Kings Road cut straight through the plains of Vicon Gorge, and over two hundred families stopped along this road.
Hakon, Brin, Lucien, and Hake were assigned to lead and supervise several refugee groups separately, with Hakon being the commander leading the group establishing Cross Town.
The refugees were escorted here by the army, with the cold, solid Kings Road beneath their feet and an endless plain before them, yet no land of their own.
Some people's eyes gleamed with hope for a new life, while others looked bewildered, surveying this place that offered nothing but the sound of the wind.
Orders were quickly given, and people began to move. Temporary tents sprang up like mushrooms on both sides of Kings Road, and women lit fires, sending wisps of cooking smoke into the air.
Hakon, with his soldiers, was shouting, gathering the men among the refugees, and arranging for them to head towards the distant Brightmoon Mountains to cut wood and dig stone.
Arthur's command tent was set up on a distant high point, overlooking the entire bustling construction site.
Although construction would certainly be expensive, he could source all building materials locally from the nearby Brightmoon Mountains.
When Hakon was summoned, he was nervously rubbing his hands. He knew Lord Arthur valued Cross Town the most, so after the groups dispersed, Lord Arthur had stayed with his group. At this moment, he wondered if he had done something wrong, or why Lord Arthur had called for him alone.
Arthur's finger pointed to the center of the map, where two main roads intersected.
The Riverlands, with its developed river system and waterways connecting various regions, could be considered the area most likely to see large towns emerge. However, due to the feudal system, the struggle for the small-scale interests of various families, and the great families building bridges and setting up checkpoints on rivers within their territories, a large town had never been able to form.
Heron Town, Beauty Market, Harroway Town... almost all were extremely small towns controlled by various great families.
What a pity.
His voice was calm, devoid of emotion: "Hakon."
"For Cross Town, I will not appoint three officials for now; I will only appoint one mayor to manage all affairs."
"From today, you are the mayor of Cross Town."
The air seemed to freeze. Hakon suddenly looked up, his eyes wide like copper bells. He suspected his ears were malfunctioning. He repeatedly waved his hands, his rough palms tracing frantic arcs in the air: "No! I can't do it! Lord Arthur!"
"You can tell me to wield a sword or a hoe, and I can do it! But how do I know how to manage a town?"
His face instantly flushed crimson with extreme panic.
"You can tell me to lead a charge, and I won't even frown, but this... this I truly cannot do!"
He spoke incoherently, eagerly denying himself.
"I am illiterate, I cannot keep accounts, nor can I resolve disputes among them. If you make me mayor, within three days,
I will mess everything up!"
Arthur looked at him, not angry, and sighed: "I didn't say I would let you stay on forever."
There was no one to use, truly no one. Cultural education and the popularization of basic knowledge must be established, including finding a scholar and creating a stable mechanism for acquiring talent.
"You are only a temporary replacement."
"And I will assign an official to be your deputy."
Arthur's gaze turned towards the tent entrance, where Olivier stood quietly.
"For the coming period, Olivier will stay here and personally teach you."
"He will teach you how to read, how to keep accounts, how to interpret this planning map, and how to handle administrative affairs."
He paused, his expression becoming serious.
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