by Tamryn Tamer
“I am I suppose,” Frost replied. “More like business associates right now. We might become friends over time. We have very similar ways of thinking about things and our goals are somewhat aligned.”
“How much would I have to pay to partner with you?” the golden-eared Durra asked while staring at the floor. “We don’t make much rel but…”
“You have it wrong,” Erena said while presenting the woman with a piece of paper. “He’s looking to pay you to become a partner in your business. This restaurant generates about five million rel per year in revenue, right?”
“That’s right but after paying for everything and renting the building there’s not much left,” she said as her face turned red.
“Yeah,” Frost said. “I’ll be remedying that too. It’s just a little math and I’m pretty good at bookkeeping.”
“That’s an understatement,” Madam Gardenia said. “I can barely keep up with you when you really start looking through the numbers.”
“Thanks,” Frost chuckled. “Anyway, I’m prepared to make an offer but I’ll need to see your books. Also, if you get any information on who did this I’d like to be informed as soon as possible.”
“It really isn’t that big of a deal,” the Durra said. “The books are in the back office if you want to take a look. But, is this real or is it some type of silly joke? You really want to invest in my business?”
“I really want to invest in your business,” Frost said.
Frost followed the Durra into her back office and she pulled out several binders full of paper. Frost, Erena, and Madam Gardenia started to read through them while trying to figure out a fair price to partner with the Durra. They also wrote down notes on the costs of goods for their own records since they intended to become the new suppliers.
Most of the time, Frost could get items for less but some of the items he didn’t have access to. There was going to be a ramp up period for some of the vegetables and spices since he currently didn’t grow many of them.
The golden-haired Durra’s tail wagged excitedly as she watched them work. Occasionally, she’d answer a question about something in the books or clarify what something was used for but otherwise she watched patiently.
Once finished, Frost made an offer and without even thinking the excited woman accepted.
“Okay,” Frost sighed as he pointed to the exit and started removing his shirt. “Can one of you go get the banker’s guild representatives?”
“Wh-why are you removing your clothing my lord?” the Durra asked as her golden tail wagged rapidly. “Wh-what is g-going on?”
“Sorry,” Frost chuckled as he placed the items on a nearby stool. “In order to access my accounts, I need to allow the representatives to take some blood. It’ll only take a minute.”
The woman watched as the representatives arrived and verified his identity. Once verified, they pulled out the contracts and guaranteed the transfer of funds once everything was signed. Afterward, Frost put his clothing back on.
“I’m going to have to reduce these protections,” Frost sighed as he buttoned his shirt.
“I don’t know, I kind of like them,” Madam Gardenia laughed.
“Thank you so much,” the dog-eared woman said as her tail wagged. She looked like she was going to jump for joy as she stared at him. “I can’t believe I’m partnered with a noble!”
Frost finished signing everything and the group moved on to the next shop on their list. He was going to start by partnering with ten businesses in different sectors and then expand from there. The tailors in Pluma could manufacture clothing, the blacksmiths could craft weapons and tools, the leather workers would likely focus on boots and outerwear for simplicity, the alchemists could mix potions and medicines, and the list went on.
Every one of the businesses accepted his partnership proposal and the owners were all excited. At each location he made lists of the products they sold, the prices they purchased them for, and what they sold them for. He also noted any quality issues that he noticed such as poor construction or inferior materials being used.
The companies in Goldsail didn’t mind selling inferior goods to demihumans but Frost did. He intended to brand every one of the items sold in his village with a mark. Word would spread of his good prices and high quality and it wouldn’t be long before humans were forced to choose between purchasing from demihuman shops or buying inferior goods from humans.
Frost knew that at the end of the day, price and quality were the only things customers cared about.
They arrived back at The Ivory Lounge in the early evening while the others were still out and about and from the moment he walked through the door, Madam Gardenia and Erena were all over him. It turned out that an entire day of talking about business made the fox-eared women insatiable and he was more than happy to bathe beneath a mountain of fluff. At least until the others returned and the drinking began.
CHAPTER 34
Frost woke up to the sound of yelling outside and started shimmying out from under a pile of women and fluff pinning him down. One freed, he climbed out of bed. Cassia was already awake and near the window as Frost wandered over to see what the commotion was. He glanced out the window and immediately felt his blood boiling.
“Well, I can’t say I’m surprised,” Cassia said as she stared down at the center square of the menagerie.
Frost watched as groups of humans marched through the streets with clubs and axes drawn, smashing everything they could see and throwing rocks through windows. Several demihumans ran and hid, trying to avoid the drunk men laying waste to the menagerie.
“What’s going on?” Madam Gardenia asked as climbed out of bed. “It’s like four in the morning.”
“Looks like some drunkards have decided to destroy the shops,” Cassia said.
“Oh,” Madam Gardenia sighed as she joined them by the window. “I suppose that’s not too surprising. Whenever this area starts to feel peaceful, they like to run through and remind us that they’re in charge. I suppose there’ll be plenty to clean up in the morning.”
“So, this just happens all the time?” Frost asked while watching a pair of large men smash one of the small wooden stalls.
