"Now then," Lady Z said, settling back into her chair with a businesslike air. "Let's discuss the practical aspects of your new position."
She gestured to a map of Elkrim that materialized from an Artifact on the table between them—not a standard city map, but one annotated with colored zones, routes, and symbols that clearly represented the Dark Commerce District's infrastructure.
"Your legitimate business, Helt's Scrollworks, will serve multiple functions for us," Z began, her finger tracing patterns on the map. "First and most obviously, it provides a front for laundering currency. We move significant amounts of wealth through illegal channels—stolen goods, contraband sales, protection payments. That currency needs to enter the legitimate economy without attracting investigation."
Rey leaned forward, studying the map with genuine interest.
"And my shop provides that entry point."
