Chapter 284 - Four: The Journey
"Mr. Rebry, it seems that your profession seems to change at any moment according to your hobbies, Mage, Adventurer, Magic Item Manufacturer, or even Salesman. Your innate optimism makes me quite envious. When will I be able to reach your level of contentment?" Komer’s compliment seemed devoid of much emotional color, and it was hard to tell whether there was any sarcasm or mockery in his tone. Nevertheless, it appeared Rebry didn’t mind at all; neither man’s attention seemed focused on this matter.
"Alright, Lord, I’m assuming you’re not here to praise my broad range of hobbies, haha. So, have you figured out your plan for the swamp? It seems you’re keen on having Mage Lome wade through these murky waters too? It looks like our Lord has gained some insight from mentoring this convert from the Church of Light over time. Are you really that confident in her?" There seemed to be a hint of disapproval in his teasing tone. The Sloppy Mage gently swayed the Nameless Short Rod in his hand. Komer didn’t know if this was the Magic Wand the other party mentioned experimenting with, but its design was indeed unique—both thick and short, more resembling a mallet, with smooth ends and not a single decorative pattern. Yet, he handled it with such dexterity that it looked more like the prop of a street performer juggling clown, comically indescribable.
"Mr. Rebry, don’t worry too much about that. Miss Lome’s performance has far exceeded both of our expectations. You must admit that the Church of Light has a considerable advantage in selecting disciples for their teachings. The multitude of devout believers allows them to calmly find excellent candidates. And without a doubt, Miss Lome’s qualifications are top-notch. After experiencing the vastness of Light Magic, she should also become acquainted with the intricacies of Dark Magic. Oh, let me tell you something you may not know—The principles of Dark Doctrine and Dark Magic seem to have an innate appeal to Miss Lome, which is a very promising sign to celebrate," Komer spoke highly of his disciple. Rebry even thought to remind him that everything buried deep in the memory of this Light Mage might reawaken at any moment. He was unclear on how Komer managed to make this Mage of considerable Magic Power forget her original memories.
"Well, since Lord feels such strong trust in Miss Lome, I’ll say no more. I’m fully prepared on my end, awaiting your instructions. The Jellyfish People don’t seem to have any strongholds near the Caucasus; their bases are mostly positioned to the west, in the marshlands bordering the Duchy of Rosenbourg and the Luval City-State. Where do you plan to make contact with them?" Shrugging his shoulders, the Sloppy Mage seemed to understand that this Baron could be particularly stubborn at times and tactfully refrained from pressing the issue further.
"Let’s head for the Duchy of Rosenbourg. There should be some way there, and I would like to see some old friends," Komer’s gaze brightened.
There were originally three routes to the Duchy of Rosenbourg. The first was naturally through Leon, entering the Busen Plain after passing through the Greenland Great Forest and then heading west to Galle, where you could then continue westward to reach the heart of the Northern Alliance and move southward through the Bohemia Kingdom to enter Luxembourg Duchy. However, this road had been severed due to the burning of the Bruce Fortress Floating Bridge. The second route was generally in the same direction, taking a ship from Mattdam heading north into Odessa Port, transferring to an inland watercraft through the Canal Area, and traveling by boat all the way to Galle before proceeding overland into Luxembourg. The third route existed only in theory because it had not yet been opened up; it necessitated crossing the desolate and vast Cordillera Wilderness Area. After traversing this Barbarian Territory and sneaking along the backroads into the complicated southern duchies and city-states, crossing the upper reaches of the Catania River from the Lourwa City-State would lead to the heartland of Luxembourg Duchy.
Rebry suggested traversing the Cordillera Wilderness from the southern Continent to infiltrate Luxembourg, but Komer rejected this idea. Although this route seemed simpler and obtaining permission from the Barbarians was no issue, Komer did not want to enter the southern lands through Barbarian Territory. The animosity along that border was quite intense at the time, and if a few Mortals were to emerge unscathed from Barbarian lands, it could draw attention in the city-states and countries of the south. In the current climate, Komer did not wish his influence to reach such an extent, as it would not benefit the Caucasus.