World Sphere - 69 - A Day With The Girls

Chapter 69: A Day with the Girls

Fera and Mera were already up and had been waiting for me to knock. They were dressed in their best clothes. Fera excitedly asked, “Should we get breakfast here or in the capital?”

“We can get it in the Aegis City. We have to go get Mia from her room,” I announced, turning, but I saw the twins’ faces frown at Mia’s name. I guess I had forgotten to tell them she was coming.

Knocking on Mia’s door and introducing myself, she responded with a big smile that quickly faded when she saw the twins behind me. “Ok, I am not sure why you all are upset with each other coming today, but we’re going to have fun. I am hiring some people today, and I need a woman’s intuition to know if they are the right ones.” 

They all appeared to buy my story and seemed happier to be together. I wanted to maximize my day off, especially after staying up all night crafting my new sword. I likely would have been very irritable if the women hadn't gotten along all day.

We didn’t have to wait long for the skyship, and I paid for everyone. Mia was going to protest since she had already purchased a token, but I eyed her with a challenge, and she went silent. On the flight, the three young women formed a circle to talk amongst themselves, and gratefully I sat alone in silence.

I closed my eyes and went into my dimensional space. The sword was lying there, and I made a careful clone of the blade in iron. It was a lot harder than making coins directly into my dimensional space. If I had time today in the city, I would leave the cloned sword behind to have a sheath made for the blade. 

I was suddenly alert, and my eyes snapped open in readiness. I jumped to my feet to see Mia in front of me with the twins behind her. “We landed,” she said, smirking. I had fallen asleep after I had made the replica blade. 

I stood and gave a sly grin like I had been faking my little nap. I bowed formally, offering my arms. “Ladies, may I escort you to breakfast?” They giggled and we walked off the skyship with Mia on my right and Mera on my left and her sister next to her.

We visited a small inn not far down the road. The meal was forgettable, but my company kept asking questions about the restaurant. They were confused when I told them we had already walked past it. Confusion reigned because we had not left the warehouse district.

When we returned to the docks, I turned into the first warehouse. The large restaurant dining room looked great through massive glass panes. The floors were polished gray stone, and I counted eleven completed and installed mural panels. The artist, Tatem, was working on the 14th and 15th panels. Heavy tables were stacked along one wall. The chairs must still be in the warehouse or have not arrived.

“Storme!” Tatem saw me and waved me over excitedly. The two panels he was working on were connected. The landscape extended across both paintings. The one on the left showed a large troll, who was preparing to fight the creature in the right panel, a manticore. The sketches were complete, and he was about halfway through painting the troll. If they resembled the quality of other finished panels, they would appear very realistic.

“What do you think?” Tatem asked as we all inspected the work.

“Amazing work, as always. How long till you finish all 23?” I asked while the woman looked at all the completed panels like it was an art gallery, studying them in detail.

Tatem put down his brushes. “I think I will finish these two soon, so that would be 15 completed. I have sketched out the next two. There is another completed panel waiting for clear protective coating over there.” He was beaming with pride. “The outside wall is going to take me ten weeks or so. I have lined up three assistants for the work,” he said with determination. I studied his paintings for a few minutes with Mia, Fera, and Mera.

“I can see why Gareth was so infatuated with these,” Fera said teasingly having stopped at the succubus image.

I realized how provocative a lot of the images were and my cheeks heated some. “Yes, but Isla and Wynna approved the them. I had nothing to do with choosing them.” They laughed, clearly not believing me.

Tatem came to my resuce. “Isla is on the second floor if you are looking for her.”

I left the three women as they still had not had enough of the works of art. Since they were essentially life-sized, and this was the first time they had seen them outside of book illustrations.

Isla was in the corner apartment that Loriel had reserved for herself. She was setting up furniture with Bylura. Bylura gave me an appraising stare before going into the bedroom. Isla looked at me and explained. “Loriel said I could use her apartment while I worked on finishing the building.”  

I decided to tease her. “I thought you were working for me and not Loriel? You could have asked me to allocate you a room.”

Isla furrowed her brow. I had made it clear that I didn’t want her loyalties split between me and Loriel. She tried to distract me. “I have the projections for restaurant staff on that table over there.” She pointed to a piece of paper on top of her work folders. “I have lined up thirty-seven interviews for you starting at noon today.”

I suddenly didn’t want to be here. Spending my entire afternoon in interviews didn’t sound like a fun prospect. “We will interview the cooks and bakers first. Then I have errands to run. I have some friends downstairs who will interview the waitstaff for me.” Since I was paying for everything today, I thought Mia, Fera, and Mera could do me a favor. I did say I wanted their advice on the hirings.

I picked up the paper and reviewed it.

