Chapter 391: Volume 7, Spring Thunder Awakens - 12: Gathering Destiny_2
Seeing the unguarded joy on the girl’s face, Komer knew he had guessed correctly. He didn’t know why she had suddenly come to his land, and although the invitation at the banquet had indeed come from the heart, given the current situation in the kingdom, it seemed unlikely that Duke Zellin would let this naive and carefree girl travel about. Besides, by the looks of it, she didn’t even seem to have brought a single servant with her; it was simply unimaginable how she had made it to Ugru.
"Commandery Princess, how did you come to Ugru? Where are your attendants?" Having just settled down, Komer hastened to ask this question, as he really needed to understand why this seemingly timid and shy girl had suddenly mustered the courage to run away, though he was very pleased to see it.
"What? Does it seem like Your baron doesn’t welcome Vero?" The girl’s gaze was still wandering around the colonnade as she responded offhandedly.
"Far from it, Komer feels supremely honored by the county master’s visit, and if Princess Vero is interested, he would be more than pleased to have you stay in Caucasus for a year or even longer." He expressed his pleasure cautiously, feeling it necessary to have a good talk with this young lady. With no female confidantes in Caucasus at present, the sudden appearance of such a pure and angelic beauty couldn’t help but delight Komer. After all, this girl had once captivated him, but the immaturity of the timing had forced him to leave with a heavy heart. Now, with this opportunity, why not seize it firmly?
"Um, I think it’s easier for me just to call you Komer, and you can call me by name too. Doesn’t it get tiring with all this ’county master’ and ’Your baron’?" The girl’s face revealed a joyful smile, "I am traveling alone this time. I heard that Caucasus has undergone earth-shaking changes because of you. I was originally worried about passing through Greenland Great Forest and Leon, but now it’s much simpler. I just need to take a ship from Gutenberg to Odessa, and then change to a sea vessel to Mattdam. However, the social order in Mattdam seems a bit chaotic, with so many foreigners. At first, I was a bit scared when I saw them."
"Heh, Vero, did you discover anything new on your way from Mattdam to Ugru? Perhaps the situation isn’t as bad as you imagined. Most of these foreigners are in fact citizens of Caucasus. They have no criminal records, and the few who are from other regions entered Caucasus through legal means. In Caucasus, all races are treated equally. If someone commits a crime, they are punished severely, so please rest assured on that count. My hundreds of Half-beastman Guards participate in maintaining public order every day, and I believe no one would dare to provoke them." Komer signaled the servants to leave and personally took up the coffee pot to pour coffee for her. Although in Caucasus, he still maintained his usual habits as much as possible, which also brought him closer to Vero.
"Hmm, it seems the situation is much as you described. I’m also amazed to see such harmony among the different races in this environment. It’s truly a miracle. At least in our Galle Region, no city could achieve this." Vero made no attempt to hide her admiration for what she had seen in Caucasus, "I wonder why the neighboring Leon has turned out the way it has, compared to your territory?"
"Oh, Vero, you also know about the unrest in Leon? This might be because the situations vary from place to place. Most of us here are Free Citizens. Although we have many residents from other races such as Barbarians, Half-Beastmen, and Elves, they all have citizens’ rights. Slaves exist in our region, but are few in number, and personally, I’m inclined to abolish this barbaric status and system. I hope my Caucasus can become a role model for peaceful coexistence among the various races of the kingdom. It would be even better if we could eliminate the existence of the slavery system, although that’s still somewhat unrealistic." Komer was gradually understanding the kind-hearted Commandery Princess’s mentality. In Gutenberg, she couldn’t accept how her father and suitors suppressed the protesting public, and now her words revealed even more of that sentiment. Perhaps the peace and tranquility relayed by his diverse and chaotic land had touched her heart.