Translator: Cinder Translations
...
Stanford's return caused a moderate stir in Alden Town. He was the first fleet commander among the three to make it back.
Upon his arrival at the Lord's mansion, word quickly spread. Various individuals who had permission to enter the mansion came knocking, hoping to see this famous adventurer. However, they didn't meet him right away. Instead, they were shown into the reception room by the servants and asked to wait.
At the moment, the adventurer himself was in a small lounge adjacent to the Lord's office, having a private conversation with Paul Grayman.
The Lord had already gotten a general idea of the North Exploration Fleet's experiences.
"So, most of your people are still in the native tribes up north?"
"Yes, Lord Grayman. I plan to organize another fleet soon to head north and bring them back. Please, I beg for your support. They are heroes who have made an invaluable contribution to the geographic exploration of the Northwest Bay and Alden. We absolutely cannot abandon them."
Stanford pleaded earnestly.
Paul responded seriously, "Captain Stanford, 'abandonment' is not a word in my vocabulary! I assure you, you will soon have a brand-new fleet, fully equipped with supplies and a full crew of sailors under your command, to bring those heroes home."
Paul continued, offering comfort: "Allow me to express my deepest sorrow for the fallen warriors. Their names will be engraved in the Hall of Heroes and remembered by future generations. Their families will be well taken care of and spared from hunger and cold."
Stanford stood up and bowed deeply to Paul. "I thank you on behalf of my fallen comrades."
Stanford had visited and paid his respects at the Hall of Heroes before. The names etched in marble were those of soldiers who had died in various wars Alden had fought, such as the Pirate Extermination War, the Byerldine Rebellion, and the Usurper War. Now, a new set of names would be added, not of soldiers but of equally honorable individuals. Though they hadn't perished in war, they were no less worthy of respect.
Perhaps... one day, his name would be added there too if his adventurous life continued.
"Stanford! Stanford!"
"Huh? Yes, Lord Grayman."
The earl's voice pulled him from his momentary reverie.
"The men you brought back, how are they holding up mentally?"
From their earlier conversation, Paul had learned that this group had crossed the Rocky Mountains with a death wish, never expecting to return alive. They merely wanted to die closer to home.
"When we guessed that we were near the edge of Alden, in the forest near Northview Town, everyone went wild. They wept with joy. But their emotions have since stabilized. Now they just want to get home and see their families."
"They will. They'll see their families very soon."
After sitting back down, Stanford made a suggestion to Paul: "Lord Grayman, perhaps you could establish permanent trading posts along the coast up there. The lands north of the Rocky Mountains are vast forests and grasslands, not the barren wastelands people imagine. The ground is filled with rare and precious trees, and the earth is rich with valuable minerals. The fur from the animals there would drive the noblewomen of Alden wild. In short, there's a treasure trove just waiting for us."
Paul nodded as he listened. "I will seriously consider your suggestion. The Council of State will soon organize experts to carefully study the navigation logs and mapping data you brought back. Then we'll choose suitable locations. If possible, I don't want just trading posts; I would even like to extend our territory there."
He chuckled at himself, "Haha, what lord doesn't want more land to rule?"
"But!"
Paul's tone shifted.
"If we move into that region, won't we likely face conflicts with the local natives?"
"That's highly possible, even inevitable," Stanford admitted. "But if you can offer them more, those conflicts might be resolved within manageable limits. The natives live very primitively, in conditions far worse than Alden's just a few years ago. And their sense of land ownership is different from ours. Even if it's the same as ours, their value of land won't outweigh their need for other, more essential resources. A few hundred pounds of iron ingots, a few sacks of salt, some boxes of cloth, oh, and porcelain might be enough to get them to recognize your rule over large swaths of land."
"If that's the case, then that's excellent news."
Paul hoped to extend his influence far and wide, but he preferred not to use violence. As a transmigrator, he fundamentally believed in the idea of "if distant people don't submit, cultivate virtue to attract them." Of course, this "virtue" wasn't the old Confucian ideal, but rather advanced productivity and social systems that would draw people in like iron to a magnet.
If they refused to change or integrate, fine. He wouldn't bother them either. They could stay in their small, isolated territories and watch as others' lives got better and better. Eventually, they'd come seeking change on their own.
"But I must warn you."
Stanford's tone turned serious.
"From what I've observed, the Orcs of the plains seem to have considerable influence in that region."
"Orcs of the plains?" Paul was startled.
"Yes, and there might be an even worse situation. The dwarves in the Rocky Mountains could be connected to these Orcs."
Dwarves? Paul had heard Stanford mention them before. It was through the dwarves' territory that Stanford's group had crossed the Rocky Mountains.
Paul had planned to have Stanford elaborate on the dwarves later, but now the adventurer brought them up on his own.
"I'm sure you've heard the rumors," Stanford said with a grim expression. "In the northeastern parts of the kingdom, small groups of Orcs occasionally attack human villages and then mysteriously disappear. That area corresponds to the eastern part of the Rocky Mountains. As far as I know, there are dwarves living there as well."
Paul stared at him. "Are you suggesting that the dwarves are letting the Orcs through?"
"It's just a guess. From our experience crossing the mountains, the Rocky Mountains are incredibly treacherous. The dwarves have spent hundreds, perhaps thousands of years shaping the terrain with mazes, traps, and passes. Without their permission or guidance, it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for outsiders to pass through. However, it's also possible that the Orcs discovered a naturally formed route unknown to the dwarves. After all, the Rocky Mountains are vast. But if the first guess is correct…"
Paul frowned.
If Stanford's first guess was correct, then Alden could be at risk of attack.
The Rocky Mountains... would no longer be an effective barrier.
(End of the Chapter)
---
Read (FF) ahead on (pa treon . com / CinderTL) – Chapter 716.
Early access starts at $5. Your support keeps this going!
Use Code CINDER2025 to get 50% first month discount on TUR and TUP Tiers. Valid Till 15Jan2025. \(^O^)/
Subscribe & Read Nightmare Strikes FREE!! ;)
Translated 1.4K+ Chapters and 1.65M+ Words.