The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 636: Volume Seventeen: Dark Descends on Earth - Eight: Gain Strength Through Leverage

Chapter 636: Volume Seventeen: Dark Descends on Earth - Eight: Gain Strength Through Leverage

Gently caressing the hilt of the gilded long sword at his waist, Hoffman pondered how to move the conversation to the main topic. His purpose for coming this time was rather complex; the kingdom’s situation was quite dire. Although Komer’s call to arms and support inspired the middle and small nobles of the kingdom to offer their full backing, the Four Great Lords remained unusually silent. If it could be said that the Heine Family remained silent due to their need to face the Beastmen directly, the behaviour of the Zellin and Philip families was worrisome.

At this time, with the support of the four major families lost and relying only on these middle and small lords, the kingdom was inevitably heading towards decline and even collapse. Although these middle and small nobles currently showed an attitude of supporting the Central Kingdom, it was difficult to predict how they would react when the Great Lords and the kingdom came to an open rupture. And the current eerie situation was enough to prove that the Great Lords indeed intended to push the kingdom into an absolute predicament.

Although the kingdom could still obtain the support of surrounding allies, allies would never get involved in the kingdom’s internal affairs. Even the legitimate Romanov family could be overturned by the combined power of the Four Great Lords, with the invasion of the Beastmen causing such a tragic defeat for the kingdom. Now, to prevent the kingdom from being crushed by the Great Lords, the kingdom must find a way to weaken the momentum of the Great Lords. Only by not only weakening but also suppressing the momentum of the Great Lords and uniting the middle and small lords under the flag of the Central Kingdom, could the kingdom possibly have a chance to stand again.

"Your baron, I heard in Jazair that Homer recently launched an attack on Caucasus, but along the way from Mattdam to Ugru, I saw no signs of war. I wonder if this matter is true?" Hoffman, after much deliberation, still felt that directly addressing the topic was more appropriate. Engaging in shallow conversation to broach deep topics, as stated by the other party, it was crucial to use the resources at hand to dampen the Great Lords’ arrogance and inspire the morale of those on the central kingdom’s side.

"Heh, Your Highness has heard as well? There was such an incident. Homer’s Storm Infantry Corps crossed the Nissai River in an attempt to occupy Leon, but they encountered defeat. I have a responsibility to protect the land temporarily entrusted to me by the kingdom. Although Philip is still my overlord, I regretfully had to stop his blatant provocation against Kingdom Law. It’s just that the method of stopping him might have displeased him somewhat," Komer said with a faint smile.

Upon hearing Komer’s words, Hoffman and Renta immediately discerned the subtext; Homer had surely faced defeat. Hoffman knew about Homer’s military; if Homer had been somewhat careless last time, this time the Storm Infantry Corps was deployed, which he knew to be the main force of Homer’s Army. If the Storm Infantry had set out, then the Knights regiment would certainly follow suit. Given such formidable strength, the current individual casually had summarized it with a simple "stop," could it be that Homer suffered another disastrous defeat?

Seeing the deep grey pupils of Hoffman and the emerald green eyes of Renta both filled with inquisitive light, Komer knew his words had piqued their interest, "The Storm Infantry took the initiative to withdraw from Bruce Fortress, and as for Homer’s Knights regiment, regrettably, my Self-defense Army didn’t leave them much face. They were scared out of their wits by those rough Half-Beastmen, which makes me wonder how Philip’s troops of this level could possibly secure peace in any territory?"

"Oh?" A mixture of surprise and disbelief appeared on the faces of both Hoffman and Renta. Homer’s Army defeated? Even Bruce Fortress had changed hands? This was an exhilarating event; it seemed that Duke Tez’s nurturing of this low-ranking noble had indeed played a role. Homer’s Army was driven out of Bruce Fortress, meaning that south of Greenland Forest, Homer no longer had control, and even Bruce Fortress had fallen into the hands of the newly ennobled Viscount, with the Knights regiment also suffering a crushing defeat. If everything the other party said was true, what authority would Philip still command in the eyes of the middle and small lords?

"What, do you both doubt my words?" Komer, seeing the suspicion in their eyes, smiled radiantly, showing his white teeth: "Perhaps I was just luckier. Homer’s Mage Corps apparently ran into some trouble and seemed not to have participated in the battle. We ambushed Homer’s Army at the Greenland Forest Trail, catching them off guard. Although they managed to reach Bruce Fortress, they were already terrified. Coupled with the absence of the mages, and with the support of a few Mage friends of mine, they voluntarily withdrew from Bruce Fortress. It’s as simple as that."

