Chapter 2: The Trio
As news of the adventurers’ successful exploration of Damorlensk Fortress spread, along with reports of ancient dwarf civilization ruins discovered in the Vot Mountains, it grew increasingly popular across the continent. More and more adventurers flocked there. The various wines, books, paintings, and antiques obtained from Damorlensk Fortress became Puber’s best means of promoting the wealth of the Caucasus to the outside world. As for the claims of ancient dwarf civilization ruins in the Vot Mountains, they were entirely fabricated—Puber came up with the idea after hearing that drunken dwarf boasting about such ruins. The more outsiders arrived, the more it would boost the economy of the Caucasus. At least those adventurers would bring something to the region, whether through bringing news from the outside or spending money there, allowing the lords of the Caucasus to profit.
Guided by this mindset, Puber was practically spreading rumors deliberately. While rumors of ancient dwarf ruins in the Vot Mountains were circulating, news of a nest of evil dragons near the Abyssal Sea shocked the entire kingdom and even the continent. Almost everyone’s attention turned to this remote area, little known just a year earlier.
A nest of evil dragons?! That was nothing short of a vast treasure. Everyone knew dragons loved collecting jewels and gold. Evil dragons, as the rulers of the seas, forced merfolk to surrender large amounts of pearls for safety. Yet even so, they often attacked prosperous merfolk fleets, plundering their harvests. Past merchant fleets also became targets of these dragons, which sometimes even ventured inland to raid caravans and steal valuables. Finding a dragon’s nest would mean standing at the door to a treasure trove. Though evil dragons were ferocious, they were still dragons, not gods. They had some intelligence, but compared to humans who were skilled at strategy, they were no match. Humans could devise ways to avoid direct confrontation, setting traps and schemes to lure the dragons into them, stealing everything they had—sometimes even killing the dragons themselves.
Of course, all these rumors were concocted without exception through discussions between Puber and Komer. Puber felt no remorse at all; in his view, there were definitely ancient ruins in the Volt Mountains, it just depended on whether one had the determination to explore those hundreds of miles of forests in detail. The evil dragon in the Abyssal Sea was also well-known to everyone, so its lair naturally existed as well. As for who discovered it and where, many adventurers perished in the dragon’s jaws each year—many of them likely because they revealed the secrets of the dragon’s treasure. He believed that with determination, one could determine the location of its lair by observing its usual behavior.
From the breaking of the taboo at Fort Damalsk to the discovery of ancient ruins in the Volt Mountains, and then to the uncovering of the evil dragon’s treasure in the Abyssal Sea, this series of astonishing news created growing turmoil in the Kingdom of Nicosia, the continent’s magical community, and among adventurers. Almost everyone involved in these pursuits was spreading this news, which could tempt any adventurer. It had been a long time since such a stunning treasure had been discovered on the continent, and no one wanted to be left out if they could get a share of it.
Countless explorers from across the continent joined the treasure hunt. Although the land route to the Caucasus was now blocked, the sea routes from Cyprus and Odessa to Matdan were fully operational, with passenger ships to Matdan departing almost daily. Lately, these ships have been packed with adventurers full of desire. While one might not expect to find the evil dragon’s treasure, searching for dwarf ruins could still yield many rare treasures. The various weapons crafted by dwarves are almost all masterpieces, and anything from ancient civilizations could be considered a divine artifact. If one could acquire even one or two of such items, it would be worth the journey.
Hundreds of people of all kinds flocked to Mardan every day, with the number of adventurers and explorers far exceeding that of merchants and immigrants, who had once been the main group. Mardan had become an important transit point; from there, one could ride a carriage northwest to reach Santiago at the foot of the Volt Mountains. It was originally an unnamed small town, but with the extensive exploitation of coal mines in the Volt Mountains and a large number of escaped slaves settling there, followed by further waves of new immigrants, there was an urgent need for a new name for this town, whose permanent population had exceeded five thousand. Naturally, this honor fell to the great Caucasian lord, who reluctantly named it Santiago. In ancient myths, Santiago meant “the land of lost angels,” and by using this name for the town that had gradually developed at the foot of the Volt Mountains, Komer intended to convey a blessing.
