Chapter 9: Storms Approach Again

“If that Komer just wants to catch his breath and gain a legitimate title in Homer, that would be great. But I’m afraid he has other plans—he just wants to use us. Right now, we’re struggling to survive, trapped between two difficult choices.” Hoffman said with pain.
“Your Highness, do you think it’s necessary to take tough measures against those noble families?” Taze knew this suggestion would surely be rejected by Hoffman, but given the current dire situation, if nothing was done, things might only get worse. The offers from Homer were nothing but illusions—unreliable at best, and even if implemented, they would be like hooks that would be hard to get out of.
“Lord Taze, I understand what you mean, but our only reliance right now is on them. If we push them too hard, they might side with Kakiya, who has been trying to win them over with flattery. I don’t dare provoke them at the moment.” Hoffman also had no easy solution.
“Your Highness, since things have come to this, why not confront Homer head-on? Give him whatever he wants, as long as it doesn’t cross our minimum limits! We just need Komer to withdraw his half-orc army from the southwest, or at least keep it neutral in the Zuke Valley. Then we can resolve the southwest issue once and for all, and later deal with Komer’s problem. Doesn’t he want all of Livonia? Why not grant it to him? It’s not under our control anyway. Give it to him openly, give him that title, and let Kakiya Highness deal with the consequences.” Matthew couldn’t help but voice his opinion. In his view, continuing like this would only lead to greater disadvantages. Once Kakiya managed to build a proper army, it would be much harder to deal with them completely.

Taze’s gaze also shifted. Matthew’s suggestion indeed had its merits. Livonia was in the southwest and had always been Kakiya’s stronghold. Komer had gone to great lengths to secure Kakiya’s promise of ownership over the Zuke Valley. Kakiya must already be wary—Komer, with his insatiable ambitions, surely wanted the entire Livonia as well. If they generously granted him Livonia, it would be at someone else’s expense, causing them no loss at all. Kakiya, on the other hand, would be in a dilemma: refusing would anger Komer, leading to cracks in their alliance, while agreeing would result in huge losses and also open the door for Komer to operate in her own stronghold, forcing her to passively follow their lead while they gained the upper hand—three advantages in one move.

“Your Highness, General Matthew’s suggestion is worth considering. Although Livonia is directly under the kingdom’s rule, it has always been tightly controlled by Princess Kakiya. If we generously grant it to Komer, it will only provoke conflict between them, bringing us great benefits. As for how to handle it in the future, we can address that gradually later. For now, we should focus on solving the immediate problem. However, offering Komer such a large reward surely requires Homer to pay a price. We can demand things we want, such as funds and his explicit commitment to support us,” Taze suggested slowly.

Hoffman’s eyes also lit up. Matthew and Taze’s opinions were valuable. The southwest region had always been Kakiya’s domain, dominated by numerous small nobles who mostly favored her. It had been difficult for him to expand his influence there. Since Kakiya had already agreed to give Komer the Zuke Valley, why not go ahead and grant him the entire Livonia, leaving Kakiya in a difficult position? This way, he could show goodwill to Komer without incurring any cost. As for the future, he couldn’t worry about that now—everything could wait until he became the king of the kingdom.

“Taze, funds are certainly important. That guy Parker is avoiding me, and I know it’s also because the treasury is empty. Now, that guy Komer not only controls the entire Homer and Caucasus regions but also sees rapid industrial and commercial development in Leon and the Caucasus. I’ve heard that almost all ships heading north from the Southern Central Seas end up in the Caucasus or on the Nise River, carrying loads of coal, iron ore, and crude iron to the Southern Central Seas, while food and various daily necessities are continuously imported. The same goes for the constant flow of merchant ships on the Catalonia River, bringing endless business opportunities to the Caucasus. I think its tax revenue will catch up to Homer’s in less than two years.” Matthew also sighed. “Who would have thought back then that this guy would achieve such success? But what’s the point of getting his explicit support?”

“Hmph, how is it meaningless?” Taze said gravely. “Aren’t the nobles in Gothenburg acting indecisively now precisely because they think His Highness is in a difficult situation and might be overwhelmed by Princess Kakiya? Komer’s support for Kakiya is also a major factor. His 2,000 orc troops may not be very formidable in terms of combat power, but their influence is significant. And now, Poznan, Silesia, and Calais are unusually silent, which only enhances Komer’s influence. If we can keep Komer neutral, it can greatly reduce the pressure on us.”

“Hmm, Lord Taze makes a good point. If we can get Komer to issue a statement, I think those guys will immediately sense a change in the wind and take our demands seriously,” Hoffman said hopefully, nodding.

“However, it won’t be easy to get Komer to do that. His relationship with Princess Kakiya is very close, and he knows what consequences such a stance would bring. So we need to carefully consider how to make him do it.” Taze was clearly not as optimistic as Hoffman. This Highness was thinking too simply. Komer was now an experienced player who had weathered many political storms and couldn’t be easily tricked as before.

