Chapter 15: Clear Ascent
Eloot could only feel admiration and confusion toward his leader. In just three years, he had changed so much—nothing strange about that; people grow and mature over time. Moreover, three years in exile must have forced his leader to experience countless hardships he had never encountered before, enough to transform a naive youth into a man. Eloot had sensed this already during their first meeting upon returning to Cyprus. What puzzled him, however, was that even in these few months, his leader continued to surprise him in every way—whether it was his exceptional magical skills, his perspective on the world’s continents, or the guidance he provided for improving Eloot’s martial arts. All of this filled Eloot with awe, and the fact that this awe came from a companion he had grown up with only deepened his emotions.
Yet despite his feelings, Komer’s guidance indeed helped Eloot find a clear path forward in improving his martial arts. He could even begin to grasp the core issue behind his current plateau phase. With further focused effort, he would surely break through this stage and elevate his skills even further.
Seeing his companion silently stroking his sword in realization, Komer did not disturb him and instead lowered his head, lost in his own thoughts. With over a hundred thousand immigrants arriving, Caucasus would likely soon become a highlight in the Homer region. Although Philip, that old scoundrel, had temporarily spared him out of reluctance to immediately clash with the kingdom’s central authorities, various restrictions and pressures were bound to follow. At this thought, Komer grew anxious.
Caucasus was still in its infancy and relied heavily on external support in many areas. Transportation was particularly weak—road conditions were poor, and most supplies had to be transported through the Leon region, then via the Bruce Fortress, across the Greenland Forest, and into the Bosen Plain. No wonder Philip didn’t care much about Eloot’s actions in Caucasus. Leon was under the control of his trusted subordinate, Poninsky, while the Bruce Fortress was firmly in his own hands, holding Eloot in check. If Philip wanted to deal with him, he only needed to tighten control over Bruce, leaving Eloot helpless.
Although Bruce had passed by in a hurry, Komer could tell that Bruce’s army had at least doubled in size—undoubtedly aimed at him. It seemed Philip would eventually turn against him. How to break free from this prison-like situation was something he needed to consider carefully later on. But for now, he couldn’t think about so much. The top priority was to ensure those 150,000 refugees could survive the winter and settle down safely. Once those two goals were achieved, all other problems would no longer matter.
Picking up two grass roots, he put them in his mouth and chewed gently. The slightly bitter taste made Komer realize his current situation. Being a lord didn’t seem as glorious as he had imagined. Of course, if one could reach positions like those in the Bosson Plains or Gutenberg, life would be very different. Unfortunately, this was the Caucasus, with endless troubles waiting for him.
Sheathing his sword, Ilot had woken up from his thoughts, his face glowing with joy and excitement. Though his reflections might not have led him to the secrets of advancement, Komer’s guidance had indeed lit a path in his heart. As long as he moved in that direction, reaching the next stage wouldn’t be long in coming.
“Ilot, it seems you’ve gained a lot. Is improving your martial skills really that appealing to you?” A rare smile appeared on Komer’s lips as he looked deep into Ilot’s eyes, seemingly weighing his words carefully.
“Hehe, boss, you know me well—I have no other hobbies, and in this life I’ve never possessed any other skills. All I want is to make progress in martial arts. Now that I’m an adult, my combat energy is still at the beginner level. Looking at those Ramaknight riders, I wonder how much time it will take me to catch up with them?” Eirot always carried a hint of frustration and regret. “Boss, I guess your magic skills are on par with those of a mage, right? Three years ago, you didn’t know anything. To be honest, back then I could handle three of you by myself. But now, after three years, your magic skills have reached the level of a mage. Hehe, as far as I know, it takes three years just to enter the apprentice stage of magic, and it takes at least five to eight years to go from an apprentice to a mage. To become a mage from an apprentice requires considerable magical talent; even with good talent, it takes at least eight to fifteen years. Boss, something that takes ordinary people sixteen years of effort and training, you’ve achieved in just three years. How on earth did you do it?”
