Chapter 9: Sowing Discord

“Princess, you seem well-informed. I indeed have such plans—my territory lacks sufficient labor force, and I need help to cultivate wasteland and mine for resources. I’ve already met with Duke Tez and am awaiting his response. Why are you interested in such trivial matters?” Komer tried to downplay the complexity of the situation. He knew the other party was aware of the indifference and resistance from the major lords, especially Duke Philip, the lord of the Homer region, and what reaction he might have to his actions.
“Baron, your efforts are truly remarkable. With over a hundred thousand people involved, even my father speaks highly of you. This time, you’re essentially solving a major problem for the kingdom. Of course, some people don’t want to see this outcome, but this is Versailles, and they can’t change what’s already decided.” The enchanting woman hinted subtly at the issues concerning Komer, and it seemed they had found a common topic.
“Heh, Princess, you must understand that it’s not that I want to take such bold actions—it’s that do I have a choice?” Komer was surprised that she knew so clearly even the number of people he needed to accommodate. It seemed there was little secrecy in the court. He assumed these news had also reached the major lords. He wondered what troubles they might cause him. Gathering his thoughts, he replied with a wry smile, “I myself don’t know whether these over a hundred thousand people will bring misfortune or fortune.”
“Is that so? Then why did you travel such a long distance to Versailles? Surely not just to watch the hunt performance tomorrow night?” Her sarcastic tone forced Komer to respond with another wry smile. “What rumors did you hear in Cyprus earlier?”
Finally, they reached the main topic. Kakiya wasn’t very interested in the refugee issue. The disagreements between the lords and her father wouldn’t change the kingdom’s current situation, nor did they affect her much. However, the unfavorable rumors she mentioned required attention.

“Oh, actually it’s nothing much. I just happened to hear someone say that Prince Hoffman seems to place great importance on royal bloodline, claiming that those with impure bloodlines holding high positions could undermine public support. Perhaps Prince Hoffman mentioned it casually, or the speaker didn’t mean it badly, but the listener took it seriously. It seems this view has gained traction among the nobles in Cyprus City. I’m worried that if such talk spreads to the capital, it might cause unnecessary trouble for Princess Kakiya. Should we prepare in advance, or would it be better to ask His Majesty to clarify things?” Komer casually threw out a lie without showing any emotion. This rumor was entirely baseless, fabricated by Komer specifically targeting the other party’s status. Trying to verify it would only serve to spread more doubt. Komer was well aware of this rule and wasn’t worried at all that the other party would discover it was a last-minute fabrication on his part.

“Is that so?” Kakiya never expected this seemingly sincere rural lord to spread false accusations right from their first meeting. The issues between her brother and her were well-known in the capital, so it wasn’t surprising that he spoke boldly outside. But if such remarks gained support among the nobles in Cyprus City, the capital of one of the kingdom’s four great lords, it meant something different—especially since her father kept borrowing money from these lords due to ongoing wars in the north. Their influence was growing, and it could even affect the order of succession to the throne. Although she knew Hoffman had always wanted to form a strategic alliance with Philip, Philip wasn’t as simple as imagined, and the views of the nobles in the Homer region couldn’t be represented by just one person. She had to calm down and consider a strategy.

Komer also didn’t expect his casual lie to make the princess take it so seriously. He wondered if his irresponsible words might bring him unnecessary trouble. But since the words were already out, there was no way to take them back. He had to force himself to show sympathy to show his support.

“It seems my brother really does think carefully for my father.” The enchanting woman didn’t seem too affected by Komer’s words, but Komer knew that such devastating remarks often left such women deeply impressed. Their outward calmness only proved that they were even more wary inside.

Princess Kakiya’s mother was not from any noble family in the Kingdom of Nicosia, but rather the daughter of a humble household in the neighboring kingdom of Pomeria to the southwest. She met the king during his secret visit to Pomeria. Although her mother later followed the king back to Jazair, she was never accepted by the elite nobles of the capital. The controversy only subsided after Kakiya reached adulthood and was named the third heir to the throne. Yet many still looked down on this princess of common origin who seemed to have a rather dissolute nature.

“Your Highness, I think we should avoid discussing these pointless and distracting matters. The pure will remain pure, and the impure will remain impure. The course of events surely won’t change because of such trivialities. With the king’s wisdom, he surely won’t be swayed by such rumors. Your Highness needn’t take it too seriously.” Feeling the soft waves against his arm and the sweet scent of oranges mixed with roses wafting in from his side, both rich yet not cloying, he felt extremely comfortable. It seemed to be top-quality perfume from the Garden City of Gothenburg in the east. Yet such perfume cost thousands of gold shields per bottle, beyond the reach of ordinary wealthy families. Smelling this scent, Komer seemed to be transported back to that unforgettable midsummer night over three years ago.

“Well, it seems Baroness has deep feelings about these matters. Have you ever been troubled by similar issues?” Kakiya glanced in surprise at this country noble walking beside her. She hadn’t expected his words to resonate so much with her current state of mind. A country bumpkin from a remote area, once a notorious playboy in Cyprus, could speak such words—this made her regard him much more highly.

“Hehe, Your Highness, how can one live in this world without troubles? Farmers worry about poor harvests and falling grain prices; merchants fear losses and intensifying competition; officials are concerned about lack of promotion and offending their superiors; women worry about aging and being abandoned by their husbands; men fear losing their masculinity and being laughed at by women. These various trivial matters constitute the daily rhythm of our lives. A life without troubles is merely an illusory fantasy. All we can do is face it with a more peaceful mindset, live in hope, and improve our moods.” Ke Mo replied calmly, a hint of sadness appearing on his composed face, as he held the other person’s hand and walked together in the courtyard like close friends.

Kajia’s heart trembled. The other person’s words, filled with the wisdom of a sage, sounded like subtle advice, as if each sentence was guiding her. She glanced again at the other person’s slightly gaunt cheeks, which seemed unchanged from before. This filled Kajia with uncertainty, yet strangely, it sparked in her a desire to get to know this person better.