The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 980: Volume 31: Single Hand Trying to Cover the Sky, - 24: Unveiling

Chapter 980: Volume 31: Single Hand Trying to Cover the Sky, Chapter 24: Unveiling

In fact, Komer had long realized this point: Without mortals stirring the pot, no tribe of elves could possibly leap out and challenge their entire clan so brazenly. This was why he had sent Vladimir Koff and his party to the Storm Ocean region. He didn’t want to focus too much of his energy on the internal strife of the elves just yet. Since the Black Flame Knights regiment and the magicians were hoping to train and hone themselves, giving them this opportunity killed two birds with one stone.

Early winter is a season suitable for waging war, no matter the location.

Katya was increasingly aware of the crisis she faced. Her visit to Caucasus had not been concealed from those wolves of the Northern Alliance. The word that had been vaguely conveyed was that they no longer intended to drag things on and were ready to show their hand to her.

With a soft sigh, the terms offered by Komer were tempting, and though the arguments to persuade her were not without their fallacies, some of them still sounded plausible. Handing over the legacy left by her ancestors to strangers was not something Katya could bring herself to do, although the power brokers of the Northern Alliance called it helping her stabilize the situation. Katya knew once the Northern Alliance’s army entered her territory, she would no longer be the one who had a say over the land, and both nobles and common people would turn their backs on her without hesitation.

Faint sunlight fell on the streets of Cartin, with people leisurely coming and going. The whole city of Cartin was immersed in peace and tranquility. Katya stood by the window in a daze, pondering whether this was what she desired or loathed.

Compared to Ugru and other cities in Caucasus, Cartin was more leisurely and sluggish, lacking the vibrant and lively atmosphere of cities like Ugru. In those cities, no matter the race, it seemed everyone was busy in a happy bustle. That was the difference, and perhaps it was the reason for Komer’s success. Katya felt she lacked the courage to challenge the old order and dare to go against vested interests. She didn’t consider it her incompetence; it was Komer’s special circumstances and starting point that were fundamental.

Hasty footsteps made the wooden staircase and floorboards of the second floor almost shake, and even Katya could sense the urgency and anxiety of the other person. A sinking feeling formed in her heart; if someone was interrupting her solitary contemplation at this time, and in such a manner, it couldn’t be good news. In fact, it was very likely something she least wanted to see.

The door burst open with a "bang," and the rushing guard gasped, "Your Highness, it’s not good. News from the border says the Northern Alliance’s army has officially entered our territory. Also, some unusual activities have been spotted in Cartin City. Scouts and vanguard forces of the Northern Alliance have infiltrated the city without our knowledge. They are gathering, and it’s likely that you are their target."

"What about our troops?" Katya’s heart tightened as she tried to steady her emotion.

"Your Highness, they are all still on the outskirts of Cartin City, training. Morrison took them to the outskirts for maneuvers; they certainly won’t make it back in time," the guard said with despair.

Katya chilled, Morrison? The timing was too precise?

Skilled in political intrigue, Katya instantly understood what was happening. Without a doubt, Morrison had been bought by those guys from the Northern Alliance. Though the army wasn’t enough to withstand the Northern Alliance, it was sufficient to protect her and quickly escape from the clutches of the Northern Alliance upon receiving the news. The Northern Alliance wanted more than to just take the land; they also needed a pretext to interfere with the situation in Nicosia. And that pretext was undoubtedly herself.

Without her as their figurehead, the Northern Alliance would fail to garner even a minimal amount of support, while Komer in the East could with all legitimacy launch a punitive campaign. If she fell into the hands of the Northern Alliance, having the heir of the Romanov family would make Komer’s campaign significantly more awkward.

Having realized this, Katya immediately calmed down, "You go to the outskirts and summon Morrison right away. Tell him to lead the troops back to the city and quickly eliminate these vanguards of the Northern Alliance. I’ll await his good news here."

The guard had just left, and Katya, without having time to pack anything, not even changing into a fresh set of clothes, headed straight to her bedroom, pushed the wardrobe aside to reveal the secret door, and quietly slipped into the pitch-black passageway.

Minutes later, the entire courtyard was filled with strangers searching every nook and cranny, their faces tense with excitement. But the disappointment that awaited them was palpable.