The discovery of relics from the ancient dwarf civilization only added to the excitement here. The arrival of over a hundred adventurers and explorers gave Santiago a mysterious atmosphere. Maps drawn by half-orc hunters and those who had lived in exile in the Volt Mountains became the most sought-after goods in town. Since the Volt Mountains stretched for hundreds of miles all the way to the sea, and the routes and memories of these hunters and exiles varied greatly, the maps drawn were often inconsistent, forcing adventurers to purchase several copies to better navigate their expeditions.
The large influx of adventurers posed a serious challenge to order in the Caucasus. Komer had to send two hundred-man units of his lord’s guard, led by Ilot, to be stationed in Mardan. Santiago faced similar pressures, with Bauling leading a hundred-man guard unit to temporarily settle there to prevent conflicts between outsiders and the fierce local half-orc inhabitants.
It must be said that the well-equipped half-orc guards were a great shock to the adventurers from other places. They had never seen an armed guard force dominated by half-orcs in a region controlled by mortals, especially since this was also territory of the Kingdom of Nicomedia. The mortals of the Kingdom of Nicomedia were known for their arrogance and difficulty in getting along with other races. Although the Homer region was relatively tolerant, no one expected the Caucasus to be so open.
A medium-sized ship marked with lilies slowly entered the expanding Port of Matdam. Its dark hull was clearly made of the finest iron beech, and atop the lily flag flying high on the mast was a golden eagle flag—the sole symbol of the Romanov royal family of Nicosia. Only heirs with royal bloodline were entitled to fly such a flag. The pilot was also an experienced man; after saluting with the most respectful flag signals, he quickly signaled that the ship could dock at berth number seven in the third row—a special berth reserved for dignitaries. No one had ever enjoyed this honor since Port Matdam opened.
The ship approached the shore slowly and steadily. As it got closer, it became even more stable. With a thud, the anchor dropped into the water, and the hull gently neared the shore. Port workers were already on hand to take the ropes thrown by the crew on deck and firmly secure the ship to the special stone pilings. Though they didn’t know who the passengers on board were, the seasoned port workers knew well that no one in this land would dare impersonate members of the royal or grand ducal families. Still, they were puzzled—after all, they hadn’t received any notice from Ugru, nor were there any officials from noble houses to greet the ship at the dock.
Reclining comfortably in a chair by the window, the handsome young man’s somewhat pale face seemed more solemn than it had been over half a year ago, his gaze complex as he looked out at the scenery beyond the window.
“Lenta, take a look. Is this the barren wasteland they speak of?” His gaze wandered aimlessly along the shore. The young man thoughtfully rested his hand on his chin and nodded slightly. “It seems words can be terrifying. The people of Cyprus have reduced Baron Komer to nothing, portraying him as a degenerate who indulges in all kinds of vices. But look at this place—just half a year ago, it was said to be a small fishing village with only a thousand or two thousand people. Tsk tsk, even small fishing villages are like this. The Homers must have rather high standards. Perhaps in their eyes, Jazair is just a town? Hahaha!”
The laughter, lacking any emotional depth, failed to move the girl in the dress sitting across from him; she was more focused on the plants and trees by the shore. The neat docks and berths were all built from orderly bluestone slabs, while the row of stone pillars used for mooring ropes seemed relatively new, having been erected not long ago. A stone-built house on the dock appeared isolated, with the nearest other buildings being about 500 meters away—rows of warehouses, likely part of the port’s storage area. Across from the warehouse area stood buildings of various styles, probably the mansions of merchants. Exquisite courtyards in the southern Florentine style and three-story buildings in the northern Tudor style with stone foundations and wooden upper floors were scattered across the residential area separated from the warehouse area by a street. Just half a year ago, this place was still empty, with at most a few dilapidated wooden huts scattered about.
