Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage

Chapter 310: Expedited Talks

CH310 Expedited Talks

***

Alex wore a puzzled look on his face.

”Hahaha!!”

Across the table, Zora was doubled over, laughing so hard her sides hurt.

It had been two days since Alex’s meeting with Eleanor. He’d been so confident after that discussion — certain she would reach out within hours to confirm their deal. Yet now, two whole days later, there was still nothing.

Not so much as a peep from her.

Alex’s lips twitched as Zora continued laughing at his expense. If it weren’t for the rather jiggly view that came with it, he might’ve actually spanked her rear already for mocking him.

Of course, only to get her to stop laughing... and definitely not because of how pleasantly supple it would have felt...

Of course not.

At least, that’s what he told himself.

”Cough!” he faked a cough.

Unfortunately, his attempt at pretending to stay composed only made things worse. The more he tried to look dignified, the harder Zora laughed.

”Stop... my ribs...” she gasped between laughs, clutching her side.

”Oh, would you stop that already?” Alex glared.

”I’m... trying... but... you’re... not... helping!” she wheezed through her laughter.

With a long-suffering sigh, Alex stood and gently pulled her into a hug.

”Alright. Breathe in... breathe out...” he murmured, patting her back in slow, calming strokes.

Gradually, Zora’s laughter started to fade.

”Feeling better?” he asked.

”Just a little,” she replied, pushing herself away from his chest.

But the moment her eyes landed on his sulking face, her lips twitched again. She almost broke into another fit of laughter.

”Here, drink.” Alex handed her a cup of water from the table. ”Keep your throat occupied.”

”Pfft!”

That did it. Those words plus the sour expression on his face broke the final straw. But just before she completely lost it, Zora snatched the cup from his hand.

”Small sips,” Alex warned quickly when he saw her about to down it all at once.

Thankfully, she caught herself in time and took a few measured sips, focusing on her breathing.

While she composed herself, Alex turned to a nearby shelf and browsed through the books on it — less to find a book, and more to keep his face out of Zora’s view until she regained her composure.

A few minutes passed before Zora finally managed to get her laughter under control.

”Done laughing at my face?” Alex asked without looking back.

”Yes,” she said sweetly, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. ”Thanks. It was more fun than laughing behind your back.”

His lips twitched again.

”So,” she continued, ”what are you going to do now?”

”About?” Alex feigned ignorance.

”Stop behaving like a child,” Zora rolled her eyes. ”Eleanor. What are you going to do about Eleanor?”

”Nothing.” Alex shrugged. ”I’ll leave her be if she doesn’t want the partnership. If Father complains, I’ll tell him she broke it off.”

”Are you sure?” Zora warned. ”That might make your father pick someone else. And if his shortlist is anything to go by, you won’t like his choice.”

Alex frowned — then shook his head.

”I’ll cross that bridge later. Right now I need to focus on the Kellerman negotiation. They’re asking to expedite the date. Most likely they want it over and done with so they can focus on their upcoming Interplanar expedition.” He closed the book he’d been idly flipping and faced her.

”Earl Kellerman will either want Josiah to lead the expedition or have him hold down the fort in the fief while he personally goes on the expedition,” Zora observed. ”Knowing what they have to pay your family, will let them know and plan the resources they can commit to the expedition.”

She glanced at the book of beast hides in Alex’s hand as she asked, ”How do you want to approach this? Depending on what you demand, you could choke off their resource pool for the expedition and hamper any recovery plan based on the exploitation of their plane.”

Alex put the book back and shook his head.

”I don’t intend to ask for coin or material resources.” He answered. ”I won’t really damage their recovery as much as you’d think. Even without their Layman mine, with the Interspatial Orb in hand, they still have leverage with which they could get loans to finance the endeavour after paying us off... amongst other measures they can take.”

He shrugged. ”Even if they are forced to leave for the plane with the bare minimum, they might still strike something valuable in the plane. So, worrying about every variable is a waste. We should focus on our needs. If we get stronger, we’ll beat them regardless of what the Kellermans bring back.”

Zora tilted her head. ”So it isn’t coin, and it isn’t materials, the reparation you could want, and can get... is land. You’re eyeing Kellerman territory?”

”Aye.” Alex nodded. ”Once my family’s negotiation team arrives, I’ll get them working on a plan to convince Earl Jorg Kellerman to cede land.”

