Except for Julia, the women in the house were relatively introverted. Even Kaoru, who had once been loud and outgoing, had become the most withdrawn of them all.
As Chuck's capable assistant and "right-hand woman," Julia understood this well. She briefly introduced her aunt to Kanae and Kaoru before leading Janet away to give her some space. Seeing as Janet was new and likely overwhelmed, Julia took her down from the stone platform to a clearing where she started a fire. She helped her aunt strip off her damp tracksuit and the matching deep-red lace bra—which was of a truly staggering size—and hung them on wooden sticks to dry by the flames.
As those two violent, massive mounds of flesh bounced free, revealing their heavy weight and large, dark-red areolas, even Julia couldn't help but stare in awe.
"Holy... every time I see them, I have to ask: Janet, doesn't your back hurt?"
"I've told you many times, Jules—go to the gym more. The barbell is the answer to all your problems," Janet replied flatly. She finished hanging her clothes and sat down on a wooden stump, her mature, heavy body giving a noticeable 'thwack' as she landed.
She crossed her thick, snowy-white thighs and used a clean cloth Julia provided to wipe the moisture from beneath her "southern hemisphere," lifting one breast—as large as a basketball—with one hand to reach the underside. Then, she looked up at her niece with a trace of concern.
"Listen, Jules. I need to confirm something with you."
"What is it?" Julia sat on a stump opposite her, resting her chin in her hands and tilting her head curiously.
Janet brushed her wavy red hair over her toned shoulder and glanced up toward the stone platform before meeting Julia's eyes again. "Be honest with me... are you and all those other girls... involved with him?"
"Uh..." Julia wasn't surprised by the directness. Knowing her aunt, the fact that Janet hadn't confronted Chuck immediately was already a huge gesture of respect toward her.
Julia let out a slow sigh. She knew Janet would ask, and she knew her aunt wouldn't like the answer. "Yes."
"I knew it." Janet rubbed her temples, looking exhausted.
She had to admit that any man who could build such an incredible home on a deserted island using nothing but his bare hands and raw materials was no ordinary person. But she had only just realized the implications: there was only one man in this entire camp.
In contrast, there were five women—including her niece—all of whom were young, beautiful, or maturely seductive. Most importantly, Janet had noticed the way they looked at Chuck. It wasn't just gratitude; it was something much deeper and more primal.
She looked at Julia again, her voice low and probing. "Jules, you don't think there's anything wrong with this?"
"I know what you're going to say, Aunt Janet." Julia shrugged. "If you asked me before the summer if I could share my man, I would have said 'Fuck no.' But now... well, I love Darling. If he's happy, I'm okay with it."
Janet felt a chill run down her spine as she heard her niece speak so calmly about something so insane. She covered her forehead and shook her head in frustration.
"Oh my god... if your mother knew... she'd lose her mind. Her daughter sharing a husband with four other women? It's madness."
Husband? Julia's cheeks flushed slightly at the word. Does Aunt Janet think we look like a married couple? Well... I suppose we aren't much different from one.
"What matters is that we're happy. Isn't that what you always told me?" Julia grinned playfully. She knew her aunt's personality; even if Janet couldn't accept it for herself, she would never interfere with Julia's happiness. Janet adored her too much for that.
Sure enough, Janet's expression wavered between disapproval and resignation before she let out a long sigh. She stood up, grabbed her now-dry clothes, and began dressing.
"If you ever see your mother again, you tell her I tried to talk sense into you the moment I got here."
"Hehe, I will!" Julia cheered. She jumped up and hugged Janet tightly.
"Hey! What are you doing? Let me put my clothes on first!"
"Your skin is still so soft, Auntie~"
"Hey! Don't touch me there!"
On the stone platform above, Chuck was trimming hardwood branches with his bronze axe. He raised an eyebrow. With his enhanced hearing, he had heard every single word of their conversation, even from this distance.
Though he didn't strictly "understand" the nuances of their English slang, he could grasp the tone and the general subject. It was only natural for an elder relative to worry about a harem situation. It seemed Janet wasn't the stereotypical "loose" Western woman; she had strong family values.
I wonder how she'll react tonight when she sees how 'intense' our sex life really is? Chuck thought, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. He was actually looking forward to it.
While Julia showed Janet around, Chuck pulled some clay from his storage and placed it on the workbench. He browsed through the multi-recipe list, but he hit a wall. As he had feared, the molds for copper pipes weren't there. Furthermore, he couldn't find any blueprints for the heavy weaponry he needed to hunt the black bear.
The workbench provided many molds, but they were mostly for tools. The "weapons" were limited to daggers and arrowheads. While bows were an option, black bears could climb trees. The idea of hiding in a branch and shooting arrows at a beast that could climb up and eat him was a death wish.
What he needed was a powerful, versatile melee weapon.
