The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 388: Volume 7: The Awakening Spring Thunder, - 11: Fisherman_3

Chapter 388: Volume 7: The Awakening Spring Thunder, Chapter 11: Fisherman_3

Puber couldn’t help but admire his boss’s cleverness. The current state of affairs in the Caucasus meant that whatever the accusation brought to the Kingdom Star Chamber Court, the kingdom was unlikely to endorse Boninski’s charges against the Caucasus anyway. Such were the needs of politics.

"Additionally, there are other problems. The escaped slaves who fled here hope we can help those who are still within Leon’s borders by offering them some aid. This would empower the slaves who are reluctant to come to the Caucasus and continually attack the noble mine owners in Leon to strike more forcefully against the cruel mine owners and save more slaves. They say that if we help them, they will achieve even greater success and might even drive away the aristocratic mine owners," Puber said, obviously lacking interest in this matter. He thought it improbable that Komer would accept such a proposal, as it was all risk and no reward. Overthrowing one Boninski would simply lead to another taking his place, meaningless for the Caucasus.

"Hmm, what benefit does this have for us?" Komer mused, placing his hand on his chin, "These people are getting greedy, and we need to be wary of them. The Half-Beastmen may be manageable, but if there are ambition-driven mortals among them, that deserves attention."

"Boss, do you really think these slaves can stir up trouble?" Puber said skeptically. "These guys are good for making a fuss, but if they face a regular army, they’ve got no chance but to run. Besides, it’s difficult for them to organize. I think there’s no need for us to get too involved with them."

"No, Puber, we can’t look at this so simply. The fact that they’ve been able to stir up trouble month after month means something. Since Boninski is so close to Philip, if Philip ever turns against us, Boninski will certainly be a primary force. So, what’s wrong with letting these slaves cause even more trouble? Our Mattdam Port has just opened, and I suspect that old Philip is figuring out how to contain us. After all, Homer still has a naval force. Although not large, it’s a significant presence for us, and I don’t want to see it at our doorstep just yet. With these slaves causing trouble, it can tie up that old Philip’s attention, which is a good thing. If things go well, the slaves might give Homer a significant headache; if not, at least the slaves can free more of their kind, which is also good for us, who lack miners. With nowhere else to go, they’ll have no choice but to come to us."

Komer’s thoughts obviously extended further than Puber’s. Having experienced the trip to Versailles, he had, consciously or unconsciously, started to associate his own territory with the kingdom. He wasn’t seeking to serve the kingdom loyally, but the fact was the Caucasus now needed to rely on the kingdom to keep Homer at bay, or else Philip could crush him at any time.

After pondering for a while, Puber asked, "So, boss, how do you plan to help them?"

"It’s simple. Provide some weapons and food, and that should suffice. I think that’s all they need for now. If later they can actually come up with something new, then we can talk about further assistance," Komer nodded firmly. "I genuinely hope they can cause a bigger stir. I’m just afraid they’ll fizzle out like before, resulting in, at most, a few more slaves escaping. Oh, and what’s the reaction from Cyprus?"

"We haven’t received any news yet. Since Bruce Fortress has been sealed off, our information can only come through Mattdam. There are many new ships arriving, but not many come directly from Cyprus. Most are from Odessa and the colonial posts on the Eastern Nether Coast, so our information isn’t flowing smoothly," Puber shook his head. "But I guess Philip won’t let this situation last too long."

"Any reaction from him won’t come quickly. From gathering intelligence to making decisions, and finally mobilizing the army, these processes will take time. Homer does not have a standing army or His Majesty’s Guard like the kingdom does. Philip’s Infantry Divisions require full mobilization before they can be deployed. If Philip seeks assistance from the king, he might fear that the Central Kingdom will use the opportunity to weaken his power. For now, it seems he will have to shoulder this situation himself." Komer was also speculating what measures Philip might take in response and another issue troubled him. Perhaps it was time to strengthen intelligence gathering, especially at a time like this, whether it’s the developments from Leon or actions from Cyprus.

The changes brought by the opening of Mattdam Port were tremendous. The narrow docks were lined with vessels of various sizes, each bearing emblems and symbols indicating their origins and families. As a commercial fleet, driven always by profit, they would navigate towards wherever there was benefit to be had. Be it pirates or storms, nothing could halt their progress. The expansion of Mattdam’s docks and the building of warehouses indicated that Gray Skull had acknowledged the safety of the region, or Mattdam wouldn’t have expanded so boldly.