All in Charisma (A LitRPG/Isekai Adventure)

Upon closing shop, the team gathered in the front showroom to review the day's receipts.

Justin counted the coins from the company's income purse until he had the total: one crown, twelve silvers, and ninety coppers.

The team applauded and cheered at the windfall. If every day could be like this, theirs would be an incredibly profitable small business.

As the excitement settled, Justin absorbed his team's attention, allowing himself to bask in it. "Today was truly extraordinary. Not every day will be like this, but if things keep up, several months from now... this will be considered a slow day."

"We're up to twelve members now," Lila said. "But it seems we got a lucky break. Yesterday, Varis Alexios—the original Archer who first tried the potion—spread the word, and now it seems the entire ranged class community wants to get their hands on it. I'm only taking a break long enough to tell you this. My job, now and in the foreseeable future, is to keep crafting these potions until we can fully satisfy this market demand. That will be our cash flow that allows us to do all sorts of great things for the business: hiring new couriers, investing in our employees, upgrading our ledger system. We'll need all hands on deck to manage this supply. We have a large order of these potions going out tomorrow morning to Mr. Moncierre. He expects them by seven. I want them delivered by six-thirty."

"I can do that," Ilsa said. "I'm an early riser anyway."

Lila nodded. "Thanks. Right now, our current charms system is revealing its shortfalls. It was well thought out, but Rinna is working on an adaptation. Any breakthroughs on that?"

"Nothing substantial to report," Rinna said. "The mirror enchantment mentioned by Master Corvain was a good clue, but I wouldn't be surprised if I'm blazing new territory. I basically need to try out different Thaumic scripts until I find one that works. Right now, I can reflect one map easily enough, but I can't find a script that will let me reflect multiple maps, if that makes sense."

"How much does it cost, roughly, to reflect one map?" Justin asked.

"It's not too bad. For the first map, it's a one-time investment of one silver. However, the costs will soar once we start connecting more maps to the primary one. I need to figure out how to reflect multiple maps while keeping costs down." She shook her head. "Mr. Talemaker, could you visit Corvain tomorrow to buy out his stock? I might need more for experimentation."

"Certainly. And if you need anything more, let me know. Maybe a consultation with Corvain? I'm happy to pay for it."

"Let's see what I can do with tomorrow's time," Rinna said. "Maybe I just need to sleep on it. The good thing is, if I can crack it and come up with something, it should give me loads of experience points. Perhaps enough to reach Level 10 and select my Focus."

"That's wonderful to hear," Justin said. "Keep it up."

"So, the plan for tomorrow," Lila said. "Ardabel and I will stay in the workshop brewing those Rhythmic Barrage potions. Tammy will mind the store, with Rita assisting while developing her logo ideas. Ilsa and Alistair will handle deliveries."

"And I can continue spreading the good word," Justin said.

"I'm happy to do deliveries for now," Ilsa said, "but as we grow, I won't be able to handle them all. Eventually, I'd like to be the full-time accountant. Right now, Justin and I are switching off on that task, which works for now, but to keep everyone on the same page, everyone needs to go through me to ensure full ledger logging. With a class, I can access the interface and interfacing enchantments; this would reduce the need for manual logging, as Rinna could enchant each business purse to interact with our ledger. As money comes in, it will log automatically, and as money goes out, that will happen too. We just need to note each charge and source of income, reducing our workload."

"Yes, we need to do that," Justin said. "There's just a lot on my plate; it's hard to remember everything!"

"You need a planner," Ilsa said seriously. "And beyond that, you and Lila might consider hiring an assistant as well. While we're small, I can take on the role of assistant and accountant, but as we grow larger, I'll need to focus on one of those roles. I prefer accountant since that's more in line with my expertise, but it's up to you as the business owners."

She was making a lot of sense, and Justin realized they had likely hit upon a big break by hiring her. Without her or Rinna, the execution of their ideas might have been difficult, if not impossible. She might even be management material once things settled more. "A planner. Yes, I can see that."

