Chapter 168. The meals are ridiculously good

Chapter 168: 168. The meals are ridiculously good

The new Hearthkeeper was turning the mill handle when Carlos came out after breakfast.

One of the older workers stood beside her, showing how slowly the grain had to enter. The receiving tray already held a pale heap of flour, and the new worker watched it every few turns as if she expected it to disappear when she looked away.

Carlos stepped inside to see.

"You learned this already?"

"I can turn it, my lord. But I still need help in knowing the consistency."

The older Hearthkeeper lifted the small grain container before it emptied too quickly.

"It becomes coarse if we feed it like that. Keep this amount."

Carlos stayed long enough to watch the flour come out more evenly. Then he went toward the kitchen with the filled tray while they prepared the next batch. He had spent enough time carrying grain to know where Mira wanted it placed.

She was working at the Blackstone Cooking Slab, with the buyer’s first order separated into portions. The red meat gave off more heat than the normal stew simmering on the other surface. Carlos put the flour down well away from it.

"How is it?"

"The ingredients match the listings," she said. "I am keeping the portions equal. Yesterday’s meal was easy to watch and give attention to. But twelve need more attention."

He saw a row of small covered containers beside her. Some held the cucumber preparation and others the measured seasoning. Mira used a clean spoon for each before returning to the slab.

The remaining Hearthkeeper had taken the bread dough out. She pressed it once, frowned and looked toward Mira.

"This flour is taking more water than yesterday. Do I add the usual amount?"

Mira went over after lowering the fire beneath the special meat. She felt the dough and asked which grain sack had been milled.

"The next one from the warehouse."

"Then check the dough, not yesterday’s pot. Add a little and work it through before adding more. It should hold together when you turn it. If it spreads across your fingers, you have gone too far."

The Hearthkeeper followed her instruction. Mira watched the first turn, then returned to the slab while the worker continued.

Carlos looked between them. Ordinary bread was being made while Mira prepared food worth iron and coins. Neither job had stopped because the other needed her.

"Can she finish the bread alone?" he asked quietly.

"She has made it with me many times. She knows what she is doing. I want her deciding the small adjustments now instead of waiting until I have a hand free."

"And the new one?"

"Mill work, washing, carrying stock and preparation first. The other two can teach those too. You gave me the extra person yesterday, Carlos. Let me use her."

He nodded. He had come to see whether they needed help, but he was also pleased that the answer could be no.

Mira finished the twelve meals before the ordinary lunch was ready. Each completed portion received its own inspection. Carlos helped close the containers after she showed him how to keep the hot preparation away from their normal packing cloth.

--

[Ultra-high-quality Water-balanced Emberhorn Pepper Meat x12 prepared]

[Recorded delivery available]

--

Carlos completed the delivery and watched the payment arrive. Iron x720 and Copper Coins x1,440, exactly as agreed. The buyer sent a short confirmation before transferring the contribution for the next day’s cooking.

He had not waited for Carlos to ask twice.

That suited Carlos very well. He showed Mira the payment, then left her to inspect the new contribution while going toward Kaia’s yard.

Today’s summons were two more Shield Militia, one Woodland Archer and a Bearkin Guardian.

Mira had checked this batch against yesterday’s allowance before breakfast. The Bearkin’s five daily meals were included, and no Slimes were being added while their Core supply stayed separate.

Carlos watched the new Guardian step out of the Hall. It was broad enough that the doorway seemed smaller with it standing there, and it held its weapon carefully rather than letting the weight drag behind it.

"Brann will work with you," Carlos said. "Kaia gives the training orders. Follow them, and tell me if there is anything you do not understand."

The Guardian lowered its head toward him and followed Brann, who had come to meet it himself.

Carlos liked seeing another Bearkin inside his walls. He remembered depending on Brann for almost everything that required strength. There were more people to stand beside him now.

The new Farmers had already joined the morning harvest.

One worked with Tarin, cutting the ready vegetables while the other followed Rowan through the seed rows. Carlos saw Rowan make the second Farmer move a marker, then explain why the space mattered before allowing him to dig.

He would not have to explain those things himself. Even if he wanted to, Carlos still knew less about them than the people doing the work.

Cosmic’s message arrived while Carlos helped carry the harvested basket to storage.

--

[Cosmic Merchant]- Mercer sent the seed-condition assessment. Twenty Moonleaf seeds in the proposed lot, all recorded as viable. The client will send one of those twenty for the inspection you asked for. If you accept, it counts toward the lot. If you refuse, the sample must be returned unused.

[Carlos Goldwin]- Send those terms. We should inspect it before planting anything.

--

Carlos let the basket go with a Farmer and found Rowan beside the Rare field. He opened the assessment for him before accepting the sample transfer.

The seed came inside a small sealed packet. It looked dark gray through the thin material, with a pale line around one edge. Carlos would have taken it for a damaged seed if he had found it beside ordinary wheat.

Rowan held it between his fingers and became quiet. His floating cloth moved against his wrist as he turned the seed toward the light, then shaded it with his other hand.

"It is alive," he said. "The outer part has dried, but the inside is still holding. Keep it wrapped when you carry it."

"Was that why the other batches failed?"

"It could spoil some. Ask how he watered the young plants and whether he left them in full light. The requirements and my feeling say controlled light, but I want to know what he did."

Carlos sent the questions. The answer came through Cosmic, who had asked Mercer to forward them without changing Rowan’s wording.

The client had planted in a fertile open field and watered heavily after the first leaves curled. Both batches had declined during early growth.

Rowan looked toward the selected section of Rare soil.

"We can give them what is listed. The water should reach the roots without standing around them. We put a light cover above the young row and open it as the plants develop."

"Something we already have?"

"Cloth and a frame. We will need a way to adjust it, not a new magic building."

Carlos felt relieved at that. He was happy buying useful buildings, but every crop asking for a different one would fill his territory before he found room for the trolls.

Sela came over to inspect the packet with Rowan. He let her hold it, showing her the dry outer part before telling her to put it away again. The newer Farmer listened beside them.

"You can prepare the water path with her," Rowan told him. "Nothing gets planted until the Lord has agreed."

Carlos left them to choose the row and contacted Cosmic.

--

[Carlos Goldwin]- Rowan has checked the sample. It is viable and we can provide the listed conditions. Get the exact first-harvest requirement and the seed-stock terms written. Twenty seeds, including this sample, not twenty more after it.

[Cosmic Merchant]- Understood. Mercer says the client wants measured medicinal leaves, not whole plants. I am asking what counts as one delivered unit before anyone signs.

--

Carlos closed the message and looked across the field. Mira had delivered the first special meal order, Kaia had another training group, and Rowan was preparing a crop somebody else had failed to grow twice.

For once, every new thing he wanted was moving forward instead of waiting for him to find food first.