Chapter 9: The Journey
Hayreddin was somewhat moved by Komer’s calmness. After all, such matters should undoubtedly be considered true secrets—having a secret agreement with the foremost pirate leader in the Abyssal Sea. If these words fell into the ears of those who were interested, who knew what turmoil they might cause? Yet the other party seemed unfazed by this issue, perhaps out of confidence in himself or simply unafraid that anyone else would learn about it.
“Lord Baron, although the Gray Skulls are competing with the Red-Haired Witch for dominance over the Northern Mid-Sea, the southern part of the Abyssal Sea is still their stronghold. I believe they must be vigilant against the Homer Navy. Manhattan isn’t too far from Rhode Island. If the Homer Navy truly extends its reach to Manhattan, I doubt the Gray Skulls will remain indifferent. If Lord Baron were to negotiate properly with Gott, I’m sure he would agree as well,” Hayreddin insisted on his view.
“No, no, Hayreddin. You don’t seem to understand the situation fully. A cunning old fox like Gott has managed to thrive in the Abyssal Sea for so many years. Do you really think there’s no connection between him and Philip? Their understanding likely exceeds that of some allies. If you place your hopes on him, you’ll be the one to suffer in the end. I’ve never believed in anything I can’t control. I’m satisfied if the Gray Skulls guarantee they won’t attack merchant fleets traveling to Manhattan. As for everything else, it depends on us,” Komer said, waving his hand leisurely.
“But Lord Baron, communicating with the Jellyfish People is extremely difficult. They have no desires for the outside world and refuse to interact with it. They seem content with their current way of life. How can we communicate with them? And what gives us the right to persuade them?” Hayreddin finally gave up trying to convince Komer to take action regarding the Gray Skulls. He had already realized that this lord had a unique way of handling things—everything had to be under his control, and he preferred not to deal with anything he couldn’t control.
“Trust me, there will be a way. As long as it’s humans, they always have needs and weaknesses. Why do they establish strongholds? It’s to communicate with the outside world—this shows they still have some interaction with the outside. It’s just that people can’t identify or satisfy their needs. As long as we can do that, I believe this obstacle isn’t insurmountable.” Komer smiled. He had great confidence in himself regarding this matter. He had conducted thorough investigations in advance and made some targeted arrangements. Now it depended on the situation once they entered the Java Marshes.
The night-long talks in Odessa finally convinced Hayreddin Barbarossa to wholeheartedly follow Komer to Luxembourg. Hayreddin could sense the Caucasus lord’s desire to control maritime rights. From the situation in the northern Abyssal Sea to the affairs in the Southern Central Ocean, Komer showed keen interest. In his words, he also expressed hope that the Caucasus could form its own fleet under the lord’s command. Though he hadn’t specified whether it would be a merchant fleet or a war fleet, this indication still filled Hayreddin with ecstasy. Being able to command a fleet, even just a war fleet, was almost a lifetime dream for any sailor. He, too, was no exception. He even fantasized about one day leading a fleet to sail gloriously across the Southern Central Ocean, showing those who had once looked down on and humiliated him what true Hayreddin Barbarossa was like!
Rebri found it interesting that Komer had captured a follower so easily. He could see that although this new recruit was strong, he was actually just an ordinary warrior at best. In terms of combat skills, he couldn’t compare to knights like Sorenborg or Vladkov. He was even inferior to Fran and Baoling, the self-defense troops and lord’s guards who stayed behind in Ugru to train under Komer. Yet Rebri had noticed that the baron seemed suddenly filled with interest in everything related to the sea. Perhaps this was the only reason the lord wanted to recruit this man with the red beard.
Thinking again of the destination of their journey this time, Lebrí couldn’t help but wonder whether Lord Kommer truly intended to remain in that position as a lord of the Caucasus. In his view, this lord possessed unparalleled talent in magic cultivation, though Lebrí still hadn’t figured out where Kommer’s extraordinary magical powers came from. The claim that he had developed them on his own was pure lies, yet Lebrí could still observe the astonishing ability of this enigmatic young lord to switch effortlessly between dark and light magic. His composure in this regard was enough to shame any dark or light mage, and even Lebrí himself had to admit he was inferior to this young lord despite having spent over twenty years in this field.
