Chapter 20: Rotten Meat

Kommer never expected that he would attract so many “flies” just like a piece of rotten meat. Envoys from the Kingdom of Bessarabia and the Duchy of Rosenberg all subtly or openly offered him rose branches—something he could still play along with to buy time. But what he didn’t expect was that even Princess Lenta, who had always been considered a staunch supporter of Hoffman, would step forward as well.
It was interesting. When he was exiled to the Caucasus, no noble lady had shown interest in him, nor had he ever imagined anyone would bother to arrange his marriage. Now, the envoys arriving one after another made no secret of the importance of this political alliance, which made Kommer reflect on the changes in the situation—this was reality.
Although the Kingdom of Bessarabia was not a major power nor a member of the Northern Alliance, its territory bordered Livonia closely. Kommer’s half-orc army’s performance in Livonia had drawn much attention. Not only had it caught the eyes of the nobles within the kingdom, but it seemed the people of Bessarabia had not overlooked this emerging force either. The Zuck Valley became Kommer’s stronghold in the southwestern part of the kingdom, a window through which he could maintain necessary military presence. This not only reassured Kakiya but also allowed Kommer to sustain and expand his influence in the region—especially given the growing strength of orc forces, the psychological comfort provided by such military presence was particularly important.
Even during the most critical times on the Bosen Plain, Kommer did not withdraw a single soldier from Livonia. He was still able to conquer Homer under such circumstances, which gave everyone a chance to weigh the significance of this. This was likely one of the main reasons why envoys from Bessarabia and Rosenberg wanted to arrange a marriage alliance.

The situation in the Principality of Rosenberg was similar. The growing demand for food in the Caucasus, along with a significant increase in the export of coal and iron from the upper reaches of the Catania River, elevated the Caucasus’s status among those countries. Especially since the Caucasus controlled the Catania River route through the Jellyfish People, the upper reaches of the river were largely subject to the Caucasus’s influence. The opening of this route not only eliminated the need for time-consuming and costly overland transport for the countries in the upper reaches of the Catania River to reach the regions along the Mediterranean Sea and the Sea of Darkness but also made connections with colonies on the Vast Continent possible. Of course, this also had some drawbacks: if the Catania River route was blocked, chaos would ensue in many industries that relied heavily on external supplies in those countries.

It goes without saying, then, that the Caucasus, holding the key to this route, held a dominant position. For years, no one had been able to break through the isolation imposed by the Jellyfish People, but Kommer managed to do so shortly after becoming the lord of the Caucasus, instantly liberating the countries in the upper reaches of the Catania River. The nobles of those countries viewed Kommer, the lord of the Caucasus, with a mix of surprise, envy, and slight disdain. After all, in their eyes, the Caucasus was still a barbaric land, and its lord wasn’t worth much attention—except perhaps for merchants.

But everything changed after Kommer conquered Homer and became its lord. Homer wasn’t some remote territory; it was a prosperous region of the Kingdom of Nicosia, while Cyprus was a jewel in the Sea of Darkness. The Bosson Plain was a famous grain depot, and Odessa served as a vital waterway connecting the interior with the sea. Add to this the fertile Greater Caucasus, and everything changed. It’s not surprising, then, that the people of Rosenberg had such thoughts.

Princess Lenta joining in the excitement left Kommer puzzled. The playful remarks between her and Kakiya came back to his mind. A trophy trying to rise to a higher position—seems the changes in the times are truly astonishing. To be honest, Kommer didn’t have much fondness for Lenta, nor any strong dislike. Pretending to be reserved and aloof to maintain the noble dignity of their royal family was a common trait among aristocratic women. If a noblewoman were promiscuous and unrestrained, the situation might be even worse—at least these women still maintained an appearance of chastity on the surface.

If it were merely the Romanov family with such intentions, it wouldn’t bother Komer so much, but it seems to have the support of those guys from the Salvation Society, who strive to compete with the Church of Light for religious dominance across the entire Kingdom of Nicosia. In their view, if Komer could form a marriage alliance with the Romanov family, it would not only greatly enhance his relatively weak political power and influence but also allow the Salvation Society to expand its own influence as well.

Komer didn’t know how the Salvation Society had connected with Lenta, but he was sure Hoffman’s main purpose in sending Lenta to Homer wasn’t for her marriage. Now, it seemed Lenta had shaken off Hoffman and was acting on her own. Thinking of this, Komer couldn’t help but smile—it was interesting. The Romanov family’s disintegration had happened so quickly that no one, including himself, was prepared for it.

