Chapter 15: Not Yet Over

The subsequent battle was uneventful. With Sorenberg and Shatima joining the fight, Selinger and Zilomba were already struggling to hold their ground. Especially when the group of mages led by Rebrí arrived, Selinger and Zilomba knew their fate was sealed. As their own mages fled the battlefield, there was no way they could escape the enemy’s grasp. Those eager mages only waited for Komer’s command to launch magical attacks and end the battle.

The knight’s sword emitted a blue glow, repelling Sorenberg’s fierce assault. Yet Shatima’s dragon spear came charging with a thunderous force, while the metal puppets moved stealthily from unexpected angles, striking Selinger and Zilomba off guard. Several bloody wounds on their bodies were caused by those vicious shovel-shaped limbs of the puppets. Had it not been for the resilience of their protective combat auras, each of those sharp attacks would have torn them apart.

By now, Komer had steadied his breathing and wiped the blood from his mouth and nose. His complexion had improved significantly. Seeing the two men still fighting desperately, he felt much more relaxed. However, he was puzzled by the thoughtful expression on Rebrí’s face.

“Rebrí, it seems you recognize these two? Do you know them?”

“No, I’ve never seen them before. But judging from their performance, they seem familiar. Look at their pure sacred combat auras, their seamless coordination, the unique design of their knight’s swords, and their high level of magical skill. Don’t you have any insights?”

Rebrí shook his head, his brows slightly furrowed. How could Komer have attracted so many enemies?

The Bohemian Magic Knights represented the Kingdom of Bohemia, and those fleeing mages were likely from the Prague Mage Guild. If that was the case, it meant Komer’s list of enemies would now include the Bohemians and the Mage Guild—a true disaster. Considering the close relationship between the Galicians and the Bohemians, Rebrí felt even more troubled. It was obvious these guys had been sent by Zelin. But why would the Bohemians openly interfere in the internal affairs of the Kingdom of Nicomedia? Did they show no restraint? What advantage would this bring them?

Komer was stunned for a moment before observing them more carefully. Initially, he had thought these two were assassins sent by his enemies, but now it seemed they not only possessed remarkable skills in sacred combat energy but also excellent knightly swordsmanship. Their coordination and teamwork were flawless, clearly the result of working together for a long time. The combination of sacred combat energy and knightly swordsmanship reminded Komer of many things.

“You mean they’re magic knights? Bohemian magic knights?” Komer seemed to finally realize. “Did Zelin, that old dog, send them?”

“Other than that explanation, I can’t think of any reason why Bohemian magic knights would hold a grudge against you. Could it be you caused some trouble in Prague last time?” Rebrí shrugged.

“Hmph, I can understand Zelin being so insane, but for the Bohemians to be so bold as to openly participate in such schemes? Do they really think I’m weak enough to be easily manipulated?” Komer’s teeth gritted.

“That’s something these two here might be able to clarify. But I don’t think our relationship with the Bohemian Kingdom is that bad yet. Maybe there’s some underlying reason after all.” Rebrí also had many doubts. If the Bohemians sent mages and magic knights to assist Galle due to their close ties with Galle, that might be plausible. But assassinating the lord of another realm went beyond mere warfare. For the Bohemians, who were merely guests, to get involved as the main force was simply unbelievable.

“Underlying reasons? What kind of reasons?” Komer snapped angrily. “This is a blatant interference in the internal affairs of the Kingdom of Nicomedia. It’s an open attempt to murder me, the lord of such a vast territory as the Caucasus-Homer-Poznan. If I allow such things to happen, does that mean anyone can use such despicable tactics against me?”

Seeing Komer so indignant and passionate, Rebrí found it somewhat amusing. Since when did this lord start caring about principles like fairness and justice?

“Lord Komer, in my personal opinion, it’s not in our interest to openly clash with the Bohemians at least for now. Whether it’s the Bohemian Magic Knights or the Prague Mage Guild, their power is no less than that of the Light Church. It would be unwise to rashly make such an enemy at this time. I suggest we think things through carefully first, figure out the true situation before making a decision. We shouldn’t let personal grudges cloud our judgment.” Rebribi was much calmer than the angry Komer.

Taking a deep breath, Komer suppressed his dissatisfaction, but he knew Rebribi’s advice was sound. His own power had grown too rapidly, earning him more enemies, and he could hardly find any trustworthy supporters or allies around him. People like Kajia and Hoffman mostly had ulterior motives, forming unequal alliances that could change at any moment. He too was the same, and under such circumstances, it was even more necessary to calmly consider the future of his territory.

When Giovanni, Conti, and the others could no longer bear it and decided to use dark magic to test the two knights’ skills, Selinger and Zilomba finally realized that persisting in this way would yield no results. Since the mission had failed, as knights, they had no choice but to face reality rationally.

Seeing the two men, now prisoners, still remain composed and uphold their knightly dignity before him, Komer felt indescribably frustrated. The reason seemed simple: the Bohemian crown prince wanted to win Veron’s heart. In such a situation, it seemed only natural for him to send the Court Magic Knights to aid Gaile. The same applied to the Mage Guild, which, at the crown prince’s request, sent mages to fight in Gaile. The attempt to assassinate Komer was merely Zelin’s trickery. If it succeeded, everyone would be happy; if it failed, it was obvious that Komer’s anger would be directed at the Bohemians, forcing them to become more involved in Gaile’s affairs. It was indeed a clever tactic, leaving Komer momentarily at a loss as to how to deal with this infuriating and embarrassing situation.

After the two magic knights were taken away, Komer, Rebrí, Fran, and Puber all exchanged glances—this was indeed a difficult problem. Allowing those two to leave was out of the question; it would only embolden the Bohemians and severely hurt their own pride. But trying to judge and execute them as Komer had initially planned would also bring many troubles. The Bohemians would certainly not remain indifferent to such actions. Although their territory did not border Komer’s, they could still use their support for Galle to suppress and attack him.

“What should we do?” Komer sighed. He knew executing them wasn’t appropriate, but it seemed there was no better alternative.

“What a hassle. Don’t these magic knights have any brains? Would they fall for Zelin’s simple trick of drawing fire onto themselves?” Puber shook his head repeatedly.

“It’s not that they’re simple-minded. The knights’ creed is obedience. It’s because they have a foolish master who lets emotions cloud his judgment. It’s the Bohemian crown prince who’s truly brainless—sending his own knights to blindly follow Zelin’s orders without considering how it might harm the Bohemian kingdom’s interests.” Rebrí said with a bitter smile. “If things go wrong, it could even threaten his own position as crown prince.”

“Rebrí, do you mean his position isn’t stable?” Komer asked thoughtfully.

“Well, as far as I know, King Neumannnur II of the Bohemian kingdom has two sons. Prince Bramont is his eldest, and he has a younger son named Doloni. Their relationship doesn’t seem very good.” Rebrí nodded. He had traveled extensively in the central regions and was quite familiar with the situation there.

“Hmm, Rebrí, do you think Neumannnur II would approve of Bramont’s reckless behavior?” Komer asked, tilting his head, seemingly already having some ideas.

“Of course not. The Bohemian kingdom has always considered itself neutral and rarely interferes in other countries’ affairs unless it affects its own interests. If Bramont’s actions are exposed this time, he will surely face severe punishment from Neumannnur II. But this might hurt the Bohemians’ pride. Even if Neumannnur is very dissatisfied with Bramont’s actions, he might continue to support the Galleans out of face. That’s probably what that old fox Zelin had in mind.” Rebrí frowned.