Evan entered an old workshop filled with the scent of burnt metal and glowing enchantment dust. The shop belonged to an enchanter named Lira who had a reputation for making unusual magical tools. She looked up from her workbench as Evan stepped inside. Her workshop was chaotic but her skills were exceptional. Sparks of blue light danced around a half finished mana detector. Evan knew she was the only person who might help him build the instrument he needed.

Lira wiped her hands on a cloth and frowned at him. You again she said. You were here last week asking about mana flow sensors. Evan nodded. I need something more complex he replied. Something that can measure unstable magical fields and convert the result into a numeric scale. Lira raised an eyebrow. You want numbers she asked. Evan nodded. Numbers are universal. If we can quantify danger we can predict it. Lira stared at him as if he were speaking a new language. Most adventurers only want sharp swords or big explosions she said. Why are you obsessed with numbers.

Because people die Evan answered. Because the guild accepts death as normal. Because no one is trying to prevent the tragedies that happen every day. Lira paused and tapped her finger on the bench. You want to prevent deaths she said slowly. Evan nodded again. Lira smirked. That is a noble idea. Maybe too noble. But I like challenges. What exactly do you need.

Evan opened his notebook and showed her charts filled with crude marks. I need a device that can detect irregular mana waves in dungeons. It should translate each wave into a value. Those values will build a risk index. Lira skimmed the pages with curiosity. She understood enchantment but she had never seen anyone use it for prediction. She leaned closer. This may require a crystal core she said. Possibly one infused with divination properties. Evan nodded. Can it be done. Lira thought for a moment. With enough materials and gold yes. It will take time.

Evan reached into his bag and placed a small pouch of coins on the table. This is everything I have he said. Lira opened the pouch and nodded. This is enough for a prototype she replied. But you will need more if you want a full system. Evan knew that. The company he had in mind needed funding. Maybe investors. Maybe partnerships. For now a prototype was enough.

Lira walked to a shelf and pulled down several dusty crystals. Some glowed faintly. Some emitted small sounds. She placed them on the bench and began sorting through them. This one responds to mana pressure she said. This one can sense curses. This one measures emotional residue which might help with detecting dangerous intent. Evan took notes as she described each crystal. He realized magic was more measurable than he had guessed. If he could turn these readings into a clear score then adventurers could use those scores before every mission.

Lira selected three crystals and placed them inside a metal frame. She whispered an enchantment and the crystals began to hum softly. This is the beginning of your tool she said. You can come back in a few days to check the progress. Evan thanked her and left the workshop.

He walked through the city while thinking about the structure of his future company. He needed a name that represented protection and data. Something professional. Something that would reassure adventurers. Crestfall Risk Shield he whispered. The name felt right. It used his family name and captured the idea of shielding people from risk.

Evan found a small empty building near the guild district. The rent was low because the building had been abandoned for years. He stepped inside and imagined the space filled with desks charts and magical instruments. He imagined adventurers waiting in line to receive evaluations. He imagined families feeling safer because they knew someone was watching over them. He imagined a world where bravery and preparation worked together.

He spent the afternoon cleaning the building. Dust filled the air. Old boards creaked under his feet. Sunlight entered through cracked windows. He arranged tables and chairs. He placed a small sign outside reading Temporary Office. Several adventurers glanced at the sign but ignored it. They had no idea what he planned. They thought he was setting up another gear repair shop. Evan smiled. Soon they would understand.

The next day he returned to the guild to meet Mira. She had prepared several old mission logs. These logs listed quest types team sizes and outcomes. Some included rough descriptions of monster behavior. Evan sat at a nearby table and began reading through them. He organized patterns. He marked dates. He tracked the frequency of monster migrations. He charted injuries and survival rates. He saw that certain dungeons became deadly during certain moon phases. He saw that some teams had repeated accidents because they ignored basic safety rules. He saw that certain magical storms followed predictable cycles.

Mira watched him work with amazement. I never realized there were patterns she said. Evan nodded. Danger is not random he answered. It follows structures. If adventurers knew these structures they would not walk into deadly traps so casually. Mira asked if he could show this to the guild master. Evan shook his head. Not yet. I need a complete index. I need a tool that detects danger before it happens. Once that is ready I can present the system.

Several adventurers approached the table with curiosity. What are you reading one asked. Evan looked up. Mission records he replied. I am analyzing risk levels. The adventurer laughed. Risk levels he repeated as if it were a joke. I only need a sword and courage. Evan raised an eyebrow. Courage without knowledge is just a faster path to the grave he said calmly. The adventurer frowned but walked away.

Mira leaned closer. You need a way to make them listen she said. Evan nodded. That is what insurance is for. People listen when their money is involved. If we offer protection that pays out when accidents happen they will pay attention to survival. Mira thought about it. So you want to charge them to stay alive she asked. Evan shook his head. I want to reward good behavior. Lower premiums for safe adventurers. Higher premiums for reckless ones. That will influence habits.

By evening he had built the first draft of the Adventurer Risk Index. It used five categories. Mana instability. Monster density. Environmental hazards. Curse pressure. Team behavior. Each category had a numeric scale. When combined they created an overall risk level. He wrote the formula on a large parchment and pinned it to the wall of his small office. It felt like the blueprint of a new industry.

Two days later Lira called him back to the workshop. She showed him the prototype. A metal device with three glowing crystals. When she activated it the crystals rotated and produced simple numerical lights. Evan felt a surge of excitement. This tool could become the foundation of his company. He thanked Lira and paid her the remaining coins.

He returned to his office and placed the device on the main table. He tested it by pointing it at a cursed dagger. The lights blinked quickly and displayed a high number. He pointed it toward the window where the air was calm. The numbers dropped. It worked. The tool could read danger.

Evan took a deep breath. The first Adventurer Insurance Company was no longer an idea. It was real. He wrote the name Crestfall Risk Shield on a wooden sign and hung it outside the door. He prepared four insurance plans. Bronze Silver Gold and Platinum. He wrote clear descriptions on parchment sheets. He placed them on the counter.

The next morning he opened the door. The first adventurer stepped inside hesitantly and asked What do you sell. Evan smiled. Protection he said. Real protection. The type that saves your life before the battle even begins.

The company had officially begun.