Chapter 36 – Compliance

“DR?” asked Shiny.

“Of course! Demonic Resources. Well, specifically, we officially would refer to it as our Demonic Resources Department.”

Sythara and Vorathrex both gave him a concerned look.

The demoness broke the silence first. “Child… I don’t necessarily know if treating the imps as resources is truly going to solve our issues.”

“No, no. That isn’t what it means. Here, Shiny. Today is the first day where two new brood imps will spawn.”

That got a bitter glare out of Vorathrex. “It could have been the first day two new warriors spawned,” he growled.

Kairon ignored him. “Farming seems to be doing fine. Unless Bean’s told you otherwise, I am planning on assigning all new workers to timber for the time being.”

Shiny clapped his hands together excitedly, but before he could reply Kairon held up one claw. “Except one. The second one from today will be the first member of our Demonic Resources, or DR department.”

“You think one underling can keep the peace?” questioned Vorathrex. “Does that not seem overly optimistic?”

“It would if DR was about enforcement. But it isn’t. It’s about listening. From now on, we will set up a post outside the tower. Nothing fancy. Just an assigned area that all the imps, brood and wrath alike, know they can go to.”

“This imp does what… solves disagreements? You are still asking a lot. I’ve seen the little ones. They aren’t all as… articulate as that one,” Sythara mused, pointing at Shiny with one black tendril. “And, even that leaves something to be desired.”

Shiny stuck his tongue out. “Talk means little. Words mean much. Choose carefully.”

Kairon gave his little supervisor a reassuring nod before continuing on.

“Like I said, the DR imp’s job is simply to listen. If an imp has an issue, they tell him. And, as Demonic Resources gets reports, they funnel them up to myself and the council. From there, we decide what items actually need attention, and which can be… swept under the rug, so to speak.”

“What if imp not say? Just unhappy. But no tell?” asked Shiny.

Kairon rubbed his chin, humming softly. “Good point. For that… We can incorporate some proactive surveying. Just to ensure any imps not visiting the DR department still have a chance to be heard. Say once a month?”

Unlike Shiny, the other demons didn’t seem entirely on board. But they learned by now that the city lord thought in unique ways. So, they let it go.

“Secondly, there is no question that we are building the camp as soon as possible. That repair ritual cost us a day’s worth of timber and stone, so we won’t be able to until… just a moment.”

Kairon verified what remained with the stockpile.

And then the camp cost…

“If today’s crews are up to working a bit late, we could have enough timber by tomorrow night. Especially with the extra pair of claws. So, for one more day, everyone will sleep outside. And I do mean everyone,” Kairon stated, staring intently at Vorathrex.

“I told you this plan of yours was madness,” commented Sythara. “Clearly you should have made more of those camps before you spawned so many little ones.”

“It’s easy to say that in hindsight. And maybe, maybe not. There might have been other ways to mitigate this while holding off on the camp. Either way, a valuable learning experience.”

No further argument followed that. Kairon was starting to feel like he was in a rhythm.

“Finally, we are going to build another ashroot plot and then the ritual circle.”

Unfortunately, that pronouncement didn’t go quite as smoothly.

“WHAT?!” demanded Vorathrex.

“You plan to make the circle after another farm?” asked Sythara, voice going cold. “I’ve been waiting a very long time.”

He held up his claws. “I understand your concerns. But I’ve modeled this, if you recall—”

“The sticks and rocks in the sand? That model blew away weeks ago!” hissed Sythara.

It took Kairon a moment to register what she was referring to. “Well, I mean, yes. But that doesn’t mean the point doesn’t stand,” corrected Kairon carefully. “Let me explain my reasoning. Theoretically, each ashroot plot could yield three hundred food a week. If we process all that food in the feeding pit, that could feed almost two hundred imps sustainably.”

Sythara threw her hands up in the air. “See? That is far more than we require.”

“I said could. That each plot could yield three hundred food. Current testing is in progress and the results have been… variable. Bean and I are working on a way to maximize yields, but so far the estimate per day continues to fall even as we learn.”

“I still fail to understand the issue,” remarked the demoness.

“The issue is that at this rate, I’m concerned if we can expect much more than a hundred food on this first harvest. I expect each following crop to be better, but still far from the maximum. So my true worry is that we are going to have a sustenance issue, and this time our population is much larger.”

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“And growing,” chimed in Shiny.

“Exactly,” he agreed.

Everyone was silent, thinking.

“Where I come from, we have a concept. It’s called redundancy.”

“Too many new ideas and words,” replied Vorathrex.

“All it means is that while one is enough, more is safer. If something goes wrong or fails, you can often prevent bad situations by having extra,” clarified Kairon.

The demoness glared. “Then perhaps we should have made the ritual circle before this mess like I originally suggested. Or, as you say, multiple circles. Would that not be redundant? In case one breaks?”

Kairon sighed. “The concept really only applies to our case when it comes to critical constraints. Like eating. Look, this has been discussed before. There’s no use revisiting what can’t be changed. Besides, you hardly need a ritual circle with Veron’s treatment to worry about.”

“As for you,” the city lord turned to Vorathrex. “I promise your warriors will have priority soon. Once we get food stabilized and research off the ground, additional efforts will go to war preparations.”

The big demon cracked his knuckles and sniffed. “Good. Because those humans are getting close.”

“Excuse me? What humans?”

***

A troop three hundred strong paraded up the dirt roadway. The shoddy, poorly kept path wound upwards as it fed into the southernmost gates demarcating The Kingdom of Hallen.

In the rear, the common soldiers walked. They lacked order and purpose, but headed forward regardless.

But at the front, the real army lay. The paladins.

Clomp. Clomp. Clomp.

The rhythmic marching of armored boots resounded, audible for more than a league. Each footfall carried a weight, equal parts metal and devout. Every paladin’s step was taken in perfect unison.