Chapter 18: Interactions

In the following days, the atmosphere in Versailles became tense. Not only had the number of knights in the Fire Shadow Knight Order doubled, but the frequency of patrols by the Imperial Cavalry also increased significantly. Officials from the Interior Ministry began to arrive in Versailles, questioning each guest individually. Though it seemed somewhat routine—after all, those who could visit Versailles surely had some status or influence—how could ordinary interior officials question them freely?

Komer cooperated fully with the officials. He explained that he had been resting at an inn on the day of the incident, visited the Minister of the Interior the next afternoon, and then attended a banquet in the evening. He also listed companions who could vouch for him. Clearly, the officials did not suspect a noble like Komer and ended their inquiries after a brief check. This left Komer disappointed that his careful preparations had been useless. However, when two distinctly recognizable Rema Knights followed a mage in white into the Versailles hunting lodge, Komer could no longer afford to be careless. He had already witnessed the Rema Knights’ prowess, and aside from the court’s chief mage, Onia, few others seemed qualified to have them follow them.

Komer wanted to leave as soon as possible to avoid the people from the Light Church, but he had to stay. Although an agreement had been reached with the representatives of the three city-states, and the silver notes signed by the three representatives had been confirmed at the Versailles Bank Association office, further discussions were needed regarding the allocation of 150,000 refugees from those regions. Fortunately, thanks to the preliminary agreement reached at the banquet, negotiations progressed smoothly. The distribution of the 150,000 refugees was largely based on Komer’s plan: 70,000 from the Duchy of Mellen, 40,000 from the City-State of Main, and 40,000 from the City-State of Susor—totaling 150,000. This was Komer’s final decision after careful consideration.

After finishing all this, Komer still had no time to relax. Preparing various supplies needed by the refugees for the winter was an urgent task. Although Komer had already asked Tupber and Hes to help purchase food before departure, the current situation far exceeded initial expectations—ranging from 30,000 to 150,000 people, five times the originally estimated number. Such a large quantity of food could not be obtained in one place; it had to be purchased separately from several food-producing areas and cities. As for fuel, there was no need for excessive worry, as the region was adjacent to Leon, the kingdom’s largest coal mining area, so even temporary purchases would suffice. There were also other necessities of life that, though not the lord’s responsibility to prepare, still required his assistance in arranging supplies so that the residents could obtain them when needed. Naturally, this was left to Kafli to coordinate with the members of the Barefoot Society to handle.

“What did you say, Knight Mare? This man is a noble from the Homer region. You say he possesses magic, and quite skilled at that? I heard you right?” His eyebrows raised in surprise, his amber eyes shining brightly. His magnificent mage robe even rippled as if disturbed by waves—clearly excited by this news. After screening all the guests at the Vansel Hunting Manor, Oonia found, as expected, no noteworthy clues. It seemed the murder case might have to be closed there. But Knight Rema, who had come to assist with the investigation, presented such a shocking clue—how could this not excite and shock Oonia?

“That’s correct. I saw him cast magic with my own eyes, but we found no signs of dark magic in him.” A hint of hesitation appeared on Knight Mare’s handsome face. Commander Kent had repeatedly instructed him not to mention the pursuit of that strange thief to anyone, even those within the Light Church. Mare had to keep quiet and could only go so far in his explanation.

“Oh? It seems I need to meet this hidden gem of the magical world. Komer, eighteen years old—hah, truly talented at a young age. Lord of the Caucasus region in the Homer area, a baron, with companions like Kafli, a Barefoot Society merchant, and another attendant. He’s come to Versailles to discuss accepting refugees with Duke Tez, the Minister of Internal Affairs. It seems this man has quite an impressive background—just a minor baron, yet lord of that remote place called the Caucasus, and still able to get an audience with Duke Tez. Perhaps he’s the one we’re looking for.” The mage in white gently stroked his smooth chin and turned to ask, “Knight Mare, what type of magic do you think this guy is using?”
“Uh, there’s fire magic, and also white magic. He’s quite skilled in both,” Knight Mare replied hesitantly as he tried to recall.
The mage in white, fully focused on the answer, didn’t notice the awkward expression on the knight’s face. When the knight mentioned fire magic, the mage’s spirits lifted, his eyes shining brightly. But when the knight added that he was also highly skilled in white magic, the mage became confused again.
White magic is mainly used for rescue and healing. If this man truly possessed dark magic, he would use dark magic for healing rather than white magic, which seemed contradictory. Yet it was already strange enough for a noble lord to have such high-level magical skills, so the mage resolved to accept it. Perhaps only by meeting this guy in person could one confirm or rule out his suspicion. Onia trusted her perception skills—no one could hide from her sharp eyes, especially those who practiced dark magic.