“Pupber, what do you think?” After much deliberation, Komer was still undecided. Avoiding the issue wouldn’t work; you could delay it for a while, but not forever. Besides, the Salvation Society was waiting for his reply, and it seemed there was no one else to consult except Pupber. In fact, Komer didn’t hold much hope for Pupber either; he didn’t think Pupber could offer any good advice.

Pupber had been brought here by Komer from Ugru, as preparation for an era where Homer and the Caucasus would coexist. With Komer becoming the lord of Homer, he couldn’t focus all his attention on the Caucasus anymore, and the same applied to Pupber. Yet the Caucasus couldn’t be subordinate to Homer either—regardless of the perspective, the Greater Caucasus, including Leon, had already become a completely independent and free economy.

Pupber hadn’t expected Komer to bring him in just to ask such a question. He had thought Komer would ask him about managing Homer, which angered him greatly.

“Why not accept it? The princess of the Romanov family—haven’t you longed for that? And the princesses of those two countries—you can take them too! Don’t you have three territories? Why does such a thing always fall on your head? Why doesn’t anyone consult me about my marriage?” Pupber said indignantly, “These opportunistic folks only know how to use their daughters and sisters as bargaining chips—it’s shameful!”

“Hmm, it is shameful. I agree,” Komer nodded and smiled slightly. “But if they were to give their daughters to you, would you accept them?”

“Why not? There’s a large dowry, and maybe even a fief as part of the marriage gift—such a win-win situation would only be refused by a fool!” Puber blurted out, realizing he had spoken too much only when he saw Komer’s sinister smile.
“Then why pretend to be pure in front of me?” Komer snapped viciously. “I called you here to help me analyze the pros and cons, not to vent your own feelings of frustration and jealousy!”
“Don’t you consider my feelings at all? You’re too cruel! You’ve chosen your own partner, yet you still want to trample on our wounded hearts, us who haven’t even had a chance to meet a woman! Do you have any friends like this?” Puber cried out in outrage.
“Enough! Stop pretending to be pure. I think there aren’t many beautiful women in Ugru who haven’t been harassed by you. Do you think I don’t know?!” Komer was both angry and amused.
After a pause, Puber carefully examined Komer’s expression to confirm he wasn’t joking before retorting angrily, “Komer, keep that damned half-orc bastard away from me! My private life isn’t subject to anyone’s interference, including you! You’re violating my human rights and privacy!”
“As the lord, I have the right to know everything that happens in my territory. Your privacy must take second place to my right to be informed,” Komer replied with a fake smile. He didn’t have the energy to care about Puber’s personal affairs. Such a simple lie was enough to make Puber furious—it seemed this guy had troubled many women in Ugru.
Overwhelmed by Komer’s words, Puber glared at him angrily. “What’s there to analyze? If you want, you can marry all three women and settle one in each place, while still going out and living a dissolute life.”
“Please don’t project your own filthy and boring life onto me. I don’t seem to be as despicable as you,” Komer replied helplessly, rolling his eyes. “Enough, enough. I won’t expose your flaws anymore. Mahagumi isn’t interested in your gossip either. Let’s talk about serious matters.”
Seeing Komer back down, Puber felt much more relieved. He believed Komer wouldn’t interfere in his private life. Komer had too many things to deal with and lacked enough people to help him, forcing him to handle everything personally. When faced with difficult problems, he had few people he could trust.

“Boss, I think Princess Lenta could be a consideration—after all, both Homer and the Caucasus are still within the Kingdom of Nicosia. The Romanov family also holds considerable influence throughout Nicosia. We don’t have a good reputation in Homer, as we both know. If we form a marriage alliance with a Romanov, especially since Lenta’s maternal family is also influential in the north centered around Jazair, it could help us overcome some of our disadvantages and strengthen your position in Nicosia. At least the nobles around Gothenburg have deep connections with Lenta’s maternal family—the Anson family. With their support, the hostility of the kingdom’s orthodox nobles toward us might ease.”

Seeing Komer unimpressed, Pupber couldn’t help but add, “As for Vero, I think she should understand. Love is nothing but a luxury for someone in your position. If you really can’t let go, you could give Vero a proper status after becoming engaged to Lenta. I think the title of Marchioness of Flanders would suit her well. As for Lomei, Eve, and Grace, it seems you never intended to marry them, so they can probably be ruled out.”

