All in Charisma (A LitRPG/Isekai Adventure)

That afternoon, their membership had grown to over twenty customers, and to Justin, it seemed that all were taking full advantage of their unlimited delivery guarantee.

It was sheer chaos, and it was clear that without Rinna perfecting the map enchantments, the business would not be scalable unless they hired more couriers. Each time a bronze charm lit up, someone had to check the address, match it to a location, plan a route, and then sprint across the city.

The system worked, but barely.

With Lila, Ardabel, and Rinna locked in the workshop—Lila frantically brewing potions while Ardabel guided her technique and Rinna focused on her enchanting table—Alistair, Ilsa, and Justin handled deliveries. Even Rita was enlisted; although her Aranthian was still spotty, they desperately needed the help.

Justin realized that some customers would be problematic. A few "serial summoners" received their deliveries, then summoned again ten minutes later while the original courier was still trudging back to headquarters. Of course, Justin had to oblige—this was the nature of the business he had chosen. Once they established delivery zones, it should become much less of an issue.

But for now, it was a logistical nightmare. For the first time, customers had to wait more than a few hours, resulting in several complaints.

Justin and his couriers had nothing but weak responses about "working out the kinks."

While Lila had become the bottleneck for Rhythmic Barrage potions, Rinna was the bottleneck for operational efficiency. Justin didn't want to pressure her, but until she solved the mapping integration, it was a game of survival.

Even so, the orders kept streaming in, flashing through his interface with relentless persistence.

[Order for 20 coppers!]

[Order for 1.2 silvers!]

[Order for 78 coppers!]

[Order for 5 coppers!]

The income was adding up quickly, not just from the delivery service but also from walk-in customers. Justin noticed a steady stream of female varkiss from the neighborhood trickling in throughout the day, all purchasing scale-shine elixirs and warming draughts, often adding other sundries they needed. Those walk-ins alone contributed an additional six silvers to the business.

Around three o'clock, Ilsa returned from a delivery, red-faced and panting as if she had been running. They had shifted to solo deliveries—just for today and only to established customers—due to their stretched resources. Almost immediately, she was handed nine more Rhythmic Barrage potions to deliver to the Archers from yesterday.

"I can't keep this pace up," she gasped, gratefully accepting an energy tonic from Tammy. "I must have walked and run twelve miles today!"

Justin was winded from his own deliveries, but unlike Ilsa, he benefited from enhanced Power and Endurance due to his class progression.

"Hang in there," he said encouragingly. "Help is on the way."

After a few minutes of rest, she shouldered her pack with determination and was off again.

"She's remarkably dedicated," Alistair observed, his cheeks flushed from exertion. "But we should be getting a visitor soon who could help."

"A visitor?"

"He said he'd be here around 3:15."

"Who?"

"Mr. Talemaker!" Tammy called from the front. "Someone's here to see you!"

Justin hurried to the showroom to find a swarthy, middle-aged man with dark hair streaked with gray, a full beard, and earnest brown eyes. He was dressed in practical laborer's clothes and well-worn boots that suggested heavy use.

"Mr. Talemaker?" he asked, extending a calloused hand. "Pallas Siderakis. I'm here for the interview."

Interview? Alistair must have arranged it, but Justin apparently missed that detail.

Justin assessed him with his Insightful Gaze, reading equal parts honesty and desperation in the man's weathered features. He was clearly a hard worker, but life had not been kind to him. More importantly, he desperately needed this job—which could make him either completely loyal or potentially unreliable if a better offer came along.

"You're hired for a silver a day, with one condition: you agree to a non-disclosure regarding our business model."

"Of course," Pallas replied without hesitation. "A silver a day—yes, that's more than fair. I'll gladly agree to confidentiality for steady employment. Full day's work, I take it?"

Justin nodded. "Yes. Plus, all employees receive quarterly bonuses based on performance."

"That sounds excellent, Mr. Talemaker. I agree to everything."

Justin invoked his Gentleman's Agreement skill, watching as Pallas's eyes widened at the magical display. He quickly drafted terms that ensured Pallas could not share any business secrets with outsiders while employed at Summon & Supply. Additionally, Pallas would handle all transactions with customers and the business fairly, with the restriction on information sharing extending for one full year after leaving.