"I actually bought some for both you and Lila," Ilsa said. "Mr. Talemaker, Ms. Fairwind, you'll find them waiting in your office."

"Wow," Lila said. "Thanks, Ilsa."

She blinked, a small smile forming on her face. "I want us to be successful, but we need to establish efficient systems early so we aren't running around like headless chickens." She cleared her throat. "To be blunt, there was some of that today. Imagine when we have fifty members or a hundred."

Justin nodded. "Makes complete sense. All right, team. It was a great day. Let's make tomorrow even greater."

After everyone received their wages, they dispersed, with Lila heading back to the workshop. Justin caught her by the arm.

"Just a minute," he said. "We need to chat for a bit. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes."

She nodded. "All right."

They retreated to the office and closed the door.

"So, what do you think of what Ilsa said? Honest thoughts."

"As usual, everything she says makes sense. But we're already delegating a lot of responsibility to her. More than I ever thought we would so soon."

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"I agree," Justin said. "She is truly making herself indispensable."

"Which isn't a bad thing," Lila said. "But she's getting paid the same as everyone else."

"Rinna is also proving her value," Justin said. "Especially if she manages to pull off this map thing. It will significantly improve our efficiency."

"I know. That kind of breakthrough is worth far more than one silver a day."

"I agree," Justin said. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm not sure we need to come up with something yet," Lila said. "But I've also been thinking. In a way, it's great that you're so open about the company finances. It's also a bit... unusual. It makes everyone feel like they're part of the greater team."

Justin already sensed where this was going. "I think I know what you're about to say."

"It's fine for now, but what about the future? If we hire this Pallas fellow, for example, does he get the same level of insight? At some point, it gets... complicated."

"At best," Justin agreed. "And at worst, how might our lowest-paid employees react when they see us pulling in one or two crowns a day while they're only being paid a silver?"

"Exactly. We can't expect our employees to understand the intricacies of cash flow, that an overly generous wage doesn't come from the top line but rather from a portion of the operating expenses. And if we ever lose an employee, they'll have a full picture of our finances."

"And might tell our rivals," Justin said. "Good point."

"Ilsa is one thing. She has experience in accounting. She doesn't make the decisions, but she can help us with cash flow issues so we can focus on the bigger picture, along with procurement. We'll figure out what works once we decide we want to focus on other issues."

"But it also means trusting her," Justin said.

"Yes," Lila said. "But we have an advantage that many other businesses don't: we can enforce trustworthiness."

Justin immediately understood. "You want me to use Gentleman's Agreement on her."

Lila nodded. "Yes, it's awkward, but if any other company had your ability, they would be using it. I'm sure Count Aurelian is for his people, too, and your ability is even stronger than his because there are no limits to the terms and conditions. Although we've experienced a lot together as a team in just a couple of weeks, everyone still barely knows each other."

"That's a good point," Justin said. "But if we require it of her, it's basically saying 'we don't trust you.'"

"She might see it that way," Lila said. "But we have to think about protecting our own interests. The company's interests. Circumstances change. People change. And while her behavior has been exemplary, I noticed a couple of points of concern early on. Has she truly changed, or has she just gotten better at hiding her possible intentions?" She paused. "Again, I'm not saying she has bad intentions; just thinking worst-case scenario here."

"That's a bit harsh on the surface," Justin said, "but I felt the same thing with my Insightful Gaze upon first meeting her—that she needed watching. Yet every time I observe her now, it's a different picture. And she doesn't have a class, so she can't even hide her intentions from me if she really wanted to."

"The Gentleman's Agreement means you don't have to watch her constantly. It reduces your mental load, and you already have so much to remember. Ultimately, you had Alistair agree to use it. If Alistair can handle it, whom we trust even more, why not Ilsa?"

Justin knew she was right. "Okay. We'll have a conversation with her then. She seems ready for more responsibility. Perhaps we can offer the raise and an official promotion, contingent on her swearing the oath?"

