The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 475: Volume 10: Thunderous Movements and Winds Rising, - 10: Beautiful Lady at the Door

Chapter 475: Volume 10: Thunderous Movements and Winds Rising, Chapter 10: Beautiful Lady at the Door

The atmosphere in the woods seemed subtly filled with that kind of ambiguous vibe. Katya nonchalantly picked up her coffee cup and took a gentle sip, her crimson lip print and that touch of blush became so enchanting in Komer’s eyes. The seductive air she exuded, like fermenting mellow wine, seemed even more bewitching than when he first encountered her at a banquet a few months ago.

Komer very much liked this mood, although he didn’t intend to do anything. Yet, it was this tentative, undulating charm that possessed a far more lethal attraction than many explicit displays, a fact Komer felt deeply.

Facing the undisguised gaze of the other, Katya, who was accustomed to the eyes of men, now felt a slight tremor in her resolve, which scared her.

Be it a stirring of emotion or a heartbeat, such feelings seemed long alien to her. She had grown used to interest-based exchanges under various gazes, but she could sense something slightly different in his look—a sentiment that seemed like appreciation, or maybe closeness and camaraderie, distinct from mere lust or love. Perhaps it could develop into love, and this frightened Katya.

Because she discovered a note of delight within herself concerning this.

She did not wish to have any ties with anyone, even if it was just a possibility. The best way to sever these feelings, perhaps, was to talk about those unpleasant yet inevitable matters.

"Your baron, it seems your territory is indeed somewhat different from what I imagined. I see Half-Beastmen and Barbarians freely coming and going in your lands, and your Guard is primarily composed of Half-Beast soldiers. Aren’t you afraid they might rebel?"

One might say this trip had been quite an eye-opener for Katya. She had always heard that the Caucasus was a place full of vitality yet terrifying. She couldn’t understand it until she arrived here and saw the prosperity of Mattdam and Ugru for herself.

Everywhere seemed bustling. Shops and construction sites displayed notices for worker recruitment. Streets and alleys crowded with people from all races seeking suitable work and homes. Mortals made up the majority, but Half-Beastmen, Barbarians, Half-Elves, Dwarves, Elves, and even Shark people, otherwise unseen, occasionally appeared.

Fierce-looking Half-Beast soldiers patrolled the streets, Half-Elf Archers stood watch from high towers, and the passersby seemed too accustomed to these sights to show any fear or dismay, which both excited and worried Katya. The region seemed like a territory where all were armed. A culture of martial practices seemed quite popular, with people in the streets all carrying weapons, though few dared to draw them casually.

This seemingly harmless and elegant baron was evidently not as simple or as easily deceived as others might think. Managing to transform a desolate wilderness into this in a mere few months was no fluke or mere trickery; understandably, Hoffman and Renta had been tight-lipped about the situation in the Caucasus. Had it not been for Palermo hinting at some inside information and sparking her curiosity, she would never have condescended to visit this out-of-the-way place.

"Rebel? Ha, Lady, do they look like they’re about to rebel?"

With a hearty laugh, Komer seemed to realize she wanted to break the subtly amorous atmosphere. He didn’t want to dwell too much on that. Some things were better kept at a certain distance, and besides, he had no real schemes himself.

"Are you saying you can guarantee they won’t turn against your rule?" Katya asked, puzzled. It appeared he was quite confident about this issue, but she didn’t know where such confidence came from. These races had never truly submitted to the rule of mortals—could this man achieve that?

"Hmm, if I didn’t have that confidence, how could I dare let them live so freely on my territory?" he countered, nodding slightly. "Lady, you shouldn’t think of these people as so fearsome. They are quite simple and kind, even easier to manage than mortals, of course, you need to earn their respect first."

It seems this fellow is full of confidence, but such confidence must have its basis, otherwise, it would be arrogance, and judging by this guy’s performance in Versailles, he does not seem to belong to the latter.

