章 23: First Date
"This should do very well." Said Mia. Everyone was currently eating supper at the improvised Cantina.
Cat nodded. "Our preparations are adequate for a first night."
"So good!" Exclaimed Chris as he wolfed down his meal. "What's this?"
"This is the specialty of our best cook, Béatrice. The meat is from a ra-pig." Said Cat. "She went all out today huh."
"It's incredible. Let's make her head cook!" Decided Chris. "The ra-pig's meat is great too, we've got to raise some for the camp!"
"Very well." Mia took note, serious as ever. "More importantly, what are you wearing?"
Chris was wearing what could be called a wife beater in his previous world. It was basically a sloppy sleeveless t-shirt he had 'crafted' earlier.
"Don't know where to look huh?" Bragged Chris. "Look at those muscles, thick like tree stumps!"
He took a pose, behind him the royal claimer's flag was flapping in the wind.
"Huhu." Laughed Cat as she looked at his 'stumps'.
"I had to change out of the robe for all that work. And I run hot. Like a wolf... A hot wolf! I had to let my body breathe." He said as he flexed.
Mia turned her head way from Chris and pinched her nose. "This makes me think we need to plan for water delivery. We need fresh water as soon as tomorrow."
"Ugh." Chris received a critical hit.
"Hang in there my Lord." Comforted Ferlin. "It's not just you, but everyone is a little sweaty tonight."
"Ferlin... You are so nice, for a square head." Said Chris.
[S-square head...]
Their chatter was interrupted by Mia.
"We currently have 500 people in the camp. At 2 liters of drinking water per individual, that makes for 1,000 liters needed. Families typically use 100 liters for daily use and bathing. But we'll need to ration that let's make it 30 liters per family."
[Uwaa.. So strict.] Thought everyone.
"This will bring down daily use to 6,000 liters drown from 20,000 liters. Our craftsmen will need water. This is not negotiable, so this adds an extra 3,000 liters of water." Calculated Mia.
"This would make for a total of 10,000 liters, or 10 tons needed every day. Our horsedrawn carts can currently handle 1.5 tons each, if we count the crew's and the containers' weights we can reliably expect a bit more than 1,000 liters per carriage. I'd recommend sending for five carts in the morning, and once more in the afternoon after the horses rested."
Mia finished her calculations with a satisfied face.
[Queen of logistics... I get it now.] Thought everyone but Cat at the table.
"Let's do that." Confirmed Chris. "While we are at it. Titus, have the scouts patrol the surroundings for every natural resources available. We are good on wood, but we'll need a good quarry, a nearby source of sand and limestone. If we can get this done before everyone from Five Cave Village joins us, it will speed up our operations." Said Chris.
"Yes, my Lord. Those are all surface materials, so it should not be too hard." Answered Titus.
"We'll need proper prospectors to find Copper and Iron. It is likely there are surface lodes in the nearby mountains, but we need someone with experience to speed up the process." Added Mia.
"How about contacting the dwarves to buy metals? They should have plenty to spare." Offered Ferlin.
"Tsk, tsk. Ah sweet innocent Ferlin." Said Chris. "We just got here, we have no gold or goods to trade. And they are not likely to provoke the Kunalls for a few trades. We need to prove ourselves before anyone will even talk to us."
"But our first priority is to prepare the camp. Or should I say, Brine City, for Cid and our people."
"Speaking of Cid, he must have received the order to prepare for the move by now." Said Titus in a teasing voice. "He must be having a huge headache by now. Haha."
"That is true." Berg smiled. "We never had to move on our own it was always to flee for our lives. We just had to drop everything and run. Moving so many people, so many goods. The logistics of it..."
Everyone noticed the shine of Mia's eyes as Berg said all this.
"Mia?" Asked Chris.
Cat sighed. "Forget it. She is gone in wonderland."
**** ****
The next few days were still very busy for the budding Brine City. Most of the carts and horses left for Five Cave Village and were on their way back to the city.
This meant that most of the work had to be done by hand. There was still much to clear to prepare enough living space for the rest of the group.
To everyone's surprise Chris, in his wife beater, did not slack off and could often be seen amongst the workers busy picking up rocks, trunks and other debris.
Ferlin and his hunters had a lot to do as well. They had to learn the new hunting grounds and find appropriate spots to use their herding strategy.
Cat and her men were busy patrolling the city. This was a temporary job until Cid came back and resumed his function as defense leader. She could not wait for his return as her next job was to work side by side with the scouts to eliminate the dangerous beasts that settled near the city.
Mia thrived as she probably had the most to do. She needed to calculate the needs of thousands of people and make sure they were met. Housing, water, food, clothes, tools and so many more things had to be distributed appropriately. Many craftsmen also had their own request to prepare a function workshop for their trade skills.