Head Cook      Low 20 silver/week                High 90 silver/week

Cook               Low 10 silver/week                High 25 silver/week

Server              Low 2 silver/week                  High 10 silver/week

Bartender        Low 5 silver/week                  High 30 silver/week

Baker              Low 5 silver/week                  High 20 silver/week

Dishwasher     Low 1 silver/week                  High 3 silver/week

I had not asked to hire a bartender, but it was smartly on the list. Seeing me study the list for a long time, Isla explained her method for gathering the data. “I had a few people go around to the restaurants, taverns, and inns in Aegis City and compile the information. They went to almost every place that sold food in the city.” I nodded at her thoroughness. On the back side of the sheet, listed were the places she had her runners go and what each place was paying.

She let me read before adding. “Most places also give the benefit to employees to take home leftovers as well, usually by seniority.” I nodded, took a blank page from one of her folders, and wrote out my needs. It was odd how the only past-life knowledge that was easy to recall revolved around my work as a sous chef. It was fuzzy and incomplete but I knew I what I needed.

The bakery would have one 9-hour morning shift to prepare breakfast. The restaurant would have two shifts, one for lunch and one for dinner, each approximately 7 hours long for staff, with longer shifts for the cooks. What I needed:

Bakery…2 bakers, 1 cook, 2 servers, 1 dishwasher

Restaurant…2 head cooks, 6 cooks, 6 servers, 3 dishwashers, 2 bartenders

Adding up the cost, if I paid everyone the high end, that would be 5 gold and 47 silver per week. I adjusted the head cook’s wage down to 75 silver. The menu was simple, and they were essentially kitchen managers. I adjusted the dishwashers to 8 silver. They cleaned the facility and did the dishes and were usually young adults who decided not to attend the academy and were desperate for work.

I increased the servers to 12 silvers a week. I added two more servers and two more dishwashers. This brought the annual salary to just under three platinum. I would have Remy handle the accounting, but I still needed a manager to keep everyone on task.

I handed the completed sheet to Isla, who reviewed it and nodded. “You shouldn’t have too much trouble hiring your staff with these wages. Why pay so much for the dishwashers?”

“I don’t know what it costs to live in the city, but I want my employees to have a livable wage,” I explained. “How is the plumbing going?”

Isla was still looking at the staffing sheet and absentmindedly dug into a folder and handed me a different sheet. It was the plumbing diagram with piping estimates and artificing requirements. Her engineering plans were not too difficult to understand, but the length of copper pipe required was immense. “Just focus on getting the plumbing to the kitchens for now,” I informed her. “I hope to open the bakery in two weeks and the restaurant the week after.”

Her eyes went wide in alarm, but she didn’t try to convince me otherwise. “That is…that is ambitious. When are you opening the apartments?”

“If you can get the first-floor bathrooms working, then the bakery can open. But, it will be a few weeks before the apartment plumbing is completed,” I said, reviewing her plans. They were good, using as little copper pipe as possible. I could save a significant amount of piping if I enchanted a heating element in every unit. Keeping those twenty aether stones charged would be a full-time job, though. Best to stick with just one hot water tank on the roof.

Perhaps I was trying too hard to provide the apartments with hot water. “There is not going to be any hot water feed to the first floor. That should save you time and resources. The cooks can heat water on the artificed stoves if they need it warm or hot.”

I handed the papers back. “I am going to the kitchen to start on artificing the ovens and stovetops. I do not like to be disturbed when artificing. When it is time to interview people, let me know.”

I was in the kitchen below. We had two banks of ovens, one for the bakery and one for the main kitchen. I had enough insulated wire to complete the ovens today. I didn’t want anyone to see I was not using an artificer’s stylus so I set up a privacy screen and started. I planned my work to be good but not exceptional and draw attention.

I was also just going to use tier three aether crystals to power the devices. The crystals were large enough to only need recharging once a week for our needs. I would need to have the stone mage sink them into the walls so they couldn’t be easily stolen.

I finished with the ovens and looked at the rest of the kitchen. The stove tops would be easy, but I also wanted a large griddle and four deep fryers. All of these devices would be aether hogs. I was still sketching it out in my mind when a soft knock let me know it was time.

Fourteen cooks applied for the position, each believing they were competing for a single opening. I needed cooks who were open-minded, eager to learn, and detail-oriented. I planned to spend no more than three days training them to prepare the simple menu, which included breakfast sandwiches and pastries from the bakery side. After training, I did not intend to spend my own time cooking in this kitchen.

Out of the 14 applicants, I hired seven cooks and one baker from the group. All were relatively young. After each interview, I briefly listened to Isla’s, Mia’s, Mera’s, and Fera’s opinions before making a decision. Everyone’s pay would start immediately, and they could come in to help set up the furniture in the bakery, café, and restaurant until we officially opened.

