"Then you have my attention," Lysandra said, folding her hands on the desk. "And my support. Where do you want the factory?"
"I'd like your help acquiring one of the old workshops near the city's edge. They're just sitting empty."
"That's true..." Lysandra tapped a polished fingernail on the desk. "They were tanneries once. But the smell was so bad people complained. No one's touched them in years."
"I'll pay for all repairs and cleaning," Kael said. "All I ask is your approval—and maybe some help with the paperwork."
"You'll hire locals?"
"Yup, as many as I can. I want to build something stable. I'll train them too. Ginip could be known for more than small adventurers and wildland traders. Quality products, dependable work. That's the goal."
That earned a rare smile from the mayor—one not just polite but genuine.
"Kael, you might be the first merchant I've met who talks about helping the city without asking for a tax cut."
