The Vastness of Magical Destiny

Chapter 93 - 93 18 Socializing_3

?Chapter 93: Chapter 18: Socializing_3 Chapter 93: Chapter 18: Socializing_3 Both casters and magic practitioners treat magic metal as a treasured gem, and even the trade of magic metal ore tends to be monopolized by magic practitioners and large smelting workshops. Ordinary people hardly ever get a chance to see magic metal, let alone use it for jewelry. Although it’s not unheard of, it indeed seems like a waste. Should magic practitioners witness such a use, they would be beating their chests and lamenting without end.

“Your baron, thank you for the gift; I like it very much. I didn’t expect you to have such a good mood and to be so thoughtful for a woman,”
At this moment, Katya no longer had the unrestrained demeanor of the previous night. Her cherry lips were dabbed with rouge, her nose sculpted, and her dark, diamond-like eyes were brimming with a subtle smile.

“It seems Your baron’s reputation in Cyprus is indeed well-deserved. No wonder you can win a beauty’s heart so easily.”

“Lady, considering what a lady might need seems to be the very least a gentleman should do, right? I can’t just bring a weapon or a collection of love letters on my first visit, can I? However, I would still ask you to please refrain from bringing up my past, is that alright? If such words reach Prince Hoffman’s ears, it would cause a great uproar. As a minor lord from the frontier, my reputation is of little concern, but if Princess Tracy were to be slandered, it would be a great harm to Prince Hoffman, who has already fallen for the county master at first sight, not to mention it wouldn’t be good news for the Royal Family.”

With a bitter smile, Komer once again earnestly pleaded for discretion. But inside, he felt a perverse sense of triumph. Even the esteemed prince would have to marry a woman he had once ridden. This pride was exhilarating, but more so, it was a source of deep sorrow.

Thinking about the woman he once loved wholeheartedly about to fall into the arms of another, the vows of eternal love had turned into cruel hurts. This feeling would not fade even after decades. They say time is the best healer for emotional wounds, but Komer found that the memory of every inch of his lover’s skin and hair, every expression and gesture, still haunted his dreams from time to time. Perhaps only the appearance of a new woman in his life could gradually erase these traces from his memory. Komer could only hope so.

“Your baron, it seems you have forgotten about my brother’s behavior in Cyprus. If he could disregard the dignity of his own sister so blatantly, do I need to cover up for his shameful actions?”

Still wearing that pleasant expression on her face, Katya finally gave a slight shake of her hand when she saw Komer frown.

“Well, since Your baron is so averse to this subject, let’s change the topic. I hear you have completed your mission?”

“Thanks to your help, the major issue has been resolved. Now we only need to gather and tally the people before we can depart. Lord Tez has already arranged transportation for me, but for such a large-scale movement of people, I’m afraid no one can handle it and they will have to walk by themselves. I estimate it will take them at least a month to reach their destination,”
Komer was concise, “Additionally, Duke Tez will need to coordinate with the Internal Affairs Department and the local lords of the territories we will pass through, because with so many people on the move, problems can easily arise. Fortunately, it’s the off-farming season now, so it shouldn’t be too problematic.”

“Mm, Tez is seasoned in such matters, I believe he can handle it for you. But it seems you have forgotten one thing: with so many people settling in your territory, at least until next summer harvest season, how will you solve their food problem? To my knowledge, the Caucasus has a sparse population and, although there is plenty of wasteland, no one farms it. How will you ensure their food supply?”

Idly picking up a lemon slice with tweezers and placing it in her teacup, Katya lifted her eyes and casually asked.

“Your Highness is correct, there is a lot of wasteland in the Caucasus, but due to its notorious reputation, many people are prejudiced and afraid, not willing to settle there. That’s why I’m taking this opportunity to recruit labor to cultivate and develop the land. When I left, I had already arranged for someone to help buy food, but I did not expect Lord Tez to ask me to take in a number of refugees far beyond my capacity, and the main problem is food and housing.”

Komer was unsure why the other party was so interested in his acceptance of refugees, but since she asked, it wouldn’t be right not to answer.

“Eh? As far as I know, Naples, Medea, and the Netherlanders have already promised you financial subsidies for the Caucasus. You can use these funds to buy food and help these refugees through the crisis,”
With the silver spoon gently stirring in her teacup to disperse the lemon flavor, Katya’s every move was graceful and elegant, the faint aroma lingering between the two of them.

Komer knew that he couldn’t hide these details from someone as well-informed as her, nor was there any need to keep her in the dark.

The food issue alone would consume nearly half of the financial subsidy, and after subtracting the kingdom’s share, there wasn’t much funds left for Komer to use. He didn’t much care about this aspect.

What Komer valued was the labor resource of one hundred and fifty thousand people. As long as he could make it through to next summer’s harvest, these people would become his citizens, and the wealth and value they brought would be immeasurable. Especially in a region as vast and mineral-rich as the Caucasus, as long as transportation was improved and there was sufficient labor, he was confident that a new Caucasus would rise before the world in just a few years.

“Your Highness is right, and as you know, the major food-producing areas are mainly concentrated in the lands of Duke Philip and Duke Zellin. Purchasing such large quantities of food cannot be kept secret. And Your Highness is well aware of my relationship with Duke Philip, while Duke Zellin is aligned with him. I’m afraid buying food from them would cost much more than the market price, and this is my biggest concern,”
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