30th April 1563

Annibale came to his office, finding Amara looking right at him. He knew why she was here. They were to talk about the terms of the loan. Beside her, a man clad in grey, with a greying mustache. Annibale could have admitted that he almost missed the man.

“They were both early, so don’t mind me if I’m serving them first?” Ezio asked, having already given them coffee.

“Not at all,” he said. Before he took a seat. The door swung open. This time, he knew it. His lawyer, or rather their lawyer. A woman, Signora Lombardi whom handled his inheritance, she was practicing it for nearly a decade by this point. Her cravat tucked neatly, her coat was for a man. Her hair pulled into a bun.

“Signora Endrizzi, and Signor Ricci.” Her deep brown eyes turned to them. She was stiff, and the man gave her a handshake. Before she took a seat, the suitcase she brought contained all the documents they would use.

“May I inquire where is Renata?” Amara asked, seeing that the merchant wasn’t here.

Annibale knew what was holding her up. “Renata is coming, she’s on her way. After she inspected her restaurant, something came up which took her time.”

“What about you?” Amara asked. “I mean, I did the same too, but Michaelangelo assured me he needn’t come and instead help to supervise the cafe.”

“I don’t need to visit my factories nearly as often, but I check upon them every week, and would rush over if there’s anything that I need to handle,” he said.

Amara turned to him. “Is it possible for us to talk about a deal for furniture?”

“Of course, isn’t that why you came to me?” He asked, knowing that there were others more suited to her. But she sought him out, perhaps understanding his connections.

Yes.” she smiled. “That is why I came to you. It was what you could offer me.”

Renata arrived at long last, clad entirely in wine red. A color that she wore incredibly. “I must apologise, for coming in late today.”

Then she joined. Signora Lombardi took out a stack of papers, putting it right on the table. “Here are the terms of the loan and raise any changes that you may want to make.”

Amara looked first, taking it and then talking to her lawyer.

Annibale took a cup of coffee before he looked at Renata, who looked unfazed after apologizing.

Most of it didn’t involve Annibale too much, mostly regarding the changes, the revisions. Signora Lombardi mostly handled it and checked with them both to make sure they agreed to them.

This deal was simple, with few terms other than the collateral for such a loan. Money that they needed, and with this, saw an increase in smaller businesses asking for them.

“Since this is the last round, they have no more revisions to suggest. Read through it, just to be sure that this is what you want?” Their lawyer asked them.

“Yes,” he said. Before he took his pen from his pocket, signing it right here on the dot. Renata did it after him.

“Thank you for your time, Signore Ricci,” Amara said.

“If you need anything, call me, Signora Endrizzi.” The man gave a smile before he left the room.

Signora took her suitcase to stand up and leave. “I guess it’s time for me to go, is there anything that you need to do, just come by my office.”

Renata gave him a look, mostly to tell him that he should ask her a question.

“I guess I may as well start, since the first step of your proposal that you needed was a renovation,” Annibale told him.

Renata drunk from her cup. No interest in partaking. “I’ll observe, and mostly to give you advice, if there is any need for it.”

“To get in more tables, renovate the bar. Give the interior a fresh look, I know that I don’t think I can really change the architecture. Nor would I consider it,” she said. She would lose an income for a couple of days, and if she changed the entire building, her home too. “I have recently repainted the entire room, mostly on my own.”

“So, you wish that I can help you out with that?” Annibale asked.

“Yes,” she said. He had gotten it with interest. Even as he did little to handle the renovation, most of it was singular pieces. But he had plenty of them who went beyond it, helping to bring them into homes or buildings and install them.

“I can give you a slight quotation in terms of how much each table and chair it would cost. But get an actual architect to give you a much better estimate on how to use this space,” he said. He didn’t wish to push too much, allowing her more of a chance to engage someone that she knew and could trust before she came to him.

Renata interrupted for the first time. “If you need it, I have my own contacts for renovating a restaurant or any establishment that served food.”

“I have a few of my own,” she answered. “Let me just get back to you, in a few days.”

This was something that he could agree upon. He had to meet with Emiliano eventually, mostly to help him.

