Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage

Chapter 784: Convoy Reversal Plan

CH784 Convoy Reversal Plan

***

Alex’s eyes narrowed coldly when he was informed about the convoy’s situation.

‘Ah… so I wasn’t the only one scheming ahead.’ A cold smile tugged at his lips.

He completely agreed with the convoy’s suspicion that Viscount Dunhill and/or Marquis Brandford had a hand in their current quagmire.

Only those two men possessed the influence necessary to move the domain lords across the north-east into acting in concert against a convoy that belonged to him.

‘However, this will backfire on them. I have more money than I can realistically spend, and population just so happens to be what I need.’ He thought.

Alex could already guess the reasoning behind the move. It was also why he agreed with the convoy’s suspicion that either Viscount Dunhill, Marquis Brandford, or both were pulling the strings behind the scenes.

As the domain lord personally appointed by the Emperor, the two likely assumed he had been fully briefed on the Frontier March’s situation and would arrive having already prepared solutions to its problems.

That would inevitably disrupt the existing status quo.

And exactly as they had anticipated, one of Alex’s first actions had been to terminate the ore-for-food exchange.

Their objective was likely to exhaust whatever food supplies the new domain lord had brought with him on his journey while simultaneously draining the funds he would inevitably spend purchasing more.

The plan was simple, required little political capital since the domain lords themselves would gladly participate for the profits they stood to earn from the convoy, and left Alex with little room to object, as their actions were technically legal and outwardly appeared to be acts of goodwill.

Against an ordinary lord of the Frontier March, such a scheme would have forced continued dependence on the Stronghold for food, compelling the domain to resume exchanging its ore for food—or rather, rations.

However, Alex was anything but an ordinary domain lord.

Having anticipated such a move and prepared well in advance, the schemes of the north-eastern nobility would ultimately prove far less effective than they expected.

“Will this affect the ore trade we planned?” Udara asked.

“No,” Eleanore shook her head. “It is unlikely. This and the ore trade are two different matters. The domain lords of the north-east should only be helping with this plan because it benefits them. Likewise, buying the ore from us also benefits them.

“That said, if Marquis Brandford and Viscount Dunhill put pressure on them, they might stop purchasing our ore sooner than we previously estimated.” She speculated.

“In other words, we need to complete this first transaction as quickly as possible and derive as much profit from it as we can before the Viscount and Marquis catch wind of it.” She added.

Eleanore turned back to the map.

“My greater concern now is how the two men will react now that we have made a move against them within our domain.” She continued. “You said the Dunn Clan Head has reached the Stronghold, right? In that case, wouldn’t it be more prudent to assume that they already know about the false narrative spreading throughout our domain?”

“That is our concern as well, milady.” Saul said. “Depending on how Viscount Dunhill, in particular, reacts to the news, there may be direct hostile action against the convoy—a warning, if you will.”

“‘Don’t go overboard, or we will crush you?ʼ” Alex said with a cold smile.

“Yes,” Saul nodded in confirmation. “Ideally, it would be best to get the convoy into the domain as soon as possible. But at their current, painfully slow pace, we would be lucky if they reach the domain within a month.”

Even if they didn’t make it all the way to Fonterra, the convoy would be much safer once it crossed the entrance valley and entered the Frontier March.

Outside the domain, Viscount Dunhill could easily organise raiding parties to harass the convoy continuously under the guise of bandits.

Once they crossed into the domain and the entrance came under their control, the likelihood of that continuing would be slim to none.

Alex remained silent, staring intently at the map while the others exchanged ideas.

Kavakan suggested sending troops to reinforce and protect the convoy against possible threats, while Eleanore focused on possible ways to increase the convoy’s travelling speed. However, both suggestions were quickly dismissed by the others.

The domain only had a single reliable hundred-man company to rely upon. Yet that company was also needed to defend the domain against berserk beasts and maintain internal security.

Sending them out would also achieve little, as the convoy already had more than a thousand men assigned to its security unit—a force that included four Combat Masters.

The troops they could send would only marginally improve the convoy’s security. Worse still, their addition could ironically increase the convoy’s burden, further slowing its travelling speed.

As for increasing the convoy’s speed, it had already done everything it could. Almost all of the civilians were being transported on mount-drawn open or cloth-covered carriages.

Their travelling speed was already at the upper limit of what was realistically possible for a convoy of its size.

Short of finding a colossal flying mount—or a large number of smaller flying mounts capable of airlifting the convoy—there seemed to be no faster means of travel available to them.

As the group continued bouncing ideas back and forth, Alex’s eyes suddenly shimmered.

Udara and Eleanore noticed it immediately, realising it meant Alex had come up with an idea he believed would work. Strangely, however, there was also a hint of reluctance in his gaze.

“Looks like you have an idea.” Eleanore commented.

“But not one you want to use…?” Udara added probingly.

Alex looked at the two women and smiled wryly.

“It is a card I would rather not reveal just yet,” he admitted. “But we don’t have much of a choice right now. We’re just going to have to get creative with how we use it.”

“Here’s what I have in mind…”

Alex went on to explain his idea to Eleanore, Udara, Saul and Kavakan.

After finishing his explanation, he looked around and asked, “What do you all think?”

Kavakan merely shrugged as he scratched his head. He couldn’t think of anything to add.

“It seems like a massive undertaking. Can you really pull it off, Leader?” Saul asked, visibly surprised by the proposal.

“I should be able to. It’s essentially just setting up a formation.” He said. “A talismanic field, I mean.”

“In that case, you don’t need to be present in person, do you, Master?” Udara asked, studying him intently.

“Exactly, you don’t need to be.” Eleanore nodded. “You can inscribe the formation into scrolls and have someone else deliver and set them up.”

***