Chapter 551.5: Expansion with Justification
Matthew could sense Butler Ralph's concerns and stress.
So, he didn't place all the pressure and decisions on him alone.
Less urgent matters were left for him to study.
Less critical matters were given as reminders.
Urgent matters were given directions.
Important matters received direct orders.
As Butler Ralph grew, so too would the other administrators of the territory, becoming increasingly competent.
More responsibilities, more tasks.
That was the way to keep growing.
With his doubts resolved, Butler Ralph felt somewhat relieved. Then, he thoughtfully asked:
"The information we released will undoubtedly attract enemy attention. Will they act during this period?"
Previously, the masterminds had attempted blockades and forced other territories to funnel refugees into Bay Territory as their final indirect tactic.
Now, with Bay Territory's announcement, they would quickly realize—
Everything they had done not only failed but accelerated Bay Territory's growth.
Whether out of rage or to continue suppressing Bay Territory's expansion, they would now take direct action.
What was the lord's goal in doing this?
Was it to lure the enemy out while Archmage Cronorman was here and eliminate them all at once?
Or was it to select a suitable opponent for the territory to increase pressure on their development?
After all, due to their consecutive victories in various battles, everyone in Bay Territory was starting to become "complacent."
Shrugging, Matthew looked at the illuminated choice of fate and spoke in a calm tone:
"There is a significant probability that they will act, so we need to issue an emergency notice, warning everyone that danger is approaching."
This time, Matthew would send an early warning but would not reveal who the enemy was or their numbers.
The reason was simple—he could not always be there to watch over Bay Territory.
As Bay Territory's systems continued to improve, both the people and administrators were growing in capability.
It was time to face such a "test."
With full preparation, Bay Territory might encounter some trouble and pressure, but Matthew believed they would persevere.
At the same time, Matthew planned to use this confrontation as an opportunity to enhance the overall abilities of Bay Territory's Professionals.
Furthermore, he intended to accelerate the expansion of Bay Territory.
Matthew brought Butler Ralph to the map, pointing to the vast lands around them that had been severely affected by the Dragon Madness Disaster, and said with certainty:
"What we need is population and talent—they are the core driving force behind the development of the territory."
"As for these lands and castles, they are merely being temporarily held in trust by those lords."
"If, after the Dragon Madness Disaster is over, they still wish to return, then we will return their lands to them."
As for the people, they would have already become accustomed to life in Bay Territory, and the vast majority would likely choose not to return to their original lands.
Would those lords have objections?
Of course, they would!
But it was meaningless—Bay Territory had helped them preserve their lands and castles and only took a small "compensation."
As for the people, they had voluntarily chosen to stay in Bay Territory!
Providing refuge for displaced people—wasn't that Bay Territory's motto?
This was Bay Territory's true expansion!
Influence and population!
Understanding the implications immediately, Butler Ralph nodded thoughtfully and said:
"Understood. I will have them handle it."
Matthew continued reviewing Bay Territory's records and noticed that the number of video recordings had reached 70,000. He stroked his chin in contemplation:
"Advancing on both fronts is better than relying solely on adventurers."
Indeed, Matthew had already made up his mind to allow soldiers and adventurers to "freely" learn certain feats and abilities.
As everyone knew, free things were often the most expensive!
As Bay Territory's expansion plans took shape—
The adventurers and soldiers who received their orders quickly began implementing the "support" operations.
In just over ten days—
Every village and town in the surrounding territories of Bay Territory had been completely "evacuated" by the adventurers.
Only empty buildings remained, serving as temporary military camps.
The army, adept at group combat, actively engaged nearby dragon-blooded creatures, clearing them out in advance to ensure they did not approach Bay Territory.
The more flexible adventurers, meanwhile, rapidly scouted their next targets.
They would give the local territories and lords a friendly warning that "dragon-blooded creatures are approaching."
Typically, the targets had two choices: defend or flee.
For those who chose the latter, adventurers used various magical projections and testimonials from other townspeople to convince them to relocate to Bay Territory.
Those who chose to stay and fight were also respected—Bay Territory would not interfere in their battles.
Unless they couldn't hold out and requested "support" from Bay Territory.
The adventurers did not exploit them but instead offered a fair price for a righteous rescue.
However, Bay Territory's "support" only extended to that particular battle.
The adventurers would not accept long-term contracts, as they were neither profitable nor beneficial.
When the next wave of dragon-blooded creatures arrived, even the most stubborn lords would no longer be able to hold out.
Bay Territory did not intentionally deceive others, nor did it overtly show its intentions—but it also did not reject those who sought its protection.
Thus, with the "assistance" of the Dragon Madness Disaster, Bay Territory's development surged to unprecedented heights.
The rapid population growth swiftly provided Bay Territory with much-needed manpower.
Enticed by various beneficial policies, newcomers quickly integrated into Bay Territory's work and life.
Without the burdens of raising children or purchasing homes, they soon realized how much more there was to life and how they could further improve themselves.
The reputation of Bay Territory's "support" spread alongside the departures and arrivals of various lords.
This news soon reached Sevinton, where many were amazed at Bay Territory's "righteousness."
In reality, most people saw it this way.
Recently, many lords of the Netheril Empire had gone bankrupt or fled.
Most had already lost their lands and castles.
If they failed to reclaim them within six months, they would permanently lose their fiefdoms and noble titles.
Under such circumstances, if Bay Territory had simply let these noble lords perish or escape, it could have easily acquired vast lands without taking any risks.
Just as the Carl Family had done in the Carl Plains!
