Chapter 102. More Mouths, More Work [BONUS]

By the afternoon, Carlos finally returned to the daily summon panel he had ignored since morning.

The cucumber bed was growing. The food trade had helped and the Gatehouse was still waiting, but at least Ironroot had moved forward instead of sitting around waiting for something to happen.

The daily summons had refreshed hours ago. Carlos had simply been too busy with the new crop, the food trade and Mira’s problem to use them.

--

[Daily summons available]

[Farmer’s Lodge: 2 Farmers]

[Hearthkeeper Lodge: 1 Hearthkeeper]

[Blue Water Slime Barrack: 2 Blue Water Slimes]

[Woodland Archer Lodge: 1 Woodland Archer]

[Bearkin Guardian Hall: 1 Bearkin Guardian]

[Shield Militia Barrack: 2 Shield Militia]

--

Carlos sat up slowly and took a deep breath, that was nine more people.

There was a time when he would have clicked every summon without thinking. More people meant more work done, more troops on the wall and more hands in the field.

Now he looked at the list and thought about breakfast first.

Mira had said they could spare six meals because Ironroot had a surplus. That did not mean the surplus was endless.

But the cultivation district still needed protection. Kaia had a Training Yard now. The cucumber bed would need Farmers who could work under Rowan’s instructions. And if Carlos wanted to build stronger walls, he could not keep treating new troops as something to delay forever.

"Summon all," he said.

The Farmer’s Lodge opened first and two new Farmers stepped out with simple work clothes and empty hands. They looked around at Ironroot, then stared at the cucumber frames near the northern side of the lodge.

Before Carlos could say anything, Mira walked over from the kitchen.

"You two, come eat first. Do not touch the new crop until someone tells you what it is."

The Farmers nodded and followed her right away.

The Hearthkeeper Lodge glowed next. A woman carrying a small cooking pot stepped out and immediately looked toward the kitchen. Mira gave her a quick nod, and the new Hearthkeeper went after the Farmers without needing more instructions.

Carlos looked toward the combat barracks.

The Blue Water Slime Barrack opened, and two small blue Slimes rolled out of the dark doorway. They stopped when One and Two moved toward them from the field side. Blue floated above all four of them and made a soft wave with one hand.

The new Slimes copied the movement badly, then followed Blue.

The Archer came from the eastern lodge with a bow already in hand. The Bearkin Guardian came from his hall and looked around without saying a word. Finally, two Shield Militia stepped from the upgraded barrack with shields and short spears.

Kaia was already walking toward them.

"Training Yard," she said. "Listen first. Ask questions after."

The six new combat troops moved after her.

Carlos walked beside Kaia for a few steps. "The other six are still protecting the cultivation district. Keep these ones here for now."

Kaia nodded. "The Gatehouse is not built yet. Ironroot needs them more."

"The Archer takes the eastern watch after training. The Bearkin helps with the heavy work when he is not drilling. The Militia stay near the western entrance."

Kaia looked at him. "And the Slimes?"

Carlos looked toward Blue and the four small blue bodies gathering near the spring basin.

"Blue decides where they help. But nobody sends them outside the territory alone."

"Alright" Kaia said. "That is enough for today."

Carlos watched them go, then let out a quiet breath.

Ironroot had just become more capable again but at the same time, it was more expensive to keep running.

Later, Carlos walked to the cucumber bed. Tarin and Sela were already there, though neither had touched the vines. The small green shoots had not climbed the frames yet, but they looked healthy in the dark soil.

Carlos opened his inventory and found something he had ignored for far too long.

The Living Scarecrow Blueprint.

It had been inside his inventory since the early days of Ironroot. At that time, he had not even had a crop worth putting it beside. Now he had an Uncommon crop with twenty seeds, a short growth timer and four Farmers looking at it like it was a newborn child.

Carlos selected the blueprint.

--

[Living Scarecrow Blueprint]

[Rare Grade]

[Compatible cultivated plot detected]

[Clearwater Cucumber Bed]

[Construction requirements]

[Wood x10]

[Straw x20]

[Confirm construction]

--

Carlos looked at the small amount of wood the system wanted. The Gatehouse still needed far more, but this was not something he wanted to delay again.

"Confirm."

Wood rose from the ground beside the cucumber bed. A rough cross shape formed first. Straw wrapped around it, making a wide chest and head. Then an old cloth shirt appeared over the straw, along with a pointed hat that leaned slightly to one side.

The scarecrow stood still for several seconds.

Tarin looked disappointed. "It is not alive."

Then the scarecrow’s head turned toward him. Tarin jumped back so quickly that Sela had to grab his sleeve.

Carlos almost laughed but stopped himself at the right time.

--

[Living Scarecrow constructed]

[Assigned plot: Clearwater Cucumber Bed]

[Nearby crops protected]

[Common beasts will avoid the plot]

[One Farmer may receive assistance with simple agricultural tasks]

--

The scarecrow did not speak. It only turned its head slowly toward the cucumber rows, then lifted one straw-filled arm and pointed at a loose piece of grass near the path.

Sela looked at it carefully. "It wants that removed."

Tarin picked the grass out at once and only then did the scarecrow lowered its arm.

Carlos nodded. "Goddam, it is useful. Though, Don’t expect it to fight a monster for you."

"I did not expect that," Tarin said while shaking his head.

Sela looked at the pointed hat. "I did... a little"

Carlos smiled and looked toward the kitchen again. More smoke rose from it than yesterday. Mira had two Hearthkeepers now, and nine new people were waiting for food.

The scarecrow could protect one plot. Kaia could train more soldiers. The new Farmers could help the territory grow.

But every useful thing in Ironroot still needed meals.

Carlos wondered how long it would take before Mira’s normal cooking stopped being enough for his own people too.

He strived for that day to never come.