Chapter 8: Temptation

In his mind, Komer immediately recalled the information about the woman before him. His expression changed briefly before returning to normal. “Princess Kakiya, please be tactful. Those are just the baseless tales of fools. How could the princess of the Grand Duke possibly show interest in us? Could it be rumors spread by those who wish to undermine the relationship between Lord Hoffman and Grand Duke Philip?”
Komer raised his voice deliberately so that those around could hear. The relationships among the kingdom’s heirs had always been strained, especially among the earlier heirs who were constantly scheming against each other. Komer had heard about this even before arriving in Versailles, and Kafli had also warned him to be extra careful and not get involved in the struggles among the kingdom’s elite, otherwise he might end up dead on the streets without even knowing why.
Another series of coquettish giggles followed. The stunningly beautiful woman before him uttered a few light words through her crimson lips: “Lord Baron, you seem quite nervous. What’s causing you such fear? Are you perhaps guilty of something? I heard you were quite the charmer in Cyprus.”
Having achieved her goal, the woman did not persist but continued to speak in an increasingly bold manner, her captivating eyes roaming over Komer. Komer felt a prickle on his scalp. He wasn’t an inexperienced novice nor a rigid, old-fashioned gentleman. To say that this woman, radiating fiery temptation, had no appeal to him was a lie—especially for someone who had led a life of abstinence since arriving in the Caucasus. But he was fully aware of who she was: a member of the royal family, a fierce contender for the throne of Nicosia, known as the “Black Widow” in Jazair’s elite society. He was but a minor noble, far too inexperienced compared to those who were constantly involved in the scheming courts. Komer knew very well his own limitations.

But this is also an opportunity. Even without Tracy’s connection, Hoffman and that old fool Philip are not in the Caucasus’ interests. Ever since setting out from the Caucasus for Jazair, Komer has gradually learned to view things from the perspective of a Caucasian lord. Especially, the information he heard from the chief minister suggested that His Majesty the King also seems not to have a high opinion of Philip, which matches the information he obtained himself. If that’s the case, he could carefully exploit them. Of course, there are risks, but no risk, no reward—this is an unshakable truth.

“Princess, I don’t seem as exaggerated or terrible as you say,” Komer said with a helpless wry smile, his voice lowered significantly. “Your goal has been achieved; it seems unnecessary to continue this topic. Perhaps another subject would be more suitable for tonight’s party, Princess. What do you think?”

A flicker of surprise flashed in her charming eyes as she softly said, “Oh, it seems Baron wants more topics to talk about with me?”

Kakya felt a stir in her heart. She had only intended to use this guy as a temporary tool, but unexpectedly, the tool seemed to have its own thoughts, which was somewhat surprising. It seemed this guy knew her intentions and didn’t seem to care about the trouble she might cause him—quite interesting.

“Princess, Prince Hoffman doesn’t seem very friendly toward you. I heard some rumors in Cyprus that seem unfavorable to you,” Komer said calmly, swirling the wine in his glass, as if discussing something unrelated to her.

“Is that so? It seems I, as his sister, must have offended him somewhere. Sigh, I even went to find a suitable fiancée for her.” The beauty whispered with a light laugh to Komer. To others, the two seemed like close friends. Naturally, she took Komer’s right arm and said, “Shall we walk over there?”

Komer could tell she was paying close attention to his earlier words. Though this woman held considerable power and influence in the capital, she had spent most of her time in Jazair and wasn’t very familiar with matters outside the capital. After hearing his false claims, she became nervous and wanted to learn more about the situation through him.

The two walked hand in hand out of the hall in perfect harmony. As they stepped outside, fresh, cool air greeted them. The courtyard was shaded by trees; ice-green trees less than two meters tall wound along both sides of the garden in a zigzag pattern. The fountain sparkled with silver light under the stars of the night. The soft grass was divided into many irregular patches by grid-like stone pathways, and the two strolled along them.

“Lord Baron, I heard you came to Versailles this time to recruit laborers—specifically those refugees staying in the border areas?” Apparently, this news was no longer a surprise. After the kingdom’s major lords rejected the Interior Minister’s proposal, those refugees had become a thorny issue for the kingdom.

Since the kingdom lacked the capacity to take care of them, it naturally couldn’t ask its allies to do so. Those allies also used this as an opportunity to shirk responsibility. With the cold winter approaching, all allies, including the kingdom, faced immense political and moral pressure. The three nations of Mellen, Main, and Sussor had already perished trying to defend against orc invasions—so to speak, their fate was tied to that of their allies. Yet, as allies, they shirked responsibility toward the refugees who fled to their countries. Many of these refugees were actually nobles from those three nations, who had extensive connections in the upper circles of Nicotia, Naples, the Netherlands, and Media. They used these connections to exert significant political pressure on the rulers of the countries unwilling to take in the refugees.

Moreover, some news media, driven by various motives, exaggerated the refugees’ tragic experiences and difficult living conditions. This led ordinary people, who otherwise didn’t care about such matters, to feel disappointed and angry with their own countries’ handling of the situation. All public opinion leaned toward demanding that the countries help find solutions for these refugees. The smaller allied nations collectively shifted the blame onto Nicotia, the leading nation among them, which brought a sense of pride but also bitterness to the kingdom.

The major lords in the kingdom joined forces to reject the proposal to scatter most of the refugees across their territories. With the exception of Count Poninsky, who was willing to accept some strong laborers as serfs, almost all other lords opposed the idea. After all, the arrival of these refugees would bring instability to their own lands, and a harsh winter was approaching—predictions suggested it would be exceptionally cold. To help these refugees survive such a difficult winter, the lords would need to provide sufficient housing, clothing, fuel, and food. Next spring, more land and jobs would be required to accommodate them, and if anything went wrong, the lords would have to bear all the political consequences. This was clearly a heavy burden, and naturally, the lords did not want to see it happen; refusal was the best option. In particular, the four most populous and prosperous lords even proposed that the king settle these refugees in his own direct fiefs, leaving the kingdom to take on this responsibility, which angered the king, who had remained silent until then.