I stood before the next wave of interviews began. “Isla has my list for the rest of the staff. No need to hire everyone today. Just find good candidates with a positive attitude and willingness to do the work. The only extra benefit they will receive is one meal from the menu during their shift.”

Mia stood quickly, seeing I was leaving. “Where are you going?  I will go with you.” Mera and Fera rose to follow as well.

“No need. I am going to talk with my dungeon team leader. I need you with Isla to find the best servers.” The three women had fun during the interviews. Being in control of a person’s fate gave you power, and they seemed to like it. However, the two hours of interviewing the cooks were more than enough for me.

I stopped on my way to the Adventurer’s Guild Hall and dropped off my facsimile sword so I could have a functional sheath made. I could have given the business to our Hen’s Hollow master leatherworker, but I was here now. Seventeen silver for the custom work, and I would be able to pick it up on the next seventh day.

I found Gimble in the common room at the Adventurer’s Hall, and we talked about the team’s progress. Since he was not able to leave Aegis City, the team went to Hen’s Hollow to train with Callem, Aelyn, and Gareth. “So, do you think they are ready to attempt a delve?”  I asked after we received our drinks.

Gimble slowly nodded, “If Gareth is on the team, then yes. I don’t think Remy has any business being in a dungeon, though. His utility is limited, and he doesn’t have the awareness required to be in such dangerous situations. You probably don’t know, but most of his debt was penalties assessed by his delve team for failures.”

“Understood.” I sighed. I liked Remy, and I was paying the young man a huge salary. “Is there an available slot next seventh day for the Icy Vault?”  The Icy Vault dungeon had the bees and berries that I wanted to harvest, and the entrance was not far from the Hall within the city limits.

“I will check. The Dungeon Academy controls access.” Gimble downed his cup and went to the counter of the guild hall. He returned shortly, “The overnight slot is still available on that day.” He pointed at a chalkboard, “Do you want me to purchase it?” I thought and slowly nodded. Gareth and I would be done with our first on the seventh day, so there would be no rush in getting back to Hen’s Hollow.

“Yes,” I produced the coin for Gimble. He went and registered the delve and came back with a bronze-stamped token of the day and time.

“Are you sure you don’t want to replace Remy on this first delve?  See your new team in action?” Gimble was smiling, and his eyes twinkled. This must be his leadership ability in effect. I felt that I wanted to join them. It wasn’t an influence ability, as my mental training would have countered it.

“No. I may change my mind at the end of the week, but right now my answer is no.” We shook hands, and I stood and left the Adventurer’s Hall. I was curious about dungeons but didn’t want to take the risk.

I slowly walked back to the Shiny Platinum. I didn’t want to get back before they finished all their interviews so I diverted. I stopped and purchased some new simple clothes. I had been wearing Gareth’s old clothes, since my frame filled out so quickly. They fit well, and my cleanliness spell made the idea of wearing his clothes bearable.

I had the coin to get new clothes and the perfect opportunity today. I moved from shop to shop, filling a bag, paying, and then dropping the linens into my storage before entering the next establishment with an empty bag. I would spend time later organizing the mess of the wardrobe I was making in the dimensional closet.

I spent twenty-six gold on simple clothes and could now wear something different every day for two months. With my cleanliness spell, I didn’t need a lot of clothes, but I did tend to damage my outfits when practicing, a disadvantage when your opponent knew you could heal yourself.

As I walked into the warehouse, I found seven people still waiting to be interviewed. I thought about not rejoining the women, but ended up walking into the current interview. “I thought you would have finished by now!” I smiled as I sat with them.

A young woman was seated across from Isla with the others flanking her. Isla retorted. “We did, but news has traveled or your generous wages, and more people keep showing up.” She pulled a sheet to herself. “We have hired seven dishwashers, two bartenders, and seven servers!” she said proudly.

I squeezed in between Isla and Mia and looked at the list, ignoring the young woman being interviewed. “You hired an extra dishwasher?  And most of these names are women.”

Mera defended the group’s extra hiring. “She looked so miserable. She was too young to be a server and is taking care of her younger brother, who is sick. You will like her Storme. She will work really hard.” Mera gave me her best smile and knew I wouldn’t refuse.

“It is fine.” I waved my hand. “Please finish up quickly. I will remain silent.”

I sat quietly and watched the interviews as a spectator. Everyone had a reason for wanting to work here. They didn’t make enough to support their families, their current employer abused them, they had to work 12-hour shifts, and they didn’t get to see their families.

I wasn’t good at discerning if they were telling the truth, but the four women as a group seemed to be able to figure out what they collectively believed was the truth. At least Mia and the twins seemed to be getting along well now.