The icons in the sanctuary were bathed in a golden glow under the last rays of the sunset, adding a touch of holiness and splendor. The colorful stained glass windows created a mesmerizing effect, and the entire hall was filled with an atmosphere of longing for heaven as gentle, soothing music played. Whether it was those still in confession or the monks in deep meditation, they all seemed immersed in this indescribable environment, their souls seemingly becoming much purer and cleaner, allowing those touched by the Holy Spirit to escape the troubles of the world and fully enjoy the peace that followed such confusion.

The prominent front of the basilica appeared especially round and magnificent. The obelisks in the square shifted their reflections little by little as the sunlight moved, and countless pigeons circled above the square—everything looked so serene and beautiful.

The monks’ gray robes dragged on the ground, and their cloaks were draped over them in an imperfect manner. The monk standing at the entrance also seemed deeply moved by the scene before him; he remained silent, standing there quietly.

The man inside the room seemed entirely hidden in darkness, with only his glowing eyes visible. His arms were wrapped in the sleeves of his wide coat, making it impossible to tell what he was doing.

The two of them stood there in silence, without saying a word.

“It seems we still fell short after all. That guy managed to escape. Now he’s back with a lot of momentum,” said the man who had been standing at the entrance suddenly.

“You mean that guy from the Caucasus?” The man in the darkness raised his voice slightly. “I don’t know what’s going on with him. Normally, only one in a hundred who fall into a spatial rift can make it back. Could he really be that lucky?”

“Spatial rifts are mysterious. Even space mages find it hard to explain them. And as soon as he returned, he caused such a big deal. Philip is finished. Even that guy, Onia, fled back to Marco in shame. Hmph, even their holy maiden Elena has gone missing. What a joke! Has the Light Church not seen such absurdity in hundreds of years? That guy, Vazinki, always acts all serious. Can he really hold back this time?!” A wild and unrestrained voice rose suddenly, his eyes blazing like flames, seemingly ready to burn everything in the darkness. His disheveled hair trembled slightly from his excitement, like that of an enraged lion.

“Hmph, now the Pope is sequestered and cannot be awakened even by the communication bell. Vazinki had to endure such a huge setback and hold back—he didn’t want to be a laughingstock to Frenst. He could only hold back and pass the information to us. If he didn’t understand that, then Norolla, it means he wants us to take the lead! He doesn’t know we’ve already fought bravely before.” The figure hidden in the darkness said calmly.

“Hmph, I certainly know he wants to use us. But I won’t back down just because he’s exploiting us. I, Norolla, was born to purge the filthy things in the darkness. That’s the duty of our Inquisition. Since that guy recklessly showed up again, I won’t hesitate to make him understand once more that the God of Light must not be desecrated!” Norolla’s voice grew more passionate, his eyes blazing, his robes fluttering as if ready to take flight.

“Norolla, don’t underestimate them. Last time, we almost failed.” The monk in the darkness sounded much calmer. “Think about what happened to the Court Mage Corps in Homer. We should see many doubts that require careful consideration.”

“Oh?” Norolla’s gaze sharpened; he clearly realized the problem as well. “Lorenzo, are you saying that guy still has hidden strength?”

“If not, how could he have defeated Vazinki’s three holy warriors? That missing Elena was said to have such talent and determination that even the Pope praised her as the most suitable for light magic—she could have become a rising star. Yet she disappeared mysteriously. And there’s Oonia, with strength comparable to that of the holy warriors. Three quasi-saint knights, along with a large group of mages from the Court Mage Corps—such a massive force yet utterly defeated. What does that say?” Lorenzo’s figure in the darkness grew even more shadowy.

As the leader of the Inquisition, Norolla might act recklessly, but he wasn’t truly insane. On the contrary, his analytical and judgmental abilities were no less than those of the cautious Lorenzo. With just a little guidance from Lorenzo, he realized the mystery.

“If that guy’s magic skills could improve so drastically in such a short time, I don’t believe it. The only possibility is that he has other helpers by his side, and these helpers are definitely strong—perhaps even beyond our imagination.”

“I guessed the same thing, but where did this guy’s accomplices come from? Are they from the dark forces?” Lorenzo asked in return. “Or are they mages he recruited during his time in the Southern Seas?”
“I find it hard to imagine him being able to recruit such powerful mages. I’m more inclined to think it’s the support of those dark forces, or that he’s actually one of them.” Noroyla shook his head slowly, speaking each word carefully.
“Anyway, if we’re determined to deal with him, we can’t act carelessly like last time. We must understand everything thoroughly, plan carefully, and succeed in one go without leaving any loose ends.” Lorenzo’s face showed no expression, but the determination in his eyes remained firm.
“Hmm, I agree on that. But if we really want to succeed at once, perhaps we can rely on Vazinki’s power. His strength isn’t inferior to ours, and I believe he’ll be willing to cooperate with our Tribunal to resolve this troublesome situation that has brought him so much shame. Eliminating darkness and corruption from the world has always been the driving force behind our Tribunal. The greater the difficulties and challenges, the more interested we become.” Noroyla smiled faintly, though the smile looked oddly strange on his face.
Lorenzo laughed. He had been worried that Noroyla would be too confident to seek outside help, but now he was relieved. With Vazinki’s support, no matter how many forces that country lord had at his side, he would ultimately be swept into the trash heap of history. Those who dared to oppose the Church of Light would all end up with the same fate, without exception.