As the sun rose on another day, Akira set to work constructing the carriage. He began by crafting the base, ensuring it was sturdy and well-balanced. Once satisfied, he attached the wheels, making sure they spun smoothly. Next came the roof, which he skillfully affixed to the base. Akira then pulled out the canvas he had bought, securing it over the frame of the carriage to provide protection from the elements. With a final flourish, he enchanted the carriage with spells of lightness and durability, ensuring it would be easy to pull and resistant to damage.
The work took him several hours, and as he finished, he heard the sound of horse hooves approaching. The gate creaked open, and Jarvis entered, leading two sturdy oxen and carrying a load of supplies. Jarvis directed the goblins to load the mining equipment into the carriage. The goblins hesitated, looking at Akira for confirmation. It struck him that he had not yet established a clear chain of command among them.
"Help Jarvis load the supplies," Akira ordered the goblins. Then, he called everyone to gather in the front yard. The goblins assembled quickly, and Lesley joined them, with Jarvis already present. As Akira prepared to speak, he noticed a faint rustling sound. Turning towards it, he saw the young treant making its way towards him, wobbling slightly like a toddler trying to maintain its balance.
Akira smiled and bent down, extending his arms to the treant. The little tree, now about one and a half feet tall, wobbled over to him. Akira picked it up gently and inspected its legs. "It still needs to develop further, but for now, it should be fine," Jarvis commented.
Akira set the treant down, and it clung to his leg for support. He turned to address the group. "I've realized we need a clear chain of command. After me, Jarvis is in charge, followed by Lesley and then Alphagob. In my absence, everyone should listen to Jarvis, as his orders come directly from me. For the goblins, Alphagob will lead all of you for now, but as more of you evolve, we will assign team leaders. For now, Alphagob is the leader of all goblins, and future teams and their leaders will fall under his command. Is that understood?"
Lesley raised her hand. "What about the treant?"
"Oh, I forgot," Akira said, glancing down at the small creature. "The treant will follow Jarvis's and Lesley's orders."
Lesley nodded. "Yes, Master."
The treant made a small squeaking sound, indicating its understanding. As darkness fell, Jarvis hurried to prepare food for everyone, with Lesley's assistance. Akira took the treant to the backyard and showed it how to use the lever to get water. He demonstrated how to open and close it, and the treant nodded in comprehension.
"Go rest now," Akira said gently, and the treant returned to its hole, burying its legs in the ground to rest.
Akira then inspected the training area, noting the wear and tear on the equipment. He could feel that at least one goblin would likely evolve by tomorrow. Jarvis called out, "Master, food is ready."
After eating, Akira decided that tomorrow would be the day they began mining. The next morning, he completed his usual workout and checked on the treant, seeing that it had watered itself well. He poured mana into its roots and noticed that two more goblins had evolved into hobgoblins. Sparring with them, he observed that while Alphagob was stronger and had more stamina, the new hobgoblins, though still on par with a C-rank adventurer, were formidable.
Akira named the new hobgoblins Betagob and Gammagob. With a total of twelve goblins and three hobgoblins, he divided the group into teams: four goblins as guards, two as hunters, and five as miners. He appointed the goblin closest to evolving as the leader of the miners, Betagob as the leader of the guards, and Gammagob as the leader of the hunters, all under Alphagob's command.
"All ranks and duties have been assigned," Akira declared. "I hope everything is clear. The goblins with bows will go with Gammagob to hunt daily. The miner goblins will mine the abundant minerals, with Alphagob accompanying them for protection. Jarvis will also go, and you will follow his instructions. Betagob and the guards will protect this place."
He then turned to Jarvis. "Is the food prepared?"
"Yes, Master. The food is packed," Jarvis confirmed.
"Good. Can you bring me a piece of paper?" Akira asked. As Jarvis was busy with preparations, Lesley brought the paper to Akira. He began mapping out the cave system from memory, drawing a path to the deeper sections.
Once finished, Akira handed the map to Jarvis and went to his crafting room. Using the adamantite ore, he forged sturdy pickaxes and distributed them to the goblins. Jarvis hitched the oxen to the carriage and the goblins climbed inside, with Alphagob sitting beside Jarvis at the front.
"Let's get started," Akira said. "Everyone, to your positions."
The mining party set off, with Jarvis guiding the oxen and Alphagob on guard. Akira watched them go, then turned to the hunting party, sending them off with Gammagob. He ensured the guard goblins were at their posts.
As Akira was about to head back inside, the treant approached him, looking up expectantly. "You want to help too?" Akira asked, smiling. He patted the treant gently. "I'll find a job for you once you're a bit bigger. For now, just focus on growing strong."
With everything in motion, Akira then goes to his bed however he is not at ease and something is bugging him. Then in the middle of the night Akira wakes up Lesley and then tells her " I am leaving for the mines and I will come back in the evening tomorrow so take care of the base. I know you can do it. And if something bad happens just call my name with heart and I will rush to the base, thank you". Lesley is still in shock of what happened and as she gets to her senses Akira has left the room and goes straight for the mines.