Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage

Chapter 145: How to Convert to an Ally

CH145 How to Convert to an Ally

***

Alex exited Earl Drake’s office.

Whine~

Fen let out a soft cry at his feet. The wolf cub was now such a familiar presence around Alex that no one in the Ashen Castle even batted an eye at him anymore.

”I know,” Alex murmured. ”He’s up to something. We’ll just have to figure out what.”

He made his way to the training grounds to ask about the platoon and was promptly directed to their temporary encampment, just outside the walls of the City of Ashes. A number of other Fury Family Army units were also stationed there.

Upon arrival, Alex was relieved to see a familiar face.

”Lieutenant Cross, you’re in charge of the platoon?” Alex asked the seasoned, middle-aged officer.

The man gave a firm nod. ”Yes, I am, Young Lord. I take it you’re here to assume command?”

”Indeed. I hope you don’t mind,” Alex said with a polite smile.

”Of course not. We’ll be glad to have you. Truthfully... we could use it.” His voice dropped into something more solemn.

Alex nodded in understanding.

A quick scan of the assembled troops confirmed Lord Marshal Derek’s earlier assessment—they were mostly mid to peak beginner ranks. There were a few early intermediates scattered among them, but barely more than a handful. Only Lieutenant Cross himself stood at the peak of the Intermediate rank.

Considering the dangers of the Dankrot Forest—and the fact that Class 3 beasts (Elite-rank equivalent) roamed even their assigned periphery—the platoon was clearly lacking a high-tier combatant. They could technically take down a Class 3 beast with careful planning and superior tactics with their numbers, but having someone who could go head-to-head with one brought much-needed assurance.

And given that Alex had ’comfortably’ killed Viscount Lars, a peak Elite-rank noble mage, most assumed his true combat potential was already at that level or even beyond.

That wasn’t exactly true—but it wasn’t far off either.

For now, Alex turned his attention to another matter.

”I was told someone was assigned to the platoon as my adjutant. Where are they?” he asked.

”Over there.” Lieutenant Cross pointed toward the command tent.

Leaning against one side of the tent, alone and unapproachable, stood a woman. Her presence radiated cold beauty, like a lone rose brimming with thorns—meant to be admired, but not touched. The few troops nearby instinctively gave her space.

The moment Alex saw her, his pupils shrank.

’Damn you, Drake. Kill me yourself, why don’t you?!’

It was one of the heirs he had fought in the duel just three days ago. One of the very people whose family line he had condemned to decades of servitude to the Fury Family.

Laura Fury—the rogue.

Earl Drake’s words echoed in his mind.

”This is something you need to experience—and learn to handle—if you intend to one day stand where I do.”

Now Alex understood what that meant.

’I can’t always kill or ignore my defeated enemies. There’ll be times I’ll need to turn them into allies.’

Still...

’But of all people, old man... why’d you have to throw the biggest damn potato into my lap?’

If he had a say, he’d have chosen the armoured knight from the duel—if Laura could be up and walking after the wounds she suffered, then that guy should be too.

Interestingly, Laura’s current attire wasn’t quite that of a rogue anymore. It looked like a cross between a rogue and a knight’s gear—functional, fast, but reinforced.

[A.N: Too complicated to describe. I’ll drop a character model later. Remind me if I haven’t.]

The twenty-something-year-old woman turned the moment she felt his gaze on her.

Her eyes met his—and as expected, they narrowed into a glare filled with ice and undisguised hostility.

Lieutenant Cross glanced between the two of them, visibly uneasy. The tension between Alex and Laura could easily impact the morale of the entire platoon.

The mission ahead was already dangerous enough. The last thing they needed was for two of the platoon’s top three strongest members to be openly hostile toward each other.

”Don’t worry. I’ll settle it. Get the men ready to depart for the Forest Fort,” Alex instructed.

”As you command, Young Lord.” Lieutenant Cross responded crisply, giving a proper military salute. With Alex officially assuming command, all tones of familiarity vanished.

Alex walked toward the command tent.

”Come inside. We need to talk,” he said to Laura as he entered.

Laura clenched her jaw but followed after a moment, stepping into the tent behind him.

Inside, Alex leaned against the command table, arms folded. Fen stood atop the table by his side, eyes cold and alert as he watched the newcomer.

Laura stood before him, her face taut with restrained emotion—hostility plain in her eyes.

”I know why you hate my father. And by extension, why you hate me,” Alex said plainly. ”Viscount Colton was no fool. And from what I’ve read about how close your relationship was with him and how he trained you, I can tell—you’re not foolish either.”

The moment he mentioned her father, Laura’s glare sharpened like a blade.

Beast Intimidation. VelkaraSolmir—Domination and Dominion.

Alex responded with raw presence, locking her in place with his overwhelming bloodline aura.

He continued, calm and composed—yet his words struck like hammers.

”You must realise and accept the truth.

”I don’t care if you want to see my father and me as the villains of your little tragedy. Go ahead. But I do need you to understand something.

”What you’re doing—this hatred, this spite—it’s not helping you. It’s only hurting those around you. Look at the situation your siblings and cousins are now in. If not for you and your uncle’s foolish vendetta, they wouldn’t be sharing in this punishment.

”They’re paying the price for your grudge.”

Laura’s lips parted, ready to argue—only for a wave of force to crash over her.

Killing Intent.

Alex’s eyes turned cold, primal—those of a predator fully capable of ending her life on a whim. The pressure paralysed her. She couldn’t speak. She couldn’t move. Her skin prickled. Her heart raced.

”You have two options,” Alex said, voice as cold as ice.

”Option one: you use this mission to ambush and kill me. While you’re no match for me in a direct fight, I have no doubt you’d find a way to strike if the opportunity is perfect.

”My death will give you what you want most—or at least, what you think you want: to hurt my father. And you’re probably right. I’m your best bet at inflicting a sliver of the pain you feel onto him.”

He leaned closer, voice low and sharp like a blade drawn across flesh.

”But if you manage that—if you kill me—then know this:

”The Mad Earl will gather every single member of your family. He’ll round them all up. Then, he’ll execute them—publicly. In your home city, in your family’s own fief. Their corpses will hang from the gates as a warning, and you will know. You will see it.

”Everyone you’ve ever known, ever loved—dead.

”And worst of all... it still won’t touch him.

”No matter what you do, you will never be able to reach even the shadow of Earl Drake Fury.”

Alex let the silence linger. Let her absorb the weight of the truth.

”This is the reality you need to live with.”

**