Chapter 15: A Woman’s Heart
“What did you say?!” The girl raised her beautiful eyebrows in anger, glaring at the elder who had watched her grow up. “Then why are we still here? We must leave right away and return.”
“Your Highness, please calm down. It’s not their fault. Although we accepted their invitation, we were unable to set off for so long. It’s normal for them to go on inspections—they didn’t intend to disrespect us. Besides, Tumoka and the others also need to meet with their army commanders to gain a better understanding of the situation.”
“So I’m just a pretext? You and Tumoka are the real purpose of this visit, right?” the girl replied coldly.
“No, Vyrana, you misunderstand. Your visit is the main task arranged by the Grand Duke. You should know what he intends. But since we’re here, and with this army and these officials under Lord Komer, we’re all very interested. Good relations are the beginning of future cooperation. I believe you understand.”
“Hmph. Is it really necessary to understand and interact with those barbarians? I don’t see the need,” Vyrana said, her voice slightly lowering.
Meterev smiled—a sign that she might relent. “Vyrana, don’t underestimate those barbarians. Maybe you’ll have to deal with them more in the future. In fact, they’re much better than many of us mortals. At least they’re not hypocritical or double-dealing.”
The girl’s cheeks flushed. She understood the hidden meaning in the elder’s words, but she still couldn’t clarify her own feelings—confusion, uncertainty, along with a hint of hope and joy, and also fear. A mysterious man, a legendary playboy, might actually become her husband—this was too hard to accept for Vyrana.
The arrival of the Bessarabians indeed caught Pube off guard. Komer was far away in the Southern Seas and would take at least another half month to return. The Bessarabians insisted on waiting until Komer returned before meeting formally, leaving Pube unsure how to arrange their itinerary. For other matters, Pube could delegate them to Lenta, whose status was rising, but since this involved Vyrana, whose status was still uncertain and who might even be Lenta’s rival, Pube had to handle it himself.
Vyrana made a good impression on Pupber—elegant and radiant, full of youthful vitality. Compared to Viro, who resembled a secluded orchid blooming alone and emitting a gentle fragrance, Vyrana was more like an iris dancing in the wind, drawing more attention. Pupber wasn’t sure who was better suited to be the lady in Kommer’s heart; it was hard to gauge Kommer’s thoughts at the moment, but Pupber knew Lenta certainly wouldn’t be it. Perhaps Lenta was more suitable for Kommer and could better fulfill the role of his lady, but deep down, Kommer might never let her in.
While the people from Bessarabia visited Plovdiv, Kommer was still wandering along the coasts of the Southern Central Seas. The winter climate and scenery there were undoubtedly pleasant, and the dramatic changes on the island of Sifnos lifted Kommer’s spirits so much that he even thought about staying there for a longer time. Compared to the somewhat dry climate of the Caucasus, the warm and moderately humid weather here was truly appealing. Lying on the snow-white sandy beaches, feeling the warm breeze from the sea, with coconut and palm trees swaying in the wind and rugged cliffs in the distance, all of this put Kommer in a wonderful state of semi-dormancy.
Yet, someone always came to disrupt this serene atmosphere. Kommer regretted it slightly; if it weren’t for his appointment with Xuro, he really didn’t want to see anyone and just stay on that beach all morning. The Phoenicians provided Kommer with an ideal beach. Toward this northern strongman who suddenly appeared in the Southern Central Seas, various forces there adopted a cautious attitude of welcome. The two dominant powers in the region, Sparta and Corinth, strangely remained silent—neither inviting Kommer to visit their city-states nor showing clear interest in him.
Kommer also kept a low profile. Although the news of his stay on Sifnos couldn’t be hidden, the complex local powers in the Southern Central Seas were wary of his involvement there. Yet, on the surface, they had to show welcome, especially those medium-sized city-states or factions at odds with Corinth and Sparta. Since Piraeus had taken the first step, others would naturally follow suit.
Kommer believed it wouldn’t be long before he could gain influence in the Southern Central Seas. No one could ignore the huge market of Nicosia, nor could they ignore the influence of the Caucasus, which already controlled more than half of the region’s sources of crude iron and iron ore.
Her graceful figure swayed enticingly; the pure white pleated dress accentuated her slender build as she grew more mature, yet the slight curve of her chest and hips still proved that Finis had grown up. Her slightly curled hair covered her forehead just right, with a wreath of laurel leaves playfully placed on top of her head. Her bare toes, round and delicate, contrasted against the blue sky and endless waves, making her resemble a fairy emerging from the misty waters or a priestess stepping down from the temples of Mount Olympus. Komer couldn’t hide his admiration in his eyes; his gaze flowed like water over Finis’s waist and abdomen. Finis felt her heart race for no apparent reason—was it the soft fabric of her dress brushing against her sensitive skin, or that scorching gaze? She couldn’t tell for sure. The longer she spent with this mortal, the more curious she became about him. Clearly, Grace and Lome both had a close relationship with him, and Priestess Eve also shared some indescribable affection for him. Yet he didn’t spend much time with these women; most of the time, he seemed to live alone, like a reclusive monk, quite different from the lives of those mortal nobles.