Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage

CH452 Loyalty and Competence II

***

"What kind of family do you think mine is?" he asked. "What kind of place do you believe the sky beyond skies to be?"

"And what makes you think that anything you have to offer would be enough to take you there?"

Rolfe replied without hesitation.

"Your family, we suspect," he said, his voice firm with conviction, "is one of the Sorcerer Aristocracies—those who retreated into the subworlds at the end of the Era of Antiquity to protect and preserve the world's lineage."

He continued, eyes burning with certainty.

"The sky beyond skies is the unseen core of the world—formed and governed by the influence of these Sorcerer Aristocracies. It is said that those acknowledged by it are granted entry into a haven unlike anything beneath the heavens."

Rolfe's voice lowered, reverent.

"The sky beyond skies is the assembly of the world's true rulers –above empires, and only beneath the deities."

"Hm… I see. So that's how you people view 'that' place."

Alex murmured to himself before lifting his gaze to the two men.

"I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you," he continued calmly. "Where I come from isn't as glamorous as you've painted it to be."

His eyes hardened slightly.

"It's a cutthroat world where resources and power are firmly held by entrenched old ones. Young ones like me are forced to leave, to claw for opportunities elsewhere. That is why I am here—to acquire resources, to gain strength, and one day return to kick those old fogies off their thrones."

He paused, letting the words settle.

"I don't know what fairytales you tell yourselves down here, but even I would find it difficult to return at my current standing—much less bring others along."

Bram and Rolfe's expressions dimmed. Disappointment welled in their eyes, heavy and unmistakable.

Alex gently placed his teacup and saucer onto the table.

Then he looked at them again.

"However," he said evenly, "while I cannot take you to my family as I am now, that does not mean I cannot help you."

Both men stiffened.

"What do you mean, Young Master Alex?" Rolfe asked quickly.

"From what I can tell, what you truly desire isn't to reach that place," he said. "What you want is to rise. To improve your lot in life. To move beyond… this."

Alex gestured toward the window, toward Camp Red Rock beyond it.

"If that is your goal, then there is no need to go to that place at all."

He met their eyes, his voice calm and absolute.

"I am sufficient to take you beyond this backwater and show you a far larger world."

The faint hope that had nearly died in their eyes suddenly reignited.

"Yes," Rolfe said after a moment, his voice solemn and sincere. "You are right, Young Master Alex."

He clenched his fist lightly.

"I rose from a back-alley rat—a weasel—to become a boss within Camp Red Rock. I thought I would be satisfied… but now I realise I'm not. I don't want to be shackled to this place anymore. I want to continue rising."

He lowered his head slightly.

"Show me the way, Young Master Alex. I will not hesitate to follow."

Bram nodded in silence, his expression firm—his resolve matching Rolfe's without the need for words.

Alex interlocked his fingers over his knees.

"Your words sound pleasant," he said calmly, "but words are what I trust the least. I value actions over worded promises, and so far, I have seen little that would make me trust you enough to consider you my people."

He paused briefly, then added almost immediately,

"But that can change."

"As things stand, I could raise your strength immediately—perhaps even help you take over Camp Red Rock," Alex continued. "However, such power would be hollow. It would be nothing more than sand piled on the shore, easily swept away when a storm comes. I'm certain that isn't the kind of power or growth you're seeking."

Both underbosses nodded gravely.

"In that case," Alex said, "this becomes a matter of... time."

"Time?" Rolfe parroted, his brows lifting slightly.

"Yes, Time," Alex affirmed. "I need time to acquire the resources and strength necessary to place myself in a position where uplifting others is meaningful."

"At the same time," he continued evenly, "you will also need time—time to convince me that you are worth uplifting."

"We will do everything we can to prove our loyalty," Bram said quickly.

Alex shook his head.

"I do not need loyalty alone. I need competence as well."

His voice hardened slightly.

"I will require vast resources, influence and power to return home and claim my rightful place. If I am to divert even a fraction of what I acquire to a subordinate or partner, then that individual must prove more than loyalty to me. They must prove they have the competence not to squander whatver I give."

He looked at them steadily.

"Neither can be lacking."

"We understand," Rolfe said solemnly. "Then tell us—what must we do to prove our competence?"

Alex shook his head again.

"Recognising one's own strengths and weaknesses is itself a form of competence," he said. "I am not here to tell you what you can offer. That is for you to decide."

"You should instead ask yourselves this," Alex continued. "Based on the end goal I have shared with you, what can you bring to the table that would be of genuine use to me?"

Bram and Rolfe's eyes flashed.

In that moment, both the question and its answer were a show of competence. One from Alex and the other from the two men.

"I have created a network for myself spanning Camp Red Rock and the nearby settlements," Rolfe said quickly. "There is nothing that happens anywhere in this region that I do not know—or would not come to know within a day at most."

"If given enough time and resources," he continued, "I believe I can extend this network across the entire Wildlands."

Alex acknowledged this with a simple nod before turning his gaze to Bram.

"I was an adventurer before I settled down here," Bram said. "Adventurers are a tight-knit group. I can open doors within those circles for you."

He quickly added, "It may not sound as grand as owning an information network, but what I offer includes access to the Adventurer Association's information channels—and much more. Their reach spans the entire continent, or at least every place where adventurers are active."

"This kind of access isn't something a novice adventurer can grant."

After listening to both men, Alex nodded again, his expression unreadable.

"I will take your respective strengths under consideration," he said. "Over time, we will see how useful your claims truly are."

He paused briefly, then continued.

"For now, I require information. I want a detailed breakdown of item prices within Camp Red Rock and the surrounding settlements, as well as a comprehensive dossier on matters an outsider like myself should be aware of before heading deeper into the heart of the Wildlands."

"I will have it ready before nightfall," Rolfe promised immediately.

"Hold on," Alex said calmly, raising a hand. "I am not asking this of you for free."

He leaned back slightly.

"I will evaluate the value of whatever you bring me. In exchange, I will transfer everything I acquired from Brieger—including his rights to land within the Camp, and more importantly, control over the oasis's distributary."

"Until I can fully trust you, our relationship will remain transactional," Alex continued evenly. "Likewise, if you encounter trouble, I will not intervene—even if I am capable of doing so."

"Do you understand?" he asked.

"We do," both men replied with solemn nods. "We will do our utmost to prove ourselves worthy."

"I will be waiting for that day," Alex said.

With that, the discussion concluded. Rolfe and Bram rose and departed swiftly, eager to prepare what Alex had requested.

Once they were gone, Eleanor turned to Zora and said lightly,

"You were right, big sis. He really should be called Silver Tongue instead."

The women burst into laughter at Alex's expense, causing him to smile wryly as he shook his head.

***