”That won’t be easy,” Zora pointed out. ”It’s a great shame for a noble to lose his lands. And from what you’ve told me, Earl Kellerman sounds like a prideful man.”

”Perhaps.” Alex nodded, his tone solemn — but then his eyes gleamed. ”In that case, we’ll just use his pride against him.”

Seeing that confident glint return, Zora said no more. She trusted he would handle it somehow.

”I’ll leave you to it,” she said, rising to her feet. ”I still have a lot of work to do — thanks to you.”

Before she could leave, Alex caught her arm and pulled her gently into his embrace. His hand rested on her waist while her arms naturally found their way around his neck.

”I mean this sincerely, Zora. Thank you,” he said quietly.

”You don’t need to thank me so often, Alex.” Zora smiled faintly. ”I’m doing this because I want to. Just make sure I don’t regret it.”

”You won’t. I promise,” he replied instantly.

”Then that’s all.” Her lips brushed his in a quick kiss before she stepped back. ”I really need to go. We’ll pick this up later.”

Zora hurried out.

She had more on her plate than ever — countless approvals pending for the entertainment city to be jointly built and managed by the Golden Palace and the Enclave. More importantly, she was preparing to hand over her position as the Enclave’s majordomo.

With Alex’s interspatial expedition drawing near, Zora would be leaving alongside his team. That meant she had to ensure the Enclave continued running smoothly in her absence — especially since Uthvaazgol had fallen into a deeper slumber and ’Merlin’ would not be as active as before.

She was giving up everything — her authority, her comfort, and her safety — to follow him into an uncertain, dangerous journey through an unknown plane.

Word alone could not describe how grateful he was to her.

After she left, Alex sat in his dorm room, absently flipping through the books lining his shelves. He’d already read every one of them, and was simply passing time as he waited for a message.

Finally, after half an hour, it arrived.

It wasn’t from Eleanor.

It was from the Enclave gate.

”Young Master Alex,” the messenger reported, ”there’s a group asking for you. They claim to be from your family.”

”Thanks. I’ll meet them myself,” Alex replied, immediately rising to his feet.

The people waiting for him were none other than the negotiation delegation from Ashen Castle.

Alex — and by extension, the Fury Family — had agreed to the Kellerman family’s request to expedite the reparation talks. As a result, the delegation had to make haste to the DragonHold Enclave.

Although Alex and his retinue left Ashen Castle after the delegation, they still arrived first. The reason was simple — the delegation’s members included several non-professionals, forcing them to travel the long route by carriage and horseback.

The bodies of baseline humans were far too fragile to risk a journey through the skies on a Wyvern airline.

Thus, they arrived a full week after Alex and his group had already reached the Enclave and settled in.

Dread galloped behind the messenger’s horse, kicking up dust as they approached the Enclave gates.

”Young Master Alex, you didn’t have to come all the way out here,” said the guard captain, stepping forward as Alex dismounted. ”We only needed your confirmation.”

”It’s nothing, Captain. They’re family,” Alex replied with a smile. ”It’s only proper that I welcome them personally.”

He gave the man a reassuring pat on the shoulder before heading toward the arriving delegation as they climbed down from their carriages and horses.

”Uncle Esmond,” Alex greeted warmly. ”I trust your journey was smooth?”

”As smooth as can be, Young Lord,” the older man replied with a dry grin. ”Nothing a day’s rest — and a warm bed to soothe our bruised butts — can’t fix.”

Alex chuckled wryly.

Esmond Fury — one of the many true-blooded members of House Fury who, unfortunately, did not awaken his Furor Bloodline. Worse still, he lacked the potential to become a Professional.

But rather than resign himself to obscurity, Esmond had chosen a most unexpected path for a Fury — that of a scribe.

In a family renowned for hotheaded and muscle-headed macho warriors, a calm intellectual was both rare and invaluable.

This rare quality had eventually earned Esmond a position as a head clerk, ranking just beneath the Fury Family’s Magister Notarii.

Still, even as a master of the pen rather than the sword, Esmond Fury remained a Fury through and through. Unlike the refined, silver-tongued scribes of other houses, he was as blunt and crude in his words, only just a bit more restrained than the Fury warriors.

Crude or not, his skill and experience made him the perfect choice to lead the delegation — and to provide Alex with the capable support he needed for the upcoming talks.

Alex guided the group to their prepared accommodations within the Enclave.

And thus, the countdown to the reparation talks with the Kellermans began.

***