Hoffman and Renta certainly did not believe that things could be that simple. The Philip family had inherited its position in Homer for generations with deep roots, possessing complete forces of infantry, knights, and mages. Dealing with this fellow in front of them would not pose a problem at all. The only possibility was that some accident had occurred, but even an accident should not have led to such an easy defeat. However, looking at this fellow’s demeanor, he did not seem to be speaking nonsense. The intricacies of the matter were not something they could delve into right now. The most exhilarating news was that Homer had been defeated, and Komer’s performance as the most capable small aristocrat who supported the kingdom provided a stark contrast. For the middle and small aristocracy, this was, of course, a great encouragement. The Great Lords were not all that impressive; they were just individuals with a facade of strength but hollow at the core. If a small Lord like Caucasus could defeat them, what could be considered impossible?

"Oh, this is indeed a joyous and noteworthy piece of good news. I can understand why Homer would not want to publicize it, but why didn’t Viscount also make it known?" Hoffman asked, frowning and trying to suppress his excitement.

"Oh, Your Highness, please understand my predicament. After all, I am still a vassal of Philip. If his army had not invaded Leon but instead attacked Caucasus directly, I really would not be able to handle it easily. The punishment of a vassal by his Lord is always supported by everyone, and an offense by an inferior, even if victorious, would still be condemned. Of course, if I could become a direct vassal of His Majesty the King, I think all this would be much easier. As for Philip, I would then hold no pity or guilt," Komer skillfully hinted with a glance.

This guy! Even at such a time, he did not forget to seek benefits for himself, aspiring to become a direct vassal of the kingdom. How insatiable. It had been many years since the kingdom had directly enfeoffed a vassal. First, direct enfeoffment would require taking land from the territories directly controlled by His Majesty the King. Second, directly enfeoffing someone from amongst the Great Lords’ vassals as a direct Lord would undoubtedly be a kind of provocation, very likely deteriorating relations between the Lords and the kingdom, or even causing rebellion. Therefore, the kingdom would not dare to take such an extraordinary action lightly. However, Komer’s point was also valid. If he were to receive direct enfeoffment from the kingdom, he could respond legitimately to any provocation from Homer without any scruples. For Homer, it would be akin to a vicious stab in the back.

After exchanging glances, Hoffman and Renta hesitantly said, "Viscount, you should know the difficulty of this operation. It is not impossible for the kingdom to directly enfeoff you, but how would Homer react? It could create some unexpected effects on the kingdom and you. Have you thought about that, especially considering the kingdom’s current state of hardship? If possible, I will suggest to His Majesty that we might consider this issue after stabilizing the situation."

"Heh heh, Your Excellencies, you are being overly cautious. With the current situation, if the Four Great Lords truly wish to destroy the kingdom, no matter how you try to appease them, they would not relent. However, if the Four Great Lords have other plans, then the issue of direct enfeoffment is not really a problem. In fact, Philip is quite aware that he is now stretching his arm too long, unable to reach Caucasus and Leon. Trying to conquer Leon and Caucasus would be detrimental to him. Rather than dealing with an unmanageable vassal and setting a bad example for other vassals, possibly even triggering a chain reaction, it would be better to have the kingdom directly enfeoff me. It would save many embarrassments. I can assure you that if I were to be directly enfeoffed by the kingdom, Philip would not have any objections. On the contrary, he might feel much more at ease," Komer persuaded them with his glib tongue, well aware that they had come to Caucasus with requests in mind. Wasn’t this the perfect opportunity to ask for the moon? Otherwise, wouldn’t he be a fool?

Hoffman and Renta silently pondered Komer’s words. The Four Great Lords were evidently parting ways with the kingdom. Even if they did not plan to completely destroy the kingdom, after this battle, the kingdom had almost lost its power to restrain the Great Lords. Now, the survival of the kingdom depended on what the hidden hand behind the Four Great Lords envisioned for the kingdom’s existence, not on what the Great Lords could decide. The extent of support from these middle and small Lords might influence the attitude of that hidden hand towards the necessity of the kingdom’s existence in certain circumstances. Now, gaining the support of these middle and small Lords seemed rather urgent.

"Viscount, your opinion makes sense, but I do not have the authority to decide. I must return to Jazair to report to His Majesty, who will make the decision. However, I will do my best to advocate to His Majesty, and I believe there should not be too much of a problem," once decided, Hoffman promptly agreed. "However, Viscount, although the kingdom is still willing to consider its vassals during such trying times, as vassals, should you not also consider sharing the kingdom’s worries and solving its difficulties?"

(To be continued... For more Chapters, please visit WWW.CMFU.COM. Support the author, support authorized reading!)