The blazing sun hung high overhead, and the ground below was just as bustling. Nord made a circuit around the site and found that there were still some issues that needed improvement.
First of all, although the villagers were highly enthusiastic, their efficiency was not actually very high. They were not pooling their strength, instead working separately or relying on their usual familiarity to coordinate in simple ways. Moreover, the villagers had never gathered together to build such a large project before.
What seemed like a simple manor to Abel and Nord was already a massive undertaking in the villagers' eyes. Normally, when a house was built in the village, help from relatives, friends, and neighbors was enough. Mobilizing the entire village to build a manor like this was an unprecedented first for Tami Village.
So, the scene inevitably looked rather chaotic. Nord turned to look at Colin.
"Village Chief Colin, why not divide the villagers into several teams? Each team can choose a captain who is experienced or respected enough to lead the others. Then assign them different tasks and have them work in an orderly manner under their captains' leadership."
Nord truly found such disorder hard to bear. Though the villagers were full of enthusiasm, once he entered the worksite and observed it closely, he could not help offering Colin some advice.
Colin's eyes were full of confusion, as though his expression said, That sounds perfectly reasonable, but I didn't understand a word of it. His face conveyed the meaning: explain it more carefully.
Nord was somewhat helpless, so he carefully explained the modern concepts of division of labor, cooperation, and overall planning to Colin. Of course, these were only basic ideas, explained in plain and easy-to-understand language. Nord might not even have been able to explain anything too technical.
With Nord's explanation and assistance, Colin divided the villagers at the worksite into six teams according to their families and where they lived. The chosen captains were all experienced middle-aged men.
Following Nord's suggestion, two teams went to quarry and polish stone, two teams went to fell trees, and the remaining two teams stayed behind to level the ground.
Watching the worksite gradually become orderly under the captains' leadership, Nord felt a sense of accomplishment. He could be considered a Little Foreman in another world now.
As the four teams entered the mountains to prepare materials, the site before them gradually became quieter. Yet efficiency did not decrease. With everyone working together, progress instead sped up somewhat.
Nord also wanted to introduce a reward system to further motivate the villagers. Of course, not yet. Once they had adapted to the team-based work model, he could gradually introduce competition and rewards. One had to take things step by step; taking too big a stride could easily pull a muscle...
He handed the Construction Quest for the manor over to Abel. Abel had some basic Engineering knowledge and knew how to build a manor, so Nord called Ryman and Old Mor out from the crowd.
"Ryman, I plan to take a look around the nearby mountains and forests tomorrow. Is there anything I need to prepare?"
Ryman and Old Mor exchanged a glance, unable to understand why Lord Nord wanted to risk entering the mountains. Ryman thought for a moment before answering.
"We are only at the edge of the Amon Mountains, so the danger is not too great. If you merely want to look around the nearby forest, there should not be much danger. You can return the same day, so there is no need to prepare too much. But if you go deeper in, it will be very dangerous."
"Oh? Even dangers you can't handle?"
"Once you enter the forest, you can never let down your guard. Danger is everywhere around you at all times. Venomous insects and wild beasts may attack you at any moment. You must remain focused every second. A moment of carelessness could cost you your life, so I cannot guarantee your safety."
"Then we'll look around the outskirts first and won't go too far. But the mountains and forests must be explored, so you should be mentally prepared."
When Ryman heard that Nord only intended to look around nearby, a hint of delight appeared on his face. But upon hearing the latter half of the sentence, his smile immediately froze, and for a moment he did not know what to say.
Nord ignored Ryman and turned to Old Mor, the old hunter who had spent most of his life roaming the mountains and forests.
"Old Mor, have you ever gone deep into the forest?"
Old Mor faced the vast, boundless wilderness, and a trace of nostalgia showed in his eyes. However, because of his position, Nord did not notice it.
"The depths of the forest... I have been there. At the longest, I spent seven days and seven nights alone in the forest. In the deep mountains and dense woods, the greatest fear is losing your sense of direction. Especially in the dim forest, where sunlight is blocked by towering trees and the surroundings all look exactly the same. If you are not careful, you may never find your way back."
"During the day, some light can still shine into the forest through the gaps. But at night, you cannot see your hand in front of your face. It is pitch-black, as if there is only one color left between heaven and earth. The beasts of the mountains also come out to forage at night. Most people who enter the mountains die after dark, so try not to spend the night in the forest."
Nord was somewhat stunned by Old Mor's description. Whenever he had heard them speak of the dangers of the mountains and forests before, Nord had never paid much attention. In his previous life, humans had ruled the Earth. In the era Nord had lived in, the environment and wild beasts posed little threat to humanity.
All kinds of fierce beasts had become protected animals. Most of them stayed in zoos for people to admire and had lost their wildness, showing none of their former ferocity.
Only today, after hearing Ryman and Old Mor repeatedly emphasize it, did Nord understand that this was no longer the technologically advanced age he had known. He also had no idea what kinds of fierce beasts existed in this world. Rashly venturing deep into the forest was indeed inappropriate, but exploring it was key to developing his territory and had to be done.
"Then tomorrow, bring four or five hunters and take me around the nearby area first. After that, we can discuss a plan for exploring the forest."
Ryman and Old Mor nodded to show they understood, though their faces still showed concern over Nord's plan to venture deep into the forest.
After dealing with the matters at the worksite and arranging the next day's journey, Nord returned to Colin's small courtyard with Reed.
Along the way, Reed skipped about, looking rather happy. Nord was puzzled, so he asked him.
"What are you so happy about? Tell me."
"Lord Nord, as your messenger, I should follow you at all times. So tomorrow, I get to enter the mountains too."
Reed put on a proud expression.
"The forest is so dangerous. What is there to be happy about?"
"There isn't much danger. The forest is fun! There are countless wild fruits and medicinal herbs, along with all kinds of interesting things. My older brothers never take me there, so I always sneak in by myself. Whenever they find out, they give me a fierce scolding. Now I can go in openly, so of course I'm happy."
Nord found it rather amusing. Ryman and the others regarded entering the mountains as an extremely dangerous matter and would not go in unless necessary. Reed was the exact opposite, believing the mountains were great fun. A newborn calf truly feared no tiger.
Shaking his head, Nord stopped paying attention to the foolish boy and headed toward the small courtyard.
Before you continue