Looking at the concern in all the elves' eyes, Patrick slowly replied, "Actually, the moment the floating city was established, we could have eliminated the threat of the trolls. Our people need their own people. Even back when I nearly fought my way through Zul'Aman, I didn't wipe them out completely. I need an opponent who can drive us forward."
"Quel'Thalas is not an open kingdom. Anyone wishing to enter the Ghostlands has to pass through Hawkspear's territory. Zul'Aman cannot receive any support and can only hold out, while we need an enemy to remind us to keep developing without pause and remain on guard against our foes."
Of course, Patrick had considered taking those trolls into his service, but on closer consideration, the idea was far too unrealistic. The trolls' population growth was nothing like the high elves' abysmally slow rate. Although the trolls' population did not grow particularly quickly, it was only a little slower than that of humans, and the only reason for that was their lack of adequate food supplies.
The trolls were a hunting people without an agricultural civilization of their own. Their food came entirely from wild fruit and game within their territory, leaving their population growth tightly constrained by the natural environment.
If Patrick took the trolls into his service, once they received abundant food, their population would inevitably surge. Sooner or later, they would gain the strength to rival Quel'Thalas. Was Patrick supposed to periodically carry out a population purge against the trolls under his command?
Moreover, if the trolls of Zul'Aman became his subordinates, they would be able to contact the outside world. If they coordinated with other races to attack Quel'Thalas from within and without, that would truly spell the kingdom's end.
Thus, Patrick had largely left the previously crippled