Chapter Eleven: reinforcements

“Princess Kajia, it seems we share a common goal now, which makes things much easier for us. I can understand your thoughts. Perhaps Lord Teyz and Marshal Matthew had high hopes for you before you arrived, and perhaps His Majesty the King also expects you to bring back a satisfactory result. I really want you to come in high spirits and leave satisfied, but I must remind you that the situation is not as simple as you might think.” After a pause, Komer seemed to be choosing his words carefully. “You likely know that my relationship with Grand Duke Philip has never been good. Exiling me to the Caucasus was just one of his ways to try and kill me. Fortunately, I was lucky, and fate favored me, allowing me to survive several dangers. With the support of the kingdom, I was able to reach this point. As for Leon’s victory in the battle of Mando, I won’t hide from you—that was indeed thanks to my involvement and that of my friends. If we hadn’t stopped Homer’s army from advancing south, I doubt we would be sitting here chatting so leisurely.”
“You’ve touched on the core of the issue: how can the Caucasus help Leon, and even itself, so that Homer cannot focus entirely on the kingdom nor become so enraged as to send all his forces south? After all, our strength is too weak. If Philip becomes determined, we may have no choice but to submit. In my opinion, we should ask you to convey my humble plea to the kingdom—to grant the Caucasus its own independent territory, so that it is no longer under Homer’s control. This way, the Caucasus can openly resist Homer. As for Leon, such a territory would even become a paradise for slaves and mobs, which is certainly unacceptable to noble gentlemen and aristocrats. Since the Homerians cannot manage this land properly, nor fulfill their duties as lords or exercise their power, shouldn’t the kingdom abolish the subordinate relationship between Homer and Leon?”

Almost gasping, Kakiya stared blankly at the young man before her, whose expression seemed unchanged, as if those words hadn’t come from him. A mere baron, the least notable among nobles—in Jazair, one could kick several barons just by stepping into any low-class tavern or café. A year ago, the Caucasus was nothing but a remote land with fewer than ten thousand people, its status even inferior to that of a farm around Jazair. Even now, despite rapid development, it was still far behind other territories. Yet his master, a baron granted his title not long ago, had the audacity to want this land to become a direct kingdom territory like Homer’s, and he himself wanted to become a direct vassal of His Majesty the King. Such ambitions were simply too excessive!

Faced with Kakiya’s astonished, shocked, confused, and even bizarre expression, Komer knew his words must have shocked her beyond comprehension. Yet he didn’t feel anything wrong about it. The kingdom’s military actions seemed to be advancing step by step, and there was great hope that the Caucasus and Leon could hold back Homer. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have sent someone as important as Kakiya, a top candidate among the throne heirs, to the Caucasus. Perhaps the true situation for him and the Caucasus was that they were valuable assets that could be exploited—if they didn’t seize the chance to extort the kingdom now, they might never get another opportunity. Besides, becoming a direct kingdom territory would only bring benefits to the kingdom, with no drawbacks. The tributes owed could be paid directly to the kingdom without going through Homer, and planting such a thorn in Homer’s side was exactly what the kingdom wanted, right?

If Komer’s first request—to become a direct kingdom territory—only made Kakiya think he was arrogant, then his second statement, revealing his ambitions for Leon, which was still in a state of anarchy, was nothing short of shameless extortion. After all, Leon’s actual control had never been in the hands of the kingdom’s central authority. A mere baron, struggling hard to ensure his own survival and that of his territory, could openly show ambition toward neighboring areas. Kakiya even wondered if this guy really had some kind of intellectual issue. Even if he had ambitions, he shouldn’t reveal them at such a time. Did he really think she would be impressed by his words and become his confidante, never betraying him? At the thought of it, Kakiya found it utterly ridiculous.

“My Lord Baron, don’t you think your demands are a bit excessive? Do you really believe the kingdom will give you these things just because it needs your help?” Her golden wavy hair fell across half of Kakiya’s face, either intentionally or not. Instead of directly answering his proposal, Kakiya challenged his underlying motives.

