Chapter 787: Volume 23: Rising Winds and Swirling Clouds, - 23: Doubts and Suspicion
Fran’s words plunged Komer into deep thought, even after Fran had left, he was still chewing on Fran’s last sentence. He did not believe that Vero had come with some special mission; in fact, if Vero really came for something there would be no need for any disguise. However, given Zellin’s cunning and shrewdness, it was very unlikely that he was unaware of Vero coming to him. Maybe it was just as Fran had said, this was a hidden piece, waiting for the right moment for him to consider how to use it, Vero’s presence was a hint for him.
The unpredictable situation within the kingdom was somewhat hard to determine. The Galleians, who were originally thought to maintain restraint or be ambiguous, sent troops, and it was the most elite of the Nirvana Knights, whereas Poznan and Silesia, which he was most worried about, had not made a sound. Their actions were more delayed than he had imagined. Should he act first, using his reserve forces to eradicate the Galleians’ determination to participate in the war and then negotiate with Zellin, or should he first establish a baseline through negotiation and focus the main force on facing Poznan and Silesia? This question troubled Komer, and Fran did not offer a clear opinion, leaving it to Komer to decide.
However, soon a scout brought back news; the Nirvana Knights had not stayed on Busen Plain and, despite achieving a victory, this regiment from Galle quickly disappeared from Busen Plain. According to the intelligence, they should have retreated towards Cyprus, leaving behind the vast Busen Plain and Odessa, which had become an undefended city. Even the Homer Navy, which had always used Odessa as their base, had silently vanished from the port of Odessa, seemingly also returning to Cyprus.
The battle at Takros Fortress greatly damaged the morale of the Homer People. Faced with the ferocious and vicious Barbarians and Half-Beast Army, the Northern Army, which rarely fought against these races, all showed varying degrees of panic. And after the loss of Takros Fortress, the flat Busen Plain could not reverse the situation merely with the significantly weakened Homer infantry, without the forceful Martial Power to strike against these so-called lower-race armies.
The appearance of the Barbarians and Half-Beast Army on Busen Plain and in Odessa threw the entire Central Region of Homer into a state of alarm. Nobles loyal to Philip fled, leaving mostly lower-rank Nobles without territories or with barren and narrow lands. Even they were just waiting and watching, hoping that the conflict between Caucasus and Philip would soon have a clear outcome.
The handsome man’s face was filled with gloom and fierceness, which somewhat diminished his otherwise impeccable image. His opulent magical armor accentuated his robust physique, standing tall and firm, and the faint glow that emanated from his Knight Spear in hand showed that he was very agitated at the moment. As he faced his companion, who stood with his hands behind his back deep in thought, it seemed that he could no longer contain his impatience.
"Cooklin, why don’t we seize the opportunity to crush those damned trash? I have never fought a battle like this, retreating on our own after an easy victory, and now we’ve been holed up here for half a month while those damned Barbarians and Half-beasts rampage across Busen Plain. What exactly are we doing here? Putting on a show?"
The contemplative Knight seemed to be pulled back from his thoughts by his companion’s words. He did not show much annoyance at his companion’s somewhat indecorous behavior. A chestnut-red Knight Cloak draped askew over his left shoulder, and the uniquely shaped sheathed Ancient Sword he carried did not resemble traditional Knight’s Swords, but rather looked more like the Great Swords used by warriors, only much narrower in the blade. Hidden in the sheath, the true form of the sword was difficult to discern. His lean face carried more composure and less impetuousness than the handsome man’s, perhaps that was why he could serve as the leader of the Nirvana Knights.
"Sate, don’t let a trivial victory blind us. We’ve already seen the combat prowess of the Caucasus Army—it’s not as weak as the Homer People claim. At least that Half-Beast Army did not panic in the face of our assault; even when we defeated them, they still maintained good formation. You and I both know, in reality, it was because we were fully prepared and took the initiative that we could easily defeat them."
"Cooklin, are you saying that if conditions were equal, the Nirvana Knights wouldn’t even be able to handle a native Half-Beast Army?" The handsome Knight’s face showed a hint of derision mixed with disdain.