QuestWright BK2 C73: Revelations (I) (Patreon)

Author's Note:

Came to realize I never gave Cass his tailored reward, which is strange, since I already knew what he was supposed to get. Thus, I was forced to add this to chapter 71, the one that came before Bella's Day Out, and it arrives immediately after he made his choice with the Index points.

Your wish is my command, Cassio Vale.

Once this is complete, we can discuss your reward for purging the corruption.

Man I’m just too tired. Can we, I don’t know, just do that another day?

Of course. We’ll speak of it the next time you open the Quill tutorial.

Is there anything else?

No. And thank you.

Be well.

Sorry about that.

Now, this next chapter is a bit of fun, but we're still not going to get to the reward until after. I need to touch base with his work in actual QuestWrighting immediately after this chapter.

I received mixed reactions from my Betareaders for this chapter. Some people love it; others hate Orla now, but I don't mind. I don't think you should be happy with every single main character in a story. That's boring. I designed her this way since her first breakfast with Pellin and Cass; she's just more Orla-ish now.

Personally, I love her. She's partly who I'm basing the protagonist of Tycoon on. I was inspired by her so much while writing that I created an entirely new story centered on her personality. The only difference is, she's very cutthroat, which you'll soon see, while Evan is only that way with those who have directly wronged him. Can't wait to see your reactions.

Also, ReaderQuest!

Quest ID: JDM-0002-F-EA

[Tier 1 Resource Quest]

Assignment: Spend $100,000

Congratulations.

You have just received 100,000 imaginary and invisible dollars.

Unfortunately, like the classic film Brewsters Millions, you must spend them immediately.

Your Task

Decide exactly how you would spend $100,000.

Allocate the money across the following five categories:

Yourself
Something that improves your life right now.

Someone Else
Money spent entirely for the benefit of another person.

Investment
Something intended to produce additional value or income.

Your Future
Something that makes your life better five, ten, or twenty years from now.

Pure Enjoyment
Something you want for no reason other than wanting it.

You decide how much each category receives, but every category must receive something.

Rules

You must spend all $100,000, and no category may receive 0 dollars.

You cannot simply place the money into savings. Every allocation needs a stated purpose.

Be specific about what you would do with the money.

Completion Condition

All $100,000 allocated.

Final balance: $0.

Timeframe: One Week

Reward: 50 Bajillion imaginary dollars

Remember, this is fake. No suing me for money I absolutely don’t have. 

Also, people reveal who they are when they’re either in a great crisis or more importantly, when they receive a big windfall.

Try this exercise on them and see what happens.

—

J D Mullenary Sr
The Original QuestWright

Chapter 73: Revelations (I)

“Sounds like the Juniper tower in the first ring,” Alan said after Adya described where she’d found Bella. They were all sitting on the topside of Caligula’s End while the unrepentant horse listened nearby. The old man glared at his smoothie as he asked a question. “What are you going to do with the money?”

“Give it back?” Cass suggested.

Adya shook her head. “No…”

“No,” Alan replied right after with a snort. “Fuck that and fuck them. They have so much money, I doubt a few hundred crests-”

“Eighteen thousand, two hundred and eighty-seven,” Adya interrupted.

Alan stopped. “Oh. Well, that’s a different number altogether.” He took a wincing sip. “You might’ve caused some damage to a first-ring family. Doing good work all around there, Vale. A blessing on your name.”

Cass scratched his chin. “Is a few thousand a lot?”

“A-a few…” Alan glanced at Adya with disbelieving eyes. “How ignorant is this guy with money? I know his family had to make sure he at least knows some basic arithmetic.”

Adya shrugged. “His parents sheltered him, then the Guildhall and Guildtower took care of a lot of small things that normal people are used to paying.”

“Mmm,” Alan nodded. “We need another opinion. Someone we can trust who knows what to do with this much money.”

“Trust?” Cass asked.

*Twenty minutes later*

Alan was much happier as he drank from a dark beer. The smile on his face slipped a little when Orla sat down at the table between him and Cass.