Chuck slapped his thigh. If it's not there, I'll just make it myself! After all, a mold was just clay carved into a specific shape.
He went into the cabin, sat at the table, and used his bone knife to start carving a piece of clay on a palm leaf. But as he started, he realized it wasn't as easy as it looked. Even if he could carve the shape, getting two halves to align perfectly for a pour was nearly impossible. His first attempt at a spearhead was a deformed mess.
But Chuck didn't give up. With his high mental attributes, his ability to learn and synthesize information was far beyond a normal human's. By lunchtime, he had managed to create a spearhead mold that looked decent enough. It might be rough, but he could grind it down later.
He placed the handmade mold onto the workbench. To his surprise, a series of glowing screens appeared before him.
[Workbench: Unknown Mold detected] [Analyzing handmade item...] [Analysis complete!] [Workbench: Crude Spearhead Mold added] [First handmade recipe detected. New option unlocked: DIY Recipes] [From now on, a 'DIY Recipe' option will appear at the bottom of all multi-recipe lists.] [In the DIY Panel, you can design any item using the base material. You are no longer limited to pre-set options. The workbench will automatically calculate material costs and time. Unleash your imagination!]
The screens faded, revealing a brand-new interface that looked like professional 3D modeling software. In the center was a rotating 3D image of the "Crude Spearhead Mold" he had spent the morning carving.
Chuck's eyes widened. Another new feature?!
It turned out the lack of molds wasn't a limitation of his "cheat"—it was because the system was waiting for him to take the initiative. He could now design and synthesize anything he wanted.
The 3D interface didn't require a mouse or keyboard. With his blue-potion-enhanced mind, he could manipulate the shapes just by thinking. Within minutes, he had designed a perfectly symmetrical longsword mold. It was infinitely faster and more precise than manual carving.
[Standard Longsword Mold (Designing): Clay x3] [Save this DIY Recipe?]
Chuck was about to hit 'Save' when he paused. He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin. He had been so focused on making a weapon that he hadn't considered the practicalities of fighting a bear.
Facing a massive, powerful predator like a black bear, a sword or a knife might not be the best choice. If a 500-pound bear charged him, a sword would require him to get dangerously close. One mistake, one trip, and he'd be pinned down. The risk was too high. Despite his two Red Potions, his strength was still within human limits. He couldn't out-muscle a bear.
What about a spear? Not quite. Bears aren't as agile as leopards, but they aren't as dumb as boars. They don't just run in straight lines. A spear only has one angle of attack—the thrust. If he missed the initial strike, he'd be defenseless.
To fight a bear head-on, he needed something that could stab, slice, and hook. A weapon that could adapt to the chaos of a hunt.
Chuck's eyes lit up. Bronze... bronze...
He thought back to the pinnacle of ancient Chinese weaponry—the king of the battlefield during the Warring States period.
The Halberd (Ji).
He began sketching in his mind. Soon, a complete, intricate halberd head appeared in the DIY panel. It had a central spear point for stabbing, a curved crescent blade on one side for slicing, and a hook on the other to control the beast's movements.
[Exquisite Halberd Head Mold (Designing): Clay x2] [Save this DIY Recipe?]
Since he only intended to make the head out of bronze and use a wooden shaft, the clay cost was low. Chuck saved the recipe and started the synthesis countdown.
While he waited, he didn't close the DIY panel. He leaned back, a mischievous glint in his eyes. This tool had infinite possibilities. If he could cast any shape out of metal... there were a few "toys" he wanted to try making.
Specifically, small, smooth, rounded gadgets with a tapered tip and a wide, flat metal base...
Just as his imagination was drifting into NSFW territory, the savory aroma of mutton soup wafted into his nose.
He turned to see Kaoru approaching the table, carrying a steaming bowl. She kept her head low as she placed it in front of him.
"Mr. Chuck... lunch is ready."
Chuck raised an eyebrow. He noticed Kaoru was walking with a slight "pigeon-toed" gait, her knees turned inward. It wasn't surprising; he had personally overseen her transition from a girl to a woman the previous night. The "bratty gal" who had once annoyed him was now a perfectly submissive "good girl."
Julia and Janet returned from their walk just as the meal was being served. Elena had clearly put extra effort into the cooking since it was Janet's first day. There were pancakes, taro, wild fruits, and the mutton soup. It was a feast by island standards.
While everyone sat down happily, Kaoru took her ceramic bowl filled with fruit and a pancake and walked quietly to her straw mat in the corner. She sat down alone, head bowed.
Chuck thought for a moment, then stood up and walked toward her.
"Mr... Mr. Chuck?"
Kaoru jumped, nearly dropping her bowl. She stood up, her slender shoulders trembling as she kept her gaze on the floor. In her heart, Chuck was now both God and the Devil.