The island had plenty of trees for the shipyard, saving transportation time and labor and making shipbuilding much faster.
The shipyard stood in a sunny spot by the northern harbor.
It was an enormous shipyard. One dry dock had already been completed, and a huge roofed structure had been erected over it.
A wooden ship weighing anywhere from several hundred to a thousand tons could therefore be built directly inside without needing to be assembled elsewhere. Work could continue day and night, regardless of snow or rain.
Rows of very spacious warehouses surrounded it, mainly storing ships' fittings and spare parts.
Beyond the warehouses stood stone walls, lookout towers, and arrow towers.
Soldiers patrolled the surroundings with stern vigilance, guarding against all unauthorized outsiders.
Aivisi and Elder Sali were, of course, exempt from those restrictions. Their passes granted them unhindered access. In this kingdom, Elves enjoyed special privileges.
"Our lord was truly wise to halt the transportation of settlers decisively after the Demon Calamity. Otherwise, human strength would have threatened the Elves," Elder Sali said.
"Don't they also believe in our lord?"
"But their faith is not steadfast. Besides, those of another race will always have different loyalties. We can never trust humans completely unless our lord becomes the lord of the world," Elder Sali said coldly.
Hope Island now had twenty thousand Elves, with another ten thousand Sea Elves in the surrounding waters. Keeping eighty thousand humans under control with that force had already brought them close to a critical limit. The human population could not be allowed to grow any further.
"Then, when the humans have children in the future..." The thought suddenly occurred to Aivisi.
"Our lord already has a plan."
They had reached the interior of the shipyard by then, and Elder Sali said no more.