Chapter 2: At Your Disposal

Hoffman’s expression turned extremely ugly. That damned guy had once sworn to support him wholeheartedly, yet now he was using such excuses to shirk his responsibilities. Some so-called orc threat? Did he think he wasn’t aware? The Resurrection Society’s resurgence was driving the upper ranks of the Church of Light into despair, and even the Inquisition was in a state of panic. They had all flocked to Marco to discuss strategies. But now that these light mages left, the strength of the court mage corps was reduced by half. He had no idea how many cards Kakiya still held hidden. The idea of launching a campaign in the southwest could no longer be brought up.

“Lord Onia, I understand the difficult situation your Church of Light is in now. The sudden emergence of shamanic power among the orcs is beyond what we mortals could have imagined. But I doubt whether their shamanic power truly matches that of our mortal mages. Looking at their current behavior—after occupying Jazair, they’ve done little beyond pretending to establish a so-called Bimon Kingdom—they haven’t moved south at all if their power were truly that great.”

“Most of our kingdom’s military forces have been depleted. The orcs know this better than anyone. With the support of shamanic power, they could easily march south all the way to Bessarabia! But they haven’t done so, which only proves there are still weaknesses in their strength—they’re not as powerful as we thought. So I believe our top priority should be resolving the separatist issues in the southwest first. To defend against external threats, we must first stabilize our own affairs. Once the southwest problem is solved, with the support of the four great lords and your Church of Light’s help, I’m sure the orcs’ stay in the Kingdom of Nicomedia will be brief.”

Onia listened politely to the other party’s opinions. It was clear they were dissatisfied with his attitude, but he was powerless to help. He had to follow Marco’s orders. Besides, the Church of Light’s situation was indeed dire. The most urgent task was to consolidate forces to confront the challenges from the Freemasons, not to help these secular princes fight for power. As long as the Freemasons were suppressed, whichever side seized secular power would still need the Church of Light’s support—this was something Onia firmly believed.

“Your Highness Hoffman, I will convey your opinions to the Pope and the two archbishops as soon as I return to Marco. Please remain calm. Although the forces in the southwest are aggressive at present, they have not taken any concrete action. Those half-orc armies are merely showy and insignificant. All you need to do is stay calm and restrained. Such a pretense created to attract attention will dissipate in no time. By then, once Marco accepts your advice, we will immediately help you retrieve what belongs to you.”

“Oh, I truly hope Lord Onia can obtain definite instructions from Marco as soon as possible. I’ve waited too long. The Kingdom of Nicosia cannot continue to drag its feet; otherwise, it will lead to an irreparable disaster. Please be sure to convey my request to the Pope and the two archbishops.”

Onia wore a comforting smile, which only made Hoffman feel even more frustrated. This guy always brushed things off so casually, speaking in an overly relaxed manner. But the situation was changing by the day. Once the mages of the Light Church from the court mage group returned to Marco, who could say what the forces in the southwest would do upon hearing the news? By then, what role could Marco, who was thousands of miles away, play? Perhaps they had already decided to cooperate only with the ultimate victor.

At this thought, Hoffman shuddered. Without the support of the Light Church, and with those great lords always ready to change sides, maybe they were also hoping that Kakiya would overthrow him so they could seize the opportunity to declare independence. This was the last thing Hoffman wanted to see, but he was powerless to change the situation. It all stemmed from that damned Komer! Who would have thought that this insignificant minor lord would cause him such trouble at this time? To resolve the current crisis, the best approach was to cut off Kakiya’s support—by targeting Komer.

So, did he have no choice but to remain low-key and restrained now? Hoffman thought reluctantly. Kakiya was currently in high spirits and had even declared openly that the Star Court had rejected his right of succession, claiming only she was qualified to inherit the Romanov dynasty. Riding on this wave of momentum, the minor nobles and merchants in the entire southwest region were restless, as if preparing for a change of power. Even some of the minor nobles in the central region, who had remained silent until now, were showing interest. If he didn’t take countermeasures in time, he might indeed be overthrown by them.

