Chapter 192. Bold of you to assume I didn’t do it

Chapter 192: 192. Bold of you to assume I didn’t do it

Dorian’s upgrade materials arrived before the kitchen fires were lit.

Carlos was still reading the transfer when Mira came out to find him. She had brought the requirements with her, but he turned the received record toward her before she could ask.

"All of it?" she asked.

"Everything we sent him."

Mira read down the amounts. Then she called the Hearthkeepers to clear the kitchen.

They carried the prepared ingredients and the Blackstone Cooking Slab outside while Carlos opened the upgrade. The building preview left their path clear. He accepted, and the supplied materials disappeared.

The kitchen walls moved outward. More working space formed beside the cooking surfaces, and Mira walked inside right away. She stood between the tables, looking from one to the other.

"This side for the ordinary meals," she told the Hearthkeepers. "Keep the advanced preparation over here. We won’t have to keep moving everything whenever I need the slab."

Carlos followed her in. He had seen her work around those crowded tables for so long that the space looked strange.

"Better?"

She turned toward him with a smile.

"Five hundred meals a day, Carlos! We could only make two hundred and fifty before." She looked around again, her smile growing. "We can feed so many more people now."

"That much better?"

"Much. Now let us cook, Carlos. We have two buyers waiting."

He got out of their way.

The original buyer’s twelve portions went first, bringing Iron x720 and Copper Coins x1,440. His next contribution was confirmed for tomorrow. Dorian’s ingredients had been checked separately; Mira had made him replace one seasoning packet before accepting it.

Tarin brought another two kilograms of Crownroot from the morning’s regrowth. Mira took three hundred grams for the new order, leaving the rest for Cold Storage. Rowan was watching the young growth beside their parent plant. He wanted more rooted crowns before separating any.

By midday, six sealed portions stood beside the kitchen door.

Carlos completed the transfer, then waited with Mira while Dorian’s people checked them.

--

[Dorian Kessler]- First batch received. Condition matches the samples. All six consumption checks accepted. The next contribution is being arranged.

[Payment received: Iron x450, Copper Coins x900]

--

Carlos turned the payment toward her.

"He paid."

"I can see that."

"I wanted you to see it first."

Mira looked at him, then toward the Hearthkeepers who had stopped to listen.

"Tell them too. They kept everyone fed while I worked on this."

Carlos did. One of the workers smiled down at the bowl in her hands before the others started talking over her. Mira let them enjoy it for a little while, then sent them to finish Ironroot’s meals.

Six familiar advanced portions had stayed for their own people. Cosmic received his ninety Copper Coins from the new sale and came over with another completed order.

"Your grandfather’s boxes are ready. Two fruit carriers and three dry seed trays. 40 Iron and 160 Copper."

Carlos checked the dimensions Kaia and Sela had sent and accepted the purchase. When the carriers arrived that afternoon, Kaia tested the divisions with ordinary tomatoes before moving the three held Impactburst fruits into their separate padding.

Sela took the trays to Rowan. Carlos sent his grandfather a message confirming that everything had arrived, then found Mira near the storage.

"I want two more Guardians."

"I thought you might," she said. "Ten more meals a day. We can manage that easily."

"Even without counting extra food from the upgrade?"

"Yes. The fields have been supplying enough. I checked it this morning."

Carlos grinned.

"Then I am using both slots."

"Garr needs to know."

"He will."

Garr made room inside the Hall while Carlos brought Kaia over. Nobody had used its summons today. Carlos selected the first slot, watching the doorway brighten.

A Bearkin emerged with grey fur around its muzzle, carrying a shield against one shoulder and a hammer in its other hand.

--

[Bearkin Guardian summoned]

[Epic Grade]

[Level: 4]

--

Carlos selected the second. This one was broader across the chest, with dark brown fur and almost black patches around its eyes and both were Level Four.

He looked between them, unable to keep the smile off his face.

"Welcome to Ironroot. Garr here will show you the Hall. Kaia, who you will meet soon, commands the defence. Listen to her, and you will get along with everyone here."

Both placed a fist against their chest.

The Guardian with the pale strip beneath its throat came over from the training posts. Carlos watched it stand beside the newcomers. Three Epic Guardians from the upgraded Hall, with the older Bearkin around them too.

He remembered how badly they had needed Brann whenever something strong appeared.

Brann arrived while Garr was showing the newcomers inside. His hammer rested against his shoulder, but he lowered it beside the doorway before approaching.

"More," he said.

"Yes, two more. You can help teach them since you are okay now."

"When next fight?"

"Soon, we need trained soldiers and a good formation first."

Brann nodded and walked around the nearest shield and tapped its edge.

Carlos looked at Kaia. She had heard it too, and the corner of her mouth moved before she called the newcomers outside.

One went with an experienced Militia to the eastern approach. The other joined Garr at the western Gatehouse, leaving their first Epic Guardian available with the response group. Two older Militia could now patrol the storage edge instead of remaining fixed at the crossing.

Carlos stayed while Kaia showed the new Guardian where to stand. It needed to learn the approach, but the Militia beside it no longer looked so small behind his shield.

Cosmic found Carlos on the way back.

"Dorian wants to introduce two other resource Lords," he said. "They buy food for specialist troops too. He asked whether we would hear what they need."

"Already?"

"He liked the first batch."

Carlos took the message with a deep sigh. The responsibilities were kicking in and he needed to know how to move forward in a way everything doesn’t fall with a single bad trade.

Yesterday, he had been surprised someone would pay that much for Mira. Today, Dorian had improved her kitchen and paid for the first delivery. There were two new Guardians learning their positions behind him.

"Get their requirements," he said. "Mira will see them before we offer anything."

Cosmic nodded and began writing.

"And keep looking for the other kitchen," Carlos added. "She asked for two things yesterday, bro."

"Heh, bold of you to assume I haven’t looked already." Cosmic grinned and showed him a listing.