Going beyond a year felt too draconian, and by then, he was sure people would understand the basic concept anyway.

"Sounds fair," Pallas said firmly. "I'm an honest man, Mr. Talemaker, so I have no reason to object. I agree."

The Gentleman's Agreement sealed their pact in a flash of golden light.

"Welcome aboard, Mr. Siderakis. Talk to Alistair," Justin said. "He'll explain our system. We need help. Badly."

"Thank you, sir. You won't regret this decision."

Within minutes, Pallas was briefed on their operation, his eyes wide with amazement at the setup.

"This is marvelous," he said, examining one of the summoning charms. "An ingenious concept. How has no one thought to do this before?"

"Sometimes it just takes the right person at the right time," Justin replied enigmatically.

"I see why you needed that confidentiality agreement. If the Aurelians got wind of this..." He shook his head grimly. "Never mind that. I'm ready to make my first delivery."

"Normally, new couriers would be shadowed for the first few days to learn our processes," Justin explained. "But we'll limit that to one training run."

"Fair enough," Pallas said. "You won't regret hiring me. I've been doing this for years. If anything, this tracking system makes my job easier."

"Let's get this delivery done," Alistair said, shouldering his pack. "Come on, I'll show you the route."

The two men departed, leaving Justin with a moment of uncertainty. For the first time, he had hired someone outside their original crew. To scale properly, he would need to expand the team, which meant trusting in people's fundamental decency while remaining vigilant. It was a tricky balance to maintain.

At some point, he realized he'd need Rinna to enchant each courier's pack to connect with the main map, allowing them to track not just customer locations but also their delivery personnel's positions in real time.

By closing time, the day's orders had generated 1.5 gold in revenue—a steady performance mostly due to Lila's Rhythmic Barrage potions, which practically sold themselves the moment they finished brewing. Sales of their remaining inventory also showed respectable growth.

At their end-of-day meeting, Justin introduced Pallas Siderakis to the team. "We have a new employee: Pallas Siderakis. He's from the neighborhood and is an experienced courier who will be a great asset."

Pallas nodded graciously as the others welcomed him warmly.

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"Pallas, tell us a bit about yourself," Justin said. "We're new to the area, but I understand you've lived here for years."

Pallas nodded. "Aye, Mudside's been my home all my life. I've heard the bells of Saint Muriel since I was a lad." He shrugged modestly. "As for me, I prefer to keep my head down and do good work. I used to be an adventurer when I was young, but I gave up that life years ago. It's not sustainable for a man with responsibilities."

Justin noted that while Pallas claimed to have once been an adventurer, he had no class designation. His Insightful Gaze detected no deception in the man's words, which made it a mystery. Justin wondered if it was possible for someone to lose their class. It was unimaginable, but he refrained from asking.

"Anyway, I went into business for myself after that, trying to do something similar to what you're doing now. But I was working mostly alone, relying on my own contacts." His expression darkened. "Cross the wrong people, and suddenly your business contacts dry up overnight."

"The Guild?" Justin asked.

Pallas shook his head. "Never mind that, Mr. Talemaker. I'm grateful for this opportunity and will work hard every day. I know this city better than most—every street, every shortcut, every safe route. I'm fast, professional, and courteous. You'll be glad you hired me."

Justin nodded approvingly. "And we're grateful you're here. It will certainly ease the burden on our other couriers."

After distributing the day's wages, Pallas and Ardabel headed home while the others settled into their evening routines around the building.

Lila and Justin retreated to the office to debrief privately.

"Good day," Justin said, showing her the enchanted ledger's comprehensive report of April 5th's activities.

"Very good day," Lila agreed, beginning to sort the coins into their various operational purses. "Pallas seems like a good hire."

"I know he's a solid choice," Justin said confidently. "I'm glad I took Insightful Gaze as a boon. He's honest, though clearly guarded about his past."

"Which we should respect," Lila said. "I assume you secured an agreement with him?"

Justin nodded. "Yes. He accepted the terms without complaint."