And Titus spent his days in this new land, learning the ins and outs and looking for the basic resources to build Brine City with.
They also received words that after some hardship Cid and the Five Cave Village caravan were on their way and were expected in a couple of days. Cid send words that even though everyone was nervous, they were all also very excited. So the caravan's mood was good.
**** ****
After two days, the whole area had a different feel. It was no longer as untamed as it was before. The debris were cleared, the grass was ankle high and the flat land was mostly revealed.
His tasks finally over, Chris went to sit next to Mia.
"Working hard too I see." He said.
She nodded. "Cid and the caravan should be here tomorrow, there is so much to prepare. I see your part is over?"
"Just in time." Said Chris as he admired their work. "It was very tiring. But... Somehow, it feels so satisfying."
"Don't be too satisfied, too soon. The first few days after the caravan gets here will be rough." Commented Mia.
"I know. But we'll make it through." He said as he leaned back on the grass, next to her.
"You don't look and smell as bad as the first day, I see." She teased him. "I see you are getting used to the manual labor."
Chris scratched his nose embarrassedly. "Haha, well, I did not have to do much manual labor in my world."
Mia knew he was summoned to this world. Chris had no intention to hide anything to his friends and people, so she was not surprised.
She continued working with her small leather handbook. And eventually asked. "What's our plan for lodging? I heard you lived in big caves until now? We have extra tents stored, but there is not enough for thousands of people."
"Ah. We should be fine on tents. We still slept in them in the caves. We needed protection against the wind and some privacy." Explained Chris.
"Good. This gives us some time to prepare for the next step." Said Mia. "Your plan is to continue recruiting people to join the city, right?"
Chris nodded.
"Then we need to improve living conditions, for our current and future people. They can't live in tents forever. We'll also need large temporary communal houses ready to welcome large groups of people if they don't have their own tents." Continued Mia.
Chris nodded again. It was not possible to make houses for every family right away. They needed time. And Chris had another plan requiring a lot of manpower. Large wooden communal houses would be the most efficient compromise for now.
"Then let's send most of the available manpower to gather wood for now. We'll need a lot of it." Decided Chris.
"Very well. A lot of people are free now that the cleaning is done. I'll make the arrangements." Said Mia in her professional manner. However, she knew that, right now, finding the people was the easy part as no other big job would start before the caravan from Five Cave Village would get here, the hardest part was to allocate enough tools for those people. Most of them were already in use, maybe the butchers needed cutting tools, or some guard had no choice but to pick up an axe to arm himself. The tools were scarce, and they could be used as weapons as needed.
Luckily her refugee camp had a blacksmith and a portable furnace. So they were doing better than Five Cave Village, but it was far from enough.
Chris checked over her shoulder to see what she was looking at. "Is that our tool inventory? Wow. We need to speed up the construction of the forge."
Mia nodded.
"Let's start right now. The earlier we have a proper forge working the faster all other projects will go." Decided Chris.
"This will please Carmelo greatly."
"Our blacksmith." She continued at Chris' inquisitive look. "He worked in the capital, and we managed to pick him up when he was in trouble fleeing the Kunalls. He is always full of energy when there is work to be done."
"Huhu. He should get along perfectly with Rinat, our chief carpenter. She is more reserved but she loves work."
They continued making preparations until night fall, when it was time to eat.
"Ah." Chris seemed to suddenly remember something.
"What is it?" Inquired Mia.
"It just struck me, if this was my world this would be our first date." He explained with a rascally smile.
Mia almost froze as she was getting up, but resumed her walk to the cantina.
Chris ran after her. "See, in my world. A date usually starts with the couple spending an afternoon together and enjoying each other's company. They chat and even compliment each other. Like how, earlier, you said I didn't smell bad or how I looked good."
"That's not..." But she was interrupted by Chris.
"Next, the couple usually enjoys a meal together, at home or at a restaurant. Ah! Before you say anything, an improvised cantina counts too!"
"And after that..."
"After that...?" Mia's eyed narrowed.
Chris coughed. "W-well, after comes holding hands and stuff..."
Mia was about to say something when they heard someone calling.
"Lord! Miss Mia! How about we join you?" A clueless Titus called out to them. He was accompanied by Berg and Ferlin. Both were cursing him in their head for interrupting their Lord's good time. Nothing good would come out of this.
Mia made a sign to welcome them and said with a smile. "Looks like it's off."
"Ah." She stopped to add. "Seems like this world's dates have a lot in common with yours."
This came down like a hammer on Chris. "Y-you've dated before?"
Mia made sure to wait a little before answering. Chris' expression was quite funny right now.
"No. My dad would most likely kill anyone that got too close. But Cat told me all about it." She laughed. "Come on, you little idiot. Let's eat."
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