The solitary building stood out prominently in the center of the dock square, drawing much attention. In front of it stood a tall flagpole over thirty meters long, made entirely of black cypress wood. At the top of the pole, a large flag fluttered in the sea breeze, its surface embroidered with a fierce-looking bear head that appeared lifelike.
“Huh, what’s that?” The girl quickly spotted what she was looking at—the pattern on the flag immediately piqued her interest. “That doesn’t seem to be the Lessor family’s emblem. I remember the Lessor family’s symbol should be a white rose.”
The girl was confident in her memory, but the facts were clear: as Comer’s fiefdom, it was impossible for them to hang another family’s emblem on this dock, which served as the Caucasus’s gateway to the outside world. Moreover, although the bear head looked imposing, it held no memory in her mind—it probably wasn’t the emblem of any famous noble family in the kingdom.
“Lenta, haven’t you heard? I heard this baron has a very peculiar and reclusive personality, with a strong rebellious streak. He doesn’t get along with his father. I also heard he had a falling out with Viscount Ramla because of being granted control of the Caucasus. Could it be that’s why he refuses to admit he’s part of the Lessor family and created his own new emblem?” The young man was clearly well-informed and quick-witted, able to guess roughly based on the information he had.
“Is that so? But the last time we met, I didn’t notice anything special about him.” With a cold smile, the girl’s green eyes flashed with sarcasm. “Though it seems Tracy has a good relationship with him—they’re quite close.”
“Hmm, that’s normal. The daughter of a grand duke and the son of a treasurer, around the same age—nothing strange about that.” The young man shrugged, appearing indifferent.
Glancing toward the door, the girl lowered her voice. “Hoffman, when do you plan to confess your feelings to Tracy? Are you going to keep delaying it?”
“The decision isn’t in my hands, as you know. It depends on our father and the others.” Seemingly tired of this act, a hint of displeasure appeared on the young man’s face, and his voice dropped. “Leon is also in chaos right now, and that old Philip seems busy too. Our father and the others must be planning something, as they haven’t given any clear stance on this matter. But Duke Tez and Duke Matthew are both opposed—you know well how much influence they have over our father.”
“Hmph. You shouldn’t have gotten engaged to her in the first place. I don’t know what you saw in her—a little flirt who’s clearly promiscuous, just like Kakiya.” With disdain, she glanced at her half-brother, her tone growing more contemptuous. “Everyone in Cyprus knows about her affairs with Baron Komer. That baron was probably forced to flee by Philip because of her. Yet she acts like a lady in front of us. But can paper really hold back fire?”
Uninterested in this matter, the handsome young man quickly changed the subject. “Sigh, some things are hard to clarify right away. Tracy knows her own situation. Since she deceived me first, don’t blame me for breaking the engagement later. We’re even now. All we need is our father’s final decision.”
“Didn’t you know about her shameful secrets beforehand? Ridiculous. I think you’re just interested in her and want to take advantage of her. Don’t you think Philip will just accept this silently?! You’d better think carefully about a proper plan!” The girl also gave her brother no kindness, retorting coldly, leaving him speechless and unsure what to say.
The dock finally began to stir. It turned out that the busy merchants and dockworkers were all looking this way. A group of fully armed soldiers in helmets and armor rushed into the dock area at full speed and quickly formed ranks. The eyes of young men and girls immediately fell on these soldiers. Their tall stature far exceeded that of ordinary people; their heavy tower shields, broad long swords, and two- to three-meter-long black iron spears shone brightly in the sunlight. One could even clearly see the grim expressions on their faces. The dust raised by their rapid movement filled the air.
A man dressed like a knight rode up from behind the soldiers, dismounted with a graceful leap, and stood at the edge of the dock, beginning to talk with the people coming off the ship.
Soft footsteps came from the deck outside the cabin. Turning around, they saw their companion already lazily standing at the cabin door. “What? Is it that kid Komer who sent someone to greet us?”