"Your baron, I would like to boldly ask a question, do the many half-beasts in your territory come from the neighboring Leon Region? If so, in what capacity do they now appear in your territory?" She should not have asked this question, but Katya was so surprised by the other party’s behavior that, though she knew it to be a fact, she still wanted to hear how the other party would define the identity of these escaping slaves.

Avoiding the direct gaze of the other party, Komer also knew that almost everyone who had been to Caucasus wanted an accurate answer to this question. After all, such a large number of half-beasts could not possibly be locals. Aside from the Barbarian Territory, the only other nearby areas were the vast Great Swamp and the Nether Sea, which could only mean they came from Leon in the north. The chaotic situation in Leon also seemed to provide Caucasus with an ample and cheap workforce, all pointing to those escaping or, rather, out-of-control slaves from Leon.

"Heh, Lady, it seems you are very interested in this question. But you’re not the only one concerned about it. In front of you, I won’t shy away from saying, yes, indeed a considerable number of escaping half-beastman slaves have come to Caucasus. They are neither willing to join those riotous rebels, nor willing to stay in Leon waiting for Homer’s army to suppress them. Therefore, they choose to enter Caucasus, and for some mine developments, we indeed need a large number of skilled workers, so, it was a perfect match."

"As for the identity you mentioned, it’s nothing more than a piece of paper. In the eyes of Jazair nobility, these local mortals can’t even secure their lives, let alone care about the status under which these half-beastman slaves appear. They probably think this should be a barbaric world! Hahahaha! As for Homer, the relationship between Caucasus and them has long been such, they should deal with the rebel situation in Leon before they come to argue with me about this matter."

Katya was not surprised by Komer’s boldness, as she had already experienced his untamable side behind his polite exterior.

Located on the fringes, Caucasus suffers from inconvenient transportation. Let alone pursuing his responsibility, even making a trip here involves many risks. In the minds of Jazair’s timid nobles, apart from the kingdom claiming sovereignty over this land in a geographical sense, they probably don’t even want to take an extra glance at it on the map. Moreover, it was clear from his words that he was not afraid of Homer pursuing the matter.

She thought about it, and indeed, the situation in the kingdom was turbulent, and Homer couldn’t even resolve a minor rebellion in Leon, let alone pursue the issue of Caucasus harboring escaping slaves, which indeed seemed far-fetched.

Seeing that he had brought up the issue, Katya took the opportunity to steer the conversation to her topic, "It seems to me, baron, that Homer has already become powerless over the situation in Leon?"

"No, no, Princess Katya, you seem to be misinterpreting my words. Do you think Leon could exist independently? The answer is clear, without producing food or other necessities of life, even without Homer’s army to suppress them, it is doomed to collapse. As for why those rioters in Leon were able to claim victory early on, I believe both you and I understand the reasons quite clearly, and it’s not necessary for me to elaborate. If the Homer People were determined to conquer Leon, it would be very easy for them. It’s just that, for various reasons, Philip is unable to focus or invest enough care in this matter. However, it’s only a matter of time, and I believe that the situation in Leon will change soon enough."

Moved by his words, Katya caught the implication in the baron’s consistent expression: the changes in Leon’s situation were irreversible and could not continue in the current state, but how it would evolve still had room for maneuvering.

"Baron, what do you think would allow Leon to maintain a status where the interests of the kingdom and Caucasus are preserved?" Katya knew that if Leon was to be kept out of Homer’s hands, the man before her was key.

Homer’s vast army had astonishingly been initially victorious only to be later defeated in Leon, a development that shocked the entire kingdom. A regular army, even with mages, was beaten by a group of untrained slaves. Despite these half-beasts’ savage ferocity, such an event drew the world’s attention.

But the inside story couldn’t be concealed for long. While many speculated involvement by the Central Kingdom, the key figures in the kingdom’s center credited the relatively unknown Caucasus Lord for the victory, with the kingdom merely providing some assistance with food and logistical supplies. However, defeating Homer’s regular army, which wasn’t far behind the kingdom’s own forces, required more than just food and supply guarantees.