“Eirot, my experiences over these three years are hard to describe. I still don’t know the origins of my master. But I firmly believe that even when facing the most renowned powerful figures on the continent, my master would never be at a disadvantage, whether in magic or martial arts. It’s just that I lack interest in martial arts, so I haven’t learned much in that area from my master. I can only provide you with some general insights based on what I know.” Komer avoided talking about his own strange phenomena. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust his brother, but he felt the time wasn’t right. Revealing many things to them would be pointless and might even cause them trouble.
Nodding silently, Eirot realized his question had been somewhat abrupt. Everyone has secrets they can’t share, and his boss was no longer the reckless young man who used to indulge in drinking and singing. Perhaps only he himself knew the secrets surrounding him. From the close attention of the Ramaknight riders to the demonstration of his magic skills, everything indicated that Komer was no longer the same as before.
Seeing his companion look disappointed, Komer felt an indescribable bitterness. Right now, he needed friendship even more, especially from someone like his companion who had grown up with him. Having gone through so much pain, he no longer wanted to return to the past. He wanted to change everything, and for that, he needed power—a power to control others’ fates.
“Ilot, tell me, what is the purpose of living a lifetime? What is our ultimate goal? Unrestrained freedom? Invincible martial arts and magic? Endless wealth? Eternal love? Or power to rule the world? In this vast world, we hustle day and night—what exactly are we striving for?”
Those solemn words seemed to bridge the distance that had grown between them. Both Komer and Ilot fell silent for a moment. What was it all for? Even Komer wanted to understand. Endless troubles seemed to pursue him, one after another, leaving him exhausted. It seemed he was living by inertia, following the path set for him by others, unable to break free from external constraints and control.
“Boss, I don’t know what your ultimate goal is, but I do know that if we don’t keep struggling, we’ll either be abandoned by the local people or executed by those who hate us. We just want to survive, to live better.”
Ilot’s words truly shocked Komer. He never expected his straightforward friend to say something so concise yet profound. Survival, to live better—that was his goal?
“Ilot, you’re right. Survival—we just want to secure a better chance at living. But others live better than us, and some even don’t want us to survive at all. They’ll do anything to stop us. If we want to protect our right to survive and live better than them, we must struggle hard. Whatever means it takes, we must strengthen our power and gain the ability to decide others’ fates. For those who want to take away our right to survive, we must fight back. Only by taking away their right to survive can we truly ensure our own!” Inspired by Ilot’s words, Komer became emotionally charged. The words long suppressed surged forth. By the time he said the last sentence, he was fierce, forcing those bloodthirsty words out through gritted teeth.
Returning to the Caucasus, Komer was welcomed spontaneously by the townspeople of Ugru. When merchants from various places learned that a large number of immigrants were about to move in, Ugru quickly became a hot spot for opening businesses. Driven especially by the merchants of the Barefoot Society in Kafli, a wave of new shops opened in Ugru—coffee shops, flower shops, bakeries, taverns, jewelry stores, clothing stores, fabric shops, shoe stores, and even weapon shops. This made the townspeople feel that their lives were about to change. Seeing that the lord’s residence had designated several streets within three kilometers of Ugru as the central town area, and that once-deserted lands were about to turn into bustling markets, with them themselves becoming residents of the heart of Ugru City, they were filled with both anxiety and excitement. After all, this was likely the greatest change Ugru had seen since its founding. The young people, tired of their quiet and monotonous lives, especially longed for this day.
Nephton, already convinced by Puber’s highly persuasive ideas, took advantage of the younger generation’s mindset to promote and explain the benefits of these immigrants through various channels. Coupled with Puber officially announcing in a decree from the lord’s residence that the Caucasus region would be exempt from head taxes and land taxes for three years, this move caused the poor indigenous people to spread the news among each other. Even in the era before the lords, head taxes had never been abolished. Every year, tax collectors from Cyprus would arrive on time to collect them. Although the amount was small, it was still a significant expense for those poor families struggling to make ends meet.
Faced with the jubilant townspeople, Komer no longer felt much joy or passion. Since his conversation with Ilot that night, he had already determined his goal. These simple townspeople were merely tools he could use; he intended to make full use of everyone’s value and bind them to his goals. Of course, there were many difficulties to overcome, but with a goal in mind, Komer felt he could at least work step by step toward it.