Do you want the Tutorial Assistant to be activated?
[NO] / [YES]
Karl moved his finger across the screen.
He sneered. "You show me this now? after I've squandered half of my gold and constructed three buildings already?
He tapped, complaining, [YES].
The screen flickered, then jerked a little. A stream of data crackled through the air, and sparks of light sprang across the hut. A translucent figure appeared next to the screen with a sudden flash of blue flame.
She was a young lady. Or, at the very least, she appeared human.
She was dressed in a skintight black bodysuit with a sharp military-style jacket, and she had glowing circuit lines that resembled futuristic tattoos running down her arms and legs. She had a bored expression on her face all the time, as if nothing in the world could impress her, and her eyes shone like polished sapphires.
"Setting Up Assistant AI… Kingdom System Version 1.0.0."
"Host, welcome. It's about time you discovered the guide.
Karl blinked. "You... speak?"
She gave an eye roll. "You constructed a wheat farm without realizing that harvesting it would require labor. I talk, of course. Otherwise, you would be a fool, starving in a wheat field.
Karl gazed. "...who are you?"
She crossed her arms. "Virtual Infrastructure Representative—Name's Vir." However, you can call me whatever you want because we will be together until your kingdom falls or you pass away.
"What's with this system and sarcasm?" Karl muttered to himself.
[By default, the emotional sarcasm module is active.]
He let out a sigh. "All right. How can I actually get the buildings to function, Vir?
After pausing, he scowled. "Hold on, the name 'Vir' doesn't even sound like a female name. What about "Laura"? That works better for you.
The AI gave a single blink. "Call me whatever you want," I said. Until you pass away.
Karl narrowed his eyes at her. "Why are you so excited about my passing? Could we at least pretend that this is our first meeting and not a murder simulation?
She gave a shrug. "Anyway. Let's get right to the point.
The screen moved when she snapped her fingers.
"You want your structures to work? You require employees. Additionally, you will use the Hero Recruitment function to find employees.
Karl gave his head a scratch. "But wait, doesn't 'Hero Recruitment' provide you with strong warriors or commanders? In most games, that's how it operates.
Laura gave a nod. True. But commanders aren't the only thing at play here. Recruitment is a game of chance. You get a hero sometimes. A blueprint, sometimes. Occasionally a civilian, a food crate, or even water. Like a gacha game, it is randomized.
She gestured toward the screen. "Go ahead. Press it.
Karl tapped the [Hero Recruitment] icon that was glowing.
There were two choices:
• [Regular Hiring]: 5 Openings
• [Super Recruitment]: 1 Position Open
Laura went on, "Every day, you receive five complimentary regular recruitments. You can get blueprints, workers, resources, and even building upgrades from each of them. However, the quality is typically mediocre.
Karl's eyebrow went up. "What about the Super Recruitment?"
"That one was a free gift from the system," she stated. It is more likely to pull elite heroes or rare items. However, you only receive it infrequently unless you make payments in gold or accomplish particular goals.
His eyes narrowed. "Basically, it's RNG and luck."
Laura grinned. "Greetings from life. The twist is that everything you pull can be helpful if you use it properly; who knows, you might even start out as a higher grade hero.
Karl's arms were folded. "All right. What's up with the grades you previously mentioned? Do they have tiers?
She gave a nod.
"Every resource, weapon, hero, and item is graded from weakest to strongest:"
Iron, bronze, silver, gold, platinum, diamonds, and titanium
"Its power, rarity, and utility increase with grade. Monsters could be slain with a single blow from a sword made of titanium. Structures could be built twice as quickly by a Diamond-grade worker. What about heroes? She grinned. "Well, you'll see."
Karl gave his chin a contemplative rub. "So, the better the potential, the higher the grade?"
Laura said, "Exactly." You're in a forbidden area with unclaimed land and ancient monsters all around you. To survive, you'll need more than sarcasm and a wheat field.
Karl's face became stern.
"Then let's see what I can pull."