Dadir City Development Plan
"Your Majesty, news has come from Lutetia that the Alliance Council has finalized the names of the three great kingdoms and four great duchies of the grasslands."
They are: the Fralant Wheel Kingdom, the Yinta Kingdom, the Bright Kingdom, the Gama Duchy, the Delta Duchy, the Xilong Duchy, and the Omega Duchy.
The final competition for the throne is currently underway. However, judging from the current situation, the final outcome is likely to be..."
The words were on the tip of his tongue, but Count Francis couldn't utter them. As one of the most prestigious families on the continent, the Alpha royal family was naturally indispensable at such a grand event.
Unfortunately, the right to speak ultimately corresponds to strength. The third kingdom on the continent was the Alpha Kingdom before the war. The current Alpha Kingdom clearly lacks the strength to participate in the competition.
Especially after being excluded from the spoils-sharing process, the Alpha Kingdom lost its voice over the Great Plains. The royal family's participation in the succession struggle seemed more like a formality.
"Alright, I got it. I didn't have high hopes to begin with, so there's nothing to be disappointed about if I fail."
Establishing a nation is no simple matter. Despite the apparent strong support for the Seven Grassland Nations, the situation will change once they are established.
The nobles who went north this time were ultimately only the second sons of their respective families, and it was impossible for them to devote the full strength of their clans to the cause.
Besides the necessary initial investment of human, material, and financial resources, their subsequent development will depend on themselves.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, the Seven Grassland Nations will not pose a threat to us for the next hundred years. Their existence is merely to block the kingdom's northward expansion.
All countries on the continent face various restrictions, so how could a kingdom be an exception?
It's good to be kept in check; otherwise, without external enemies, everyone will just fight amongst themselves all day long!
Caesar III said meaningfully.
The decline of the Orc Empire brought not only benefits to the Alpha Kingdom, but also a series of troubles. The biggest problem was that the kingdom was no longer as united as it once was.
Without a life-or-death crisis, it would be too difficult to expect the kingdom's nobles to be of one mind.
Perhaps in the short term, everyone can be bound by habit and tacitly suppress internal strife. But as time goes by, someone will eventually break this tacit agreement.
Compared to external enemies, internal strife is often the most terrifying. Once internal strife begins, the Alpha Kingdom's national strength will be significantly weakened.
The reason we are able to maintain peace now is because we have just gone through a major war, and everyone is tired and exhausted, with no energy to cause trouble.
Once everyone recovers from their weakened state, the situation will be completely different. Only after a period of chaotic infighting, a reshuffling of power, and the search for a new equilibrium will the situation gradually stabilize.
Unfortunately, at this critical juncture, Caesar III's health deteriorated, and he was unlikely to survive until a new balance was achieved.
"Your Majesty, the major disarmament has been fully completed, and it is time to make changes to the construction of the Standing Army."
The Military Affairs Department believes that, given the changes in the international situation, the original construction philosophy of the Kingdom's Standing Army —easy to replenish and high consumption—is no longer able to meet current needs.
With the Beastfolk no longer a threat, the kingdom's military pressure has become routine. Following the example of other countries on the continent, establishing a small but elite, highly combat-effective force would better suit our current needs.
The war against the Beastfolk is the best example. The elite troops deployed by the various factions of the Human Alliance were far more powerful than the ordinary armies of the kingdoms.
The combat capabilities displayed by those extraordinary units, in particular, were dazzling.
If the kingdom could possess an army similar to an Earth Dragon Legion or Tyrannosaurus Rex Legion... it could easily handle even the Behemoth Legion!
Duke Affierro made a cautious suggestion.
Only by witnessing firsthand the power of the Warcraft Legion can one understand why the top powers on the continent are all striving to develop extraordinary forces.
The Alpha Kingdom was unique before, but that was because it was forced into a corner by the Beastfolk. It could only try to increase its combat power in the shortest amount of time, and had no time to consider long-term development.
As time goes by, the proliferation of monster legions is an inevitable trend. Currently, the biggest problem restricting the expansion of superhuman armies in various countries is the insufficient number of monsters.
However, this problem can be solved with time. In peacetime, the number of artificially bred magical beasts will definitely show an increasing trend.
Anyone who understands mathematics knows that going from one hundred to one thousand is no less difficult than going from one thousand to ten thousand.
With the expansion of breeding scale and the advancement of breeding technology, the cost of raising the Warcraft Legion is expected to decrease further in the future.
