"Perfect." Damon grinned. "That’s exactly what I needed to hear. How fast can you get here?"
"Right away."
Sylvara arrived at Ranthor City not long after Damon’s call. She ca cloaked, her silver-streaked golden hair hidden beneath a hood, but her bearing alone drew eyes from all directions. She walked straight over to a restaurant where Damon was waiting for her.
"Long ti no see." Damon smiled.
Sylvara laughed at his bad joke anyway, making her look even more radiant. She slipped out of her cloak and sat down opposite him in the private booth. "You have been busy." She smiled bitterly.
Damon leaned back in his seat, his crimson eyes gleaming faintly in the dim lantern light of the booth. "Busy is one word for it," he said, swirling the untouched drink in front of him.
Sylvara exhaled softly, shaking her head. "One hundred and twelve apprentices. Do you have any idea what kind of storm you’ve just kicked up?"
Damon smiled. "We have to do these things. Otherwise, we will be left in the dust by those motherfuckers." He then rembered that he had to warn her. This woman was extrely daring, and when all hell broke loose in a couple of days, she would definitely head over to that dangerous place.
"By the way... Don’t go anywhere near Lotera city in the next few days. There is sothing big going to happen, and many players are going to go up there. I suggest you avoid it at all costs. You will be able to enter it easily, but you won’t be able to get out that easily. You will at least lose a few levels in the process, and that is the best-case scenario."
Sylvara looked shocked, her eyebrows furrowing. She opened and closed her mouth many tis, wanting to ask Damon a lot of things, but in the end, she did not. She simply nodded her head in acceptance. "I will keep that in mind."
The guy in front of her was no longer within her reach. There was no point in trying to ask him mundane questions like how he knew these things.
Damon studied her for a mont, noting the flicker of frustration that crossed her face before she masked it with composure.
"You’ll be fine," Damon reached forward and held her hand. "Focus on the forge. Those apprentices need structure, and they need soone they can look up to. You’ll give them that. And when the dust settles, you’ll stand at the head of sothing no one can ignore."
Sylvara blinked at the sudden contact, her icy blue eyes flickering down to where Damon’s hand rested lightly atop hers. For a heartbeat, the carefully composed mask she always wore cracked, revealing surprise... and sothing softer, more vulnerable. But almost just as quickly, she pulled herself back together.
"You always know how to make things sound so simple," she murmured.
Damon chuckled. "It is simple. I am going to give you all the cheat codes."
Huh? Sylvara looked at him in confusion. She did not even realize that she was the one holding his hands now.
Damon did not push her away. Instead, he started explaining the many things he needed to tell her. He started from the top.
He talked about the land plots she needed to buy in many cities, the shops she needed to set up, and the ore suppliers she needed to talk to. He simultaneously recorded the ssage in the system interface so that she did not have to rember all the details.
Sylvara’s confusion gradually faded as she listened, her sharp eyes narrowing with focus. Damon’s words weren’t the flowery promises of a drear. Every instruction was precise, calculated, and unnervingly practical.
"You’ll need to secure land plots in these cities, but not in the central district," Damon explained, his crimson gaze intent on her. "Too much attention there. Look for the secondary trade wards. Prices are lower, and foot traffic is still good. That gives us freedom to expand without question."
Sylvara nodded slowly, her fingers tightening unconsciously around his hand as she followed along.
"Set up shops under neutral banners. Nothing flashy yet. Focus on weapons first. Swords, spears, and daggers. High turnover, easy sales. Don’t worry about profit margins; I’ll supply the raw gold until we stabilize."
"And for ore suppliers, avoid the guild-backed rchants. They’ll sell you quality, but report all the details to many guilds. Instead, go to the independent caravans, the brokers on the border routes. They deal in bulk, no questions asked. Pay them well and they’ll stay loyal."
Sylvara’s lips parted slightly. "You’ve... thought of everything already." There was a mixture of awe and disbelief in her voice.
Damon smirked. "Of course. I didn’t just take a hundred apprentices to play at being a forge master. I’m building an industry." He then continued giving her so more instructions, including so details about blueprints for epic-grade weapons and armors.
Sylvara sat back, finally letting go of his hand, though her expression betrayed a faint flush she quickly masked. "And you want to be the face of all this."
"You’re perfect for it," Damon replied smoothly. "You have the na, the presence, and the discipline to turn them into sothing worth showing to the world. All I’m doing is giving you the foundation and the shortcuts. Those nerds will also be very happy to look at you all the ti. Not everyone has that chance."
She let out a breath that was half a laugh, half exasperation. "You’re impossible, Damon." But despite the words, her heart raced.
How tyrannical! Every move the man in front of her made was a checkmate! If he sohow succeeds in this endeavour, then the super guilds would have no other choice except to play nice with him!
Sylvara straightened her back, masking the warmth in her cheeks with icy composure once more. "Okay. I will get everything done as per your instructions. I will keep you updated. I will not let you down."
"I know." Damon nodded. "Thanks a lot. You are helping out quite a bit."
The two of them chatted for a few more minutes before Damon hurriedly gave her a quick hug and left the private booth. Sylvara did not need micromanaging which made his life easier.
Now that this was taken care of, he had more important things he needed to handle. It was ti to et his dear friend Aiden once again. "It is almost ti. They should be opening that thing any ti now?" Damon grinned as he rubbed his hands in anticipation of what was to co.
***
Mass release sponsored by Syphatrol
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