The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 276 - 17: When There is Water, Channels Will Be Formed

Chapter 276: Chapter 17: When There is Water, Channels Will Be Formed

Although he had already mentally prepared himself, Komer couldn’t help but feel somewhat ashamed in the face of the straightforward Half-Beastmen’s candid speech. Wasn’t the aim of his own manipulative strategies precisely to achieve this effect? But then he thought, given the current situation in Leon, if Caucasus did not intervene, it was probably no exaggeration to say that the place might become a paradise for riots. Just as the other party had said, making tens of thousands of so-called liberated Half-beastman slaves adapt to a life of being managed and restrained again and, more importantly, making them realize that only through labor could they earn their bread was no easy task. It would take no small amount of effort for him to accomplish this.

"Mr. Dragumo, you seem a bit impetuous. Leon belongs to the Kingdom of Nicosia, it belongs to Homer, or you could say it belongs to Duke Philip, and you might even say it still belongs to Count Boninski since the Kingdom Star Chamber Court hasn’t officially stripped him of his noble and lordship status, but it does not belong to you, nor to me. Legally speaking, you are currently still a bunch of rebellious thugs in secular society, and not at all recognized by society. Although the reasons that led you to initiate the uprising are understandable, they do not serve as legal justification. Those self-liberated slaves also will not be protected by the law, as no lord has accepted them as Free Citizens, and they lack the legal procedures necessary to become Free Citizens. In secular society, they remain slaves, moreover, insurgent slaves who may be executed without any reason or rationale. I can understand your feelings. The situation in the Mandu Region is unstable; the people need food. I have already agreed to provide a batch of aid, so you don’t need to try to win my favor in this manner. I think I am more suited to managing a relatively stable Caucasus."

Komer’s words appeared very calm and systematically arranged. He had learned to perform under any circumstances, in any environment - something that seemed to be a fine quality that a noble ought to possess. Komer found that he was particularly talented in this respect.

"Oh, Lord Baron, I think you misunderstand me. As I just said, I can’t represent all our brothers and sisters in Leon, but I can represent those who are now living in the Mandu Region. Perhaps the legal and secular matters you just mentioned are important to you, but for us Half-Beastmen who have always lived at the bottom of society and could face death at any moment, they are irrelevant. How can a person whose right to life can be stripped away at any time still care about such so-called legal and moral matters? Hence, I want you to understand something, Lord Baron. We, who are now living in Mandu, hope that Mandu will accept your rule. We will regard you as our master, just as the citizens of Caucasus do, and will follow your orders without betrayal. I can swear on the War God Mars on behalf of my brothers and sisters that as long as you accept us and give us a chance to live."

The Half-beastman spoke these words with considerable emotion, and Komer, who had prepared himself for a long discussion, found that his cultivation was still not perfected; at least, after the other’s speech, he couldn’t bring himself to outright refuse the request. To tell the truth, deep down, he had already accepted them, as this was all part of his grand design.

Still, Komer lowered his head and remained silent for a long time as if weighing the various consequences and implications of this decision, while the Half-beastman watched him with a tense and worried gaze, fearing that he would still face rejection.

As Komer slowly raised his well-groomed head, Dragumo’s heart began to thump wildly. When he saw that hint of a helpless yet touched wry smile on the other’s face, he knew his request had finally been granted. His heart could now settle down. The burden that had weighed on him could finally be lifted. For Dragumo, this was an immense relief for both body and mind; he hadn’t been able to sleep peacefully for a long time, which, for a Half-beastman, was undoubtedly an unbearably painful thing.

"Mr. Dragumo, I find it very difficult to refuse your sincerity. Please forgive my initial rudeness and coldness. I feel ashamed and moved by your profound consideration for your fellow kin. Although Caucasus is also facing difficulties now, I have decided to accept your idea. I can now respond to you, I will tentatively take over the administration of Mandu. However, there is a condition: you must assist me in the ideological work of your compatriots. In addition, your army must also be absolutely obedient to me and my Administrative Officers as you are. Otherwise, it will be difficult to successfully handle this matter," Komer said, nodding slightly, his eyes full of respect and sincerity. Dragumo felt reassured, believing he had not chosen the wrong person, and that his great responsibility was finally accomplished.

