??Chapter 268: Chapter Nine: Strolling Down the Path of Life
Chapter 268: Chapter Nine: Strolling Down the Path of Life
The atmosphere in the woods seed filled with a subtly amorous charm. Princess Katya casually picked up her coffee cup and took a gentle sip, the crimson imprint of her lips and the blush on her cheeks becoming so enchanting in Kor’s eyes. Every move she made emitted an alluring aura like fernting llow wine, slowly revealing itself, seemingly even more bewitching than the scene Kor had witnessed at the banquet a few months ago. Kor liked this ambiance; although he had no intention of taking any action, it was the lethality of these fleeting sentints that far exceeded many straightforward expressions, a fact of which Kor was well aware.
Confronting the undisguised look in his eyes, even Katya, accustod to the gaze of many a man, felt a slight tremor in her resolve, which frightened her. Be it emotion or a flutter of the heart, such feelings seed long estranged from her, and she was used to the exchange of benefits under all sorts of gazes. However, she could sense a difference in his gaze from all she had experienced before—a liking, an appreciation, perhaps even intimacy, which was unlike re lust or love. It might develop into love if it progressed further, which filled Katya with fear, for she realized she harbored a joyful feeling deep inside. She did not wish to be entangled with anyone, even if only a possibility, and perhaps the best way to sever such sentint was to discuss those unpleasant yet unavoidable matters.
“Your baron, it seems your territory is indeed sowhat different from what I had imagined. I see Half-beastn and Barbarians freely coming and going within your lands, and your guard is mainly composed of Half-beast soldiers. Are you not afraid that they might rise up in rebellion?”
One could say this trip had truly opened Katya’s eyes. She had long heard that the Caucasus was both a vibrant and frightening place. At the ti, she could not understand it until she arrived and witnessed the prosperity of Mattdam and Ugru. She then grasped the true aning of that phrase. It seed everywhere bustled with activity, with Notices recruiting workers plastered on shops and construction sites, and streets crowded with people of all races from various places seeking suitable work and hos. Mortals ford a large part, but Half-beastn, Barbarians, Half-Elves, Dwarves, and Elves were also present in significant numbers. Even the Shark people, rarely seen elsewhere, could occasionally be found. nacing Half-beast soldiers marched impressively through the streets, while Half-Elf Archers stood guard atop tall towers, watching the horizon vigilantly. The passersby seed accustod to all of this, displaying no fear or terror, leaving Katya excited yet sowhat worried. The land seed to be one where all were ard, and the culture of martial training appeared quite popular here; everyone seed to carry weapons, although few dared to draw them.
The seemingly harmless and elegant Baron in front of her was not as simple-minded and easily deceived as one might imagine. The fact that he had turned a desolate and remote wilderness into this in just a few months, if attributed to re luck or opportunism, would be utter nonsense. No wonder Hoffman and Renta had kept silent about the situation in the Caucasus upon their return. Had not Palermo divulged a bit of inside information to pique her curiosity, she would never have condescended to visit such a remote wilderness.
“A rebellion? Ha, Lady, do they look like they wish to rebel?” Kor laughed heartily, seeming to realize she wanted to break the subtly romantic mood. He had no desire to dwell on this either; so things were better kept at a certain distance, and besides, he had no real designs.
“You an you can guarantee they won’t oppose your rule?” Katya asked, puzzled. It seed he was quite confident about this issue, and she didn’t know where his confidence stemd from. These races had never truly submitted to the rule of Mortals. Could this man achieve that?
“Well, if I didn’t have that confidence, why would I dare let them live freely in my territory?” Kor replied with a rhetorical question and nodded slightly. “Lady, don’t view these people with such fear. They are actually very simple and kind, and even easier to manage than Mortals. Of course, you need to earn their respect. ”
It seed this man had quite a conceited air about him, but confidence must have been based on sothing; otherwise, it would be arrogance. And judging by his performance in Versailles, he did not seem to belong to the latter category.
“Your Baron, I dare to ask a question, these Half-beasts within your territory, do they co from the adjacent Leon Region? If so, what status do they possess now in your land?” She knew it wasn’t appropriate to raise this query, but Kor’s performance had been so astonishing that, despite being aware of the truth, she still desired to hear how he would address the issue of these fugitive slaves’ status.
