The Red Lands

Another expansion

Miki blinked her eyelashes while switching her gaze from Lucy to the scarlet-colored young lady standing in the bedroom. Her slippers muffled the footsteps on the thick rug spread on the second floor of the barn.

The rich carpet not only served to keep her feet warm but deterred the eyes of a pervert living down below. Standing under the open door frame, she waggled a finger at Lucy.

"What is this? You out to make this old woman a spinster or something?"

Miki asked the blonde while raising and presenting her both hands toward Ishara.

Lucy cocked her head to the side in thought before answering with a question of her own.

"What do you mean?"

Miki shed a gaze full of pity at her sixteen-year-old compatriot. They had navigated the village slums together until Chu appeared. Placing both hands on the narrow but firm shoulders of her friend, Miki sighed and then dropped her shaking head.

This friend of hers was sharper than a cross-bolt in some areas but dumber than Ming in others.

"What were you thinking in having a lady like this tag along? How does she look to you?"

"Well, Ishara is beautiful. Chu said so himself."

Miki bobbed her chin up and down in approval before her brain froze while processing the words.

"...What? Did he say that? Ah, it's all over...my future just dropped to a position lower than a bedroom maid in a nobleman's house."

"What do you mean?"

Repeated Lucy.

"Dammit, Lucy. With her around Chu will soon lose interest in us. Look at her, she is so, so... Amanda-ish in appearance. Didn't you see how those guys were ogling down her chest during supper? Lost...I lost this battle. No amount of milk or rubbing is going to help me soon...This is the last time I let you walk out on an adventure alone."

Miki chastised while surveying the bountiful chest before continuing,

"Chu needs to explain himself. You guys head out to the goblin ruins and bring back a woman? Gosh, she's stunning...Did you find time to ask her about, ahem, you know, how she grew her perfect pair of melons? Wait, what am I thinking!"

Lucy maintained her expressionless, stoic face until Miki's eyes and mind began to wander. Looking at Miki stealing glances at the developed chest and captivating face, she burst out laughing. According to Chu, Lucy's laughter was rarer than gold.

Holding the hand of her puzzled companion, Lucy led Miki toward their legendary guest. Rummaging in her sleeves, she removed a few folded papers she had prepared with Ishara along the way. Slowly, the ancient language rolled from her pink lips.

"This is my friend, Miki. Sersen and Mage."

Ishara nodded while holding out her hand in the manner Lucy showed her.

"Pleased to meet you. Miikii"

Miki swung her head between the two and then focused on the outstretched hand. A slight bow indicated a normal greeting. A handshake between women, however, marked the beginning of a long friendship.

Out of a show of courtesy and respect, Miki didn't hesitate too long before gripping the firm-looking hand. Leaning towards Lucy, her oval eyes roamed the paper. The black irises soon found the target.

"Welcome. Ishara, friend..."

Lucy handed over the few sheets of paper she had translated for her own use. From the side, she whispered into the ear of the fair-skinned girl.

"Just so you know. Chu says Ishara is a beauty but he never said he liked her. Ishara also doesn't have feelings for him. Oh, and by the way...She did tell me the secret..."

Lucy cupped her hands on her chest with a wink and sly smile.

"Crud Lucy, you've been playing me all this time since you returned? Wait till Sue comes back. I am so going to fib about how you've been stuffing jerky from the storehouse!"

***

Chu spent the majority of his time hovering over the design model in the barn. The heads of his divisions stood around him or sat on the table scribbling notes under the oil lamps. Stroking his chin, he then pointed at the wooden carving located inside the wall pieces.

"Is that the barn?"

"Yes, we all agreed it should stay. The model has been constructed with it as the focal point. The design for the Keep you suggested rivals even the ancient structures of the Tower Mages. We will place it to the south of the barn and the well. With the use of the cement and large stones, I believe I can achieve the five levels you requested."

Halter said while pointing to the location.

"Good, like I said, we must concentrate on making it stronger and more resilient than the outer walls. If the walls are breached, the Keep must be able to hold out a siege."

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

"The idea of excavating to create and enforce the foundation provided an added bonus. I plan to dig a deep internal well and also use the two basement levels below as food storage. Bon promised he would modify two rooms for the boiler and the ice house."

Clod said. As the farmer in charge of food security as Chu called it, he called dibs on the spaces.

"I asked Miki to send a letter to a friend of mine in the Masonry Guild. My concern remains on the floors because of the weight of the stones. Pine did, however, test out the idea of the interlocking groove you had and was impressed.

Miki also had me thinking about using the Barrelworm liquid on the roof to caulk the spaces between the stones on the roof."

"It makes sense because I prefer a flat stone roof over the thatched straw. Don't forget the roof must be reinforced so it's strong enough to handle our defense machinery. Keep the icehouse below but make the doors large enough to allow us to move large blocks of ice. Remember it must be double-walled with space for us to stack fresh straw as insulation. Move the Boiler to an outside location."

Chu replied to Halter. He welcomed additional skilled labor during the construction. His Artisans drafted their construction designs so that they could make the final modifications later by themselves in secret. The flushing toilets, hot water baths, and heated rooms were meant to be savored before releasing to the Empire.

"We have four bastions at the corners. Because of the thickness of the stones, we will have to extend beyond the palisade to acquire a perfect square. Next, to the walls surrounding the Keep, we will construct the houses, infirmary, stables, and other buildings."

