Chapter Ten: Separation

As the ship passed through Gutenberg, Komer finally suppressed his inner desires and gave up the idea of going to the Grand Duke’s palace. He was no longer the same person he had been half a year ago. The relationship between Grand Duke Zelin and Philip seemed to have grown closer as they needed to work together against the kingdom’s central authority. He didn’t dare take that risk. Moreover, Vero’s cheerful and generous personality made it difficult for her to hide her excitement when with him, and sending her along to the Java Marshes seemed unrealistic. Komer was even more worried that if she knew his destination, she would insist on coming along, so he chose to avoid it and decide later after his trip to the Java Marshes.

Following the canal out of Gutenberg led into the Dniester River. Going upstream from here brought them to one of the key member states of the Northern Alliance—the Principality of Bessarabia. The beautiful and fertile Buzak Plain was known as the Corner of Paradise, said to be fertile land left specifically for the people of Bessarabia by the Creator as a reward.

“Who has ever seen that place? Its natural fertility makes the beech forests thrive and the land rich. It’s full of lush greenery and delightful sights…” The loud singing of free-roaming bards by the riverbank echoed across both banks. Whether it was Komer and Lomei, or Rebrí and Haireddin, everyone except Sorenberg, who remained indifferent, was captivated by the bards’ beautiful and melodious songs.

Traveling slowly westward along the Dniester River, the ship’s speed decreased significantly as they went upstream. When there was no wind, they had to rely on the help of rowers. Fertile black soil plains, dense forests, gentle hills, and scattered lakes—this was the Buzak Plain. Compared to the Gallia Plain and the Bussen Plain, this land was even more fertile. The black soil seemed to ooze oil with every step, and any grain seed planted here would yield abundant harvests even without further care.

“Mr. Reiser?!” When a somewhat familiar voice came from behind, Komer turned around in surprise. His reddish-brown hair stood out sharply among the crowd. He hadn’t expected to meet him here. His large hooked nose twitched, and his neat appearance suggested he must be a shrewd merchant.

“Oh, Mr. Pilo. I didn’t expect to meet you here. It’s been a long time. I wonder how Mr. Jacques is doing. I’m truly sorry—I haven’t been back to Cyprus for a while either.” Seeing Komer meet an acquaintance, everyone who had come with him stopped. It was quite surprising to meet him on the streets of Kishinev. It seemed the Ferrer family’s business was incredibly complex, even extending to Bessarabia, which only proved how extraordinary this family was.

Kishinev was the capital of the Principality of Bessarabia. It was not only an important grain trading center but also a renowned wine-producing region. The Stork White Wine was said to be the exclusive wine for the courts of all nations in the Northern Alliance. Among the common people, its price was as high as sixty gold shields per barrel, and it was even out of stock.

“Hehe, Mr. Reiser. You’ve become a lord in the Caucasus by now. As for Cyprus, if you can avoid going back, then don’t.” His prominent hooked nose always gave Komer the impression of a fake nose, but the enthusiasm on his face did comfort Komer somewhat.

“Mr. Reiser, I wonder how you found the time to come here? Could it be that you’ve also heard the news that the Northern Alliance might split, so you came to stock up on grain first?” His shrewd eyes scanned Komer’s face as Pilo asked tentatively.

The Northern Alliance might split? Komer was shocked. When did this news come out? Why hadn’t he heard anything about it? Was the Caucasus too isolated, or had something happened to him during his journey these past few days?

“Hmm, are there any new news? It seems there aren’t any good news these days that could bring joy.” Komer didn’t answer his question directly but gave a vague response.

“Well, Mr. Reiser is right; it’s all rather disheartening news. Eurydice, the Grand Duke of the Principality of Attica, proposed to Joseph, the ruler of the City-State of Naples, that Naples ban the Order of the Shadow, but Joseph refused. The two parted on bad terms. Eurydice and Franz II, King of the Kingdom of Knossos, joined forces once again to demand that the City-States of Medea and the Kingdom of the Netherlands completely suppress the activities of the Order of the Shadow within their territories. The City-State of Medea has officially rejected their demands, while the Kingdom of the Netherlands seems to still be hesitating. The Kingdom of Nicossia has officially stated that it respects the opinions of Naples and Medea, and encouraged by this, the Kingdom of the Netherlands has also indicated in informal settings that it will not ban the activities of the Order of the Shadow, which is registered with its domestic authorities, unless there is sufficient evidence showing that they pose a threat to the kingdom’s security or incite the people to commit evil deeds. As a result, the Principality of Attica and the Kingdom of Knossos have protested to the Kingdom of Nicossia, accusing it of encouraging and supporting unorthodox sects, especially dark sects, to operate within the member states of the Northern Alliance, saying this is unacceptable to them. If Nicossia does not change its attitude, they will withdraw from the Northern Alliance and form a new alliance.”

