Chapter 20: The Tree Wants Peace, But the Wind Keeps Blowing

Watching Kakiya’s graceful figure depart, Komer couldn’t help but rub his head. What a dilemma! Kakiya seemed so desolate and lonely now, but Komer knew this woman was no less formidable than the ambitious Lenta—even though she appeared so fragile at the moment.
Both shared the blood of the Romanov family and possessed an unyielding spirit. Lenta chose to seize power through deceit, while Kakiya opted to fight openly. It seemed Lenta had succeeded and Kakiya had fallen—but was that really the case? Komer asked himself.
Shaking his head instinctively, Komer didn’t know how to evaluate these two half-sisters. Perhaps all women of the Romanov family had this indomitable resilience.
It wasn’t the time to consider Kakiya’s fate. For now, she could only stay here temporarily. Only by enduring hardships could she achieve her goals. Komer understood the burning sensation in his heart, as he had experienced such torment himself—it was the best path to maturity.
The end of the Katyn conflict meant that the entire Katyn region, including Livonia and Hessen, no longer needed further warfare. Of course, this was only temporary, just a brief respite. The Northern Alliance needed it, and so did he.
The word “negotiation” was truly disgusting. Komer refused to accept it; it was nothing but a fig leaf for the Atticans. What they really needed was a dignified way out. Moreover, they also had to deal with the disastrous situation of so many knights falling captive. If handled poorly, even divine intervention wouldn’t help.
Komer had strong cards in hand, and his trump card was these captive knights.
As for the Knossians, Komer had long ignored them. An army that couldn’t even be defeated by his own detachment yet dared to take Hessen and Livonia—wasn’t that just asking to be overwhelmed? That was all Komer could say of them: a disorganized alliance, a bunch of people who had lost their purpose after the orcs invaded Nicosia and seized Jazair, yet still dared to expect a share of power in Nicosia itself. Komer found it utterly ridiculous.

Komer did not underestimate the Atticans and Knossans. In fact, in terms of military strength alone, he was not their match. Yet these two powerful forces, each with their own ulterior motives, had provided him with the best opportunity. Now that this alliance had suffered a devastating blow, Komer wondered if what awaited these people was the complete collapse of the alliance.

The situation was settled, Komer thought. It seemed everything was almost in place. There would be no further major upheavals at the secular level in the short term. The only remaining threat was probably the Light Church. Komer knew that the peace on his side during this time was thanks to internal strife within the Light Church. The strength of the Salvation Society was gradually emerging like an iceberg, and doctrinal disputes had caused turmoil among the church’s leadership. Noroya and Lorenzo’s dominance still failed to yield the desired results, while the Pope’s silent, withdrawn attitude only fueled endless speculation within the church.

However, this did not mean that the threat posed by the Light Church had disappeared, nor that they would lay down their arms. Komer had never thought such a thing.

What he needed to do now was to firmly control the situation in Nicosia, making those from the Light Church realize that only he was the true ruler of Nicosia. Anyone who dared challenge him was provoking the entire political power of Nicosia, which would only bring disastrous consequences to their church.

Komer took a deep breath. The road ahead was still long. The enemies would not give up so easily. They would only desist when all hope was lost, and he would never give them even the slightest chance.

Vazinki’s face turned pale. His usual calm expression had vanished. Onia stood there, somewhat depressed. The current situation showed clear signs of total collapse and loss of control. It was extremely disappointing.

Vazinki hadn’t expected things to turn out so badly so suddenly. When the Atticans and Knossans were discussing using military force to resolve the Katyn issue, he even thought this war would unfold in a one-sided manner. Perhaps that guy from the Caucasus would just stay in the west of Gothenburg, hesitantly observing the situation. He never imagined that his opponents would have such ambition and courage, daring to launch an attack right away and throwing the Atticans and Knossans into chaos.

“My lord, those guys from the Salvation Society are still confronting Lord Nuoyao La. It’s unlikely that this situation will change significantly in the short term, unless the Pope intervenes…”
Onia also sighed inwardly. The once glorious Church of Light seemed to have suddenly fallen into trouble, struggling to move forward. Even he couldn’t understand why the Romanov dynasty, which used to be indifferent to the Church of Light, had collapsed, while the Church’s situation had become even worse.
“A bunch of short-sighted fools! They still can’t see the situation clearly and keep arguing over trivial matters. Do they really think they’re working for the advancement of the holy faith? Those guys from the Salvation Society have been lurking for decades. How coincidental is it that they suddenly appear now? Onia, don’t you think there’s some connection behind this?”
Vazhinki’s words might seem illogical at first, but Onia quickly understood their meaning. “My lord, are you saying those guys from the Salvation Society are being instigated by someone? From the Caucasus?”
“Hmph, what do you think? I’ve been wondering how the Salvation Society could suddenly launch an attack at this time, precisely when the Atticans and Knossans joined forces to attack Katin. It seems they’ve clearly reached some kind of agreement with certain people, and they even plan to establish their own power base. In this situation, we’re stuck between a rock and a hard place. It’s frustrating that the Inquisition can’t distinguish between priorities and keeps meddling, giving that guy Komer more time to breathe.” Vazhinki took a deep breath to calm himself down.