The Vastness of Magical Destiny

The inspection of the Cordillera Wilderness could be said to have ended to satisfaction, and Katya knew that, in her absence, Komer had engaged in several secret talks with the three leaders of the Sanjia Tribe. Although she wasn’t clear about the contents of their discussion, she could imagine that it wouldn’t be far removed from various transactions.

Since Komer had such absolute confidence in controlling the Sanjia Tribe, Katya naturally did not object to supporting the idea of Caucasus and Leon forming a tighter alliance with the barbarians. She needed to utilize this power for herself—a power composed of the disgraced low-ranking nobles, the filthy half-beastmen, the crude barbarians, the indigenous people of the borderlands, and the large number of immigrants who had lost their land— was gradually turning into her support. If they could maintain this developmental momentum, she indeed needed to seriously consider how to make use of this power more effectively for her own benefit.

Of course, her opponent was not anyone easy to contend with; greed and cunning permeated the very blood of that small aristocrat. Dealing with that individual might not be any easier than her own half-sibling rival, but Katya felt that there were more mutual interests between her and him. If sufficient benefits were offered, perhaps he would willingly tie himself to her cause. The mere Quke Valley might not be enough to satisfy his appetite, but that was desirable. Without ambition or desire, there could be no foundation for cooperation. She wasn’t afraid of his big appetite—only that he might not be greedy. In this regard, Katya was quite confident in her own ability.

Katya’s trip to Caucasus was brief, and upon returning to Ugru, she hardly paused before setting out back to Mainz. It was apparent that Katya wanted to avoid letting Renta grasp her whereabouts, at least to prevent Jazair from understanding the exact purpose of her trip to Caucasus.

Before leaving, Katya finally warned Komer not to get too entangled with the forces not aligned with the Church of Light. As the status of Caucasus and Leon kept rising, even the Church of Light, which had never deigned to cast its gaze upon this land, began to realize that it was no longer the desolate wilderness of yesteryears. Not only was the Court becoming suspicious of the activities in the lands of Caucasus, but the other two giants within the Church were starting to take notice as well. While it was still a general interest, it was enough proof that the land no longer went unnoticed as in the past.

Katya’s words were subtle and tactful, and Komer could tell that she didn’t really care whether he was connected to so-called non-Light Series forces. However, she hoped he wouldn’t jeopardize anything for minor gains and give the Church of Light any leverage against him, particularly at such a critical time. Komer also sensed that her stance toward the Church of Light seemed consistent with his own toward the Great Mysterium Sect—not antagonistic, but certainly not close. It was more of a utilitarian connection, a partnership of convenience if there were benefits, polite respect if there were none, and, if there was harm to one’s own interests, then one must find ways to contain or eliminate the threat. Komer had to admit that in some respects, Katya was quite similar to him.

It was unexpected that Katya had such a hidden yet profound influence within the Church of Light, enough to be aware that he had been marked as a primary surveillance target by the Church within the kingdom of Nicosia. Besides the rise of Caucasus and Leon, it seemed that his inner resistance and antipathy toward the Church of Light had inadvertently revealed themselves in his everyday affairs. He had underestimated Priest Beran and Pastor Gustav, thinking his token kindness would blind them; instead, they had played such a trick on him, which infuriated Komer.

It might be time to reprimand the members of the Great Mysterium Sect. In relatively remote areas such as Bahomon, Santiago, and Izmir, Komer was aware that the Great Mysterium Sect was secretly recruiting followers. Even though their actions were minor, they didn’t escape his notice. As a staunch non-believer, Maha Gummi had reported to him several times about the small moves the sect was making in these places.

Even a Nether Guest Association, a force from the central region of the main Avenue, had taken up residence in Bruce Fortress. It was said that this Association had intricate connections with the Great Mysterium Sect. Although they had not yet shown any particular actions, it was enough to make him vigilant. It meant that many saw his controlled territory as a paradise for spreading their own beliefs and doctrines, an indicator that was not optimistic. It also foreshadowed the Church of Light’s growing attention toward the proliferation of non-Light Series thoughts in his dominion and their potential move from mere attention to influence and intervention. For the time being, Komer didn’t want his land to end up that way.