The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 474: Volume 10: Thunderous Movements and Winds Rising, - 9: Strolling Along the Journey of Life

Chapter 474: Volume 10: Thunderous Movements and Winds Rising, Chapter 9: Strolling Along the Journey of Life

He sighed softly, and Julius’s gaze swept aimlessly over the two faces. Frenster’s words could be interpreted in two ways: either he truly knew nothing, not even understanding the content of the picture, or he was feigning ignorance, pretending not to know. Julius felt the latter was more probable, but that was for the best. At least he knew to avoid the question, and that was sufficient; his intent was not to use this matter for anything else.

"Is that so? I, too, hope that the Bright Holy Teaching’s blessing will shine across the Continent, but many things often go contrary to our wishes. If we betray our tenets to spread doctrine or expand the influence of the Holy Teaching, that would be unacceptable. Even noble goals can spoil if pursued through inappropriate means, and this, you should understand better than anyone."

The meaning behind His Holiness the Pope’s words became cryptic, yet to the two listeners, they seemed pointed. While Frenster was undoubtedly unnerved, was not Vazinsky likewise uneasy?

In these past years, His Holiness the Pope had seemingly never ventured beyond St. Mark’s Church and the West Fan Palace, but all changes in the world were within his grasp, unquestionably. However, in recent years, it seemed the Pope had deliberately allowed the two men freedom while deliberately restraining the madman, Noyola. Now, it appeared the Pope intended to change this status quo.

The church was once again enveloped in silence. The emaciated figure’s gaze, almost tangible, slowly swept over their faces. Despite their well-engineered protective masks, they were as nothing before this look. Both felt as if their hearts were laid bare, like an innocent Girl deceived by a wandering playboy, an openness that brought panic. In that instant, a fine sheen of cold sweat covered their backs.

"Alright, you may leave. Today’s affairs belong to the secrets of heaven, and revealing them benefits no one. My defiance of nature’s law is meant to make you understand this, the grand mission of glorifying the Holy Teaching is long and arduous, and we must not take it lightly. Reflect on this carefully."

Watching the two hastened silhouettes vanish abruptly, Julius’s gaze turned somewhat wistful. Many things suffer from excess, and why had they failed to take that final step? Only those who overcome their own desires can reach the end of their long and lonely journey. He hoped they would come to understand this truth.

Prosperity leads to decline. Tired, he seemed to sense a lurking crisis. Had the Holy Teaching truly reached its zenith? No, this must be the beginning of another splendor. Julius firmly believed that intention determines success or failure, and everything is just so.

Komer lounged leisurely in a vine-made arc-shaped chair, the sky-blue tendrils retaining their pleasing hue for decades without fading even after complete dehydration—a testament to the charm of the aquatic plant, Nine Dragons Vine.

It was not only exceptionally tough but also naturally cool, making it an exquisite material for crafting items of relief from the summer heat. Alas, this vine had long vanished from the continent’s heartlands, surviving only in its wild frontiers. Yet, for the nobility, it had become a sought-after rarity. In an increasingly indulgent and luxurious Noble society, it unexpectedly became a trend.

Katya’s arrival had once thrilled Komer, not for any special reason, but since Vero’s departure, he had found himself living a somewhat pallid life, even struggling with bouts of insomnia.

The reason, Komer realized, was that his thoughts had become increasingly detached from his surroundings, lacking someone to confide in.

Though Puber and Ilot were loyal companions in his endeavors, if conversations strayed away from the territory’s governance or explorations of Martial Dao, they would become boring. Even Komer himself felt discussing other matters with them to be a torture and fruitless exercise.

Rebry seemed a better conversational partner. Whether concerning the territory’s affairs or his own future path, although his advice didn’t always align with Komer’s views, it brought many fresh ideas to Komer’s thoughts. Still, he wasn’t someone with whom Komer could truly open his heart and converse freely. And now, Katya had arrived.

Even though Komer knew that Katya, with years of experience in the Kingdom Court, was in no way the optimal choice for heartfelt discussions, he couldn’t suppress his desire to stroll and chat with her. Even Komer himself was surprised by this inexplicable and strange longing.

He felt himself caught in a so-called emotional void, an anxious period craving communication—similar to how he would become restless once he ceased working for the day. Komer knew he was merely seeking a confidante, and Katya appeared to meet his hoped-for criteria.