“What did you need me for? I’m very, very busy nowadays,” the Merchant said, snapping her fingers at Will. The bartender grimaced, but a drink still appeared in front of her.

Cass dove into the problem with both hands. “How much money is eighteen thousand, two hundred and eighty-seven Crests?”

Orla’s hands twitched as she held the glass halfway to her mouth. “What?”

“Eighteen-”

“I heard you. Why are you asking? Did you find buried treasure? Wait.” She gripped the table, the crazed look in her eyes growing at the thought of so much money. “Is it right here? Right now?” 

Her face took on such a perfect picture of greed that Cass felt a tingle in his spine. Rather than give an honest answer, he threw his horse under a metaphorical bus.

“It’s, uh, technically Bella’s money.”

Orla’s head snapped to Bella, who had only one thing to say.

So that’s what knavery means.

Orla’s eyes narrowed. “I’m starting to like that horse.”

What a wise woman.

Cass rubbed his forehead. “Shut up, Bella.”

Fineith.

“No.”

“Cass, we can’t hear her,” Adya whispered in his ear.

“Right. So,” Cass took his hands away from his face. “We have a problem. Bella discovered over eighteen thousand Crests. It’s too much money for us to hold on to, and both Scouts in the discussion believe we should keep it. What do we do?”

“Give it to me,” Orla said, taking a long draw from a pink drink.

“Why?” Alan asked, immediately suspicious of the merchant.

Orla continued to drink, the pink slush within disappearing at a rate noticeable to the naked eye. Finally, she put the empty glass down and wiped the side of her mouth with a napkin she pulled from her breast pocket.

“Man, that’s good. I’ve been eating the blandest food lately. One of my guards suggested I prepare my own food to keep any poisoners away. I am anything but a cook.”

“Guards?”

Orla looked around. “Say hi, fellas.”

A man to the far right waved, while two more seated at different tables behind Orla nodded at the group. Another man leaning against a post near the thoroughfare just looked at them before going back to watching the traffic coming and going.

“You have four guards?”

“Five,” Alan answered before looking at Adya.

She caught the hint. “There’s the woman on the balcony across the street. She arrived fifteen seconds before Orla and has made eleven glances at our area.”

“Good.”

“You guys are no fun.” Orla pushed her drink back. “You want to give me the money because I can get you more of it. That many Crests is more than enough to get me into the third ring.”

“What about the fourth?” Cass asked.

“Already there, already conquering.” She waved it off like it was nothing. “Also, my father says hi, Cass. He was pretty impressed with you back during the Lioran crisis.”

“Oh, tell him I said hi. Let’s back up a little bit, though. Why should we give you the money?”

“That depends. My answer will change based on where you discovered the Crests.“

“Juniper Tower,” Alan said with a grin.

He’s smiling like he had something to do with it. Then again, I didn’t have anything to do with it either. Cass noticed Orla and Alan grinning at each other, and a second tingle trickled down his spine. How did I end up with people like this in my life?

Orla laughed, loud and hard. Eventually it shifted from what he’d heard from her in the past to a guffaw, hiccups and all.

“You took it from the Junipers? That’s great! Oh my god, if I get that money, I’ll be unstoppable!”

“Orla…” Cass said slowly and with extra emphasis. “Answer my questions.”

The greedy merchant softly punched Cass in the arm. “Of course I will, ol’ buddy, ol’ pal. Cass, I say this in all honesty. You’re my best friend.”

“I haven’t seen you in a month.”

“And what is time to old friends! Especially best ones.” She smiled, leaning back in her chair. “I couldn’t have worked this out better myself. That is a very special horse you have there.” She snapped her fingers, and Will obeyed the command with another scowl.

“Alright, to business.” It was disconcerting to everyone at the table as Orla’s face shifted in a blink from smiling to deadly serious. “The Juniper family are corrupt as hell, just like everybody else here. However, they’re also gamblers. They’re known mostly for their cheap ceramics and much more expensive dishware. But rumors say they invested in a long-term expedition with the Swartzes. The rumors also say that the expedition didn’t pan out, and they lost a ton of Crests in the process.” 