If Kommer really devoted too much attention to governing his domain, Lebrí felt it would be a great loss to the magical world. A person’s energy is limited; focusing too much on worldly affairs not only affected a mage’s progress in magical cultivation but also made them susceptible to interference from secular factors. Lebrí wasn’t opposed to a mage who was also a lord paying appropriate attention to worldly affairs, as a favorable external environment could provide better conditions, which in turn might speed up skill development under certain circumstances. But this should never become the norm—ultimately, a mage’s abilities could only grow through self-practice and self-discipline, without a doubt. Yet now, Kommer seemed to be taking an unconventional path, which worried Lebrí. He didn’t want such a magical genius, especially one capable of wielding both dark and light magic, to be wasted on trivial worldly matters.
Still, he agreed to help Kommer on the journey to the Jellyfish People-controlled Java Marshes, as it seemed crucial for the survival of the Caucasus. He also wanted to take this opportunity to see what the mysterious Java Marshes were like.
For Sorenberg, wherever he went was a form of training. As a knight, facing various risks and challenges was an essential part of his journey of self-improvement. Only by constantly seeking challenges could he advance and break through limits. Sorenberg’s combat energy had reached a new level, though it was still quite unstable at the moment. He needed to go through life-and-death experiences to truly understand the changes and principles behind his combat energy at this stage. This time, he was glad to have secured this mission ahead of Vladkov—it was a highly tempting and challenging task. No one could predict what would happen in the Java Marshes; only by facing such challenges could he fully unleash his potential.
From Odessa, they took an inland river ship and sailed northwest. After two days, they reached the confluence of the canal and the Sim River, in Plovdiv, an important inland port city in the Homer region. A canal running roughly from northeast to southwest connected these rivers, making inland transportation in the kingdom heavily dependent on waterways—especially for bulky and important goods like grain, coal, and ore. Unless it was extremely urgent, merchants preferred water transport due to its large capacity and low cost. From here, heading west would take them into the heart of the Calais region. Gutenberg was the western end of the canal and also the endpoint of Komer’s water journey. From there, traveling west by carriage would allow them to cross the border of the Kingdom of Nicosia and enter another member of the Northern Alliance—the Principality of Bessarabia. From Bessarabia, heading southwest would lead them to the famous magical kingdom of Bohemia. Passing through Bohemia and heading south would bring them to the final destination of Komer’s group: the Kingdom of Luxembourg.
Lome noticed that the Grand Sage seemed to become somewhat unstable after turning south from Plovdiv. That mysterious Mr. Rebrí also seemed to enjoy looking at the Grand Sage with a mocking gaze, sometimes even making strange remarks to tease him. The Grand Sage seemed to respond to this with only an odd silence. Lome didn’t know what secret lay between the two, but why did this situation arise only after passing Plovdiv?
Komer was indeed hesitant. As he got closer to Gutenberg, Viola’s image became clearer in his mind. Although she had disappeared without a trace since leaving, Komer could sense that she was in Gutenberg. But could he actually meet her?
The situation in Calais is not much better either. As the central military forces of the kingdom grow stronger, its attitude toward the various lords has become increasingly harsh. Some smaller and medium-sized lords have been forced to accept the Edict of Utrecht under central pressure, which has left the larger lords extremely dissatisfied and further strained relations between them. If it weren’t for the uncertain movements of the northern beasts, Komer believed war might be inevitable.
What is Vero doing now? Komer stood at the bow of the ship, gazing southwest. The prince of Bohemia? It seems that old Zelin wants to use his daughter’s life in exchange for military aid. But can Bohemia really help Calais overcome its difficulties? Komer was skeptical. Between them lay a member state of the Northern Alliance—the Principality of Bessarabia, a complication that didn’t seem easy to resolve.