Medusa's Gaze

As the weeks passed, the renovations were beginning to take shape. The exterior of the building was now clean and appealing, with fresh paint. The interior of the tavern was nothing short of grandeur with polished counters, comfortable seating areas, and a stage for nightly entertainment.

The top floor had been renovated into cozy living quarters for employees, but with an added touch, a few luxurious rooms that could be rented out to wealthy patrons. Maximus had seen this as a way of further ensuring a constant flow of income.

News of a new tavern that was being built spread throughout Volantis, drawing curious onlookers and potential patrons who were eager to see the new establishment. Maximus capitalized on this interest by advertising an opening night party where all would be welcome.

The opening night party was planned to be a spectacle, one that would help establish the reputation of his establishment. Maximus bought chefs from the system and arranged for food and drinks of the finest quality to be served and bought some musicians along with their instruments to provide lively entertainment.

Once the tavern was fully established, he completed his quest and received his rewards of 1x Powerful Character summon 10,000 system points. The powerful character summon that he received was a character named Arin who had some great skills and abilities that Maximus could use in this moment.

[Name: Arin (No house name)]

Skills/abilities:

-Skilled Manager

-Persuasive

-Charming

-High Intelligence

-Master Swordsman (One-Handed)

-Fast regeneration

-Quick reflexes

Arin looked to be in his mid-30s and was wearing some exquisite light armor that gave him the appearance of a wealthy person.

(Arin's Image Here)

Maximus was glad that he summoned Arin as this was exactly whom he needs right now, somebody who could handle his business for him, while he travelled to the other free cities.

Within his room on the top floor of the tavern, Arin had appeared in front of Maximus kneeling on one knee. "My Lord, I am yours to command."

Maximus looked down at the kneeling figure and nodded, extending a hand to pull Arin to his feet. "Rise, Arin. I am Maximus, and we will be working closely for the foreseeable future so please call me Maximus"

Arin rose, his eyes taking in every detail of his new environment. "What are my duties, Maximus?" he asked.

"I need you to manage this establishment," Maximus said, as he took Arin downstairs to see the tavern. "I won't be here all the time. I plan to travel to other cities in the future and will leave the business in your capable hands."

"Will you also create taverns in those cities as well." asked Arin. Hearing his question, Maximus smiled since he did in fact plan to establish one of his taverns in each free city and eventually in Westeros as well.

"Yes," Maximus confirmed, a spark in his eyes. "This is only the beginning, Arin. I want to create a network of taverns, each as grand and glorious as this one here. And you, Arin, will be the one holding everything together."

Arin nodded, taking on the weight of responsibility with grace and composure. "I understand, Maximus. You can trust me on this."

Feeling relief at Arin's words, Maximus could see that with a capable manager like him at the helm of his first establishment, he would be free to move forward with his plans for eventually creating his own empire in this world. He had thought long and hard about whether he wanted to establish a Kingdom or an Empire and finally decided to establish an empire.

The days leading up to the grand opening passed in a blur of activity. The buzz around Volantis grew louder as word spread about the luxurious new tavern that was soon to open its doors. People from all walks of life were intrigued, from merchants and traders looking for a new place to unwind after a hard day's work to the nobles seeking a new locale to discuss their clandestine affairs. The upper-class were enticed by whispers of the opulent rooms available on the top floor, while the commoners were attracted by the promise of hearty meals and merry entertainment.

And while he didn't like the idea of Slavery, there was nothing that he could do now to change how people were treated in Essos. Instead, he opted to take advantage of buy some slaves to use as waitresses. While they would be considered his slaves, in his eyes, they would be free people who are simply working for them. They will be provided with all their needs and eventually receive some education as Maximus wanted them to be smart and knowledgeable about certain things.

In this time, he had also purchased another building close to his current one which would be where the staff of his tavern lived. The praetorian guards that he originally got would be the guards of both the tavern and the residence building. However, they weren't enough, so he summoned the 20x Roman legionaries that he was rewarded to make up for this.

These new additions were instantly dispatched to their roles. The praetorian guards would remain with Maximus as his guards, while the Roman legionaries would be in charge of protecting the tavern and the staff residential building. Maximus wanted to trouble to befall his establishments, not while he was still setting his roots in Volantis.

The day of the grand opening arrived amid much anticipation. From the early hours of the morning, a crowd had already begun gathering outside the building.

Maximus had taken off his armor and coat and had just worn his suit, which would surely catch the attention of most of the people in the tavern as a suit was something that was not invented yet within this world.

Meanwhile Arin was already speaking to the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen," he began, his voice filling every corner of the room. "Welcome to Medusa's Gaze. I hope you enjoy your time spent here and I assure you that we will leave no stone unturned to make sure you have an unforgettable experience." His charismatic words ignited excited murmurs among the crowd and applause broke out after Arin ended his speech.

For the next few hours, the tavern was a flurry of activity. Waitresses. dressed in elegant uniforms, weaved through the crowd with trays of food and drinks. The food was made by chefs summoned from the system who had great master class skills in cooking making the food and drinks exceptional and exquisite.

Musicians on the stage played a range of tunes; from lively jigs to soulful ballads that had a few noble couples swaying on the makeshift dance floor.

In a separate corner of the room, Arin held court. His natural charm and wit drew many towards him. He conversed easily with patrons, answering their queries about the tavern or simply exchanging pleasantries. The crowd clearly loved him, his charismatic ability to put people at ease coming handy.

Maximus watched it all from a distance, a satisfied smile playing on his lips. He mingled with his guests, shaking hands and making polite conversation. Some recognized him as the owner of this fine establishment while others did not - not that it mattered to Maximus.

In another part of the tavern, the Roman legionaries stood guard. They were imposing figures in their armor, and they ensured that no one caused any trouble. The presence of these trained soldiers provided an extra sense of security and orderliness to the place, and the patrons appreciated it.

Among the guests that evening were influential figures of Volantis. They marveled at the tavern, which was unlike anything they had ever seen. The rich tapestries hung on the walls, the gleaming wooden floors, and chandeliers created an atmosphere of warmth and grandeur.

The night continued like this as the profit that Maximus received was a tremendous amount for his first opening. Now that he had a place to provide him with a steady income, he could start increasing the size of his army and expand his business to other cities to make even more profit.

Eventually, once the time was right, he would use the system to build a brand-new city that would become his capital and the place he launches his military campaigns from.