Her fingers drummed the table. “If you combine that with another failed gamble made by their patriarch, establishing a trade route between Resswich and Liberty, then they’re in a pretty big pickle. I’ve been watching a few of their businesses to see if there’s a proper time to strike, but now that I know all of their liquidity has been stolen by a horse, there’s nothing holding me back.”

Leaning forward, Orla began whispering to the table, forcing the others to involuntarily lean forward with her. Even Bella scooted closer. 

“To answer your original question. Crests in the amount you’ve claimed to have are a healthy dollop in Liberty, all told. I can use roughly a quarter of it to break into the third, then use the other portion to buy out all of their businesses when the creditors start calling in chits. In one swoop, I’ll have taken over the entire Juniper supply chain, using their own money to fund my priorities. Then…” She leaned even closer before screaming, “Boom! The Marrowinds are players in Liberty now!”

She laughed as the group collectively leaned back with scowls. Giggling again, Orla took a sip of her drink. “It’ll be glorious; you don’t even know.”

Good lord, she’s a monster. What have I done to Liberty?

Cass squinted at her in his best attempt at a shrewd expression. He had an easy card to play here. 

“Who says I’m giving you the money?”

Orla stopped laughing immediately. “Cass, baby, come on…it’s me. It’s your friend, Orla.” When Cass didn’t budge, a little sweat quickly formed on her forehead. She matched his shrewd look, though with quite a bit more intensity.

“You wouldn’t say that unless you had something in mind. What do you want?”

“I want you to keep the workers on when you take over.”

“Workers, not managers?’

“Managers are your choice. I’m not going to tell you how to run your business, but the workers shouldn’t feel your bite just because it’s time for the Marrowind expansion.”

“Deal.”

“But that’s not all.”

“What else?”

“Just a few things, nothing too drastic.”

“I’m listening.”

It was Cass’s turn to lean back in his chair. There was something he was exceedingly curious about. 

“How much am I owed for Common Solutions right now? You know, the one percent you promised me in perpetuity when we founded the Enterprise?”

“Uhhh,” Orla scratched her chin. She looked at her drink like it had betrayed her as the scratching turned into clawing. Glancing at one of her guards, she said, “Go get Farlow, tell him to bring my book.”

“Which book?”

“The book.”

The man nodded and moved away at a dead sprint as Cass had a funny thought.

Well, he takes his job seriously.

Everyone sat at the table quietly sipping their drinks until four men arrived. The one in the center carried a book that must have weighed a ton, judging by how the sweat was pouring down his face. Two others flanked him, guarding the man and his precious cargo while the guard Orla had sent retook his original position nearby.

The one holding the book accidentally dropped it to the table with a thud. The man gave Orla an apologetic look and received a glare in return. 

Cass couldn’t help noticing the resemblance between them as Orla hauled the heavy cover open and started paging through.

“Are you two related?”

“Cousins,” Orla said. “Farlow was not the first Marrowind I called to the beacon.”

“You don’t have to say it like that, Orla.” The man said with a stricken look.

“You dot your I’s with a heart, Farlow. That’s sacrilege. God, I wish my uncle hadn’t married that harlot.”

“My mother is a schoolteacher!” he protested, but cut off his complaints when Orla raised a fist. She’d found what she was looking for within the book as her finger was stuck to a page.

“Here it is. Subtracting start-up costs, salaries, promotions, renovations, bribes, and one failed franchise attempt, your portion of the Liberty profits is seven hundred and forty-two Crests. For the Liora branch, I’m afraid we’re operating at a severe loss due to rebuilding efforts. Rina, against all of my advice, is spending credits like water leaking through a sieve. She says hi, by the way.”

“Hi.” Cass waved, even though the woman was hundreds of miles away. “What is she spending them on?”

“Rebuilding Liora at cost, though it should pay some serious interest once the city is back on its feet. Hollis and the council have been issuing promissory notes that will give us a real grip on the Lioran economy once everything is rolling again.”

She closed the book with a bang. “Anyways, from the cost of Rina’s actions in fixing up our hometown and how that affects the profits I’ve raised here. The Liora branch has been draining the Liberty one enough that I’m afraid your one percent currently equates to…zero Crests.”

