While Ed and Oak Barrel were chatting, Adelaide brought in a bowl of freshly baked cookies from outside.
"Master, you're back now? This is the last batch of cookies we baked, why don't you share some with them? It's too noisy in the hall." Yes, the children's noise was getting unbearable for Adelaide.
"Okay, Adelaide, I'm very professional and fair when it comes to distributing things."
Carly, standing next to Ed, rolled her eyes upon hearing his words, and the scene of the last soap distribution immediately flashed before her eyes. That was indeed very 'professional and fair'.
Ed had no idea what Carly was thinking. He looked at the somewhat excited children and said:
"Kids, please be quiet. These cookies will be sold at the Everything Sold Department Store from now on, but only the savory kind. We don't have the sweet kind yet. They won't be cheap, but that's okay. We'll be releasing rye or oat cookies later, which will be much cheaper. If you have any better suggestions, please let us know. If not, we'll start dividing up these cookies on the table."
"We have no suggestions. Our only advice is that you quickly do as Sister Adelaide says." Since his dealings with Ed at the last Gomoku competition, Oak Barrel had become more casual in his speech. Perhaps he sensed that the lord was a very easygoing person.
"Hehe! Okay, Mr. Oak Barrel, I'll make sure you're satisfied." Ed glanced at the children in the hall, then at the cookies on the long table.
"Everyone line up. Each person takes eight cookies from the table. If you take the wrong one, you lose one cookie. If you can't count, hurry up and learn. Oak Barrel, you have the most questions, so you go first."
Upon hearing this, the children who couldn't count quickly moved to the back. Oak Barrel also wanted to move to the back, but since the lord had already called out names, he had no choice but to stand at the front.
So Oak Barrel mustered his courage, picked up a cookie from the long table, then another, then another, and so on, until he had eight. He was starting to have second thoughts; he didn't know whether to take any more.
"My lord, what should I do now?" Oak Barrel stopped, looked at Ed, and asked.
Ed almost laughed. You're quite cunning, aren't you? You've even set your sights on him.
" Mr. Oak Barrel, if you've taken all, please leave and let the next person take. If you feel it's not enough, please continue taking. But remember, if you take the wrong one, you'll lose one piece."
"Oh, what do you think, Adelaide?" Oak Barrel's eyes darted to Adelaide.
"Hehe, I think you should be quieter." Adelaide smiled; she knew Oak Barrel should understand what she meant. After all, her familiarity with these children was far greater than Ed's.
Sure enough, Oak Barrel immediately dashed outside into the lobby upon hearing this.
Ed looked towards the doorway with amusement, while Oak Barrel's little head was still peeking out from behind the wall.
"Great, Oak Barrel got it right. Next, those who took it, go outside. I need to work here."
Ed also needs to consider the situation of the neighbor to the north and see how much it will affect his territory.
Thanks to Oak Barrel's example, and the fact that the children were quite clever, the hall quickly quieted down.
"Master, this Savory Biscuit seems quite good to me; it's perfectly fine as food when we're out and about."
Adelaide sat at the long table and took a cookie to eat. After being so busy for so long, this was only her first cookie.
"Yes, Adelaide, please don't make the Guard Team's cookies into the shapes of various animals. They're not easy to package. Make them into square shapes instead. That will make them much easier to pack and carry."
"Ah! Lord Ed, you are brilliant! That's a wonderful idea!" Carly exclaimed in surprise before Adelaide could even speak.
However, this is indeed a good idea. Stack the cookies together, wrap them in paper first, and then wrap them in rabbit leather. It's convenient and keeps them fresh for a long time.