Chapter 18: Dark Clouds Gather
Her silver-white hair was neatly combed, yet the maid still carefully attended to every detail that didn’t meet her master’s standards. Formal court dresses weren’t necessary at all times, but it was clear that her master had special guests arriving today. The crimson velvet chest was adorned with beautiful lilies. The maid glanced cautiously at her expressionless master—nothing seemed amiss with her, but she dared not relax even slightly. Her master’s mood had seemed unstable lately, and several servants had already been punished; she didn’t want to suffer the same fate.
Philip’s mood had indeed been poor lately, though he couldn’t pinpoint the reason. If examined closely, there seemed to be many unsatisfactory aspects, but upon reflection, they all appeared to be trivial details. Yet, as these details accumulated, they made Philip increasingly unhappy.
It was unclear what Galay was up to—seemingly getting closer to the kingdom lately. Though this didn’t warrant much concern, it still troubled Philip. The two families in the north had become quiet as mice, suddenly silent, as if trying to distance themselves from the incident of the orcs breaching the fortress. They didn’t even consider how they could stay uninvolved in such matters. Matthew and Taze weren’t fools; such behavior only proved they were guilty of something.
The Light Church was equally insincere. The only good news was that no valuable clues came from them. That guy, Komer, seemed to have vanished into thin air, with no further news. Meanwhile, the Light Church claimed he had gone exploring on the Land of Mist—absurd! How could Komer go exploring at such a critical moment? Even if he enjoyed such activities, he wouldn’t choose this timing. Yet his true whereabouts remained unknown. These damned hypocrites claimed they couldn’t communicate with the Inquisition—were they not part of the Light Church’s Inquisition? Weren’t they under Pope Julius’s leadership? It was clear-cut shirking of responsibility, a display of contempt toward themselves!
At this thought, Philip grew furious. These guys kept pestering him to ban all religions other than the Light Church in Homer, which had already caused dissatisfaction among many people. Though it hadn’t erupted yet, Philip knew that if this resentment continued to build up, it would greatly harm his authority. But now, in order to ease relations with the Light Church and gain their support, he seemed forced to make some compromises. Yet this time, the Light Church’s behavior was utterly disappointing—they refused even to reveal the truth about Komer. Sometimes, Philip couldn’t even imagine what sense there was in cooperating with them.
Fort Bruce was still under Komer’s control. It was only now that Philip began to regret slightly having granted him the title of prince of the Caucasus. But no one had expected that a seemingly insurmountable trap could be escaped by such a despicable scoundrel, who even managed to present himself in a decent light. As a result, both Leon and Bruce were under his control. This was outright a challenge to his authority. If he couldn’t defeat his opponent completely, Philip believed his position in Homer would soon be in jeopardy. To achieve this goal, he was willing to compromise on any issue.
His fingers tapped unconsciously on the dressing table. Suddenly, Philip noticed that he looked much older in the mirror than the last time he’d checked. Annoyed, he stood up, pushed aside the maid who hadn’t reacted in time, and left without looking back.
With a slight nudge to its flanks, the magnificent racehorse started trotting. Its steady gait and rhythmic movement pleased Lenta. The gentle breeze stirred the veil covering her hair. If not for the old man accompanying her, Lenta believed her mood would have been even better. At that moment, she wished she hadn’t taken on this mission, but that wasn’t reality.
“Your Highness, is my horse good enough? It’s from Galay, a purebred Galay horse. Its mother was a famous racehorse from Galay, and its sire was one of Duke Zelin’s favorite racehorses. What do you think?” While observing the suddenly visiting princess, Philip also wondered what had happened in Jazair to make her arrive in Homer without any prior notice. Could something have happened in Versailles?
“Well, it’s really excellent—steady and powerful. Though I’m not very familiar with horse racing, I know this horse is quite outstanding. I also didn’t expect the Grand Duke, at his age, to still enjoy such intense sports. Exercise may keep one young, but the Grand Duke still needs to take care of his health.” Lenta nodded politely, speaking in a calm tone.
What does this mean? Is there some hidden meaning? Philip glanced at her doubtfully, trying to figure out the implication.
“Your Dukeship, I just came from Gutenberg. I had a very pleasant conversation with Duke Zerlin. I hope that my visit to Homer this time will also yield a satisfactory conversation for you.”
Turning slightly, Lenta displayed a composed demeanor with a hint of indifference, clearly reflecting her noble royal lineage. Yet to Philip, it seemed somewhat pretentious—trying to show off in front of him at such a time was rather overconfident. Although Philip wasn’t sure of her exact intentions for this sudden visit, it was naive to think she could control everything given the weak position of the kingdom’s leadership.
“Oh, it’s an honor for Homer that PrincessHer Highness would visit. If there’s anything I can do to assist you, please don’t hesitate to ask. Duke Zerlin has always been on good terms with Philip. If Duke Zerlin is willing to help, I believe Homer shouldn’t fall behind.” Philip spoke eagerly, seemingly unaware of any dissatisfaction he might have toward the kingdom.
“My father hasn’t been well lately. Hoffman is now acting as regent. Lords Tetz and Matthew both hope the kingdom can end this political deadlock soon and return to its former state of harmony. All of this requires the support of the kingdom’s elders. I’ve come to Homer hoping to obtain something from you that could benefit both of us and the entire kingdom.” Her green eyes showed no emotion, remaining fixed on Philip with focus and calmness.
