The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 672: Volume Nineteen: Lost Horizon - Two: The Arrival

Chapter 672: Volume Nineteen: Lost Horizon Chapter Two: The Arrival

Komer did not harbor any prejudices against Half-Beastmen, and he valued Maha Gummi, who had Half-Beastmen blood, even more. However, the reality before him was that the majority of people living around him were Mortals. Perhaps they could barely accept races such as Elves, Dwarves, and Half-Elves, which have similar lifestyles to Mortals, but it was difficult to integrate races like Half-Beastmen, Barbarians, and Beastmen, whose lifestyles greatly differed from those of Mortals. Of course, on the surface, this did not seem to affect the current relationships between the various races in Caucasus, but the relationships between the races did not further deepen because of this factor. Komer knew that Maha Gummi’s racial bloodline was a significant obstacle as he ascended to higher circles, after all, most of the important officials and friends around him were Mortals.

But this was a reality he was powerless to change. Whether it was within the merchant circles of Meine and Susoer or the landed gentry circles of Myron, other races were always branded psychologically, something he could not change on his own in a year or two. It required a long time for gradual and subtle accumulation. Only when one after another Half-Beastmen or Barbarians stood firm by his side would they gradually realize these unavoidable forces were equally indispensable to them. This was the effect Komer hoped to achieve, but the conditions for it were clearly not yet ripe.

The officials and gentry clustering around him had gradually formed a large circle, which was in turn composed of many overlapping smaller circles. There were administrative circles formed by people like Puber, Reese, Lafayette, Neptune, Maha Gummi, commercial circles led by figures such as Caffrey, Melbourne, Zip, Hozer, and Maximi, and military officer circles formed by individuals such as Ilot, Fran, Baoling, Dragumo. These three systems interwoven with one another; for instance, Fran, Baoling, Reese, and Lafayette all hailed from Myron and were naturally closer emotionally. Caffrey had initially cooperated with Puber, Ilot, and Neptune, so their relationships were more harmonious. These intertwined relationships formed the power network surrounding Komer.

In addition to this large circle, another group of people not part of this circle also had a significant impact on Komer, those being outsiders like Rebry, Lome, and Eve who, although they did not participate in the local affairs or the distribution of power in Caucasus, their influence was crucial to Komer. He would consult with them on significant issues to seek their support as much as possible.

So far, Maha Gummi was probably the only Half-Beastman who had truly entered his innermost circle. Dragumo could only barely be considered part of it, and he still needed a period of time to prove himself both in terms of capability and loyalty. Komer also hoped to bring more Half-Beastmen into his circle of power, but he would not lower his standards. He could only hope that more outstanding Half-Beastmen would come into his view.

"Hmm, well done. All these measures are necessary. Also, in purchasing the river maps and topographical maps of Little Greenland Forest, don’t make it too obvious, so as not to arouse the suspicions of adventurers and exploration teams. There’s no need to offer too high a price; their primary goal is exploring and treasure hunting. Mapping is just a side activity. As long as there’s a decent reward, they won’t refuse such an opportunity," Komer instructed Maha Gummi, who, despite being quite astute, was after all not a Mortal. There were still many Mortal psychologies he needed to probe and understand further.

"Understood. I’ve also spread similar information in Quke Valley, hoping people there would take similar actions. In this way, we might be able to speed up our understanding of Little Greenland Forest," Maha Gummi said. He truly did not let Komer down, thinking every detail through thoroughly.

"Knowing that you’ve thought everything through so carefully puts me at ease. I leave this task fully in your hands, but don’t neglect the situation with Bruce and Leon. My advice is that you should recruit and train more people who can be useful; there’s no need for you to handle everything personally. That’s not the behavior of a qualified official, understood?" Komer was very satisfied; he had thought of everything that needed consideration, so he didn’t need to bother himself further.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly. The legend of the lost civilization in the Volt Mountain Range had been completely overshadowed by the huge treasure of the Goddess of Nature purportedly hidden in the Little Greenland Forest. Countless adventurers and exploration teams flocked to the region, and after a simple registration at the Bruce Fortress administrative office, they could go on an exploration adventure in Little Greenland Forest legitimately. Of course, before this, they had to form teams, purchase magic tools and protective gear, exchange various weapons and equipment, and replenish their supplies, all of which could be completed at the shops and taverns in the marketplace outside Bruce Fortress.