Pilo clearly seemed very interested in these news items and knew quite a lot about them, which surprised Komer. Why would a slave merchant be so interested in disputes between nations over religious beliefs?

Seeming to perceive Komer’s doubts, Pilo smiled and explained, “My lord baron, I’m afraid you haven’t realized it yet, but once this Northern Alliance collapses, with different tariffs in each country, the taxes on the flow of goods will increase significantly. The taxes on my goods will also soar, so of course I need to expedite shipments and complete transactions as soon as possible. This time, the estates in Transylvania need 800 slaves, and I’m here to fulfill the contract. If things drag on and the taxes rise, 800 people is no small amount. My lord baron, if you need grain as well, you should purchase it in advance.”

Only then did Komer realize that within the alliance, taxes were calculated according to the rates of each country or city-state, with no such thing as a tax on trade. Once the alliance no longer existed, such a tax would immediately apply, and as a merchant, Pilo naturally took this into account.

“The Order of the Shadow? That’s the first time I’ve heard of it. What exactly is it?” Komer’s attention was quickly drawn to this.

“I’m not entirely sure either. It seems to be a missionary organization from the south, probably connected to some dark religions.” Shrugging, Pilo shook his head. “Things related to dark sects will definitely face suppression from the Church of Light if they operate in the north. I didn’t expect that this time even the governments of various countries and city-states have been drawn into it. It seems this Order of the Dark Guest isn’t simple either.”
A missionary organization from the south? Could it be related to the Great Secret Sect? Komer was shocked. Could the Great Secret Sect also be secretly expanding northward? Xuro’s figure appeared again in Komer’s mind. He wondered how well their dragon-slaying mission in the Baden Golden Mountain Range was going. It might be a very difficult mission, so it was necessary to assess the true strength of the Great Secret Sect.
“Does Bithynia also support Attica and Knossos?” Komer brought his attention back to reality.
“That’s exactly why it’s hard to determine. That’s why I rushed here first to handle this deal. I heard there are significant disputes within Bithynia, and the Order of the Dark Guest hasn’t started operating here yet. Although Grand Marshal Antonescu hasn’t expressed his opinion on this matter, he’s already under pressure from both sides and is now in a difficult position.” Gesturing for Komer to be mindful of the situation, Pilo also lowered his voice. Although Bithynia has always maintained neutrality, economic ties have made it closer to the Kingdom of Nicosia to the east. However, since it borders countries aligned with the Church, it has always pursued a balanced, neutral policy. But this time, it seems that policy is facing challenges.
“It seems Mr. Pilo is quite familiar with the key figures in the Northern Alliance.” Komer teased him with a half-smile.
“My lord, business is tough these days, especially in our line of work. We need to keep track of political changes and policy adjustments in various countries at all times; otherwise, we might run into trouble. It’s the demands of the situation,” Pilo said, his dark gray eyes gleaming with cunning. “I wonder what brings my lord to Bithynia this time? Are you planning to import some grain? It seems Homer has imposed strict restrictions, so it might be difficult to get through.”
“Heh, no. I’m planning to visit Bohemia to see the wonders of the Magic Paradise. A few of my friends also hope to purchase some necessary magical materials in Prague. They are magic practitioners,” Komer replied casually.

“Well, the Magicians’ Guild in Prague is supposed to hold a roundtable conference these days. There will also be individual magic competitions, which should be quite attractive. Many magic enthusiasts have already made their way to Prague. It is said that the winners can receive generous rewards in the form of supplies.” Pilo nodded. He too thought that Komer and his group were heading to Bohemia, the true kingdom of magic and a sacred place for magic practitioners. The upcoming conference was also an exchange event that every magician dreamed of attending.
“Oh?” Komer didn’t know he would encounter such things on this trip. No wonder that old Rebrí kept urging him to set off—he must have had it planned all along, wanting to catch up with this annual magic event. “I hope I can have good luck in Prague.”