Komer unconsciously shook his head, unsure whether he disagreed with Pupber’s opinion or analysis. Pupber could only shrug helplessly. Ultimately, it was up to Komer to make the decision; he could only offer suggestions. It was just that his boss’s romantic life was too complicated—having three territories and three marriage prospects still left him overwhelmed.

In fact, according to noble traditions, even if a noble owned more than two territories, they still preferred to have only one formal marriage. After all, a formal marriage meant responsibilities and inheritance rights—legitimate children would inherit status, property, and even territories. For a noble family, multiple marriages could easily lead to decline. Nobles preferred to use lovers and mistresses to fill emotional gaps, as illegitimate children wouldn’t threaten inheritance rights unless the noble intended to grant them such rights. Yet Pupber found that his boss seemed reluctant to “desecrate” what he called his emotions in this way.

Komer sighed, slightly troubled. He understood perfectly the hidden meaning in Puber’s words. Everyone agreed to the marriage alliance with Lenta, but as for Vero, unless she could bring a sufficiently large territory as a dowry, few would support his union with her. And with Zelin’s shrewdness, would he really do such a thing? Komer had never thought of gaining anything from Vero. Being with her brought his soul complete relief, and that alone was enough to make his heart flutter. What could be more valuable than that? Perhaps this was the highest form of mutual affection.

“What about Bessarabia and Rosenberg? Do you think I need to deal with them?” Komer asked, clearly distracted.

“Why not? First, we need to figure out their intentions and what they’re willing to offer,” Puber replied with interest. “Princess Vyrana of Bessarabia is known as the ‘most beautiful skylark’ of the Principality of Bessarabia. Don’t you have any interest? It’s said she’s very favored by the grand duke, so her dowry shouldn’t be meager. The Zuck Valley is too narrow for us; stationing two thousand troops there would be too conspicuous and cause unrest among many. If we could get a territory to complement the Zuck Valley, it might be much better.”

“Oh?” Komer’s eyes lit up. He hadn’t considered the advantages of marrying into Bessarabia from that perspective. Although Kakiya had promised more rewards, it seemed even the Zuck Valley was already a stretch. Expecting additional benefits seemed unrealistic. If he wanted to establish a foothold in the southwest of the kingdom, the Zuck Valley was clearly too narrow. If he could get some compensation from Bessarabia, it would be a good idea.

“As for Rosenberg, we might consider it from a commercial standpoint. The countries along the upper and middle reaches of the Catalonia River will remain crucial for the Caucasus in the future, especially as more barbarians join our ranks. The demand for food will only increase. Even with the addition of the Busen Plain as a grain reservoir, the pressure remains high. We need to deepen our ties with them to secure our food supply.”

“If that’s the case, doesn’t it mean I can’t do without any of them?” Komer said with a mix of laughter and frustration. Puber, on the other hand, hoped for as many as possible, but this wasn’t like shopping—things weren’t that simple. There were intricate relationships involved, with interests and conflicts entangled, making it hard to distinguish gains from losses so easily.

“No, that’s why I suggest you delay things for now and wait to see how things develop. We have vast lands like Homer, Caucasus, and Flanders, spread out across different areas. Don’t you think you might really need one or two more women to help you manage them?” Puber countered. “It’s a good idea to postpone things until the right candidate is found.”

“Hmm, Bessarabia and Rosenberg are easier to deal with, but I’m a bit worried about Lenta. Those guys from the Salvation Society are involved too. They seem very eager to push for a marriage between me and Lenta. Why would they get involved with Lenta? Do they have other motives?” Komer nodded, expressing his concerns.

“Hmph, they must have their reasons. It’s probably to use the power of the Romanov and Anson families to expand their own influence within the Salvation Society. The Light Church won’t sit idly by while these resurgent guys cause trouble. They’re under a lot of pressure, and they also have to deal with us, who are essentially being discarded. It’s tough for them too.” Puber laughed. “This has its advantages and disadvantages for us. But as long as you can keep control of the situation, especially with the powerful forces of the half-orcs and barbarians at your side, we’ll be invincible. The biggest weakness of the Salvation Society is that they don’t have their own administrative structure or army. They rely on us to survive, especially now that the Light Church has resolved to take action against them. We can just watch their struggles and offer some help to the Salvation Society when necessary. Don’t you still have your own forces, boss? I doubt those who are loyal to you will stay idle forever.”

Komer also laughed. Puber might appear like a playboy on the surface, but when it came to major issues, he always acted in his own interest. He was truly a loyal brother, just as Komer liked him.