Sighing. Annoyance.
"...Very well....if you wish to debate every small point....and insert words into my mouth, I will oblige...to your first point, I respond that you cannot be sure of that, because you did not bother to check....unless you did so in secret, which is doubtful...to your second point, I said that all systems are flawed...I did not say they were better than no system...some systems are not...to your third point, what evidence?...do you mean a lack of evidence to the contrary?"
"Allow me to make my opinion clear...the Growth of a kingdom is still Growth, even if it casts others into Shadow....so long as the method of it's Growth does not significantly impede or interfere with the Growth of other...things, for lack of a better word...then I accept, and even support it....I have seen nothing to indicate life being worse in this new kingdom, or Progress being slower...if I do see something of the sort, perhaps I shall change my mind..."
"Speaking of which...Patronius, I have two questions of you now...the first, what does being a part of that kingdom entail?...the second, what method....or series of methods, do they use to acquire new territory...?...and beyond those questions, I have something else to tell you..."
"Should your new kingdom harm or attempt to conquer the Great Trees through force or coercion...rather than diplomacy or simply leaving them be, once their borders meet with the Great Trees....then that kingdom will fall into dust, ruin, and Shadow...as rebellion and discontent Grows within it's heart like a festering parasite...and it's enemies Grow strong on it's weakened borders...even as it is strangled by it's own oversized bureaucracy...I do not appreciate either Mortal or God interfering with the garden I tend...I do not mean this as a threat..."
"....I mean it as a warning, and a promise."
((That would explain a bit of how we keep getting thrown off your trail then...I mean, what? I didn't say anything.))