Chapter 20: Rights and Interests

“Recall what he said when he gave you that crossbow case back then,” Dou Lvtai said with a hint of pride in her eyes.
“What did he say? Nothing much. What could he have said? I’ve always thought he had something wrong with his head—he’s a neurotic guy,” Thomas replied without hesitation.
A hint of dissatisfaction flashed in Dou Lvtai’s eyes. Her brother seemed intelligent, but it was unclear where his thoughts were focused. She was discussing serious matters with him, yet he was distracted. If not for his strong backing, she would never have supported him.
Noticing the displeasure on her sister’s face, the young man smiled slightly, put down his book, took a sip of coffee, and asked curiously, “What? Do you really think that by being appointed to that position in the Caucasus, he can help us navigate the Catalan River? I’m really curious how he made you believe he can do that.”
Only then did Dou Lvtai’s mood improve. It seemed her brother wasn’t completely foolish. Clearly, the impression left by that minor noble last time had stuck with him, especially regarding the navigability of the Catalan River—he hadn’t forgotten about it. She had only mentioned it briefly, and he immediately picked it up.
“Thomas, don’t underestimate Kemmer now. This guy gives me a strange feeling. He seems to have changed a lot since he was in Cyprus. Back then, he seemed more like he was pretending to be profound. But now, the confidence and depth he exudes are obvious without any pretense. Well, I’d say he gives off an air of reliability—a quality not everyone can achieve.”
Dou Lvtai tried hard to recall the situation. Although she wasn’t aware of Kemmer’s identity as a magician, she was convinced that a mere baron could never appear so composed and even condescending in front of her. This could only mean the guy possessed some unknown other strength.
“Oh? Really?”

Thomas was truly surprised. His sister was a proud and high-minded person. Though she appeared approachable on the surface, her arrogance was well-known in the upper circles of the Duchy of Rosenberg. She dismissed ordinary people outright, and only those with significant influence earned her comments. As for that minor noble from the Caucasus, although he was already a local lord, the Caucasus was merely a desolate region mentioned in legends. The reason he was appointed to rule there seemed to be closely related to Tracy. It appeared he had also recklessly tried to win Tracy’s favor, angering Grand Duke Philip, which led to his exile to the Caucasus—a form of indirect banishment, though his family’s reputation was spared by giving his father the position of treasurer.

Yet Thomas had heard that this man was doing rather well in the Caucasus, having connected with the high-ranking officials of the Kingdom of Nicomedia. Although he was suspected of being used as a pawn in the conflict between the central government and the nobles there, it was still far better than being forgotten in the shadows. Moreover, with the chaotic situation in the Leon region, which connected the Caucasus to the Homeric heartland, the Caucasus was in a strange semi-independent state, further boosting this man’s influence. However, the Caucasus seemed to have little to do with the Duchy of Rosenberg, aside from the Catania River. It was hard for Thomas to believe that this man could change a reality that had persisted for decades. Still, since Dou Lvtai held him in such high regard, there must be a reason. He was curious about what exactly interested Dou Lvtai so much.

Seeing the thoughtful expression on the young man’s face, Dou Lvtai knew his brother was once again projecting his own assumptions onto others. A hint of anger appeared on her face. She cleared her throat lightly, reminding him not to jump to conclusions. Although that man was also a noble and appeared attractive to girls, he was merely a minor, insignificant noble whose fief was a barren and remote wasteland. How could she possibly be interested in him? Compared to her, he wasn’t even worth mentioning. “Thomas, I think you should focus on more important things. This man’s visit to Rosenberg might bring us both some unexpected things. Don’t underestimate him—he’s not the weakling he used to be.”

“Oh? I’m curious—based on what aspects do you conclude that he possesses value worth our attention? Don’t tell me it’s something like making the Catalonia River navigable; I won’t believe that something the Duchy of Rosenberg hasn’t managed after decades of effort can be solved by some minor Caucasus lord with a mere wave of his hand. That would be an insult to the Duchy of Rosenberg. Nor will I be fooled by some vague notion like intuition—I certainly won’t believe that either.” At this moment, Thomas finally regained his usual stern demeanor, speaking with authority. He was no longer his brother’s counterpart but rather a strong contender for the throne of the Duchy of Rosenberg asking these questions.

