Aoki_Aku

Chapter 329: Planning Committee

Chapter 329: Planning Committee


The others arrived after only a minute, and Dominic got the meeting started.


"Alright, Lady and Gentlemen. The Duchy of Wistover has an issue, and you’re the ones who are most likely to be able to solve it."


Then he spent the next few minutes going over the basics of the plan to hold meetings here, and the situation in Dagos, so that everyone was working from the same information.


"In short, you’re saying that we need somewhere that can hold large formal functions, but also the informal functions that the Duke is supposed to pretend he doesn’t know about, but also arrange amenities in town so that the soldiers don’t turn to thievery and extortion of the farmers?" Captain Brass asked.


"Exactly. The plan is a large convention centre with a discrete basement entrance for other activities. We will also add airship docks outside of town, so the guests don’t have to ride overland to get to us." Dominic agreed.


Betty, the most human looking of the witches, smiled. "That will be a good thing. We have scryed the future and saw airships as paying customers."


Dominic smiled, while the other men laughed quietly.


"You know, for a group so reclusive, I’m surprised that you’re concerned about customers at all." Captain Brass joked.


"Where do you even leave? I know that there is a coven here, but I’ve not come across you yet." The elder Khalil Patriarch asked.


"We are at the Duke’s old family home outside of town. We didn’t want to live too close because potion making is not a pleasant smelling process. He generously volunteered his own family home to our cause, and it’s well suited for our purpose.


But it’s not that we don’t like customers. We just arrived low on stock, and we have been working hard to make the longer brewing medicines that will be necessary for childbirth and the wet season.


When the wet season illnesses start, we should be ready, and we will have medicine to ease childbirth long before the first batch are born." She explained.


"Oh, that will be wonderful. This portion of the world doesn’t usually get malaria, but the fevers can be nasty for those who are already weak." Patriarch Khalil agreed with satisfaction.


Betty reached into her storage device and took out a small vial for him.


"Give this to your boy, Omar. It will help with the malady that the Troll couldn’t cure. I believe that Larry already helped with his limp from that arrow he took to the knee during his active service years." She instructed.


The old man laughed. "I will certainly do that. And yes, Larry’s treatment did wonders for his old battle injuries.


But back to the important stuff, are we suggesting that we should set up special markets and vendors for the visiting armies?"


His family did run the mercantile store, after all.


Dominic shook his head. "I’m suggesting that we should keep a few stores open all night with things that common soldiers might need, and have the market open every day with fresh produce when they’re here."


The gathered group looked at each other for confirmation.


"That all seems reasonable enough. We can have someone from the store keep a produce market stall open all night when we have visitors so that the soldiers can get it from us, and don’t get shot pilfering in fields." Patriarch Khalil agreed.


Sheriff Nate shook his head. "That will involve them sneaking out to get into town. Which means they’ll end up sneaking something from the fields or raiding a pantry with an outdoor entrance.


It’s better that we send someone every day to let the cooks pick ingredients, and then have the courier sell a little more on the side.


That will also let them sell the things that aren’t quite as common as produce. Without asking the soldiers to leave the camp, that is.


That’s where the problems start.


But I believe that there was talk of a casino?"


Dominic nodded. "Under the convention centre. We will need people to work it, obviously. But someone did suggest that we let the Merchants’ Guild or the Adventurer’s Guild run it."


That someone was in the room, but no need to call them out.


Captain Brass smiled. "That’s not a bad idea. Every soldier knows the Adventurer’s Guild. They offer bounties for the things that the city doesn’t, and side work keeps the pantry full.


If they manage the convention centre, you would have to rent it from them, but they could use it for other purposes on the off days.


A large open space makes for a good training area, and Adventurers like to hang out and socialize together, instead of with the local farmers.


No offence to the Inn."


Innkeeper Flick rolled his eyes. "You’re not wrong, though. Most of my customers are farmers in to unwind while they do their shopping. There are some regulars among the others in town, but the farmers are a staple of any local Inn.


Having a separate spot for the Hunters and Adventurers would be best."


Dominic shrugged. "The Merchant’s Guild has put out the word, now we just need to see if the Adventurer’s Guild is interested. I don’t have many connections with them, and Princess Alexis wasn’t free to socialize with them much, even when she was working daily with the Royal Paladins."


Captain Brass laughed. "The Royal Paladins in an Adventurer’s Guild? Everyone would think that they were there to make an arrest. They’re not permitted to accept bounties on the side."


"Well, that explains it."


"We should have called the hairy man here too." Betty noted.


"Sunni, the Architect? I will talk to him later anyhow. I need to commission an expansion for the Manor as well as the new space for the Convention Centre.


There is a lot of work going on, so we’re likely going to keep running him ragged all year." Dominic explained.


"And his new mage assistants as well. With their skills, they’re keeping the woodcutters busier than ever. Even the Carpenters can’t keep up. But you’ll be needing all of them to expand the house. You can’t have a whole wing of the Manor in a different style with no fancy woodwork." Sheriff Nate added.


There really was too much to do.