The Vastness of Magical Destiny

Chapter 67 - 67 19 Versailles (2)

?Chapter 67: Chapter 19 Versailles (2) Chapter 67: Chapter 19 Versailles (2) When Caffrey and Komer arrived at the outskirts of the Versailles Hunting Manor, they could see from afar that the parking area and horse stables stretched on endlessly, with coachmen gathered in groups by the rest area next to the stables, chatting while smoking their cigarettes.

Nobody paid any attention to the arrival of Caffrey and Komer. Carriages like Caffrey’s, utterly ordinary, were a dime a dozen here. Even luxurious horse-drawn carriages, engraved or marked with various grand family crests, were not unusual at this place—the leisure site of His Majesty the King, where one was surrounded by either the Great Aristocracy or the kingdom’s high officials, or else by the immensely wealthy traders and usury merchants.

The thick loess mixed with volcanic ash had been rolled smooth by stone rollers, and a straight avenue led deep into the hunting manor. The imposing honor guard stood erect and proud outside the inner gate, their splendid attire complemented by the dazzling golden long swords and medals, which enhanced the haughty and reserved guards’ heroic bearing.

The outer perimeter of the hunting manor was a citrus garden. The land inside this garden gradually sloped southward, as it was built on a rather steep slope. To prevent soil erosion, the architects had constructed a central corridor within the courtyard, connecting it to the lateral corridors.

Thus, the tall arches of the entire citrus garden were segmented by rows of columns, supporting the subsiding terrain and retaining moisture from flowing downwards.

The avenue leading deep into the hunting manor crossed the central corridor in a cross pattern, extending all the way to the center of the horseshoe-shaped cluster of buildings. At the heart of the horseshoe layout was an immense Green Lawn Square, where diverse sculptures and fountains of varying sizes were sporadically arranged across the twenty-hectare shaded lawn. Broad Green Mountain Stone paths divided the Green Lawn Square into numerous small sections, with evergreen trees and shrubs meticulously pruned and strategically placed.

While strolling here, you could encounter renowned figures from throughout the kingdom—politicians, artists, musicians, poets, and scholars.

The buildings, including the glass corridor and the north and south side buildings, formed a semi-S shape extending along the edge of the Green Lawn Square and the Birch Forest Belt. Beyond the Birch Forest Belt lay a dense mixed forest of conifers and deciduous trees, which thickly covered the hillsides. Together with the lush underbrush, they spread westward, comprising the main body of the royal hunting grounds.

Sturdy fences separated the birch forest from the hills, ensuring that fierce animals like bears and wild boars could not infiltrate the lodging and leisure areas of the hunting manor.

The Great Aristocracy, high officials, and lords from other regions usually spent their time in the leisure halls near the king’s bedroom and two reception halls on the left side, chatting idly, while the merchants and usurers typically stayed in the restrooms on the right. Sometimes, the kingdom’s officials responsible for finance would also come here to entertain themselves with the merchants on the left.

If summoned by His Majesty the King, one would pass through the colonnaded corridor to enter the first or second reception hall for an audience with His Majesty.

Caffrey seemed very familiar with this place and soon found, through an acquaintance inside, the person he was looking for—a kingdom’s official in charge of immigration affairs within the Internal Affairs division. He had come here along with the Internal Affairs Manager to accompany the king for the weekend.

The interactions between merchants and officials were straightforward. As a draft from the silver bank was handed over, the initially impatient look on the official’s face suddenly became warm. Bending his body politely, he listened attentively to the introductions from Caffrey and one of his friends.

For a small, unknown lord like Komer from out of town, officials were clearly not very interested in making his acquaintance; after a cool and reserved handshake, they asked Komer to get straight to the point about why he requested to see the Internal Affairs Manager.

However, when Komer explained the current situation in Caucasus and the urgent need for considerable labor to be introduced into his territory due to the discovery of a mine, as well as his own ideas and plans, the official immediately showed considerable interest.

After all, the number of people Komer implied he would bring in was surely not small. He embellished in his speech, exaggerating a single fine iron mine to two, and vaguely indicated that the coal mine, yet to be discovered, had made significant progress in exploration, and would soon enter actual mining. Furthermore, the construction of roads also required a large number of ordinary laborers with very little skill.

This mixture of truth and exaggeration led the official to believe that this could be a good destination for the large number of refugees currently stranded in the western neighboring countries. The only regret was that Caucasus was somewhat remote to say the least, and most importantly, there was not enough infrastructure to support such a large influx of refugees; at best, it was a drop in the bucket, barely quenching the thirst.

Upon receiving a further tip in the form of a small silk pouch from Caffrey, who knew how to play the game, the official generously promised to arrange a meeting with the Kingdom’s Internal Affairs Manager for Komer and Caffrey and mentioned he would set up a suitable time for the audience tomorrow. He also warmly expressed his willingness to advise them during the meeting.

Watching the official sway away and Caffrey’s unsurprised expression, Komer felt a hint of dejection. Was this the behavior of the Kingdom’s officials?

It seemed that even the officials of Cyprus were better; although just as greedy, they would at least pretend to some extent. Meanwhile, what of the Kingdom’s officials? They didn’t even hesitate to openly solicit bribes from a lord from out of town, suggesting that without money, one could hardly make any progress. This was a telling sign of the dark depths within officialdom.

Walking slowly with Komer in Green Lawn Square, Caffrey seemed to notice his companion’s low spirits. With his acute intuition, he knew what was troubling him and shared his sentiments, “Sir Baron, do you find today’s experiences somewhat disappointing?”

“Mr. Caffrey, I’m aware that bureaucrats everywhere are the same—Cyprus is no exception—but their brazenness doesn’t seem like a good sign, especially when faced with the rampage of the beastmen. What I see instead is a complacent, intoxicated illusion of peace and luxury. It’s quite incomprehensible to me,” Komer said, his voice low, his gaze towards the distant horizon becoming especially profound.

Shrugging, Caffrey indicated his understanding of Komer’s feelings but, as a merchant, he thought this way of doing things was more convenient—straightforward, a fair trade, where everything could be measured with money, far better than those hypocrites who pretend to be above it all. Once crossed, they’ll find ways to trip you up, to counteract you, leaving you unable to voice your suffering.

“Lord Baron, you ought to consider this is the political heart of the Kingdom of Nicosia. Almost all major affairs of the entire kingdom are concentrated here. Officials are humans too, and they need leisure and entertainment, as well as ample money to live,” Caffrey said knowingly.

“From what I understand, ever since the beastmen began their annual offensives in the North, life at the center of the kingdom has become difficult. In addition to major cuts in various expenses, the salaries of the Kingdom’s officials have also dropped significantly. Even His Majesty the King has reduced his visits to the Versailles Hunting Manor to save costs. However, a kingdom is still a kingdom, and it must continue to appear as an object of admiration to others; it cannot show too much weakness or worry, as that would only embolden the beastmen and alarm the neighboring countries. Therefore, maintaining a necessary facade is essential,” Caffrey explained.

Caffrey seemed to have a clear understanding of political matters, and his words were filled with sentiment.