"Rest assured, Lord. I, Dragumo, will wholeheartedly assist you and your Administrative Officers in the takeover of Mandu. Whatever you need me to do, just command me," Dragumo said, immediately completing the transition from a Half-Beastman armed Chief to a subordinate of Komer, his attitude becoming even more respectful.

"I’m afraid Mr. Dragumo is well aware that the entire Leon region has always been an area that completely relies on imports to meet its needs, and the material it depends on to exchange for food and other necessities is its ore products. However, now that Bruce has shut down, the ore products of the Leon region cannot be transported out, effectively paralyzing the area. Now, if Mandu wants to be self-sufficient, it’s essential not only to obtain grain and various life necessities from the Caucasus but also to get the mines up and running, that is to say, the mines in the Mandu region must be operational. The road from Muscat to Mandu must be immediately expanded and repaired to handle the burden of land transportation, which all requires a large labor force. Your brothers and sisters should be up to the task. They can choose between working in the mines or road building, but there will be no more unearned benefits. Of course, I will also have my Administrative Officers manage the mines, and Judicial Officers will supervise the operation of the mines. The living conditions of the workers will be the same as those of the miners in the Caucasus mines, and under my rule, no mistreatment of miners will be allowed,"

Dragumo nodded repeatedly as he listened. He was, of course, aware of the necessity of getting the mines running again. Only by resuming mining coal and iron ore and exporting these goods could they exchange them for food, which was something he could not do on his own.

"Additionally, Mr. Dragumo, I’m afraid your army also needs to be reorganized. Three thousand people are too many for Mandu. The entire Caucasus Self-defense Army and my Guard do not amount to more than one thousand people. Mandu simply does not need that many soldiers, for the saying goes ’quality over quantity,’ which I believe you have heard. Therefore, I’ve decided to cut your three thousand soldiers down to one thousand, and you will act as the Commander of this force. Well, for a name, let’s temporarily call it the Mandu Self-defense Army. I will provide you with the necessary weapons, armor, and uniforms. All the soldiers and officers of the Mandu Self-defense Army, including you, will enjoy the same treatment as the Caucasus Self-Defense Forces and my Guard. Perhaps, Mr. Dragumo, you may even become a knight one day,"

Komer’s last words immediately dispelled any displeasure Dragumo had felt about the downsizing of his army. A knight?! Oh, for a Half-beastman, especially one who was a slave without any freedom just half a year ago, it was nothing short of a myth. Dragumo had never imagined the possibility of becoming a knight, a status that in the world of Mortals was reserved for the elite. Although Dragumo found Komer’s phrase about quantity not equating to quality a bit awkward and didn’t quite understand it, he could guess what it meant. The other party clearly didn’t trust the combat capability of his soldiers much, which annoyed Dragumo somewhat. However, upon second thought and considering the Magic Power the Lord possessed, Dragumo could completely understand.

Mandu’s quiet integration into the Caucasus initially didn’t draw much attention, after all, Mandu bordered Muscat, and the two had regular contact. All of Mandu’s materials had to be imported from Muscat, but when Neptune took office as the Assistant Administrative Officer of the Caucasus and as the Chief Administrative Officer of the Mandu region, it was like a stone thrown into a pond, causing ripples throughout the entire Mandu region.

Although Dragumo had already communicated the agreement he reached with Komer to his subordinates and supporters in advance, securing the support of the majority since bread was the most important and everything else could come later, the actual changes, when they came, still caused much confusion and misunderstanding.

Mines reopened one after another, hiring stations for road workers between Mandu and Muscat were set up everywhere, and all this seemed somewhat different from what was imagined. At the same time, notices were posted all over the Mandu region, stating the Army would no longer provide bread for free to everyone. Everyone must participate in work, either mining or road building, and all compensation would be determined at market rates. Getting paid for a day’s work allowed them to purchase any necessities, including bread, from anywhere. For those who had freed themselves from slavery and become Free Citizens, terms like wages and salary were still novel. Although they had seen free miners in the mines enjoy such treatment, it was a whole new experience when it happened to them for the first time.

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