We filled out our roles, reaching 10 servers when the final person was interviewed. With 30 employees starting tomorrow, I had no idea how Isla was going to keep them occupied.

“Next seventh day, Isla, I will return and stay for the week. Make sure the furniture is in my room. I have to see my dungeon delve team off that day, but I will start teaching the cooks the following day. We still need another baker and chef. Try to find them during the week so they can be trained with the others.”

I stood and stretched. “Mera and Fera, do you want to see your rooms? They are on the third floor. Mia, you can accompany us if you wish.”

They eagerly stood and were stiff themselves from sitting for half a day. Mia asked with disbelief. “They have rooms?”

As I led the way to the wide stairs, I answered her. “Yes, Mera is going to be my brewmaster and Fera, my horticulturist. The roof is going to be covered in gardens.”

Isla was trailing us even though I had not invited her. “The stone mage is on the roof right now making raised beds and setting up the windscreens.” I assumed she was shadowing us to show off all the effort she had put into making her vision a reality.

We stopped on the third floor, and I showed them their room. It faced the adjacent warehouse, but its windows were positioned above the rooftops, looking toward the upper city. Not a bad view of the skyline. It was open air, as we didn’t have any glass yet for the windows. Isla started to go into detail about the apartment’s features. Mia seemed a little jealous as the twins talked about how they planned to decorate the apartment.

When I said that the room across the hall was mine, the twins got even more excited I didn’t understand. “It is just like our Academy barracks. Thought you would appreciate the normalcy.”

They insisted on seeing my room. We walked through my apartment, and the two bedrooms had no walls yet. “I am going to install a floor-to-ceiling windows with one-way artificed viewable glass. It should give an excellent view up to the skyship platforms.”

“Can we come and watch them?” Mera asked innocently.

“There will be seating on the rooftop gardens, and it is probably a better view up there,” I said deflecting her implication.

Fera exclaimed, “I can’t believe how incredible this building is, Storme! I’m excited to attend the academy in Aegis City and live here!” That only seemed to upset Mia even more, and got me thinking.

I took all four women into town for dinner and was mostly left out of the conversation. Mia looked like she felt left out, and I had actually come up with a job for her while I had been enchanting the ovens. “Mia, I hope you liked the building. I wanted to ask you if you also wanted to work for me,” her eyes popped, already indicating she planned to say yes. The twins were grinning at the announcement, maybe figuring that was why I had invited her.

“Do you want me on your delve team?” Mia eagerly asked.

“No. I need someone to hire and run security for the warehouse and restaurant. There will be quite a few valuable enchantments throughout the structure, and the warehouse will hold a skyship and serve to hold our dungeon harvests. I need someone capable of hiring and managing a small group of guards. I am currently paying for security from the Miaden’s, but I am sure we can find competent guards for much cheaper in Hen’s Hollow and Solaris City. I would even be willing to sponsor them through the city guard academy here in Aegis City while they worked,” I explained.

I could see a worried look on Isla’s face as I mentioned ending the Miaden guard contract. The Miaden guards were tied to Loriel, and I wanted to break that chain as soon as possible. “How many?” Mia asked excitedly.

“I was thinking of you and nine others. Three shifts of three. Pay would be 25 silver a week,” I said, speaking off the cuff. As the guard captain, you would be paid the same but get an apartment for your use as part of your compensation.” Her eyes went wide, and she was nodding yes before her mouth caught up.

“Yes!” she shouted.

I was going to need guards, so this worked out well. Mia was smart and a capable fighter. Maybe I should have offered this position to my brother since he wanted to attend the guards academy as well. But I felt Mia would be a good fit.

After dinner, the woman had an hour before the skyship was scheduled, and they went shopping while I walked with Isla back to the warehouse. I gave her a few large golds to start paying the new employees and told her Remy would be taking over accounting shortly.

I had enough time to add heating runes to the largest griddle and start the artificing work on the walk-in freezer. I would need to talk with Instructor Aethon during the week to get more enchanting materials from his family business in the capital.

With Mia and the twins accompanying me, I headed back to Hen’s Hollow. As I leaned against the railing, Mera approached me alone, leaned in, and kissed me without warning. I was somewhat surprised but gradually responded. After a few moments, she pulled away, said, “Thank you,” and returned to her sister, who praised her sister’s daring move.

Mia, not being on the deck, missed the scene. Perhaps it was a mistake for me to return her kiss, but I found it enjoyable. I watched the twins talk animatedly a few meters away before turning to my own thoughts. I needed to concentrate on my personal growth not a relationship.

Building the skyship remained my main focus. I might accept Isla’s offer to oversee its construction. Just one more week at the academy and then a full week in Aegis City. I was thinking that exploring the Frost Vault dungeon might be a relaxing break for me.

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