Chapter 2: The Balance of Transcendence

Komer nodded inwardly. If he couldn’t see this clearly, then his position as the Lord of Nicosia was meaningless. Whether it was fighting for territory or the world, it all came down to winning the hearts of the people. Without the support of the people within a territory, any rule built upon it could only be a sandcastle, ready to collapse at any moment. Powerful force might bring temporary dominance, but it couldn’t last. Only by conquering one’s opponent from the depths of the heart could true success be achieved.

At this thought, Komer couldn’t help but feel some disdain for Kenifer III, who had brought all this upon him. As a descendant of the Dark Holy Church and emperor of the Dark Empire, he might be immensely strong in magic and martial arts, but in certain aspects, he showed a stupidity utterly inconsistent with his status. With such a prominent background, he was defeated by the Light Church under such advantageous conditions. Apart from his severely limited political wisdom, Komer couldn’t think of any other reason to explain the decline of the Dark faction.

The Light Church saw this and grew stronger. The Salvation Society had also realized it, which was why Welch and the others had remained hidden for so many years before emerging now to win the hearts of the people. Xuro was no simpler either—he had already extended his influence to Nicosia silently, and even Komer, the nominal leader of the Dark faction, only learned of it afterward. Clearly, Xuro didn’t fully trust him as a leader. Secular power seemed to have blinded Komer’s eyes, leaving no room for anything else.

Komer never believed that secular power and spiritual pursuits could be separated. If spiritual pursuits lost the support of secular power, they could only exist in secret. To emerge openly, they would face too many constraints. Similarly, if secular power was resisted by spiritual pursuits, its power would also be greatly restricted, even potentially overturned. Only those involved could truly understand the interdependence and evolution of these forces.

It was for this reason that the Light Church, the Salvation Society, and the Dark Holy Church fought so fiercely over Katin. The unpredictable situation, coupled with Jazair already occupied by orcs, had made the people of Katin doubt whether the Light Church could help them defend against foreign invasions. It was in such circumstances that the Salvation Society, advocating for the reform of moderation, gained so much support and welcome.

And these supporters used to be devout followers of the Light Church, but now they have become outright supporters and subordinates of the Salvation Society. The infiltration by the dark forces has also put pressure on both the Light Church and the Salvation Society, especially since their successes in the Caucasus and Leon have laid a solid foundation for the dark forces to expand into other parts of Nicosia. When Komer successfully became the ruler of the entire Nicosia, it became only natural for the dark forces to spread further into other areas of the city. Seek balance through detachment. The moment these two words came to Komer’s mind, he realized he had found the most suitable principle. The best approach wasn’t to get directly involved in the conflicts but to stand above them—of course, this required a perfect state of balance. Detachment didn’t mean not exerting influence; on the contrary, in such circumstances, one could use various means to maximize worldly power for greater benefit. Whether it was people’s hearts or public opinion, mastering them hinged on one’s will—how to use them to the fullest extent was what every ruler needed to consider. Komer realized he had no need to get entangled in their disputes; he could observe everything from a more advantageous position. The power of the Light Church was declining significantly, but its roots still remained; the Salvation Society originated from the Light Church and absorbed its finest elements, yet its influence among the common people was far less than that of the Light Church; the dark forces had remarkable infiltration capabilities, but they still weren’t well-known—or even recognized—among the ordinary people. It was easy to gain influence in the Caucasus and Leon, but there was still a long way to go before they could truly penetrate the heartlands of Homer, Galai, and Katin. It was precisely this pattern of strengths and weaknesses that gave him an opportunity. Komer pondered silently: the Light Church certainly didn’t want to withdraw, the Salvation Society aimed to rise even higher, and the dark forces surely wouldn’t let such an opportunity slip away. A silent battle of influence had already begun. “Mahagumi.” “My lord.” As if waiting outside all along, Mahagumi appeared at the door before Komer could finish speaking. “Hmm, arrange it. I want to meet with Vazinki and Frenst as well.” Komer pondered for a moment before speaking, seemingly having made up his mind.

“Vazhinki? Vazhinki from St. Basil’s Church? Frenster? Frenster from the Church of St. Paul?” Even though Mahagumi was used to his master’s astonishing actions, hearing these two names still made him ask in surprise.
“Do you think there are other people with the same names I need to meet?” Komer asked back.
“Oh, my lord, I’m sorry—I was a bit out of line. I just wondered if meeting these two might be too risky for you,” Mahagumi quickly tried to make amends.
“Risk? Well, for me or for them?” Komer smiled thoughtfully. “If it were those two madmen, Lorenzo and Nojora, I might consider it. But as leaders of two major churches, they seem to have some sense and intelligence.”
“May I ask what your intentions are in seeking them out? I need to analyze the possibilities and risks involved,” Mahagumi said after hesitating.
“Hmm, it’s hard to say yet. But if we can reach an agreement on many issues with them, perhaps many of our troubles can be resolved. We don’t have any mortal enemies between us, right?”
“Uh, of course, my lord. I understand. I’ll give you an answer as soon as possible,” Mahagumi replied hastily. It seemed the lord had made a decision, one that could affect the fate of entire Nicosia.