“Oh, you hurt me.” A hint of anger flashed across Kakiya’s brows as she gently twisted her body to free herself from Komer’s grasp. Silently, she got dressed and sat down at the dressing table across the bed to tidy her elaborate hairstyle. Perhaps due to the recent intimacy, a faint blush made her pale complexion even more alluring, and her deep eyes always carried a subtle seduction—something only Komer, upon close observation, could notice. She wondered if she was the same with other men.

Although Kakiya was delightful, compared to Tracy, she always gave Komer a sense of loss. Perhaps this was the scar left by first love, one that would forever remain in his heart, bleeding slightly at the slightest oversight.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I got carried away a bit.” There was not the slightest hint of apology in Komer’s words. This bitch thought she could act recklessly just because she had connected with that count from the Blue Dove Regiment. Hmph, Komer thought maliciously. What if one day Kakiya accidentally conceived a bastard child? He really didn’t know how to handle such a complicated situation.

Kakiya felt a chill in her heart. Her lover in bed wasn’t someone who shared her ideals. This little nobleman had already grown strong enough; using him required careful calculation to avoid being exploited in return. This cunning man acted like a tyrant, and even as she used him, he was scheming to use her as well.

“Komer, what’s Lenta doing here? Could it be that Hoffman sent her as a mediator?” Kakiya asked casually.

Komer was also shocked. He hadn’t expected his secretive meeting to escape Kakiya’s notice. In Livonia, his influence was still far inferior to hers.

“Hehe, maybe. Take a look.” Komer quickly thought of a plan and pulled a letter from the collar of his robe hanging on the bedhead, tossing it over.

Kakiya didn’t hesitate either. Since the other party had made its stance clear, there was no need for courtesy. She swiftly unfolded the letter and scanned it, shocked beyond measure. She never expected Hoffman to make such a significant promise—offering Livonia to Komer, even willing to make concessions in the Hesse region. Damn Hoffman! He was clearly sacrificing the entire Romanov family’s interests for his own gain!

“Do you really think this will work? Why not just give you the entire southwestern region and crown you Duke Komer? That would be even better. What a ridiculous joke!” Kakiya suppressed her anger and folded the letter back up, speaking calmly.

“Is that so? I don’t think it’s just empty promises. But he seems to see me as an insatiable orc. I have no interest in any dukedom or lordship. The Uck Valley is the only place where a passage to the heart of the continent can be opened, as the Caucasus needs such a route. The surrounding barbarian lands and the Great Marshes leave me no other choice. That’s all—there’s nothing more to it,” Komer said shrugging indifferently.

“Then you have no interest in Lenta at all? You know, among the nations of the Northern Alliance, there are countless suitors for her.” Kakiya glanced at him. “Don’t you want to form a marriage alliance with the Romanov family?”

“A marriage alliance? Even if I were to work for the Romanovs, there’s no need for such a method. There are many other ways to buy me over. I like beautiful women, but not through such tactics. It usually means I’d end up trapped in a runaway cart with no way out, perhaps facing an abyss right ahead.” Komer laughed.

Kakiya felt slightly relieved. It seemed this guy hadn’t accepted their conditions—or rather, he thought they weren’t qualified to keep their promises. Kakiya had never considered Komer content. To be precise, he was more like a cautious hunter, focusing only on prey within reach.

“Komer, Hoffman is desperate now. Don’t you think it’s time to end this game? The Court Mage Corps has assured me they won’t interfere in these matters. I think the time is ripe.” Kakiya’s elegant smile showed her confidence. “If you think so, we can end these boring performances in no time. Well, if you’re up for it, I have no objection to Lenta becoming a trophy—your exclusive trophy. You can do whatever you want with her.”

Staring deeply at Kakiya, Komer couldn’t tell whether her words were a joke or sincere. Treating a princess as a trophy, even as a joke, showed just how much Kakiya despised her half-sister. With a soft sigh, Komer got up. “Well, as you wish.”