But this guy’s background is quite troublesome. Onia is also aware that the kingdom is currently struggling to deal with the large number of refugees gathered in the border areas. Baron Komer was probably brought in by that old fox, Tez, as a scapegoat. The remote Caucasus is indeed the best place to handle such unstable elements as refugees; if anything goes wrong, all responsibility can be shifted onto the scapegoat. The life and future of a minor noble can help the kingdom solve such a problem—why not? If she were to go after him right away, and it turned out he was the killer, it would be quite troublesome, as many people wouldn’t want to see that happen. Careful planning is needed. The kingdom’s high officials probably don’t want anyone to trouble this guy at this time, at least not for now.

Onia even prayed secretly not to find herself in such a dilemma. But what if this guy truly had the strongest suspicion of being the killer? What should she do? There can be no 100% proof in such cases. Ordinary people might be able to convict someone easily, but given his special status and the special circumstances, she needs to think carefully before acting. Especially since the relationship between the Holy Church and the kingdom is currently cold—what should she do then?

Lazy sunlight shone in the courtyard, where neatly trimmed flower beds were filled with lush plants. Green cypresses surrounded the beds, and an oval walkway encircled the small garden, connecting to the corridors of the buildings at both ends. Some withered vines lay quietly against the pillars, their fragmented shadows casting patterns on the walkway. The green leaves and branches in the flower beds greedily absorbed the rare warmth from the sunlight, creating a lush scene that made it hard to believe it was already autumn in Versailles. These were cold-resistant evergreen shrubs introduced from the East—Acer amurense and Prunus serrulata—arranged in various shapes to adorn Versailles during autumn and winter, adding a touch of vitality to the somewhat desolate scenery.

An oval crystal tabletop was placed on a finely crafted walnut stand. On the table lay two baskets of citrus and blackberries, along with several cakes on a pure silver three-tier stand. Two cream jars stood next to the stand—the smaller one for black tea, and the other, naturally, for coffee. The relief on the sugar jar was exquisitely detailed, depicting a woman with a white headscarf tending to a sugarcane field, her sweat-soaked appearance rendered in vivid detail. The crystal-clear teapot, Komer could only guess, must have come from the East; such delicate and smooth porcelain was rare in the western part of the Land of Azure, and Komer had only seen it once when visiting Tracy’s home.

Gently shaking the teapot, dark red tea flowed into the cups through a silver wire filter placed over them. Her slender fingers, like green onions, featured pink nail beds adorned with a black skull design, which was quite innovative. Komer nodded in gratitude. The beautiful woman across the coffee table smiled and asked, “Stronger or weaker? Would you like milk?”

“Weaker, please. I prefer a lighter taste,” Komer replied, feeling somewhat uneasy. It seemed excessive for the host to do these tasks herself, which should have been done by servants, making Komer feel particularly uncomfortable.

More hot water was added, lightening the dark red tea slightly. Then the woman poured it into her own cup, without adding any additives.

Komer was surprised by her invitation, but as a low-ranking noble in the kingdom, especially one not favored by his lord, he certainly wouldn’t miss any opportunity to make connections with the upper classes. He had hesitated for a long time about the gifts needed for his first visit but ultimately chose a diamond earring designed for women as his gift.

Although the diamond was valuable, it paled in comparison to the earring itself—a piece crafted entirely from green brass. A special ore obtained from barbarians, after seven days and nights of work by blacksmiths, yielded only a thumb-sized piece of basic green brass. Komer then forged it himself using fire magic combined with the liquid from purple ribbon grass, creating this green brass jewelry. Green brass is naturally soft and smooth, with the ability to moisturize the skin. Combined with the diamond, it served both as an ornament and as a beauty treatment, making it a favorite among women.

When Komer created this turquoise ear ornament, he also took into account the fact that the amount of turquoise available was too scarce to craft other items. So he simply made this piece of jewelry to give as a talisman to a nobleman’s family member. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be perfect for her. Komer’s small gift immediately won over Kakiya’s heart. As the third heir to the kingdom, Princess Kakiya was well-versed in the world. Diamonds held no novelty or interest for her, but the turquoise ear ornament was something new. Both smiths and magic practitioners regarded magic metals as treasures, and the trade in magic metal ores was often monopolized by magic practitioners and large smelting workshops across the land. Ordinary people rarely even saw magic metals, and while it was possible to use them for jewelry, it was somewhat wasteful. If magic practitioners saw it, they would surely lament bitterly.

