A Mad Gamble, the Hero Squad

"To think a remote Beastfolk territory could grow to this scale in just a few months. That young governor is even more formidable than I imagined." At the docks of Faoken Port, Marquis Fritz had just stepped off the cruise ship. He watched Beastfolk porters coming and going in orderly fashion, then glanced at the astonishing expanse of containers in the distance. Wonder flashed through his eyes.

As the current head of the Hohenheim Family, he had seen his share of upheaval in the twelve years since his father had lost his power to the Dreamquake Curse. Yet even he could not help marveling at Faoken's docks, which ran like a precision machine.

Over the years, he had traveled across more than half the Empire to keep the Hohenheim Family afloat and had seen countless coastal cities. Their ports could dwarf Faoken's in cargo volume, but none came close to this remote territory in discipline. If he had to describe the difference...

"Perhaps it's like a school of fish swimming wherever instinct takes them, compared with ants that know how to divide the work?"

The former might look grander, but it was nowhere near as efficient as the latter.

If this model could be applied to developing a territory, might it produce some unexpected results?

Watching the Beastfolk move cargo through their designated lanes, Marquis Fritz sank into thought. "...Father, isn't this just an ordinary small port? What's so impressive about it?"

A tall, thin youth among the Hohenheim Family members frowned, plainly baffled by his father's praise.

Fritz merely smiled and shook his head. Then he said to his eldest son, his tone laden with meaning:

"Corin, you can't see what makes it remarkable yet. One day, you will."

"...Yes, Father."

Surprised that his father had offered advice instead