The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 787: Volume 23: Rising Winds and Swirling Clouds, - 23: Doubts and Suspicion

Chapter 787: Volume 23: Rising Winds and Swirling Clouds, Chapter 23: Doubts and Suspicion

Fran’s words plunged Komer into deep thought, even after Fran had left, he was still chewing on Fran’s last sentence. He did not believe that Vero had come with some special mission; in fact, if Vero really came for something there would be no need for any disguise. However, given Zellin’s cunning and shrewdness, it was very unlikely that he was unaware of Vero coming to him. Maybe it was just as Fran had said, this was a hidden piece, waiting for the right moment for him to consider how to use it, Vero’s presence was a hint for him.

The unpredictable situation within the kingdom was somewhat hard to determine. The Galleians, who were originally thought to maintain restraint or be ambiguous, sent troops, and it was the most elite of the Nirvana Knights, whereas Poznan and Silesia, which he was most worried about, had not made a sound. Their actions were more delayed than he had imagined. Should he act first, using his reserve forces to eradicate the Galleians’ determination to participate in the war and then negotiate with Zellin, or should he first establish a baseline through negotiation and focus the main force on facing Poznan and Silesia? This question troubled Komer, and Fran did not offer a clear opinion, leaving it to Komer to decide.

However, soon a scout brought back news; the Nirvana Knights had not stayed on Busen Plain and, despite achieving a victory, this regiment from Galle quickly disappeared from Busen Plain. According to the intelligence, they should have retreated towards Cyprus, leaving behind the vast Busen Plain and Odessa, which had become an undefended city. Even the Homer Navy, which had always used Odessa as their base, had silently vanished from the port of Odessa, seemingly also returning to Cyprus.

The battle at Takros Fortress greatly damaged the morale of the Homer People. Faced with the ferocious and vicious Barbarians and Half-Beast Army, the Northern Army, which rarely fought against these races, all showed varying degrees of panic. And after the loss of Takros Fortress, the flat Busen Plain could not reverse the situation merely with the significantly weakened Homer infantry, without the forceful Martial Power to strike against these so-called lower-race armies.

The appearance of the Barbarians and Half-Beast Army on Busen Plain and in Odessa threw the entire Central Region of Homer into a state of alarm. Nobles loyal to Philip fled, leaving mostly lower-rank Nobles without territories or with barren and narrow lands. Even they were just waiting and watching, hoping that the conflict between Caucasus and Philip would soon have a clear outcome.

The handsome man’s face was filled with gloom and fierceness, which somewhat diminished his otherwise impeccable image. His opulent magical armor accentuated his robust physique, standing tall and firm, and the faint glow that emanated from his Knight Spear in hand showed that he was very agitated at the moment. As he faced his companion, who stood with his hands behind his back deep in thought, it seemed that he could no longer contain his impatience.

"Cooklin, why don’t we seize the opportunity to crush those damned trash? I have never fought a battle like this, retreating on our own after an easy victory, and now we’ve been holed up here for half a month while those damned Barbarians and Half-beasts rampage across Busen Plain. What exactly are we doing here? Putting on a show?"

The contemplative Knight seemed to be pulled back from his thoughts by his companion’s words. He did not show much annoyance at his companion’s somewhat indecorous behavior. A chestnut-red Knight Cloak draped askew over his left shoulder, and the uniquely shaped sheathed Ancient Sword he carried did not resemble traditional Knight’s Swords, but rather looked more like the Great Swords used by warriors, only much narrower in the blade. Hidden in the sheath, the true form of the sword was difficult to discern. His lean face carried more composure and less impetuousness than the handsome man’s, perhaps that was why he could serve as the leader of the Nirvana Knights.

"Sate, don’t let a trivial victory blind us. We’ve already seen the combat prowess of the Caucasus Army—it’s not as weak as the Homer People claim. At least that Half-Beast Army did not panic in the face of our assault; even when we defeated them, they still maintained good formation. You and I both know, in reality, it was because we were fully prepared and took the initiative that we could easily defeat them."

"Cooklin, are you saying that if conditions were equal, the Nirvana Knights wouldn’t even be able to handle a native Half-Beast Army?" The handsome Knight’s face showed a hint of derision mixed with disdain.

"I never said that, but it wouldn’t be as easy to win comfortably," Cooklin, the slender man, replied calmly.

