The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 664: Volume Eighteen: Stormy Secrets, - Fifteen: Seeking Help

Chapter 664: Volume Eighteen: Stormy Secrets, Chapter Fifteen: Seeking Help

Seeing Komer at a loss for words, not knowing how to answer his own question, both the Dwarves and the Giants were serious. Eve and Grace were their companions and good friends, and it was apparent that Grace had some special relationship with Komer. Eve’s desire to leave could not be said to be completely unrelated to the somewhat flirtatious Lord’s special relations with Grace and Mage Lome, but there was definitely an important connection.

It seemed there was also some indescribable ambiguity between Eve and the Lord. One could glean as much from Eve’s emotions over this period of time. However, with matters of the heart such as these, Bayezid and Burianos could not offer their opinions either. They knew this was not something outsiders could help with, and they could only do their utmost to remind this overly fickle Lord not to hurt these friends’ hearts.

On the Blue Continent, marriage customs varied from country to country, yet they all followed one principle: that a man could only have one official wife, with all other women unable to be listed as family members. As a Noble, you could keep mistresses, maintain concubines, have extramarital affairs, or even place Maids in your house without anyone questioning you. On the contrary, it would be regarded as an honor and a symbol of noble status. However, these women could not gain official recognition in terms of their identities. Instead, their children could, under certain circumstances, be recognized as nobles and inherit inheritance rights, much like Komer’s situation.

But with continual strife and political alliances being common among the countries and cities of the Blue Continent, the marital system had to adapt to some changes with the times, enabling some flexibility. Some Nobles, already married, might need to contract political marriages for specific purposes. By acquiring another fief, they could attain another noble title and hence be eligible to marry again, thus righteously gaining the opportunity to take another wife.

Although Bayezid and Burianos were not Mortals, living in the mortal world for an extended period had given them an understanding of the Continent’s peculiar customs. Hence, they used such implicit language to remind him, after all, Komer had become the Lord of Caucasus and attained the title of Baron. And now, with the Leon Region under his control and him ennobled as a Viscount, it meant that once Komer’s acting lordship in the Leon Region was confirmed as official, he would be entitled to marry two women under different titles. Otherwise, with the temperaments of Bayezid and Burianos, they would probably have confronted Komer directly by now.

"Bayezid, Burianos, don’t you think it is a bit too early to discuss these things now?" After fumbling about for a while, Komer scratched his head and said somewhat embarrassedly, "What Eve and Grace think, we men cannot fathom. But they are adults, capable of having their own thoughts and desires and of distinguishing right from wrong. We should not influence or interfere with them. I believe that as time goes on, we should see a satisfying resolution."

Komer usually dealt with these issues with evasive language, but today it seemed he was not going to get off so easily. Burianos’ gaze burned into him like a torch: "Lord, Bayezid and I do not wish to pry into how Eve and Grace feel, but we want your promise. If they give their truest feelings, you should reciprocate with something equivalent. We hope for a clear commitment from you!"

Rubbing his hands and glancing awkwardly from side to side, Komer had no way to evade the direct and sincere advance of Bayezid and Burianos. Fortunately, they only spoke of reciprocity regarding true affection and did not mention anything else, which greatly relieved Komer. "Bayezid, Burianos, you should both know what kind of person I am, Komer. I have but one word for you: I will not let down anyone who believes and trusts in me."

Although they were not wholly satisfied with Komer’s still somewhat topic-shifting words, his earnest attitude and tone did alleviate much of Bayezid’s and Burianos’ concerns. After all, love between a man and a woman is a matter for both parties to decide, and as friends, having done this much was fulfilling their duties.

Standing outside the Lord’s Mansion, Komer was surprised to see a horse-drawn carriage approach. Who would come to the Lord’s Mansion at this time? In his memory, there seemed to be no one who would visit him now. The Traders were now more tempted to deal with Puber, and Judicial Officer Reese had established permanent tribunals in the significant towns of Ugru and Mattdam to handle routine litigation and disputes while other regions relied on itinerant tribunals.

