The New World
Copyright© 2024 by Dark Apostle
Chapter 23: Lord Mallow
Fan Fiction Sex Story: Chapter 23: Lord Mallow - The story follows James Smith, a man who dies and finds himself in a surreal afterlife courtroom, where his life is judged as "zero sum"—neither good nor evil, just utterly average. Dissatisfied with being consigned to eternal mediocrity, he manipulates the cosmic bureaucracy into granting him a second chance in a new world, where he is reincarnated as a child with his memories intact and perks... - edited by my lovely Steven.
Caution: This Fan Fiction Sex Story contains strong sexual content, including Ma/Fa Ma/ft Mult Coercion NonConsensual Reluctant Slavery Lesbian BiSexual Heterosexual Fan Fiction Farming High Fantasy Rags To Riches Restart Alternate History DoOver Extra Sensory Perception Body Swap Furry Magic Incest Mother Sister Politics Royalty Violence
James returned to the brothel and called Anna over. After a long kiss, they sat at a table. “I had an interesting lunch today with the traders. They want a guarantee that if they get the spices I want, they will get paid. I told them I was good for it, but that wasn’t enough for them.”
“How much do they want?” Anna asked.
“It’s not been finalized, but between all of them, six or seven gold coins.”
“What! That much? No wonder they want protection. Can you really afford that?”
“Only with Fel, the mighty hunter’s, help. The mages pay top coin for parts of magical creatures. That is why I can do so much—he hunts, and I cook. It is a good partnership. And it should continue for a long while, until he gets bored and moves along.”
“What protection did the traders want?”
“They mentioned a contract with the town’s lord. I would pay the lord, and he would hold it until the traders deliver,” James continued, “But this is the first time I have heard about this. Are you familiar with these contracts?”
“I owned a brothel, but I was too small for the lord’s attention. A few of the town council have graced us, but never Lord Mallow. But I have heard about contracts. It is the only way to address the trust issue. The lord holds the money and writes a contract that specifies the terms that allow the money to be released.”
“If you have never handled a contract, how do you know about it?”
Anna laughed, “A councilman and a trader celebrated here after they finished their contract. I heard all of the complaints about the process—everything from the expense to the arguments about the terms. Men are so stupid; they treat us like furniture and ignore the fact that we have brains.”
“What happens if the lord takes the money? This is a concern of mine. I am barely known here, and the lord could steal from me.”
“If he did, then no one would ever request a contract from him. Traders would bypass Castletown, and the city would suffer. The lord needs support from the merchants, traders, and townsfolk. If he is a thief, that support would vanish. And you and Fel would kill him. You are just now starting to make a reputation, but the Fenrir brought his with him. Lord Mallow will not cheat you; he wants to live.”
“True. I would stop cooking for Fel until the lord was dead. That would be all it would take.”
He hugged Anna and kissed her again. “I need to write down my list of terms to get ready for the meeting. But first, I need to check on the tavern’s progress.”
James called out for Christine, “I am going to check on the tavern. Would you like to come?”
“Of course, since I will be working there. I may be able to make suggestions to make operations easier.”
“The weather is still mild, you won’t need a shawl.”
They left the brothel and walked through the market. James pointed out the different vendors. After the third booth, Christine stopped him. “I have been shopping for Anna and know all of the sellers’ names. Do you?”
“No, I never asked.”
“Perhaps you should. People who like you and know that you treat them as individuals will give you more help and maybe a discount. Just because you have muscles and a Fenrir doesn’t mean you can be a jerk.”
“Sorry mom, you are right.”
“James, we are trapped here, so we have to make the best of it. You have been here for over ten years and have only one human friend. That’s sad.”
“I didn’t have many opportunities. I stumbled across Subotai, and we bonded over circumstances. The same with Fel. Most of the time, I was on the move, and few could keep up.”
“You are now in town and want to be a successful tavern owner. So you need to network with the merchants and other owners. They can direct business to you. But only if they like you. There are enough other taverns so if you stay a jerk, they will ignore you. I know it will be hard for you, but from what Anna told me, you think throwing money at a problem is the only solution. If you are friendly, you can save a lot of coins.”
“I never considered that. I was in a hurry and had the coins, so it made sense to overpay. I never even bargained over the price. At home, in the first world, I just paid the posted price. It’s hard to bargain at a big box store.”
“But you are here now, and bargaining is the way the game is played. I budget time to argue for every transaction. It’s now fun, plus I am saving a lot. Unlike you, Anna is on a tight budget.”
As they talked, they reached the courtyard at his tavern. Everywhere they looked, men bustled around. James saw Richard directing his workers to different tasks. When Richard saw James, he immediately came over.