Pine said.

"Clod has proposed we claim the lands to the south and across the road to as far as the Barrelworm cave. I say we move our industry....industrial complex to the north near the north-south road between us and the village. This way any product or matters which the Boss wants extra hands is convenient for us and the village."

Old Hodge voiced while stroking his long white beard. Brooding over the sketch map under the model, he pointed.

"We have too many secrets others would kill for. Since the Boss wants to use the village, I say we do it right. Like Fanny said over supper, we hire workers who live in the village. The present windmill and forge can always be upgraded to bring life to our next creation. This way, it's easier for us to manage and secure."

"Good plan, Hodge but this expansion of yours will require loads of gold. The appearance of the demon beasts has landed a heavy blow in receiving outstanding payments."

Bon said as he rubbed his bald head. The sheer size of this project would amount to hundreds of gold coins. Even with a labor force of over a thousand, stone construction of this magnitude required decades to complete. His worried eyes caught the attention of the Boss. Chu sent him a grin in reply.

"Why so glum, Master Bon? I promise you that when you try out the equipment and tools used for heavy machinery, all your doubts will vanish into thin air. With the right tools and equipment, we will finish within a few years. As for gold to spend on our advancement, don't forget we possess an unlimited source of gems."

Chu said. He scooped up a few blocks from a container and dropped them one by one in a clump between the farm and the village.

"A large warehouse for manufacturing our waterproof clothing."

"A series of independent workshops with modified forges to handle mass production."

"Four windmills for driving power to the Blacksmith workshops and grinding grains."

"Two long and wide warehouses for storing materials and supplies."

"And a massive building to house our main source of income to the Empire."

Smiling he looked at the older men.

"It's time we gift this world a watered-down version of our printing press."

The heads turned as eyes glanced towards each other. Dareck finally broke the silence.

"Boss, I know books are expensive and produced mainly by the Tower but only nobles can read. Won't we make gold faster with something else?"

Chu smiled at his first skilled tradesman.

"Never belittle the power behind the paper. If we can produce educational books, then just as you learned to read, so can others. The ones standing over the Empire like the Emperor, Churches Union, and Tower Mages will grab this opportunity to propagate their agenda. I guarantee that in five years, everyone in this Empire and even in the other Kingdoms will know your name if you so desire. One stamp of the press on paper is all we need..."

***

Doug stepped around a mixture of snow and filth heaped on the street. Winter made the slums unbearable as the residents scuttled for warmth but it submerged the smells under cold and ice. When the melting starts under the Springtime sun, they might die from the accumulated stench.

Entering a tiny courtyard, he knocked on the closed door of the orphanage. Within minutes, he sat beside a kitchen fire in the backroom, basking in the glow of the candles on the table. Singh handed him a wooden bowl filled with steaming gruel.

"Chong is upstairs in bed with the cold. I told him not to venture in the wet part of the sewers but he ignored me. The others have gone to hide and witness how our Behemoth Gang conducts themselves within the territory."

Singh reported before scooping out a bowl for himself. The disheveled hair, haggard faces, and tired bodies of the two men seem to blend perfectly into their settings. Doug sipped a spoonful and then burst out in a fit of coughing.

"Ack! Why is this so salty? Do you know how expensive salt is?"

Thumping his chest, he steeled his tongue for the rest. Recalling something, Doug twitched his lips while gazing at his tall companion.

"Don't tell me that Healer friend of yours suggested this? Did you know, I asked the Priest in charge of the Temple about her? The old man swears he never lets her near the pot in the kitchen. Yet, here you are, taking cooking instructions from her."

"You don't know what you're saying. The Boss once said that the body needed salt to survive. I'm just making sure we all get enough."

Singh replied. His words caused a shadow to fall over both their faces. He quickly switched the topic.

"Daisy is a skilled Healer but she is a little clumsy at times. We chatted quite a few times when I was setting up the orphanage at the Church. Priest Faut is carrying on in age so he tends to have her manage most of the activities. To find someone like her in the heart of the slums is a surprise."

"Yea, yea, like a gold coin shining among a pile of coppers. You've been braying the same tune ever since you began trotting down there. I, on the other hand, have to deal with ancient men on the verge of death or potbellied ones who like the gleam of coppers. I never realized the number of different characters to be found as Priests."

Doug snorted after answering.

The two chatted amicably before finishing their soup in silence. Singh looked at the withered features of his friend. His mouth opened only for the kitchen door to bang open.

Chong struggled to enter while supported by the other three members of their group. His face flushing under the stress from his fever, he held out a trembling hand.

"I was sitting in the hall keeping an eye on the children when these fools barged in. Can't a man get some rest around here?"

He grumbled yet the grinning smile on his face betrayed his true feelings. Doug received the letter but nearly dropped it on spotting the crest.

'Bai'

Twice Doug read the contents as if to convince his weary mind. Then the nearly unbearable mountain he carried during winter shattered into dust.

Clutching the thick edge of the wooden table, Doug arched his back and burst out into laughter suitable for the mentally unstable. Pounding on the table while thoughts of joy, relief, and vengeance floated across his face, he handed over the letter.

A short time later, echoes of blood-boiling laughter filled the orphanage...