Elise took off her scarf. Fine dust fell from it as she shook her hair. Even with the scarf, it hadn’t been able to block out all of the sand.
Ismail waited until she was done, then bowed.
“How are we looking, Ismail?” She waved for him to return to standing.
“The mine’s output has increased by thirty percent with the new technologies you’ve implemented. The workers are also much happier with the health and safety. It has cost a little more but the miners are working harder than ever. Though there has been a problem with the jewelers and smiths.” Ismail indicated for her to take a seat in front of a pot of sweet tea he had prepared.
“Other trading houses have been poaching them?” She moved to the couch.
“Yes, Master.” Ismail bowed. “This one has been inept in his job. I accept any punishment you give me!”
“Did you collect the repatriation money?” Elise waved away his words as she sat down.
Ismail quickly served her sweet tea as he talked. “I did.”
“Good. We can use that to entice more Novice jewelers and smiths,” Elise said as he finished pouring the tea.
“Are you not angry?” Ismail asked, shocked as he poured his own glass.
“Annoyed, yes. Angry, no. If anything, those other traders have done us a favor, clearing out the muck that weren’t loyal and interested in only benefits. If people wish to poach from us and our people want to leave, let them. I only want people loyal to our company.” Elise took the teacup from the table and held it up.
Ismail quickly grabbed his own cup and raised it. “But if we only have Novices, how will we be able to refine the ores, separate out the jewels, and make jewelry?”
Elise smiled mysteriously over her tea. “Well, I have a solution to that.” She touched her tea to his before taking a sip. He mirrored her actions as she turned her head to the side.
“Come in!”
The door opened and two women walked in. One was covered in muscle, her entire body toned. She wore rough clothes that were stained black from working in hot or smoky conditions while the other wore a fine dress that had intricate designs sewn into it with rare metal threads and jewels.
“Ismail, this is Reina and Brenda. Brenda is a low Journeyman smith and Reina is a high level Apprentice formation master, but she enjoys working with jewelry instead of runes and formations,” Elise said.
Ismail’s hands quivered as he looked at these two women who were studying him. What is Master Elise’s background to be able to invite such powerful people to this backward mine?
“They will be paid directly by you, and they will be able to buy materials at a ten percent discount for their own projects. They will teach our jewelers and smiths. I hope that in the future we are not just making a few trinkets, but are able to make weapons and armor as well as jewelry pieces that can attract the people of the Second Realm over,” Elise said.
Her words were simple, as if it were only natural that what she said would come to fruition.
Indeed, with these Experts, raising our own people is easy. We can use the funds from those who are poached to increase our ability to hire more miners, more people who want to be jewelers and smiths. Those who remain and bind themselves to our Red Permission Trading Company will be able to become much more than just apprentices. They might even become Journeyman-level crafters!
Ismail bowed deeper than before. Now he understood why she had not gone into a rage. Indeed, it was better to have people who were loyal to the trading house instead of tying those who didn’t want to be there to their business.
“This one was blind.” Ismail bowed to her deeply.
“Don’t worry. There will be many more things that you can see in the future if you stay with the trading company,” Elise said with that same smile filled with hidden meanings.
She finished off her tea and stood. “Look after them. And you two, don’t raise too much trouble,” she said, warning the duo.
They nodded with smiles.
A light appeared on Elise’s wrist. She looked down at her communication device and listened for a few seconds. Her expression turned serious.
“I have another meeting I have to attend.” She nodded to them all in the room and pulled her scarf back on.
***
Blaze looked at the men and women sitting in the room. They lounged over the desks or the chairs; the whole room looked more like a bar than a classroom.
All of them wore different armors and weapons that suited their fighting styles. There were ranged, melee, and stealth types mixed in with the mages and beast tamers.
They all had different fighting styles but each was a powerful fighter in their own right.
Blaze took a deep breath and opened the door into the classroom. The talking and discussion went silent as people saw Blaze.
“Guild leader!” a few yelled, getting to their feet. They were all members of the Adventurer’s Guild and everyone knew Blaze’s appearance. He had trained many of them and he could be seen all around the headquarters. Even if they came from the branch guilds and hadn’t encountered him directly, they now eyed him in interest, remembering the stories they had heard about the guildmaster.
“Please sit.” Blaze stepped in front of the room.
People moved to their seats quickly.
They come from all kinds of backgrounds across the realms, but they were all recommended to join Alva. The guilds and different groups created by Alva were all built to not only increase our influence but bring more people back to Alva and bring in fresh blood.
Everyone settled down as he cleared his throat.
“You have all been picked for special training. I cannot tell you the specifics of this training but it could very well change your lives and open up paths for your future that you might have thought closed. But you will need to swear an oath binding you from telling anyone else about your experiences. In fact, you will need to give an oath after this even if you choose not to join this special training. It will not be life-threatening but it pertains to some of the deepest secrets of the guild,” Blaze said.
His words shocked everyone in the room. Some looked apprehensive but the majority leaned forward, looks of excitement on their faces at the new challenge that lay in front of them.
“You were picked for your perseverance, your determination, and your loyalty. That is all that I can ask of you. Loyalty to your oaths, determination to push forward no matter the obstacles, and the perseverance to continue on the path that you take.” Blaze watched them all swell with pride as he let everything sink in. “Now, I ask, which of you would like to be part of this secret training?”
A mage stood up at the front, quickly followed by others. Soon, no one was sitting. All of them had accepted. They had different expressions on their faces but they chose to take a leap of faith with their future.
Sixty-three new Alva Dungeon members. Blaze couldn’t help but smile as he raised his hand.
“Now, please repeat this oath after me.”