The Hunter's Guide to Monsters

Diversifying the business interests of the village was something that Gysavur bal Thaunal enthusiastically endorsed, and now Krow had a quest to set up a workshop.

Unfortunately, the workshop was not his.

Still, he wasn't letting this opportunity to delegate half the time-consuming tasks involving the economics of his overall plan to other people.

"I have two recipes for Leather Armor Polish," Krow offered, after listening to Amaleo refuse the amount of village investment Gysavur was pushing on him.

Apparently, Amaleo wasn't as enthusiastic to become the leader of what would effectively become the village hunter headquarters.

No craftmaster would want government meddling in their work.

But Amaleo had no immediate product, no trade network, no local contacts.

However, apprenticing Krow, a citizen of the draculkar nation, gave the mafmet and his dependents the right of residency in the village.. That was something valuable. Especially for the children he had walked across a whole mountain range to save.

Krow could see him considering it, and stepped in.

His brief disappointment that his first workshop wasn't his over, he did the next best thing.

Amaleo slanted him a look, a noncommittal sound leaving his lips. "The price?"

"Partial ownership." Then he sweetened the pot. "I also have an Orddet's Tradebook registration with the Infinite Bourse."

From Gysavur's glance and Amaleo's lifted brows, that surprised them.

Sarnaan, who was taking notes while flipping through books in the corner, eyed him.

He didn't know why; she knew he had an Orddet's account because she filed his papers.

"You'll be amenable to the workshop using your access?" Gysavur wondered.

"For a fee, of course." Amaleo's tone ran dry as the deserts he was born in.

Krow only smiled. What, like that wasn't implied?

As it was, he would take a hit monetarily in the short term, compared to if he built his own workshop.

The advantage he saw in this partial ownership was it would free up his time to grind levels. Higher levels meant more strength to take down larger monsters, and in the long-run, more resources.

He also hadn't expected to build a workshop this early. The continuing profits should make up for giving up control over the recipes.

Krow stayed silent as Amaleo turned the notion over in his head.

Then the old mafmet inclined his head. "Agreed."

Krow smiled.

He knew it was a better offer.

Like he said, the protections on apprentice Contracts inherently cultivated trust between master and apprentice, as they were both protected.

A master's workshop was sacred.

Split ownership of one was rare. It was only because of the unusual situation that Amaleo allowed it.

It was possible to be an apprentice without signing a Contract, which personally was Krow's preference. But the parents of his apprentices signed Contracts with him, so maybe it was traditional for draculkar?

He hadn't signed anything like that in Zushkenar.

Still, the advantages of a binding agreement in this situation were all good for him.

Gysavur nodded, as if making a decision. "The village would not mind your workshop fixing up a Drovesk."

What?

Krow had only brief understanding of draculkar rules, but they didn't give towers away like that, right? Especially ones as numerically prestigious as the Fourth?

He glanced at Sarnaan.

Sure enough, the other had stopped her note-taking, side-eying her boss.

"The best of the ruined towers has four levels still standing sturdy," Gysavur continued. "I can fund refurbishment of those levels, though the rebuilding would be up to you."

That was basically saying the workshop would own all the floors.

It would also be giving the workshop an indelible tie to Cerkanst.

A cunning move.

Amaleo had some idea of the importance of the towers, because he demurred with a snort. "I look like I have resources for that? You sure see gold in rags, village head. Leasing a warehouse is enough."

Gysavur's lips briefly lifted in amusement. He glanced at Krow.

Oh, he had an idea what was coming.

"The largest warehouse currently suitable for monster materials is unavailable currently. This is why I offered the tower, as it had been built with herb storage in mind and would be more comfortable for the scale of operations you are about to undertake."

Shkav.

Well. After this, it would be difficult to uproot the workshop from Cerkanst.

Upside: Krow was buying Cerkanst sooner or later. Good development was a plus.

Downside: Added development made the village more expensive to acquire.

He still had his enchanter's workshop to set-up, too.

Amaleo glanced at him as well, seeing the byplay, then temporarily shelved that discussion. "A broken tower, is it? I'd need to inspect it first. Let's talk labor."

"For an added percentage of profit," Krow murmured, only just remembering. "Would you like a method of herb-curing for leather that is faster than currently known techniques?"

Amaleo paused, surprised but pleased, smiling. "Your apprenticeship has already paid for itself. You want to gouge more money out of the shop before it's even built?"

"To excel is to build beyond, master."

