Securing the warehouse was a significant achievement. The process involved extensive negotiation on the price, but thankfully, we managed to acquire the property.

The next crucial step is to establish Tradeflow's public image in the kingdom. We'll be selling fruits, vegetables, tools, and furniture to create a legitimate front. Behind the scenes, we'll also be dealing in illegal items like poison-imbued daggers, death mist in jars, and a drug called weed, which was introduced by the otherworlders. Although I find the term "stoners" rather silly, we've successfully cultivated the plant and are ready to distribute it.

As I sat in the newly acquired warehouse, I could see Luna and Fren exploring the space with curiosity. Liora perched on a nearby crate, watching them with amusement.

"We're making good progress," Liora said, her voice thoughtful.

"Yeah, but we need to be careful. Balancing the legal and illegal sides of this operation is going to be tricky," I replied.

Luna trotted over, her tail wagging. "What can we do to help, Arty?"

I smiled down at her. "Well, for now, just keep exploring and getting familiar with the place. We'll have specific tasks for you both soon enough."

Fren, who had been inspecting a stack of crates, nodded. "Okay. We'll do our best."

"Good. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but together, we can handle it," I said, feeling a renewed sense of determination.

With the warehouse secured and a plan in motion, it was time to dive into the next phase of our operation. Balancing our public and secret dealings would require careful planning and execution, but I was confident that with Luna, Fren, Liora, and the rest of the team by my side, we could achieve our goals.

Since Luna and Fren are still children, they'll be assisting with the public image of the business. Liora will handle the behind-the-scenes operations.

As I explored the warehouse, I stumbled and accidentally pushed a box, letting in a sliver of sunlight. My hand burned briefly before I quickly moved it away.

"That was close," I muttered. It had been a while since I had seen the sun. Ever since becoming a vampire, I had only seen it once, and I missed it.

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"Wow, this place is quite big," came a strong feminine voice.

"Yeah, you're right," another voice agreed.

I turned to see the speakers: Grimga, the green-skinned orc with red hair, and Lyranthra, the red-scaled woman with matching hair. Both of them towered over me at around nine feet tall. Looking up at them always made my neck hurt.

"Luna, Fren, you can take a break now," I said, waving them over. "I'll introduce you to Grimga and Lyranthra."

Luna bounded over, her tail wagging, while Fren followed more cautiously. "Hi!" Luna said enthusiastically, looking up at the two towering figures.

"Hello, little ones," Grimga said with a warm smile. "I'm Grimga, and this is Lyranthra."

"Nice to meet you," Lyranthra added, her voice softer but still strong.

"We're going to be working together," I explained. "Luna and Fren will help with the public side of our business, while Liora will handle things behind the scenes."

Grimga nodded. "Sounds like a good plan. We'll make sure everything runs smoothly."

Lyranthra knelt down to be more at eye level with the children. "If you ever need anything, just let us know. We're here to help."

Luna and Fren both nodded eagerly. "Thank you," Fren said shyly.

"Alright, let's get to work," I said, feeling a renewed sense of determination. With everyone working together, we could balance our public and secret operations successfully.

***

It was nighttime, and the kids were asleep. It was time for the "Nevermore" to get to work. "Tradeflow" was our public face, but Nevermore were known for our illegal activities. Unsurprisingly, the criminal organization had gained notoriety much faster than our merchant front.

Tonight, it was me, Lyranthra, Grimga, and Liora handling the first crate of "goods." We gathered in the warehouse, surrounded by crates filled with illegal items: poison-imbued daggers, jars of death mist, and the weed that had become popular thanks to otherworlders.

"Liora, make sure everything is accounted for," I instructed.

Liora nodded, her eyes sharp as she went through the inventory. "Everything's here. We're good to go."

"Grimga, Lyranthra, keep an eye on the perimeter. We can't afford any slip-ups," I said.

"Understood," Grimga replied, her tone serious as she hefted her axe onto her shoulder. Lyranthra nodded, her red scales glinting in the dim light.

As they moved to secure the area, I looked over the crate one last time. "Alright, let's move this."

We carefully loaded the crate onto a cart, making sure it was secure and covered. Liora took the lead, guiding the cart while I walked beside her, my senses on high alert.

"Remember, keep it quiet and quick," I reminded everyone. "We don't want any unnecessary attention."

We made our way through the darkened streets, avoiding the well-lit main roads. The meeting point was a secluded spot near the edge of the city, where our buyer was waiting.

As we approached, a figure stepped out of the shadows. "You're late," he said, his voice low and gravelly.

"We had to be careful," I replied, keeping my tone even. "Do you have the payment?"

The man nodded and signaled to his own group, who brought forward a chest filled with gold and jewels. "Here it is. Now, let's see the goods."

Liora uncovered the crate, revealing the assortment of illegal items. The man's eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he inspected them.

"Everything seems to be in order," he said, motioning to his men to take the crate. "Pleasure doing business with you."

"Likewise," I replied, my eyes never leaving his. "Let's hope this continues to be a mutually beneficial arrangement."

As they took the crate and left, we quickly secured the payment and made our way back to the warehouse. Once we were safely inside, I let out a sigh of relief.

"First sale was a success," I said, looking at Liora, Grimga, and Lyranthra. "Let's keep it that way."

They all nodded in agreement. Nevermore were just getting started, and with careful planning and execution, we would ensure our dual operations thrived.