The Vastness of Magi Chapter 295 - 295 Volume Four Chaos of the Mundane World

??Chapter 295: Volu Four: Chaos of the Mundane World, Chapter Eighteen: Interaction_3

Chapter 295: Volu Four: Chaos of the Mundane World, Chapter Eighteen: Interaction_3

“Your Excellency, thank you for the gift; I quite like it. I never expected Your Excellency to have such remarkable taste, considering won so thoughtfully,” said Katya, who no longer bore the wildness of the previous night. Her cherry lips painted red, her nose delicate as a flute, her eyes, like pools of ink, danced with hints of laughter. “It seems that your reputation in Cyprus is well deserved, no wonder you can so easily win a lady’s heart.”

“Lady, thinking of a lady’s needs is what a gentleman should at least strive to do, isn’t it? Surely, the first ti I co to call, I couldn’t present you with a weapon or a collection of love letters, could I? However, could you please refrain from bringing up my past affairs? If Prince Hoffman were to hear of them, it would cause quite the stir. As a minor lord from the borderlands, my reputation matters little, but a stain on Princess Tracy’s reputation could be greatly damaging, especially to Prince Hoffman, who, having fallen for the county master at first sight, would be deeply hurt. And this would not be good news for the Royal Family either,” he said with a bitter smile, pleading for her discretion. Yet, deep inside Kor, there was a vengeful thrill; even the esteed prince would have to marry a woman he had once ridden. This pride was bittersweet, since the mory of the woman he had once loved so deeply, who was about to embrace another, turned their past vows into nothing but heartless wounds that even decades would not heal. They say ti is the best healer of emotional wounds, but Kor found that the mory of his past lover’s skin, hair, every expression and gesture, still haunted his dreams. Perhaps only a new woman’s presence in his life would gradually erase these mories; Kor could only hope for this.

“Your Excellency, you seem to have forgotten my brother’s behavior in Cyprus. He disregarded my face utterly; should I really cover up his sha?” Her face still wore a pleasant expression. As Katya finally gently waved her hand, seeing Kor furrow his brow, she said, “Alright, since Your Excellency is so averse to these topics, let’s change the subject. Have you completed your mission?”

“Thanks to your grace, the major issue has been resolved. Now, it’s just a matter of gathering and counting the people before we set off. Lord Tez has already arranged transportation for , but considering the scale of this population movent, I am afraid no one can ease this journey except for the people themselves. I estimate they can reach their destination within one month,” Kor replied succinctly. “In addition, Duke Tez needs to liaise with the Internal Affairs Departnt and the lords of the territories through which they will pass. With so many people on the move, problems can easily arise. Fortunately, we are currently in the off-farming season, so there should not be too many concerns.”

“Indeed, Tez is quite adept at handling such matters, and I trust that he will arrange everything properly for you. But it seems you have forgotten sothing. With so many people settling in your territory, they will need food at least until next sumr harvest season. How do you plan to solve their food issue? To my knowledge, the Caucasus is sparsely populated; while there’s plenty of wasteland, it remains untilled. How will you ensure their food supply?” Casually picking up a slice of lemon with tongs and placing it in her teacup, Katya lifted her gaze and inquired nonchalantly.

“Your Highness is correct; there is a lot of wasteland in the Caucasus, and because of its reputation, many people are prejudiced and fearful of settling there. That’s why I have taken this opportunity to recruit labor to cultivate and develop the land. Before I left, I had arranged for the purchase of food, but I did not anticipate that Lord Tez would ask

to take in a number of refugees far beyond my capacity, with food and housing being the main issues,” Kor explained without understanding why she was so interested in this matter of accepting refugees, but since she asked, he felt compelled to answer.

“Eh? I understand that Naples, dea, and the Netherlanders have all promised financial subsidies for the Caucasus. You can use this subsidy to buy food to help these refugees survive, can’t you?” Stirring her teacup gently with a silver spoon to mix in the lemon flavor, Katya’s every action was elegant and graceful, with a faint fragrance lingering between them.

Kor had known that he couldn’t keep such information from soone as well-inford as her; furthermore, there was no need to hide it. The food issue alone would consu close to half of the financial subsidy. After deducting the contribution due to the kingdom, the funds left at Kor’s disposal were limited, but he did not mind. What Kor valued was the labor resource of one hundred and fifty thousand people. Once they made it past the next sumr harvest, these people would beco his citizens, and the wealth and value they would bring, especially in a land like the Caucasus, rich in land and mineral deposits, were imasurable. He believed that, with improved transportation and sufficient labor, a new Caucasus would rise before the world in just a few years.

“You are right, Lady. But as you also know, the main grain-producing areas are primarily within the territories of Duke Philip and Duke Zellin. Such a large purchase of grain cannot be concealed, and you are well aware of my relationship with Duke Philip. Since Duke Zellin and Duke Philip are aligned, I suspect the cost will be much higher than the market food price, which is my greatest concern,” he said.