Chapter 8: Insiders
“Mr. Muktese, what are you worried about? That the nobles will force Hoffman to ascend the throne? That Hoffman will act recklessly with the support of the great lords? Without the support of the three major armies, do they really have the courage?” Komer retorted. He phrased his questions skillfully—the Norinwa family had information networks in the kingdom that were no less extensive than his own, and Komer hoped to gain insights from their words about situations he wasn’t fully aware of.
“Oh, Mr. Komer, how could you have such a ridiculous idea? No matter whose side Matthew and Taze lean toward, they will never allow the three major armies to get involved in internal royal disputes—there’s no doubt about that! The three major armies are the kingdom’s military force, and only the king can deploy them. Before a king is chosen, no one else can mobilize them, except in times of war. No commander wants to be labeled an ambitious usurper and sent to the gallows in the Star Chamber, so they certainly won’t get involved in such matters. Besides, I know the true situation of those armies better than you do. Even if they wanted to act, given their current state, it would be difficult for them to do anything.”
Muktese shook his head vigorously, clearly finding Komer’s ignorance hard to understand. Although the workings of the kingdom’s central government were somewhat complex, as a noble—even a low-ranking one—he was still a lord and couldn’t possibly be ignorant of the rules.
“Mr. Muktese, I certainly understand the rules. But since Hoffman can’t ascend the throne that way, can he really take power solely through the support of the nobles? Are you sure that General Matthew and Lord Taze won’t interfere in this succession struggle, even if it leads to the kingdom’s ruin and the army’s rebellion? Even if they don’t intervene openly, won’t they show any signs of bias?” Komer nodded. His series of counterquestions left Muktese momentarily confused about what Komer really meant.
After some thought, Muktese paled. “Are you saying we can influence General Matthew and Lord Taze’s attitudes to divide the nobles’ factions? That’s impossible! General Matthew and Lord Taze won’t accept such threats!”
“Oh, Mr. Muktese, you’re too sensitive. We’re not threatening anyone, but we can still express our opinions or concerns. If Hoffman relies on the nobles, he must sacrifice the interests of merchants. To keep the kingdom running and defend it from orc invasions, raising taxes is inevitable. The nobles own vast lands and forests, control toll rivers and mines. If Hoffman wants to protect their interests, he must increase commercial taxes. Who will suffer?”, Komer said with a sinister smile. “If he suddenly labels the Norinwa family as rebels or traitors, he can not only cancel all their debts to the kingdom but also seize all their property. That would be killing two birds with one stone. Who says such a thing won’t happen?”
Muktese was stunned by Komer’s words. If such a thing did happen, it would be terrifying—nothing short of outright murder and robbery, almost unbelievable. But then he thought that in these turbulent times, with the kingdom’s finances in crisis and people’s motives uncertain, it was hard to rule out someone resorting to such vicious tactics.
Taking a deep breath, Muktese tried to calm himself. It might be that Komer was deliberately exaggerating to force him to change his stance, but he had to admit that if Hoffman came to power with the support of those nobles, such an unprecedented situation could happen to his own family. After all, his reputation among those nobles was extremely poor, and they were all masters of intrigue.
“Mr. Komer, your words are shocking. Although the possibility is small, since you’ve thought of it, I must admit that those people might indeed have such ideas. They don’t want to earn wealth through their own efforts and legitimate means; instead, they always try to seize others’ lawful wealth through their malicious schemes. And yet they sit high in power as if nothing’s wrong. Perhaps you’re right. We can’t let them succeed.” Suppressing his emotions and focusing his mind, Muktese said solemnly, “But I still want to hear your ideas. How can we prevent such things from happening?”
