Karl watched the cleric run back to her work, and then noticed a small stand at the edge of the financial sector of the job fair, as if it had been forced out by the more powerful conglorates.
The operator appeared to be a Nature Priestess, or an Acolyte. Karl moved forward so that he could see the sign, while the operator nervously waited for soone to co close enough to call out to.
[Neko's Cat Cafe. Hiring food service staff and cooks. Willing to work with investors of all sorts.]
{Remi, bring Lotus to us. There is a cat café opening. I think she will love it.} Karl instructed.
{Alright. We are just chatting with the recruits. They're going to head to the train soon. Everyone is jealous of our group and their head start.}
Karl walked up to the bubbly young Acolyte, as he confird after he was close enough. She was Common Rank, and wearing nature Priestess robes, so she had to be an Acolyte, who was working on a project she thought would please her goddess.
"Good morning, Monarch, Princesses, High Priestess. Might you be interested in hearing about Neko's Cat Cafe?" She asked hopefully.
"Yes. I also have a Nature High Priestess on her way here, and I am certain that she would approve of your initiative."
The Acolyte laughed. "I sohow doubt that. Everyone says that my idea is dumb. Our dorm area is already filled with cats, so why would we go out to see them? But if you look at my business plan, and the carefully collected data, the company of friendly beasts of the furry sort is popular with over thirty percent of the population.
That alone is enough of a market share that I believe there is room for a cat café, and I have found a vacancy at the perfect location on the walking street near the Central Park, pending funding."
Karl waved his hand and created a stone chair with [Earth Barrier] to sit across the table from her, and the young cleric raced around to see what he had done.
"You have a free chair skill? That is wonderful. Does it make other chairs? Can it make more?" She gushed.
"It's an Earth Barrier defensive spell. It's not intended for making chairs. But yes, I can make multiple styles of chairs, or whole rows of them." Karl laughed, while Dana turned away to hide her laughter.
The acolyte slowly cald down, while the nearby bankers shook their heads in dismay. She was making a pitch for funding by a Monarch, but she couldn't even remain serious for ten seconds. They saw no chance that she would actually succeed at business.
Once she was back in her seat, Karl started with the important questions. "Do you anticipate any issues getting permits to serve food and drink around animals? Quality products will be essential to the survival of your business. No custor will suffer bad coffee just to be with cats. After all, the Priestesses and other cat enthusiasts can chase Blink Cats all over the city."
Neko giggled and nodded in agreent. "I have the advanced food creation spell from my Goddess, though it's still Common Grade. Not really up to the standards of the higher Elites. But it allows to make a full range of basic products and spices, and I am an excellent baker.
The products that are more difficult, as well as the specific brews of teas, I will have to order in. The predicted costs are in the business plan."
She was well-prepared, Karl noticed. She had a full nu, with all ingredients and costs listed. Ti to make and prep the ones she was creating listed on a weekly basis, staff hours, animal maintenance costs, and all the other line items Karl would expect on an expense sheet at the mines.
Tessa was reading over his shoulder, as she was actually educated on the economics of feeding people, and she was making encouraging faces, so Karl assud the numbers weren't outlandish.
The final page detailed what she needed. A total of one hundred fifty thousand credits in seed money for equipnt and renovations, as well as the lease on the location. Karl inwardly sighed as he realized that the annual lease for the location was only thirty thousand credits, hardly more than a month's rent at his apartnt. He really was living extravagantly.
"So, my primary concern is whether you will be able to find reliable staff, as well as suitably socialized cats. After all, ones with even a hint of a temper could be a problem in a cat café." Karl inford her.
Neko nodded in agreent. "Fortunately, we have a stable source. It's here on page seven. There is a shelter that is willing to work with so that the cats can be adopted straight from the Café, should the custor be interested.
It's a win for everyone."
At that point, Lotus ca running through the crowd, which was parting around her, as the Priestess was wearing Remi as a necklace in Spirit Snake form, with Cara chasing after her.
The sight was terrifying to the locals, as Spirit Snakes were venomous, and a Monarch Rank one thicker than most n's arms was no laughing matter if it was not a bonded beast of so sort.
The fact that it was draped around the neck of a Nature Priestess did not guarantee safety.
"What did I miss?" Lotus asked, puffing for air after carrying Remi so far.
"This lovely young Acolyte is working to set up a Cat Cafe, and I was considering helping her with an investnt." Karl explained.
"Oh? Do you have interior designs?" Lotus asked.
Neko smiled and flipped open her binder full of exquisitely detailed drawings.
"Now, there are a few designs there, as I wasn't sure what facility I will be able to get. The landlords wouldn't hold them without paynt, and I don't have any seed money yet." Neko explained.
"That won't be a problem. Soone here will surely be interested." Lotus dismissed the concern as she flipped through pictures of walls lined with climbing platforms and scratching posts for the cats, with tables covered in white lace cloths.
"Are you really going to fund a random café by a green dragon Acolyte?" One of the nearby financial service booth operators asked Karl as he watched the two discuss design.
Karl nodded. "The plans are for a quality bakery and a café specializing in desserts and exotic teas. The design even includes a pickup window, for those not interested in sitting with the cats."
The banker looked at him like he was crazy, then shook his head and turned away.
If the Elite wanted to waste money on charity, so be it.
The gathering of powerful Elites attracted the attention of a few of the students, which caused Cara and Remi to retreat to their spaces.
They didn't want to terrify the young jobseekers, and especially not if Karl was going to be investing in this shop.
Just the presence of the group who had been chosen to present the first opportunity to beco Elites was enough to draw the young jobseekers to the booth, much to the dismay of other companies looking to hire them, and the delight of the nearby stalls that needed entry-level workers.
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