"Which brings us back to Ilsa. Have you had more time to consider the situation?"

"I have," Justin admitted. "If she requires an agreement, then everyone else needs to be bound by the same terms. It's not fair to single her out. We need a comprehensive contract that applies to all employees equally—no favorites, no targeting without cause."

"That makes sense," Lila replied. "You heard what Pallas mentioned about the Aurelians. He seemed genuinely concerned that they, or families like them, would find our operation... interesting. Maybe the Aurelians can't directly interfere because of your truce with Count Aurelian, but that doesn't prevent other businesses or noble houses from taking action."

Justin recognized the implications. "Exactly. Our biggest competitive advantage is the summoning charm system. From everything we've observed, this seems like a completely novel business concept. Given our rapid scaling and customer word-of-mouth, it's only a matter of time before we attract unwanted attention."

"So how do we prepare for that reality?"

"Universal agreements among all employees are essential, I think." He frowned thoughtfully. "But before we continue this discussion, I believe we should include Alistair in future meetings, since this business was originally conceived as a funding mechanism for our mission against Valdrik."

Lila gave him a knowing smile. "Is that really what it still is, Justin?"

He understood her implication immediately. "On paper, yes. But our original purpose is evolving beyond our initial plans, isn't it?"

"It was never a solid foundation to begin with. We came here to investigate the conspiracy Valdrik is part of, not just to find ways to eliminate him personally. We were supposed to learn about the Cult of Morvath and their broader plans. So far, we haven't uncovered anything substantial. We're supposed to have monthly check-ins with the Templars, but how will they react when we report no progress? They're paying us a gold crown monthly for our intelligence work, but we've accomplished essentially nothing."

"We've been completely absorbed by the business," Justin admitted.

"Which they might view as either a distraction from our real mission or, at best, simply a cover for operations we're not actually conducting."

"Meaning our business doesn't technically need to be profitable from their perspective. It just needs to provide an excuse and an operational base for investigating the conspiracy."

"Exactly. And we've done virtually nothing to advance that objective, essentially fooling ourselves into thinking that building a successful business was equivalent to our actual assignment."

Justin had to acknowledge Lila's point. "The only intelligence work I've done is cultivate a few noble connections—the Corrins, some contacts from the masquerade, and that brief encounter with Count Aurelian. That has to count for something. Besides, how can we be expected to root out Death Worshippers without careful infiltration? Lila, we've been here only a couple of weeks, and we've already established a profitable operation. That's real progress."

"I suppose you're right," she conceded. "The business is important, obviously. I'm actually enjoying this challenge despite the pressure, and I love few things more than making money. But at the same time, I'm starting to lose sight of why we're actually here."

"The key, as I see it, is to establish the business on solid ground with systems that can operate independently. Once proven systems are in place, we can step back strategically. I've been thinking about Ilsa and how reliable she has proven to be. Especially once all our employees are bound by official agreements, she can transition into a more managerial role."

"Not a bad idea," Lila replied, "but we're still a ways from that happening."

"Of course. Of everyone, though, she is stepping up the most. Rinna is also contributing, but her focus is more on the enchanting work. As for our mission, I know some of those nobles have extended invitations to me, but so far, nothing has materialized. I've also done little to maintain contact with the Corrins."

Or Lady Myrelle, for that matter. Justin felt mildly guilty about that neglect, but with everything happening, romantic complications seemed inadvisable. Besides, it wasn't as if he were deliberately ignoring her—her summoning charm had remained unactivated the entire time they'd been operational.

"Regarding Ilsa and the rest of our staff," Justin continued, "our next priority is to establish standard agreements to ensure that none of them can even consider sharing our secrets with outsiders and to protect our cash flow. They are good people, but even good people can be tempted. Not a single copper has gone missing since we opened, but we can't trust future employees to the same extent. Everyone must operate under the same standard."

"I agree," Lila said. "In fact, Pallas is already under an agreement, while no one else is."

"Let's figure that out over the next few days. I can approach each employee individually since I can only invoke the skill once a day. Once that's in place, we can begin promotions. Rinna will receive her raise, and Ilsa will get both her increase and the Scholar class."

