Chapter 7: What Is Happiness?

The arrival of the dwarves piqued Komer’s interest. Their presence might not yield immediate results, but once the canal connecting Izmel and Santiago was completed, the economies of both places would experience rapid growth. The abundant clay resources by Lake Nirel could also provide opportunities for these dwarves, as pottery-making has always been a skill they take great pride in. With high-quality clay, they could turn it into exquisite works of art. It was only through conversations with Carrera that Komer learned about this.

“My lord, the number of dwarves in Santiago is roughly between five hundred and eight hundred. Most of them come from Smyrna, with some arriving from Seville. However, they are currently in a bad mood, and many wish to leave Santiago. If we don’t give them any hope, most of them will leave soon,” Mahagumi reported in detail.

“Hmm, I understand. I’ll leave this task to Puber,” Komer nodded. “What about the barbarians? How have the Tiga tribes reacted?”

“Nothing unusual has been observed yet. The Jarong and Jarlon tribes remain indifferent. Difanqi and Belemon have met several times, but they don’t have anything to bargain with us. As for Sik from the Japong tribe, I expect him to show up in a few days. Though not very smart, he lacks ambition and desire. He knows his tribe owes its current status to our support, so he tends to agree with your opinion. But he still needs to consider the attitudes of those two tribes,” Mahagumi added quickly.

“Hmm, they won’t last long. If they keep delaying, we’ll take measures to make them suffer. They’ll realize that without the Caucasus, they’ll revert to being nothing but barbarians, even worse than before. The people won’t accept that. It’s easy to go from frugality to luxury, but hard to go back. Do they really think their people will remain obedient as before? How ridiculous!” Komer smiled faintly. “I hope they’re wise enough not to waste time.”

“Indeed, my lord. What you say makes perfect sense,” Mahagumi quickly praised Komer. “But I don’t quite understand why you’re unwilling to cooperate with the Giza people. That seems like a rare and good opportunity.”

“A rather rare good opportunity? Is that what you think?” Komer glanced at him and retorted.
“Uh, that’s what I think. My lord, the Giza people are spread throughout the continent, and it is said their wealth accounts for a quarter of the entire continent’s wealth. Moreover, they are highly united. Though politically suppressed, their economic influence is unmatched. If we can gain their support, my lord, you will not only receive unimaginable economic backing but also be able to improve intelligence gathering tenfold. With the Giza people as our eyes and ears, many problems we can’t solve now will be easily resolved,” Mahagumi said with anticipation.
“Hmph, they will serve me, but not in this way,” Komer said with a confident smile. “The situation of the Giza people across the continent is not good right now. Whether in the south or the north, whenever a country faces turmoil, the Giza people are the first to suffer. They often become the scapegoats for rulers. Why? Because they possess too much wealth, yet they lack any power to protect themselves. It’s like children with huge sums of money living among greedy bandits—just imagine the mental pressure they endure. Before contacting us, they did look for other rulers, but what was the result? In the end, they were still betrayed by those rulers, losing both their lives and wealth!”
Komer, who was utterly confident, had his own unique perspective on this issue. He was convinced that the Giza people would eventually accept his offer.
“My price may seem high to outsiders, but believe it or not, it’s precisely because of the high price that it makes those Giza people truly feel at ease. Why? Because it proves my sincerity! If I simply agreed to their conditions, they would doubt whether I would betray them like other sellers and throw them into hell the moment I turned around. After all, given the Giza people’s reputation, any ruler who acts against them—even by exterminating them—won’t face any condemnation.”
Mahagumi tried hard to understand the meaning behind Komer’s words. He was utterly impressed by this lord’s tactics and mindset. Even a high price could be justified in such an honorable way. Mahagumi also had to admit that Komer’s words likely resonated with the Giza people, who had lost confidence after being betrayed and deceived countless times.

Gently lifting Eve’s pure and flawless face, Komer’s gaze was fierce, his inner soul burning with intense anger. He had never felt such rage and depression before; the mixture of these emotions made him want to explode.
“Why?”
“Why? Lord Komer, do I need your permission just because I have a fiancé? Remember, I am not your slave.” Eve’s expression remained utterly calm, unshaken by Komer’s fury. Facing his blazing anger, she acted as if strolling leisurely, pushing his hand away with a slight frown. “Please refrain from such actions—they are not befitting your current status.”
Komer, driven to laughter by his fury, couldn’t help but reveal a grotesque smile. Suppressing his anger, he spat out each word through gritted teeth: “Do you believe I could prevent him from seeing tomorrow’s sun?”
“I believe it, of course. You are the unattainable Lord Homer and the Caucasus Lord, a master of magic. In your eyes, everything and everyone is nothing but something you can destroy or discard at will. Of course, I believe you can do all this. But so what? What do you want, Komer? My body? Or my freedom?” Eve remained eerily calm, her cold gaze sending a shiver down Komer’s spine.
“Eve, why did this happen?” Komer took a deep breath. His momentary loss of control had nearly led him to act irrationally, but he was no longer that naive boy—he had to think more carefully.
“You should ask yourself that!” Eve raised her voice instinctively.
“Ask myself?” Komer glanced around nervously. “I don’t know what I’ve done to make you feel this way. If I really have done something wrong, I can apologize.”
Even Komer himself was surprised by these words. He had probably never thought in his life that he would say such weak things. Eve was equally surprised.
“Apologize? Komer, do you need to apologize to anyone? I don’t see any sign of apology in your eyes. How could someone who isn’t even aware of their mistakes need to apologize?” Eve’s tone returned to its usual calmness.

“Eve, um, maybe I’ve really been too busy lately, so I neglected how you guys feel. Um, you need to understand me too; you know I’m currently…” Comer didn’t know what to say for a moment. Was he truly too busy, or was he subconsciously trying to avoid something? Lenta, Vero, and even Bessarabia—his mind seemed completely filled with things that could bring him endless benefits. Eve, Grace—their images seemed to fade and blur gradually, but could he really forget all of that?

“Comer, there’s no need to explain anything. Some things don’t require explanation, right?”

In an instant, Comer seemed to see a glint in her eyes. A surge of intense heat arose in his heart—he hadn’t felt this in a long time. It was unfamiliar, yet it excited him. He thought he had almost become a cold-blooded creature without feelings, but what he felt today made him realize that there was still passion deep within him.

“Eve, please believe me. Everything I promised will never change. Maybe the complexities of the world and the passage of time will change some things, but there are things that will remain eternal and never fade!” Comer looked at her straight in the eyes, shedding all burdens, appearing exceptionally brave.

Eve instinctively bit her lip. Could she still trust him? When Princess Lenta lingered in the Caucasus, she managed to maintain her dignity. But when rumors from Bessarabia spread there, she could no longer remain indifferent—not just for herself, but also for Grace. She felt as if she and Grace had been deceived like fools; she couldn’t tolerate such disrespect and humiliation. When Carrera appeared before her, she accepted his proposal without hesitation. But now, Eve hesitated again. Had she really been too hasty? The firmness in Comer’s eyes was enough to destroy any rumors, and Eve couldn’t resist such a gaze.

“Eve, don’t risk your lifetime’s happiness out of anger. You’ll regret it later. Please believe me!” His gentle yet resolute words swept away the barriers built in Eve’s heart like a storm.