Once Warcraft legions become widespread in various countries, Alpha Kingdom will definitely be eliminated by the times if it doesn't follow suit.
"Yes, we must increase our investment in this area. I will send someone to discuss with Count Hudson about borrowing his Giant Dragon."
However, good seeds alone are not enough; the female beast used for breeding must also be carefully selected. It's best to use magical beasts, especially the highly fertile Sub-Dragon Beast.
In terms of breeding magical beasts, the Franks were at the forefront of all the countries on the continent.
Their Tyrannosaurus Rex Legion and Wyvern Legion are not only powerful in combat, but also relatively docile. It's said that they can be ridden even without a contract!
I can't believe it Caesar III said enviously.
As a monarch, how could he not dream of becoming a hegemon? Unfortunately, the Alpha Kingdom's strength was insufficient to support this dream, so he could only keep his thoughts hidden deep in his heart.
Many things cannot be obtained through envy. The Franks Tyrannosaurus Rex Legion was not cultivated overnight, but rather the best breed selected after multiple crossbreedings.
Although the level of the dragons is not high, most of them are low-level magical beasts of the second or third tier. Only a few excellent Tyrannosaurus Rex can become mid-level magical beasts, which are also powerful weapons on the battlefield.
(Note: The levels of monsters from one to nine correspond to the nine tiers of humans. Levels one through three are low-tier monsters, levels four through six are mid-tier monsters, and levels seven through nine are high-tier monsters.)
"Your Majesty, this year's budget has been finalized. Military spending has already exceeded the budget."
Prior to this, you had also approved Count Hudson's proposal to strengthen the construction of Magic Crossbow and Magic Crystal Cannon units.
The Treasury Department hasn't even raised enough money for this part of the expenses. Building a Warcraft army isn't something that can be done overnight; it's better to postpone it for now!
Marquis Delgado offered his advice with a pained expression.
After the war ended, everyone was celebrating the victory, except for the bureaucrats in the Treasury Department who were worried.
The heavy financial burden was suffocating the kingdom's coffers. And Caesar III was, unfortunately, a capable ruler, the kind of monarch who is often prone to causing trouble.
Previously, Hudson proposed strengthening the construction of Magic Crossbow and Magic Crystal Cannon units, which Caesar III felt was necessary. Now, the Military Affairs Department has proposed creating a monster legion, which he also thinks is a good idea.
This is only in military matters; in other areas, Caesar III was equally willing to implement good suggestions.
The tragedy is that if you want to do something, you inevitably have to spend money. And the Alpha Kingdom is currently short of money, so much so that Marquis Delgado, as the Finance Minister, can only keep interrupting the King's plans.
He wanted to say something, but after seeing the Marquis Delgado's bald head, Caesar III didn't know how to begin.
After a moment of silence, Caesar III sighed helplessly and then said, "First, select high-quality female beasts and conduct small-scale trials."
As long as the scale is controlled, it shouldn't cost much. Large-scale breeding can be carried out after the financial situation improves.
This is a long-term project, and the Military Affairs Department should pay close attention to it.
It's estimated that the major noble families in the country will follow suit, and if necessary, we can cooperate with them to reduce breeding costs.
Caesar III was forced into this decision. He would have preferred a monopoly, but unfortunately, the dragons were no longer in his possession!
Dragons are inherently lustful, and with their unique aesthetic tastes, as long as a bunch of female beasts are sent over during mating season, breeding is practically a given.
However, for all these operations to go smoothly, the cooperation of Hudson, the Dragon Knight, was indispensable.
If you don't understand the Giant Dragon's temperament and figure out its specific mating season, sending the female beast to it at the wrong time is like feeding the Giant Dragon.
After all, most of the time, Giant Dragon have pretty good taste. Only beautiful female Dragon Race can catch their eye.
Only during mating season do their aesthetic senses go into overdrive; almost every female animal instantly transforms into a beautiful young woman in their eyes.
In the Mountain Territory, Hudson was busy arranging for people to take over fiefdoms from all over the place. The sudden influx of scattered fiefdoms undoubtedly put enormous pressure on the administration of the territory.
Fortunately, after several years of settling in, Hudson had built up a team that was able to take over the territory and maintain normal operations in various places.
Ordinary small towns are actually quite easy to govern. The original nobles had died out, and there were no legitimate close relatives left. The remaining servants and serfs simply didn't have the will to cause trouble.
In traditional agricultural production, as long as the people sent over don't mess things up, everything will continue to operate as usual.
