The First Legendary Beast Master

Chapter 1138: Extra Capacity

Karl wasn’t the only one with thoughts about what could be done with all the extra space, though.

Sapphire stormed into the workshop seconds later with a red robed dragon priestess, who looked much too excited.

”Tell him what you told me.” The Blue Dragon insisted.

”The Goddess says that you made a space for us.” The Commander Rank Red Dragon insisted.

”Oh, that is brilliant. Yes, I believe that I did. Come with me. Gentlemen, we will return. You’re all approved for the position, so feel free to grab what materials you need from storage, or use the extra stone here.” Karl informed the Sculptors.

Then he grabbed the statue.

”We will place this on the way, it goes behind the bar of the tavern.” He explained to the confused dragons.

”Quick question. What sort of strength do you need to just pick up and carry a life-sized stone statue of a Dwarf? In human form, I don’t think I could do it.” Sapphire asked.

”I’m no weaker like this than you are as a Dragon. Don’t worry, if it were too heavy, I would put it in inventory.”

Karl led the way to the tavern, where the helpful illusionary barmaid served both ladies honey wine in pint glasses the moment they entered.

”How did they even know?” The red dragon asked.

”I often wonder that. They shouldn’t know anything that their creator doesn’t. But they’re made by a Glasswing Butterfly, and she simply knows things.” Sapphire replied.

[It’s in the book on how to stock a temple for the winter. I read it a few weeks ago while preparing a new play.] Opal informed Karl.

Karl’s amusement made Sapphire gesture for him to speak his mind.

”She read a book on how to stock a temple for the winter, to make one of her plays more realistic. The Honey Wine is one of the items in the list, so she assumed all clerics drink it.”

Sapphire laughed. ”Well, she’s not wrong.”

The Blue Dragon moved a spare keg from the middle of the back shelf, and Karl replaced it with the statue, then put the Keg in an empty rack to the side.

”Perfect. That’s nearly exactly in the middle of the city, for maximum coverage of the statue’s blessing.

Now, I have a spot in mind. It’s near the front, closest to the market area, which is currently empty.

What is the church’s position on having the orphans staff vegetable stalls? We have nature clerics and druids to make the food, but we don’t have enough cooks on staff at the moment to make dinner for everyone every day.

I should probably hire more of them, but we only have three right now.” Karl asked.

The Red Dragon smiled. ”We actively encourage our children to hold productive positions in society. We can even have the older ones cook, if supplies and funding are sufficient.”

Karl patted her on the shoulder. ”There is no fear of running out of funds. I won’t charge you for the supplies or the cooking implements. But I do need you to cook for thirty hungry Dwarves three times a day, plus whoever you bring here for the Orphanage.”

Sapphire laughed. ”So, that’s your plan? Exploit child labour?”

Karl shook his head. ”No. Exploit orphaned child labour.

But I will pay them a proper wage. That’s half the staffing that we need covered, and we don’t even need to look for them.

They’ve already been found.

Now, I just need to find some barmaids, and likely some extra cleaners. Unless there are enough orphans in the city for that job too?”

The two dragons began to laugh as Karl waited for an answer.

”There are hundreds of orphaned children in the city. And that’s just inside the city. Working conditions in Drodh, especially in the Sprawl, aren’t great. Plus, crime is high. It leaves a fair number of children for the church, and they’re overflowing their current building.” The Red dragon replied.

”Well, it looks like you’ve got some expansion work to do, Matron... sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”

”Blackclaw. At least, that’s what my name translates to in common.”

”Matron Blackclaw, then. We will also provide magical rings to help the children clean. This whole area will need to be maintained, even the empty areas will need at least twice a month dusting.

But with the rings, you should only need ten or so children to keep up.

If the Dwarves are really messy, we will approve more cleaners. Oh, and one on the early morning shift at the tavern, to clean before breakfast every day. We will serve the food your orphanage makes as well, but I will get proper staff for the Tavern.” Karl explained.

”We have a few who have aged out of the orphanage as Ascended Demons. They’re working part-time in the Sprawl, so I will ask them if they want to work here. I have heard that you hired Caretaker Jo as well.” Matron Blackclaw asked.

Karl turned to look toward the house. ”I’m not heartless enough to kick her out of her home, even though we bought it from the city. She’s still Caretaker Jo, and we found her a newt beastkin to work as her assistant.

If you two know each other, you can find her in the house. Her room is on the third floor, but she’s always busy with something. You’ll have to get someone to let you up, though. The Gargoyles might not let anyone but Guild members go up unattended.”

Sapphire sighed. ”Do you just take in every random person you meet?”

”Of course not. But these ones were recommended by the Red Dragon God. It should be fine. That reminds me, did you find a chance to visit the Library here? I know you had to pass through it to come visit.”

The blue dragon’s eyes sparkled. ”It is a wonderful Library. Many ancient and rare tomes, much better than I had expected out of a Guild House. I will show my apprentices to it later. Apprentices should read in their spare time, it’s good for the mind.”

Then she paused. ”You just sidetracked me from my questions about hiring policy by mentioning the Library. Devious little Demon.”

The Red Dragon laughed. ”The Monster Man has quite a reputation in the city. He’s not as open about who he hires as you might think, but he’s got the Gods’ own luck when it comes to finding employees.

He managed to get a Grandmaster Demonic Blacksmith simply because the man came in that gate and happened to smell the forge fire.”

Ashbringer stuck his head out of his forge when he heard someone talking about him, then waved to the Priestess.

He already knew the Orphanage Matron. They used her kids to do the shopping for the Alliance that Wendy was out delivering.