For some reason, the lutin was looking at Adom strangely. Not with recognition, exactly, but with the kind of expression you got when you saw someone you were pretty sure you'd met before but couldn't quite place where or when. That slightly puzzled furrow between the eyebrows, the way his gaze lingered just a fraction longer than normal politeness required.Adom couldn't tell if the banker actually knew him from somewhere or if he was just imagining things. Maybe lutins always looked at people like that. Maybe it was a fae thing."Good afternoon," Adom said, settling into the chair across from the desk.The lutin's expression smoothed back into professional pleasantness so quickly that Adom wondered if he'd imagined the whole thing."I understand you're here to open an account for an adventurer guild," the lutin said, pulling out what looked like a leather-bound ledger that definitely hadn't been there a moment before."That's right.""Excellent. We've been seeing quite a bit of interest in that particular service lately." He opened the ledger. "Now then, let's start with the basics. What type of guild structure are you looking to establish?""Independent, affiliated with the Wangara merchant guild.""Mmm, good choice. Cross-sector partnerships tend to be quite profitable." The lutin made a note with a quill that seemed to write in multiple colors simultaneously. "Initial deposit amount?""Five thousand gold to start.""Very reasonable. And the guild's primary focus?""High-level dungeon expeditions. Primarily fae realm access."That got the lutin's attention. He glanced up briefly, then went back to his notes. "Interesting specialization. We do offer enhanced services for fae-adjacent operations."They went through the standard questions—operational scope, expected membership size, insurance requirements. The lutin's manner was (...)