The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 297: Volume 4: Turbulent World - 19: Power Circle_2

Chapter 297: Volume 4: Turbulent World Chapter 19: Power Circle_2

However, it was clear that Archmage Onia had not obtained any valuable clues from Baron Komer, which essentially proved the latter’s innocence. But what exactly had led Onia to direct his suspicion toward this minor noble from the countryside? Princess Katya was very interested in this question, although she realized it was unrealistic to expect a direct answer from someone as tight-lipped as Archmage Onia.

Fascinating, witty, and slightly mysterious, this man seemed to be gradually entering the Kingdom power circle. Especially after the deal involving one hundred and fifty thousand refugees, both Caucasus and this Young Lord would inevitably come under the scrutiny of the Kingdom’s upper echelons. Princess Katya concluded that, in the days to come, he might become increasingly important. Although she was not yet at the point of harboring any further thoughts about him, she found him to be someone worth continuing a relationship with, from every aspect.

Outside the window in the sunshine, Baron Komer was, of course, unaware of the woman secretly observing him. He was currently engaged, full of enthusiasm, in haggling with one of the Kingdom’s finest food merchants over a grain deal concerning the livelihood of one hundred and fifty thousand people. Princess Katya was right: the plump man’s price was quite fair. Although he would make a considerable profit, Komer felt that if the merchant could solve the purchasing and transit issues as promised, the deal was well worth entrusting to him. Still, he was waiting to see if anyone would come forward with a better offer.

Palermo was also using the negotiation to learn more about this Young Lord who was not yet twenty. He was well aware of the situation in Caucasus; if the one hundred and fifty thousand people did manage to survive there, it was impossible for them to rely on local food production to meet their needs over the next one or two years. He was confident that for the next couple of years, they would still need to import a large quantity of food. Securing this deal meant a promising start for the next one, so he was willing to earn less now to secure the long-term contract.

As one of the top food merchants in the Kingdom, Palermo’s secret to success was not just his extensive network, but also his sharp and profound foresight. Securing a long-term and steady major customer was far more important than a one-time big deal, an insight Palermo had gained from his long-term business experience.

Although the Young Lord appeared relaxed and seemingly inexperienced in business on the surface, he was shrewd when it mattered, like the matter of transportation and losses along the way. Each point was perfectly targeted; either he avoided talking about them altogether, demanding that the final written contract be the standard, or he chose not to comment on issues he was not too clear about. This earned him additional admiration from Palermo. A foolish Lord might help him close a profitable deal, but such people often couldn’t maintain long-term partnerships. Even hereditary Lords, if not shrewd in management, could end up buried in debt or even bankrupt.

In the days that followed the negotiation of the grain deal, Komer quickly became very familiar with both Palermo and Princess Katya. As the representative of Princess Katya, apart from running a huge food business, Palermo also owned a large fleet of cargo ships. His fleet sailed unobstructed from Bruce, upriver to the important river ports within Duke Zellin’s territory. It was no wonder that he had so readily agreed to take on the transportation issue.

Malone’s death, although it caused a stir throughout Versailles, even prompted His Majesty the Emperor himself to inquire personally. He gave strict orders to the Internal Affairs Department to diligently investigate the true cause of death and where the killer came from. However, since no valuable clues were found within the hunting manor, the Court Mage and two Thunderhorse Knights from the Church of Light had no choice but to focus the investigation on outsiders beyond the manor. But the scope was too large; completing this task was not something that could be done in a matter of days. And soon, Versailles returned to its usual hustle and bustle.

Komer had expected Archmage Onia’s visit and had been preparing to face his test since the evening concluded. He was fully aware of the danger the other posed, so he deliberately spent the next couple of days intensively practicing elemental magic, seeking to conceal the dark nature hidden deep within himself. Komer even intentionally placed some objects in his room that emitted elemental magical properties, in an effort to befuddle the other’s senses. But the most important tactic was Komer’s clever use of an inconspicuous spell from the sheepskin scroll, which transformed the nature of his dark magic into that of fire magic. This amazing spell worked wonders.

When Archmage Onia came to visit, the intense aura of elemental magic on Komer led Onia’s thoughts to unwittingly deviate, and Knight Maray, constrained by Corps Commander Kent’s strict orders not to reveal any details of their chase mission to outsiders, could only watch as a bystander. This deprived Onia of his best chance to uncover the truth through his sixth sense. Still, Komer’s robust magical power left a deep impression on the Court’s Chief Magician, who did not add Komer to the suspect list.

The opulent nightlife of Versailles also left Komer with unforgettable memories. Each evening, as night fell, various venues at the hunting manor would illuminate with lights and fires. Officials, noblemen, business scholars – all gathered according to their circles and hobbies. Gambling, illicit trysts, dancing, opera, whispers of romancing – everything was so subtle yet quiet, as if all matters could be resolved under cover of night. The dissolute lives of the kingdom’s nobles left Komer, who thought he had some understanding of noble life, speechless. The gambling on horse races, reckless betting of fortunes, the casual promiscuity, the trendy swapping of wives, the collusion between bureaucrats and merchants for excessive profits—all of this was eye-opening for Komer.

But this lifestyle did not last long, as both the kingdom, the three city-states, and the refugees themselves hoped to find a place to settle sooner rather than later. Accompanied by representatives of the refugees, Komer along with Fran personally went to the refugee settlement region along the borders of the Three Cities. For miles, refugee tents and shanties stretched from the Netherland border to the western boundary of the Kingdom of Nicosia. Over two hundred thousand refugees crammed onto this narrow strip of land, waiting for those in power to decide their fate. They were without food, clothing, or daily necessities; everything had been destroyed by the war sparked by the beastmen. The only thing they managed to survive with was themselves, perhaps along with their meager savings they could carry with them.

Thinking of the countless compatriots taken as slaves by the beastmen, these pitiful refugees still felt fortunate for their own luck. The beastmen disliked mortals; once caught as slaves, regardless of age or gender, all were invariably sent to the T-shaped selling platforms of slave traders everywhere. Able-bodied individuals naturally sold to mines and farms, young women mostly flowed into brothels, and a lucky few with good looks might be bought by some noble or wealthy person as a servant and concubine. The fate of children was the most tragic; many nobles with various perverse tastes preferred to obtain what they liked through these means, treating children as their beloved pets.