“Oh? It seems there’s a significant misunderstanding between me and Her Princess regarding this issue.” Comer’s attitude didn’t change despite her aggressive tone; he continued to explain his views in a calm and gentle voice: “I wonder if Her Princess thinks it’s excessive for me to wish to become directly loyal to His Majesty the King, or if she believes it’s excessive for me to want to sever Homer’s ties with Leon. If it’s the former, that would be strange—wouldn’t His Majesty prefer a vassal who is willing to be eternally loyal to him rather than one who first serves a rebellious lord?”

“As for the second point, I’m willing to dispel Princess Kakiya’s doubts. To be honest, under the current circumstances in Leon, there are no true nobles or gentlemen left in those lands. Most of them have turned into flesh and bones under the hammers and clubs of the half-orc slaves. No one is suitable to govern these lands anymore. If they truly fall back into Homer’s hands, it will not only strengthen his position against the kingdom but also pose a great threat to us in the Caucasus. I never deny that Homer could easily destroy the Caucasus without external interference. So both the Caucasus and I need a barrier—a barrier that can keep the Caucasus safe. It’s not that I, Comer, have ulterior motives toward Leon, but for survival, I fear I have no choice but to do so. Even if it cannot be officially recognized by the kingdom, I still must make efforts in this direction.”

Although Comer’s blunt honesty made Kakiya feel uncomfortable at first, once she calmed down and pondered the meaning behind his words, she realized that this baron, born into a wealthy family, seemed to possess the natural demeanor of a statesman—confident yet not arrogant, steady yet not rigid, witty and approachable. Though his age prevented him from being as cunning as some seasoned politicians, it was precisely this freshness that made Kakiya feel more at ease around him.

“My Lord Baron, if the system that maintains rule over the kingdom and even the entire continent is merely a symbolic gesture that can be ignored, then I must tell you that such an idea is a grave mistake.” Kakiya had no intention of yielding to his attitude. As a top candidate for the throne, debate had always been her strength, and she was in the advantage here as well. “It seems you think that stripping a lord of his ownership over his lands and appointing another noble as lord is a casual matter. Let me tell you, the reality is not what you imagine. This system is the foundation of the mortal governance system across the entire continent. If even this is ignored, I believe there is indeed a problem with the kingdom’s rule.”

“Hehe, Princess, times are changing, and rulers should adapt to the situation by modifying unreasonable systems and policies to better suit historical developments. Moreover, I recall there being a law in the kingdom stating that if a lord loses control of his lands to another lord illegally and cannot regain them, his right to rule over those lands should last for twenty years. However, if he fails to file a complaint with the Royal Court through proper procedures, the period is reduced to three years, after which the kingdom can reevaluate his right to rule. If the lands are not occupied by another lord but are in some other state preventing the original lord from regaining control, the period is only one year. I’m not sure if my memory is accurate, Princess?” Komer asked with a smile and raised his eyebrows.

Faced with his expertise in this area, Kakiya could only assume he had long been contemplating such matters, not that he was particularly learned. No one would bother memorizing those ancient and complex legal provisions, except perhaps the judges of the Royal Court. Kakiya doubted that Komer had enough energy for that.

“It seems My Lord Baron has indeed put in some effort in this area. Perhaps your legal basis does exist, but have you ever considered the kingdom’s situation from the perspective of others? In such a case, if the Caucasus becomes directly under the kingdom’s rule, what would Homer think? As for Leon, as you said, the Royal Court has not received any complaints from Homer yet. Whether the right to rule over these lands will expire in one year, I’m sorry, but I cannot give you an accurate answer at the moment.” Faced with his assertiveness, Kakiya began to use delaying tactics.

“If that’s the case, I’m very sorry. I thought our Caucasus region could serve His Majesty the King, but to see the kingdom still so rigid and conservative, even fearing Homer’s opinions, fills me with shame and surprise. Why can Homer ignore the kingdom’s wishes while the kingdom has to consider his feelings? Who is the master and who is the servant? Has my sense of logic gone awry?” With a shrug and a carefree smile, his somewhat exaggerated style made Komer’s words even sharper and more harsh.