“Good, maybe you would like to meet next week again?” He asked. To set a more certain date.

“Sounds good,” Amara said, before she left the room. Annibale heard the door close.

Renata stood up after they finished. “You did well.”

“Well, I learned to not tell them until they asked,” Annibale asked. “I have lost thousands that way.”

“And I told you that to earn a million dollars, be willing to lose a couple thousands first,” she said. He gave a smile already numb to this piece of advice, but it helped to pick himself up.

"Anyway, I’m going to take a leave now,” Renata said. “Is there anything else?”

She was asking out of curiosity, willing to lend a listening ear to any of his problems.

“I have someone that I need to see,” Annibale said.

“Is it for another investment?” She asked.

“No, not this time, instead I’m just taking the chance to help a friend review what he’s selling, which are shoes. I know that I shouldn’t do any of that, not when I don’t even know what I truly want,” he said. “And I kind of owe him for ignoring him quite a while.”

“I see,” Renata said. “So, any deals made from this?”

“Maybe, I can add on an extra pair of boots. That is the most,” Annibale said. He used them, more than any delicate shoes which were expensive but so readily ruined.

And he could not even afford to cut back the slightest on any shoes, instead sparing no expense in the functionality and comfort since he was going to run all over the country and even parts of Rancie.

The moment Renata left, Emiliano came into the room. He was much shorter than Annibale, being just an inch taller than his sister. With dark hair, a bright smile. He walked into the room, carrying a bag that without a doubt contained the shoes.

“How did the contract signing go?” Emiliano asked, Annibale having told him everything in the letters.

“I just loaned money to a cafe, and I have business to help her redesign her shop. Mostly since she heard good things about me.”

“Glad to see that work out,” Emiliano said with a sip. “So, are you going to do it for free?”

“Probably,” he said. “Besides, I can see some potential. It’s a rather quaint place, but great in the atmosphere. Although she would need to make sure she doesn’t lose her clients. But glad that she is thinking of it before it comes to her.”

“Wait, so her shop is falling apart?” Emiliano asked.

“Kind of, it’s an old shop, inherited from her father,” he told him.

“That’s a good thing to know. But let us start.” Emiliano took out a pair of boots. Plain, with little decoration. “I assumed that you’ll like this most. Since you wear shoes with no decoration.”

“Well, I guess you’re already after my heart, decoration tends not to last well. I learned that the hard way,” he said.

“Is that why you threw away the shoes back in your last year?”

“I was returning, found mud. And I got rid of it to avoid any punishment for cleanliness. And after that, to find that it is all but destroyed, so no,” Annibale explained. Before he felt the shoes. “You’re really after my money, aren’t you?”

Emiliano gave a grin. He was always good at understanding and expecting people, which he always attributed to growing up with three brothers and two more sisters. “About a hundred lire.”

“Actually, can I get a pair? Annibale asked. “I have been putting it off, but this is a good deal.”

“I got the cost to around half, without changing the price. Mostly since I had gotten enough volume to buy the material in bulk.”

“I guess it’s congratulations on making more profit,” he said. “What is it you wish me to help you about?”

“I have no idea how to manage the shoemakers,” he said. “I know that I can do it, but I have gotten more and I’m struggling to keep them all happy. I have ten now, and I’m just worn each day checking on them all.”

“While I manage around twenty carpenters and it’s still growing,” Annibale said. “Are you doing it entirely on your own?”

“Yes,” Emiliano admitted it.

“If you did that, it would have been a definite that it would overwhelm you. I never do it too. By that point, I usually have someone who knows everyone and they can agree upon to help, they are happy, and eventually I promote them,” he said.

“What if I’m not in any shape to promote them?” He asked. “Promote them, and I think that it may end badly. They’re mostly quite prideful and unwilling to put in such work.”

That was a true issue. Push them too hard, they would feel underappreciated. “I think it’s being more understanding, giving them more leeway. Then, also speaking about a better deal that they will get in exchange for this. That’s how I did it too.”

Emiliano gave a groan. “It just never seems to be the right time, and not to mention, the fights that some of them can get into. So far, I have one that is creating a lot of havoc, mostly since he earns so much that he puts other down.”

