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In total, his winnings that night amounted to 1,706 dollars and 14 cents. A staggering haul. But it came with risks. People might start thinking he was a cheat or worse. He stood up, raised his arms, and shouted over the din, "Drinks on me, folks! Everyone gets a round!"
That was all it took.
The crowd consisting of patrons and working girls immediately went wild.
Whooping, hollering, glasses slamming, and laughter erupting. Caleb made his way to Mr. Douglas and handed him 200 dollars in cash straight from his earnings.
"That should cover everyone," he said.
Mr. Douglas nodded, looking both surprised and impressed. "You sure know how to keep people loyal. Hell, you keep doin' that, no one will care how often you win."
Caleb gave a modest shrug, though a smile tugged at his lips.
It wasn't just about celebration. It was insurance.
And the more people loved him, the safer his growing venture would be.
He leaned back on the bar, drink in hand, scanning the crowd.
He spotted three of the men he'd been eyeing earlier, one carpenter, one wagon builder, and another who worked with the lumberyard. All of them were watching him with newfound respect.
After taking a sip of his drink, Caleb asked Mr. Douglas the name of the three men before giving a slight nod to Mr. Douglas and then turned his attention toward the back of the saloon where the three men he'd noticed earlier sat.
The carpenter named George Colton, was a sturdy fellow with a thick beard and rough hands. Then the wagon builder was named Seth Mahoney, he is slim but strong, his fingers stained with oil and ash. And lastly, the lumber worker was named Elias Boone was a quiet and wiry man.
When the three men noticed Caleb approaching, their expressions shifted from casual to surprised, then to something between awe and disbelief. It wasn't every day the town's rising star walked right toward them.
Caleb stopped at their table, tipping his hat lightly. "Evenin', gents. Mind if I join you? Got a little work proposition I was hopin' to talk over."
The carpenter, George, blinked. "Well now... Caleb Thorne wants to talk business with us? Reckon we can make time for the Poker King and Hero of Valentine."
Seth let out a low whistle and chuckled. "You sure we're the ones you're lookin' for, Mr. Thorne?"
"Reckon the three of you are," Caleb said with a smile.
Elias gave a small nod, "We're listenin'."
Caleb motioned upstairs with his chin. "Place is too loud for proper talkin'. Follow me."
The three men stood, leaving behind their half finished drinks, and followed Caleb through the crowd and up the big stairs to the second floor.
While not silent as there were a couple of working girls entertaining clients in the corners and a drunk rancher snoring against the railing, the din from below was muted enough that they could hold a proper conversation without shoutin'. They found a quiet spot near the railing, and Caleb leaned in.
"Alright. Here's what I need. I'm settin' up a food stall to sell some kind of food, something different. Gonna put it to the left of the stables, where it was empty and has no trees to cut off. Now, I don't want just a booth. I'm lookin' to build a proper structure. A shed for the cookin' area, no roof, no flooring, just high walls so that people could see what was inside, and a counter openin' toward the street. Around the shed, there's an open space. Then I want five tables, four chairs to each. Twenty total. Somewhere folks can sit and eat right there."
The three men leaned back in their chairs, taking in the idea.
"So you want it outdoors but structured," George repeated, stroking his beard. "Not a restaurant, but not just a stall either."
"Exactly. And I need it to look good. Clean. Eye catchino, but simple enough to build in a short time."
Seth rubbed his jaw. "Well, I'll need to handle the counter and the wagon pulled storage for your supplies. Elias here would help with the lumber and wood prep. George, he's the main carpenter. He'll lead the work."
Caleb nodded. "Good. And I ain't leavin' it to you blind. I'll be there every step, to make sure it turns out like I imagine it."
George narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "Labor and materials... let me think. Good lumber for tables? Iron nails? That cookin' area'll need a stone base for the fire..."
The three murmured among themselves for a moment. After a bit, George turned to Caleb. "Figure it'll run you about 400 dollars. Give or take."
Caleb blinked. That was higher than he had anticipated. He folded his arms. Time to negotiate.
"400 dollars, huh? You sure that ain't padded for bein' late night saloon talk?"
George snorted. "We ain't drunk, Caleb. But I get it. Tell you what. We like you, and this is a hell of a project. We'll shave it down to 350 dollars."
Caleb offered his hand. "You got yourself a deal."
They shook hands one by one, sealing the agreement.
"Pleasure doin' business with you, Mr. Thorne," Elias said, eyes gleaming with something more than business. Pride, maybe. Excitement.
"Same here," Seth added. "You got somethin' real on your hands."
George smiled. "We'll swing by the hotel if we need you. We can start prep for the materials tomorrow."
"Good," Caleb said. "Lookin' forward to seein' it take shape."
With the deal done, Caleb excused himself and returned downstairs.
The saloon was still alive with laughter and merriment. Patrons were deep in celebration, fueled by Caleb's generosity. He spent the next few hours socializing, exchanging jokes, stories, and shaking countless hands. Some men raised glasses to him. Working girls blew kisses. Strangers asked if he was hiring. Others just clapped him on the back.
But eventually, even kings had to rest.
When the hour turned late and the music began to wind down, Caleb tipped his hat one last time and left the saloon, boots heavy from the day.
The cool night air met him on the street. Valentine had quieted down, but in Caleb's heart, things were only just beginning.
He made his way to the hotel, climbed the stairs, and collapsed into bed, boots kicked off at the door before sleep soon took over him.
Morning came too soon. Caleb woke with the sun, his head throbbing faintly from last night's drinking. After a quick splash of water on his face on the water basin inside the room, he goes to do his morning exercise of stretching, calisthenics, push ups, and sit ups to clear the throbbing of his head.
