My Farming Domain Is Broken

Ironroot felt louder the moment Carlos stepped through the portal.

The Bellvine rang once from the western wall before its flowers settled again. The Burstpod turned toward the silver doorway, recognized Carlos and slowly turned back toward the empty plain.

Mira reached him with a relieved face.

"You took long enough," she said. Then she saw Kaia, Brann and Nessa behind him. "Did nobody die?"

"Wow, that’s a nice way to ask. Nobody died, and that’s a relief," Carlos answered, making her giggle as if she was joking.

"Rowan has the damaged Crop Ledger now," Carlos said. "There is a crop sample under Channel Five. If he restores it properly, the Settlement system will recognize my Crop Keeper authority permanently."

Mira blinked. "And if he does it wrong?"

"We lose it forever."

"Then Rowan will do it right," she said. She said it like there was no other possible answer.

Carlos hoped that was true. The next panel opened when he looked toward the barracks.

--

[Daily summons available]

[Farmer’s Lodge: 2]

[Blue Water Slime Barrack: 2]

[Woodland Archer Lodge: 1]

[Bearkin Guardian Hall: 1]

[Shield Militia Barrack: 2]

[Hearthkeeper Lodge: 1]

--

For several days, Carlos had been unable to use the daily refresh properly. The Pocket Dimension had taken his people, his attention and most of his time.

But staying at the same number was not an option anymore.

He looked at Mira. "Do we have beds and meals for nine new people?"

Mira did not answer immediately. She counted on her fingers, then looked toward the kitchens and the empty beds inside the new residential section.

"For now. But I will need more grain, more cooking oil and a second stove before we keep doing this every day."

"We will get them."

Carlos walked to the Farmer’s Lodge first.

Two lights appeared in front of the wooden building. One became a thin human woman holding a hoe. The other became a broad Dogman with grey fur and a basket strapped to his back.

Both looked around in confusion.

Carlos almost smiled at the second one. Boro had proven that the lodge did not only create humans, but it still felt strange seeing another Dogman walk out of it. Carlos had a feeling that something else would pop out this time.

"You will meet Rowan, the head farmer, later," Carlos told them. "For now, follow Mira, our cook. Do not enter the fields without someone showing you where to work."

They nodded immediately without asking questions.

The Blue Water Slime Barrack came next.

Two small blue Slimes bounced out one after the other. They were both smaller than Two, and both stopped when they saw the walls, towers and people moving around them.

One tried to bounce toward the kitchen.

"No," Carlos said.

The Slime stopped in the air before falling back with a soft splash.

Mira laughed. "You have actual children now."

"They are troops."

"Cute jelly balls trying to get food the moment they came out sound more like kids."

Carlos ignored her and looked at Kaia.

"They stay near the barrack until the Burstpod recognizes them. Put one with Two for Water Shot training after that."

Kaia nodded.

The Archer arrived quietly from the Woodland Lodge. She carried a plain bow and looked toward Nessa first. Nessa gave her a short nod and pointed at the eastern tower.

The Bearkin was different.

He stepped out of the Guardian Hall with a hammer over one shoulder, then saw Brann standing near Carlos.

The new Bearkin’s ears rose.

"Strong one," he said.

Brann stared back.

"We work. This not fortress. This farm," Brann answered. It started an argument that was settled in a few minutes.

The new Bearkin nodded as if that was a complete introduction.

The Shield Militia Barrack summoned two more men in plain armor. They stepped out holding round shields and short spears, then quickly moved aside when Kaia looked at them.

"You will train with the others," Kaia told them. "Do not leave the military district until the Burstpod recognizes you."

"Yes, ma’am," both men answered.

The Hearthkeeper Lodge was last. A young woman carrying a cloth-wrapped cooking pan came out of the doorway and stared at the extra people gathering around the barracks.

Mira’s face brightened.

"Good, girlie! You can help me with the second stove when we have it," she said. "Come with me."

The Hearthkeeper followed her toward the kitchen without needing another order. She was calmer than Mira.

Before any of the new summons could be assigned, Kaia led them one at a time to the western wall. The Burstpod had to learn every new face before it could be trusted around them.

Carlos watched from a distance while Blue wrapped a thin layer of water around the pod’s barrel. It was not attacking now, but nobody had forgotten what happened when Brann first walked past it.

The human Farmer went first. She walked slowly, unarmed, until the leaves around the Burstpod stopped following her.

--

[New Farmer recognized as ally]

--

The Dogman came next. The plant turned toward him faster because of the basket on his back, then settled after Carlos gave the command.

The two Slimes were easier. They bounced forward with no fear at all, and the Burstpod watched them like it could not understand why two pieces of water were moving on their own before deciding it did not need to shoot.

The new Archer had to repeat the process with her bow, first without it and then while holding it. The Bearkin took the longest. Even without a weapon, the plant kept rotating toward his large body.

The two Shield Militia came after him, one at a time and without their spears. The Burstpod settled for both, but it reacted again when Kaia made them retrieve their shields.

The Hearthkeeper was last. Her cooking pan made the plant turn once, then the leaves relaxed before Mira led her away.

Brann stood beside Carlos through the whole thing.

"Plant smart," he said.

"Don’t know about smart," Carlos answered. "But it is trained now."

Brann thought about that before he spoke again. "Still smart."

Carlos did not argue.

When the final recognition panel disappeared, Kaia handed the new Archer a place in the eastern tower and sent the Bearkin to Garr. The Farmers followed Mira to the food stores, where they would learn which fields were active and which beds had been left empty for Rowan’s decisions.

Carlos watched them leave with their first jobs.

Ironroot was not stronger just because they had entered. But with time, Carlos hoped they would be able to take care of big dangers.

Carlos looked over the new summons. Nine more people needed food, space, training and a reason to stay alive.

Mira led the Farmers, Hearthkeeper and Slimes away. Kaia took the Archer, Bearkin and Shield Militia toward the training ground, where they were told basic rules about what to do during an attack and during daily life.

Carlos stood beside Kaia near the western wall.

His eyes stayed on the black Conquest Portal. He had spent too long waiting for the next danger to choose him, and it had cost him before. But not this time.

"We go in tomorrow," Carlos said.

Kaia turned toward him. "The next conquest?"

Carlos nodded.

"This time, we will be the ones who knock first."

At that comment, the Warden Chain flickered with his intense emotions. Carlos was ready to throw hands.

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