Chapter 7: Differentiation

Komer was indeed troubled. Before he could wield overwhelming power, he still had to rely on balancing tactics to buy time. However, it was difficult to strike the right balance, and such tactics often led to resentment and hostility from both sides involved. Public opinion had become extremely important—whether it was secular or religious forces, public sentiment was the key factor determining the balance of power. Of course, by public opinion, he didn’t mean the wishes of the nobles or the thoughts of the common people, but rather the views of the middle and lower nobles, free peasants, and ordinary merchants.

If Komer wanted to establish a firm foothold in Nicosia and truly become the ruler of this land, he had to take this into account.

In the Caucasus, this problem did not exist. Whether it was barbarians or immigrants, they all rebuilt their social order from scratch, and these orders were largely shaped under Komer’s control, ensuring loyalty and stability.

As for Homer, Komer could only exploit merchants’ greed, using economic interests to align Odessa and the southeastern region it represented with himself. Yet, his rule in Plovdiv in the west and Cyprus in the north was weak—especially in Cyprus, Philip’s stronghold. Even now, Komer could only maintain control on the surface, facing resistance from the nobles on many deeper levels.

Regarding Poznan, Komer cleverly utilized Ebson and Lenta, which greatly reduced public hostility. With Lenta’s skillful maneuvering, they integrated successfully into his rule, even surpassing Homer to some extent. This was also one of the reasons why Komer hesitated to use force to conquer Silesia and Calais—because even if he managed to occupy them, internal chaos would plague him as a ruler.

“Lord Tez, it’s good to see you! This must be General Matthew. I’ve long heard of your reputation. Komer is honored by your presence in Plovdiv. Please, come this way.” Komer was very hospitable, showing no trace of a conqueror’s arrogance.

The eastern region of Nicosia, centered around Gothenburg, was in chaos. The nobles acted independently. After Hoffman announced his retirement, Kakiya also rejected his offer to take charge of all affairs in Nicosia and chose to remain quiet, avoiding further comments.

Such chaos made any responsible noble feel concerned. Although the northern orcs had not taken any action yet, if they suddenly decided to march south, Gothenburg might become the second Jazair. Tez and Matthew had essentially lived in seclusion since the Golden Oak and Blue Dove regiments were reestablished. Hoffman did not trust them much, and the nobles surrounding him quickly excluded these two elders from Jazair, leaving Tez and Matthew with little to do. The Battle of Plovdiv clarified the situation in Nicosia, and Tez and Matthew kept a close eye on the rise of this force from the east. By the time they realized this force was unstoppable, everything had already unfolded as it should. They were somewhat surprised by the invitation from Plovdiv, but it also made sense. That cunning man seemed far more skilled than expected. Though not old, his tactics and governance methods were on par with those of any seasoned politician. Tez studied the man’s face; he appeared calm and slightly pleased, clearly looking forward to Tez and Matthew’s arrival, which provided Tez with some comfort. It was this man who had taken 100,000 immigrants from him and embarked on his path to becoming a lord. Without those 100,000 immigrants, who were seen as a burden by the kingdom at the time, this man would likely still be among the Caucasus tribes. Without the economic development brought about by those immigrants, the Caucasus could not have developed quickly enough to challenge its direct lord. Matthew also observed the man before him. He hadn’t had a strong impression of Komer before, but after Komer successfully conquered Leon, brought those half-orcs under his rule, and eventually formed a half-orc army, he became interested in the Caucasus and its lord. The half-orcs’ robust physiques and poor temperaments posed a contradiction as soldiers, but in the Caucasus, this problem seemed to have been resolved—this man even used half-orc soldiers as his personal guard.

When even the barbarians, who had always been seen by mortals as mortal enemies, knelt at his feet, Matthew was truly astonished. For centuries, the conflict between mortals and barbarians had been relentless, and it was unimaginable to make the proud and fierce barbarians submit to what they considered weak mortals. Yet all this had been achieved by this man before his eyes. Matthew believed in one thing: success was never accidental. That meant Comer must have his own methods to rise to prominence in Nicosia.

“Lord Comer, it’s been years since we last met. So many things have happened in all this time, which is truly remarkable. But seeing Lord Comer’s achievements today makes all those past interactions worthwhile,” Taze said casually. With no desires, he remained strong. He didn’t expect anything in return. He accepted the invitation to Plovdiv mainly out of curiosity, wanting to see what skills Comer possessed to achieve such great things in such a short time.

“It was thanks to Lord Taze’s support that Comer can be where he is today. The prosperity of the Caucasus today, and the good lives of the immigrants from those regions, all owe their existence to your help back then. We are deeply grateful to Lord Taze,” Comer said respectfully, nodding with sincere gratitude.

“Lord Comer, you didn’t invite us two to Plovdiv just to thank Taze for his past help, did you?” Matthew asked with a hint of sarcasm. “You’ve achieved fame and success today, while Taze and I are just old men who are past their prime. Did you invite us just so we could admire your great achievements?”