“You should fire him, if he’s giving you that much trouble.”

“If I do, two others would go with them. I like them, and they’re actually quite crucial. So far, I have tried to talk to him.” He crossed his arms. “I really don’t want to fire him.”

“But what would happen if you don’t,” Annibale said, taking a sip. There was a lot more. “Well, the consideration that they would be usually just an assumption. It would depend on the person, they say they will follow, but it may be an empty threat since they may still rely on your income.”

Emiliano looked at Annibale, understanding that his friend gave him advice. That he wasn’t powerless to do anything other than to accept. Annibale leaned forward. “Both of us made their income possible. This is the most important thing, and why most of them would not leave if you didn’t fire them.”

Emiliano gave a smile, gladly thanking the advice. There was something that Annibale couldn’t come clean to anyone else, but he felt as though he could.

“There is something you’re wrestling with?” Emiliano asked his friend.

Annibale stopped, he didn’t enjoy letting himself go, open his character.. But Emiliano was a friend he trusted. “I have achieved everything that I need to live upon, but after that, I don’t know where I need to set my horizons next. And so far, the advice I have taken is to do nothing and explore what matters to me..”

“I get it,” he said. “I chose this when I decided that I had to go to Marallo. It was just me making the choice to explore a little. And eventually, I found a struggling shoemaker there, and I helped him make his first sale. He’s the one I trust the most.”

Annibale heard the story with interest, something that he realised too.

“Maybe that’s what you need,” he gave a grin. Annibale didn’t like the look of it. But he had been more than willing to tolerate this as an idea.

“Perhaps,” Annibale said. He wasn’t sure that he wanted that with any immediacy either. It was an idea in his head. “I can’t since I agreed for the cafe to get a remodelling.”

“I see, it’s a good thing, it’s rather old, anyway. Nothing personal against it, but it just looks so old when compared to everything else there. And I guess that it’s a good thing that they partnered with you after all,” Emiliano said. “So, I think you just need a few days off somewhere else.”

Or, he could just go a little more with the work that he had done so far. Maybe it was just seeing what drew him to this. To him, there was always an element of just wanting to make it on his own. He was never a bright child, never suited for the academics and even less for politics.

Instead, he found business to be where he belonged. And unlike many, his mother never looked down upon such work.

But Emiliano had it right, he had to live a little. Go beyond just what he knew. He agreed to attend a meeting, but maybe he could sneak in one more thing. One more thing that could allow himself to move forward with this.

“Thanks,” he said. “Where would be you recommendation?”

“Not anywhere near your home,” he said. “I mean, Marallo seems too much like work to me What about Nexia?”

He raised his eyebrow. Then, thinking that it may not be a bad idea initially. The city was scenic, even as it was no longer much importance. It was an empire without an emperor, ruling by trade instead of by power. It stretched them across the many islands.

And now, it was in a way reduced to a museum.

“Maybe ask whether Baldassare would be interested in the prospect?” He asked. This would need a lot more planning. But he supposed that it was better than to keep this open, only to realise that it was worse for him to open than it was for him to just admit defeat and close.

“I could check with him,” Annibale said. Before he raised his eyes, looking at Emiliano.

Emilian beamed, as though his mind was far away from here. “I’m interested in meeting someone there.”

Ezio had an appointment for him, the first time he was going to meet with his sister.

“I think it’s a fine, now you have to excuse me, I have to see my sister,” he said. Emiliano nodded, already having gotten plenty of advice.

Annibale took his coat, then leaving to join his sister quite close by. Near the theater, from her own words. Amaranta sat at the table, staring at him. Before he remembered what it was. “I don’t really know, but these are all really distant connections.”

But for Amaranta she accepted it. “Anyway, I can’t really choose. But thank you. Is there anything that I can do?”

“If you had the choice, would you go to Nexia or Marallo?”

“Nexia, I spent half my childhood there. For you, I think either of them would work,” Amaranta answered.

“I guess I know where I’m going for a vacation,” he said, taking a fork up.

“I guess you deserved it,” Amaranta said.