Yet Bay Territory not only acted but also refrained from making excessive demands. This was not only unbelievable but also piqued everyone's curiosity about them.
"Why does Bay Territory value refugees so much?"
"Maybe because Arcanist Matthew's personal philosophy differs from other Arcanists?"
"I even suspect that Bay Territory's aid to those lords—helping them defend their towns and castles—is just a means to better integrate the refugees."
"You mean the lords are just an afterthought?"
"Haha, most likely!"
"Bay Territory already has over 2 million people, and I hear their quality of life is excellent. How much wealth do they even have?"
"That's not the whole picture. Bay Territory sells a lot of goods and has been purchasing grain and supplies continuously—they probably have a degree of self-sufficiency."
"For such a remote place to sustain so many people, it's truly fascinating."
"And they're still not satisfied—they need even more population and talent..."
"Their wages are really good. Even I'm tempted."
"Don't overthink it. Teleportation costs aren't expensive, and if you succeed, they'll even reimburse you..."
"Sigh, I was just talking. It's not like I can relocate my entire family like the refugees..."
"That's not entirely true. Many merchants who have visited Bay Territory have nothing but praise for it."
"I've heard their food is delicious, and their clothing styles are quite refined. Something feels off—are they all lying together?"
"That would be unnecessary for something like this!"
"..."
The more discussions took place, the more people became aware of Bay Territory.
But Sora, who analyzed the actual situation, realized the true state of Bay Territory's development.
Compared to the small town from a year ago, today's Bay Territory possessed the strength of a true count's domain.
Not only did it have Archmage Cronorman backing it, but it also had tens of thousands of troops as its foundation.
Moreover, from scattered reports, Sora recognized the formidable strength of these forces.
Simple strategies were no longer effective against Bay Territory.
Thinking of this, Sora furrowed his brows and meticulously reviewed Bay Territory's intelligence, only to realize—
Apart from a few slow-updating pieces, most of the information was already six months old.
This meant that Bay Territory's control over intelligence and its domain had reached an unignorable level.
Bay Territory's growth speed and methods were simply too bizarre!
Sora never expected that instead of causing Bay Territory's downfall, his plan had only made them grow stronger, filling him with deep apprehension.
"I can't keep waiting any longer..."
"The Dragon Madness Maze might be the last chance to act without exposure..."
Thinking of the person who had entrusted him with this task, Sora frowned deeply and slowly pulled out a parchment, writing and sketching on it quickly.
Then, he took out a gray-black bone whistle, placed it together with the parchment, and packed them in a bundle.
A humanoid golem walked out, blankly taking the package and heading out of the room.
Sora waved his hand, erasing all traces of his presence, and then left the room.
In the next room, a group of young people were engaged in an animated discussion.
"Are you sure it's Bay Territory?"
"Yes, it's definitely Cousin Matthew's Bay Territory. I heard it has developed quite well..."
"Of course! News about them is spreading all over Sevinton."
"What kind of gifts should we prepare? Spellbooks for Arcanists?"
"How about some magical equipment? Since he's focused on developing the territory, he might be lacking personal resources..."
"Haha, you must not be aware—Bay Territory specializes in producing weapons, armor, and unique magical potions. I just came from their merchant guild store."
"Oh? Are you talking about the Thorn Merchant Guild, which sells all sorts of high-level magical gear and items? Their magical potions are quite distinctive, with many new varieties."
"That's right! The Thorn Merchant Guild belongs to Bay Territory. They're expanding rapidly, and the magical equipment they sell is of excellent quality."
"It seems Arcanist Matthew highly values his territory. We should choose gifts accordingly."
"That makes sense. I heard they've been buying food supplies. Why don't we bring him a batch?"
"Good idea! I happen to know a few grain merchants. Let's go check it out together."
"Alright..."
"Let's go!"
"..."
The white French tower emblem of the Ser Family gleamed brightly on their attire.
They were members of the Ser Family!
Matthew was still unaware that the Ser Family was planning to visit Bay Territory.
At that moment, he was standing beside the production line of the Joint Factory, calmly watching the completion of an advanced magical piece of equipment.
It was a lightweight leather inner armor.
Starting with a piece of tanned Earth Dragon leather—
It underwent twenty-three processing steps, including softening, soaking, drying, trimming, stitching, engraving, and hardening.
Only then was the most suitable section selected for the enchanting process.
Some of the earlier procedures were handled by machines, while others required manual craftsmanship.
The enchantment process, however, was primarily overseen by Magic Duncan and his team, led by Mayov.
Mayov was a master enchanter with outstanding skill, maintaining a high success rate and stability in his enchantments.
His work was not carried out on a familiar workbench but on a large-scale enchanting machine.
The enchanting process for items was no less complex than manual enchantments—if anything, it was even more intricate.
Many steps required such precision that even he found them somewhat tedious.
With Mayov's exceptional skills, he could complete the entire enchantment engraving using this fundamental spell formation structure.
While the enchanting process itself was complex, it ensured the highest success rate and stability.
In terms of results, although it consumed 30% more resources than manual enchantment, overall efficiency increased by over 80%.
Not only did it save his mana and effort, but it also ensured an exceptionally high stability in the enchantments.
With a success rate of over 95% per enchantment, Mayov had taken a deep interest in this special enchanting machine.
The machine was provided by the Elves of Ail, and Mayov was eager to disassemble and study it further.
However, under Matthew's watchful gaze, he naturally restrained himself from acting on that impulse.
He had heard that the lord was selecting Professionals to participate in advanced studies of feats and skills.
Spellcasters loved research!
Even if they themselves were the subject of the research!