The challenge lies in city management. Besides necessary military deterrence, certain management skills are also required. Those with rich management experience are invaluable assets anywhere.
Hudson originally intended to retain some officials, but when he received the fiefdom, he was surprised to find that everyone had run away.
Whether he was poached or absconded with the money, Hudson didn't have time to investigate; all that was left for him was a mess.
Both Dadir City and Snow Moon City are now in complete disarray. What is nominally a takeover is, in reality, more like an armed occupation.
Looking at the blood-stained street before him, Hudson was filled with rage. How dare some thugs act so arrogantly in his territory? They were simply asking for trouble.
There was no mercy. Anyone who had done anything in the city was either killed on the spot for resisting or became a glorious lifetime "miner," the kind who didn't need to be paid a single copper coin.
Returning to the old Dadir City, Hudson suddenly had a sense of déjà vu, as if history were repeating itself.
I wonder if this important town in the southern part of the province is cursed, as it has been plagued by disasters in recent years.
First, they were slaughtered during the Skull Society rebellion. Just when they had recovered a little strength, that unlucky governor of the Ciss suddenly ran away.
The remaining management personnel were initially able to maintain order, but after a prolonged period without military deterrence, the unstable elements in the city quickly revealed their true colors.
Since it wasn't originally their territory, the Hudson naturally wouldn't cause any trouble. But now that it's their own land, they can't just let things run wild.
The moment they took action, bloodshed nearly ensued. This is enough to demonstrate just how tragic the lives of the people living in Dadir City were.
After one upheaval after another, it's estimated that the original inhabitants of Dadir City have almost all been wiped out by now.
"Ruke, if I were to entrust the management of Dadir City to you, what would you do next?"
Hudson asked, feigning concern.
What appears to be a test is actually the beginning of a reshuffle of the territory's management. Theoretically speaking, going from being in charge of land reclamation to managing a city is definitely a promotion.
However, land reclamation is the core strategy of the Earl's territory. No matter how important Dadir City is, or how advantageous its geographical conditions are, it cannot conceal the fact that it is far from the administrative center.
Hudson had also considered relocating the administrative center. Unfortunately, the earldom's fiefdom was too scattered; whether it moved to Dadir City or Snow Moon City, it was surrounded by other people's territory.
Moving the administrative center from the safe rear to the front lines bordering various forces is a foolish act that only someone with water in their brain could do.
As for the issues of remoteness, poor transportation, and the resulting economic development, these are all worthless in the face of strategic security.
Even if they were to move, it would be after the swamp was developed, and they would relocate to the center of the swamp plain.
However, according to the traditional customs of the Aslant Continent, the probability of the lord's mansion remaining in its original location is far higher than that of relocation.
It boasts the highest mountain in the Southeast Province and is surrounded by other mountains, making it a truly strategic and dangerous location!
At least compared to the flat Southeast Province, the location of Lord Hudson's mansion was a formidable natural barrier.
"Count, I haven't really thought about that. But with Dadir City's advantageous geographical location, as long as social order is restored, there's no need to worry about its development."
The biggest problem now is confidence. The continuous unrest has caused the people to lose faith in Dadir City. The residents who remain in the city now want to leave, but have nowhere else to go.
The best way to revive the city's economy is to restore the confidence of its residents and businesses, and then relocate some people to the city. That should be enough.
If you want quick results, it would be best to move the lord's manor here. With your reputation, sir, everyone's confidence will soon be restored.
Hearing Luke's words, Hudson secretly rolled his eyes. This was clearly something he hadn't considered; it was obvious he had prepared the script beforehand.
If you're forced into this situation at the last minute, it's already quite an achievement to be able to organize your thoughts clearly.
A genius who can come up with a perfect strategy at a glance may exist in this world, but Luke in front of me is clearly not one.
If he truly had that ability, he would be an honored guest wherever he went, and there would be no way he would have fallen so low as to seek refuge with Hudson was not yet a great nobleman at the time.
However, prior preparation is understandable. Having followed him along the way, Hudson has repeatedly hinted at wanting to "use" him more, so one can roughly guess what he meant.
"Relocating the lord's mansion is impossible, but your other suggestions are quite reasonable. From now on, the Dadir City will be under your responsibility."
You know me, I never care about the process or anything like that, I only care about the final result.
"I have a three-year timeframe. I want to see a prosperous Dadir City that generates substantial tax revenue. That's my requirement for you!"