Chapter 16: Counterattack

Komer nodded. Of course, he had considered this as well. If Bramont were the only heir, there would be nothing to discuss. But with Doloni as a competitor, everything changed—there was much more room for manipulation.
“What is the reputation and influence of His Highness Doloni within the Kingdom of Bohemia?”
Rebri, who had been momentarily stunned, seemed to sense Komer’s intentions. It seemed the lord was about to use his most skilled tactics again. Fortresses were always taken from within. With a rival in love affairs and this attack against him, given his personality, he surely wouldn’t let the other party off easy. Utilizing conflicts among brothers seemed to be the best option. But the Kingdom of Bohemia wasn’t the Kingdom of Nicomedia—it was too unfamiliar to them.
“Lord Komer, I can roughly guess your thoughts, but it will be extremely difficult. It’s too far from us, and it’s completely unfamiliar,” Rebri said after hesitating. “Is it worth going to such lengths?”
“Rebri, Bramont dares to send their Court Magic Knights to support Zelin without hesitation, and he also pressures the Mage Guild to support the Gallicans. This clearly shows he intends to oppose me. Do you think there’s still room for reconciliation between us and the Gallicans?” Komer shook his head. “If not, we must consider in advance what would happen if the Bohemians truly supported the Gallicans. Instead of waiting for trouble, we should take precautions and start from within their ranks, finding a supporter there. At the very least, this will prevent Bramont from supporting the Gallicans at will.”
“As for it being too far and unfamiliar, that’s not a problem. I seem to have some territory in Livonia, and neighboring Bessarabia is also actively working to improve relations with us, isn’t that right?” Komer chuckled lightly. “I think we have plenty of opportunities.”
“How do you plan to proceed?” Rebri sighed. Komer’s decisions were never easily changed. It seemed His Highness Bramont was in trouble this time.

“Hehe, I plan to use these two magic knights as leverage. I believe Lord Doloni will be very interested in this. Didn’t you say that the Bohemian Court’s Magic Knights are completely loyal to Newmanur II? Then, Brumente’s arbitrary dispatch of magic knights to interfere in the internal affairs of the Kingdom of Nicosia should provide a perfect excuse for Doloni. Moreover, forcing the Mage Guild to get involved violates their principles of independence and fairness. I’m sure the guild leaders will also be displeased and will have a poor opinion of Brumente. Could this be something Lord Doloni would like to see? Perhaps upon hearing the news, he’ll even make things even better.”
The sinister smile on Komer’s lips made Rebril andFranlan shiver. It was truly unfortunate to be targeted by this lord. It seemed Lord Brumente was about to suffer a huge setback this time.
“If you don’t avenge your grievances, what’s the point of living? Boss, I’m with you. Whoever dares to compete with you for a woman really shouldn’t even look in the mirror. That Brumente will die a horrible death,” Pube said nonchalantly. “But it’s true that Bohemia is still a bit too unfamiliar to us.”
“Hmph, it seems the Gran family isn’t unfamiliar with Prague, is it? I think it’s a good time to test the influence of the Gran family,” Komer shrugged. “Now that the situation in the east has gradually stabilized, I think it’s time for me to check out Livonia. Kakiya and Hoffman still haven’t fulfilled their promises to me. Should I remind them?”
The water route from Bruce Fortress to the Zuck Valley had been largely cleared. Although there were still threats from magical beasts in the upper reaches of the Nise River, those threats were aimed only at individual travelers. For those with the power of mages or large armies, even if the magical beasts were not very intelligent, they knew it wasn’t a good time to attack.
The waterway from Bruce Fortress to Lake Nise, the source of the Nise River, had long been dredged and made passable. However, Lake Nise was still not a suitable location for a port, so the dock had to be built 20 kilometers away from the lake. But from there to Bruce Fortress, the journey was safe and peaceful. Komer loved the tranquility of this stretch of the road, which reminded him of his experiences in Sparta.

On the exquisite round coffee table were specialty fruits from the forests of Greater and Lesser Greenland. The tray was a fine glass piece from Bessarabia, and a magnificent knife made of wootz steel was casually placed to the side. It was a flat-bottomed, pointed-sailed ship with a wide stern; the upper half had an open deck, and intricately crafted railings made of polished wood enclosed the back section, creating a perfect spot to enjoy the river views and engage in conversation. It was clear the designer had put a lot of thought into it.

