Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage

Chapter 137: Narrative Control

CH137 Narrative Control

***

”Pleasure?” Earl Drake raised a brow. ”You say that, but your face says otherwise.”

”Of course it’s a pleasure,” Alex replied smoothly. ”Having the Head of the Family leave the mighty Ashen Castle to visit my humble abode? That’s no small gesture.

”However, I can’t help but wonder... Why come in person instead of summoning me, as you usually do?”

Drake offered a casual shrug.

”Well, you earned an important victory today. You’re not just the heir to my line, you’ve positioned yourself as a viable heir to my current throne.

”That alone is worthy of a personal congratulations.”

”I see...” Alex gave a thoughtful nod. ”But there was no need to congratulate me over one victory.

”Life is a never-ending battle. No matter how many victories we earn, eventually, we face loss in some form... After all, death is the final defeat every creature must suffer. It is inevitable.”

He leaned forward slightly, his eyes calm but intense.

”The best we can hope for... is to carve out a piece of something meaningful before that final loss. Something we can make a stand for. And it’s that stand that defines who we are.”

Alex paused briefly, then gave a smirk.

”All I did today was fight for my own piece—Something to define me. That’s not something worth congratulating.”

He chuckled lightly and added with a raised brow,

”How’s that? It shows I didn’t let the fight go to my head, right?”

”You cheeky brat.” Earl Drake chuckled, clearly amused.

He looked at his son—the boy who had now become his heir.

And as always, the child who was too mature for his age... was still firmly grounded in reality.

”A never-ending battle, huh...” the Mad Earl murmured.

”Is that why you took out Joselin as well?”

Alex tilted his head slightly.

”Took out Joselin...? What do you mean?” he asked, feigning ignorance.

”Don’t play coy with me, boy,” Drake said flatly. ”That Shadow Guard of yours is the only person in Ashes City, who was free and unaccounted for at the time of the duel, capable of making someone like Joseline disappear without a trace.”

Alex frowned.

Not because of the accusation—

He had fully expected Drake to find out.

No, it was the implication behind his father’s words that gave him pause.

”You make it sound like you weren’t the one who placed her by my side,” Alex remarked.

”That’s because I wasn’t,” Drake replied casually. ”Merlin found her years ago. Said she was the perfect candidate to be your Shadow Guard.

”He recommended I personally oversee her training—which I did. Then I sent her to Megan, so she could gain battlefield experience.”

Drake’s gaze narrowed slightly.

”Given how loyal she is to you now, I’m surprised you didn’t know.”

”I’d never met her before three days ago,” Alex said flatly.

”Much less knew that Teacher had recommended her to be my Shadow Guard.”

”Well, that’s between you and Merlin,” Drake said with a shrug. ”But from what I’ve seen, his recommendation wasn’t without merit.”

Suddenly, he tilted his head—eyes glancing behind Alex.

To the exact spot where Udara stood veiled in the shadows.

With a knowing smile, he added, ”Keep her close. She’s got the potential to reach my level if she lives long enough.

”At that point, you’ll have a Legend by your side—without lifting a finger.”

Then, as if recalling something amusing, the Mad Earl’s smile widened.

”That lass Zora made an interesting proposal to me about her, too... but I’ll keep quiet for now. Better you hear it from Zora herself.”

Alex nearly rolled his eyes.

’If you weren’t going to tell me about it, why mention it at all? You just want to have a little fun at my expense, don’t you?’

Earl Drake’s amusement vanished in an instant, replaced by grim seriousness.

”You still haven’t answered my question.”

Alex met his gaze. ”You’re right. I was the one who made Joselin disappear. She was a threat that needed to be handled.”

Suddenly—

BOOM!

A crushing pressure descended upon both Alex and Udara.

Alex, expecting it, took the brunt of it.

Udara was locked in place, unable to so much as twitch.

”Since when did it become your place,” Drake’s voice rang out, cold and thunderous, ”to touch one of my wives?”

Even under the pressure, Alex stood his ground. He clenched his fists and began circulating mana through his body.

Body Strengthening Magic!

Despite the strain, he replied as calmly as he could:

”Since I became your official heir... and assumed the responsibility of protecting this family, especially from the threats you can’t be bothered to deal with due to your lofty position.”

Drake’s gaze narrowed, but he didn’t speak.

Alex continued, voice steady and sharp:

”In your eyes, Joselin is just a weak woman. But in mine—she’s a venomous snake. She might not kill you herself, but the poison she spreads? That’s another matter entirely.”

He took a breath, holding firm as the pressure bore down on him.

”Where you saw ’minor nuisances’. I saw our foundations being undermined.”

”The corruption of fief officials, her public campaign pushing Kurt as your heir, her absolute control over him, the assassination attempt on my life, the creation of the family council behind your back... All of these were her doing.

”And those were back when her son—the only thing tying her to this family—was still alive.”

He locked eyes with the Earl.

”Kurt’s dead now. She has nothing holding her back. And as the saying goes, ’Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.’

”She was already dangerous with Kurt. Without him? There’s no telling what she might do.”

”So yes, I had Udara watch her after the duel with Kurt. And just as I expected—she packed her bags and tried to run.

”If she had gotten away, who knows what chaos she might’ve stirred up? I couldn’t allow that.”

Drake’s voice was quiet now, but still firm.

”Still... it wasn’t your place to act.”

”It was exactly my place,” Alex snapped back. ”You wouldn’t do it. You didn’t see her as a threat. And even if you did... you couldn’t.”

He leaned forward slightly, pressing the point:

”You moving against her would have alerted the Holts and Machholts prematurely—long before whatever plan you’re orchestrating is ready.

”But by having Udara act during the duel, when every operative under your command was visible and accounted for, we created the perfect cover.”

”No one will connect her disappearance to you. And since no one knows Udara even exists, they won’t link it to me either.”

He took a deep breath, then added:

”Besides, her room shows signs she packed and left. Her maids will also testify to that.

”All we need to do is maintain the narrative: Joselin couldn’t bear to stay at Ashen Castle after Kurt’s death, so she slipped away in secret.”

”You will issue a public order: all Fury forces are to be on the lookout and return her safely to the castle.

”You can even write to the Holts—denounce her actions, distance the family from her, make it clear we do not approve of her behaviour.”

”That way, we keep both the Holts and the unknown organisation Joselin is working with in the dark... While we take our time to inspect the House and assess the full extent of the damage she caused—or the doors she left open for our enemies.”

**