Firina's simple greeting made Lear's thin figure the focus of the entire crowd.
But neither of them paid attention to the gazes of others.
Firina, a Level 16 Grand Mage, the pride of the Empire, Princess of Lorand City, was always the center of attention, the undisputed main character and focus wherever she went.
The gazes of these Pioneer Lords held no value.
And whether it was the Intelligence System or the Divine Format, Lear had enough confidence.
After fusing with the Divine Format, his mindset had transformed.
Even the outstanding Northern Flower, Firina, couldn't stir his inner peace.
Gracefully stepping onto the high platform in the hall, Firina's deep, gem-like eyes slowly swept over the crowd.
Her voice was unhurried, growing from soft to powerful, until it was strong and forceful.
"The Griffin Empire was built amidst ruins."
"It has been passed down for over two thousand years."
"Our ancestors all made great contributions to the Empire."
"They have all shed blood for the Empire."
"Every one of them had a glorious past and left an indelible mark in history."
"No matter how long we have fallen, no matter how ancient and dilapidated...we will never forget those glorious days."
"Today, everyone will reclaim past glory and honor, setting out on the path to conquer the Wilderness."
"Success or failure, as long as you stand before me willing to bear noble honor, you are already victors."
"To die in cowardice, or to bloom in splendor."
"You have already made your choice."
"Heroes of the Griffin Empire, people of Lorand City...I am proud of you."
A clear and firm voice, like a powerful stimulant, was injected into everyone's hearts at this moment.
Praised without reservation by such a dazzling goddess.
Each and every one of them flushed with excitement, blood boiling, eager to rush into the Wilderness immediately and establish territories!
They were praised as heroes by the goddess!!
Yes, heroes!!
It felt as if they had already succeeded and were returning with honor!
Lear's gaze subtly shifted.
Not immersed in such an environment, it's hard to understand this emotion, having experienced the life of a fallen noble.
"Next, I ask each Pioneer Lord to choose the territory you will be developing."
"You can develop alone, or you can develop together..."
"Territories that already have owners or have been chosen cannot be selected again."
The recruitment of Pioneer Lords is for reclaiming the Wilderness and occupying land for the Empire, not for internal conflict.
Therefore, Planning always tries to avoid disputes.
The dangers of the Wilderness are immense; a single Pioneer Lord cannot complete it alone and may also team up for development.
This is often the best choice for those fallen nobles... If one person can't do it, then two, five, or even ten people teaming up should be possible, right?
Through this method, quite a few Pioneer Lords have successfully established territories.
However, this also means sharing power with others; whether that's good or bad depends on personal choice.
"An area already chosen for development that cannot establish a township after five years can be selected again."
"Choosing a development territory is crucial to all of you, so please consider carefully before making a decision."
As her words fell.
Firina waved her hand slightly.
A surge of immense magic power flowed forth.
A pale blue magic map image appeared behind her.
The mountains, rivers, grass, and rocks were all on it, with rivers slowly flowing, grass swaying in the wind, vibrant and vivid.
"This is the Wilderness map, drawn from millennia of exploration by Lorand City."
"It is updated every year."
"The circled green areas are where Pioneer Lords are currently developing or have not yet surpassed the five-year limit; they cannot be chosen, and the remaining areas are yours to choose from."
Looking out, there were two to three hundred scattered green areas.
About half showed town icons.
Compared to the vast map, they were barely noticeable.
This alone reveals the risks Pioneer Lords face.
Lorand City has been established for a thousand years, with countless Pioneer Lords every year venturing into the Wilderness.
But over such a long time...only about a hundred territories were stably established.
Most of these are small towns and cities with populations of several thousand to tens of thousands.
Furthermore, most are within 300 to 500 kilometers of Lorand City, not far into the Wilderness.
Many people realized this, and the excitement in their eyes gradually cooled.
But more, seeing the town icons above, their eyes were full of fervor.
They knew that some cities even have populations exceeding 200,000 people.
The nobles who established territories enjoy unparalleled Authority!
And Lorand City, the largest city in the Northern Province, the pride of the Griffin Empire, was created a thousand years ago by the first Duke of the Lorand Clan in the Wilderness.
The first Pioneer Lord was none other than them!
The exemplary cases constantly urge them forward.
They too will secure a place among them!
"Now, you may begin choosing...today, the entire day is yours."
As the words fell, a voice arose from the crowd.
"Your Highness, I have already made my choice."
Immediately, the crowd turned their heads in unison toward the voice.
In a black long robe, strikingly heroic, with a golden phoenix tail patterned emblem on his chest.
That young man again…
Firina looked at the slightly thin but composed and calm figure, her eyes shifting.
"Lord Lear Els, your choice is..."
Lear pointed to the only marked area on the map.
"Mire Swamp."
When the words were spoken, everyone looked at the map, followed by a commotion.
"Mire Swamp?!"
"Ah? That area is at least over a thousand kilometers from Lorand City..."
"It takes half a month just to travel there, how does he dare to do it?"
"Does he have a death wish?!"
Firina also had a bit of an anomaly.
"Lord, I must remind you...so far, no one has established a territory over a thousand kilometers in the Wilderness."
"The dangers deep in the Wilderness are beyond imagination."
Lear said slowly.
"No one has, so I will be the first."
In the Wilderness, only this Swamp hides Authority.
Entering the Swamp is like a dragon entering the sea, a tiger entering the mountains.
From then on, the sky is high for birds to fly, the sea wide for fish to leap.
When the words fell, the faces of those inside the room changed again.
There was a bit of respect in their eyes.
Regardless of the other party's true intentions and thoughts, those words were...damn invigorating!
Aren't we Pioneer Lords like this?
No one has done it, so we'll be the first!!
If we don't have this courage, how can we talk about becoming a Pioneer Lord?
To be greeted by Her Highness, surely they are extraordinary people!
Firina's eyes shifted, looking at him deeply.
"Lord Lear, your courage is commendable."
From the beginning, the other party was full of determined and intense confidence.
She could feel it was not arrogance, despising the Wilderness, but confidence emanating from deep within.
That kind of strength is quite infectious.
She couldn't figure out how the heir of a defeated family, living in the slums as a fallen noble...had such confidence.
At this moment, she rarely felt a hint of anticipation.