Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage

CH711 Udara’s Proxy Plan

***

Alex shook his head lightly, as though trying to cast aside those darker thoughts.

’That is not what I should be focusing on right now,’ he admonished himself inwardly.

”Since you identified the problem, do you also have a solution? One that allows us to make use of this newly discovered opportunity?” he asked.

Udara’s eyelids twitched faintly.

For the briefest moment, Alex caught sight of a strangely calculating expression flickering within her eyes—an expression so unlike her usual self that he momentarily wondered whether he had imagined it.

Before he could dwell on it further, Udara spoke.

”We need to pass this knowledge to someone else—someone capable of weathering the storm and holding up the sky when this discovery inevitably shakes the world,” she said calmly.

”A scapegoat? Or a proxy?” Alex asked.

”I believe either could work. However, a proxy would likely be the better option,” Udara replied after a moment of thought.

”Actually, my idea is to replicate the kind of relationship you have with the Golden Palace—not necessarily in terms of ownership over the business itself, but rather the proxy aspect of it.

”On Pangea, the Golden Palace introduces your products as though they were their own. In doing so, they shield you from malicious actors while also acting in your interests—or at the very least, in a way that broadly benefits you.

”I believe it would be best to pass this knowledge to a similar organisation here—one powerful enough to withstand the retaliation of the Temples.”

Alex, Eleanore, and Zora exchanged glances. From one another’s expressions, they immediately realised who Udara had in mind.

”The Syndicate.”

”The Alston Family.”

”The Black Scars.”

The three of them spoke almost simultaneously.

”Yes, exactly my thoughts,” Udara confirmed with a nod. ”With the Syndicate’s level of influence, it should be possible to utilise the treatment method right beneath the Temples’ noses while still keeping the matter concealed for a time.”

”But that is not truly what we want, is it?” Zora asked, a knowing smile tugging faintly at the corner of her lips.

”No,” Udara confirmed once more. ”Ideally, the Temples should eventually discover it. Their reaction would force the Syndicate to spread the knowledge more widely amongst ambitious powers and influential figures.

”With the Syndicate’s network, distributing such information amongst nobles, aristocrats, organisations, and even entire nations would be child’s play.

”Once the knowledge becomes widespread enough, very few people would pay attention to us using it somewhere within an obscure corner of the Celahan Empire.”

Udara suddenly paused before turning specifically towards Eleanore.

”The greatest issue with this plan, however, is...” Her expression became serious. ”Are you willing to watch the opportunity your discovery has created for us spread into the hands of others?” she asked quietly.

A moment later, both her gaze and Eleanore’s shifted towards Alex.

Alex looked at the two women before giving Eleanore an encouraging nod.

”It is entirely your work. We will utilise it however you wish,” he said with a faint smile.

Eleanore nodded slowly.

”In that case... I want it to spread widely,” she decided.

She paused briefly before continuing.

”My original goal in creating this treatment was to cure as many patients as possible. Things only became complicated once the commoner patients unexpectedly transformed into professionals. However, at its core, my intention has not changed. I still wish to help as many people as possible.

”Allowing the knowledge and method to spread not only makes that possible, but it also allows us to make far better use of this discovery in the short term.”

”Understood,” Udara nodded after hearing Eleanore’s decision. ”In that case, the next issue we need to resolve is how to convince the Black Scar Syndicate to cooperate. Doing this would place them in direct opposition to the Temples.

”Although the Black Scar Syndicate is technically composed of rebels opposed to the Pantheon, its leadership has always acted cautiously, ensuring that their true intentions remain concealed. Because of that, I doubt the Syndicate’s Elder Council would readily agree to something like this merely for our sake.”

”It would only be a problem if they were doing it for us—which they will not be. They will be doing it for themselves,” Zora said with a faint smile.

”To move a group of old men like them, we simply need to frame this as an opportunity—an opportunity to profit from spreading the method while simultaneously undermining the very foundation of their enemy’s power—the faith economy of the Temples.

”This would be their chance to seriously damage their hidden enemy without yet having to engage in open conflict.”

Zora’s smile widened slightly.

”It would also give them the opportunity to convince themselves that they are truly opposing the Temples, rather than merely hiding and skittering about in the shadows like frightened rats.

