Without stopping, Ben opened the two massive iron portcullis on the gatehouse with the system interface and had the cart continue toward the keep.
Jumping down from the driver's seat and stretching, Ben turned to his new people and spoke up.
"I know this place isn't much yet but it is just getting started. I wasn't expecting to bring people here yet so the only place that can be considered a home is this large keep." He said gesturing to the three-story stone block keep next to them.
"I was on my way to Goldcrest City to sell my crops and butchered meat from the Farms and Ranch we passed just now down in the valley so that I could make money to continue building here. I had planned to keep this place a secret because if another kingdom sent an army to take this place I would be powerless to stop them. This is the reason I have placed the Slave Command on all of you! You are all hereby ordered to not speak of this place to any outsiders or show its location in any way. Even just silently pointing to this area on a map or hinting of its location will be considered breaking this order and I am sure you all are aware of the consequences for slaves who break Slave Command orders."
Ben looked from one person to the next to make sure they understood.
"Now enough about all that. I don't intend to mistreat you and soon you all will have your own homes and live your lives without anything to worry about. I may assign jobs to you later on but for now, you just need to enjoy your new lives." Ben said as he raised his hands in a "that's all there is to it" shrug.
"Now let me show you all around not there is much to see yet." He said with a chuckle.
First, he led them to the restrooms and explained how to use the sinks, toilets, urinals, toilet paper, and paper towels. It was an embarrassing task for him especially since there were women present.
These slaves were bewildered at first they were all used to just squatting in a bush somewhere so these modern facilities were a drastic change. Even the guards who at most had access to outhouses were left dumbfounded.
After, explaining in detail while his cheeks were burning red the whole time he quickly took them over to the bathhouse. Ben explained how they were to take off their clothes and put them in the lockers and then shower before entering the baths.
He led them out into the main area from the changing room and told them the benefits of the large bath, sauna, steam room, and jacuzzi.
One of the guards hesitantly asked him if it was really okay for them to use this place. He had explained how he once worked as a palace guard in a king's palace when he was younger and this bath was even bigger and much more grand than the king's personal bath.
Ben laughed and assured them that everyone no matter what their status before arriving here is welcome to use the Bathhouse. He explained it would keep everyone healthier if they often bathed and the smell of dirty bodies wouldn't wrinkle everyone's noses.
"I come from a continent far across the ocean and our people have grown used to keeping clean and we also use restrooms to cut down on the spreading of diseases. I hope everyone can learn to also perform these customs. I will allow you all a good amount of freedom, but I do not want to see human waste littering the area. Once I build homes each of you will have your own personal bathrooms in your homes and will have a little more privacy."
By this time he could tell they were all just blown away by everything he had shown them. It would be like aliens taking him to their homes and explaining technology he had never he dreamed of. They all had endured a long journey and were now familiarized with their new home so he led them back to the keep.
Back inside the keep, Ben bought a few cheap tables, chairs, wooden crates, and beds for them all. He set the women up on the third floor and he moved his furniture to the second floor while the men would all stay on the first floor.
He ordered the men not to enter the women's third floor unless it was an absolute emergency. Then he told the men that they were forbidden from forcing themselves on the women at any time. If a woman gave them permission then it was her decision.
Ben was unsure of how the slaves of this world conducted themselves in private when it came to opposite sexes, but he was not going to allow the women to live in fear wondering if they would be forced by the men to sleep with them.
He placed out the wooden crates and filled them with vegetables and fruits from Earth and Victus and even left them some meat. The meat would not last long, but they could enjoy it for a few days.
'Hmm, I'm beginning to grow a little nervous that they may run out of food and I don't want them to have to live off of fruit and vegetables for two or more weeks. I truthfully don't know if I will return in two weeks what if it takes a month? System, is there a way that I can give these people access to the warehouse at all while I am gone?' Ben asked in his mind.
*Ding!* [You can choose to assign people to occupations. It is possible for you to promote someone to the Chancellor occupation and they will then have full access to add or remove items from the warehouse.]
The first person, Ben thought of was the middle-aged ex-palace guard who had said he worked for a king in his youth.
