“I want to build a business.”

  I spoke the words with a calm, measured weight, letting them hang in the air of the luxurious meeting room. The space was filled with the faint scent of expensive tea and the soft rustle of the curtains against the stone walls. Thrain Coldhammer, the man who had just offered me his full support as a supplier, was the first influential figure in Yargan to hear this declaration. I watched his expression closely, my high Wisdom stat allowing me to catch the subtle shift in his features as he processed the statement.

  “... Hmm? Is this a business that is separate from the skill crystal and enchantment operation you are currently establishing?” Thrain asked, his brow furrowed with a touch of confusion. He shifted in his seat, the leather creaking under his massive frame. “If it is related to your current venture, you already know that you have my full support. But you sound as though you are looking toward something entirely different.”

  “Yes, it is a separate business entirely,” I answered truthfully, leaning back into the plush cushions of my chair. “I realize that I am still very new to the enchantment market, but establishing that venture was merely a preparatory step for the institution I am about to mention to you.”

  “Hooh? The technique you mentioned earlier was already a massive business opportunity on its own,” Thrain said, his interest clearly piqued. He leaned forward, resting his heavy, calloused hands on the table. “Yet you intend to use its success as a foundation for another establishment? Exactly how grand is this plan of yours if it requires such extensive preparation beforehand?”

  He looked at me with a mixture of surprise and skepticism, typical of a veteran who had seen many ambitious young men rise and fall.

  “I want to create a centralized hub for both requesting services and employment,” I explained, gesturing broadly to illustrate the scope. “A place where anyone—be they a noble, a merchant, or a commoner—can visit to post a request. The nature of these requests could vary wildly. It could be a simple guard job for a small caravan, the collection of rare herbs from the surrounding wilderness, the retrieval of specific materials from the dungeon, or even a task as mundane as finding a missing person or a lost pet.”

  I paused to let that sink in before continuing.

  “There will also be a dedicated group of individuals affiliated with this hub. They will be the ones responsible for fulfilling these requests. The core issue I intend to solve is the discrepancy in difficulty. We will implement a system that clearly defines the difficulty level of every request and then assigns them only to the individuals whose capabilities are appropriate for the task.”

  I provided this general, somewhat abstract overview to ensure he understood the fundamental framework of the organization. I was effectively describing a formalized guild system, though one much more rigid and data-driven than the loose associations currently found in the city.

  “Hmm… You have clearly put a great deal of thought into this, young man,” Thrain said, stroking his thick, bicolorful beard as he entered a state of contemplation. “But there are many logistical factors to consider. What you are describing sounds very similar to a mercenary guild or the Dungeon Raider Guild. People in this city who have needs can already visit those places to find help. Where exactly do you see my assistance fitting into this? That is the part I don't quite grasp yet.”

  He questioned the necessity of the plan, his pragmatic blacksmith’s mind looking for the functional difference between my proposal and the existing status quo.

  “Of course, people can find what they need currently. If that weren't the case, the economy of the Union would have ground to a halt long ago,” I replied. “We are not looking to replace those systems entirely, but to offer a superior, more reliable alternative. But the organization will go much further than that. When a customer comes to us to make a request, they will know exactly how much they will pay before the work even begins. They will know the exact capability level of the people taking the request, and they will be able to set hard due dates and specific conditions that must be met for payment.”

  I leaned forward, my voice becoming more intense as I detailed the internal structure.

  “We will implement a standardized system to determine the strength and expertise of the request-takers—whom we will eventually call 'questers.' The ranking will be strictly defined, starting at the Copper rank for beginners and continuing through Iron, Silver, Gold, and finally Platinum for the elite. To become affiliated with the Guild, an individual must either complete our mandatory beginner’s training course or provide undeniable proof of their value through demonstrated strength or specialized skill. Those still in training will be classified as apprentices. They will be kept busy handling domestic chores and basic practice requests until they are deemed qualified to take on regular contracts. This is where you come in, Thrain. To operate this at scale, we will be in constant need of equipment—swords, armor, tools, and all sorts of supplies from blacksmiths and other artisans. We will need a steady supply of basic, reliable gear for those hundreds of apprentices.”

