Chapter 66: Solving the Logistical Problem!
After finishing his experiments and learning the new skill, Kaiden moved on to the next item on his agenda.
Four quests still remained before him, but two of them he'd already delegated to others, and they no longer required any direct involvement from him.
That left only two quests for him to handle personally. The first had already been completed following his rank advancement, while the second was the "Logistical Problems!" quest — the one he'd already prepared a solution for.
He headed straight for the warehouse.
As he walked, he reviewed his plan in his mind one more time.
The problem was clear and simple. The amount of meat and vegetables the Territory was producing had started to exceed what could be stored before spoiling. True, the warehouse was spacious, but it lacked any cooling system or proper preservation conditions.
Back in his old world, the solution would have been simple: a refrigerator, or a cold storage room.
But here... the options were completely different.
After a long stretch of thinking, Kaiden arrived at a solution built directly around Earth-element magic.
He reached the warehouse and stepped inside. Casper had arranged everything with care — a section for meat, another for vegetables, and sections for the rest of the supplies, each one labeled with a sign in Casper's neat, organized handwriting.
Kaiden cast a quick glance around, then activated Earth Sight, scanning the ground beneath the warehouse in search of a suitable spot.
It didn't take long.
At a depth of roughly five meters below the warehouse floor, the soil was denser and more compact than the upper layers, and more importantly... it was noticeably colder.
Perfect.
He dismissed the skill, then stood in the middle of the warehouse floor.
He activated Earth Control and began carving out a wide staircase leading downward, wide enough for two people to walk side by side while carrying supplies, carefully reinforcing the sides to prevent any collapse.
Once the staircase was finished, he descended.
The place was dark, but that posed no problem for him at all.
Using Earth Control, he carved out a large rectangular cellar underground, roughly three times the size of an ordinary room. The walls were thick and tightly compacted, the floor level, while the ceiling stood high enough to move around easily.
Afterward, he activated Terrain Adjustment to give the place a smoother, more even finish.
Once he was done, he checked the temperature.
The air here was noticeably colder.
Not cold enough to freeze, but enough to significantly slow down food spoilage.
He wasn't finished yet — he pulled out a warehouse blueprint and built it in the open space.
Once that was done, he headed back up, then asked one of the villagers responsible for the warehouse to bring him a piece of raw meat.
The man brought it, and went down to the cellar with him.
Kaiden set the meat on the ground, then observed it for a few moments, extending his awareness through the Earth element to sense the surrounding environment.
After a few moments, he nodded.
"This'll work."
He said it calmly, then immediately ordered Casper to be summoned.
Casper arrived quickly.
He came down the staircase, and the moment his eyes fell on the cellar, a rare expression appeared on his face, one no one was used to seeing — quiet, genuine admiration.
Kaiden explained the idea to him briefly.
"The temperature down here will significantly delay food spoilage. We'll move all perishable goods here, both meat and vegetables. At the same time, I want you to think through the best way to organize storage down here."
Casper had already started thinking it through as his lord spoke.
He nodded and spoke with confidence, as though he'd already worked out a complete plan.
"My lord, if we also store containers filled with water down here, the humidity will help keep the food fresh longer. I'd also suggest dividing the cellar into several sections — one for meat, another for raw vegetables, and a third for the rest of the perishables."
Kaiden smiled and pointed at him directly.
"That's exactly what I was thinking. Take charge of it."
Casper bowed respectfully.
"As you command, my lord."
Within less than an hour, he'd gathered a team of villagers, and they began moving all the perishable supplies from the main warehouse to the new cellar.
The work went quickly and smoothly.
At the same time, a system notification appeared.
[Quest "Logistical Problems!" completed. Reward added to the Lord's inventory: ×3 Administrative Units.]
And in the square in front of the warehouse, three administrative units appeared at that same moment.
Kaiden stepped forward to greet them.
They were one man and two women, all dressed in neat administrative attire. They carried themselves with a precise, professional bearing, each one holding a record ledger under their arm.
Kaiden quickly opened their status panels.
The first specialized in resource management, the second in personnel coordination, while the third specialized in records and documentation.
"Excellent."
He welcomed them warmly, then handed them straight over to Casper.
For one brief moment, the head administrator's eyes lit up — about as close to genuine enthusiasm as Casper ever showed.
"My lord, these are exactly what the Territory needs. Thanks to them, I'll be able to develop our administration significantly."
Kaiden smiled and patted his shoulder.
"I trust you'll put them to the best possible use."
Then he turned and left.
Only two quests remained before him, and both were outside the scope of his direct involvement — meaning all he could do was wait.
But waiting wasn't in his nature.
He still had the Rare Pet Summon Voucher he'd obtained recently, and he'd been meaning to use it for a while now.
He headed to a quiet square.
He pricked his finger, smeared a drop of blood onto the voucher, then activated it.
A bright white flash lit up.
And when it faded...
A small creature remained in its place.
This wasn't what Kaiden had expected.
Ever since he'd obtained the voucher, he'd imagined the shape of his second Rare pet beast many times over, naturally assuming it would be a fearsome creature like Ibla.
But what appeared before him was a small creature no bigger than a house cat.
It was a lizard...
But it differed from Piedra in nearly every way.
Its body was slender and elegant, its scales shimmering with a faint violet gleam, while a pair of small, folded wing buds jutted from its back, barely noticeable. Its eyes were a vivid, vibrant green.
It raised its head and looked at him with eyes full of intelligence and curiosity.
Then a pleasant female voice reached him through the spirit bond.
"Hello, Master. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Kaiden blinked in surprise.
Unlike Ibla's childlike innocence, this voice was calm and composed, as though it belonged to someone older and far more experienced.
He immediately opened her information window.
Name: (Unassigned)
Level: 1 (0 / 1500)
Race: Starscale Wyvern (Rare)
Gender: Female
Description: A rare flying beast with a high affinity for the Star element. Despite its small size at this stage, it's capable of flight from Level 1 onward, and possesses an exceptional sense for magical energy. As it grows, it will develop into a formidable aerial combat unit.
Racial Skills:
Star Sense (Rare - Passive)
Stellar Fire Breath (Rare - Active)
Aerial Agility (Rare - Passive)
Scale Hardening (Common - Passive)
Class Evolution Path: (Locked - upgrade the Lord's Crown to view information)
"So it's a flying type..."
Kaiden let out a long breath, astonishment mixing with genuine excitement.
He hadn't expected to obtain a Rare aerial pet at this stage.
Having a flying unit capable of combat massively expanded his tactical options, especially now that aerial threats had become a real danger.
He looked at the small wyvern again.
She was still watching him patiently, waiting for his word.
"Welcome."
He said it simply.
Then, as was his habit when naming his companions, he thought for a moment before making his decision.
He named her...
Asra.
End of Chapter Sixty-Six.