"As far as I know, a year ago, Your Excellency's territory was still a barren prairie."
"It bordered the Land of Buried Bones, where powerful wandering undead often appeared, making it unsuitable as a settlement."
"Moreover, compared to other places in the region, its geographical location was not particularly advantageous."
"How did Your Excellency manage to initially establish a Great City-class settlement within a single year?"
Marquis Ekmelading wore a stern expression, but his eyes were exceptionally bright.
This made Zong Shen somewhat curious. He had not expected the man to lay his cards on the table.
The changes there could not be hidden from those who paid attention.
Let alone the emergence of a Great City-class settlement within a year, even if the timeframe were multiplied by a hundred or a thousand, it would still be an inconceivable matter to the natives.
Zong Shen guessed that Marquis Ekmelading had probably figured something out.
That was hardly surprising.
After all, he was the ruler of a Great City. It was perfectly normal for him to know some things about the Chosen Ones.
Moreover, judging from Ekmelading's reaction, he was not actually the coward described in outside rumors.
He was merely overly cautious.
A true coward could never lead such a disciplined force.
Dagalisni's garrison troops were more disciplined than Luntax's garrison troops.
As the saying went, a cowardly general made for a nest of cowardly soldiers.
If Ekmelading had truly been an incompetent fool, then even with capable officers under his command, it would have been difficult for him to forge such an army.
Furthermore, Dagalisni's construction and planning were not bad at all.
What truly set it apart from Luntax was only its foundation and scale.
The facts had proven that the Marquis Ekmelading before him was a qualified