”Judging from Raven Horn’s attitude, as well as the resources the Syndicate has already allocated to us, it is obvious they genuinely wish to fulfil their ancestral mission—even if their recent history has shown very little meaningful action towards that goal,” she added.

She then turned towards Alex.

”We could also phrase things in a way that makes this appear to be a subtle test—a test from the Legatee to determine whether he can truly trust the Syndicate to support him when he eventually moves openly against the Pantheon.”

Alex nodded in understanding.

”Indeed. If they cannot assist with something as indirect and comparatively low-risk as this—despite the immense potential reward—then they would only prove themselves unreliable when it comes to the far greater and more dangerous confrontation that is inevitably approaching,” he said.

”Exactly,” Zora confirmed. ”As descendants of a former Imperial Family—and ones who continued to uphold their ancestral mission even after the Empire’s collapse forced them into the underworld—they are undoubtedly prideful, especially when it concerns this very mission.

”To challenge their honour and pride in such a manner will undoubtedly spur them into action.”

”We also need to ensure that the Temples and clergy cannot make use of the treatment method themselves,” Eleanore suddenly cautioned, a thought occurring to her. ”The entire purpose of this plan would be defeated if they somehow acquired the method and began using it themselves.

”They would simply claim it was divine wisdom bestowed upon the method’s discoverer by their deity—just as they always do whenever knowledge somehow slips through the cracks of their control.”

”The Syndicate will never be able to guarantee that the method remains entirely out of the wrong hands,” Udara pointed out. ”Even if they thoroughly vet everyone they share it with, there is no realistic way to prevent the Temples from eventually acquiring the knowledge from those people—whether by force or through other means.

”The true safeguard must therefore lie within the method itself.”

Once again, Alex found himself inwardly nodding at Udara’s sharp insight.

’Yes... yes... she’s developing quite nicely,’ he mused inwardly.

Udara’s words caused Eleanore to suddenly realise a major flaw within the treatment method—scalability.

The potion-pill-immersion-formation therapy she had created possessed a significant limitation, one that could severely hinder the large-scale expansion necessary for their scheme to succeed.

Originally, Eleanore had designed the therapy with only one objective in mind— achieving success and proving the concept worked. She had not considered that large portions of the method would be extremely difficult for others to replicate independently.

Aside from the potion stage, the remaining three stages could not currently be replicated by anyone outside this very room.

Both the pill and immersion stages of the therapy required alchemy pills—something only she and Alex were presently capable of producing.

Meanwhile, the final formation stage required both of them working in tandem. Eleanore had to create the formation scroll itself, while Alex had to inscribe it with the required Grand Formation.

Eleanore fell silent for a moment as she carefully thought things through.

”The logistics of the therapy are going to complicate matters significantly,” she said at last. ”At the moment, Alex and I are the only ones capable of producing the pills, and I do not see either of us remaining stationary long enough to manufacture the quantity needed across an entire plane.

”Instead, what I can do is reverse the pill formula back into its original potion variant. If I manage that successfully, then it should become possible for ordinary alchemists—or perhaps even skilled herbalists—to produce the medicine themselves.

”However, we would still face the issue of the formation stage,” she continued. ”That part would still require the two of us to personally create the formation scrolls.”

”The only fortunate aspect is that the formation scrolls are reusable,” Alex commented. ”Otherwise, the method’s scalability might have collapsed before we even had the chance to begin.”

”How important is the formation itself?” Udara suddenly asked.

”Vital,” Eleanore answered immediately, without the slightest hesitation. ”The potions and pills may perform the majority of the cleansing process, but it is ultimately the formation that keeps the patient alive throughout the treatment.

”There are countless simultaneous processes occurring within the patient’s body during the therapy. An ordinary doctor or healer would never be able to monitor and manage all of them effectively. You would need a Saint-ranked healer to accomplish such a task reliably.

”And in a world where the clergy monopolise the Healing Authority, finding a Saint-ranked healer unaffiliated with Navi faith would be practically impossible.

”The formation is the only realistic means of tracking the patient’s condition while stabilising their body enough to keep them alive.”

”In that case, that is precisely how we will make this work,” Udara said decisively.

***