  I finished by directly answering the question he had posed. By creating a standardized system, I was creating a massive, predictable market for his goods.

  It was true that merchants could currently hire bodyguards or organize raids on bandit hideouts through various channels. They could use the Dungeon Raider Guild for dungeon-specific needs. In terms of the raw services offered, the Questers Guild might not look revolutionary at first glance. However, the true difference lay in the methodology. My system would be systematic, generalized, and transparent.

  I intended to create an environment where any person could demand any service, provided it wasn't illegal. Because of the ranking system, the person paying for the service would have a guaranteed baseline of quality and capability. If I could successfully establish the headquarters here in Yargan and then move to create branches in the surrounding towns and nearby cities, the network would eventually span the entire Hazaroth Union and perhaps even reach into other nations. In that scenario, being an all-rounder organization would be a massive advantage over specialized guilds.

  “That sounds more like a comprehensive plan,” Thrain admitted, his tone shifting toward support. “But I still think a project of this nature falls mostly within the expertise of merchants. Since their entire profession is built around advertising, logistics, and attracting customers, I feel a merchant would be better suited to providing feedback on your market strategy. As for the production side—providing the equipment and managing the blacksmithing needs—I am more than willing to help. But that brings up another problem. How do you intend to find enough capable people to work for you? You can hire employees, certainly, but a business built purely on standard wages for this kind of work is rarely profitable.”

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  He expressed his continued support but correctly identified the recruitment bottleneck.

  “I appreciate your concern, and I have already accounted for that,” I said, maintaining my confidence. “I’m sure you’re thinking that individuals who are already comfortable using the Dungeon Raider Guild or various mercenary bands won't be eager to change their habits and join a new organization. But we will be offering advantages that those guilds cannot match.”

  I continued, detailing the recruitment strategy.

  “Firstly, we will be the ones providing the training. For those who possess some potential but lack the capability to survive as a solo adventurer or a freelance mercenary, we offer a path to growth. These people are easy to attract because they have few other options, and because we are the ones who give them their start, they will be far more loyal to the Guild than a veteran would be. Secondly, we provide the same transparency to the questers that we provide to the requesters. They will know the exact payout and all the risks before they ever agree to a quest. They will have the freedom to select from a wide pool of contracts rather than being forced into a single path. We will also implement a reward system for consistent, hard work, with benefits and perks that increase alongside their rank.”

  Since we needed a reliable force to complete requests even while we were building our reputation with customers, I had to ensure the organization was appealing to the laborers themselves. I was well aware of the goals, the potential shortcomings, and the inevitable friction the Guild would face from established guilds.

  “Hoh? When you put it that way, it does make a certain kind of sense,” Thrain said. He nodded, though I suspected he only truly understood about half of the logistical complexity I was implying. To him, it was likely just a very large-scale hiring project.

  “Oh! I nearly forgot to mention one detail,” I added, as a thought occurred to me. “It will take time to recruit and train enough free citizens to handle the volume of requests I anticipate. Therefore, I am planning on purchasing a significant number of slaves to serve as the initial workforce. This will ensure that the Guild can begin operations immediately. I will need reliable labor for the day-to-day maintenance of the headquarters anyway.”

  “Hm, hm. That is only natural for a business of this scale,” Thrain replied, nodding in agreement. In this world, using slave labor for the foundation of a large-scale project was standard practice.

  “In any case, that is enough of a general explanation for today,” I said, bringing the specific discussion to a close. “I intend to hold a formal meeting soon with all the people I have established connections with. I will provide much more detailed information and a full business plan at that time. I would very much like to see you in attendance, Thrain. You will come, won't you?”

