Chapter Seventeen: Unconventional Recruitment

Clarence stared at the young man before him, enveloped in a mysterious aura, with a mix of fear and astonishment. It was the first time he had seen this guy, whose features seemed to bear a resemblance to Mr. Ramla. Although the “Three Wolves of Cyprus” were well-known in Homer, it was merely a nickname for the dissolute youths of Homer’s upper class. Such scum were beneath even recognition as the chief magician of Homer’s most powerful magic guild. As for Ramla Reiser, even as the treasurer, Clarence had little interest in getting to know him. He never imagined he would end up facing Baron Komer Reiser in such a situation.

The bodies of the five Azure Wyverns lay before them. Clarence knew all too well the trouble these wyverns had caused—seven knights had died. Looking around, only Dravad, Shevrey, and Delbano were still barely alive, curled up nearby. Delbano seemed to have received treatment, and it seemed to have worked fairly well. Though his complexion remained pale, his spirit was no longer as dim as before; at least his life was no longer in danger.

“Lord Baron, what do you plan to do?” Clarence asked, trying to suppress his restless emotions. To be honest, he had no idea what the other party intended. But on their side, they had no chance of resistance at all. The fact that the Azure Wyverns had been slain in such a short time proved their strength. Clarence couldn’t imagine when the Caucasus would gain such formidable power. Could it be that the kingdom’s court magicians hadn’t left and had been supporting the Caucasus all along?

“Mr. Clarence, it depends on you. I didn’t expect to meet you here. On our way to conquer Leon, we still found time to hunt by the Ice Lake. You truly have a refined taste, Mr. Clarence,” Komer said with a slight smile. “It’s a pity you seem to have overestimated your abilities. When I first saw such a tragic scene, I couldn’t help but tremble. Apart from admiring your courage and boldness, I’m at a loss for words.”

Listening to the other party’s insincere words, Clarence was also pondering what they really intended. Did they want to kill them? It didn’t seem likely; if that were the case, there would be no need to capture them first and waste so much time in talk. Were they trying to kidnap them for a ransom? That was possible—Homer would surely be willing to pay a substantial ransom for them. But since they were in a state of war, such a deal would likely have to wait until after the war ended. Yet Clarence had no idea how the war would end. Without the support of the mage and a group of important knights, and with the Caucasians showing such strength, no one could predict the outcome.

“It depends on us? My lord baron, your actions violate the rules you should follow as a vassal of Duke Philip. Therefore, the duke intends to take back everything he has granted you. Your resistance is futile. I suggest you accept the duke’s offer and surrender immediately. Of course, the decision is up to you. I’m merely conveying his advice. Even if you gain the upper hand, it’s unlikely you can change the outcome of this war.” Clarence tried to keep a calm and composed attitude.

“Ha, Mr. Clarence. First, I must thank you for your kindness. But the balance of power in this war is already tilting in favor of the Caucasians. You seem to see that, but you don’t see further ahead. What can Homer’s army do without its mage? Flee in panic like they did against the half-orcs last time? As for Philip claiming I’ve violated the rules, it seems he also ignores the decrees issued by His Majesty the King. If the higher-ups set such an example, then he certainly doesn’t have the right to question me. The rule of Leon was entrusted to me by the Royal Court through a decree. Shouldn’t Philip, as a king’s vassal, be punished for openly defying the authority of the Royal Court?” Komer shook his head, fiddling with the black crystal staff in his hand. The flowing dark light kept distracting Clarence, who couldn’t help but stare at that magnificent staff. It was astonishing that such a powerful artifact was in the other party’s hands. Clarence felt a suffocating sense of anger. “Well, I think we’d better stop discussing things you can’t change. I believe it’s necessary to talk about the fate of you all.”

Clarence suddenly felt nervous. What did these guys want? The two knights beside Komer, with their gloomy expressions, were clearly not Light Knights; they might even be Dark Knights. Burzin had once told him that there might be Dark Ones operating in the Caucasus. Perhaps this Komer was their backer. Although Clarence had no prejudice against the Dark Ones, having spent so much time with the mages of the Light Church, he still subconsciously felt aversion toward them.

