew the significance of Iromin’s question, but they also knew the significance of Adam’s forthrightness.

“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 place for my headquarters, not the Iyr itself, but on the land of the Iyr, beyond the village. I know that it will make people think twice, and… if someone does attack, I hope the Iyrmen will respond.”

“Having a foreign power, a threat, on Iyrman’s lands cannot be tolerated, Adam,” Iromin said.

“A foreign threat?” Adam asked. “I know I might be a foreign 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 can. They work for her, and I’m the one whose doing all the hard work to train them. They’re not foreign, Chief, they’ll be working directly under an Iyrman. I’m just asking you to look after them in case I’m not around, either 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 laid out.”

“I assume it’ll be a large, walled village, or fort. I want the workers and their family to live there, to work the nearby lands, to be taught there. Basically, a little Iyr near the Iyr.”

“Do you love the Iyr so much you wish to emulate 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 come from a place where it’s very Iyrly, in some ways. I just want to take it to the next 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 comes 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 plan was far too large in scope. However, it was a good goal to have. “The Iyr was built one building at a time, Adam. You are thinking too large. For now, if you wish to create a small homestead to protect your people. We will lease some land to you for that much. You may create your homes, your temple, and you may pay for them with weapons you sell to the Iyr. This much we can 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 next,” Iromin said.

“Oh?” Adam asked.

“The Iyr is currently preparing for an important matter, but once it 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 since it was related to Adam… “Would you be willing to assist us in testing a theory?”

“Sure?” Adam asked.

“When you enchant using the gems, the dust settles on the weapon after the first session. Your basic enchantments require only three days. I would like to see whether someone else can finish the enchantment after you finished the first day.”

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

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

“You are uncertain?”

“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 enchantment should I put on it?”

“A basic bonus, nothing more,” Iromin said. “If it works, we will request a more complicated enchantment.”

“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. Then, he stopped. 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 wanted to create this business. I mentioned wanting to train warriors, right? Creating my own force?” He turned, looking back to meet 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 back on his chair.

It all made sense.

The biggest contention would have been that Adam wanted to 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 ignored Strom, 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, than even the 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 under the Iyr’s watchful eye. They could rent out the land, and control the pace of growth with the land rental. They had more than enough land to allow Adam to do as he pleased. There was the question of the enchanting 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.”