Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage Chapter 843: Alex, the Villain I

CH843 Alex, the Villain I

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"Sir Count?! What are you doing here?" Fabien Ingram blurted out without thinking.

Then, realising the gravity of what he had just said—a mere commoner questioning why an aristocrat was somewhere—he quickly dropped to his knees.

"Please forgive me, Sir Count. My mind was befuddled, and I spoke without thinking," he hurriedly explained.

Alex chuckled.

"I don’t mind. I can understand your surprise."

He gestured for the man to rise.

"Are you really that surprised that I am here?" Alex asked.

"Sir Count is surely a busy man. To find time in your busy schedule to visit us after our... situation, it is an honour to have you," Fabien replied.

He was still shaking from his earlier mistake.

Alex noticed it but didn’t point it out. Instead, he looked out over the city.

The Frontier Stronghold, which had stood proudly for decades—indeed, for close to a century—had been breached, with much of it lying in ruins.

Even harder hit was Mirador. While civilian casualties were miraculously low, the structural damage was staggering.

The greater part of the once-beautiful city had been reduced to rubble.

"Walk with me," Alex said.

Fabien quickly nodded.

As they walked through the city—or what remained of it—they saw many people in tears. Their whole lives had been shattered by the tragedy that had befallen them the previous night.

Fabien carefully looked between the people, the scene before him, and Alex.

He suspected that Alex, or someone under his command, had played a hand in the tragedy that had befallen the Frontier Stronghold and Mirador City.

He wanted to see if Count Skywalker carried even the slightest trace of guilt on his face.

Alas, he was disappointed.

Alex’s expression was unreadable.

Other than the genial, encouraging expression he wore while comforting the affected people, there was nothing else to be found on his face.

Fabien couldn’t tell whether the man felt guilt or satisfaction at the scene before him, which had likely come about as a consequence of his—or one of his subordinates’—orders.

"You were surprised to see me here, were you not?" Alex suddenly asked Fabien.

He didn’t wait for the man to respond as he continued,

"Every five years or so, when the minor beast tides pass through the Frontier March, this is a similar result to what the people of my domain return to.

"However, this year, we were able to stop it. And I can’t help but think that this is the reason this tragedy has befallen your city.

"Because we stopped the beast tide in our domain, the tide headed elsewhere, in much the same way water finds a new path once its old one is blocked."

Alex came to a stop before turning to Fabien with a solemn expression.

"Looking at the current state of your Mirador City, I feel both relief and sadness," he said.

"Relief, because this is not a city within my domain. Sadness, because it seems that for my people to survive, another had to suffer.

"You asked why I am here. I am here because I wish to see with my own eyes what could happen in my domain should I fail my people. It is also a reminder to myself that whatever I do affects not only my own domain, but others as well.

"This vivid reminder will ensure I never forget this. Ever."

His voice was grave.

"This many people survived the tide because you sent your powerful army to aid us, Sir Count," Fabien said.

Then, as if finally gathering his courage, he asked, "If you don’t mind me asking, why did you send your troops here, despite..."

However, his words trailed off before he could finish.

"Despite the feud between my domain and the Stronghold, right?" Alex completed the man’s intended question with a smile.

"A regiment of the Stronghold Army that entered the Frontier March to assist my domain with our beast tide ended up triggering the bee-like beasts that later attacked your Stronghold.

"While it is true that the beast tide was triggered by the negligence of someone from that regiment, the regiment had originally entered the Frontier March to aid my domain. As such, I bore some responsibility to do the same for the Stronghold during its own beast tide—which is exactly what I did," Alex replied.

"But the regiment wasn’t there to help... something you had already predicted weeks ago," Fabien said.

"I am aware." Alex said solemnly.

"The reason they provoked the rage of these unknown beasts was because they attempted to bypass the Frontier valley entrance and head towards the Ashwell Mountain Range, intending to appear behind our lines and seize Ashwell before we could react.

"But there was a reason that route had been abandoned for decades. It seems that, over time, even more dangerous and vicious beasts had made it their territory."

"But although we know the truth, what does it matter? Be it the Stronghold or my Frontier March, we are both part of the Empire. What does it matter when beasts are already knocking on our doors? If we do not unite to deal with the external threat first, we will both be swallowed whole while we fight amongst ourselves," Alex responded.

"Are you not going to reveal the true relationship between your domain and the Stronghold?" Fabien asked.

"That is an obvious answer, is it not?" Alex replied. "What good would come from me doing that? The culprits behind the toxic relationship are gone, and the Stronghold has fallen, so who am I to seek accountability from? The Imperial citizens who have only just survived?"

Although Alex answered as though he had chosen to put the bad blood behind him rather than settle the score with the Stronghold, Fabien noticed something between the lines that sent a chill down his spine.

’All those who exploited, supported, or would have supported the exploitation of the Frontier March have been removed...’

Fabien’s pupils contracted.

’Assassinated!’

That would explain why the assassins, despite having both the time and opportunity to kill him as they had the other Stronghold officers, hadn’t done so.

’If there was anyone among the officers who supported the Frontier March, it would only be me. That’s why I wasn’t assassinated!’

In addition, aside from those posted to neighbouring domains, whose return to the Frontier Stronghold in its current state was uncertain, the surviving Stronghold soldiers and reservists had all been saved by Count Skywalker’s troops.

’That means they at least owe a debt of gratitude to the Count and the Frontier March. If they become the backbone of a new Frontier Stronghold, they will no doubt be pro–Frontier March!’

If he was right, and Count Skywalker truly had a hand in all this, Fabien shuddered at how meticulously the man had planned the entire scheme and how flawlessly it had been executed by his subordinates, ensuring that nothing could be traced back to him.

***