Harem-Powered Kingdom Building: Empire of Carnal Sin-Chapter 41: The Grand Mage’s Expedition

"Oh? He was willing to take such a risk?" Hiro asked, surprised that anyone would do something so selfless with no strings attached.

"He was already of a very old age, my Lord. He probably would've died a natural death in a few years had he not undertaken this expedition. In addition, he was someone who sought glory. It is quite likely that he wanted to leave something behind for future generations."

Targon was inwardly surprised that Hiro did not seem to know about the expedition.

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"That explains it. Continue. How did this expedition go?" Hiro asked.

Targon nodded and said, "First of all, this expedition confirmed without a doubt that the Shifting Sands did indeed lead people to the Desolate Lands and not to their doom."

"Over the course of the next few days, the expedition regularly reported back on their surroundings. They were apparently in a swamp that stretched far and wide. The clouds above were perpetually dark. The mana in their surroundings was dense, and high-level monsters were aplenty."

"The monsters were powerful but not overwhelmingly so. Being able to cross Level 200 was proof of the Grand Mage's prowess. With his help, the party was able to survive all the monster attacks they faced. As the expedition continued, the Grand Mage sent back several reports indicating that the region was rich in important resources."

Everyone listened to Targon's story with rapt attention. Tara even leaned forward and asked, "What happened next?"

Targon's face darkened. "Six days. That was how long the Grand Mage had been able to survive. What happened toward the end of his expedition is not clearly known to the public. The nobles were very vague about the details they shared."

"All I know is that the Grand Mage's final transmission mentioned a strange phenomenon. Its exact details are not known to me. I didn't exactly have an exalted status in my old realm. Anyways, all communication ceased after that point. The Grand Mage was declared dead to the public. Most people think that whatever this strange phenomenon was, it must've killed the Grand Mage."

"This is all I know about the Desolate Lands, my Lord," Targon finished.

Hiro took some time to absorb the information. He had yet to witness a swamp. This made him think that the place where the Shifting Sands led the expedition was completely different from the barony they were in now.

Meanwhile, Targon looked at Hiro expectantly.

"Have you observed anything unusual after coming here, my Lord? Do you perhaps know what the Grand Mage might have encountered?"

Hiro became a little awkward after hearing that question. How could he possibly know anything?

"Cough... Sadly, I don't know much about the Desolate Lands. Like I said, there are some... uh... special circumstances behind me being here. I come from a place that is very, very far away from here. Practically no information reaches there."

Hiro decided to come clean about this. It would be a massive pain in the ass to keep pretending like he knew something.

"And as far as strange phenomena go..." His eyes inadvertently met Tara's and Furina's. They had only encountered one "strange phenomenon" so far.

"Something strange did happen yesterday," Hiro said.

He then recounted what happened after the cock-shaped building "erupted." The mist, the monsters, the hypnotic effect that only seemed to affect women. It was better for his citizens to know about the danger so they could have a better shot at surviving it.

After Hiro finished recounting their experience, Fiona couldn't help but shudder. "Ew... that's disturbing."

Hiro nodded. "It's quite likely that this is not the same phenomenon that the Grand Mage encountered, but we've only been here for a day."

"Looks like this is all the information we have right now..." Hiro decided to send them off with some parting words.

"All three of you are pretty strong compared to the other citizens of my Realm right now, so I will be counting on you. Don't be too pessimistic about our situation, and lift the morale of others in the camp as well. And finally, make sure to get along with the Shuvloks. If you want to survive, they will be valuable allies. The beginning might be the hardest part, but once we make it through, you will find that the rewards will be very much to your liking."

"Yes, my Lord!" the three of them said in unison.

"Good. You are dismissed now."

With that, the three people of the Berger family left the tent one after another. Fiona was the last to leave. Before she stepped out, she turned her head back one last time, and her amethyst eyes met Hiro's for a moment.

Even though it was brief, there seemed to be an inexplicable meaning behind her gaze. Her lips, a dark shade of red, curled into a polite smile before the flap of the tent closed behind her.

Hiro had stolen several glances at Fiona while Targon had been sharing what he knew of the Desolate Lands. She was, without a doubt, an extremely alluring woman. Probably even the most beautiful woman in the settlement right now, by Hiro's standards.

She was slightly shorter than Tara. Her hourglass figure was not as voluptuous as Furina's, but she still exuded a certain mature charm. Her straight, dark purple hair reached her waist and was evenly cut near the ends.

On one hand, she radiated the aura of an intelligent and outgoing woman. Her mannerisms, on the other hand, were like those of a shy and perfect, virtuous wife.

But Hiro, who had the Citizen Appraisal skill, knew that Fiona was not as simple as she looked.

Hiro smiled at her retreating figure. Dark and lustful thoughts occupied his mind. He was definitely looking forward to getting to know Fiona better.

"What are you smiling at?" Barbara's voice brought him out of his happy thoughts.

Sigh.

"Nothing. My heart is just filled with excitement at the prospect of spending the rest of my life in this wonderful place," Hiro sarcastically replied. "Why are you still here, by the way? Do I need to dismiss you separately from them?"

Barbara shot Hiro a defiant glare upon hearing his words, but she did leave the tent with a huff.

Only Furina and Tara remained. Concern clearly covered their faces.

"My Lord, that strange phenomenon that Targon talked about... Assuming that we haven't encountered it yet, will we really be fine?" Tara asked.

Hiro took a step toward her and, without any warning, pulled her into an embrace. His hands rested on her waist, right above her butt. He planted a kiss on the top of her head and inhaled her scent while at it.

"Maybe we'll be fine. Maybe we won't be fine. The future is unpredictable, which is why we should enjoy each day as if it were our last."

Hiro's words were serious, but Tara sensed that there was a teasing undertone in his voice. Indeed...

"And what does it mean to enjoy every day? The answer is, of course..."

Hiro pulled Tara closer, deepening their embrace. He then used one hand to cup her face, staring straight into her eyes with a smile.