When a woman shrouded in a black cloak and veil quietly stepped down in front of the Lord’s Mansion’s Door, Komer easily recognized her identity, despite her concealment. Wasn’t she in Mainz? What was she doing here? Realizing the reason, he nodded knowingly. No wonder Hoffman’s letters had been so frequent lately. He was pondering Fran’s return with the Self-defense Army to their territory, now stationed at Bruce Fortress. Indeed, he was worried she might come here. Heh, even Renta had rushed to Mainz, suggesting the Romanov family was again plunging into the strife of Royal Family power struggles before the threat of the beastmen completely dissipated.

Katya sat in the small Reception Hall, her veil removed and her cloak unfastened beside her. The hall seemed quite elegant. It looked like Komer was increasingly acquiring taste. As the saying goes, "habits form from one’s living environment," and he was gradually acquiring a bit of a Lord’s air. The servants quietly left after serving coffee.

This journey to Caucasus was truly not easy. If I hadn’t taken advantage of the brief time when Renta returned to Jazair to quietly travel eastward by boat, I would still have difficulty shaking off the ever-present Renta. But what can I do here? Surely this minor Lord can’t help me fulfill my wishes. Katya wasn’t naïve to that extent.

She was somewhat unable to understand why Palermo valued this minor Lord so much. Even if he controlled the entire Caucasus and Leon, even if he gained recognition from the kingdom to become the official Lord of both territories including Leon, that was still far from comparing himself with the status and power of the Four Great Lords. So, what value did her trip here hold?

But what else could she do if she did not come here? Stay in Mainz? Pruning flowers, taking walks, resting, drinking coffee—such a life was not what she wanted. Having left the noisy, tense atmosphere of Jazair, she found herself somewhat unable to adapt. Political animal; this term was used by one of Jazair’s Nobles to describe an opponent, and it seemed that Katya was somewhat developing in that direction. She thought of this with a bit of self-deprecation. However, she truly couldn’t bear a life of leisure and tranquility. She enjoyed the feeling of being surrounded by people, holding great power, and giving orders. She feared loneliness and solitude.

The political winds in Jazair had also shifted. After the father secluded himself, Hoffman took over as regent, and the Nobles who once gathered around her flocked to Hoffman’s side. No one wanted to waste energy on an heir who was about to be exiled or even deposed. For the first time, Katya felt the chilling cold within the Royal Family. Although she had been prepared, when the reality actually befell her, she found it somewhat hard to accept.

This time, she’d come to Caucasus to unwind. That was the only sort of comforting thought Katya could hold onto. Palermo had taken a detour to Bruce, off to see Leon and look for investment opportunities. It was said that the hundred miles of uncultivated land around Lake Niall could be developed into prime farmland, which for a Food merchant was undeniably a tempting prospect—especially after the canal from Lake Niall to Mattdam opened; the temptation would only grow stronger.

Now Palermo was the only one still faithfully by her side. The man had many connections, quickly laying down roots with the assets transferred out of Jazair in the South, which reassured Katya quite a bit. Even if she lost favor in Jazair, as long as Hoffman did not dare to commit a heinous crime and wipe them all out, she still had a chance to turn the tables—albeit that chance was now rather slim. Just as Palermo had said, unless she found a stronger, more powerful ally. But Palermo always regarded this minor Lord of Caucasus so highly, leaving Katya consistently puzzled. She was well aware of Palermo’s sophistication and steadiness; his pointing out must have its reasons. Could it be that she had really misjudged the situation? Then this trip was an opportunity to carefully figure out this guy, to see what truly lied beneath his exterior.

"Lady, what wind has blown you into Caucasus?" Seemingly bursting into the Reception Hall with urgency, Komer couldn’t help but reveal his joy, his face full of anticipation, with an ambiguous air of missing a lover.

"Viscount, I wonder if you welcome me? Katya might have been a bit presumptuous in coming this time." Regardless of what his intentions were, seeing his attitude towards her arrival made Katya quite delighted.

"Your Highness, what are you saying? Could it be you’ve not felt affection towards Caucasus?" Komer teased lightly, "As long as you’re willing, you can stay in Caucasus for a lifetime, and everyone here will forever be your most loyal servants."

"Including yourself?" Katya’s face broke into a radiant smile.

"Of course!" Komer replied without batting an eye.

New book "Exotic Hunting in different space and time," book number 141568, is welcome for collection. (To be continued. If you want to know what happens next, please visit WWW.CMFU.COM. There are more Chapters and support for the author as well as authorized reading!)