Proofread by Thomas F
Trovak Uragn, Baxzar
I opened the can and took the brush before dipping it in and starting to apply it to the chair in front of me.
It is a rush order, and I have to finish it by tomorrow.
I shouldn't have taken it, but the man is a friend, and he wanted furniture for his son, who has finally moved out of the house.
I was nearly finished with it when I heard steps and looked up. There I saw Hrus, one of my two employees.
"Some people are asking for you," he informed. "Not customers?" I asked. He shook his head. "One is a mage, and the other is wearing clothes more expensive than what our customers earn in a year," he replied.
It couldn't help but surprise me.
"Did they say what they want?" I asked as I got up. "No, they only said they want to meet you," he replied.
I looked at the small, unpainted part, then sighed and walked away. Hoping it would be something that would waste my time.
Soon, I walked into the front and saw two people. Both of them are tall orcs; the older man in his sixties is a mage wearing a mage robe and has a staff in his hand.
While the younger man is in his late teens and is rich.
It isn't just his clothes, but the way he is carrying himself. That casual confidence that only the powerhouses or rich scions have. This man isn't powerful, but he is rich.
He also seemed familiar.
They were talking among themselves, but turned to me as I reached them with their eyes assessing me.
A surprise appeared on their faces, but also doubt. That surprised me further.
"Are you, Trovak Uragn?" asked the younger man in a cultured voice. "Yes," I replied.
"You used to live in Korzul two decades ago?" he asked. "Why do you want to know?" I asked back.
"Just answer the question?" snapped the mage, and I opened my mouth to snap back at the bastard, when I felt his presence skill on me.
It's powerful; the man is no common mage, but a High Mage.
That doesn't mean he could push me around! It was when I noticed the ring on his finger and the emblem imprinted on it.
Cirith's Tusks!
The only legacy in the city and the reason a common city like Narvokh grew so fast within decades.
I turned to a younger man, and my eyes widened. No wonder he looks familiar.
I have seen him before with his father at festivals and functions. I didn't recognise him because it never occurred to me that such a person could come to my little store.
Why has he come to me? I couldn't help but ask myself such a question and shudder.
It is never a good thing when such powerful people come and ask the questions.
"Durok," said Bolguz Cirith, before turning to me. "You used to live in Korzul two decades ago?" he asked again, and I nodded.
"Did you use to visit an open brothel there regularly?" he asked, surprising me. I thought for a moment, but nodded. I still visit regularly; I do not feel calm without it.
I even got a class because of my particularity, and it is the same level as my Carpenter class, Lv. 19.
It would have reached Lv. 20 years ago, if I accepted the level up, but I did not. Pleasure Disciple is my secondary class. If it reaches Lv. 20 before Carpenter, it will be troublesome for me.
Open brothel is my happy place; it gives me release that regular sex does not, but my business is my livelihood.
"It seemed like you were the one she was searching for," he said, a big, joyful smile lighting up his face, and he turned to the mage, whose staff lit up a moment later.
"What do you want with me?" I asked, feeling scared. I don't want trouble, and praying to the totem, this would not be.
He did not answer my question. Instead, turned to the mage, whose eyes were hazy, and they remained hazy, even after a minute had passed.
The young man waited, and so did I. I hope they leave; I want them to leave as soon as possible.
Another minute passed when the mage's eyes cleared. "She wants to talk to him," he said to the younger man, and both of them turned to me.
"Someone important wants to talk to you," said the younger man. "Who?" I asked.
"Myrathra Dawnstar of Velvet Garden," the younger man replied. I didn't recognise the woman's name, but the other name seemed familiar.
It took me a moment to recognise it. The legacy!
I opened my mouth when the mage extended his hands toward me. I wanted to push it away, but looking at their expressions, I had little choice.
I took his hand and immediately connected with the call.
'Mr. Trovak, I assume,' said the voice from the other end. It is gentle and soothing, but there is an undeniable strength in it. She is powerful without a doubt.