As soon as Karmanee received the invitation, he knew his family must have caught the lord’s attention again. He felt both fear and excitement toward Komer—excitement because the Gran family’s status in the lord’s eyes was gradually rising, which meant the lord might be slowly accepting his family; fear because the lord’s motives were utterly unpredictable. Though not capricious, Karmanee, who thought he had a pretty good ability to analyze, could never figure out what the lord was thinking.

“Please sit down, Mr. Karmanee. Why do you seem so reserved? It’s not like you at all.” Komer smiled and pointed to the seat across from him. This important member of the Gran family seemed to be avoiding him as soon as they boarded the ship. But Karmanee didn’t even consider that once on the ship, there was no way to escape.

“Lord, I’m just a bit unaccustomed. Um, it seems you have something to discuss with me. Are we alone?” Karmanee looked around. Talking alone with this lord didn’t seem like a good sign.

“Hmm. Is Mr. Karmanee not comfortable being alone with me?” Komer laughed. “I indeed have something I’d like to discuss regarding cooperation with the Gran family. Come, try some of the specialty fruits from the Lesser Greenland Forest—dragon leaf fruit. It’s said to be a rare nourishing substance for men.”

“Cooperation?” Karmanee couldn’t help but sigh bitterly. If it were truly a mutually beneficial cooperation, would the lord be so insistent?

“Yes, cooperation. It’s also a test, to see if the Gran family truly has the influence that Mr. Karmanee claims, one that can earn trust,” Komer nodded.

Karmanee was speechless. A test? Endless tests. This lord was truly shameless, always using such excuses. Couldn’t he come up with something new?

“Lord, I think there’s no need to beat around the bush. If there’s anything the Gran family can do to serve you, as long as it’s within our capabilities and doesn’t violate our principles, we’re more than willing to help.”

“Hehe, indeed a straightforward person. Talking with Mr. Karmanini is truly pleasant. I need the Gran family to do a favor. Are you familiar with Prague?”
“Prague? Prague in Bohemia? The City of Magic?” Karmanini raised his gaze. “What do you need, my lord?”
“No, I need to communicate with some influential people in Prague, so I need someone to act as a bridge,” Komer shook his head.
“Influential people? In what regard?” Karmanini sensed there might be trouble involved.
“The Mage Guild and Prince Doloni.” Komer didn’t want to hide anything and briefly told him about the attack he had suffered.
“You mean to negotiate with the Mage Guild and the Kingdom of Bohemia? Then you should turn to the real culprits. Bramont is the main offender—he should pay the price.” Karmanini didn’t immediately understand Komer’s intention; he thought Komer just wanted compensation.
“No, that would be too lenient for that guy. I want him to pay a hundredfold price for his recklessness,” Komer sneered. “Isn’t he so arrogant because he’s the crown prince of Bohemia? If I strip away that fancy aura of his, I wonder what he’ll have left to show off!”
Karmanini suddenly understood—Komer wanted the Gran family to contact Doloni and the Mage Guild to undermine Crown Prince Bramont! That was absolutely extreme!
“My lord, we don’t want to get involved in politics. That’s our Gisa people’s creed.”
“Not get involved in politics? Hehe, that’s the silliest theory I’ve ever heard! Can politics and business be separated? If the Gisa people still can’t grasp this, I think no matter how hard they strive, they’ll forever remain third-class citizens!” Komer scoffed.
Komer’s contemptuous attitude hurt Karmanini, but he had to admit his point made sense. How could one gain the support of those in power without getting involved in politics? Although the risks were great, so could the rewards.
“Lord Komer, your words are harsh, but perhaps you’re right,” Karmanini said, sinking back in his chair with a dejected look.
“Not perhaps, but definitely,” Komer interrupted rudely. “If you keep holding onto those unrealistic illusions, the Gisa people had better accept their current reality.”

Karamanni stared intently at Komer for a long time before saying, “I hope Lord Komer will keep his word. Go on, what exactly do we need to do?”