The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 271 - 12: Rare Treasures Worth Living For

Chapter 271: Chapter 12: Rare Treasures Worth Living For

The somewhat arrogant laughter was particularly grating in Katya’s ears, as it was evident that the speaker aimed to incite her anger. However, it seemed he had forgotten who she was; such petty tricks were hardly worth mentioning. Yet Katya had to admit that his words indeed struck a chord with the kingdom’s sore points. She could not be certain how her father would react if he heard them. But the one facing him now was known for her composure. Komer’s expectations may need adjustment.

"Your baron, the kingdom is not a small territory and must consider many more problems from all aspects. It can’t act as arbitrarily as you imagine. True, the relationship between Homer and the Central Kingdom is tense, and the kingdom really does want to resolve this issue. But it’s certainly not as simple as you think. We need your help, and the kingdom will not spare anything for those who are loyal to it. However, what you propose about making Caucasus a direct territory of the kingdom might just give Homer an excuse to create problems for us, so I can’t promise anything on that matter. Everything will have to wait until I report back to Lord Tez and Marshal Mathew, and they will decide together with my father. But I believe while we may not resolve this issue immediately, we can certainly have fruitful discussions about other substantial matters. I’m sure we will find more common ground in these areas," Katya finally steered the conversation towards meaningful negotiations. The opponent’s wild demands needed consideration, but even if the kingdom agreed, they could not be realized overnight. What was more pressing now was to discuss more substantial, immediate issues.

"Very well, it seems Princess Katya does not have full authority from the kingdom. Perhaps I have been too eager. However, as Your Highness says, we can reach more agreement on substantive issues," Komer of course, knew such matters couldn’t be resolved instantly. Earning the psychological accord of the other party was in itself a considerable victory. At least Katya no longer dismissed his demands as fanciful and unworthy of attention. As for the kingdom’s decision, Komer believed that Tez and Mathew could see further and make a wise choice without difficulty.

Negotiating with intelligent people is always the easiest. Having clarified each other’s bottom lines, the second round of talks proceeded much more smoothly and easily. The kingdom promised to continue fully supporting Caucasus with food. Despite Homer seizing Odessa, Komer suspected that, before Homer completely fell out with the kingdom, Philip would not dare to intercept ships that had permits issued by the Kingdom’s Ministry of the Interior. Maybe the kingdom wanted to use this to force Homer into a blunder and start the dispute first, at which point it could seize the opportunity to deal with the Homer issue legitimately. But would Philip fall for this?

Of course, Caucasus will make its greatest efforts to help those rebel forces in Leon sustain the status quo, possibly building a floating bridge over the Nissai River to the north bank. That way, the rebels in Leon could directly threaten the north side. Only this would maximize the role of the Leon rebels, imposing a check on Homer’s power. On this point, Komer and Katya shockingly shared the same view. The kingdom hoped Homer would be restrained by Leon, while Komer hoped the overly large rebel force in Leon could spread north across the Nissai River. This too-powerful source of chaos residing in Leon was a potential danger; when supplies could not meet their needs, they would lose control, and even he would be unable to harness them. The only solution was to direct this calamity northwards, to let Homer People’s power and these Leon rebels exhaust each other.

Having concluded the negotiations cleanly, Katya reverted back to the graceful and composed woman she once was in Versailles. Her beauty and charm always held an upper hand in men’s hearts, a detail men perhaps subconsciously refuse to admit, but it indeed holds true. Komer never wanted to mask his fondness for Katya, and it seemed she rather appreciated this sentiment. It would be a good starting point for garnering more assistance from various quarters, especially as Caucasus’s importance in the kingdom’s eventual political shifts became increasingly prominent. Katya dared not hope to make Caucasus a pawn for herself, but at the very least, she could expect them to stand by her and cheer for her in any future political situation. For a noble from the outskirts, that was already considerable support.