Her bare chest and neck were pale and smooth, her skin as delicate as ancient Eastern porcelain, which once again brought memories to the young man’s mind. He couldn’t remember how many times he had taken her as his lover and indulged in her. Yet Hoffman still felt no weariness—this woman was truly stunning. Although he had never been with her first, he still didn’t want to give up such a companion in bed. The sensations she brought were simply wonderful. Though marrying her might be difficult, as a lover, she was undoubtedly the perfect choice. But as Lenta said, once involved, it’s hard to get out. Perhaps it was time to think about how to escape.
The girl felt an indescribable disgust toward the woman standing in front of her siblings. Yet she had to admit that the charm this woman displayed was indeed highly attractive to men. No wonder both the baron and her brother were at her feet. A hint of jealousy flashed through her heart. Though she despised such women, she couldn’t hide her sense of resentment. She was far superior to this woman in terms of talent, beauty, and status. Why, whenever she was with them, did all those men’s eyes focus on her? If it weren’t for this special relationship, she would have even wanted to question why.
“Oh, Tracy, it seems this shouldn’t be asked of us. It’s us who should ask you—this is territory belonging to the Homer region.” A faint smile appeared on the young man’s handsome face.
“Hmph, I’ve never been to this damned place either. Not only me, but even my father has never been here. Every year, a few tax collectors are sent to check it out. Who would come to this desolate wasteland for no reason?” Tracy smirked, her dimples adding a charming allure that made the young man’s heart skip again.
“Desolate wasteland? Tracy, that seems rather unrealistic. Look around—I don’t think Odessa in the Bosson Plains is much better than this. Look at the ships docked here; just by their markings, they’re clearly part of the Freeman family’s fleet. They’ve taken an interest in this place too? Those ships with Pegasus markings on their bows are the unmistakable symbol of the Montague family. I heard they monopolize the grain trade from Homer to the Land of Mist. Oh, it seems no one wants to give up the business opportunities here. Is this what you call a barren land? I really can’t understand your Cyprian sense of humor—calling such a prosperous and bustling port a barren land.” For some reason, the girl felt an indescribable aversion toward the woman standing at the cabin door—perhaps due to her pretentious manner or her flirtatious charm. As soon as she spoke, she realized her tone was too harsh.
Tracy raised her eyebrows in surprise, perhaps not knowing what she had done to provoke such a response. She pondered for a moment without answering, as if trying to understand the meaning behind her words. The young man, who had already stood up, also frowned slightly, clearly displeased with his usually composed sister’s unusual behavior.
“Oh, Lenta, I’m talking about the Caucasus from a year ago. No one could have imagined such huge changes in it over the past half year. Look—have there ever been a port called Matdam on old sea charts?” With an elegant gesture, Tracy wore a strange smile. “Maybe that guy, Komer, really is as capable as the rumors say. In less than a year as lord, he’s transformed the Caucasus. If you want to come here, it’s because you want to see these changes, right? If it were still the same as before, I think you two would be very disappointed.”
Even the young man could tell there was more to the other person’s words, as if implying his purpose for coming to the Caucasus this time. His expression changed slightly, and he quickly replied, “Yes, the Caucasus seemed unimportant at first. Why has it become so famous in such a short time? It seems this Komer does have some skills after all. Since you’re so familiar with him, Tracy, why have I never heard you mention him?”
This time it was Tracy whose expression changed. Compared to veterans like Hoffman who had long been involved in courtly intrigues, her cunning was clearly less developed. Seeing that the other person had directly touched on her vulnerabilities—privacies she couldn’t reveal, especially to him—Tracy knew that despite the inevitable difficulties due to their engagement, she wasn’t willing to give up. After putting in so much effort, she refused to be reduced to a plaything.
“Alright, I think we should stop talking nonsense. That knight at the dock is probably one of Matdan’s officials. Judging by his appearance, he’s here to greet us. We’d better get ready to disembark.” The girl’s timely intervention eased the tense atmosphere in the cabin. Tracy glanced around the cabin with a bright smile and said, “Lenta is right. We shouldn’t keep our master waiting; it would show a lack of grace.”