Katya’s gaze flowed over the young man’s face. She was somewhat surprised by his attitude toward her.

Intelligence reports indicate that he seems to be getting quite close to Hoffman and Renta. Hoffman has even gone out of his way to use personal connections to help Caucasus ensure food supply channels—something the inherently stingy and always seeking a return Hoffman has never done before. For Hoffman to do this, there seems to be no other explanation except that the two must have reached some sort of agreement.

But how does this explain his attitude towards oneself?

Ever since Katya could understand, she had been immersed in a life of power struggles and conspiracies, and her ability to discern relationships between people had become exceptionally sharp. In her eyes, aside from the majority of relationships being mutually exploitative, she didn’t deny the existence of some special, emotional bonds. Humans are advanced beings, and emotions are hard to rationalize, but seeing such reasoning as the cause of the seemingly naive young nobleman’s behavior in her presence felt quite far-fetched.

Yet, Katya could feel a certain special emotion the other party held towards her in every word and deed.

Love? It sounded somewhat ludicrous. Love at first sight wasn’t unheard of, but it seemed improbable between him and herself.

The need for benefit? Possible, but with Hoffman’s support, Palermo’s role was no longer of great importance. Moreover, Palermo, who could switch sides at any moment and potentially join Hoffman, could more accurately be described as a servant to interests than an ally of her own. It seemed unnecessary for him to go out of his way to express himself to her, right?

Katya’s thoughts were becoming a bit muddled. From every angle, it seemed there was no reason for him to seek her favor, especially since that melancholy and loneliness mixed in his speech didn’t seem to be aimed at acquiring something. Could it really be that her charm was so irresistible that he couldn’t help himself after meeting her? Katya found such a notion, if pertaining to her and him, to be absolutely incredible.

Sitting quietly on the wicker rocking chair, enjoying the refreshing sway, Katya strove to calm her emotions so that she could judge her own intuition with a more peaceful mindset, and think about the main purpose of her visit this time.

After several outpourings, Komer only felt his chest was much relieved of its blockages. His impassioned disclosures seemed to confuse the woman who was always embroiled in schemes, leaving her somewhat puzzled, with a mix of pride and restraint. It was as if his heartfelt emotions even boosted her confidence a notch. Komer even spitefully guessed whether she had been overwhelmed by the feelings he had suppressed for too long that had suddenly erupted. If that was the case, he would indeed feel somewhat guilty.

Just as Komer had speculated, Katya was truly thrown off balance.

No angle seemed to explain everything that had happened over these two days. Katya didn’t believe in emotions. She even held some regrets, thinking that if he was only interested in her body, she wouldn’t mind using it to obtain something. But if it was marriage, that would cross the bottom line she had set for herself. Choosing a marriage partner with whom she could be unencumbered was an immutable decision.

As for emotions? There’s a saying, "Everything is fair game, just don’t invest in feelings." They’re like a flower soaked in poison—beautiful to behold but ultimately leaving you with nothing but endless scars, or even demise. This was the hard-learned lesson of her dearest childhood friend.

Komer observed with interest the woman before him, who possessed a unique charm in both her demeanor and poise. He could tell she was struggling with her emotions, which gave him a feeling of superiority from his vantage point.

This was the first woman after Tracy, who had emotionally devastated him, to occupy a corner in his heart. A blend of reality and interests, coupled with an unrivaled appearance, formed this unique character. At this moment, Komer felt as nourished as the earth after the rain bathed in sunlight. He even felt an urge to burst into song, but the constraints of the situation kept him from such a foolish act.

Komer overestimated his own charm—Katya had gradually extricated herself from the whirlpool of emotions. Rationality and calmness were the primary elements of survival, a reminder that haunted Katya at all times. All is illusion, only interests are eternal.

Lightly raising her hand to smooth the somewhat disheveled black hair with the wind, Katya used the gesture to signal to the other party that she was ready, fully able to engage in another round of conversation. She didn’t want to delve into superfluous discussions on feelings or intuition. Those topics could wait until after her important matters were addressed, to serve as casual conversation. Now was the time to get down to business—she did not want to waste the opportunity she had fought hard to secure.