“Baron, thank you for your gift. I really like it. I never expected you to be so thoughtful, considering a woman’s needs so well.” At this moment, Kakiya was no longer the unrestrained person from the previous night. With her rosy lips, delicate nose, and eyes like dark diamonds, she wore a faint smile. “It seems your reputation in Cyprus is well-deserved. No wonder you can easily win the hearts of beautiful women.”

“Princess, considering a lady’s needs seems to be the very least a gentleman should do, right? After all, I can’t possibly bring a weapon or a collection of love letters on my first visit. But please, could we avoid mentioning my past? If Prince Hoffman hears about these things, it will cause a huge uproar. As a minor lord from the borderlands, my reputation won’t be affected much, but if Princess Tracy’s reputation is tarnished, it would cause great harm to Prince Hoffman, who has already fallen in love with her at first sight. It certainly wouldn’t be good news for the royal family either.”

With a bitter smile, he pleaded again for mercy, yet Kommer felt a sense of revengeful pleasure. Even the noble prince could only marry a woman he had ridden before—this pride brought both satisfaction and sorrow to Kommer. The thought of the woman he once deeply loved about to be in someone else’s arms, with their once solemn vows now reduced to heartless pain, was a feeling that wouldn’t fade even after decades. It was said that time was the best remedy for emotional wounds, but Kommer found that every inch of his former lover’s skin, hair, expression, and gesture still appeared in his dreams from time to time. Perhaps only the arrival of a new woman in his life could gradually erase those memories—Kommer could only hold onto that hope.

“Baron, it seems you’ve forgotten about my brother’s performance in Cyprus. He didn’t even care about my dignity as his sister—do I still need to cover for him?” With her usual cheerful expression, Kakiya gently waved her hand when she saw Kommer frown. “Alright, since you’re so sensitive about such matters, let’s change the subject. I heard you’ve completed your mission this time?”

“Thanks to Princess, the major problems have been solved. Now we just need to gather and count the people before setting off. Lord Taze has arranged transportation for me. But with such a large-scale migration, I doubt anyone else can handle it; they’ll probably have to walk. It should take them about a month to reach their destination,” Kommer said concisely. “Also, Duke Taze needs to arrange for the internal affairs department to contact the lords of the territories we pass through. With so many people moving around, problems are likely to arise. Fortunately, it’s the off-season for farming, so there shouldn’t be too many issues.”

“Hmm, Taze is experienced in such matters. I’m sure he can arrange everything properly for you. But it seems you’ve forgotten one thing—so many people will be living in your territory until at least next summer’s harvest. How will you solve their food problem? As far as I know, the Caucasus has a sparse population. There’s plenty of uncultivated land, but no one to farm it. How will you ensure their food supply?” Kakiya casually picked up a slice of lemon with tweezers and dropped it into her teacup before raising her eyes and asking.

“Your Highness is right. There are many deserts in the Caucasus, but due to its notorious reputation, many people hold prejudices and fears toward it, and no one wants to settle there. That’s why I’m taking this opportunity to recruit laborers to cultivate and develop the area. When I left, I already arranged for people to help purchase food, but I didn’t expect Lord Teyz to demand that I take in a much larger number of refugees than I can handle, with food and housing being the main issues.” Komer didn’t understand why the other party was so interested in his plan to accept refugees, but since they had asked, he couldn’t just remain silent.

“Hmm? As far as I know, Naples, Media, and the Netherlands have all promised financial support for the Caucasus. You could use that money to buy food to help these refugees get through difficult times.” The silver spoon stirred gently in the teacup, spreading the lemon scent as much as possible. Kakiya’s every move was elegant and graceful, with a faint fragrance lingering in the air between them.

Komer already knew that such things couldn’t be hidden from someone who was usually well-informed, and there was no need to hide them. Just the food issue alone would consume nearly half of the financial support. After deducting the share to be paid to the kingdom, not much money would be left for Komer to use. But Komer didn’t care about that. What mattered to him was those 150,000 human resources. If they could survive until next summer’s harvest, those 150,000 people would become his subjects, bringing immeasurable wealth and value. Especially in a vast and resource-rich region like the Caucasus, with improved transportation and ample labor, a new Caucasus could rise before the world’s eyes in just a few years—Komer was firmly convinced of this.

“Your Highness is correct. But you also know that the main food-producing areas are currently in the domains of Duke Philip and Duke Zelin. Buying such a large amount of food would surely draw attention. Your Highness is also aware of my relationship with Duke Philip, and Duke Zelin and Duke Philip are on the same side. I estimate that buying food from them would cost much more than the market price, which is what worries me the most.”