Amaleo snorted a laugh. "Met a mafmet before, have you?"

He shrugged.

Gysavur looked amused. "I imagine you'll need the names of suitable herbalists?"

With Sarnaan's help, a tentative workshop contract was argued into existence. Gysavur managed to retain 8% ownership for the village, Amaleo managed to squeeze that into the village guaranteeing a fund for apprentice equipment. Which Gysavur turned into securing apprenticeship spots for village citizens, which Amaleo took advantage of to negotiate discounts to transport costs.

Krow, who had already gotten most of what he wanted, leaned back to watch them verbally fence on the details.

Finally, they agreed to a Contract they could sign.

The review was tomorrow.

Krow was just thankful the game streamlined the paperwork. On Earth and Zushkenar both, the creation of what was essentially a limited liability company would take longer.

He and Amaleo signed the apprenticeship contracts the next day, along with the five oldest of Amaleo's kids. Krow had he distinct feeling that the only reason the younger five hadn't been signed as well, was that Amaleo didn't want them near the Forest.

"So, senior apprentice," Banron, the oldest human boy and one of the three young hunters from yesterday, crossed his arms. "What are we doing next?"

"Ban," murmured the mafmet girl in warning.

"But Frai--!"

"No. You heard uncle."

Weeping skies.

Now Amaleo's kids thought he acquired a position that should've been given to one of theirs – the oldest was fifteen and called Frai, for Eufrasie.

She was one of the three from yesterday as well. The third of yesterday's trio was the human girl Dennari, who frowned every time Krow looked at her.

Today, they were joined by the two lookouts from the mountain, both thirteen years old and sirens, who'd been regarding Krow with a slight trepidation unhidden since they saw him.

Inwardly, he chuckled.

So much for bonding between sibling apprentices.

No matter. It was early days yet.

Amaleo was off inspecting the tower ruin which would become the new home for him and his kids, so Krow was now in charge of seven teenagers.

"Alright," he caught their attention. "Our next hunt target rises with the great moon, so that's still some time away. This morning, we are doing in-village tasks."

"You mean chores," Talebrech crossed his arms as well.

"Chores!" Ban protested.

"It's either this or helping clean out the tower ruin." Krow waited.

There were no more protests.

"This is a chance for you five to get to know the village." Krow waved them to follow. "And for you two to get to know the hunters you'll be working with. We're helping clean up the herb fields for the next seeding."

Atimur groaned under his breath, still audibly.

Krow pointed at him. "Atimur is from an herb-growing family, so he knows what to do."

The fourteen year old draculkar sighed. "It's basically harvesting the late growth and pulling up the old plants to chop up and scatter as fertilizer."

"We're not farmers!" Ban snorted.

"You are forester apprentices," Krow refuted. "Or so that contract you signed this morning says. The skills of a forester include foraging, and part of that means harvesting wild plant ingredients. It includes conservation, to allow growth to once again provide bounty at a later date. Many foresters in eastern Marfall are farmers, and the reverse is also true. These are skills that will aid you in advancing your profession."

He sighed. "In addition, this is a herbalists' village. If you destroy their crops accidentally, well. It's best to learn how to move around the fields."

"Master Krow once destroyed three fields fighting a Silverstripe Tasseline Serpent," smirked Talebrech.

The brat.

"Exaggeration," Krow quickly assured them, when eyes widened. "It was one. And a half. And maybe bits of others."

"Atimur's family fields, actually." Talebrech wasn't cowed by the look Krow sent him.

"He gave up the monster materials to pay for those," Atimur agreed.

Oh, was it just yesterday when these two acted so shy and respectful toward him?

They were all grinning at him now.

Oy, were they bonding over his perceived embarrassment?

Nope.

"Okay, my apprentices are very chatty today, aren't they? What energy, what enthusiasm!" He smiled, knocked on the door of one of the daily questgivers.

They looked at him suspiciously.

None of them had the opportunity to speak when  Lumanel bal Grejerek opened the door. She blinked at all the people behind Krow. "You appear to have multiplied."

"If I multiplied, all of them should be draculkar, shouldn't they?"

"Who knows these days." The herbalist waved a hand airily.

"…right." He shook his head. "But since there are many with me today, should we also take the fields of your cousin and brothers?"

"Oh would you? I'd be very grateful of course! It's just the busiest after the harvest and Sruvan is dealing with an injury...."

"It's no problem!" Krow smiled his best smile. "My helpers are all eager to work today!"

There were pained groans from behind him.

His smile widened.