Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage

Chapter 880: Family Tradition – Noble Etiquette I

CH880 Family Tradition – Noble Etiquette I

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“Well… There is a small situation going on within the Fury Family,” Commander Holst said with a bit of hesitation.

“What kind of situation?” Alex asked.

“There are nobles putting pressure on other Fury branch houses. So, there is a faction within the family aiming to… reduce the hostilities with the outside nobles,” Commander Holst replied carefully.

“You mean there is a foolish faction within our family that wants to please outside nobles by undermining their Clan Head…” Alex’s eyes flashed coldly.

Commander Holst shrugged in response.

Soon, the wyvern carriage landed at a waypoint within the City of Ashes. Alex and his party disembarked the wyvern carriage in the station’s VIP section and quickly bypassed the usual entry procedures with Alex’s personal token.

Seeing the House seal of a Fury noble, a young attendant at the station commented, “Sir, if you are here for the Elder Council meeting, you might want to hurry. The meeting should have commenced by now.”

Alex realised the attendant didn’t recognise his identity.

‘He is probably a new recruit from the time I was absent,’ he reasoned.

But he also recognised that the youth meant well by informing him of the meeting.

Alex smiled. He turned to Commander Holst. “Please give him a tip,” he said.

Commander Holst snapped his fingers, and one of the Silver Fangs promptly slipped the young attendant a pouch containing five low-grade Mana Stones.

This was nothing to the Fangs, much less Alex, but to the young attendant, this was massive—especially for a tip given over a few measly words.

As they exited the waystation, Alex turned to Udara. “Lead them to my Back Mountain Lodge. I will join you all there later.”

“Where are you going, Master?” she asked.

“To crash a meeting,” Alex said.

“In that case, I will stay by your side. I am still your Shadow Guard,” Udara argued.

“It is best we go together,” Zora supported.

“No, this is a Fury matter, I—”

“And are we not Furys?” Eleanore spoke. “We are your wives, your soul-bound retainers and your sworn knights. Under your banner, that makes us Furys as long as you consider us so.”

Alex looked through the group of twenty or so, who had been through thick and thin with him for over two years now. He saw their faces, which were eagerly awaiting his response.

Much less them, even the Silver Fangs who hadn’t met him in a while but had been acting on his behalf in Pangea, waited for his response.

Alex smiled wryly.

“Alright,” he said.

However, before they moved, Alex suddenly pressed his palms together. When he separated them, a small portal opened, from which scores of pigeons and crows flew out, taking to the skies.

Senu was also tempted to take to the skies, but she was stopped by Udara, who had her perched on her shoulder.

“That’s new,” Deputy Commander Jaeger said.

“You like it? It’s a new type of magic I created—Familiar Magic,” Alex revealed with a smile.

Commander Holst looked at a crow which was perched on a tree now far away—at least, in the magic archer’s vision.

The crow looked incredibly unassuming if he weren’t looking at it.

Though the crow’s eyes felt lifeless, Conrad Holst couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being watched.

He turned to Alex with a solemn look but said nothing.

The group embarked on the waiting carriage—also prepared by the Golden Palace—and rode to Ashen Castle.

Upon his arrival at the castle, the guards and soldiers stationed at the castle were stunned by his arrival. Someone wanted to go and announce his arrival, but Alex stopped them.

“An important Elder Council meeting is ongoing. The announcement of my return can wait,” Alex said calmly.

The soldiers nodded, and Alex made his way into the castle building with his party.

He kept watch on the meeting proceedings through a pigeon and a crow he had watching the event, perched up by the window.

As he approached the meeting hall within Ashen Castle, Alex heard what Aiden Fury said to his father—but more particularly, the way the young man spoke to his father.

It was as if the young man was intentionally undermining his father’s authority.

While it might mean nothing to Drake, as a son, this was something he could not overlook.

Alex stepped up his pace ahead of his party, and the Skywalker Sword—as if feeling his rage—unsheathed itself into his hand.

Regality! Dominion! Domination! Subjugation!

The guards moved to stop him. However, the concepts of his fused bloodline came crashing down upon them, stunning them for a moment and allowing him to slip past them.

He walked imposingly through the door, his crimson eyes locked onto Baron Aiden’s figure.

“I know I have been gone for a year and a half or so, but I didn’t expect we Furys to have fallen so far that a fool can address the Clan Head so blatantly disrespectfully and still keep his head.

“I guess I have to remedy that myself.” Alex’s cold voice landed with potent killing intent.

His figure shot towards the unprepared man.

[First Sword – Slash]!

A powerful overhead slash came bearing down on Baron Aiden.

“That’s enough, boy. You are the one undermining my authority now.” Earl Drake’s voice sounded in his ears at that instant, causing Alex to redirect his strike at the last possible second.

The energy behind the attack flew harmlessly past Baron Aiden’s body, but the Skywalker Sword rested on the man’s neck.

For a moment, Baron Aiden even had the illusion that the unadorned, plain-looking Skywalker Sword had severed his neck.

“He dares to address you disrespectfully. Are you going to let this be, Clan Head?” Alex turned to Earl Drake and asked, his sword still on Baron Aiden’s neck.

“How dare you—?”

Beast Intimidation!

“You’d better shut that mouth of yours. One more word and I will take your head.” Alex’s cold voice sounded in Aiden’s ears.

His killing intent was so potent that it was clear Alex was barely holding himself back from killing Aiden where he stood.

“What is the meaning of this, Alex Fury?” Earl Mathias Fury finally spoke.

He was perhaps the oldest present, but his voice was forceful and authoritative.

Yet Alex did not spare him—a Clan Elder—even a glance. Instead, his eyes remained locked onto Earl Drake Fury—or rather, the Clan Head.

“Don’t make me repeat myself, boy.” Drake’s crimson eyes looked down upon his son’s.

“As you command, Patriarch.” Alex bowed.

He took his sword back from Baron Aiden’s neck and sheathed it.

Then, as if the entire thing had never happened, he suddenly bowed in greeting before Earl Drake.

“Patriarch, I, Alex Fury, heir to the Drake household, have returned from my first Interplanar expedition, and I have come to pay my respects to you, the Head of Clan Fury,” he said.

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