37 Boars Belly (2/2)

He looked over his shoulder and stared at me intensely. Then he squarely faced me and said, ”Ok, I will hear you out. If you can really help me I will not be ungrateful. However, I don't think it'll be as easy as you think.”

I pulled my sack from my waist opened it up and said, ”Will 100 gold do the trick?”

Travis looked at the gold as if he had been smashed over the head with a rock. He dazedly stared at it, for a moment I feared his massive body would fall breaking the furniture behind him.

”After months of hard work I was barely able to scrounge together 5 gold to get started. Even that much was only possible because I won a few bets in the arena. Most people wouldn't have 1 gold even if they saved every penny. How do you have this much money?”

I calmly responded, ”Even if I told you, you might not believe me. However, I can assure you it was all legal. I wouldn't give you tainted money.”

He stammered, ”With this I could move to the main street and have tons of regular customers.”

Then he shook his head, ”No it's too late, all the properties available have been sold or promised to those with connections.”

”Actually, I think I can help with that too.”

Travis removed his gaze from the gold and stared at me, ”How? Who are you?”

Clearly despite me saying I acquired the money legally he was still suspicious.

”I've told you I'm Troy Hargrave and as you will find out tomorrow Lord Morrow has appointed me the new Captain.”

Travis looked me up and down then nodded his head, ”If that is true then it all makes sense.”

He sighed in relief, he must have been thinking I was some criminal mastermind.

His eyes gained an amount of reverence and small amount of fear in them. After all the last Captain wasn't the nice sort.

”What do you want in exchange?”

I calmly replied, ”A 10% cut of future profits and a promise to pass on any information your restaurant manages to hear about things of interest to me.”

”What kind of things interest you?”

”It depends, it may be a person or an item or a particular beast. You don't have to actively seek out the information. Just if you or your employees happen to overhear information regarding it I want that information to be passed to me.”

He quickly responded, ”I can agree with that, as far as the 10% profits, I'm afraid it may be a long time before we return your investment.”

I nodded my head, ”Maybe, however, as long as you ensure me that no matter how big your restaurant gets you will stay true to this agreement I am fine with 10%.

Travis quickly nodded his head, ”Of course, you are my benefactor I will always stay true to our agreement.”

There is no way to enforce contracts right now so we had no choice but to go by a verbal agreement. Even then I have confidence the man will stay true to his word. He couldn't have developed his previous restaurant empire by going back on his promises.

”For now take this gold and use it as you see fit. As far as moving into a building on main street I will visit you tomorrow evening with more details.”

Travis nodded his head. He took the gold into the back and came back in a few minutes with the ribs I ordered.

As he sat them down he said, ”They're on the house.”

I chuckled and said, ”Looks good!”

I had complete confidence he would use the money well. As far as the building on main street, I refuse to abuse my power as Captain to take someones property. When going through Sauer's documents I noticed one of the Lieutenants on his pay role owned one of the buildings on main street near the Black Claw Inn I was staying at. After tonight the Lieutenant would most likely no longer need it.