Inside the administration hall, a map lay pressed flat on the long table. Candlelight shone on the parchment, illuminating its colored markings.
Bradley circled a spot with his pen, his voice steady. "Most of the territories we need to acquire surround the Red Tide Fief.
"This will let us connect every key location into a complete road network. Not only will travel become easier, but establishing defensive positions will be much simpler too."
Several officials nodded in turn, continually adding information from beside him.
Yet their eyes still strayed toward several red markings.
Those places were remote and barren, with neither waterways nor trade routes nearby.
Compared to the prosperous lands surrounding them, they seemed worthless.
At last, a young official could not help murmuring, "These places look rather unremarkable..."
Before he could finish, an older official beside him cleared his throat and said sternly, "Watch your words. Lord Louis marked these places himself. Have you ever seen him make a mistake?"
The young official froze, then lowered his head, his face flushing red.
Bradley observed this without changing his expression. "If we cannot understand Lord Louis's orders, that merely means our vision is too limited. Remember, our duty is to carry them out, not question them."
Silence settled over the hall for a moment, and everyone bowed and nodded.
Of course, Louis had not marked those places at random. Through the Daily Intelligence System, he had learned of most of the hidden resources in the surrounding region and marked only locations of strategic value.
Some held underground deposits of demon marrow vein stone, while others concealed rare magical plants, magical beasts, or hidden transportation chokepoints.
On the surface, they were merely barren hills and wasteland. In truth, they might well shape the entire Red Tide Fief's future.
Naturally, Louis