"That's what I'm thinking. Good idea? Bad idea?"

Justin considered. Overall, it was a good idea. The main risk was if Ilsa's feelings were hurt and it undermined the trust they had worked so hard to build. It might be a non-issue, given Ilsa's resilience, but Justin also remembered her tears when rejected during cold sales.

Oftentimes, people with tough exteriors were just hiding the vulnerable person they truly were.

"It will have to be handled delicately," Justin said. "What would be reasonable for someone in her position?"

"As the chief accountant of a small company, and possible procurement of supplies," Lila said, "two silvers a day would be reasonable to start with. Same for Rinna, assuming she manages a breakthrough that could really expand our business."

"And Tammy and Rita?" Justin asked. "They've been working hard too and have done so much. Rita created our placard and is developing a logo for us."

"All valuable work," Lila agreed, "but not worth the same two silvers the others would be making. It's possible Rita could bring in a lot of money if her logo lands, but there's no real way to track each new acquisition to her artwork, at least materially."

"I think both should get a raise too," Justin said. "Employees talk."

"At some point, we have to realize we are a business," Lila said. "And they'll need to understand that, too. I appreciate that we live under the same roof, and that's very generous, but with raises for everyone, they will have enough for their own living arrangements. We can't expect every employee to live with us, and if they do, they will need to start paying fair market rates. Not out of harshness, but practicality." She looked at Justin. "Look, I like you, Justin, but I want my privacy. We've been sharing a room for over a week now, and we aren't even together. Plus... you snore."

"I do not!"

She sighed. "If only you could hear it."

Justin had to digest all this information. Deep down, he knew Lila was right. It would be painful, but in the long run, Lila's suggestions would be best. Were they running a company or managing a family? In the end, all their employees had been rescued from a truly horrible situation in the Floating Market. Justin didn't see them as family, and the arrangement was meant to be temporary, but he had already implied they could stay as long as they wanted, without even mentioning "until they got on their feet."

"They're on their feet now," Justin said. "Time to treat them like it."

"We don't have to enact this tomorrow," Lila said. "After all, there's a lot of work for me to do tonight. But let's draft something up sometime in the next few days and present a unified front. We should make the transition as painless as possible, preferably when things settle down a bit. The raises will help with that."

Justin nodded. "I agree. Just know I've got your back."

They spent the next few minutes organizing the daily receipts into their respective purses. Each enchanted purse was labeled with the account designations: Business Income, Profits, Taxes, Owners' Pay, and Operating Expenses. They split the coins between each purse, respectively, 5%, 15%, 30%, and 50%, the numbers Ilsa had suggested to start off with.

"For good measure," Justin said, "we've been covering company expenses out of our own pockets. Maybe we each need to contribute ten crowns to the operating expenses purse. Seed money."

"Ten crowns?" She sighed. "Yes, I see your point..."

Both did it. That should keep them operational for a long time, but hopefully, the investment would return tenfold. Or even a hundred or a thousand, thinking super long-term.

"All right," he said, "good luck with the potions."

"I'll need it. Have Tammy send down dinner when it's ready."

"Will do."

Justin left the office and, noticing his new leather journal, picked it up. It was a fine piece, made of black leather and silky parchment. Each journal came with a colorful quill and an ink bottle. Justin felt guilty about even considering forcing Ilsa into the Agreement, given her generosity and good faith, but he supposed he should get used to such conflicting feelings.

It had been naive to think he could start a business without making some tough decisions.

He stashed the purses in his own pack, knowing it was far safer than even the vault in the front showroom. He passed Ilsa on the stairs and mentioned his and Lila's capital investment for the ledger.

She nodded. "Got it. I'll get it noted immediately." Her face brightened with a smile that was becoming increasingly common these days. "I'm out for a few hours. Tammy's already got dinner ready."

Justin thanked her and went upstairs to join the others. As everyone ate, sharing their days with laughter, Justin realized he would miss this.

So, he resolved to enjoy it while it lasted.