The Vastness of Magical Destiny

Chapter 103 - 103 1 Immigrants_2

?Chapter 103: Chapter 1 Immigrants_2 Chapter 103: Chapter 1 Immigrants_2 “Would it be convenient for the lord to let me know?” The middle-aged gentleman hesitated before finally raising the question.

Reese was filled with curiosity about the young lord before him. Although the Myron Duchy and the Homer region of the Kingdom of Nicosia were separated by a thousand miles, it did not mean Komer’s actions in Cyprus had gone unnoticed. His acceptance of one hundred and fifty thousand refugees had quickly made his name, along with that of Caucasus, a hot topic among the people of Versailles and the refugees. Stories of his past deeds were also inadvertently spread by word of mouth.

Even with Fran’s emphatic guarantees, the rumors of Komer’s ridiculous actions in Cyprus City at first caused Reese to doubt this Finance Officer’s aristocratic offspring. Fortunately, after several meetings, Komer’s witty but substantial, upright but unpretentious character convinced Reese to adopt Fran’s viewpoint. Perhaps Komer’s earlier actions were just youthful indiscretions. Now able to shoulder the responsibilities of a lord and personally seeking opportunities for territorial development in Versailles, such a diligent noble lord seemed quite rare nowadays. In front of Reese, Komer did not hide his intentions for coming to Versailles nor did he artificially elevate his motives for taking in the refugees, which is why Reese found Komer to be one of the very few nobles who genuinely possessed the virtue of honesty. This, of course, earned Reese’s respect.

“Mr. Reese, there’s nothing inconvenient about it. What do you think the sudden influx of over a hundred thousand refugees will bring to Caucasus?” Komer asked, shrugging his shoulders and raising his eyebrows.

This question seemed too broad, leaving Reese at a loss for how to respond. After pondering for a moment, Reese slowly answered, “Sir, it seems you are concerned that the arrival of these immigrants will bring trouble and instability to your territory?”

The two men already had different perspectives on the newcomers from afar; Komer saw them as refugees, while Reese insisted they were immigrants, having entered legally with the approval of the Kingdom of Nicosia.

“Trouble is inevitable. First of all, none of us, myself included, were prepared to accept such a large number of people. The difference between thirty thousand and one hundred and fifty thousand is simply too great. Although I have sent word back to my territory, it is doubtful whether the officials left there will be able to provide all the living supplies needed by one hundred and fifty thousand people.” Komer was not being alarmist. He already saw supplying thirty thousand people as a limit; the number increasing to one hundred and fifty thousand was beyond his imagination. He was even worried that when the first group of refugees arrived, nothing would be ready, leaving him clueless about how to handle the situation.

Reese could understand the lord’s bluntness, as such a large-scale migration without a detailed and meticulous plan was indeed abrupt, throwing the fate of more than a hundred thousand people into a distant and desolate edge territory within a few days. But faced with the harsh reality, either they had to start the journey promptly, or they would have to wait for the winter’s cold wind in the northern wilds. At least the winters in the south were not so cold, and perhaps this was what compelled the refugees to set off despite their grudging reluctance.

With this thought, Reese grew concerned, “Then, Lord, what do you plan to do?”

“Plan? What plan can there be? With one hundred and fifty thousand people, it’s unlikely to satisfy everyone. Fortunately, the winters in Caucasus are not cold, so your tents from the North should get you through this winter in Caucasus. Moreover, there is no shortage of forest trees in Caucasus. If everyone is willing to make do, felling trees and constructing simple wooden houses upon arrival should not be too troublesome. I just hope Mr. Reese can help me explain things a bit more when the time comes to soothe any dissatisfaction among the refugees.” After thinking it over, Komer voiced his real concern: “I should also remind Mr. Reese that, since Caucasus is a remote region, the indigenous people tend to be wild, especially the considerable number of half-beastmen among them, who are direct but have fiery tempers and are not very friendly to mortals. I wouldn’t wish to see conflicts arise between the immigrants and the locals, and I hope Mr. Reese can help me by reminding the immigrants to avoid exacerbating any disputes with the residents.”

Nodding solemnly, Reese’s expression was grave, “Rest assured on that account, Lord. The people coming from the Myron region are quite simple and kind-hearted and should not conflict with others. However, I would like to remind you that some of the inhabitants of the Meine City-State are descendants of half-elves, and they have traditionally been at odds with the half-beastmen. It is perhaps the noble sir who should exercise caution.”

Nodding silently, Komer felt a headache coming on. He had been interested in the refugees from the Meine City-State from the start because of the innate talents of the half-elf archers. To his misfortune, he had not foreseen that the indigenous half-beastmen would be at odds with the half-elves, and he was clueless as to when and how these grudges had formed.

“Mr. Reese, why do half-elves and half-beastmen have such a bad relationship? Is there a reason for this animosity?”

“I’m not too clear on the details either, but it’s well-known that the half-elves’ Goddess of Nature, Minto, and the half-beastmen’s Hunting Goddess Artemis have been adversaries since ancient times. I’m guessing that might be the root of the half-elves and half-beastmen’s discord,” Reese said, indicating his limited familiarity with the hostilities between these races.