The Vastness of Magical Destiny

"Princess Katya, it seems we now have a common goal, which should make things much easier. I can understand your thoughts. Perhaps Lord Tez and Marshal Mathew placed great hope in you before your arrival, and His Majesty the King may also wish for you to bring back a satisfactory result. I, too, would like you to arrive with enthusiasm and leave satisfied, but I must remind you that the situation may not be as simple as you imagine,"

He paused, as if choosing his words carefully.

"You may also be aware that my relationship with Duke Philip was never harmonious. Being sent to Caucasus was merely one of his schemes to do away with me. But fortunately, I was tough to kill, and with a bit of divine favor, I survived several calamities. With the kingdom’s support, I have reached this point. As for the victory in Mandu, I won’t hide it from you, my friends and I played a part in it. Without our blocking the southward advance of Homer’s army, I suppose neither of us would be sitting here so leisurely now,"

"You’ve touched upon the crux of the problem. How can Caucasus possibly assist Leon, and even include itself, in ensuring Homer’s troops are neither fully committed against the kingdom nor driven by rage to attack with full force. After all, our power is too fragile. If Philip were to be ruthless, I fear we would have no choice but to submit."

"So, my personal view is, could you please convey to the kingdom, on behalf of this humble baron, a request for ennoblement? That is to grant Caucasus the status of a directly governed territory, henceforth no longer under Homer’s rule. This would allow Caucasus to openly oppose Homer. And as for Leon, such a region—even turning into a haven for slaves and the rabble—is nonetheless hard for the esteemed gentlemen and nobles to accept. Since the Homer people cannot manage this land well, failing even to fulfill a lord’s responsibilities or exercise their power, shouldn’t the kingdom strip the feudal ties between Homer and Leon?"

Gasp for breath, Katya stared blankly at the young man before her, whose expression seemed to not have changed much—as if he wasn’t the one who spoke those audacious words.

A mere baron, the most inconspicuous among nobles. In Jazair, you could kick over any low-grade tavern or coffee house and hit several barons, and just a year ago, Caucasus was but a desolate area with fewer than ten thousand people, its status not even comparable to a farm around Jazair.

Even with its rapid development, it was still leagues behind other territories. And its master, a recently ennobled baron, was aspiring wildly to have this land granted direct governance by the kingdom, craving to become a royal vassal himself. His ambition was far too great!