The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 665: Volume Eighteen: Stormy Secrets, - Sixteen: Little Greenland Forest

Chapter 665: Volume Eighteen: Stormy Secrets, Chapter Sixteen: Little Greenland Forest

Staring intently with her bright green eyes at Komer, Princess Katya’s lips slightly curled up, revealing a faint smile. She finally couldn’t help but let out a chuckle, "Viscount, you’re quite the comedian. It seems my trip to Caucasus was not in vain; at the very least, it has kept me in good spirits, something you’ve managed to achieve."

"The honor of having Princess Katya reside in our Caucasus is ours as well; our reputation and standing will greatly improve. That is exactly the kind of good fortune we’ve been hoping for."

Komer too was all smiles; Jazair’s internal strife made it difficult for him to stay uninvolved. It was evident that Hoffman held the upper hand, and for Katya to escape to Mainz was to avoid the brunt of his influence—a significant motive, no doubt. Now that she had come into his territory, it put him in a dilemma. It wasn’t the best time to get involved in the kingdom’s struggles. His power was far from sufficient to engage in this game, and although he was quite intrigued, reason told him the time was not yet ripe. This woman, however, seemed eager to drag him into this quagmire. Did she believe he could help her turn this dire situation around?

"With such words, whether they come from the heart or not, Katya is satisfied. Currently, Katya might not be the most popular, but she isn’t someone who can be easily dominated. Katya will always remember friends who have sincerely offered their help."

Her face radiated pleasure, showing no sign of distress. Even Komer carefully pondered the meaning behind her frank words, which seemed too brazen for her status and the situation at hand. If he were to relay her words back to Jazair, it could stir up enormous waves.

"Your Highness, I don’t wish to say too much, but as the saying goes, ’Distance tests a horse’s strength; time reveals a person’s heart.’ Why not stay here in my Caucasus? The scenery of the fringes is no less beautiful than in the Kingdom inland. If Your Highness is interested, I’m available to accompany you to see Leon and South Bahomon, and we could also take a stroll on the Cordillera Wasteland, which has a rugged charm entirely different from our kingdom." His mind raced, the smile on his face deepened, and with thoughtfulness mixed with pride, his bright gaze flowed over Katya’s delicately made-up face, "I believe that after seeing the untamed nature of the Cordillera Wasteland, Your Highness will have many reflections."

With her gaze fixed firmly on his calm and composed face, Katya faced him seriously for the first time, her piercing eyes scrutinizing Komer’s face like sharp spikes. He seemed to talk in riddles, as if sensing her intentions. It wasn’t surprising, considering her current predicament and the fact that she was seeking external support, which seemed reasonable. Hadn’t he connected with her previously hoping to find support from the Central Kingdom? But now, as she seemed down on her luck and Hoffman’s influence more dominant, he didn’t mind; instead, he put on an act as though willing to support her fully. That was all well and good; flattery could earn some favor, but whether he could truly deliver in a critical moment was uncertain. Yet, she had carefully gauged the strength of Caucasus; if he thought that commanding a force of three thousand Half-Beastmen Self-defense Army could make him complacent and arrogant, then he was overly proud. If Philip hadn’t had various concerns, he might have already moved forcefully against Caucasus and Leon. However, Komer’s words did not seem to come from someone so foolishly arrogant, which made Katya unsure about him.

"Oh, in that case, I can’t disappoint Viscount’s generous hospitality. I’ve long heard of the rugged beauty of the Cordillera Wasteland and the Baden Gold Mountain Range. I have nothing pressing at the moment, so to see the sights of different lands would be worth the trip."

After settling Princess Katya and her entourage at the posthouse, Komer began to think more carefully about the situation he faced.

It was clear that Katya had escaped amidst the turmoil. Reports said that Hoffman had the Renta accompany her as surveillance. By coming here, she’d inevitably drawn the fire toward him. Regardless of what he said now, Hoffman would hardly believe him, especially since Palermo had been shifting investments to Leon and Caucasus, acting as Katya’s financial agent, a connection he would naturally struggle to sever.

Now it was time to carefully ponder the trouble Princess Katya had brought upon me. Hoffman wouldn’t react to me in an instant, and even if he harbored deep suspicions, he still displayed an appearance of wholehearted trust towards me on the surface. I estimated that the official enfeoffment of Lordship of Leon would soon take effect after the Star Chamber Court’s ruling. The question was, what should my next step be? The Central Kingdom had essentially lost its importance to me after granting me the title of Lord of Leon. Perhaps in the future, I could hope to elevate my Viscount title to that of a Count, but the chances of being granted a territory like the enfeoffment I received before was unlikely to happen again.

