"Good grief, the Four Emperors? What's next, are we bringing in the Seven Warlords too?" Altair couldn't help but quip, reacting to the news Hestia brought back from outside.
The title was just too absurd. Altair couldn't shake the feeling that someone had wandered over from another world, stirring up trouble.
"Hahaha, Altair, I think this title is hilarious too, but it's actually pretty useful!" Hestia chuckled beside him.
"At noon today, I stopped by the phone shop to check things out. There were two adventurers arguing at the entrance, blocking the way. I stepped in to calm them down and ask them not to fight at the door. Guess what they said?"
"What did they say?" Altair asked, playing along with a curious look.
Hestia struck a puzzled pose. "Who are you?"
Then she quickly shifted to the other side, adopting a shocked expression. "She's Hestia!"
"Wait, Hestia? You mean Hestia of the Four Emperors?"
"That's right, Hestia of the Four Emperors!"
Hestia crossed her arms, beaming with pride. "Looks like you know who I am."
"Of course! Who in Orario doesn't know the name of Lady Hestia now?"
"In that case, could you do me a favor and not argue in front of my shop?"
"Oh! Sorry, Lady Hestia, I'll leave right now."
"My apologies, Lady Hestia, I'm going."
Hestia spread her hands with a grin. "And just like that, they left. Immediately! Hahaha, the face of Hestia of the Four Emperors is pretty useful these days!"
"The face of Hestia of the Four Emperors, huh? Not bad at all." Altair said, chuckling.
First, the Four Emperors, and now Hestia demanding face? Good grief, was she taking the place of a certain red-haired pirate? The comparison wasn't far off. Among the Four Emperors, that red-haired crew was the smallest, focusing on an elite group with strong fighters. Hestia's Familia was much the same, small, elite, and packed with combat prowess. The title fit surprisingly well, especially since that red-haired pirate was known for commanding respect.
"By the way, Altair, how's your side going? What's the situation with the Entertainment District?" Hestia asked, shifting the topic after her Four Emperors tale.
"Well, it's just getting started, but it's moving along. Still needs more work to really take off." Altair replied.
"So, you're saying it's already making money?"
"Yeah, it's turning a profit. With a place that big, it'd be a waste if it didn't."
After the Ishtar Familia's collapse, most of their Berbera, combat prostitutes, had perished in the War Game. The few who remained were trainee prostitutes, mostly Level 1 with little combat ability. Their main business was in the Entertainment District. Those properties, once owned by the Ishtar Familia, now belonged to Altair and Hestia's Familia.
Hestia was busy managing the phone shop, so the properties fell under Altair's control. And so, Altair dove into the world of commercial real estate in Orario.
This world was his home base. Sure, farming magic stones in the Dungeon could make you rich, but that was for grunts. Real players became their own bosses. With the rise of adventurers, Orario had become the most prosperous city in the world, where land was worth its weight in gold. Unless they tore down the city walls to expand or built a second ring of fortifications, space was tight. Orario had no official governing body, just gods chatting at meetings with no concept of urban planning. That made land, especially in the Entertainment District, incredibly valuable. It was practically Orario's central business district, packed with dining, lodging, entertainment, and gambling.
And now, half of its buildings belonged to Altair. Letting that go to waste would be a crime.
Over the past few days, Altair had gathered the trainee prostitutes, disbanded by Hestia's orders, and planned a major overhaul. First, he cordoned off the old buildings for reconstruction. They were outdated and lacked sophistication. While the Ishtar Familia had monopolized the Entertainment District's business, not all the workers were theirs, just the majority. Altair aimed to elevate their legacy, making it more upscale and refined.
Why focus on them? The Entertainment District's environment naturally favored their trade. Altair planned to diversify later, but for now, they'd stabilize the business.
For the architectural style, Altair envisioned a variety of designs to exude luxury. He instructed carpenters to follow his sketches, creating lavish pavilions in an exotic style. He also outfitted the trainee prostitutes in elegant new outfits and even taught them how to attract clients.
Damn, Altair thought, I'm starting to feel like a madam.
With the core business established, he moved on to secondary industries, starting with catering. Altair visited the Hostess of Fertility and struck a deal with its proprietress, Mia Grand. The Entertainment District's properties under his control would exclusively use the Hostess of Fertility as their catering supplier, offering delivery services to specific locations. Altair provided Mia with a set of phones and distributed another set across the Entertainment District, allowing each shop to contact her directly for remote orders. Catering was now sorted.
"There are still some entertainment industries we haven't tapped into." Altair noted.
Orario's entertainment options were limited. Adventurers either grinded in the Dungeon or spent their downtime drinking and gambling. Gambling was repetitive, with only a few games in play.
"Altair, what kind of entertainment are you planning?" Hestia asked, curious after their earlier talks about his plans.
Altair grinned. "I'm going to teach adventurers how to play cards."
Running a casino was fine, but selling cards was where the real money was, especially card packs with no guaranteed pulls. That was the goldmine.
He paused, a thought striking him. Does this count as... a cultural invasion of another world?
***
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