“It’s good to see you. Would you like a tour?”
“Yes, that is why I am here today. This is Christine. She will be the manager once we open.”
“Pleased to meet you. If you can follow me,” Richard said. He led them into the building. “As you can see, we have removed everything, and the building is now a shell. The crew is reinforcing the walls. It was necessary to dig down to support the walls, so I decided to build a root cellar and a basement storage area.”
Christine clapped her hands together, “Wonderful, that will solve a lot of problems. We can securely store items for later use. That is a problem where we are living now.”
“I am glad you are pleased. Let’s continue with the tour. Here is where the kitchen will be. The men over by the wall are installing a hand water pump so the kitchen will have its own water. By the side door will be a sink for the customers when they come back from the privies.”
“What about the second floor?” James asked.
“That was a problem. The supports were gone and the floor was sagging. We had to rip all of the interior walls out and rebuild the floor and stairs. I am glad you came today. You need to decide how the rooms will be rebuilt. Plus, our bid needs to be adjusted due to all the extra work.”
Christine muttered in English, “Just like home. I never had a tradesman stick with their original bid.”
“Hush,” James exclaimed. “How much more? And how does this impact the completion date?”
“If you want us to meet the promised date, it will cost you two more golds. I will hire more men to keep on schedule. If you want to delay, then it will add a month but only cost you one gold.”
“Go ahead and hire the extra men. I will pay the two golds.”
Christine looked at James, “Can you make money if you spend so much upfront?” She asked in English.
“Excuse us for a minute.” James pulled Christine off to the side. “I have plans for the tavern besides just turning a profit. The repair money is free since it comes from Fel’s hunting. But the completion time is more important than the money. I want to get settled and that requires a working tavern. A tavern has a higher status than a brothel.”
“Alright. You know this world better than me.”
Richard walked them through the building, pointing out the changes and improvements. In every room, he described the final results. “You have asked for several enchanted items to be built into the building. I know a mage, but his cost was not part of the bid.”
James laughed, “Fel and I will talk to the mage. I know we can reach an agreement.”
“Okay. In three weeks, we will be ready for the mage. I have already ordered the wood and can have two crews on the project starting tomorrow. I still have enough from your initial payment to continue. I will need two golds next week to stay on schedule.”
“Either Christine or I will bring them to you. I will talk to the mage tomorrow.”
“His name is Bartholomew, and he is on Potter’s Lane.”
“I will see you next week. If Bartholomew wants to come see the tavern, I will come with him.”
James stood at the edge of the courtyard and looked at the tavern. The outside walls were finished and being painted. There were men on the roof fixing tiles. Other men were working on the landscaping and outbuildings. Things were coming together.
“What are you going to call the tavern?” Christine asked.
“I had not gotten that far,” James said.
“What about Cheers?” Christine asked in English.
“No one would understand the meaning, and Cheers doesn’t translate. I think that Fenrir is the perfect name. Strong, mysterious, and the home of a real Fenrir.
“We need to get back so I can call on the mage. Hopefully Fel is in a good mood.”
When they returned to the brothel, Fel was not there. Subatoi shrugged his shoulders, “He will be back when he wants.”
James shook his head and sat with him. Holding a beer, he described the progress of the tavern.
“With what you are paying, it better be grand.”
“True. You can always come and be a bouncer there. It will be a lot nicer than here.”
“Maybe, but here, I never sleep alone. It is one of the perks Anna arranged. After so many years in the wilderness, it is a wonderful change. I don’t think you can offer that, James.”
“I know Anna will be sending girls to use the second-floor rooms. You might be able to convince one of them to help you.”
“Get the place open, and we can talk,” Subatoi responded.
James spent the rest of the afternoon on lists and design features he wanted. He wanted the benefits of modern technology reproduced through magic. He did not know if it was possible, but he had to ask. While he worked, a messenger from Lord Mallow arrived with a notice of a contract meeting in two days.
Fortunately, Fel returned that night. James asked Fel to accompany him tomorrow to visit the mage.
The next morning, he and Fel sought out Bartholomew. Fel did not need directions; he could sense the power from the mage from many streets away. When they reached Potter’s Lane, the mage was standing in the street waiting for them.
“I was wondering who was tracking me. A Fenrir! I had heard there was one in the city, but to actually meet one is quite interesting.”
“I am James, and this is Fel. We have a business request for you.”
“I am Bartholomew. Come into my shop, and we will talk.”
Sitting around the table, James showed Bartholomew the list of things he wanted for the tavern. Reading through the list, Bartholomew looked at him, “You can’t afford this.”
Fel growled, “Name your price.”
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