CH691 To The Future

***

"What do you intend to do next? Are you planning to expand Fortuna and take control of BloodIron City?" Raven Horn asked.

Raven Horn and Saul Redwald—still clothed within his battered armour—sat on opposite sofas across a low table. At the head of it, Alex occupied a high-backed chair, its imposing design lending him the air of someone seated upon a throne.

It was more ostentatious than Alex would have preferred, but there was little he could do about it. The chair had come with the mansion’s furnishings, and he had been far too occupied to bother replacing it.

At Raven Horn’s question, Alex raised a brow.

"That’s not a particularly amusing joke," he replied. "I have no intention of taking over this city and drawing the attention—and ire—of multiple empires and Temples in the process."

"I will eventually have to face the empires and Temples... perhaps even other continental powers such as the Mercenary Union and the Adventurer Association—I am well aware of that. But it does not need to happen now."

"Then what is your plan for the present, Young Master Alex?" Saul Redwald asked.

Alex leaned back into his chair, folding his arms as his gaze settled upon the table between them, his expression turning contemplative.

"Right now, I need time—time to build quietly, out of sight," he said.

He leaned forward again, resting his elbows on his knees, fingers interlocked.

"I came to the Wildlands—and BloodIron in particular—with several objectives. None of those objectives involve taking control of this city or the region. While these lands are undeniably chaotic, that chaos also means there are far too many watchful eyes... and deeply entrenched interests."

"The most important goal I have here is to establish an identity—and a reputation. As I am certain the both of you have realised by now, for rather obvious reasons, I cannot make use of my true identity. There are few faster ways to invite every Temple to dispatch an inquisition for my head."

"For that reason, I chose the Wildlands—a place defined by chaos and anarchy, where ants, snakes, and dragons alike converge—to forge a name for myself. One that I can later carry into the more civilised regions of the world."

Both Raven Horn and Saul Redwald nodded in understanding.

They both believed they understood Alex’s circumstances—that he possessed an identity that could not be revealed, not in a world now dominated by the deities. Were it exposed, he would be eliminated long before he could ever raise a banner of rebellion against them.

At present, he simply did not possess the strength to oppose them.

However, what neither man realised was that the origin they had assumed for Alex was not entirely accurate.

Alex saw no need to correct that misunderstanding—not yet.

The only truths that mattered for now were simple: he came from a place the deities would never tolerate... and he stood in opposition to them.

Alex rose from his seat and walked towards the window, his gaze drifting across the vague outline of the city beyond the glass.

"For the foreseeable future, Fortuna and I will remain within this city. We will operate actively until our name carries sufficient weight—whether as fame or infamy—that it can be recognised beyond the Wildlands without exposing us to undue risk," he said.

He turned back towards the two men.

"Once that threshold is reached, we will begin searching for a territory—one we can secure and develop safely."

"What sort of territory are you seeking?" Raven Horn asked.

"Preferably one that does not sit beneath the direct gaze of any Deity," Alex replied as he returned to his seat. Placing a hand on its high back, he continued, "I’ve heard of nations that revere a single ancestral spirit as their national focus. Those are unsuitable as well.

"I would rather find a nation without any centralised deity or spirit worship—or, at the very least, one where multiple ancestral spirits are venerated without a singular dominant authority."

"There are very few nations on the continent that meet those criteria," Raven Horn said, a faint frown forming.

"I am aware," Alex nodded. "But it is a necessary condition."

He settled back into his seat.

"Furthermore, the territory itself must be remote—far from the scrutiny of powerful aristocrats. A place that can be developed quietly, without attracting unnecessary attention," Alex added, his gaze turning towards Saul Redwald.

It took a moment, but Saul finally grasped Alex’s intent.

"I see..." Saul said, a wry smile forming beneath his helm. "You’re looking towards the Celahan Empire."

"I am," Alex admitted. "The northern territories of the Celahan Empire, to be precise."

"The north?" Raven Horn’s brows furrowed in surprise. He spoke after a brief moment of thought.

"To the best of my knowledge, the most fertile and secure lands in the north are firmly held by the high nobility. What remains beyond that are the border regions—territories that border the Great Berserk Beast Forest.

"If you intend to avoid entanglement with the aristocracy, then your only viable option lies in those borderlands. But that would mean facing the constant threat of berserk beast tides."

"I am aware," Alex replied calmly. "That is precisely my intention."

"The regions at the empire’s edge—those bordering the berserk beasts—are effectively abandoned by the higher aristocracy. They are treated as little more than a buffer zone in the event of a beast tide."

Saul Redwald regarded Alex’s words with a complicated expression.

The youth was not wrong.

Within the Celahan Empire, the extreme northern territories were rarely viewed as true imperial lands. To the nobility, they were expendable—a living barrier between civilisation and the chaos of the Great Berserk Beast Forest.

Most who resided there were outlaws, exiles, or the destitute—individuals pushed to the fringes of society. Their presence served a grim purpose— to act as early warning for an approaching beast tide... and, more importantly, to slow it down.

Not through valour nor resistance, but by becoming the tide’s first meal.

With such readily available prey within the buffer region, the empire’s core territories were granted precious time to mobilise their defences before the tide could reach them.

It was a cruel but effective strategy—one that saved the empire vast amounts of resources, which could then be redirected towards more "important" concerns... at least, in the eyes of the aristocracy.

It did not help that beast tides from the Great Berserk Beast Forest were largely seasonal—occurring once every ten to twenty years or so. As a result, the empire’s upper echelons deemed it more cost-effective to maintain this brutal buffer system rather than invest heavily in establishing proper settlements or a permanent military presence in the region.

’If it is there... then it may be possible to secure as much as ten years of relative seclusion before any major noble house or power turns its attention towards it,’ Saul thought.

’Of course... that is only if the territory does not attract attention prematurely.’ 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Saul Redwald turned his gaze towards Alex.

"Even with a well-crafted identity, your plan will be difficult to execute. Noble titles within the Celahan Empire are not easily obtained. In fact, an identity created in the Wildlands may prove more of a liability than an advantage," he said.

"Then, as a former member of the clergy within one of the empire’s major temples, do you have any ideas on how we might proceed?" Alex asked with a faint smile.

Saul let out a wry breath. The youth had clearly placed the burden of that problem squarely upon him.

After a moment, he nodded.

"I might," he said.

"But it will require time to prepare."

"That is not an issue. There is still much for us to accomplish within BloodIron. Take your time—and do it properly," Alex replied.

"Understood. I will bring you news soon," Saul affirmed.

Alex nodded his head in acknowledgement.

The meeting continued for another half-hour as they discussed additional plans and contingencies for their future movements.

They even touched upon how best to leverage their newly formed ’alliance’ with Lady Wintermere.

Eventually, Raven Horn and Saul Redwald departed the mansion as quietly as they had arrived.

Alex remained seated within the study for some time after their departure, lost in thought, before finally rising and making his way towards his laboratory.

With Brock Peyton and the Lost Heathens dealt with, Fortuna had secured a firm standing within BloodIron. Alex’s direct presence on the front lines was no longer essential.

Which meant—

While the others worked to expand Fortuna’s reputation and gather the necessary resources, Alex could devote himself fully to what he did best—

Research and development.

***