"Hmph, I don’t want to argue over such nonsense with you here. I just want to ask you, what are we doing here? Are we getting ready for hunting or hibernating?"

The handsome man’s sinister look did not escape the gaunt knight’s notice. He glanced at the other contemptuously, a fool so arrogant he thought the shelter of his family’s power and his status as a Semi Holy Knight lifted him above all others, not realizing this was not a duel between knights but a war. The complete defeat of the Homer People had proven that the forces of Caucasus were far from the imagined mob of disorganized rabble, especially with the addition of Half-beastmen and Barbarians, two notoriously ferocious races. This fool had become completely carried away by a single victory in a skirmish, truly beyond redemption.

"Sate, we need to keep waiting and keep observing the changes in the situation," the thin man said indifferently. There was no need to tell the other of the Duke’s admonitions; this man had been driven mad and blind with rage by the news of Princess Vero in Caucasus, as if defeating that roaming Half-beast Army in the Busen Plain would win back Princess Vero’s favor. Pitiable and tragic, a man without self-awareness; Vero had never liked him, yet he fancied himself and Vero as a match made in heaven. The astuteness he normally possessed had vanished without a trace at such a time, truly disappointing.

"Wait? What exactly are we still waiting for? Waiting for those beastmen to trample Cyprus underfoot? Or for them to plant that damn Bear Head Flag of Caucasus in every Homer Town? We were invited by Duke Philip to eradicate the rebels, not to come here and enjoy the scenery!" Sate could no longer contain his anger, his handsome face contorted, becoming somewhat ferocious.

"Sate, could you please calm down a bit? Cooklin has his reasons for doing this. You seem too impulsive. Could it really be because of the county master in Caucasus?" another knight who had been quietly standing by the window finally spoke up, "Behaving like this will only drive Princess Vero further away from you!"

"Falcon, what do you mean by that?!" The furious Sate immediately turned his anger towards the other.

"Sate, we all know you are deeply bothered by Princess Vero’s trip to Caucasus. To be honest, we also don’t think Komer is a suitable match for Princess Vero, but your impetuous stubbornness has completely robbed you of the reason and serenity of a knight. Do you think this will make Vero change her heart?" The knight standing outside the window had no reservations, speaking bluntly, "Even the Duke did not stop the county master’s actions; do you think you can forbid the county master from going to Caucasus? Clear your head."

Sate’s face turned a shade paler as if he had been punched in the heart, rendered speechless for a long while as he chewed over Falcon’s words. Falcon shook his head in dismay; a knight who boasted he would soon reach the Paladin stage was so fragile in matters of the heart. No wonder he had made no progress in the past two years. With his current state, it seemed he was decades away from becoming a Paladin.

"Alright, Falcon, don’t stir up more trouble. Princess Vero enjoys traveling; wherever she goes is her freedom and doesn’t prove anything. We should focus on the mission before us. The Homer People have completely collapsed; only a few broken troops have retreated back to Cyprus. Duke Philip is now pinning his hopes on our forces, as well as reinforcements from the North. However, it seems the Duke has no intention of sending infantry to join the battle; I have yet to receive such orders from him."

"As for Poznan and Silesia, it’s said they are mobilizing, but the beastmen have also been clashing with them at the border area frequently of late, and rumors of the beastmen invading Poznan and Silesia have been rampant. I suspect that even if Poznan and Silesia can send reinforcements, it will be limited, and their mobilization speed will be a factor. This means that our army is the only one currently in the vast area from Cyprus to the Busen Plain. Although the forces in Caucasus are currently occupied with settling in the Busen Plain and Odessa and have not yet moved northward, with Komer’s character, he won’t delay for long. Perhaps his army is already en route northward. Maybe we need to discuss, if the Caucasus side continues marching northward, they’ll have to pass through where we are now stationed. How should we respond to the next battle?"

Falcon looked surprised at the other, sensing a reluctance in his tone to continue fighting, only hoping to avoid war if the other side would halt at the Busen Plain. What was Cooklin thinking? Was the Nirvana Knights regiment in Homer simply for show and not sincerely helping Duke Philip suppress Komer’s rebels? Then why did they bother fighting with the Half-beastmen earlier? Falcon was confused, but seeing the peculiar look in Cooklin’s eyes, a thought struck him. Could it be that the Duke had given him additional private instructions?

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