To Deceive the Enemy, First Deceive Your Own

With the Neverwinter incident finally brought to a close, and Aribeth succeeding Lord Nasher as the ruler of Neverwinter, every region along the western coast of Faerûn, except Waterdeep, had come under the Imperium's direct rule.

Especially those small towns far weaker than Neverwinter. After realizing just how fragile their safety was without the protection and deterrence of the Imperium's army, they had all abandoned their former semi-independent status.

After all, compared to the pitiful bit of power in their hands, the safety of their lives and property mattered more.

Some of the more timid wealthy people had even given up their dreams of being local tyrants and moved their entire families to live in larger cities.

Their original estates and old homes were left to their stewards, or used as temporary residences for leisure, vacations, and hunting.

In short, the Lizardfolk Queen Mossara had indirectly done the Sword Coast Empire's senior cabinet officials a tremendous favor, successfully pushing the region's formerly decentralized feudal lord system a major step toward a centralized bureaucratic system.

In particular, with the large-scale infrastructure investment, urban redevelopment, and expansion made possible by the extensive burning and destruction within the city, as well as the complete integration into the multiple-spell environment and Mythal covering the Imperium's major cities, Neverwinter had been completely transformed from head to toe.

Even the upper ruling class had undergone a sweeping replacement.

Rather than suffering the period of stagnation and decline many had expected, it instead attracted vast numbers of talented people because it offered opportunities for social advancement.

Furthermore, the ancient underground city with immense research value had drawn more than a hundred Legendary Liches from the Arcane Mysteries Society, along with their disciples and descendants.

These mages alone, whose minimum casting levels were all above LV9, brought unprecedented