Similarly, Komer was pondering her intentions. It seems the kingdom was overly intrigued by the details of the bitter defeat of Homer’s army in the battle for Leon. Clearly, they did not believe that the Leon mobs and slaves could defeat Homer’s regular army, even with support from Caucasus. The mystery therein was what they wanted to understand, but Komer was not inclined to reveal his strength, although Katya had some understanding of the mages behind him. Her hinted intentions, however, were often deliberately overlooked by Komer. Meeting with Rebury and the like was not ideal now, as Komer did not wish to disclose too much, maintaining a certain level of mystery which would benefit his position in future negotiations.

Nevertheless, Komer still met Katya’s request to inspect the training situation of the Caucasus Lord’s Guard and the Self-defense Army. The army, composed of mortals, Half-Beastmen, and Half-Elves, made Katya frown. Clearly, like other Kingdom nobles, she held considerable prejudice against other races, believing that "those who are not of our kin, are sure to have a different mind." This had always been the unswerving creed of the mortal nobility. Yet, this notion was overturned in Caucasus, possibly because the sparsity of mortals among the original inhabitants of Caucasus led them to adopt policies that were different from those elsewhere.

What truly intrigued Princess Katya was the performance of the two mortal knight instructors, Solonberg and Vladimir Koff. Their restrained conduct, devoid of any dark aura, left her puzzled. She couldn’t understand why two nobles with such good etiquette and outstanding martial arts would choose to serve a minor baron in such a remote place. Even though the prospects for Caucasus were bright, with their capabilities, they could have easily found a more promising position in places like Gutenberg, Cyprus, or even Jazair. The two noble knights seemed quite content with their current lives, without any hint of underachievement or frustration. Katya could think of no other explanation than suspecting that Komer had some secret agreement with them.

Gazing at the slowly departing silhouette of the sail, Komer’s expression grew darker. Katya had left, and before departing, she finally revealed her second purpose for visiting—though quite implicit, Komer, who was particularly sensitive to these matters, quickly perceived her intentions. It could be said to be an agreement that clicked right into place.

Hoffman saw Caucasus more as a tool for his own use; despite outwardly appearing to value Komer, his innate arrogance and condescension would inadvertently show through. Komer, who had once felt such attitudes keenly, was now all the more sensitive to them. Being used and betrayed was a wound Komer vowed never to touch again unless it was of his own volition. And the last time, though voluntary, he felt it was worth it. At least, it made him realize that so-called love and eternity seemed so hollow, pale, and powerless beneath secular forces, hardly worth mentioning. The fact that Katya explicitly proposed a quid pro quo at least showed that she regarded him as a partner with whom interests could be exchanged. Komer appreciated this feeling of equality, especially that of sitting shoulder to shoulder with a strong person. Although Katya didn’t appear to be a strong person, in reality, she had political resources in Jazair and throughout the kingdom that ranked her in the top three among the royal successors—a fact Palermo had revealed to Komer during an unguarded moment after a few drinks. It made sense; the daughter of a commoner from a foreign land had become the kingdom’s third in line for succession, which in itself said a lot.

Katya explicitly hoped that Komer would support her in a possible future battle for the royal succession. She also made it clear that under normal circumstances, she did not need the support from Caucasus but should any unusual situation arise, Caucasus would need to unequivocally express its stance and opinion, and possibly even provide other forms of help. These so-called unusual situations included a few scenarios: the first and most likely was a stalemate in the contest for the primary royal successor, which required Caucasus to simply declare its position. The second, while less likely, was far more dangerous, that is, if a faction resorted to illegal means to grab the claim to succession, which would require the support from all quarters, even including martial power.

In return, Katya promised that upon returning to Jazair, she would help Komer strive to make Caucasus a directly administered territory of the kingdom and to have Komer become a direct vassal of His Majesty the King. Additionally, she would defend all Komer’s actions in Caucasus and Leon through various means, which implied that she supported Komer acting in Caucasus and Leon as he saw fit, behind which lay a vast expanse of maneuverable space. Although Katya couldn’t represent the Central Kingdom’s stance, she could undoubtedly become his spokesperson in Jazair.

It must be said that Katya’s visit was perfect in every way, but an inadvertent remark just as she was leaving almost plunged Komer into an icy chasm—the Church of Light Religious Tribunal, that group of fanatics, seemed to have taken an interest in Caucasus!

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