“Unfortunately,” Madam Gardenia answered. “Do you really think humans are going to allow demihumans to do better than they are? The people in the menagerie are weak so they’re easy targets. It’s nothing to worry about. It happens about three to four times a year and we always clean it up.”
Frost’s heart pounded as he watched several men in company coats chase a Durra male down an ally. A minute later they came out of the alley laughing, their clubs covered in blood.
“Okay,” Frost nodded as he walked over to his chair and grabbed his pants.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Madam Gardenia asked while shaking her head.
“To handle things,” Frost said.
“I’ll join you,” Cassia said cheerfully as she walked to a pile of clothes and began grabbing items. “It’ll be fun.”
“Herald Frost,” Madam Gardenia stomped her foot and glared at him. “If you go out there and start beating on people it could escalate.”
“Cassia,” Frost said. “Make sure that nobody that matters gets hurt if things escalate.”
“Understood,” the elf said.
“Happy?” Frost asked as he stared at Madam Gardenia.
“Fine,” the fox-eared woman said as she wrapped her arms around his head, shoving her soft breasts in his face. “I suppose this is one of the reasons that I love you. But be careful.”
“You’re really going to tell me to be careful?” Frost chuckled as he slipped his boots on and grabbed his espada. “Those men out here aren’t going to know what hit them.”
“Herald Frost,” Cassia double checked herself. “Ready?”
“Yeah,” Frost said as he dapped his dagger and espada. “Ready.”
Frost left the room and noticed several Myrran girls in their pajamas hiding in
the hallways. They were likely in the hallways to avoid the bedroom windows in case a rock came flying through. Aelanna was walking through the halls handing out snacks to the girls as well as extra blankets and pillows. The two large durra normally accompanying her were checking rooms to make sure nobody was near the windows.
“Lord Sebastian…” Aelenna sniffed herself as he and Cassia walked past.
He could feel the pheromones affecting him, but instead of making him want to cuddle up next to the astonishingly gorgeous bunny, they made him want to tear apart anybody that would harm her and he intended to use that.
“What are the rules,” Cassia asked as she followed him downstairs.
“Protecting innocents and healing the injured are your priorities,” Frost said while staring at the violet-eyed elf. “But if there’s nobody to protect and heal, feel free to do what you want.”
“I’m so happy I came on this trip!” Cassia said as Frost opened the door.
There were easily a hundred people rampaging through the streets smashing up the businesses. They didn't even bother to hide their affiliations. He saw coats with the markings of over a dozen different trading companies on them. He hoped not to see any with a Black Crown on them, for their sake.
“Cassia,” Frost grabbed the elf’s arm. “Heal the injured, protect the shops, then you can fight. Understood.”
“Understood my adorable little son-in-law,” Cassia said, booping his nose before sprinting toward the ally where the Durra from earlier was attacked.
Frost pulled out his espada and his parrying knife, not that he intended to use it to parry anything. He scanned everybody looking for anybody that might be troublesome to deal with but the highest level he saw was only thirty-six.
“Help!” a pair of drunk Myrran girls returning from a glow room screamed as four large men with wooden clubs surrounded them.
Frost dashed toward the terrified women and cast a translucent barrier over them, blocking the men’s attacks as they tried to break through the barrier. The first man didn’t see him coming as he thrust his espada through his ribs, instantly piercing the man’s heart. The second man saw him but was too slow to react before Frost twisted around and thrust his parrying knife through his neck. The third was fast enough to react.
“Fu…”
It wasn’t much of a reaction as Frost flipped his grip on the espada and removed the man’s head from his shoulders.
“Murderer!” a man yelled as he rushed toward Frost with his large axe. Frost made note of the company jacket he was wearing and wanted to make an example.
The men in Rilia thought their company’s emblems made them immune from the consequences of their actions. Frost wanted everybody rampaging through the square to see that nobody was immune to the consequences.
Frost cast Infuse Fire on the blade, igniting it as he rushed to meet the fighter. The blade scraped on the ground as Frost rushed forward and the instant that the man was in range of his attack, he was already dead.
The man’s body floated briefly, the flames of his blade leaving a trail through the center of the man’s body as he split open. The blood briefly combined before falling to the ground, showering anybody within ten feet of Frost in blood as he performed his level ten sword technique, Bloody Sunrise.
That wasn’t the only technique he had at his disposal. He dashed toward the next man. Frost was completely aware of every person around him as well as their capabilities, there was nothing to worry about. Despite that, he maintained his focus as if every person in the square could potentially kill him.
His enchanted ring would protect him from any minor attacks but a powerful attack when he wasn’t looking could still prove fatal.
Frost found his next target as a man tried to throw a rock through a Durra child’s window. Before the stone left his hand the first slash of Frost’s Five-Point Strike was already in motion. Frost delivered the five successive strikes with his fire-infused sword so quickly that a flaming star momentarily remained where he’d swiped. The moment the star vanished the man fell to pieces in front of him.
“Run!” a man shouted as more and more men took notice.