She said Mr. Trovak, people called me Mr. Uragn or Uragn. Only in one place, they call me Mr. Trovak.
"Yes," I replied with hesitation.
"You are quite a hard man to find," she said, and my heart skipped a beat.
"Why do you want to find me?" I asked, hoping it would not be something bad. "You have a special talent that we require," she replied.
It couldn't help but surprise me, but also made me relieved. It is not as bad as I thought.
But what talent is she talking about?
I am a mediocre carpenter; I don't have a particular interest in it, but it was a family business that I inherited from my father. Like he did from his.
"It seemed like you had me confused with someone else, Miss Dawnstar; I am just a simple carpenter," I said, and in response, I heard a chime like laughter that invigorated my whole body.
"I am not talking about your carpentry, Mr. Trovak. I am talking about the things you do in an open brothel; we are very interested in it," she replied.
Saying, I am shocked would be an understatement.
Open brothels are personal, but they are part of Baxzar's culture, and we are very protective of them. I know what foreigners say about them, but they are a quintessential part of us.
I visit it once every month, and I have a ritual which many find odd, but it gives me the peace I need.
So, when she said, Velvet Garden is interested. I couldn't help but be shocked. I heard quite a lot about that legacy. First thing being, it is the world's largest brothel.
It is said that it offers the best whores of every type and race.
So, it is shocking that they want anything to do with the open brothels, given the reputation it has outside of Baxzar.
"What exactly do you want with me, Miss Dawnstar?" I asked.
She still didn't tell me what she wants with me. "I can't tell you all, but it is related to what you do in an open brothel or at least used to do two decades ago," she replied.
"So, are you interested?" she asked a moment later, and my heartbeat quickened for a moment before it became calm.
"I have my life here and my business," I replied. I didn't even mention the open brothel; I need it.
"It's an opportunity of a lifetime, something that will change your life. Many would kill for the opportunity we are offering you, Mr. Trovak," she said.
I don't even understand the opportunity, and she is asking me to leap into it.
…
Myrathra Dawnstar
"Think about it, Mr. Trovak, you will not get such an opportunity in your lifetime," I said, and cut the call.
"Will he accept?" asked Lina, my mage. "Of course, he will," I replied. I have found information about him, before I sent them to approach him.
He operates a small store and is not even Lv. 2o. It is a mediocre life and will remain so if he does nothing to change it.
From the memories I have of him, I believe he will accept.
I looked at the clock and got up before stepping out of my office. Soon, I walked out of the building and turned toward the artisan's gardens.
I saw a large group of women coming out of carriages in front of the building, not far away from me.
"These are from Panar, right?" asked Lina, and I nodded. These women worked in brothels in Panar and showed interest in working for Velvet Garden.
Which is all of them; not a single woman declined.
They will be interviewed and tested before being chosen by the Velvet Garden. Many brothel owners are not happy about it, but they have no choice.
If they want to do business in Greltheaven, they will need to follow the law, and Velvet Garden is the law.
I would have been there doing the interviews, but Project Scarlet had changed things. Now, I am busy every waking moment, and I am loving every part of it.
Soon, we reached the artisans' garden, where new buildings were constructed quickly.
"It's going quite fast," I said as I reached Andrea, who was talking with the architects. "Not fast enough," she replied, shaking her head with worry all over her face.
To that, I arched her.
"Every week, we are choosing more stores. Bringing their owners and the people here,"
"We had a large space in the artisans' garden before, but now there is none. I had to use some buildings in the college, and the thing is, it will only get worse," she stated.
The new Velvet Garden is going to be absolutely massive. It will be bigger than every other legacy aside from Archmage's Tower.
That means there will be a lot of stores, far more than before. They want to select a store before opening and start production of most goods.
So there will be a large inventory before the legacy opens.
The older stores are busy producing most goods. As their goods will be put in the two new stores opening in Namdar and Owlspring.
"I am sure you will find a way out," I encouraged. To that, she smiled mirthlessly.
