The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 822: Volume 25: Beating the Current, - 9: Submission

Chapter 822: Volume 25: Beating the Current, Chapter 9: Submission

"Fran, perhaps it’s time I met with Sir Lecler. He has always been my idol since I was young. Last time, I barely managed to escape from those people of the Church of Light thanks to his help at the pub with Puber and others," Komer mused. "I wonder if now is the best time to enter Cyprus?"

"Lord, if you really intend to take over and reorganize the entire Homer Knights regiment, Sir Lecler would be an excellent talent. As long as you can convince him to serve you sincerely, I believe it would not be difficult for the Homer Knights to rise again. I think that would be the most appropriate time for you to enter Cyprus City," Fran considered for a moment before saying, "Isn’t it good to keep the people of Cyprus in such a state of unease? We must make them realize that without Cyprus, Homer is still Homer, and maybe even better. Only in this way can we strip away the masks of those nobles and the pitiful supremacy of the traders."

"Hmm, there is some truth to that. I don’t like Cyprus; there isn’t much there for me to reminisce about, but the knights of Cyprus are indeed a valuable asset, especially for me right now. Do you understand, Fran?" Komer said with a profound gaze into the distance.

"Lord, I understand maintaining a necessary balance is the best strategy to stabilize a regime. You now control too many and complex territories and the forces entrenched within them, so it is even more essential to handle the balance properly," the young man replied.

Fran was evidently no longer the same man who led the infantry division of the Myron Duchy. Having been influenced by Komer, he was increasingly adapting to the Lord’s style. Komer had always adhered to the principle of not putting all eggs in one basket: Half-Beastmen, Barbarians, and the Indigenous People of Caucasus were all eggs, of different sizes and shell thicknesses. And now the egg of Odessa’s traders had been added to the basket, and it seemed inevitable that the egg of the Homer Knights would be next. This was what Komer often referred to as the art of politics.

Komer was growing more and more appreciative of Fran’s tact. While a military leader did not have to master politics deliberately, having some awareness in this area was undoubtedly more suitable—at least, it could save Komer lots of energy in mentoring.

"Sir Lecler, welcome, please come in!" Neither Shatima nor Fran had ever seen Komer treat someone with such courtesy, not even Lecler himself had expected Komer to wait for him at the door of the Lord’s Mansion. This stunned Lecler greatly. Regardless of how Komer had been before, he was no longer the same reckless young noble he used to be; even if he were at his core, being a noble with the title of ’Lord’ added to his status made a world of difference—he was a true noble, not just someone with a noble title like a hollow pretense.

Lecler paused and carefully scrutinized the man before him, who did not seem to have changed much from the troublemaker he once knew, except for a bit more composure in his gaze. Especially that melancholic expression in his eyes was still as conspicuous; it was said that it was with this captivatingly sorrowful charm that he had seduced countless naive girls in Cyprus City, earning him the top spot among the Three Wolves of Cyprus.

"Viscount, you flatter me too much with that address. Properly speaking, it should be Lecler who has come to see you, Viscount," Lecler said, his heart full of mixed feelings, but he did not wish to defy the surface courtesies. After all, the man before him was recognized by both the Kingdom Star Chamber Court and the Romanov family as the Lord of Homer, and as long as Lecler was a part of Homer, this relationship could not be denied.

"Sir Lecler, please don’t say that. In my heart, Sir Lecler will always be my idol. At least, the image of Sir Lecler, the knight, remains forever in my heart," Komer spoke with sincerity, devoid of any pretense. Even Fran and Shatima were surprised by such an extraordinary compliment, which was far from ordinary praise. Up to this point, Fran had never heard Komer praise someone so highly. Komer was not one to flatter; he never was. Earning praise from him was difficult, a fact Fran knew better than anyone else.

Sir Lecler was equally shocked by Komer’s words. He observed Komer’s expression carefully to determine whether the other was using sarcasm to mock him. However, what he saw was a frank and sincere attitude in Komer’s bright eyes, free of any detritus or dust, which slightly settled Sir Lecler’s heart, at least dispelling much of the gloom he had felt upon being invited here.

