Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage Chapter 630: Divine Curse Trade II

CH630 Divine Curse Trade II

***

"Before you complain..." Alex interrupted sharply, halting Dalton and Lady Rosa just before they could reply. "Remember—this remains a seller’s market. A divine curse is what we’re handling here... and we might just be the only ones able to cure it.

"Unless, of course, you plan to go back to the deity that cursed you and somehow patch things up. Maybe then they’d decide to remove it.

"Or you could try taking them down."

He stopped for a moment, a subtle smirk playing on his lips.

"Yet I’m pretty sure neither choice is actually possible for you... right?"

Dalton’s face grew grim.

"Think it over at your leisure. Tell us when you’ve decided. You know our location," Alex stated, already heading out of the arena.

He started walking off with his wives—but abruptly froze in place.

"Oh, one additional point."

He looked back over his shoulder.

"I won that duel. So per the terms we set, Eleanore’s conditions for the deal will go forward."

Saying that, Alex and his wives left the venue in silence.

Dalton and Lady Rosa didn’t stir until the group had vanished completely from view.

"Do you trust them?" Dalton whispered.

"I do," Lady Rosa affirmed with a solid nod. "They’re no ordinary folk. Actually... I think they hail from ’that’ place. They won’t back the Deities against us. They might even stand against the gods’ own schemes."

"I suspect the same," Dalton agreed, nodding deliberately. "We need to inform the Master."

"Yes."

Dalton faced the gathered BattleBanes.

"Every one of you—erase what happened here from your minds. Clear?" he ordered.

"Yes, Captain," the BattleBanes chorused together.

With no more waiting, Dalton and Lady Rosa set off to deliver their report.

At the same time, Alex and his wives had climbed into their waiting carriage, heading back to their home.

By the window, Alex stared outside while pondering the latest developments.

Events hadn’t gone exactly as he’d envisioned... yet they’d still accomplished their goal.

In reality, the Age-Reversal Potion deal meant little to them. It was just a handy invention—Eleanore’s quick solution to fulfill Alex’s need for an item that would gain them entry to the Jadewell Merchant Company, and crucially, the BattleBane Guild.

Objective reached, the potion deal’s fate was now beside the point.

"Why request divine statues? They’re not needed for the potion," Eleanore questioned, curiosity coloring her voice.

"Not for the potion," Alex answered steadily. "For another purpose. To verify a hypothesis. After that, I’ll be set to craft Rune Tattoos for all of you."

Eleanore and Udara’s eyes sparkled at once.

They’d be dishonest if they denied jealousy over Zora’s rune tattoos.

More than the strength they offered, the tattoos served as a quiet badge of prestige among them—similar to the OmniRune gifts from Alex on their wedding day, though he stayed unaware of it.

Alex went on, "Plus, it’s smart not to hand it all over too simply. Without enough challenge for the treatment and cure, they won’t value it properly.

"Swapping some herbs for a fix to their eternal curse would feel way too bargain-priced.

"A steep price—tough but doable—will make them truly cherish its value."

"I get the idea, Alex," Eleanore replied, giving a small eye-roll. "I know you’re aiming to set a lofty standard before your real asks—but does it have to be that steep?"

"Could it blow up in your face?" Udara chimed in. "Are you sure they’ll accept?"

"Precisely," Eleanore concurred with a nod.

Alex shook his head gently.

"Someone who’s never starved can’t grasp what a famished soul would give for one meal," he murmured.

"We handed Dalton a potion that stopped his frenzy right away. Their shock shows it’s unheard of for them."

"I don’t know the curse’s full scope, but from his frenzy’s fury, it’s clear he’d have slain multiple underlings before restraint. That agony would torment Dalton forever.

"I doubt that's even the worst result the divine curse might bring about.

"He's like a man starved for years who's finally savored relief from hunger. Believe me—he'll go to any lengths just to taste that relief once more," Alex declared.

"Besides, the task I gave him isn't overly challenging for a guild of their caliber and power. Even our group obtained a divine totem statue from a monster group. If they're worth our time, they can manage at least as much.

"This goes beyond simple payment—it's a trial of their true strength as well." A faint glint appeared in his eyes.

The two women nodded their assent.

Alex held no doubts that Dalton would pursue the divine totems strewn throughout the Wildlands. In reality, Dalton faced scant alternatives.

They couldn't possibly overlook a method to control their curse.

Alex's worries lay elsewhere completely.

'Their leader remains a total unknown... Profiling him proves tough, much less foreseeing his actions. Should he be the patient sort—satisfied with short-term relief—he might balk at the steeper cost for a lasting solution,' Alex pondered silently.

He gave his head a slight shake.

'The lure is out, hooks set in the depths. All that remains is for me to wait... and observe.'

Before long, the carriage reached the mansion functioning as headquarters for the Fortuna adventurer-mercenary company.

The squads sent on missions—plus those who escorted Zora—had all come back.

However, Alex detected an anomaly instantly, prior to descending from the carriage.

Blood.

Multiple group members bore obvious injuries.

Yet these weren't gashes from wild beasts or monsters—

—they came from weapons wielded by humans.

***