"You still have the core, right?" Lila asked.

Justin nodded. "Among many others. In theory, we have enough cores here for everyone to advance, though I'm not sure what everyone's core attribute is. This could also make deliveries more efficient: if they gain a few levels, our best couriers won't need protection because they can provide it for themselves."

"Everything is accelerating so rapidly," Lila said. "And I suspect, especially considering our discussion about the Templars and Valdrik, that Alistair needs to be part of these evening meetings in the future. Because this isn't just about business success, is it? We need to stay focused on our larger objectives, or we'll get lost in the weeds."

"You're absolutely right," Justin agreed. "Tomorrow, we'll bring him fully into the loop and update him on everything we've discussed." He paused thoughtfully. "In today's chaos, I forgot to mention the Jester's enchantment I received..."

After explaining the magical message he had sent to Eldrin, Lila's eyes widened in surprise. "So he could actually be coming here?"

"He knows our location now," Justin confirmed, "assuming that message worked as advertised. How quickly he can travel here depends entirely on his business back home. But something tells me he isn't ready to abandon the fight against Valdrik either. He understands that the stakes involve more than just a single necromancer—there's a wider conspiracy if the Templars' intelligence is accurate."

"Yes," Lila said. "But Justin, that enchantment you received... is it truly random? It seems remarkably convenient, doesn't it?"

The thought had certainly crossed Justin's mind. He recalled the Keeper's warning in Zanthera to "tread carefully," suspecting it might have been the Creator's direct intervention. The Creator could actually be aware of his activities. Then there was Ashralok, who had teased him about being the Creator's "Golden Boy."

Justin didn't want to admit that the Creator was taking a special interest in him, but he did possess a Prismatic Core. More than once, he had been told that it granted him a unique connection, providing access to better loot and enhanced abilities at level-up.

If so, was that perfectly timed message to Eldrin pure coincidence, or part of some larger design of the System or the Creator itself? It was an uncomfortable question to consider.

"It does seem suspiciously convenient," Justin agreed. "But at the same time, I've genuinely missed having him around. He always had insights that neither of us would have considered."

"Of course that's true," Lila said. "Well, I suppose it's his decision now. The gods know I could use his expertise in the workshop."

There was that practical angle as well. "All right. Let's include Alistair in our strategic meetings. I can brief him tonight, and we can start fresh tomorrow."

"Sounds good," Lila said. "Also, I've been considering our inventory situation. We've been relying on Ardabel's initial stock, but he also has extensive knowledge of local suppliers. Not just Meridian, but dozens of other sources with which we could build relationships. We need to start establishing our own supplier network and arranging regular deliveries."

"That job had Ilsa written all over it," Justin said. "I've noticed she's not particularly happy doing deliveries. We also need more aether crystals. Rinna's experimentation consumes a lot, and, of course, maintaining Atlas is expensive."

"Many factors to consider," Lila replied. "It'll be several weeks before we can accurately assess our needs, especially if business continues expanding at this rate. Fortunately, we have reserves for major expenses."

Justin nodded. "I'm glad we're finally having this comprehensive discussion, partner."

Lila smiled. "It's overwhelming, but that new boon you acquired should definitely enhance our decision-making capabilities." She frowned thoughtfully. "It's rather ironic, actually. To the Templars, we're supposed to be just a front operation—the justification for our presence here. But what do you call it when the cover business becomes more profitable than anyone ever imagined?"

Justin chuckled. "I believe the technical term is 'accidentally successful.' Though I prefer to think of it as 'strategic pivot with unexpected market validation.'"

"Very entrepreneurial of you," Lila said, amused. "Well, whatever we call it, we need to ensure it doesn't overshadow our real mission. The last thing we need is for the Templars to think we've gone into business for ourselves and forgotten about Valdrik entirely."

"Agreed." Justin stood and stretched. "For now, though, I think we've earned some rest. Tomorrow brings new challenges."

As they prepared to close the office, Justin sensed they were at a crossroads. Success in business was one thing, but achieving their true mission would require a different strategy.

The question was whether they could manage both without compromising either.