Chapter 64: Communion
After the morning meeting had concluded and the citizens dispersed to their various tasks, Hiro eventually found himself back in the familiar confines of his "throne room"—the modest tent that served as the command center of his fledgling barony.
He had spent some time walking through the settlement, observing the daily activities of his citizens. At this point, he was just waiting for Starius to leave with his party, before he too did the same. Although, his only party-mate was going to be Tara, and he was going to throw a totally different kind of party.
I wonder how long it will take me to get an actual throne room. Probably very long, considering that bedrooms are a higher priority...
The sound of footsteps approaching snapped Hiro out of his meaningless thoughts. A voice called out from outside the tent.
"My Lord, may I enter?"
Hiro recognized Starius’s voice immediately. "Come in."
The tent flap parted, and Starius stepped inside, his posture respectful but confident. The young Hero had been tasked with forming an exploration party to survey the uncharted regions of the barony—a crucial step in ensuring their long term survival, and maybe even prosperity!
"I’ve completed the selection for the exploration party," Starius reported, standing at attention. "The team consists of myself, Vasquen, Targon, Barbara, and Shuvichi. Five members total."
Hiro leaned back in his chair, studying Starius’ face. "You only chose five? Why not take more people?"
"I believe a smaller, elite force would be more effective than a larger group," Starius explained in a measured tone. "Five is also a very typical party size since many dungeons have entry restrictions—typically limiting parties to five members. This size also allows for better coordination and stealth when necessary."
He continued after a brief pause, "Additionally, with you planning your own exploration, taking too many combat-capable citizens would leave the settlement defenseless.