As they made their way back to the inner village, Thorian and Forlune's group passed by the horde of orcs walking toward the altar.

"Zogarth really went and did it," Forlune laughed heartily at the massive influx of new orcs. "At this point, it's us kobolds who have to pick up the slack. Our population is now the lowest in the village."

Thorian nodded, his expression contemplative. "We'll address that come morning. However, before we consider expanding our ranks, we must critically assess our infrastructure and logistics, particularly concerning food and waste management. Failing to do so will condemn us to spend all our days wrestling with incessant issues."

Forlune, puzzled, inquired about the food situation. "Our warriors scavenge what they can during missions, bringing back leftovers for their families. Isn't that sufficient?"

Aqua, joining the conversation, highlighted the flaws in their current system. "The problem, General, is twofold. Firstly, we're wasting an excessive amount of food. The creatures we slay are often left to decay where they fall. With our numbers swelling, we risk depleting our food sources and facing starvation. Secondly, the sanitation—or lack thereof—has become a critical issue. The waste from our populace, combined with the black goo in our refuse area, is becoming overwhelming. The stench alone will soon make the village unbearable."

Hearing this, Forlune conceded, "You're right; the smell from the cultivation is becoming a problem. I always avoid that place whenever possible."

Thorian suggested a temporary solution for the waste. "We could relocate our refuse area outside the village boundaries for the time being. However, the real challenge lies in our inefficient use of food. We need a designated storage facility for meat to prevent spoilage."

"But wouldn't it spoil?" Caedar asked. "We tried storing some dead thumpalopes in a room, but after two or three days, the meat spoiled."

"That's why we need a preservation system," Thorian replied. "Normally, we would use salt, but it's currently unavailable to us. The humans might have some stored, but they certainly won't have enough to meet both our needs."

"Then we can just take it from them," Forlune suggested with a wide grin. "They should be happy we let them live. Giving us their salt would be a proper tribute."

"Wouldn't that be too aggressive?" Aqua asked with some trepidation, his gaze shifting from Forlune to Thorian. "This might create unnecessary friction, my lord."

"It certainly would," Thorian sighed. "We could ask for some of their salt, as long as it doesn't affect their food storage too much, but it wouldn't be enough for us. To make up the difference, we could store the meat we can't salt in a frozen room."

"A frozen room?" Aqua asked. "How would that help preserve our food?"

"Low temperatures prevent spoilage," Thorian explained. "As long as we can keep a room below freezing, the meat we store won't rot."

"Then it's simple," Forlune remarked with a grin as the cart reached its destination. "With Aqua's magic, we can easily freeze a room."

"I'm not so sure about that," Aqua admitted in a low tone. "My magic isn't everlasting. The ice would simply melt in a few hours."

Thorian dismissed the notion that Aqua's magic needed to be everlasting. "It doesn't have to be permanent. As long as you and a team of ice magicians can periodically renew the enchantments, it will suffice. We'll seek a lasting solution when it becomes feasible."

"If that's the case, then it can certainly be done," Aqua nodded. "Would you like me to form a team for this purpose?"

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

"Please do," Thorian nodded. "And start as soon as possible so that we can secure our food supply."

As plans moved forward, Aqua raised a concern about the village's future sustainability. "My lord, I believe there is another issue. Currently, our needs are manageable, but as our numbers swell to the thousands, the surrounding forests won't sustain us. We'd deplete the wildlife rapidly."

"You're right to raise this concern," Thorian acknowledged. "But as we develop our village, new structures to address this issue will become available. We will establish farms for cultivation and areas where we can breed animals, ensuring a steady supply of meat."

"That sounds terribly dull," Forlune rolled his eyes. "Food is the spoils of a won battle. What glory is there in consuming merely bred animals?"

"Food isn't about glory," Thorian chuckled. "It's about sustenance. You can't build a kingdom if you rely solely on the spoils of battles. At least, not one as grand as we envision."

Forlune appeared contemplative before clicking his tongue. "I don't like it, but it's not an issue I'm inclined to debate. However, what about the existing waste space for cultivation? What should we do with it?"

"We'll bury it," Thorian replied. "Assign Saxum and a few other earth magi to this task."

"It shall be as you command, my lord," Forlune nodded, then smiled. "I'm relieved not to dread walking to the cultivation hall anymore. It was a daily challenge to motivate myself to go there."

With their tasks assigned and their discussion concluded, Thorian excused himself. He then proceeded to the Village Hall where he oversaw the onboarding of the new orcs. After they registered as citizens, they completed the simple quest of sacrificing one hundred units of wood to the altar. They then headed to the guilds to choose their classes.

As was typical for the orcs, most chose to be warriors, while a few opted to be magi. About thirty became priests, and only twelve chose the assassin class.

The warrior guild is now filled to capacity. We cannot accommodate more warriors unless we expand the village further.

Though this realization was somewhat disappointing to Thorian, he wasn't overly concerned. Orcs were inherently combative, and the warrior class suited them well. Additionally, Thorian was interested in the orcs who chose the priest class. Those from earlier groups who made this choice had access to an interesting class advancement: War Priest. With offensive capabilities akin to a warrior's, they could also chant songs that bolstered morale and enhanced their comrades' strength and constitution.

It’s similar to the rare class advancement, "Paladin", but instead of deriving power from a human deity, theirs comes from a monster deity related to war, which makes them even more formidable on the battlefield.

With these reflections, Thorian collected the rewards for his guild quests before joining Aqua and his team. They utilized one of the vacant buildings, applying blizzard and ice manipulation spells to freeze it. The thumpalopes stored inside soon chilled and froze over. Fortunately, the temperature was regulated to avoid damaging the meat, preserving it adequately for later consumption.

After ensuring there were no issues with Aqua's work, Thorian proceeded to the waste space near the Cultivation Hall. There, he found Saxum and other earth magi nearing the completion of burying the liquid black goo within the earth's confines. The smell, less nauseating than before, was a positive indicator.

It seems they encased the waste in a solid earth "coffin" before covering it with plain dirt. A wise measure, preventing the smell from permeating through the porous soil.

Having confirmed that the two primary concerns discussed with Forlune and the others were addressed, Thorian returned to his home to meet Nox. Upon entering the living room, he observed Nox playing with Magnus, who straightened up upon noticing Thorian's arrival.

Chuckling at the scene, Thorian inquired, “How was your little expedition into the abyss?”

“It was great fun!” Nox responded enthusiastically. “I preferred the floors focused on battling monsters rather than those annoying puzzles. They were quite the headache.”

“A straightforward fight is indeed more appealing,” Thorian laughed warmly. After a moment of thought, he turned his attention back to Nox. “Are you still up for a fight, or has today worn you out?”

Nox looked down, then sighed, “There's nothing I enjoy more than a good battle.” After stretching and yawning, he added, “But tackling all those abyss floors has left me exhausted. I've been fighting off sleep just to talk to you, but you’ve been so busy.”

“My apologies,” Thorian approached Nox, offering a comforting pat on his head. “You’re right; I've been preoccupied all day and my mind isn't as sharp as usual.” He then smiled and suggested, “Tomorrow morning, let's challenge the fifth floor of the Verdant Labyrinth.”