“Think about it!” Adam said, excitedly. “A Merchant escort agency, or even a Merchant agency, one which has its own Priests and Mages and Warriors. The Priests get to have their own little temple for their gods, Mages with their own studies, Warriors with… whatever they might want.”

“If you can find a place in the wild near the Iyr, you can claim it and build around it,” Jurot said. “As long as the tax is paid, the Kingdom will not refuse you.”

The others looked to Jurot, wondering why he was encouraging the madness Adam was speaking. This had gone beyond just a gathering to cheer Adam up, it was now enabling his delusions.

“How much is the tax?”

“Ten percent of what the Chief collects in tax?” Jurot asked.

“So I’d make a village and become a Chief?” Adam asked.

Jurot paused. “There are wild inns which operate differently. Each month, one gold per worker must be sent. It is a silver for any children which live on the premise. As long as money is sent to the Kingdom, they should not care.”

Adam nodded his head. “Is there a place nearby? An abandoned gem mine at the side of a mountain, an abandoned town?”

“This is no company,” Jonn said. “This is an…”

“Order,” Dunes said. “An Order of gold.”

Adam fell silent. “Should I do that instead?”

“That is far more difficult,” Jurot said. “You must offer assistance to the Kingdom when it requires it, and since it will be newly made, it may be easier for the Kingdom to demand more.”

“Then maybe I don’t make an Order,” Adam said, casually. “I’d like a ruined town to make the compound. Would probably be easier, as long as the ruined town was ruined because of something sensible.”

The fact that Adam used the word sensible caused the others to glance between one another.

“Some place near the Iyr, maybe with an enchanting shrine,” Adam said, letting part of his secret slip. “Magical weapons may be a really good way of, you know, making tons of money to afford everything.”

“Acquiring Enchanters is a difficult task,” Vonda said when no one else interrupted.

“Leave that to me,” Adam said, winking at her. “That’s what we could sell. Magic and magic accessories. Enchanted weapons, armour, items, and stuff like scrolls. That could pay for everything, bank rolling the entire operation so other stuff could be run at a small loss.” Adam thought about how a certain company operated, losing money yearly, and yet making billionaires and millionaires.

“It would be best to situate such a business within a town,” Jurot said. “Central Aldland would be best, though the land is safe. South Port? From South Port, you could travel to most of the South Aldland towns, then to West Aldland, circle around the hills and mountain, then to North Aldland, to East Aldland, and if you wish, Central Aldland.”

The others looked at Jurot, wondering why he continued to encourage Adam’s lunacy.

“South Aldland?” Adam asked, pointing to his ears. “With these bad boys on my head?”

Sky looked up upon hearing bad boy, but dropped down again.

“East Aldland will treat you better,” Jurot assured.

“How long does it take to get to the East Aldland from the Iyr?” Adam asked.

“No more than a month,” Jurot assured.

“A month?” Adam asked, groaning. “Seriously?”

If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

“About a third as long on ship,” Jurot said. “Though it would be a ship from the middle of Central Aldland.”

“Is it legal to run at a loss?” Adam asked. “Bank rolling it with enchanted weapons and stuff?”

“No,” Jurot said. “As long as the tax is paid, they will not care. Records should be kept so that Inspectors can understand the business in case there is an issue.”

“You sure know a lot about how to set up business in Aldland,” Adam said.

Jurot nodded his head, and did not elaborate further.

“Do we have to reveal who enchanted the stuff?” Adam asked.

“No,” Jurot replied. “Though if they suspect you are working with Elves, there may be an issue.”

Adam groaned. “We’ll just say we have an investor who funds the business or something, I don’t know.” Adam rubbed his eyes with is wrists. “I should speak with the Iyr, maybe they’ll want in on the action.”

“It may be best to open up an inn first,” Jonn said.

“An inn?” Adam asked. “An inn which moves and escorts people?”

“A wandering inn?” Dunes asked.

‘I’m not sure I can do that,’ Adam thought.

