Chapter 182. Sharing the burden, freeing responsibilities

Chapter 182: 182. Sharing the burden, freeing responsibilities

Cosmic was waiting beside his warehouse when Carlos crossed over after lunch.

Two Lizardmen had carried a worktable beneath the roof beside the door. A cloth covered one end, and three small containers stood on it with their transfer records open. The ground around the table had been swept clean enough that Carlos could tell where they intended buyers to stand.

"You got it arranged already?"

"The table was just inside, so I moved it out," Cosmic said. "I want the shelter extended before I invite anybody, but I can inspect things here now."

"Hey, we will invite no one until we are ready."

"I know, but having the arrangements already made for when it does happen is necessary."

Carlos walked under the roof and looked at the containers. They held small batches of ordinary materials, each separated from the packed orders he had seen yesterday.

"Those two outgoing trades are done?"

"Both. The payments arrived, and the buyers confirmed. I still have some stock left for later."

Cosmic closed one of the completed records and opened a new listing for Carlos. The familiar buyer was asking about another three days of the special meals.

"Mira knows?" Carlos asked.

"I spoke to her at the kitchen after she finished the normal pots. She says twelve buyer portions still fit. The new Guardian and my six are in her ordinary count now. She wants the ingredient contribution checked before another batch begins."

Carlos read the attached request. The price was unchanged; it was 60 iron and 120 copper per meal. Doubled meat, pepper and salt contribution, with the surplus remaining his.

"You think we should ask for more now?"

"We could ask," Cosmic said. "But he has been sending good ingredients on time and paying properly. I would keep this small arrangement running while we find another buyer. You will have more room to negotiate when you aren’t selling to one person. We will have security then."

Carlos looked at his friend. That answer was probably better than the larger number he had been imagining.

"Fine. For the next 3 more deliveries, we won’t increase the pricing."

Cosmic sent the answer from his own Lord interface, then turned the finished agreement toward Carlos when the buyer confirmed.

Carlos remained the supplier and accepted it himself. Cosmic’s permanent subordination was going to help save his precious time. He wouldn’t need to talk with all the customers or suppliers on his own.

The contribution for the first order arrived after confirmation. Carlos checked the listings with Mira through an in-person visit, and she inspected their actual condition before setting aside what she needed to cook that afternoon. The retained half went into Cold Storage.

No payments arrived just yet, but today’s cooking would earn that, with the remaining two deliveries due over the next two days.

He returned to Cosmic’s table with one of Mira’s normal meal containers. His friend looked at it, then at Carlos.

"I ate already."

"Then leave it for later. I brought mine too, so let’s sit and relax for a while."

They carried two chairs outside, where they could see the bridge without blocking the work area. Carlos’s shoulder pulled when he lowered himself, and Cosmic noticed.

"Ada checked that?"

"Yes. It is getting better. She said I have a bad habit of testing my injuries rashly if they have healed or not. If I stop doing that, the recovery will go faster."

"That sounds like you."

Carlos clicked his tongue and opened his food. He began eating before answering.

All the morning had gone by watching the bean test, the wall work and the new Guardian. It felt good to sit where somebody else was responsible for what happened behind him.

"She is finishing the extra work day today," he said. "Brann is doing better. I will speak to Nathan before she returns if we need something longer."

Cosmic nodded. "You could ask him about permanent help too. Paying for one person every few days gets expensive, especially when you are hellbound and injuries are bound to happen."

Carlos looked at him and smiled. "You know, we forgot something and I am surprised even you didn’t make me remember." Carlos spoke smugly, making Cosmic frown.

"What? What did I miss?"

"Heh, look at your slow ass already forgetting. I have an old damaged Medic Lodge Blueprint."

Cosmic’s eyes widened in realization, but he became normal again. "Dumbass, since you have it now, isn’t it your responsibility to keep it close in your inventory?" he hissed.

"I hear excuses, bro, nothing else." Carlos grinned, making Cosmic angry enough to want to throw the food on his face. But he refrained; food was valuable now.

"Let me know the restoration requirements again. I will try finding them," Cosmic spoke.

"I will send them to you later, bro," Carlos spoke as other things came to his mind.

He finished a mouthful and looked at the new tower beyond the bridge. An Archer was already on its platform, watching over the approach while the Militia opened the barrier for a worker carrying an empty basket.

The two expansion tokens were still in Carlos’s inventory. He had almost used them that morning, then decided the people needed time to finish protecting what he had already added. The seed chest, both promotion tokens and the equipment stone were also waiting.

He wanted to use them, but there were steps to things and priorities.

"Tell me honestly. Do you regret assimilating inside my territory?" he asked suddenly.

Cosmic looked toward him and then at his barrack. One Lizardman was checking the bindings on a spear while another stacked the remaining grain bags.

"Definitely not. I have been able to finish two trades and renew yours without worrying that I should leave halfway through to buy dinner. That already feels good."

"You can still tell me if something doesn’t."

"Stop being embarrassing and focus on real issues, bastard," Cosmic replied with a hmph.

"You fucker..."

Still, Carlos nodded, then took a longer look at his friend. "You gave me a lot of trust. I know that."

Cosmic leaned back against the chair. "You gave me access to Ironroot before anybody else. Then you kept sending me listings worth more than my whole territory and waited for me to give you a price. You have been trusting me too, so the feeling’s mutual."

Carlos remembered sending him the Goblin rewards after barely getting back alive. He had not thought of it as a grand decision. Cosmic was the person he wanted to speak to when something important happened.

"I want you to make something big here," he said, looking at the table. "Whatever you think this place can become. We discuss the people who come in and the commitments, but you don’t need me choosing where everything goes. You still have as much freedom as you need."

Cosmic just listened and gave a brief nod of respect and they both went silent peacefully.

They sat until the food containers were empty. A Hearthkeeper crossed to collect them while Cosmic opened another message, and Carlos got up after thanking her.

Later that afternoon, Mira called him to inspect the finished first batch. He completed the twelve-meal delivery and received its 720 iron and 1440 copper. The next raw contribution was due before tomorrow’s preparation.

He had been thinking about his mother since the talk yesterday. She was still at his grandfather’s territory, and Carlos had kept putting the visit behind one more job.

"I want to go see my grandpa," he told Cosmic and Mira. "Mother is helping him there. She said his back was bad."

"Hmm, you haven’t visited his territory too. It’s rude to not do so."

"I know, I know, but there is always something to finish here."

Cosmic looked at the bridge, where Kaia had stopped to speak to the watch.

"There are people finishing things here too. Tell them what you need, then go for a visit. I will handle the trades."

Carlos felt a kind of relief he didn’t expect he would, but relying on Cosmic made him feel a burden lifted from his shoulder.

At the Lord’s Hut, Carlos checked with Kaia about the watch and told Mira he intended a short visit once his mother confirmed.

He stayed until Ada finished the last checks of her extra work day. Brann could walk and watch training, but she told him to leave heavy practice until the remaining soreness settled.

Carlos thanked her before confirming the completed service with Nathan. Ada gathered her case and returned through the recorded delegation transfer.

The treatment table remained ready for another visit if needed, and Carlos put the Medic Lodge’s repair requirements on his next list for Cosmic.

Then he entered his Earth portal alone, leaving the food containers and Lord World equipment behind.

His house was quiet when he arrived. Carlos found his phone, sat near the window and called Elena.

She answered after several rings.

"Carlos? Is everything alright?"

"Yes, Mom. Everything is good. I want to come see you and Grandpa. Is this a good time to visit?"

Her relieved breath came through before her reply.

"Of course he will, silly boy. He has been asking when you would finally remember him."