Chapter 270 - 11: Mysterious Support
"Princess Katya, it seems we now share a common objective, which will simplify matters greatly. I can understand your thoughts. Perhaps Lord Tez and Marshal Mathew had high hopes for you before you arrived, and His Majesty the King likewise wishes for you to return with a satisfactory outcome. I, too, wish for you to arrive in high spirits and leave content, but I must remind you that the situation may not be as simple as you imagine." Komer paused, seemingly choosing his words carefully, "You may also be aware that my relationship with Duke Philip has always been strained, and my being dispatched to Caucasus was nothing more than a ploy by him to put me in jeopardy. It was only by good fortune and the grace of the heavens that I survived several calamities, and with the support of the kingdom, I have reached this point. As for the victory Leon achieved in the battle at Mandu, I won’t hide it from you—I and my friends had a part in it. If we hadn’t halted the southern advance of the Homer Army, I doubt we would be able to sit here and converse so leisurely."
"You have identified the core of the issue: how can Caucasus help Leon, or even Caucasus itself, hinder Homer such that they cannot wholeheartedly deal with the kingdom nor be driven by fury to strike south with all their might? Our strength is far too meager; if Philip decided to be ruthless, I fear we would have no choice but to submit. Therefore, my personal view is to ask if, upon your return, you could convey this humble baron’s request to the kingdom. It is a request for enfeoffment, to grant Caucasus the status of a territory directly governed by the kingdom, henceforth severing ties with Homer. In this way, Caucasus can openly oppose Homer, and as for Leon, such a territory—even turning into a haven for slaves and the mob—is something the noble gentlemen and aristocrats could hardly accept. Since the Homer People cannot properly manage this land, not even fulfilling a lord’s responsibilities or exerting his power, perhaps the kingdom should consider rescinding the vassal relationship between Homer and Leon?"
Taking a sharp intake of breath, Katya stared somewhat dazedly at the young man whose expression had not changed much, as if the words he just uttered had not come from him. A minor baron, the most inconspicuous among nobles—in Jazair, kicking a leg in any low-end tavern or coffee house could hit a few barons. Just a year ago, Caucasus was a desolate place with fewer than ten thousand people, its status not even matching that of a farm around Jazair. Even with its rapid development now, it was still miles away from other territories, and this newly enfeoffed baron had the unfathomable ambition to turn this land into a territory directly subject to the kingdom like Homer, and equally to become a direct vassal to His Majesty the King. His appetite seemed insatiable!
In response to Katya’s astonished, shocked, puzzled, and even queer expression, Komer knew his words must have taken her by surprise, too much for her to accept. However, he didn’t feel he had overstepped at all. It seemed that the kingdom’s military maneuvers were edging closer, giving high expectations for restricting Homer through Caucasus and Leon’s efforts. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have dispatched someone as important as Katya, a front-runner among the Royal Successors, to Caucasus. "Having one’s cake and eating it too" seemed an apt description for the current position of both himself and Caucasus. If he didn’t leverage this opportunity to extract something from the kingdom, the chance would be gone forever. Moreover, becoming a territory directly under the kingdom would actually only benefit the kingdom—with tribute paid directly without passing through Homer and with such a thorn in Homer’s side precisely what the kingdom wanted to achieve.
If Komer’s initial request—to wish for Caucasus to become a direct territory of the kingdom—felt arrogantly presumptuous to Katya, the second part revealing his ambition for the anarchic state of Leon was nothing short of shameless extortion. Although the effective control of Leon had never been in the hands of the Central Kingdom. Here was a lowly baron, still struggling for the survival of himself and his territory, displaying his unhidden ambition for the neighboring regions. Katya even doubted his intelligence—how could one be so foolish as to reveal such ambitions at this time? Did he really think she would be so charmed by his speech she became his intimate confidante, sworn to never betray him? The thought made Katya feel both amused and ridiculous.
"Your baron, don’t you think your demands are a bit too excessive? Do you really believe the kingdom would give you these things just because they need your help?" Katya’s golden curls casually fell, covering half of her face. She didn’t directly respond to his proposal, and instead directly questioned his rationale.