Philip was shocked. Why hadn’t Zerlin informed him of these matters in advance? Was she trying to deceive him or testing his reactions?
Philip slightly lowered his eyelids, avoiding the other person’s gaze. The other party’s intentions seemed straightforward, and their message was clear: His Majesty the King had been in poor health, and it now appeared that Hoffman might take control. Although the regent wasn’t necessarily destined to become the next king of the kingdom, they at least held the initiative. Princess Lenta must be there on behalf of her brother, aiming to gain support—partly to create a stable environment for Hoffman’s ascension and partly to reorganize the kingdom’s internal affairs after he took the throne.
Hoffman wasn’t a strong ruler. His outward toughness and underlying vulnerability and greed had long been seen through by him and Zelin. He had once discussed with Zelin that making Hoffman king wasn’t necessarily a bad idea. But Tracy’s failure in the royal family left Philip somewhat dissatisfied. Though Tracy was unambitious, she was still his daughter, carrying the noble blood of the Philip family. It was hard for him to accept her ending up as a pawn in the royal court and leaving in shame. Moreover, there were likely many issues and details worth considering in this matter, and making hasty decisions wasn’t in his nature.
“Princess, although the current situation in the kingdom is due to external factors, we all know that internal issues are more crucial. As His Majesty the King grows older, his temperament changes drastically. To put it bluntly, he becomes more stubborn and self-centered, appointing sycophants and issuing laws and policies that repeatedly hurt our feelings. It’s now very difficult to find even the slightest favor from the Romanov family toward us, who have contributed so much to the kingdom. Apart from endless disputes and conflicts, this has given those orcs outside an opportunity to invade the kingdom’s heartland. If the kingdom remained united, how could the orcs be so bold as to invade so deeply? All of this requires a thorough review of the kingdom’s laws and policies. What do you think, Princess?”
Philip’s face, filled with wistful memories, showed no trace of pretense, and his sincerity was enough to move anyone from outside. But for someone as shrewd as Lenta, who had long dealt with hypocrites, it only provoked disgust and made her even more calm. The other party was fundamentally pointing out flaws, undoubtedly to lay the groundwork for future negotiations—nothing strange about that.
“Your Highness, I cannot comment on my father’s governance principles over the past twenty-odd years. However, I’ve always believed it wasn’t the result of one party’s actions alone. To blame it entirely on one side seems unfair. It’s more practical to look ahead now. If you think my brother is less capable than that woman, Kakiya, then I think our conversation can end here.” With an unprecedentedly firm attitude, Lenta didn’t elaborate further. She knew that showing even the slightest softness at this moment might only encourage the other party to demand more.
Lenta’s attitude surprised Philip a bit, though it was within expectations. No one in the Romanov family was mediocre. In comparison, Philip even found Hoffman’s performance relatively ordinary. Yet, supporting an ordinary person had always been the unwavering principle of the major lords, as it ensured their own interests.
Philip wanted Tracy to marry into the royal family precisely because of Hoffman’s character flaws. With Tracy’s cunning and skill, she could easily influence Hoffman’s attitude. As for Kakiya, mentioned by Lenta, she far surpassed Hoffman in both tactics and scheming. In Philip’s view, if it weren’t for her background preventing her from gaining the favor and support of the noble families in Jazair, Hoffman would likely struggle to win in the succession struggle. Even so, Kakiya still used every trick in the book to keep Hoffman on edge—otherwise, Lenta wouldn’t have made this trip to Homer.
By bringing up Kakiya now, the other party was clearly trying to intimidate him. Philip sneered inwardly. Although he preferred Hoffman to ascend the throne, that didn’t mean he would obey blindly on every issue. Otherwise, the purpose of these major lords secretly supporting Hoffman’s rise would be lost.
“Your Highness, I’m just offering a kind reminder. Of course, it’s up to you to formulate the kingdom’s policies. But we all sincerely hope the kingdom can take a new direction in the future, avoiding the past’s missteps that only benefited those orcs. If His Highness Hoffman truly wants our support, perhaps he should also give us some hope?” Philip pretended to ask. “Should laws like the ‘Utrecht Edict,’ which clearly go against the times, not be considered for abolition? I believe I’m not the only one who would make such a request to the kingdom.”
This is the most tricky issue. Lenta anticipated that the discussion would eventually turn to this problem, but the Edict of Utrecht absolutely cannot be repealed. Repealing it would mean the kingdom could no longer take back its grant of rights from those great lords; the royal court would only be able to issue orders within its own direct territories, turning those lords into true feudal rulers. At this point, Lenta was unsure whether it was wise to refuse them. Hoffman urgently needed royal support, as Kakiya’s frequent actions had put considerable pressure on him. Although the nobles of Jazair still maintained their usual support for Hoffman, some had begun to show subtle shifts in attitude. This was a highly sensitive period, proving that Kakiya’s promises had borne fruit. If Hoffman did not take any countermeasures, it could lead to a chain reaction.
“Duke, I hear the situation in the Caucasus and Leon is very bad—even the fortress of Bruce has fallen into the hands of those half-orc thugs. It seems your army hasn’t achieved the results expected. What exactly is going on? Is someone manipulating things behind the scenes? Does the kingdom need to provide support?” With a slight shift in her gaze, Lenta brought the conversation to his sore spot.