"I think I could do that. Recalling how you wanted to meet Nadia, you could use that opportunity to ask her to pass my message to the upper echelons. I don't really see any other way to make him contact you without arousing suspicion of the others."

After a short while that Venna took to think about this matter, she came up with something that I didn't really like. Relying on someone's help wasn't a sure way to secure an important meeting! But since we still have an entire week to finish all these matters before the first auction will commence, there is nothing wrong with giving it a try.

"Let's stick with that plan for now. If it won't work, we will need to figure something else out. And about the bribe, do you think that a sword of quality similar to the one I showed you before would be enough? While I know how valuable they are, in terms of shifting the entire sect attitude, I'm worried it won't be nearly enough!"

There is no point meeting with that elder if something that I could offer for his backing wouldn't interest him. Since I want to bind my first visit with my search for Nadia, I will be going without any prior experience with those people, and considering how Venna warned me about them or how other elders acted when the natural's elder left, I reckon that this meeting might not be as simple and straightforward as I would like!

"Sword of such quality not being enough? Are you joking? While I know there are some better weapons in possession of all the sects, that doesn't mean they would just ignore such a treasure, especially if it would guarantee them a prospect of obtaining even more of them! But I hope you don't think that you can gift such a precious thing only to them alone! Don't forget who is supporting your plan in the first place!"

Well, what she said is true. While I used my sword as a guarantee for this business, I didn't gift her anything of this magnitude, so bribing others with more benefits that I offered to my main backer would be out of the place.

"You don't need to worry. As soon as I will have enough time to settle all my matters and crafting won't interject with other important affairs of mine, I will craft something for you as well. It's just that securing natural's backing needs to take a priority for now!"

I don't really want to show how easy it is for me to create weapons of this quality, but it doesn't seem like I have many choices in this matter right now. Worst case scenario, I will just invest some of my points in the blacksmithing to create an even better weapon for me and Eve, and just trade our current ones!

But that brings another point… I have over three point five thousand of the attribute points, yet I'm really reluctant to actually invest them. Even if bringing my strength even higher would create a risk of bringing too much attention when I will duel with my dear cousin, that doesn't mean I can't invest them in the statistics that don't influence my strength directly! As long as I reach my current cap with wisdom, I think I should be able to help Eve reach greater heights first, advocating my potential growth as well!

"Okay then. How about a short tour through the building? While we only started renovating it this morning, You can already see the outline of what we plan to do with it!"

As soon as her own interests were secured, Venna quickly changed the topic as if worried that I would think the matters through and take my words back.

"Sure, I would love to."

With all the shady matters covered, we left the basement, picked up Eve from the middle floor and wend back to the ground floor to systematically make our way up.

"Most of the visitors will stay in this courtyard since we don't have enough time to create a proper auctioning hall for them. In the next two days, we want to finish preparing a special stage, connected to the building with an underground tunnel. While this won't be anything showy, we will still be able to hide the process of bringing up the wares. As for the more distinguished guests, they will be located in the special lodges carved from the second and third floor."

Just like in small, medieval castles, this building actually has an inner yard, surrounded by the walls from every side. While it wasn't insanely big, there were still more than enough space to fit about two hundred people in there, without compromising on their comfort. As for what would happen if there was rain, snow or some kind of storm… Well, this was a space for common guests after all!

Looking up, I could easily imagine how the place would look in the future. With the holes already carved in the walls, all that needed to be done was separating all of them into different rooms and raising their floor a bit to make looking at the stage a bit easier.

"I think that elders should be still located on the first floor. As I said before, they need to be the ones controlling whether their disciples are not putting too much strain on the sect funds by bidding too high, forcing their location to be a bit closer to their own people. As for the last floor, how about making it a high-class area, where the highest bidder would be able to enjoy some kind of special treatment? Limiting the building to be fully focused on auctions could work in case of Bakari investment, but since we are going to operate on a way smaller scale, looking for other opportunities to force the money out of our guests pocket would do a better job! How about hiring some great cooks and brewers? If we warranted the access to this high-class area only to the highest bidders, people would splurge even more than usual!"

In my mind, I already had a multitude of ideas, from investing my points into cooking or wine-brewing ability to make everyone addicted to this place, or even turning the second floor into a high-class brothel! As far as I understood from the commonly betting own's partner in a fight, this city lacked a place for the people to relieve their lust without any responsibilities! While this is just a guess of mine, I still have a lot of time to tour the city in search of things that are clearly in demand but without supply coverage!

"Okay then, I will take my leave now. Just before that, do you think you could organise a bit of those common resources? While the entire point is selling the wares that I will provide, wasting some time on doing what we announced we will do might flush some of the rats out of the auction when they confirm that we apparently didn't lie!"

While I can do it myself, since I had a lot of different matters on my head, it would be far easier to push this burden on Venna's shoulders. Considering how high she had to be on the social ladder of her own faction, requesting a bit of manpower shouldn't be a problem for her!

"Didn't you say you will take care of it yourself? I can sure do it, but that would cost you extra!"

Ah, what a shrewd woman! I spewed all of this bullshit back then only to push any suspicions out of our way, and now she was actually using it against me?

Taking out a few pieces of jewellery that I made with my item randomizer out of my storage ring, I threw them in her direction.

"Will that be enough? Consider them my gift for you!"

Not hearing any answer, I turn around only to see her whole face blushed red, while I could feel Eve's aura turning slightly disturbed!

"While I'm grateful for this, I don't really think that we are at the stage where I could accept it yet!"

Looking at the things that she held in her hand, I realise my mistake. While I indeed threw her some random jewellery, my damn luck caused it to be intricate, golden rings only!

"I never intended for it to look like that. You are the only one in my heart. If you wish me to do so, I will drop everything and escape with you to the ends of the world!"

Turning back to face my beloved, I uttered those words in a single breath with my face stiff as hell. I don't want there to be any misunderstandings!

As I wait for her reaction, I'm greeted with a simultaneous chuckle from both of the girls!