By the ti the last bowl was scrubbed and the hearth fire had died down to a steady orange glow, the group was still gathered around the table. The girls had submitted their working clothes, sturdy tunics, and headscarves to keep the soot out of their hair.
"Now, the snacks," Dory said, leaning forward. "Liam, you will be the face of the business. Every morning at dawn, you take the first fresh batch to the girls’ family stalls. You tell the elders exactly what we discussed: ’The Vanguard’s Choice.’ It is a snack for energy, for work, and for the journey ahead."
"What if they don’t want to sell it?" Liam asked, looking nervous.
"They will," Maya cut in, crossing her arms. "I told my mother that if she sells ten plates, she gets to keep a copper for herself. She is already clearing a spot on the front counter."
"Smart," Dory nodded. "Bribery is just another form of marketing. Now, the girls. Lola and Maya, you are the strongest. You will handle the honey-glazing near the furnace. It is going to be hot, and you will need to move fast so the sugar does not turn bitter. Dano, Lila, and Lisa, you are on the ’Prep and Cure’ line. You slice, you salt, and you rinse. If a single pit makes it into a wafer, the whole batch is ruined."
"Why the salt, though?" Dano asked, leaning her chin on her hand. "It seems like a waste of good salt if we are just going to rinse it off."
"It is not a waste," Dory explained. "The salt pulls the water out of the fruit. It makes the plum shrink and get tough. Then, when we add the honey, the fruit soaks it up like a sponge. It makes it taste like a jewel instead of a piece of mush."
Horg, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up. "And the iron? You think these girls are going to help hamr?"
"No," Dory said, looking at the blacksmith. "They are going to help you move. When a bloom cos out of the fire, it is heavy. If two of them use the long tongs to help you guide it to the anvil, you save your strength for the striking. You hamr, they assist. We are doubling your speed by giving you six extra pairs of hands."
Horg grunted, a sound that Dory had learned ant ’I don’t hate the idea.’
The conversation drifted into the logistical details, where the bedrolls would go, who would handle the water buckets, and how they would keep the soot away from the food. They laughed about the Vanguard na, with Lola pretending to be a high-ranking soldier demanding a plum wafer before going to battle.
"To the Vanguard!" she shouted softly, holding up a cup of water.
"To the Vanguard!" the others echoed, their voices hushed so as not to wake the neighbors.
As the midnight hour approached, the girls began to unroll their blankets in the main room and the back corner of the house. Horg retreated to his small room, and Liam found a spot near the door, even though he had his own room.
Dory stayed at the table for a mont, looking at the charred map he had drawn on a scrap of wood. He could hear the steady breathing of the others and the distant, low hum of the village night. He felt the weight of the week ahead, the 168 hours that would determine if he was just a boy with big ideas or a founder of sothing real.
"Go to sleep, General," Maya whispered from her bedroll near the hearth. "Tomorrow is going to be a long day."
"Goodnight, Maya," Dory said, blowing out the last tallow candle.
He left the main room and walked to his own room. He decided to take a bath before going to sleep. While taking a shower, he summoned the system and checked his status. Since he did not make any money today, there was nothing to multiply. He was also back to five thousand service points after spending two thousand on the tal making package. He still had his money intact in his virtual account.
’How do I spend this though?’
Not pondering much on it, knowing he would find out later on, he dismissed the system and got out of the bathroom. He was busy changing into his clothes when the door to his room burst open. Dory flinched and scrambled, covering his body with the towel in his hand.
"Who is there?"
Slowly, the figure entered. It was Maya.
Maya stared at him for a while before laughing. "What are you hiding beneath the towel? It is actually sothing I will eventually get to see and surely have a taste of one day. By the way, I ca here because I am not used to sleeping on the floor. May I share the bed with you?"
Dory was at a loss for words. "Huh? O-Okay. You can sleep on the bed if you want."
Maya rolled her eyes and jumped flat on the bed. She then tapped the foam. "Co sleep next to , darling."
Dory’s nose started bleeding.
"Don’t get your hopes high, you aren’t having until you marry and get a girlfriend."
"Huh? What is that supposed to an?"
He imdiately wore his underwear and clothes when she was not looking and got on the bed beside her, turning his back to her. Dory stared at the dark wall, his heart hamring against his ribs. The room was small, and with Maya lying just inches away, the air felt thick and far too warm.
"What does that even an?" Dory repeated, his voice a bit higher than usual. "Marry you and get you a girlfriend? That is not how marriage works, Maya. Usually, people stop looking once they are married."
Maya let out a soft, teasing hum that vibrated through the mattress. "In this village, maybe. But a man with a thousand iron ingots and a snack empire might need more than one person to keep him in line. Besides, I like being part of a team."
Dory squeezed his eyes shut. ’You’re making fun of ,’ he muttered into his pillow.
"Maybe a little," Maya admitted, her voice dropping to a sleepy, gentle tone. "But I am serious about the bed. The floor is cold, and you are the only person in this house who does not sll entirely like old soot and wet dog. Go to sleep, Dory. You have a long week ahead of you."
"Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
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