“It’s simple. Right now, the minor noble lords in the western regions of the empire tend to support Kakiya, while merchants and financiers are still waiting to see. Perhaps that’s why Mahu and Lord Taze remain silent. If you can contact the merchants and financiers, I’ll mobilize the minor nobles. I believe both Mahu and Lord Taze should consider the pros and cons. I can also find one or two suitable major nobles to act as our representatives and stir up trouble within their camp. What do you think, Mr. Muktese?” Komer stopped beating around the bush and spoke bluntly.
“Oh? Can Mr. Komer find allies among those major nobles?” Muktese, energized, showed a hint of surprise before quickly asking, “May I know who they are?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Mr. Muktese. It’s not that I don’t trust you, but this is a serious matter. Until I’m absolutely certain, it’s better not to make it public for now. But I can assure you that the major nobles aren’t united either; some of them will support us. You might find it hard to understand, but things in the world are ever-changing, and nothing should cause such a fuss,” Komer explained after shaking his head slightly. “What we need now is a unified goal and immediate action. Time is of the essence—the King’s health is uncertain, and we don’t have much time left.”
Muktese lowered his head in distress. Faced with such a choice, it was truly difficult to decide. Staying out of it seemed unlikely, as no matter which side won, it wouldn’t end well for him. Perhaps the only option was to follow what the other party suggested and make a decisive move.
“Mr. Komer, please understand my predicament. If you can provide sufficient proof that Kakiya still has some influence among the major nobles, I’m willing to accept your advice.” After a long while, Muktese finally made up his mind.
“Good. Then let’s agree on this, Mr. Muktese. I can prove it to you, but first, I hope you’ll make some preparations, such as funding. Kakiya will surely be at a disadvantage in the conflict with Hoffman. To overcome this disadvantage, we need other means, which requires financial support.” Komer was now unreserved.
“No problem. Money is no issue; I can meet any needs at any time and don’t need to make special preparations.” Muktesh seemed very casual and relaxed when talking about money.
“Very well, then please wait for my reply, Mr. Muktesh. I’ll arrange our second meeting soon, and by then you should believe that what I said is not empty talk,” Kommer agreed readily.
Less than three days passed before Kommer’s second meeting with Muktesh. When Kommer appeared along with the other two men in front of Muktesh and two other businessmen, Muktesh could hardly believe his eyes.
The highly respected Marquis Melkin and Count Badhi, who usually preferred to live in seclusion and avoid outsiders, were here together with Kommer. Muktesh couldn’t help but admire Kommer’s influence. As far as he knew, the Marquis Melkin and Count Badhi had almost no contact with Kakiya—not only were their relationships distant, but they also held themselves in high esteem and looked down on heirs of less noble bloodlines like Kakiya.
Even among the nobles of Jazair, although these two weren’t considered top figures, they were still well-known celebrities. Their presence immediately dispelled Muktesh’s doubts. The other two businessmen who were close to Muktesh were also shocked by Kommer’s move. After all, it was extremely difficult for even the nobles to invite these two as guests, so what could explain their joint appearance?
Before proving it to Muktesh, Kommer met with several followers of the Salvation Society in Jazair, as arranged by the society. Even Kommer couldn’t believe that nobles as respected as the Marquis Melkin and Count Badhi, who held high prestige in Jazair and even the kingdom, could be devout reformists of the Light Church. If it weren’t for Carrera, who had arrived in Jazair first and introduced them, Kommer would have doubted it too.
However, conversations with Melkin and Bardi dispelled Komer’s doubts, and he openly shared his thoughts with them. Although Melkin and Bardi were devout supporters of the Salvation Society, they were not rigid in mind. They understood Komer’s current difficulties, and in their view, an alliance with Kakiya was not much different from aligning with Hoffman’s side. They simply hoped that Komer could create a fair and just environment for the Salvation Society’s teachings to spread throughout the Greater Caucasus, including regions like Leon and Bruce, as well as Flanders. They had no high expectations for other parts of the kingdom, knowing that such ideas could not be tolerated under the current circumstances there—the Inquisition would spare no effort to suppress them at the earliest stage.