Chapter 4: The Incredible Cooperation (2)
“Is that so? May I assume Lord Komer intends to abandon his faith for worldly status?” Frentest smiled faintly. He couldn’t believe anyone would give up their faith for such trivial worldly power.
“If Mr. Frentest wishes to interpret it that way, I have no objection,” Komer avoided giving a direct answer.
“I need an exact answer from Lord Komer himself.” Frentest pressed further. This was a matter of principle that couldn’t be ignored.
“Well, Mr. Frentest, shall we put this discussion aside for now? In my view, even if we can’t resolve this issue, there are other topics where we might find common ground and even engage in some form of cooperation.”
Frentest immediately understood the other party’s intention. Abandoning faith was just a pretext. How could someone who was so devoutly loyal to the Dark God do such a thing? All he wanted was temporary compromise. At that moment, Frentest couldn’t hide his disgust. He hated cooperating with such people, and his intense hostility forced him to strengthen his power to suppress his inner aversion.
“Does Lord Komer intend to support the restoration of our Light Church in Nicosia? Then what about the Dark faction?”
“That’s my concern. Mr. Frentest needn’t worry about it. I can support the Light Church’s rightful position in Nicosia, but in exchange, the Light Church must not suppress the Dark faction in Bithynia. I think that’s not too much to ask.”
“Lord Komer, you want to strike a balance?” A cold glint flashed in Frentest’s eyes. “Be careful—your arrogance might backfire on you.”
“Oh, Lord Frentest, I know my limits. I’m well aware of the kind of games I can play,” Komer said casually, shaking his head. “The world is vast. Why restrict oneself to one corner? Look further, and you’ll find many wonderful things around you.”
Frentest couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. Someone actually tried to act like a philosopher to give him advice in front of him—how amusing. Did this Lord Komer really think he was an interpreter of the Dark faction’s doctrines?
“Lord Komer, speak your true thoughts. I’m patient, but that doesn’t mean I’m willing to waste time on wordplay.”
“I think my thoughts can’t be hidden from smart people, and Bishop Frentst is undoubtedly one of them. I merely hope for a peaceful Nicosia, that’s all.” A brighter light appeared in Komer’s eyes. “The disappearance of the Light Church in Nicosia isn’t in my interests at the moment, nor can I tolerate its excessive dominance. I want everything to remain under my control.”
“The conditions you’ve proposed don’t satisfy me. Bithynia will soon become your close ally, yet our concessions there only earn us some meaningless promises from you in Nicosia. That’s unfair.” When it came to secular matters, Frentst’s haughty demeanor vanished instantly.
“So, what does Bishop Frentst mean…” Komer smiled slightly, curiosity evident in his eyes.
“The Southern Lands and the Central Seas—I need your tangible support there. The people of those regions, who have been trapped in darkness for too long, long to see a glimmer of light. We must act without hesitation.”
Komer scoffed at Frentst’s attempt to cover such blatant profit-seeking with lofty pretenses. But it was the usual behavior of such hypocrites; he would just have to get used to it.
“Oh, what does Bishop Frentst expect me to do for you?” Komer asked, tilting his head.
“We could start with Sparta, wouldn’t we? I think it’s a fertile ground for both of us.” A subtle, mysterious smile flashed across Frentst’s gaunt face, startling Komer. This man’s scheming and vision surpassed his expectations. He had thought him a wise man, but this guy’s ambitions were no less than his own.
Sparta had always been a thorn in everyone’s side, one of the main defenders of the Corinthian Alliance. Sparta and Corinth were the dominant forces in both land and sea, worshipping their own primal deities and rejecting other faiths, which allowed them to maintain their unique beliefs.
Even though they had gained the favor of Piraeus and Iberia, Xuro faced setbacks in Sparta and Corinth. Sparta’s uncompromising attitude and strict restrictions gradually eroded the advantages the Dark faction had painstakingly built through the Ospia Championships. This led several key members of the alliance, including Corinth, to follow suit, causing great distress to Xuro.
He didn’t expect even this to be noticed by that old fellow, Frentst. If he agreed, it would undoubtedly bring a great enemy to Xuluo. In Nicosia, he hoped to maintain balance among various forces, as the rise of the Salvation Society had already threatened his control. The Dark Faction wasn’t strong enough to confront them, but what about Sparta?
Seeming to sense Komer’s doubts and hesitation, Frentst smiled and said, “Lord Komer, it seems I need to remind you that Welch and his group aren’t as conservative as you think. To them, Sparta is just another untapped, primitive land. What we can see, they can see as well. I also believe that one drill might not be able to break through frozen rock, but with a few more, things might change—this could be a win-win situation.”
Komer had to admit that this guy’s clever words had impressed him.
If Frentst could see it, Welch certainly could too. The rapid expansion of the Salvation Society’s influence was worrying everyone. If the Southern Lands and the Central Seas allowed it to grow further, even the Dark Faction might feel inferior.
The network of connections accumulated by the Light Church over centuries was beyond comparison to that of the Dark Faction, a hidden force that had long relied on people’s narrowness and prejudice. He couldn’t tolerate such a situation. Undeniably, he also harbored some inexplicable interest in the Southern Lands and the Central Seas—not in terms of territory, but economic benefits could still be seized through certain channels.