Volume 21: The Path of Darkness

Chapter 1: The Invincible Fleet

The arrival of the group immediately stirred Kommer’s originally relaxed mood. It had been a long time since he had experienced the vibrant bodies of Lomei and Grace. Due to various taboos in the Caucasus and numerous affairs, Kommer had little energy to focus on such things. Yet, after narrowly escaping death, he seemed to cherish life even more. Perhaps only those who have experienced death can truly appreciate the preciousness of every detail in life.

Grace’s room was well-organized, but it wasn’t soundproof. However, this posed no challenge to Kommer—magical barriers were child’s play for a magician. Watching Lomei below, whose face had turned a strange rose red and whose half-closed eyes gradually lost their frenzied glow, Kommer found himself still without any urge to release his power.

Wave after wave of assault made Lomei’s body resemble a small boat struggling in a storm. She tried hard to control the raging horse within her, but realized she had no chance of winning. Extreme pleasure and exhaustion left her unable to withstand the Great Sage’s attention. Finally, Kommer calmed down during Lomei’s last near-explosive convulsion. There would be plenty of wonderful moments to enjoy later—there was no need to squander them now. Leaving some lingering sensation often meant the beginning of something new.

Grace’s resistance was even weaker than Lomei’s. After a few outbursts, she could only curl up in Kommer’s arms as a sign of surrender. The elves’ constitution was too sensitive, especially when it came to matters of love. The feeling of rekindling passion after a long separation made Grace even more excited and fervent, but her physique made her unsuited for fighting alone.

As Grace curled in Kommer’s arms, he felt relaxed. Lomei had already calmly accepted this reality. She seemed unconcerned about the nature of the relationship between Grace and Kommer, focusing only on her own status in his eyes. For her, perhaps everyone in the world was less important than the Great Sage—his god who had given her a second life.

His fluffy red hair trembled at Comer’s nose tip, and the faint fragrance made him desire to curl up in it and sleep forever. Compared to Lomei’s simple persistence, Grace appeared more graceful—her full, smooth body and selfless dedication made Comer feel guilty toward her. No wonder Javier and Bayezid had warned him so earnestly not to toy with such a perfect girl’s feelings; it would be a blasphemy, a desecration of his own morals.

Leaning leisurely on the soft sofa, the passion he had suppressed for months was released in one night. Although Lomei and Grace were still too weak to move, Comer didn’t feel relaxed or satisfied after the passion. He felt as if he were at the peak of an exquisite state, with every sound and sight within dozens of meters around him clearly reflected in his mind.

Hayreddin’s excitement gradually faded. The journey from the Caucasus to Corinth and then to Athens hadn’t tired this long-time sailor at sea. On the contrary, the thought of returning to his hometown, where he was born and raised, filled him with great enthusiasm.

“Lord, we’ve already been to Corinth. The ladies didn’t want to wait there for you, so Hayreddin boldly agreed to their request.” It was unclear what Comer thought of his unauthorized actions, but Hayreddin still felt uneasy given Comer’s silent expression the previous day.

“Hmm, fine, since you’re here. But this is Athens, and the Bábarosha family has considerable influence here. You need to be careful with your actions. Now isn’t the time to reveal your true identity.” Comer seemed preoccupied with other things, and his casual words made Hayreddin even more uneasy.

“Lord, rest assured. I’ve been away from Sparta for years. The Bábarosha family’s stronghold is in Patras. Athens isn’t under their complete control. Besides, I’ve deliberately changed my appearance, so no one should be able to recognize me,” Hayreddin said urgently.

“Mm, be careful. Have you been to Syvnos Island? What did you think?” Turning to the main topic, Comer gently stirred his coffee with a spoon. The rich aroma of coffee and cream filled the room.