After Dou Lvtai detailed everything she had seen and heard, as well as the strange behavior of the people accompanying Komer, Thomas fell into deep thought. The behavior of those young women, as described by Dou Lvtai, wasn’t worth much attention. Whether they were elves or priests, at such an age they were merely beginners, holding little significance for them. However, the behavior of the two other individuals made Thomas hesitate.

According to her, the middle-aged man must be at least a magician of considerable skill. Though Dou Lvtai wasn’t a practitioner of magic, she had always been very interested in it. Through prolonged exposure, she had developed a keen sensitivity to magical auras. By her estimation, that man possessed a powerful level of magic, and a strong magical ability meant his spellcasting skills were surely high as well. The cold aura emanating from the other man resembled that of the dark sects from the south, but according to Dou Lvtai, his attire looked more like that of a knight. Could it be a dark knight? That would indeed be interesting.

Seeing his brother remain silent in thought, Dou Lvtai knew Thomas needed time to process the shock she had brought him. The fact that he could easily analyze the advantages and disadvantages in the power balance between the Duchy of Rosenberg and the Kingdom of Bohemia, and pinpoint Rosenberg’s current predicament, suggested that this Komer really had some remarkable skills. Could it be that the trials in the Caucasus had truly transformed him, or had he always been hiding his true abilities?

“Thomas, now is not the time to consider how this guy can solve the Jellyfish People problem. What we need to focus on are the potential impacts and benefits this could bring. This minor noble isn’t as easy to deal with as we thought. Perhaps before arriving in Rosenburg, he only knew us two, but once he claims to be able to travel freely through the river routes in the Great Swamp, his value is likely to skyrocket. I think we should form an exclusive alliance with him before that happens. This will not only prevent others from getting involved but also greatly strengthen our position.”

Thomas seemed somewhat tempted by Dou Lvtai’s suggestion, but now wasn’t the right time. He needed to confirm whether this guy truly had such capabilities. The extreme exclusivity of the Jellyfish People was well-known across the continent—no one could communicate with them, and they seemed to have no need for any contact with the outside world, aside from some mysterious itinerant merchants. But as far as Thomas knew, even those merchants who had dealt with them for decades had never managed to penetrate deep into the Great Swamp; at most, they exchanged goods at a few outposts on the periphery.

The exposure of Komer’s identity surprised the members of the Night Angel Mercenary Group, though it also made sense. There was an indescribable complexity in their reactions. The stark difference in status seemed to widen the gap between Komer and the others, and everyone, including Eve, didn’t know how to deal with this sudden change.

Komer had also been thinking about how to explain this to them, but he didn’t believe it would harm his relationship with his companions. No matter what his identity was, he at least had no ill intentions toward them. In fact, his status as a Caucasus lord could even provide them with a safe environment where they could relax after all those years of constant tension and flight. After enduring such stress, they should be happy to have this opportunity.

However, Eve and the others’ reaction surprised Komer. They clearly stated they wanted to part ways with him and would head south via Rosenburg. They hoped the Night Angel Mercenary Group could rebuild its reputation in the south. But Komer felt it wouldn’t be that simple.

A mercenary group doesn’t necessarily have to go to the south to be effective. To be honest, Eve and the others vary greatly in skill level, and their combination is extremely unreasonable. It’s very difficult for such a small mercenary group to establish a foothold in the competitive southern nations. Having spent some time in the mercenary world, they should understand this well. However, if they can stay in the talent-scarce Caucasus, it would be of great help to them, especially since they still hope to reap benefits from the chaotic Leon region—where talent is even more crucial.

Xavier and Bayezid don’t seem to agree with this idea, while Briarnos has no opinion at all. The decision lies with Eve and Grace. It seems I need to have a serious talk with them.