“That is too impractical,” Jurot said. “The amount of money required to make the enchantments, and the time it would take, it is too much. It would be easier to build dozens of inns across the land.”

The others pulled back from the whiplash of Jurot shooting down the idea, even though it was good he did so.

“A wandering inn does sound cool,” Adam said. “Quite a novel idea. Has it ever been done before?”

“Yes,” Jurot said. “There are a great number of wandering things.”

Adam inhaled deeply. “Inns across the land. Half way between each town? A franchise of inns…” Adam smiled. “I’m slowly warming on the idea.”

“They are difficult in their own right,” Dunes said. “There is a reason why it hasn’t been done before.”

“The reasons being?”

“You would essentially be making forts each time you make an inn,” Dunes said. “It is a dangerous world out there.”

“Yeah,” Adam said. “I did think about that. Jurot and I went to an inn on the way to finding a herb for Aunt. It was pretty much a fort too.”

“They are slightly out of the way for a reason,” Dunes said. “Taxes are reduced for that reason. The people who go there, it’s because it’s dangerous to get there so they can evade the law, and because other business can be attended there, for the same reason.”

“The more I hear about it, the more I want to do it,” Adam admitted. “Inns all across the land. Each with their own speciality dishes, pizza in one, a different meal in another. Each with a small army to protect the inn, made up of people we’ve trained, with decent enough pay and generous benefits. Magics all about it, for an added layer of protection. It would be the greatest innly service this land will know. I’m talking hot water, laundry service, weapon and armour maintenance, potions, maybe even basic enchanted weapons and armours for sale.”

“That is a tall order,” Dunes said. “Nigh on impossible to fulfil. Where are you going to find someone who…”

Adam raised his brows towards Dunes, waiting for him to continue.

Dunes pulled back, sipping his wine. “I’m sorry. I forgot who I was speaking to.”

Adam smiled.

“Adventurers would love an inn in between the towns,” Dunes admitted.

“It would be difficult to keep it safe from all manner of creatures, from Raiders to Rocs,” Jonn said.

“We’d keep a few nukes in our back pocket, just in case,” Adam said. “Or have enough Guards, with enough ranged weaponry, maybe magical arrows, to keep pests from thinking twice.”

‘Newks?’ they thought.

“I really want to do that,” Adam said. “That sounds so cool. It might be profitable, might not be, but considering how many people travel, and how many people want guaranteed safety along their travels. Chances are, we’d make the areas much safer too.”

“I can’t stress how difficult it would be,” Dunes said. “You would essentially be creating forts between towns, which has its own implications and issues. The cost of materials to create the forts, the supplies for food, the defence against all manner of creatures, not to mention the pay to convince people to live near death at all times.”

“We can think about that later,” Adam said. “It was nice to throw out all my crazy ideas to bounce between you all.”

“You knew it was crazy?” Jaygak asked.

“Of course,” Adam said. “What, you thought this entire time I thought it was normal?”

“I can’t tell with you sometimes,” Jaygak said.

“I think Adam is someone who has great thoughts, thoughts which may not be those that others think, but thoughts I wish more people held,” Vonda said.

Adam chuckled. “If other people had these ideas, then I wouldn’t be interesting enough for you all to stick around.”

“I do not stay here with you because you are interesting,” Jurot said.

“First of all, that’s rather hurtful, but secondly, you’re family, that doesn’t count.”

“He’s right,” Jaygak said. “He needs something to make up for the lack of-“

“Horns,” Adam said. “Yeah, yeah.”

Lucy exchanged a look with Jaygak, nodding her head. “Adam’s weird, but he’s my friend, so I’ll stick with him.”

“Not your General?”

“Who wants a General like you?” Lucy asked. “You’re too crazy to be a General.”

“It’s crazy people like me who will bring workers’ rights to the world,” Adam joked. “Just like how…” ‘Wait, if I bring workers’ rights to this world, can I still say I’m British.'

Dunes was about to call for Adam, but Jurot shook his head.

“Leave him,” Jurot whispered. “He is thinking about something stupid again.”