"Are you coming to check on the orders?" she asked. "Yes, Villin had informed that he had finished one of the pieces; I want to see how it turned out," I replied.
A lot of things are required for Project Scarlet.
More than half of them, I have never seen or heard about; the other half are going to be slightly different and used differently than they usually are.
I walked with her and reached one of the three-story buildings. There at the door, the young man is waiting for me as always.
"Madam's, master is waiting for you in his workshop," he said and led us inside.
"The amount of emotion essence you are using here to produce the mist goods in the artisan's garden is more than what common Grade IV legacy produces," I said, to which she only smiled.
The madams are very secretive whenever it comes to essence. It isn't just the essence, but every secret of Velvet Garden.
They guard it zealously, that I don't think. Even torture could bring them out.
Everywhere I looked, I saw people working in the woods.
The wood they are working on is precious, but more than that, they are using mist in their work. It is mesmerizing, and I wanted to keep watching.
Soon, we reached the top floor, and a young man opened the door for us.
I nodded my thanks and stepped inside. There I saw the man, looking slightly uncomfortable.
He is the best carpenter we have, but he is visibly uncomfortable making much of the stuff we need for Project Scarlet.
However, he is professional and doing an excellent job, despite his discomfort with it.
"Madam Andrea, Vice Headmistress Dawnstar," he greeted. "Mr. Villin," replied Andrea.
"It looks good," I said, turning to the main attraction of the room.
It's a table.
Technically, it's called a restraint table. It looks like a bed, but narrower, built on a firm wood-and-metal frame. The top is padded and covered in smooth black leather.
At each corner are sturdy straps with metal rings, fixed along the edges.
It is simple and clean, giving the impression of control. It is designed for stillness, to be used in an atmosphere of tension, which is balanced with care.
"It's beautiful, it is making me shudder, but making my heartbeat go wild," said Andrea softly.
She isn't the only one; it might be simple, but his craft is elegant. He was able to evoke the emotions we wanted in the piece.
"I have added a silken feel enchantment for comfort and binding runes on the cuffs, which could be released instantly with a specific word." He stated, and I could feel a hint of pride in it.
He might be uncomfortable with it, but he is an artisan, and he is proud of what he has created.
"I have also taken the liberty to add ironroot and self-mend enchantments, which will make it strong and hard to damage," he added.
"Good, now we will test it," I said, and once more, discomfort appeared on his face.
"I will call my apprentice," he said. The last two times, his apprentice tested the tools. "There is no need," I replied and turned to my mage.
"Lina, would you?" I asked, and surprise appeared on the woman's face.
She is quite fascinated with it, not only with it, but with everything related to Project Scarlet, which surprised me a lot, seeing that the woman is traditional and a prude.
Though I noticed her interest and saw the look of yearning, I tested the different tools.
She looked surprised by my offer, and a faint fear appeared on her face.
I thought she would decline when she put her staff by the column and removed her mage robe before walking toward the table with fascination and yearning.
"What do I do?" she asked as she walked by the table. "Step on it," I replied and walked toward her.
I took her hand and strapped it, before strapping the other one. She didn't resist. Instead, the act seemed to make her even more excited.
After her hands, I strapped her legs. Bound her to the table tightly, so that she could not get out of them unless she said those words, that will undo the straps.
I watched her, and I could see Andrea doing the same, with surprise appearing on her face, seeing the expressions that appeared on the woman's face.
Seeing her like this, a thought came into my mind, and I gently touched her back.
"You are bound and at my mercy," I said ever so softly as I gently moved my hand across her back. She arched it while a soft moan came out of her mouth.
I looked in surprise and turned to Andrea, and saw her looking at me.
I could see understanding dawning in the eyes. She is now thinking that what Silver is doing is not so preposterous as she thought.
Well, the idea was never a problem. If Silver had thought it would work.
Their contention was the implication of it. The reputational damage it would cause Velvet Garden and the city. Everyone is worried about it, but Silver is adamant about Project Scarlet.
No one could stop him, not even Carla Salt.