CH689 Aftermath – Judgement of Allies II

***

"With the Grand Elder’s authority, full access to our resources within the Wildlands was effectively placed in his hands. He could have leveraged the Black Scar Syndicate’s full might to crush the insignificant Lost Heathens with ease. Yet, he chose not to do so.

"I am certain that, like myself, many of you expected him to rely on our Syndicate’s hard power—to retaliate against Brock Peyton after negotiations collapsed and he was openly insulted.

"However, he did no such thing. Instead, he utilised our soft power—our information networks and subtle influence—to create the necessary conditions for his own forces to act themselves. And even then, he did not exploit these resources freely. Each time he made use of our network or influence, he ensured that the Syndicate was compensated in some form."

"Whether it was channelling the spoils of his raids through our trade network—generating profit for us—or expanding our influence by fostering alliances with the BattleBane Guild and, more importantly, the Drumvale Merchant Company."

The Third Elder paused briefly before continuing, his tone growing more pointed.

"I believe I do not need to remind you, Fourth Elder, that we have long struggled to establish a strong foothold within Afordocia. You of all people should be aware since you are in-charge of the project.

"Despite the considerable resources we have invested, we have failed to secure a stable presence. In your own words, there were simply too many local ’snakes’ within the pond... preventing even a ’dragon’ such as ourselves from entering unchallenged."

He looked to each Elder softly before continuing, his voice carrying quiet emphasis.

"The Legatee may very well have presented us with an opening—and not just any opening, but one that leads directly through a member of the city’s ruling council."

"The Wildlands branch of the Drumvale Company represents only a small fraction of the organisation. It is far from certain that a partnership at this level would translate into ties with the greater body," the Fourth Elder argued.

"You are correct. I do not deny that," the Third Elder acknowledged calmly.

Raven Horn raised a brow in confusion. The Third Elder should have recognised that the importance of the Theolonium Alex had secured for the Wildlands branch of Drumvale was significant enough to draw the attention of the main organisation.

However, the old man’s next words made it clear that he was viewing the matter from an entirely different perspective.

"You are focused on the tree, and not the forest," the Third Elder continued.

"Whether the legatee’s partnership with the Wildlands branch ultimately opens doors for us is not the crux of my argument. What matters is the principle behind the actions he chose to take—even when he held power firmly within his grasp.

"Despite having full access to our resources, the Legatee chose not to drag our Syndicate into what was fundamentally his personal conflict. And when he did make use of our capabilities, he ensured that appropriate—if not generous—compensation was provided for every service rendered. This, despite the fact that he had already been granted the authority to utilise those resources freely.

"From this, we can clearly see that he does not regard our Syndicate—the culmination of generations of effort—as something he is entitled to simply because of his position as Legatee. Instead, he consistently pursues a path of mutual benefit, ensuring that both parties gain from cooperation to the fullest extent of his ability.

"This... is the point I am making."

At once, a quiet realisation spread through the chamber.

The Elders fell into brief silence as the implications settled into place—Raven Horn included.

Even the previously antagonistic Fourth, Sixth, and Seventh Elders found themselves unable to refute the conclusion.

The greatest fear of the Black Scar Syndicate’s leadership—the Elders of the Alston Heritage—had always been the same: that the chosen Legatee would prove to be an incompetent heir, one who would squander generations of accumulated power and effort in the blind pursuit of their ancestral mission.

They had no desire to witness a repeat of the downfall of the Alston Imperial Family... nor the ruin of the Belloc Marquisate.

From what the Third Elder had outlined, at the very least—based on first impressions—Alex was far from the sort of ignorant, incompetent fool unworthy of the mantle of leadership.

Bang! 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

The Grand Elder struck his cane firmly against the ground. The sharp sound echoed through the chamber, immediately drawing the attention of all present.

"As you are all aware, granting Admon authority over our forces within the Wildlands was intended as a test—to observe and evaluate the Legatee’s conduct. Based on the Third Elder’s assessment, it can be concluded that the Legatee has acquitted himself well under the authority entrusted to him.

"With this in mind, it is my opinion that we should begin to set aside our prejudices against him. In honour of our ancestral obligations as descendants of the Alston name, we ought to extend further assistance—both to support his growth and to advance our shared objective of freeing our plane from the scourge of the deities.

"As before, any power granted to him shall serve as both reward and test.

"Should he fail to meet our expectations, we withdraw our support and sever our involvement. But should he continue to prove his worth... then more may be granted in due course."

The Grand Elder’s gaze swept across the chamber.

"What say you?" he asked.

"The Grand Elder is wise," the others responded in near unison.

Unsurprisingly, no dissent was voiced.

Not long after, the meeting came to a close.

As the projections faded one by one, Raven Horn rose from his kneeling position, brushing the dust from his knees.

"Scheming old foxes..." he muttered under his breath, before letting out a quiet sigh.

Though he grumbled privately, he understood their caution. The stakes were far too high for blind trust.

Still, having interacted with Alex personally, he could not help but feel a trace of impatience at their measured pace.

At the very least, the notoriously tight-fisted elders had finally loosened their grip—opening their vaults and purses, if only slightly.

That alone meant he now had the means to provide the Legatee with more tangible support.

’That will have to suffice for now.’

With that thought, Raven Horn turned and exited the villa.

There was much to discuss.

He needed to speak with Alex—to understand the young man’s intentions and determine how best to allocate the additional resources now placed at his disposal.

***