Since the spread of this rumor, the number of adventurers and exploration teams in the marketplace outside Bruce Fortress had increased, and their scale had expanded considerably. The treasures of the Goddess of Nature had already been acquired at random by a Lord of Caucasus. That Tianmiao God Ring was clearly one of the two water-themed rings among the Nature Goddess’ Seven God Rings, and it had been verified by many who had witnessed it. Additionally, the Essence God Ring that Princess Galle Vero possessed was known to many in the magic world thanks to that birthday party. Surprisingly, it had also been found in the Little Greenland Forest. The two Goddess’ God Rings were enough to prove the existence of the treasures of the Goddess of Nature, which were undoubtedly located in Little Greenland Forest. No one could pass up such an excellent opportunity.

The dangers present in the Little Greenland Forest had long been talked about in all the taverns outside the Bruce Fortress, and Komer did not wish for those ill-prepared adventurers to rashly venture into the Little Greenland Forest. What he needed was to create a shortcut to the southwest of the kingdom for himself, not to send these adventurers to their deaths needlessly.

However, Komer’s concern was entirely superfluous, as adventurers with abundant exploration experience were far more meticulous and comprehensive in their considerations than Komer was. From weapons and magic tools designed to counter various dangerous magical beasts, to the application of various strategies and tactics, the adventurer teams had fully demonstrated their professional level.

Should a team lack confidence, they would immediately send out magic letters to summon cooperative teams or look for partners on the spot to complement each other, becoming mutually reinforcing. As long as they could compensate for the deficiencies within their own teams, two or three teams could quickly form an excellent combination. After all, the treasure of the Goddess of Nature was abundant enough that there was no worry about its distribution, and such high-standard exploration also posed a rare training opportunity for an adventurer team. Therefore, some teams that were in poor condition or smaller in scale were willing to participate in higher standard, larger-scale adventurer team combinations, seeking a rare opportunity to hone their abilities, even if it meant receiving a smaller share or no treasure at all.

Once again, the Bruce Fortress welcomed a period of extreme prosperity. The River Harbor dock on the Nissai River saw the arrival of adventurer teams almost every day, and the Great Greenland Forest became an excellent place for adventurer teams to test their skills. Horse teams were constantly moving along the Greenland Forest Plank Road, and adventurer teams from the north and south of the Continent were stirred by the vast treasure of the Goddess of Nature, Minto.

"Noyola, we haven’t found anything, there is not a trace of Dark Forces’ activity in this town. It seems that our mission this time is likely to end up empty-handed." Lorenzo was shrouded in his cloak, his gaze shifted restlessly over the adventurers on the streets, and the sight of half-beast soldiers standing guard on the distant tower was particularly discomforting. Although reason told him that these half-beasts had nothing to do with the Dark Forces, the sight of these lowly races donning armor and wielding weapons, guarding a mortal fortress like mortal soldiers, was still difficult for him to accept.

"Lorenzo, do not lose heart. If the Dark Forces could be so easily uncovered by us, they would not be causing the Church of Light such a headache. I have a premonition that we will come across something on this mission, perhaps even a significant discovery," Noyola said. Unlike Lorenzo, he wasn’t as wary of the adventurers who continuously passed by. To him, these adventurers were people who had lost their ideals, indulging in this pointless game in search of physiological satisfaction and absurd spiritual pursuits, "Oh, what do these fellows hope to achieve by coming here? It’s said to be for the treasure of the Goddess of Nature, Minto, in the Little Greenland Forest. This is the most ridiculous joke I have ever heard. Have you ever heard of such outrageous nonsense, Lorenzo?"

"Hmph, mortals always like to be driven by those crazy, groundless desires. You and I will never be able to understand the vulgar thoughts of these mortals. The treasure of the Goddess of Nature? It’s utterly absurd. Why are there so many fools tirelessly pursuing such things?" Lorenzo also felt indignant and frustrated. These faithless commoners were enthusiastic for sensory-stimulating games but indifferent towards a noble faith that cultivated emotions and uplifted morals, which was infuriating indeed.

"Well, we can only use that reason to explain their foolish acts," Noyola said as he let the curtain fall back down, and the carriage slowly continued down the street, "Caru and Boritz and a few others should have already arrived here, right? I wonder if they have found anything? Why haven’t we found the notes they left for us?"

(To be continued. For what happens next, please log in to WWW.CMFU.COM where Chapters are more, support the author, support authorized reading!)