“Zero?” Adya asked, disbelieving.

“Zip, Zero, Zilch. Cass’s portion of Common Solutions depends on profit. Right now, we’re in a building and, as it were, rebuilding phase. Every Crest I have on hand right now is already allocated to a venture or investment. Every bit of it is earmarked. Except, of course, for the potential of Bella’s fortuitous treasure.” She folded her hands as if to say she was resting her case, but Alan snorted.

“Bullshit. Those clothes you’re wearing are brand new.”

“Cost of business,” She said quickly.

“You’re employing five guards,” Adya added.

“Security.”

“You just drank two smoothies!” Will called from the bar.

“Client relations,” Orla said with a smirk.

“I’m not a client, I’m a business partner,” Cass hedged.

“One who hasn’t been a part of the business in some time. May as well be a client now. But have no fear, my QuestWrighty friend. Though I can’t give you the portion owed from our contract, your seven-hundred and forty-two Crests are recorded safely in the grand book. It’ll continue to grow and develop, and once we reach critical mass, I’ll make sure your pay comes.”

She took on a decidedly untrustworthy look. “But again, this could all be much better for everyone involved if…”

“He gives you the treasure,” Alan said for her when she didn’t speak for several seconds.

Orla licked her lips before speaking, “Of course. That injection of capital will skyrocket my plans forward by several months. But sadly, my dear Cass, I owe you nothing at this very moment. It’s all within, if you’d like to take a look.” 

Ever so slowly, she inched the book around so he could see, though the strain of it made her face red and her arm shake.

Cass glanced at the book, finding so many subtractions, additions, and multiplications that it made his head hurt. He glared at her. 

“You bastard, you know I hate math.”

“My world lives by it.”

Cass looked at the book again, and it was his turn to sweat. 

Oh shoot, I almost forgot.

Leaning forward, Cass put his elbows on the table and interlaced his fingers. “Fine, but I want two more things aside from the workers.”

Orla nodded, her predatory grin a fierce showing of her victory as she leaned to meet him. “What are they?”

“One, you fund Pellin’s workshop.”

“Has to be in the fifth and can’t have more upkeep than a place like…” She looked around with a disgusted look on her face. “Well. This.”

“Hey!” Will yelled out, furiously cleaning a glass.

“Deal. And the second thing. I want you to promise that when the day comes when Common Solutions gets big enough to afford it, you’ll at least try to help the people of Liberty.”

Orla scowled, “Clarify help.”

“Sometimes people need a little money to get their life in order, or get a business started. Sometimes people need a little food. I don’t know, Orla. You’re the Merchant. You figure out how you want to do it; just promise me that you'll try.”

She chewed on that, literally, as her teeth ravaged her bottom lip. With a sigh, she announced to everybody, “Fine. When Common Solutions is profitable enough that doing so won’t interfere with existing obligations or expansion, I’ll devote a reasonable amount toward…toward…” 

She looked like she wanted to vomit as the next words came out. “Helping people.”

Cass frowned. “Define reasonable.”

Orla’s eyes narrowed as Alan barked out a laugh. She sent a guard to get another person, and they returned right away. It was a blonde woman who, again, had strikingly similar features to Orla’s own.

“Cousin?” Adya asked.

“Second Cousin,” The woman said in a melodious voice. She turned out to be a contract writer, and eventually everything was spelled out in writing. Cass signed first, and after Orla signed, Adya ran off to grab the Crests, now hidden under her bed in the apartment.

“This is a good deal for both of us, Cass.” Orla took a long, satisfied breath. “I’m going to do great things with that money. And eventually, your one percent will be the envy of the world.”

“I’m just trying to survive each day, Orla.”

Farlow and the book’s guards disappeared along with the woman, only to be replaced by two more men who couldn’t be anything other than Marrowinds.

“How many cousins do you have here?”

“The beacon was lit, Cass. The beacon was lit.” Orla placed her arms behind her as she rolled back and forth across the bottoms of her feet. “Liberty doesn’t stand a chance.”