The Battle of Kaffa resulted in a crushing defeat for the Genoese army, with over 2,000 of their soldiers beheaded by the Theodoro Army of Kaffa, while Theodoro suffered only about 1,800 casualties.
If Manuel's final collapse hadn't slowed the pursuit, Genoa's losses would have been even more severe.
However, the defeat of the Genoese army had already given Theodoro an excellent opportunity to counterattack.
The remaining Theodoro Army, which had been dormant in Mangup for a long time, seized the opportunity to launch an attack.
In conjunction with some of Kaffa's forces, they recaptured all the towns and fortresses previously lost, except for Olstyn, within less than a month, forcing the Genoese army into Olstyn.
The news spread, shocking all involved and interested parties in the war.
The Genoese Council was furious, and under the deliberate guidance of Governor Capra, began to vent their anger on the local faction's former Governor, Simon Boccanegra.
However, the Genoese local faction was not to be outdone, and the two sides even turned the solemn political meeting in the council into a marketplace, almost successfully holding an unlimited fighting competition.
Carlo Merlo also felt the impact; if the local faction hadn't constantly tried to protect him, he would have been directly recalled.
Genoa was not the only one worried about Theodoro's great victory.
After learning the details of the battle, Haji Giray worried that they would monopolize the passage between Kerch and Kaffa and began to send envoys from time to time to urge the Principality to return this area.
Alexius's strategy was to constantly prevaricate and speak in circles, ensuring that Giray's envoys always returned empty-handed.
As the war between the two countries had not yet fully ended, Haji Giray had no choice but to hold his nose and let them occupy the land.
When news of this battle reached the Grand Duchy of Lithuania through Haji Giray's territory, Vytautas began to scrutinize Theodoro with new eyes.
After some deliberation, he decided to raise the stakes, contacting the Principality to try and send 500 hussars stationed in the Eastern European Great Plains to assist them.
The Principality did not decline his generous aid but gratefully accepted it.
In the city of Candia on Crete, Pietro Lando was not so impatient.
In his view, Theodoro's victory in this battle merely proved their value as an ally of Venice.
The Principality would only achieve true victory when the Venetian navy intervened.
Although this campaign successfully became the turning point of the war, the greatest contributor to this battle, the Crown Prince of the Principality of Theodoro, Manuel Gavras, remained unconscious.
It was now the third week of his coma.
At that time, when he fell, his personal guards happened to catch up, allowing him to be successfully brought back into the city for treatment.
However, his fall from his horse almost caused a wavering of morale.
Fortunately, the Genoese collapsed even more thoroughly, preventing any further heart-stopping twists.
After Manuel was brought back into the city, his personal attendants quickly sealed off the information, claiming that His Highness had suffered minor injuries and needed to recuperate.
Badars also released Barbara and, with her consent, informed Mangup of her true identity and asked her to temporarily handle non-confidential important matters, creating an atmosphere that suggested the Crown Prince was still working normally, until Alexius sent people to take over and assist them, at which point the matter slowly leaked out.
Upon learning the details, Alexius was stunned on the spot.
After recovering, he immediately made arrangements to prepare a horse and rush to Kaffa to personally look after his eldest son and future daughter-in-law.
However, due to too many important matters, he had to let Zoe and Maria, who were equally anxious, visit them on his behalf.
By the time they arrived, it was the end of the month, which is now.
After announcing their identities, they quickly arrived at the Kaffa Palace and saw the unconscious Manuel and those around him.
In the room where Manuel was being cared for, Barbara Palaiologina sat by his side, watching over her unconscious fiancé.
Badars personally guarded him with his attendants, just in case.
Upon seeing Zoe and her companions, he respectfully greeted them and then quietly stepped aside to continue his duties, careful not to disturb the three women.
The three were a little reserved at first, but due to their good first impressions of each other, they quickly relaxed, caring for Manuel while discussing his past, from his childhood interest in ancient texts to his claim that he would become a man like Basil II, and then to his precocious behavior at a young age.
The three had a very pleasant conversation.
As dusk fell, Zoe, feeling a little hungry, decided to leave temporarily.
To be honest, she was very satisfied with her future daughter-in-law: she not only was well-read in ancient texts and familiar with doctrine but also genuinely cared about Manuel.
These past few days passed like this, with no major events other than their routine expulsion of several physicians who tried to perform bloodletting on Manuel.
But no matter how much care he received, Manuel remained unconscious.
On this Sunday night, while everyone else was asleep, Barbara still sat by Manuel's bed—she was restless tonight, unsure of what the future held.
In this state, she looked at his face with distress, muttering:
"Manuel, do you know? In Constantinople, because I was my father's youngest daughter, most people saw me as a little princess pampered by my father and brothers.
"But I always felt that I wasn't as happy and content as they said.
My father, who shared your name, left very early; my brothers were all older than me, and to me, they were more like fathers, but precisely because of that, they always seemed busy, occupied with their duties every day.
I'm not saying that's bad, but I just… sigh.
"I know it sounds sentimental, but I always feel out of place, that… well, that uncomfortable, empty, and lonely feeling.
"Of course, I know that as royalty, I live a better life than ordinary people who are constantly struggling to survive, but I just… no matter what, I always have this feeling.
"I thought my life would just pass by like this, but I was also very afraid, afraid that I would just live like this, casually sent off for a political marriage, not even worthy of being recorded in history, at most just a line: Maria Palaiologina, the youngest daughter of Manuel II, and nothing else.
"So I started to enjoy reading books, including historical texts, military treatises, poetry, and knight novels.
I thought, even if my life passes uneventfully, I should at least know about others' magnificent life stories, whether true or false.
"That's why I acted like a fool that day, bursting into the Imperial Council and speaking nonsense.
Now that I think back, I truly was a fool, wanting to show off in front of adults after only knowing a little, and as a result, even my name was changed, and then I ran away from home out of anger.
It was truly stupid and laughable.
"But I'm very glad I did something so foolish, otherwise I might not have met you.
It's a bit embarrassing to say, but in my eyes, you are the kind of genius who can create miracles.
"Thank you, Manuel.
So far, this time I've spent with you has been the happiest time since my childhood.
"But I am a very greedy girl, and I have a difficult and willful personality, and I sometimes make very wrong decisions out of impulse or deep thought.
But even with my terrible personality, when I think of the past, I still feel it's far from enough; I want to be with you and enjoy more.
But now… I don't know if it's still possible.
"Oh, what am I even talking about?
"But no matter what, Manuel, Manuel, my dear Little husband, if I don't say this now, I might not have another chance later." At this point, Barbara choked up a little, "I love you the most."
As she spoke these words, she didn't notice a very faint, pale yellow glowing character flashing on Manuel's left palm from time to time, which even Barbara in the dark didn't perceive:
Remove.
Just as her words fell, Manuel's right index finger subtly twitched.