Chapter 8: I Am Willing
Lome wisely retreated to another room. Though she was reluctant to let Komer be alone with this elegantly dressed priest, her intelligence allowed her to see from the Grand Priest’s slightly tired yet serious expression that he surely had something important to discuss privately with this female priest.
Eve felt uneasy under Komer’s deep and bright gaze. She knew very well that she too needed to have a serious conversation with this new partner who was trying to turn the situation around. The enemy’s strength was unprecedented; they had slowed down within the Kingdom of Bohemia but still hired assassins to eliminate them, showing that they would stop at nothing.
“Eve, do you think we should discuss our plans carefully?” His gentle smile carried an undertone of silent mockery, as if reminding the female priest that it might be time to reveal the truth.
Biting her lower lip lightly, Eve brushed aside her falling hair and, after gathering her thoughts, slowly said, “Komer, I’m sorry. I didn’t tell you everything at first. Well, there were some things I wanted to wait until we were out of danger before telling you. I didn’t expect them to pursue us so closely. It seems they’re determined not to give up until they achieve their goal.”
A faint, sad smile appeared on Eve’s face as she worried about the fate of their group. “Our Black Rose Mercenary Group paid a heavy price but still managed to uncover some information. I was also a witness. Since I studied white magic and light magic, I had the chance to go to Marco for studies. I saw with my own eyes two mages from the Light Church involved when the last members of our group were killed. I managed to avoid their attack by chance. There were also court knights from some northern alliance countries among the attackers. I don’t know why they joined forces, but one thing is certain: it’s all related to that mission that cost our family their lives. After that mission, our Black Rose Mercenary Group continued to investigate the incident, but we were targeted multiple times. Our investigators paid a heavy price, and we finally discovered that the client was a weapons dealer. But this man was assassinated three days after placing the order. Before working for our group, this weapons dealer had frequent contact with a bishop from the Light Church. Once we realized this, misfortune kept haunting us until our group was completely destroyed.”
Faced with Eve, who was already on the verge of tears, Komer simply handed her a silk handkerchief in silence without saying a word. It wasn’t until the end that he asked lightly, “Are you saying you suspect this arms dealer was acting as a middleman in weapons transactions between the Light Church and the orcs?”
“This arms dealer was quite famous in the Northern Alliance and held significant influence. He had connections to the courts and high-ranking clergy of various countries, as well as to dark forces across the land, and he also maintained ties with foreign ethnic groups. Yet three days after this deal, he died mysteriously in his own villa, along with all his bodyguards and two mage friends—none of them survived. Such a thing isn’t something an ordinary person could do. From what we know, the day before he was killed, three mages from the Light Church appeared in the area where his villa was located—a rare occurrence. We also found out that knights from the Nokso Kingdom in the Northern Alliance were there at that time as well.” Wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes, Eve didn’t directly answer his question but merely recounted what she knew.
Letting out a deep sigh, Komer felt a headache coming on. This situation seemed to confirm his suspicions—the weapon parts must have been ordered by the orcs, and obtaining those orders clearly required the approval of certain countries in the Northern Alliance and the Light Church. As for what conditions the orcs might offer in exchange for such a reckless move by the humans, and what measures the humans might use to restrain the orcs, those were beyond Komer’s knowledge.
But now wasn’t the time to investigate the truth of this matter. What needed to be considered was how to get rid of these relentless pursuers. The further south they went, the weaker the influence of the Light Church and the Northern Alliance would be, restricting their movements even more. But that wasn’t a lasting solution. Unless they reached a place completely under their control, it seemed Gagauzia was the only option left.
Komer had not overlooked the risks, but he also believed it could not be the intention of all the high-ranking members of the Church of Light. After all, not everyone would dare to get involved in such shady dealings. It was far more likely that some ambitious individual within the Church of Light had taken this risky move to expand their power and influence. As for the allies who joined forces with them, it was even simpler—gaining the support of powerful figures within the Church of Light would greatly enhance the country’s strength and influence. Not everyone could remain calm in the face of such temptation. If he could keep this secret to himself, he might become a thorn in the Church of Light’s side, but he would also possess a weapon that could make them wary. Perhaps this was also a risk, but it seemed worth it.
