Harem-Powered Kingdom Building: Empire of Carnal Sin-Chapter 52: Hope

While the settlement certainly had the raw power necessary to deal with a Wraith or two, their mysterious means of attack posed more of a problem than their raw strength. It was always better to stay clear of them if possible.

At this point, Hiro was standing silently on top of the cuboidal stone that he had brought with him. He was waiting for more people to gather around him with food in their hands.

Yes, Hiro had intended for this stone to serve as a platform where he could deliver any speeches or announcements to his citizens.

Obviously, this was not going to be the final shape and form of the Central Platform, but his Realm was still in its budding stages, making it excusable for a simple stone to be used as the platform. Not to mention, the stone was in the shape of perfect cuboid – it was certainly more interesting than the irregular shape of naturally occurring stones.

Many people seemed to have realized Hiro's intentions already. People like Targon and Vasquen waited for Hiro to begin as they slowly enjoyed the food in their hands.

Standing two feet above the ground, Hiro observed that most people already got their food. Deciding it was time to begin, he cleared his throat. Immediately, the surrounding dull chatter died down and the people's attention shifted towards the Baron.

Even Starius and Tara were the same. Unfortunately, their conversation came to a halt even before the awkwardness of several years could be dissipated.

Other than the tiny, intrigued smile on Hiro's face, there was no other indication that he had taken note of this interaction. He began speaking.

"I know what you're all thinking," he said, his voice carrying easily across the now quiet settlement. "The Desolate Lands suck."

The citizens exchanged glances, their expressions cautious. Hiro's temperament was still a bit of an unknown to them. His brutal dispatch of the Underworld ruffians that afternoon was still fresh in the minds of many, with even the newcomers quickly being enlightened on what the consequences for sowing dissent would be.

Hiro wasn't hurt by their lackluster reactions. He simply continued.

"And you would be right about that. These lands are dangerous, isolated. The terrain is less than ideal. And many of you didn't exactly choose to be here. When you sought refuge, this was almost certainly the last place you expected to find yourselves in."

He paused, his deep gray eyes sweeping across his assembled citizens.

"But I want you to consider something. While everyone else in the world fears the Desolate Lands, we're already here. This is the first time that a proper, official Realm has been established in the Desolate Lands. And that gives us an opportunity that no one else has."

Hiro gestured to the land around them. "This place is a blank slate. A fresh start. Every building we construct, every monster we slay, every acre we clear—it's all ours. There's no competition, no other Rulers to contend with. A land rich in resources waiting for us to exploit. Us. Just us."

His citizens watched him silently, their demeanor shifting from cautious to genuinely thoughtful.

"Look at the food you're eating right now," Hiro decided to strike when the iron is hot, and pointed to the bowls in their hands. "When was the last time you tasted monster meat?" Hiro paused for a few seconds after asking this question.

The discussion he had with the Worken family around the fire on the previous day had given Hiro a solid understanding of the average quality of life of citizens in other parts of Selune's Domain. Not to mention, most of these people were here after they sought refuge from their previous Realms. Their standard of living had probably been even lower than the average.

Monster meat was a delicacy that most of them, especially those without combat classes couldn't have possibly afforded.

The expressions on their faces also reflected that Hiro's assumption was quite likely to be true.

"For most of you, probably never. Monster meat is quite expensive, after all. It is a cuisine reserved primarily for the upper class of society. And yet here, it is freely available to all of you."

People glanced down at their bowls, considering his words.

"There's something you need to clearly understand about Contribution Points." Hiro continued. "I said that a single Contribution Point could be exchanged for one copper. I never said that the reverse is true. In the future, you will realize that there are some things that are far easier to buy with Contribution as opposed to Silver or Gold."

"Yes, for example, earn enough contribution, and you can have your own land and house. I don't think I need to explain to you all what the benefits of owning property in the founding location of a Realm are, correct?"

He paused, sensing the shift in mood as people began to process his words more seriously.

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"And I know what some of you are thinking - 'If he'd just use [Exile] on me, I could leave this place.' But then you'd just be starting over somewhere else, with nothing. Good luck rising up the ranks of society in a well-established Realm. Here, you have a chance to build something lasting."

A few settlers shifted uncomfortably at the mention of Exile, the very thing many had been hoping for since arriving.

"And perhaps most importantly," Hiro added, "you're not alone in this. Because as if Goddess Selune herself wanted to make sure you all had a fighting chance, we've been blessed with the arrival of a Hero."

Hiro gestured toward Starius, who was standing next to Tara and silently eating his food. "I think we all saw, or heard, what he's capable of earlier today."

All eyes turned to Starius, who looked mildly embarrassed by the sudden attention.

"So yes, the Desolate Lands are harsh. But you must understand that your position is also unique. There is danger, but there is also corresponding opportunity. Are you going to spend the rest of your time here wallowing in despair and imagining a pessimistic future for yourself? Or will your life's work become part of a Realm that defies all odds?"

After giving a small pause, Hiro ended his speech on a somber tone. "This is solely for you to decide."

With that, Hiro let his words hang in the air.

The citizens didn't erupt into cheers. Instead, a thoughtful silence fell over the gathering. People exchanged glances, digesting what they'd heard.

After a few seconds, Vasquen was the first to respond. He bowed to Hiro and then said while applauding, "My Lord, your vision for our future is most illuminating."

Hiro inclined his head slightly. "Thank you, Vasquen."

The others also woke up from their stupor and their palms met in a slow, rhythmic applause. They found sense in Hiro's words and for the first time, they allowed themselves to dream of a bright future for a few moments.

Perhaps being sent to the Desolate Lands by the World was not as bad as they had initially imagined? They had a mighty Ruler and a Divine Hero at their side. Surely, even the Desolate Lands would have to bow before the power of these two, right?

Meanwhile Hiro decided to shift the attention away from himself now, and satisfy his own curiosity in the process. He turned to Starius.

"Speaking of our resident Hero," he said, "I believe many of us are curious about how you came to be here, Starius. Would you mind stepping onto the stage and sharing your tale with us?"