'Looks like building a Temple isn't optional,' Hiro thought.
But for him, it wasn't an immediate priority either. Shelter and other basic necessities took precedence.
"Okay. We'll build a Temple once we have more manpower from new refugees. For now, I have more important work for you all."
Everyone focused on Hiro.
"Bob, I want you to build a barracks first. It doesn't need to be anything fancy—just a large room where people can sleep."
Hiro wasn't referring to a military barracks. His idea was simple. New citizens would temporarily occupy the barracks. Constructing personal homes for everyone wasn't high on his list of priorities.
Bob nodded, understanding Hiro's reasoning.
Hiro turned to the Shuvlok group. "All of you, except Shuvsan, will help Bob with the barracks. You'll follow his instructions and won't give him a hard time. Do you understand?"
Shuvsan was the Scout, and Hiro had other plans for him. The tribesmen nodded reluctantly, their faces unintentionally menacing as they shot brief glares at Bob.
It wasn't exactly their fault— their naturally harsh expressions made even neutral looks seem intimidating.
"And Bob, you can use them however you see fit. Cutting wood, transporting it, splitting it, holding logs in place… whatever you need. Don't let their scary faces bother you. I'm far more terrifying than them," Hiro said with a reassuring smile.
"…Yes, my Lord." Bob had witnessed Hiro's power the previous night, and it had convinced him that Hiro was indeed terrifying. Even the most powerful mages he had known couldn't cast such devastating Skills with a mere snap of their fingers.
"Good. Get started. Time is of the essence unless you don't mind sleeping without a roof tonight. Shuvsan, you stay back," Hiro said. "Also… if any of you make things difficult for Bob, you'll find out that me simply blowing Shuvene's head off was actually an act of mercy. Hehe."
The tribesmen shuddered. The idea of being tortured instead of receiving a swift death at Hiro's hands did terrify them a fair bit.
"Sigh. We'll listen to you, Bob," Shuvichi, the Elixirblade, said. Hiro had noticed that, in Barbara's absence, the other tribesmen looked to Shuvichi as their leader. And it seemed like there was a good reason for it too. After all, Citizen Appraisal revealed that he was Level 35!
With that, the Barracks Construction Group left and got to work.
"Do you want me to explore the Barony with the Scouting Beacon, my Lord?" Shuvsan asked, trying to guess Hiro's intentions. The title 'My Lord' still felt unnatural on his tongue. He needed more practice.
Hiro shook his head. "The time for scouting will come later. Right now, you will be responsible for bringing water from the river to the settlement."
He summoned the Stone Tablet into his hands and purchased five items: one large water container, as tall as Tara, and four clay pots.
"Take one or two of these pots with you. Fill them up at the river and empty them into this container. This will serve as our settlement's water source for now," Hiro explained.
A more advanced water transportation system would take time to develop.
Hiro's gold balance had dropped to just 37 coins. Just a day ago, he had started with a hundred.
Shuvsan acknowledged the order and headed toward the river. Only Tara and Furina remained.
"As for you two, follow me," Hiro said, walking away from the tent into a more open space. Tara and Furina exchanged glances before following him.
Once he reached a suitable location, he used the Shop to purchase a Refugee Arrival Station. Perhaps because it was considered a necessary Realm infrastructure, the first one came free of charge, much like the Scouting Beacon.
The Refugee Arrival Station resembled a futuristic, compact room. Inside, a platform occupied most of the space. The World would teleport new refugees onto this platform instead of teleporting them randomly, as it had done with the Worken family the day before.
According to the item's description, increasing the number of Refugee Arrival Stations would raise the probability of Hiro's Realm being chosen as a destination for more refugees.
"Furina, you'll be responsible for manning the station. The new arrivals will be confused about where they are and what's going on. Explain the situation to them and send them to Bob to help with the barracks construction," Hiro instructed.
Furina's expression filled with worry.
"I-I'm not sure if I can do it, my Lord. People won't react well when they learn they've been sent to the Desolate Lands. I won't be able to defend myself if any of them turn violent," she said.
"I also think that my mother is right to be worried about such things happening, my Lord," Tara said.
Hiro smiled and replied, "Just trust me and do as I say. Nothing bad will happen. Tara, you'll stay with your mother. You can do your swordsmanship training a short distance away from the Station. Barbara, the girl inside my room, should wake up soon. Tell her to train somewhere close to you. Additionally, at least a few Shuvlok guys will be nearby, close to the barracks. Feel free to call out to them if there's trouble."
Furina still looked uneasy after hearing Hiro's words.
"Will those barbarians even be of any help?" she muttered.
She did not have any positive impression of them, especially after the events of last night.
"Don't worry, they will," Hiro assured her.
Seeing his confidence, Furina and Tara had no choice but to follow his instructions.
"I'll do as you command, my Lord," Furina said.
"Do all these arrangements mean that you'll be venturing somewhere yourself, my Lord?" Tara asked.
If Hiro planned to stay inside the settlement, there would be no need to involve the barbarians.
"Smart girl, that's correct," Hiro said with a relaxed smile. "I have some personal business to take care of, but you two don't need to worry. I have a Skill that will allow me to return to the settlement quickly if something goes wrong."
Hearing that, the mother-daughter pair felt much more at ease. Naturally, they did not pry into what his personal business was or what kind of Skill he possessed.
However, Hiro did not intend to keep them completely in the dark. At least not Tara. So he used the Skill he was talking about.
"Hellooo~! Can you hear me, Tara?"
Hiro's cheerful voice echoed directly inside Tara's mind. This was due to one of the Ruler of Lust's Class Exclusive Skills—Harem Link.
[
Harem Link: A link is automatically established between you and any woman with a high enough Ensnarement Level. While linked, the following abilities can be used on the target by spending Carna:
(i) Inspect Sense / Share Sense
(ii) Teleport
(iii) Telepathy
Carna cost depends on the Ensnarement level and distance between you and the target.
]
"What!? My Lord… was that you?" Tara blurted out in shock.
"What's the matter, Tara?" Furina asked with concern. She had no idea that Hiro had spoken to Tara telepathically.
"Indeed… it was me. Try replying with your mind," Hiro said.
Furina glanced between her Lord and her daughter, her confusion growing. Meanwhile, Tara focused and did as Hiro instructed.
"Can you hear me, my Lord?" she asked through the link. The Skill did most of the work, so it wasn't very difficult for Tara.
Hiro nodded and stopped using telepathy since they were face-to-face, and using it cost him Carna. Fortunately, the Carna cost at this distance was minimal.
"I was able to hear you. I'll keep the telepathic link active between us, but use it sparingly. Every time it's used, it costs me Mana. Only use it for urgent matters, got it?"
Hiro said 'Mana' instead of 'Carna,' keeping the full details of his class a secret from her.
Tara nodded vigorously. The idea of having such a connection with Hiro filled her with joy. For some reason, it made her feel incredibly safe. Her heart fluttered in a way it never had before.
To the side, Furina observed their interaction and pieced together what had happened. It seemed Hiro and her daughter could now communicate without speaking.
She had never heard of such an ability before. But after Hiro's display the previous night, she no longer doubted his possession of miraculous skills.
A complex emotion crossed her face, one neither Tara nor Hiro noticed. Deep inside, a small feeling took root.
Envy.
"Anyway, just let me know if things get out of hand here. I'll come back," Hiro said before turning and leaving the settlement.