Seeing the young priestess looking at him with hopeful eyes, Komer’s heart warmed. For the sake of his companions’ trust, he should take this risk. Moreover, in Bohemia and at the next stop, the Kingdom of Rosenburg, Komer believed his opponents would not dare launch another attack for a while. As long as he could return to the Caucasus successfully, everything would be much easier. In the Caucasus, anyone who wanted to stir up trouble first had to ask whether he agreed.
Naturally, Komer gently pushed the hair that had fallen across the young priestess’s forehead due to her excitement behind her ear. His deep eyes shone with confidence. “Don’t worry too much, Eve. There’s no river too difficult to cross—at least not for me. Let’s rest peacefully these next few days and enjoy the sunshine in the City of Magic. I believe they won’t cause trouble in Prague again. Next, we’ll go to the Kingdom of Rosenburg. I have friends there. If they try to cause trouble there, I’ll just make them taste pain.”
His unparalleled presence and strong confidence made Eve’s heart soar, melting into the bright sunlight streaming through the window. Even facing the most difficult challenges, he showed no hesitation or fear. This was what a true knight, a true man, was like. Komer’s calm gaze and broad chest seemed like a haven where one could shelter from any storm. If she could be in such a man’s arms, no storm or tempest could frighten her. At that moment, Eve was almost infatuated.
Seeing the intoxicated expression on the young priestess’s face, Komer found himself once again acting as he did before his exile—winning women’s hearts had always been the most basic tactic for rogue nobles, and when combined with their own strength, it made them almost invincible. Gently lifting Eve’s chin, her rosy lips appeared striking under the sunlight. With her eyes half-closed in ecstasy, her pitiful yet alluring charm made it impossible to control oneself. Though Komer knew this wasn’t the best time to indulge his emotions, if he could still restrain himself under such circumstances, he thought such a life might not be so bad. He gently pressed his lips against her slightly reddened lips; the faint fragrance was refreshing. Komer could barely hold back his impulses. Her delicate body leaned against his chest, and the slight tremors of her body, even the heartbeat of her heart, seemed to be transmitted to him without reservation. He almost bit his teeth to prevent himself from placing his hands on her full breasts. He didn’t want to ruin this wonderful atmosphere; instead, he simply held her slender waist. The sunlight, the air, the fragrance, the tranquility—everything was so delightful that it made one forget the passage of time. It wasn’t until Bayezid’s thick local accent came from outside that the two snapped out of their trance. Like frightened rabbits, she quickly broke free from Komer’s hold on her waist and rushed to the door, her flushed cheeks even hotter than the sunlight. Seeing that Komer seemed to want to say something, the priestess’s dazed gaze suddenly cleared. She shook her head slightly and bit her red lips, saying, “Don’t say anything. I agree.” Although the greatest crisis seemed to have passed temporarily for the group, it didn’t mean they could truly enjoy the sunlight and comfort in Prague as Komer had said. All the procedures related to the Dark Angel Mercenaries and Komer’s stone necklace were still unresolved, and Javier’s keen sense of smell also seemed to have vanished. Despite wandering around the mausoleum area of Mosonass all day, they still hadn’t found any trace of their former companion, which kept Komer and the others who were watching the performances of various magical masters feeling uneasy.
Although Lebrui, Sorenborg, and Haireding didn’t know why Komer had suddenly joined such an obscure small mercenary group, all three had seen Komer’s abilities and knew that this Caucasus lord seemed to have a deep purpose behind every action of his, so they weren’t surprised. Besides, this magic festival was indeed worth attending, so the group stayed there to enjoy themselves, hoping that this competition bringing together magic experts from across the continent would broaden their horizons.