Paul explained to Alvis the reasons for establishing the Academy of Social Sciences.
Today, Northwest Bay's overseas trade has expanded significantly, bringing in enormous wealth, but also leading to increasing conflicts due to cultural differences.
Experience is a valuable asset, but business people who have already invested in learning and developed mature channels are not particularly keen to guide newcomers on how to avoid potential losses.
They may not understand the local people's consumption preferences, or they may lack the ability to anticipate changes in the local rulers' policies, thus engaging in some unprofitable transactions.
Furthermore, due to insufficient understanding of local customs, traditions, and cultural taboos, conflicts may arise. This can lead to serious problems, not only affecting business but also resulting in death. Locals often extend their impressions of individual outsiders to the entire community.
"We need to understand the local people's way of thinking and anticipate what decisions they might make, especially those in high positions of power."
Paul explained to Alvis with some exasperation, "We can't just send warships to the other side's port to intimidate them every time something happens."
Alvis chuckled. "So you've done it before?"
When he was in Port Franklin, he saw the Alda warships docked at the pier. The majestic hull left a deep impression on Alvis. He already knew about the Cannon weapon and its power from his journey, so he knew very well what the densely packed gun ports on the Alda warship meant.
Imagine a warship the size of a castle, with long-range strike capabilities far exceeding the power and accuracy of ballistae. Just a few of these ships docking outside the ports of hostile forces would be like a noose around the necks of those port cities.
"Ahem!" Paul cleared his throat. "Our navy will do so if necessary!"
"As you know, some societies are still in a rather primitive state—not to mention those places, even ten years ago in Northwest Bay, it was just a matter of the lord's word to seize the goods of passing merchants. By concocting some fines or even temporarily adding some ridiculous taxes, you could lose everything. In this situation, we must use an even bigger punch to shove them in the face!"
"However, there is another reason why I want to increase my research in the social sciences..."
Alvis could clearly sense that Paul Greiman's expression and tone had become serious.
"Those are orcs!"
"Orcs?"
"Yes! According to my intelligence—and please note, I only just learned of this myself— Abar, the Great Chieftain of the Royal Tent, has already rallied his loyal tribes on the plains and is about to launch a much larger invasion of Aldor."
Alvis's eyebrows twitched in shock.
Paul continued, "It is clear that the last peace talks were just a desperate measure taken by the first batch of orcs who entered Aldor because they lacked sufficient follow-up strength. Once they recover and bring more of their kind from their lair, they will immediately reveal their temporarily hidden fangs."
Alvis asked, "Excuse my ignorance, but what does the orc invasion have to do with what you said earlier?"
"Of course it's related," Paul explained. "Those studies will also include Orc culture, and it's even a top priority at this stage."
"In the common perception of human nations, these barbaric creatures are nothing more than a bunch of simple-minded beings who only know how to fight and plunder, and whose intelligence is not much better than that of the Goblin. But the truth is obviously not like that. In the last war, the orc army showed strong organization and was able to use various tactics to attack us. After the war, they even thought of using proxies to rule the Yellow Earth Land. Moreover, as far as I know, their shamans are inventing their own orc script. Abar has also begun to set up various administrative institutions, just like human nations, and even appointed humans who are willing to be loyal to him as officials. If this continues, how can we manage? Aldor will be facing a powerful and well-established alien regime."
Alvis nodded: "I understand. You want to know more about them in order to fight them more effectively?"
Paul gave a cold smile: "I'm going to destroy them!"
A look of surprise flashed in Alvis's eyes; the young marquis's ambition was far greater than he had imagined.
Paul said, "We all know the image of orcs in history: they believe in violence, greed, savagery, and lack of manners, but they are also weak in military force—not in terms of their individuals, but in terms of their armies. They can raid human villages and towns with small groups and plunder them, but once their numbers reach a certain scale, when the two armies face each other in a fair fight, humans can always defeat the orcs with their superior equipment and organization."
"In the last war, this long-held impression was shattered because of Alba's reforms within the orcs. It is undeniable that they have also made progress. However, even in the past, in the era when the orc army was weak, humans never truly wiped them out."
Alvis agreed: "Yes, both Aldor and Gabella have swept across the grasslands in history. However, after each cleanup, the border was only peaceful for a short time before orc tribes would emerge from some unknown corner. The grasslands are just too vast, and orcs are like weeds; once you cut one crop, another will grow back."
He sighed, "Geography is a very difficult factor for us. The land on the grassland is barren and cannot support many crops. Humans cannot stay on the grassland for long. It limits the reproduction and growth of the orcs, but it also protects the orcs from being wiped out by humans."
Paul said, "This analysis is correct. But I would like to add that, in addition to external factors such as geography, there is also an internal factor—culture. Although the culture of the orcs is as barren as their land, it still plays a strong cohesive role. In my opinion, the two factors complement each other. The same harsh environment forced them to adopt a similar way of life, and the similar way of life gave rise to a common culture. This is an important factor that enabled the grassland orcs to unite."
Alvis kept nodding. In fact, what Paul said was nothing new; similar views had been mentioned many times in Scholars Tower.
Many people feel uncomfortable when young people flaunt their knowledge in front of them, but Alvis is long past that age.
Not only that, but when he realized that Paul had summarized this system himself, his evaluation of the Lord of Arda Territory rose to a higher level. Young people in power rarely delve into such deep-seated things as cultural background.