Chapter Thirteen: The Performance
Komer had anticipated such a result and said coldly, “Gentlemen, perhaps you think these refugees aren’t worth spending such a sum of money to accommodate. But I remind you that many of those who managed to escape from their countries were once prominent nobles and officials. They have intricate connections with the citizens of your city-states. If you refuse to provide them with necessary shelter, I believe the troubles they will bring to your countries will far exceed what this small amount of money can resolve. This is my sincere advice—please consider it carefully.”
“Gentlemen, I think Lord Baron’s words make sense. We cannot fail to provide them with the basic necessities for survival. Think about it: if each refugee were to stay in your city-states and countries, the resources needed for each one would far exceed thirty gold shields—housing, food, fuel, and various daily necessities. We would also need to provide them with jobs. With so many people arriving, conflicts with the local residents are inevitable. Many of these problems cannot be solved with money alone,” interjected the Minister of Internal Affairs solemnly. “I think it would be best if you could reach an agreement with Lord Baron. That would be the solution that serves the interests of all parties.”
“But, My Lord Duke, three million six hundred thousand gold shields far exceeds our authorized limits. We truly are powerless,” replied the Dutchman promptly.
“Hehe, Viscount Seribas, given your close relationship with your country’s grand duke, I believe even if it exceeds the limit slightly, as long as you’re doing it to solve this problem without any personal gain, there should be no issue. Or perhaps I could write a letter to His Grand Ducal Highness to explain the situation. What do you think?” The Minister of Internal Affairs began to exert his influence. “Viscount Krayan, regarding Naples, as an important representative of the merchant guild, I believe you can prevent a large influx of refugees. The Governor will surely have no objections. If he’s truly dissatisfied, please convey to him that the Kingdom of Nicossia and the Northern Allies swear to defend their defenses at all costs, ensuring that Naples remains free from any orc threats! As for Baron Buhaz, there’s no need to say more. If the city-state of Susor needs to go back and seek approval for such a minor issue, it doesn’t seem like Baron Buhaz’s style of handling matters. Don’t you agree, Lord Baron?”
The Interior Minister’s words, a mix of flattery and pressure, left the representatives of the three kingdoms looking troubled. As he had said, the three kingdoms could indeed afford such a sum, but they did not have the authority to do so. It was clear that the other party wanted them to make a decision immediately; if they delayed, they feared further complications, and they would be unable to take responsibility if something went wrong.
In the end, it was the Dutchman who agreed first: “My Lord Duke, since you insist, we cannot just push things off. However, I think it would be best if you could write three letters for us to take back, so we can explain the situation when we return. After all, this goes beyond our authority, but time is of the essence, and we can’t delay any longer. We’ll follow your advice. We hope to see the refugees leave as soon as possible.”
The Dutchman’s words finally broke the deadlock, and Viscount Krayan and Baron Buhaz nodded in agreement.
“No problem. I’ll write the letters for you and seal them with the kingdom’s seal to give them official weight,” said the Interior Minister with a smile.
It wasn’t until the three of them disappeared down the corridor of the lounge that the Interior Minister took a deep drag from his rhododendron pipe, turned around, and nodded in satisfaction. “Good job, kid. You did well today. It seems you were well-prepared. The results far exceed my expectations.”
“Hehe, My Lord Duke, it’s all because of your plans. I had to prepare in advance,” said Komer, winking playfully. “This is a matter involving hundreds of thousands of people and the entire Caucasus region—there can be no mistakes. Besides, everything I said is true, without any exaggeration. It was your words that really sealed the deal.”
“Enough, kid. Stop flattering me. These people lack everything except money—especially that city-state of Medea, represented by Baron Buhaz. It’s famous for its wealth. How can we justify not extracting more from them when our soldiers are fighting on the front lines to protect them from the orcs? They’ll bring the silver coins tomorrow. For now, it’s best to have the army escort them.”
“By the way, a few noble representatives among the refugees have also come here to request an audience with His Majesty and to attend this banquet tonight. You should get in touch with them. You can also discuss with them the allocation of refugee quotas. They probably won’t want to go to the Caucasus and will likely stay in the Three Kingdoms. But they can assist you in making preparations first. I’ll have someone bring them over.” The Minister of Internal Affairs, who had already reached the door, suddenly remembered something, turned back, and ordered, “Wait here. They might have some questions and want to exchange information with you.”
By the time Komer finished discussing the details of the refugee quota allocation for those moving to the Caucasus with several nobles from the Duchy of Mellen and the city-states of Main and Susor, more than half of the banquet had already passed. As Komer and the Minister of Internal Affairs had expected, all the nobles they represented unconditionally wished to stay in the Three Kingdoms rather than go to the desolate and remote Caucasus. This made Komer secretly very pleased. Once these nobles arrived in the Caucasus, they would surely have a significant impact on the common people who had once been their subjects, which would in turn affect Komer’s control over the entire territory. The intentional or unintentional exaggeration of the Caucasus’s desolation further convinced the nobles who were already reluctant to go. Komer took advantage of this and hoped that the noble representatives would not publicize the difficulties in the Caucasus, so as to avoid hindering future efforts. The noble representatives nodded firmly in agreement.
When Komer and the noble representatives stepped out of the lounge and into the banquet hall, chatting and laughing, they were struck by the solemn atmosphere that greeted them. The usually graceful Minister of Internal Affairs stood solemnly in a corner of the hall, listening to two officers from the royal guard reporting to him. Clearly, the other guests in the hall must have heard some news through other channels as well. They gathered in small groups, discussing something intensely, with female guests occasionally covering their mouths and letting out exaggerated gasps, seemingly terrified by what the others were saying.
“What’s going on?” Komer raised his eyebrows and asked softly a lady in evening wear who was walking by, as he took the pine needle whiskey handed to him by a servant.
“Something serious has happened. Mage Melon disappeared last night and has not been seen all day. His guards reported it to the King’s Guard of Vansel. While stepping up security, the royal guards also worked with the elite cavalry to search the surrounding area. Mage Melon’s body was found in a wilderness five kilometers away from here; it is said to have turned to ashes. The exact circumstances are still unclear.” Although Kakiya spoke in a casual tone, Komer could see some concern in her eyes. Komer hadn’t expected the King’s Guard to be so efficient at searching—they found his trace just a day later. Fortunately, he had taken some necessary measures to conceal himself before leaving, so he wasn’t worried they would discover anything there.
“Mage Melon?” Komer was surprised.
“Yes, he was a court mage hired by our king, affiliated with the Church of Light. He was extremely skilled in magic. It’s unbelievable that he ended up as ashes in the wilderness. It’s unclear whether it was due to a failed spell or some other accident. It’s simply astonishing.” Kakiya shrugged, probably assuming Komer didn’t know him.