  I asked the question expectantly, looking for a firm commitment.

  “Huh? Why me, specifically?” Thrain asked, looking a bit caught off guard. “I mean, I am happy to attend if you truly need me there, but I’m a blacksmith, not a board member.”

  “I assume the meeting is primarily for advertisement and networking, right? You need to secure your first major customers after all,” Orzhan interjected from the side.

  Orzhan had been sitting quietly through the exchange, listening intently without interfering. I could tell he had been waiting for the conversation to turn toward his area of expertise. As a merchant, it was only natural for him to have opinions on how to handle other merchants and how to position a new brand in the market.

  “Yes, that is a significant part of the meeting's purpose,” I confirmed. “But it goes deeper than that. I am also seeking formal cooperation and gauging whether any of these influential figures have an interest in investing directly in the business.”

  “Investment?” Orzhan asked, his brow arching in curiosity. “Han, I’m fairly certain you already possess a small fortune, and your income is only going to grow once the enchantment business is in full swing. Do you really need outside capital for this?”

  “Did you not listen to what I said a moment ago?” I asked, a hint of annoyance creeping into my voice at his lack of foresight. “I am planning on opening branches in as many locations as possible across the Union. Even setting that aside, I don't intend to simply rent a small storefront and call it a day. I need a massive territory to house the headquarters, training halls, secure storage facilities, and several other administrative buildings. It is always better to use other people's money for capital expenditures when the scale is this large. The reality is that even if some of them agree to invest, they likely won't provide enough gold to actually threaten my ownership. But by having them invest even a small amount, they become stakeholders. They will be incentivized to help the organization grow because its success becomes their success. It gives me their political and social backing.”

  I was a bit sharp with my response, frustrated that he had missed the strategic layer of the plan. Orzhan was a smart man, usually excellent at reading a room and solving problems, but I had noticed that he sometimes became too relaxed when he was around me. Because he trusted my judgment, he occasionally stopped thinking things through with his usual merchant’s caution.

  “Oh… you’re right, of course,” Orzhan said, his tone turning more logical as he processed my reasoning. “You have always been the sole owner of your ventures. You work with people like me on a commission basis, but that’s just the outer layer of your operations. I suppose I simply didn't expect you to allow other people to have a piece of such a massive plan. I misjudged your intent.”

  “Yes, you did,” I replied nonchalantly. “But the amount of equity they will be receiving will be negligible compared to the total value. They will have a seat at the table, but they will never be in a position to claim control.”

  “Okay, if that is how you want to play it. But I would advise you not to underestimate a merchant,” Orzhan warned, his voice taking on a half-serious edge. “Those men will try to exploit any opening as long as the potential profit is high enough. Be careful what kind of doors you open for them.”

  “I agree with Orzhan on this,” Thrain added, supporting the merchant’s warning. “Those sly merchants are always scheming something behind the scenes. It never hurts to be wary when you’re dealing with them… Oh, speaking of the meeting, when exactly do you plan to hold it?”

  Thrain seemed to have a personal distaste for the more underhanded aspects of trade, likely a result of his own long history of dealing with city merchants.

  “It will be at least a month from now,” I told them. “I need time to finalize the logistical details and secure the initial labor. We will inform you both once the date and venue are finalized.”

  “That sounds fair,” Thrain said, a satisfied smile returning to his face. “This has been a very productive meeting indeed. I am truly happy to have made your acquaintance, Han.”

  “The feeling is mutual,” I said, extending my hand to him. “I hope our cooperation will yield fruitful results for both of us.”

  Thrain took my hand, his grip firm and powerful. “Hahahaha! I certainly hope so as well… Oh! By the way, I just realized I didn't ask. What do you intend to call this new establishment you’re building?”

  He laughed and paused for a moment, his eyes looking off into the distance as if trying to visualize the building before asking the question.

  “The name?” I asked, a confident smile spreading across my face. “It will be the Questers Guild.”

  [Edited]

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