Avoiding her direct gaze with cunning, Kor was aware that almost everyone who had ever visited Caucasus yearned for a definitive answer to this question. After all, such a large number of Half-beasts could not have been locals. Considering the landscape, with Barbarian Territory, the vast Great Swamp, and the Nether Sea nearby, they could only have co from the North, from Leon. The chaotic situation in Leon might have provided the Caucasus with a plentiful and cheap workforce – everything pointed to the runaway or perhaps out-of-control slaves from Leon.
“Hehe, Lady, it seems you are quite interested in this matter, but you are not the only one concerned. In front of you, I will not shy away from the truth. Indeed, quite a significant number of Half-beastman slaves have co to Caucasus. They neither wish to join the rebellious insurgents nor wait in the Leon Region for Hor’s army suppression. That’s why they chose to enter the Caucasus. And for us in Caucasus, because of the developnt of certain mines, we really do need a large number of skilled workers. So, as the saying goes, it’s a perfect match. As for the statuses you ntioned, they are but slips of paper. In the eyes of the Jazair nobles, even the lives of these Mortals are not guaranteed, let alone concerning themselves with what status these Half-beastman slaves appear under. They probably think this place should be a wild and chaotic world! Hahahaha! As for Hor, the relationship between Caucasus and them has long since reached this point. If they want to pursue this matter, they’d better solve the rebel problem in Leon before coming to argue with .”
Kor’s brazen freedom didn’t co as a surprise to Katya; she had previously perceived his untad nature that occasionally revealed itself behind his refined deanor. Located on the fringes, Caucasus was difficult to reach by road. Not to ntion holding him accountable, even making the journey here carried many risks. In the hearts of those timid Jazair nobles, aside from claiming sovereignty over this land in a geographical sense, they would probably not even spare it a second glance on the map. His words clearly showed that he wasn’t afraid of Hor pursuing the matter. Upon reflection, it made sense – the Kingdom was undergoing turbulent political shifts, and Hor couldn’t even handle a minor rebellion in Leon, let alone try to deal with the issue of Caucasus harboring illegal fugitive slaves, which seed far-fetched indeed.
Seeing that he’d led the conversation this way, Katya seized the opportunity to introduce her own topic: “Your words suggest, Baron, that Hor already feels helpless regarding the situation in Leon?”
“No, no, Princess Katya, it seems you’re misinterpreting my words. Do you believe that the Leon Region can survive on its own? It’s a simple truth; it produces neither food nor other essential life necessities. If it lacks external support, even without the suppression of Hor’s army, it is dood to collapse under its own weight. As for how the Leon mobs achieved victory at first, I believe you and I both clearly understand the reasons, and I do not need to elaborate them. The Hor People could easily conquer Leon if they truly wished to. It’s just for various reasons that Philip has been unable, or rather, has not devoted enough attention to this matter. But this is only a matter of ti, and I believe before long, the situation in Leon will change.”
A thought struck Katya – she realized the underlying aning of the seemingly calm Baron’s words: the situation in Leon was bound to inevitably change; it could no longer maintain the current status. However, in which direction it would shift remained ambiguous.
“Your Baron, what do you think could ensure that the situation in Leon maintains a status that protects the interests of both the Kingdom and the Caucasus?” Katya knew that to prevent Leon from falling back into the hands of Hor People, the man before her was the key. Thousands from Hor’s army had been victorious in Leon but then suffered defeat, an event that had shocked the entire Kingdom. That a regular army, even including Mages, had been beaten by an untrained slave force was astonishing. Even if these Half-beastman slaves were savage and fierce, it was still an eye-opening event. However, the truth couldn’t remain hidden for long. As suspicions about Central Kingdom interference grew, the core figures in the Central Kingdom knew that the credit mostly belonged to the obscure Caucasus Lord. The Kingdom had rely provided so assistance with food and logistics, but defeating Hor’s regular army, which was comparable to the Kingdom’s own forces, took more than just food supplies and logistics.
Recomndation Ticket, please!
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