Chapter Eleven: Mad Oaths

As Palermo feared, Komer had no intention of allowing Kakiya to ascend to power smoothly. In this regard, Komer’s attitude was no different from that of the other lords—maintaining a balanced confrontation between the two main contenders from the Romanov family was what the lords preferred, at least for now.

Komer knew that once he turned his forces toward those two in the north, the situation in the Kingdom of Nicosia would once again become turbulent. Whether it was Galicia, Poznan, or Silesia, they would respond immediately. By then, the two heirs of the Romanov family might once again gain popularity, as their influence could be more persuasive in countering his own forces.

However, Komer had no plans to do that for the time being. Before pursuing his next goal, he needed to build up his strength more actively. Homer needed to be fully stabilized, and the Order of Homer Knights also required time for training and refinement. More importantly, there were those barbarians—after conquering Homer, the Trija tribe had openly or secretly demanded control over their warriors. For Komer, this would be like cutting off his own arm. From the start, he had never considered returning this army to the Trija tribe. On the contrary, he hoped to use this army as a foundation for his future plans, keeping it firmly under his control.

Komer rejected the proposal to reform the Storm Infantry Regiment—at least not yet. He didn’t want to be overly constrained by local forces in Homer. A capable Order of Homer Knights was sufficient for now. Together with light-armed infantry composed mainly of half-orc soldiers, heavy-armed infantry made up of barbarian allies, and archers primarily consisting of half-elves, these formed Homer’s and the Caucasus’s armed forces. Of course, there was another important force that served as a check— the Caucasus Mage Corps. This balance was exactly what Komer needed at the moment.

Of course, this is only temporary. Komer also knew that the power at his disposal was far from enough to realize his next ambitious plans. It was imperative to expand the armed forces of half-orcs and humans, especially after taking control of more and more barbarian armies. To achieve a better balance, he had to find ways to rely on half-orcs and humans. For Komer, the simple-minded half-orcs were even more preferable. If necessary, he would rather form a force of human infantry or archers from Flanders.

Looking at the half-orcs eagerly joining the army, Komer couldn’t help but sigh. He had to admit that compared to mining work, these half-orcs were indeed more suited for the army. Their courage to disregard life and death, their determination to obey orders, and their absolute loyalty made it impossible for Komer not to regard this force as a core component, just like the Caucasus Mage Corps. Unlike the shared interests of the mage corps, the half-orcs had a simple trust in him, an absolute trust stemming from a better life. It was this absoluteness and simplicity that gave Komer greater confidence.

Expanding the army seemed to be an unavoidable topic for Homer and the Caucasus. Although Fran had always advocated for quality over quantity, a necessary number was still fundamental. When Komer quietly revealed his goals to Fran, Fran was almost stunned into silence. Though he knew his lord had extraordinary ambitions, he hadn’t expected them to be this extreme. With Homer, the Caucasus, the fief of Flanders, and even the isolated Zuck Valley in Livonia—such a complex and scattered territory was enough to keep an energetic lord busy. And in this lord’s eyes, was this just the beginning?!

“Uh, my lord, I can’t understand your true intentions. Do you mean you plan to… uh, do that…” Fran didn’t dare to speak rashly, as those words might have been considered presumptuous. Yet the other party’s intentions were clearly expressed, and his ears seemed fine too. The man before him still wore an expression of calmness, even indifference. Did he really think this was just a game on a map, something that could be casually sketched and then forgotten? Fran couldn’t see any hint of humor on Komer’s face. The other party must know he wasn’t someone who liked to joke, especially in such a situation. Fran could hardly accept it.

“That’s right. What you want to say is exactly my goal. Nicosia, it seems the Romanov family has fulfilled their historical mission. Perhaps it’s time for someone else to take on this responsibility. Well, maybe also some of the surrounding regions—the Northern Alliance. Those scum who only know how to follow the Light Church should disappear if they can’t do it themselves. It would also be a good option for me to help them finish the job. As for the orcs, though I’m not averse to them, as a mortal, I still think it’s better for them to stay in the Mogan Wasteland and enjoy the cool breeze, unless they have something that deserves my approval. Of course, if there are suitable ports in the Southern Seas, I won’t ignore them either. Well, Fran, you don’t think I’m talking nonsense, do you?”
Komer chuckled softly. This was the first time he had revealed his true thoughts to someone outside his circle. Even in front of Pube, he had never fully disclosed the plans in his mind. As for Fran, Komer believed that this man might never become his favorite or most admired person, but when it came to loyalty and reliability, he could undoubtedly rank among the top three.
“Lord, if my ears are working properly, I think I heard you clearly. Um, I find it hard to accept. My mind is in chaos. I need to think this through.”
Fran realized he was speaking incoherently, just like his thoughts at the moment. He tried to shake his head to calm himself down, but found he couldn’t. The dark, intense gaze of the man across from him made him break into a sweat.
This man was insane—crazy to the extreme on this continent. But was it truly baseless madness? Fran asked himself. Did he really know nothing? No, Fran realized the echo deep within his heart telling him that he should have known all along. Hadn’t he been quietly supporting him all this time? Even going to great lengths to help him achieve everything—was it just to repay his kindness? It could be said so, but not entirely. Hadn’t he also always wanted to prove himself? Prove himself through success in the Caucasus, through punishing the Light Church?

Staring at the leisurely man before her in a dazed state, Fran could only rely on deep breaths to calm herself down. Though it might not truly work, as his clear, soothing gaze flowed into her heart, Fran found herself finally able to face everything calmly.

“Lord, what do you need me to do?” Fran herself didn’t expect to ask such a question, without any unnecessary words.

Komer, momentarily stunned, finally smiled—a joyful smile. Few had ever seen him so happy. His radiant smile even infected Fran, who couldn’t help but want to smile too.

“Very good, Fran. I wasn’t wrong about you.” Komer nodded firmly, his eyes shining like stars. “There’s only one thing I want you to do: help me build a competent army. If you need men, I’ll give you men; if you need supplies, I’ll give you supplies; if you need weapons, I’ll give you weapons. But I want an army that is strong and loyal to me. Remember, strength and loyalty—both are essential! As for how to achieve both, I can help with loyalty, but as for strength, that’s entirely up to you!”

A surge of excitement surged within Fran’s chest. She wasn’t an inexperienced country girl nor a foolish, passionate youth. But she believed she was the only one in all of the Caucasus, Homer, and even the entire Kingdom of Nicomedia who deserved such praise from Komer. Just that alone made her feel it was worth serving him, dying for his goals!

“Lord, Fran is not someone who shies away from responsibility. I will do everything in my power to fulfill your demands. But I must remind you that we’re not just facing enemies in the traditional sense. Along the way, you’ll encounter many more enemies—many unexpected ones. You need to be prepared. Relying solely on an army won’t be enough to defeat them, no matter how strong it is.” Fran suppressed the excitement in her heart, trying to stay calm. Only calmness could prevent mistakes, especially silly ones, which were often made by smart people.

A bright smile appeared on Komer’s face. He nodded silently, took a deep breath, and then slowly said, “Fran, rest assured. I know my limits. My enemies may be more numerous and stronger than you imagine, and I understand this better than anyone. But please trust me—since I dare to do this, I fear no one, not even Julius!”
A powerful aura radiated from him, so intense that even Fran seemed to struggle to breathe under such almost arrogant words. Yet Fran didn’t think for a moment that he was speaking nonsense, because it was Komer!