However, Princess Katya certainly wouldn’t be without any countermeasures. To become Hoffman’s formidable rival, she couldn’t lack a basic strength of her own. Her current temporary concession didn’t mean she had lost the ability to strike back. Perhaps it was a strategy to better accumulate power to avoid the sharp edges of conflict. I was well aware that each and every member of the Royal Family had their own hidden trump cards, which they kept close to the chest. To vie for that position without spending some resources and making sacrifices was simply unthinkable, and the ultimate victor in this struggle was not something that could be ascertained at this time.

My close association with Princess Katya, and what it would bring to Caucasus and Leon, was something I couldn’t yet ascertain. But one thing I was clear about— the Kingdom could no longer return to its former glory. Having completely lost the control over the territories of the Four Great Lords, the Kingdom of Nicosia had degraded into a second-rate state within the Northern Alliance, retaining only nominal influence over the surrounding areas. The lands I controlled, Caucasus and Leon, were surrounded by the Homer region under Philip’s control and essentially cut off from the direct holdings of the Kingdom. To connect with the Kingdom’s direct holdings, I would have to go through the Greenland Forest Trail or take the sea route to the Busen Plain.

Under such circumstances, was it necessary for Princess Katya to visit me in person? She should understand, regardless of whether I was willing to get involved in her struggle with Hoffman or whether I had the strength to be part of this internal Kingdom dispute. Merely the fact that the Busen Plain, under Philip’s control, made it impossible for me to participate; I didn’t yet possess the capability to challenge Homer, unless I could secure a direct route connecting to the Kingdom’s direct holdings.

At this thought, an idea suddenly lit within Komer’s mind, and he faintly smiled. Princess Katya really held me in high esteem—to think of exploiting the Catania River navigation route and now to set her sights on the Nissai River. Did she truly believe I had a special talent in this area? However, the Nissai River originating from the Little Greenland Forest had quite a different situation from the Catania River. The Catania River navigation route itself wasn’t exceptional, in fact, it was always an excellent waterway, just abandoned due to the blockade of the Jellyfish People. Now that the prohibition was lifted, everything was smoothly getting back on the right track. But the Nissai River had always had a navigable passage starting from the River Harbor at Bruce Fortress, and beyond that, lay the Little Greenland Forest that made people shudder at the mention of it.

The Little Greenland Forest had always been off-limits to mortals. From Bruce Fortress, traveling upriver for about a hundred li would bring one into the traditional bounds of the Little Greenland Forest. To the north of the Little Greenland Forest lay the western part of Busen Plain and Galle Territory, to the east it connected with the Great Greenland Forest, to the south lay the Great Swamp and wetland areas controlled by the Jellyfish People, utterly impassable, and to the west were the southern territories controlled by the Kingdom of Nicosia, bordering some countries in the central region.

Travel through the Great Swamp and wetland areas was impossible due to geographical reasons. Moreover, the Little Greenland Forest had few humans willing to venture in due to its harsh environment. Even exploration teams and adventurers preferred the Great Greenland Forest as an exploration site and were unwilling to venture into the Little Greenland Forest, as places of little value and fraught with too many risks didn’t align with the value orientation of adventuring. With the convenient water route that used to connect the Kingdom Inland to the Nether Sea at Odessa via the canal, nobody paid much attention to this potential navigation route.

Now, with the trend of the Four Great Lords’ effective independence growing, for Princess Katya, who was at a disadvantage in the territories directly controlled by the Central Kingdom and Jazair, seeking external assistance meant looking further afield. Before finding suitable allies nearby, it seemed that I, controlling Caucasus and Leon, had also come into her sights. Ensuring my power could be used for her cause—how to establish this connection was probably the main reason behind Katya’s contemplation.

The Little Greenland Forest, Komer mused for a moment. Previously, I hadn’t paid much attention to this secluded primeval forest to the northwest of my territory, nor did many others. It seemed now I should turn my gaze to this place known for producing ferocious Magical Beasts.

(To be continued... For further information, please visit WWW.CMFU.COM. There are more Chapters available, support the author, support authorized reading!)