Chapter 635: Volume Seventeen: Dark Descends on Earth - Seven: Showing Goodwill
Komer had little affection for the kingdom—whether it was Duke Tez, His Majesty the King, or Katya and Hoffman, each one only used him for their own benefit. Komer had never believed the kingdom would genuinely appreciate his contributions; his performance would never satisfy them. Gaining temporary control over the Leon Region was only possible because he had spent a great deal of money on public relations. But now, the survival of both Caucasus and Leon depended on the kingdom; his relationship with Homer had irrevocably deteriorated, leaving no room for reconciliation. Philip would sooner or later take action against him. He had miraculously survived two crises already, but his good luck could not last forever. To buy himself more time to catch his breath, he had to rely on the kingdom. And if the kingdom were in jeopardy, so too would his foundation be shaken.
To ensure the kingdom continued to support him, even if only in a moral sense, Komer had to keep it afloat—even a weakened Central Government of the Kingdom would significantly alleviate the awkwardness of Caucasus and Leon’s status. Komer saw this clear as day. However, when it came to the next step, he found himself without a clear direction. The matter was somewhat complex for the inexperienced Komer. The kingdom’s internal factional struggles and personal turf wars would not disappear in the face of national crisis—perhaps they would even intensify under certain circumstances.
Perhaps it was time for him to do something for the kingdom, no, for himself. Komer nodded subconsciously, but what exactly to do and where to start required careful consideration. The resources of Caucasus were hardly abundant. Providing a small sum of money was feasible, but anything more would be beyond his capacity. Sending troops to help defend the kingdom? That was even less realistic; not to mention that he was still under threat from Homer, he had only three thousand Self-Defense Army soldiers at best, which would be a mere drop in the bucket for the kingdom and utterly ineffective.
"Maha Gummi, what do you think we should do now?" Komer didn’t really expect Maha Gummi to offer a clear solution; he just asked the question out of habit.
"Uh, Lord, I dare not speak recklessly. The laws and traditions that you mortals follow in your countries are somewhat different from those of Half-beastmen, Beastmen, mountain people, and other races. You value lineage, history, and so-called morality more, while our races value strength. If one is strong, they naturally become king, and if one is weak, they naturally become prey. Your world does not entirely adhere to this rule. However, it seems that our Caucasus has always relied on the Central Kingdom—one’s glory is shared, and one’s loss too. Our relationship with Homer is now irreparably broken, and although the kingdom is in decline, its legitimacy isn’t shaken, so we may have no choice but to firmly rely on the kingdom at this stage."
While carefully observing Komer’s expression, Maha Gummi could only vaguely state some universally accepted truths, as he was well aware that the Lord often acted unpredictably and that Maha Gummi, an intelligence officer, may not need to worry about such matters. That much was clear to Maha Gummi.
"Hmm, I understand," Komer said. Maha Gummi’s pedestrian comment had unexpectedly lifted the fog from Komer’s mind. This fellow from the Half-beastman Race had a perspective on Mortal Society that made some sense indeed; Mortal Society adhered more to history and tradition, with a deep attachment to its legacy. Although the Romanov Dynasty was severely damaged, no one dared to challenge its legitimacy in the Kingdom of Nicosia, and that fact alone was enough. What to do next became clear to Komer.
When Hoffman and Renta returned to Mattdam, it was a month after Komer’s return to Ugru. A lot can happen in a month. The act of the Lord of Caucasus-Leon providing 200,000 Gold Shields as well as one thousand combat knives and one thousand shields in support of rebuilding the Golden Oak and Iron Cross Corps caused a significant stir in Jazair and created waves throughout the kingdom. Komer even issued a call urging lords big and small across the kingdom to unite and support the kingdom in its war against the external threat in every conceivable way. From any angle, Caucasus and Leon barely registered in the eyes of those lords, except for the Four Great Lords. Many places were richer than Caucasus and Leon, and aside from a few insiders, no one knew what this Baron Komer was up to, daring to make such a loud declaration when the kingdom was on the verge of collapse.