"Sir Lecler, you need not look at me with such eyes. People always grow, they mature. The days of folly can only remain in memory now. Komer is no longer the ignorant young man he once was. Over the past few years, I’ve learned a lot, but your impression of me, Sir Lecler, seems not to have changed in the slightest. Although in the past I often harbored resentment when brought back for your instruction in Cyprus, I now understand that you weren’t attempting to flaunt anything or vent anything, but rather you hoped we could follow the right path. I feel that I am now indeed moving forward as you once hoped I would."

With a smile, Komer talked in an easy-going manner without any air of superiority. Sir Lecler found that his impression of this man was changing little by little. The other party was right, people change, and the person before him was definitely not the Komer of the past—a new Komer, who had already acquired the bearing to lead the entire Homer region.

After a moment of silence, Sir Lecler realized all his earlier preparations were futile. He faced a mature man who fully understood what he was doing and what he wanted to do, devoid of any arrogance or recklessness, and lacking the common faults of nobility. To put it accurately, compared to Philip, not only did this young man possess more vitality and willpower, but he seemed to have a broader vision and ambition that conservative and narrow-minded Philip couldn’t match. Could this be why Komer had replaced Philip?

"Viscount Komer, what do you need me to do? Is it really, as Miss Shatima said, to rebuild the Homer Knights regiment? Aren’t you worried that the establishment of the Homer Knight Order could pose a challenge and threat to you, and might even cause you to lose control over Homer?" Sir Lecler, as if suddenly opening a dam, threw out one sharp and provocative sentence after another, directly addressing the most sensitive issues for a new ruler.

"Heh, Sir Lecler, you still have the same temperament, which I am glad to see hasn’t changed at all. Your questions are sharp and candid, so I don’t intend to hide or evade anything. If I said I had no concerns about rebuilding the Homer Knights regiment, certainly no one would believe me. Nonetheless, I still feel it is necessary to rebuild it. I have always believed that the Homer Knights regiment is not the private army of a person or a family; it represents the honor of knights. It is neither solely mine nor the Philip family’s; it is a true representation of the knightly class of the entire Homer region. Its actions could either highlight the honor of the Homer Knights or tarnish their reputation. Frankly, I haven’t seen the previous Homer Knights truly achieving such glory, and so I feel that as the present Lord of Homer, it is my duty and responsibility to restore its luster across the entire Kingdom of Nicosia and even the whole Continent."

The torrent of words left Sir Lecler shocked and almost too overwhelmed to process them thoroughly. Yet, Komer’s straightforward words still stung him, and he vaguely understood the implications in Komer’s message—the Homer Knights had not set an example worthy of respect from the people, especially in the face of the large-scale invasion by the Beastmen. The Homer Knights had no commendable acts and could even be described as cowardly, having remained shuttered within Homer, a fact that similarly filled Sir Lecler with shame.

"So, Mr. Lecler, I hope that you can take on this heavy responsibility to rebuild a Homer Knights regiment that can withstand the test of time, and let history witness the glory of our Homer Knights. I do not wish for you to follow my commands and directives completely, but I do hope that you obey your own conscience and the creed of knighthood. I believe you are capable of this." Komer’s words were full of resolute confidence, clearly conveying his intentions.

Sir Lecler, silent for a long while and hanging his head in quiet contemplation, was either moved by Komer’s speech or finding it difficult, even disdainful. Komer watched calmly as Sir Lecler’s expression shifted between light and shade. Shatima and Fran had already been completely captivated by Komer’s charismatic eloquence, especially Shatima, whose gaze towards Komer was filled with fervor, a warmth Komer could feel from her eyes.

"Lord Komer, you have persuaded me. I accept your arrangement and invitation," Sir Lecler said, his face showing no signs of ease or pleasure, but instead filled with seriousness and prudence. Komer inwardly nodded in approval; this knight, though still fervently desiring power, retained a knight’s fundamentals, and it was exactly such a person that he needed most. As long as he possessed these two basic qualities, there was no fear of him slipping from Komer’s grasp. (To be continued, for further developments please visit www.qidian.com. More Chapters are available there supporting the author and authorized reading!)