“I really don’t understand why Lord Lord would purchase Island Sifnos.” The moment this question came up, Haiding was filled with doubt and frustration. To spend such a huge amount of money for a useless piece of land—everyone said this lord was a spendthrift. Could it be his judgment was flawed?
“Oh? Is there something wrong with it?” Komer ignored his anger. Impulsiveness wasn’t a good habit, and Haiding seemed to lack that aspect.
“In terms of area, geographical location, and the terrain of its coastline, Island Sifnos is indeed one of the most valuable lands in the South Central Ocean. But its location is rather special—it lies at the strategic crossroads between the Vast Continent and the three bays of the South Central Ocean, and it also leads south to the Storm Ocean. That’s why everyone wants to claim it. Although the Tyloans claim sovereignty over it, their current strength isn’t enough to interfere. The Corinthians have also long coveted this place, but the Red-Haired Witch Katrina and the Demisheme pirate group make them weigh the pros and cons. Perhaps the only one capable of controlling this island is the Red-Haired Witch, but Sifnos is a bit far from her base. She’s a pirate, not a navy officer—having her divert her efforts to occupy this island isn’t very worthwhile. As for those Demisheme guys, they have the strength but lack the will. They’ve been intimidated by the Red-Haired Witch and dare not cross beyond Sifnos.”
Before Haiding could finish speaking, Komer interrupted, “Isn’t that perfect? Since they all have their concerns, we can fill that gap.”
“Lord Lord, do you consider the Red-Haired Witch and the Demisheme insignificant?” Haiding, unable to contain his disbelief, exclaimed. This was simply childish!
“Well, what if I got the Red-Haired Witch’s permission—or even her support?” Komer asked, tilting his head slightly.
“Her support?!” After being shocked, Haiding’s gaze immediately fell on the calm-faced lord. “Are you saying Katrina’s fleet will support us in establishing ourselves on Sifnos?! That’s impossible!”

“Not bad. I don’t know how long this agreement will be valid, but it will probably last two or three years. In fact, all we need to deal with is that Demisheme pirate group. Although the Kardashev fleet has promised to help us, we can’t rely on outsiders. Sifnos Island will become a stronghold, a base, a springboard for the Caucasus in the Southern Mid-Sea. In the future, when relations with the North become unpredictable, Sifnos Island will serve as a link and bridge between the Caucasus and the South. Hayreddin, I give you two years—no, one and a half years. I’ll only give you one and a half years to assemble a fleet, a proper armed fleet!” Kommer spoke calmly, but his words carried unwavering determination.

Hayreddin silently weighed the intentions behind Kommer’s words. An armed fleet meant a fleet that could be used both for military and civilian purposes—capable of repelling the Demisheme pirates’ provocations while also handling trade between the Caucasus and the South, even with the Unknown Continent. This wasn’t easy. Hayreddin wasn’t someone who made light promises; reputation was more important to him than life itself.

“My lord, I must say that balancing both aspects is likely very difficult,” Hayreddin said after a long pause, shaking his head reluctantly. “Even with the support of the Kardashev fleet, we can’t ignore the Demisheme pirates’ vigilance. They won’t tolerate an outsider extending their influence near their territory. They may tolerate Katerina, but they won’t submit to us.”

“Then we’ll beat them into submission!” Kommer said coldly. “I can provide whatever you need. There’s only one goal: to ensure our foothold in the Southern Mid-Sea!”

“Unless my lord agrees to allow me to establish an armed fleet separate from the trade fleet, I won’t be able to complete the task you’ve assigned me,” Hayreddin replied without backing down.

“Oh? Did I say no?” Kommer’s eyes flashed. “Whether it’s a trade fleet or an armed fleet, it’s within your authority! My short-term goal is to protect the Caucasus’ trade interests in the Southern Mid-Sea and ensure our stability there. My long-term goal is to establish a convenient trade route from the Caucasus to the Unknown Continent. As long as you can achieve this, you can do whatever you want! If necessary, I’ll do my utmost to assist you!”

“Well then, I request that my lord assign someone else specifically to manage the trade fleet. I would rather build an invincible fleet for my lord that can dominate the seas, making Katrina’s fleet look up to us and forcing Demisheme to kneel at your feet!” Hayreddin’s eyes also brimmed with pride. With Komer’s statement, his tone became much more firm. If it were just about leading a fleet himself, he was confident he could defeat any fleet given enough time; even Katrina’s red-haired witch’s fleet, he was sure he could challenge.