Noticing Clarence’s nervous gaze on him, Komer smiled slightly. “Mr. Clarence, you don’t deny that as a hired mage of the Homer Magic Corps, you’ve come south this time to deal with me and my army, right? I bear no ill will toward you personally, but as a hired mage, you’re here to threaten my rule over my territory. Now that you’re my captives, according to the civil rights laws common across the continent, it seems I have the right to execute you, auction you off, or release you. What do you think I should do with you?”

Clarence felt his mouth go dry. Only then did he realize that there seemed to be a fierce killing intent in the other man’s eyes, and the smile on his lips seemed to indicate that he was nothing but a lamb at his mercy. Clarence tried hard to control his emotions, but he found himself at a loss for words to persuade him.

“Uh, My Lord Baron, we’re merely following the Duke’s orders. As for the grudges between you and the Duke, I think it’s not appropriate for us to interfere. But I believe you can resolve this matter in a relatively peaceful way, right?” Clarence struggled to find words that wouldn’t provoke him, but asking Homer to rescue them himself was something he found hard to say.

“Mr. Clarence, I understand your thoughts. But you should be aware that the issue between me and Philip seems impossible to resolve peacefully. Do you think I’d let you go back and continue to harm and threaten me? No, not at all. There are only two paths before you—choose one.” Komer’s tone suddenly turned fierce and cold, his violent and savage aura pressing down on Clarence until he could hardly breathe. “Death or life—there’s no other choice for you.”

Cold sweat trickled down Clarence’s forehead. He was certain this man before him wasn’t lying at all. With no sign of Burzin in sight, Clarence had no reason not to suspect that Burzin, the mage from the Church of Light, had disappeared from the world. The reason was obvious—these men were making blatant threats without any hesitation. It seemed that if he didn’t meet their demands, they would truly kill him to silence him.

“Uh, Baron, may I first hear what exactly you mean by those two options?” At this moment, Clarence had to stay calm. The other party might just be bluffing, and holding on a little longer might be better. But what if they really turned hostile? Panic filled Clarence’s heart.

“Of course. There’s no need to explain the dead end—everyone knows the danger posed by the Azure Wyrm. Challenging it will surely come at a cost, especially when you don’t even know it’s a nest of Azure Wyrm. As for the path to survival? Serve me and become my mage in the Caucasus!” Komer’s voice was low, but his tone left no room for doubt.

Clarence glanced at him in surprise. He had guessed such intentions after all this nonsense—the other party always had ulterior motives. But Clarence had thought it more likely they would demand a ransom. Serve him? It wasn’t impossible. Given the right conditions, mages were willing to serve any master. But there were also professional ethics in hiring mages—they wouldn’t make any promises until they had fulfilled their own duties. And right now, they were still mages hired by Homer.

Seeing Clarence’s expression, Komer realized his identity didn’t provoke much resistance in him. His greatest fear had been that these mages would be hostile toward those of the Dark Order. If that were the case, Clarence wouldn’t have any reason to stay. But it seemed that at least this earth mage wasn’t as hostile to the Dark Order as he had feared. He must have sensed the dark aura surrounding Vladkov and Sorenberg.

“Baron Komer, it seems you’ve forgotten that we are still mages hired by Duke Philip. I can’t accept your request,” Clarence replied firmly after hesitating for a moment. Mages also had their dignity and personality. Those who lost morality and reason weren’t worthy of being called mages.

“Hmm, I know. If you become my captives now, won’t that mean your mission is over once this battle is over, Mr. Clarence?” Komer nodded calmly.

“What do you mean?” Clarence asked doubtfully.
“I mean you are now my prisoners. In fact, you have lost your fighting ability and can no longer participate in this war. I can let you live for now. But can you give me your promise that once I win this war, you will join the Caucasus Mage Corps? Of course, if I lose, it’s all off.” Komer stared intently into their eyes.