'If he once worked at a king's castle he must be trustworthy and a little more experienced than the rest of these people.' Ben thought as he went to find the guard.
Ben found him and explained he was going to leave him in charge of the food rations for the people. Once Ben asked the system to promote him to Chancellor he explained how to open the warehouse and remove food. He told him not to worry about running out because the food would be automatically stocked into the warehouse from the farms daily.
When the guard whose name was Rayner had the hang of adding and removing items. Ben called everyone down to the first floor to speak with them.
"I still need to travel to Goldcrest City, so you will all be on your own for the next couple of weeks. I have left food for you all in these wooden crates by the door and Rayner here will also have access to the Warehouse should I not return before the food in the crates runs out." Ben explained as he gestured to the guard that he had made Chancellor.
"You do not have to worry about your security this area is completely walled in with thirty foot stone blocks walls as you can see all around you. The only way to get in here is through the gatehouse that we entered and it has two solid iron portcullises that would be near impossible to get past." Ben explained with a smile to put them all at ease.
"I know there is not a lot around here right now to entertain ourselves, but that will change soon, as we continue to grow. All you all are free to explore or move around inside the walls, but I advise not to go outside the walls. I have not run into any danger in this area since I moved here, but there is always a rare chance though that a random profound beast or group of bandits may travel past."
Ben stopped to take a breath and continued to speak
"Everyone this is your new home, relax eat well and enjoy yourselves! You all may have a Slave Command on you, but you do not have to live like slaves any longer. This is a brand new life for all of you and I think you will all soon grow to love living here. In two or three days I will take off and should return in two or three weeks from Goldcrest city."
Ben gave them all a big smile and shook Rayner's hand before turning to walk over to the warehouse.
He was surprised when everyone called out as he left them behind.
"Thank you, my lord!"
"Thank you for saving us!"
"We love it here already, don't worry my lord!"
"Be safe on your journey!"
All the slaves had gone through drastic changes over the past few days. They had a slight taste of freedom and were able to eat good food that would make nobles and kings green with envy.
They now had a new owner who treated them like they were regular people, not only is he kind to them, but, strong enough to save them from danger. Even though he looked so young he could build creations never seen before in this world. It was like a young god came down from the heavens and took them under his care and protection.
Ben being from Earth only treated them how people should be treated and if he was going to take them in as his followers, he wanted them to also enjoy the benefits the system offered. He never stopped to realize these people were always used as expendable goods that would be worked to death and replaced by newly bought younger slaves.
They had slept in rickety shacks on the dirt floors and were lucky to receive one meal a day of spoiled vegetables and scraps. Every one of them kept pinching themselves throughout the day wondering if they were dreaming. This was not how slaves lived even their previous owners did not eat as well as they had these past few days.
Ben stopped to turn around and felt warm in his heart that they could appreciate him so much, even though he had almost forced them into becoming his followers.
With a smile, he waved to them all and turned to walk over to the Warehouse, he removed the wood, stone, ore, and food that had accumulated during his side trip to bring the slaves back. He was now able to restock the food he used feeding everyone on those few days traveling back to the fortress.
Since he was back home, Ben decided to hang around a couple of days so he could gather more resources and food to take along to the capitol.
The next three days he trained his Whirlwind Maneuver by zipping around the valley road below the fortress walls. He had only been using it to travel and had not bothered to train it since he bought it. Ben wanted to increase the technique's level so that he could cover long distances quickly.
Walking toward the Warehouse once again, he opened the latest notice he acquired over the past few days.
[Notice] [Technique: Whirlwind Maneuver has increased! Whirlwind Maneuver Level 8!]
After three days of hard training and a good supply of his special Qi/Mana infused food, Ben's technique had gained another four levels and his speed at which he could travel doubled. It was still not at the point where he would look like a flash or a blur passing by, but if, he had to guess, his new speeds had to be reaching 50-60 miles per hour.
'If I advance this technique up to level 20 and wear a set of wings I may actually fly, haha.' Ben chucked in his mind.
At the Warehouse, he once again cleaned out the food and resources and then made his rounds to let everyone know that he was headed back out on the road.
Everyone happily waved goodbye and watched him leave all the while hoping he would return a safely.