They found nothing. The design of the wardrobe was ingenious, its secrets not readily apparent to the average person. By that time, Katya had already left the besieged courtyard, departing from a courtyard more than a hundred meters away, boarded a carriage, and headed straight for the dock. There, a single-masted sailboat already awaited. As soon as Katya boarded the vessel, it set sail and headed downstream to the East.

"The Northern Alliance Army has launched a major invasion of Cartin?" Komer stood up abruptly, his eyes blazing.

"Yes, Lord, the Northern Alliance Army divided its forces into southern and northern routes. One, led by the Attica Army, progressed parallel to the north of the Gael River at a quick pace, and they are estimated to have reached Cartin by now; the other crossed the Gael and Luobei Rivers and is rapidly moving southward, expected to soon enter the Black Forest and Livonia."

"They’ve acted quite swiftly, earlier than I anticipated, which is not very pleasant. Had I known, I’d have told Vladimir Koff and the others to wait," Komer murmured to himself.

"Sir, their current pretext is that they were invited by Princess Katya to station in Cartin to help defend against possible invasions from the North and the East."

"Humph, now of course they can say whatever they want. By the way, has Katya made an appearance?" Komer quickly shifted his focus to the key issue. If Katya had also validated this point, then the war would indeed become troublesome.

"No, our informants have also lost track of Princess Katya’s whereabouts, but what is certain is that the Northern Alliance hasn’t gotten hold of her. They found nothing at Princess Katya’s residence; she may have made other arrangements early on. However, the Cartin Army has already stood with the Northern Alliance’s Army under Morrison’s command, which, of course, has been met with significant skepticism."

"Morrison? This guy has finally made his move? Hmph, he will regret his misjudgment for a lifetime—no, that is, he won’t have the chance to regret," Komer snorted coldly, his voice icy. "As long as Katya hasn’t sided with those Northern Alliance fellows, if they want to meddle in Nicosia’s affairs, I will make sure to teach them a profound lesson."

"Sir, what shall we do now?" Maha Gummi, noticing that his master’s mood did not seem as bad as he had imagined, thought perhaps the Lord had long been looking forward to such a breakthrough. Muddling through tepidly did not fit the Lord’s temperament.

"Two things to do immediately: first, put all efforts into finding Katya. If possible, bring her to our controlled region; second, create public opinion in Cartin that Morrison colludes with the Northern Alliance to betray Katya, betray Cartin, and the interests of the people of Nicosia, and call for the public to resist, being flexible in our approach."

"Understood," Maha Gummi acknowledged, getting the drift.

"And one more thing, track down Palermo’s whereabouts. I believe Katya’s disappearance should be related to him, especially in the regions bordering Cartin," Komer added.

As Maha Gummi’s figure disappeared, Komer began pacing excitedly around the room. This suffocating stalemate was finally breaking, and although it came earlier than expected, Komer felt a hidden sense of joy.

The expedition of the Black Flame Knights and some magicians to the Storm Ocean would not significantly affect his strength. After a period of integration and honing, the Bright Torrent Knights and the Homer Knights had formed a considerably good competitive atmosphere. Their original alienation and rejection towards their new Lord also vanished without a trace in the competitions to showcase before him, replaced by a stronger sense of honor and belonging. This was what Komer considered to be the biggest gain in his conquest of Nicosia.

The only regret was that the Godeborg Knight Group had not yet formed a real combat capability and were unable to change the two-power struggle into a tripartite balance. Although their numbers had recovered to a certain extent, a Knight Order cannot stand merely by numbers; they needed time and tempering to unite. Of course, if there could be an appropriate baptism by war, both Komer and Fran believed this would aid their growth.

One must admit that Renta, a woman long immersed in court politics, had a political sensitivity far stronger than his own. Cleverly aligning the Bright Torrent and Homer Knight Orders, which both originally did not belong to any, she perfectly mobilized their initiative and sense of honor. With a competitor, they soon forgot their original context, and the newly arrived Godeborg Knight Group, although still somewhat immature, is a force established on the territory that once belonged directly to the Romanov family, which added even more pressure and urgency to their situation.

Rooting oneself in reality is the most fundamental. How to surpass others in the competition is the highest glory for every knight. As long as this is grasped, all the original contradictions and historical issues will dissolve into it. (To be continued. For more information, please visit www.qidian.com. More Chapters are available, support the author, support authorized reading!)