After his morning workout of stretches, calisthenics, push ups, and sit ups, Caleb took a moment to roll his shoulders and breathe in deeply through the window of his hotel room. The air smelled faintly of pine and horses, but it was clean and brisk.
The throbbing from last night's drink had dulled to nothing now, thanks to his physical routine. He walked over to his satchel, opened it, and pulled out a thick wad of cash, his winnings from the previous night. From it, he carefully counted out 1,250 dollars and slid it into his inventory system.
That left him with 748 dollars and 1 cent inside his satchel. Enough to cover the rest of what he needed today.
Caleb then headed downstairs to the hotel lobby, greeting the sleepy clerk with a warm smile and a tip of his hat. "Hot bath ready this morning?"
"Just prepped it earlier," the clerk replied. "25 cents."
Caleb placed a quarter on the counter and walked out the back where the bathing rooms were located. Inside, steam drifted up from the large copper tub filled with bubbling, fragrant water. He stripped down, folding his Vaquero outfit neatly over a nearby bench.
He stepped into the water, exhaling sharply as the heat enveloped his tired muscles. Sinking deeper, he let out a sigh. The soreness in his shoulders and back from days of preparation and poker tension began to melt away.
He scrubbed himself down thoroughly, then reclined in the tub for several minutes, his eyes closed, letting the warmth work its magic. Eventually, when the water started to cool, Caleb climbed out, toweled off, and dressed once more in his polished Vaquero attire.
When he stepped back into the hotel lobby, he immediately spotted them, George Colton, Elias Boone, and Seth Mahoney. All three men were standing or leaning on. the front desk, chatting quietly until they noticed Caleb.
"Mornin', Mr. Thorne," George greeted with a grin.
"Mornin', gentlemen. You boys move fast." Caleb replied, smiling warmly.
George chuckled, rubbing his beard. "Sun's up, money's waitin'. No sense dawdlin'."
Elias on the other hand nodded politely, and Seth gave a half wave. George straightened then up. "Before we start headin' out to gather materials, thinkin' it'd be good to ask for some advance payment. We'll need it to get the right lumber, nails, hinges, and such."
"Fair enough," Caleb said. He reached into his coat, pulled out a bundle of notes, and counted out 175 dollars, exactly half of the agreed upon 350 dollars.
"That's half up front," Caleb said, handing the money over. "I'm trustin' y'all to get the good stuff for it. Nothin' cheap and cut corners."
George accepted the money with a firm nod. "You got our word. Best materials Valentine's has to offer. Honest work for honest pay, Caleb"
"I'll wait for y'all here," Caleb added, tipping his hat.
The three men exited the hotel with a sense of urgency, walking in stride toward the local yards and supply stores. Caleb followed behind for a moment, before turning toward the open lot beside the stable, the spot he had scouted the previous day.
It was a bare patch of land, situated to the right of the stable if one were facing it from the main road. No trees, no obstructions, just a wide expanse of potential. Caleb stepped to the center of the area and looked around, picturing it again.
The cooking shed would be there, high walls, no roof, an open counter facing the street. To the left would be tables, five in total, with four chairs apiece. Space in between, enough for folks to sit, talk, eat, and enjoy the sun.
His visualization was interrupted by a light pat on the shoulder.
Caleb turned his head slightly, only to see a familiar face. Mr. Levi, the slender and insightful man from the general store, stood there with a pleasant smile beneath his graying mustache.
"Well, now. Didn't expect to see you out here first thing in the morning," Mr. Levi said. "Mornin', Caleb."
"Mornin', Mr. Levi," Caleb replied, matching the smile.
"How you been?"
Caleb chuckled softly. "Good. Real good. And thank you for not askin' if I was safe comin' back to Valentine."
Mr. Levi raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Didn't need to ask. I trust you know what you're doin'. You always struck me as the type to weigh your steps." He looked past Caleb, toward the lot. "So, what are you plannin' here, seeing as you come here in the morning?"
Caleb hearing that hesitated only a fraction of a second before he decided to tell the truth replying. "Oh, just looking around and envisioning an idea I got. Wants to try my hand at a food stall, selling some warm food. Somethin' simple, y'know?"
...
Name: Caleb Thorne
Age: 23
Body Attributes:
- Strength: 7/10
- Agility: 6/10
- Perception: 8/10
- Stamina: 7/10
- Charm: 5/10
- Luck: 6/10
Skills:
- Handgun (Lvl 2)
- Rifle (Lvl 2)
- Firearms Knowledge (Lvl 2)
- Past Life Memory (Lvl MAX)
- Knife (Lvl 1)
- Blunt Weapon (Lvl 1)
- Sneaking (Lvl 2)
- Horse Mastery (Lvl 3)
- Poker (Lvl 4)
- Hand to Hand Combat (Lvl 1)
- Eagle Eye (Lvl 1)
- Dead Eye (Lvl 2)
- Bow (Lvl 2)
- Pain Nullifier (Lvl 1)
- Physical Regeneration (Lvl 0)
- Crafting (Lv1)
- Persuasion (Lvl 2)
- Mental Fortitude (Lvl MAX)
- Cooking (Lvl 2)
- Teaching (Lvl 1)
- Germanic Language Proficiency (Lvl MAX)
- Inventory System (Permanent - 5x5x5)
Money: 571 dollars and 1 cents
Inventory: 2,686 dollars, 2 gold nuggets, 5 gold bars, 4 silver rings, 1 Double Action, 1 Schofield, a large bag of jewelry, and 3 gold nuggets
Bank: -