Frost intended to let the fleeing man escape but Cassia wasn’t so generous. The silver-haired elf performed a spinning slide in front of the man, taking his legs before lifting herself up while continuing to spin. Not only did she take his legs but by the time she was finished the man was sliced like lunch meat.
“Yes, run!” Cassia laughed as she rushed toward the next guy, cutting him into a dozen little pieces before practically teleporting to the next. The violet-eyed elf laughed maniacally as she bounced from man to man, cutting everybody to pieces like she was possessed. “It’s more fun when you run!”
Five men attempted to dash down a side street only to find it blocked by an enormous invisible barrier. They turned around to find a different route but it was too late as Cassia sent a barrier of the same size toward the men, crushing all five of them like bugs on a windshield.
“Leave some for us!” Jasmine shouted as she rushed into the fray with her Renna-issued black gauntlets. The athletic Myrran dodged an attack from one of the men and jumped toward a wall. The cat-eared girl twisted her body and bounced back at the man like a spring, delivering a right hook to his face. The magic gem embedded in the fist ignited and Jasmine was dragged forward as if being propelled by a rocket as the gauntlet tore half the man’s face off. “Fuck!”
The nimble Myrran twisted her body and stuck the landing as she lifted her fists into the air and laughed. “These are amazing!”
The orange-haired Myrran rushed her next target, delivering a devastating combination of punches before finishing him with a fiery uppercut, launching her about twenty feet into the air as she tore off the man’s jaw.
“Eww!” Iris shouted as she avoided the splatter. The white-haired Florenne delivered a series of swift punches and kicks to an armed man before activating one of the wind gemstones in her boots, causing her to inadvertently perform a backflip that sent a dozen small spikes flying from the holes in her boots. Blood sprayed out from the man as Iris dashed backward to avoid it. “Ew, ew, ew!”
“Go inside if you think that’s gross,” Zinnia said as she deflected attacks from three men with her large steel shield. She knocked away the third attack and spun her body taking the first man’s head before blocking another attack with her shield. “How does this work again?”
Zinnia pulled a gem infused with earth magic from her pouch and shoved it into the back of the shield. Four large spikes shot out from the steel impaling the men attempting to attack her before crumbling off the steel guard.
“That one actually worked really well,” Frost mumbled to himself as he continued the onslaught.
Frost looked around and realized that Cassia had encased the entire neighborhood in an enormous barrier. The laughing shrine maiden danced around the battlefield, slicing men into pieces like a mad executioner.
“I’ll fucking kill her,” a man shouted as he held a knife to a woman’s throat. “I’ll fucking kill her if you take one step toward me.”
“Hostages don’t work with me,” Frost said as he instantly cast paralyze on the man. He dashed forward and carefully moved the knife away from the Myrran woman’s neck before directing her to a nearby house. Frost stabbed the man between the eyes with his dagger and pulled it out as the man fell to the ground.
The rampage continued as Frost began dashing around with Cassia, cutting the men into pieces as they attempted to escape down the streets and alleys, only to find themselves stuck inside of a giant invisible cage.
“Please, don’t…” a man cried as Frost hovered over him.
“How many times do you think the people in the menagerie have said that?” Frost asked as he cast earth spike, impaling the man and instantly killing him.
“Take that!” Jasmine shouted as she came crashing down on a man’s head, causing it to explode like a watermelon. “These are amazing!”<
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“But a little hard to get used to,” Iris said as she performed three quick wind-powered backflips, sending more tiny spikes at her target with each successive flip. “And so gross!”
“Mine is easy to use,” Zinnia said as she placed a fire gem in her shield and launched herself toward an enemy like a steel juggernaut. The man’s bones cracked as Zinnia pinned him against the wall. She pulled away and let the man drop on the ground before stabbing his throat. “You know, humans are way easier to kill than monsters.”
“You were so brave before, what happened?” Cassia shouted as she created a magic barrier around three men and collapsed it, turning them into mush. “You came here to have fun, right! Where are you going? We’re having fun!”
Frost looked around at the carnage and began picking off the remaining men, cutting into them with his blade over and over again until nobody would be able to identify the remains.
They came to the menagerie to remind the demihumans of their place on the food-chain. They needed a reminder of their own that unless they’re at the top of the good chain, they might as well be at the fucking bottom.
“Is that all of them?” Jasmine asked as she panted. “That’s all of them, right?”
“Hmm, hmm, hmm,” Cassia hummed happily as she spun around in the middle of the square, completely covered in blood. “I haven’t felt this relaxed in ages!”
“That’s all of them,” Frost said as he looked around at the carnage. “This might actually be a worse mess than letting them break things…”
“Don’t worry,” Cassia said as she pulled her wand from her sleeve and began waving it around. Droplets of blood began floating up from the ground and slowly transformed into a ball and the body parts gradually started moving themselves into a pile.
“Cassia,” Frost said, glaring angrily at the violet-eyed elf.
“I may know a little bit of necromancy,” Cassia said with a playful grin. “Just a smidge. It’s very helpful when cleaning things up. It’s like I said, the secret is never leaving evidence!”
“What about witnesses?” Frost asked as he looked around.