met free Chapter 363: The bane of power
Chapter 363: The bane of power
Vale was called by the company council to a meeting not long after he ate. It was still the same throne room, but now there’s a long table in front of their chairs, and they provided one for him as well, directly opposite them.
Isolde stood just behind his chair.
Vale tried to measure their mood, but he came up short as all of them wore unreadable expressions.
Kaelthorn opened the ground. "Vale Athrimir, you said you want to hire us to fight the Akatsuki."
"That was indeed what I said."
"Are you still standing on this?"
"I am."
"Then we will have to come to an agreement. One, you will leave us alone and we’ll not join under you, and you’ll release the Akatsuki Rift to us for a duration of twenty years. Second, you’ll allow us to create a new company in Akatsuki to carry out such tasks."
Vale frowned immediately and scowled at them. "I’m going to be the new lord of two large territories. Why won’t I hold you under me?"
His words seemed to anger a few of them, and their aura flared briefly before they clamped it down, glaring at him. Vale almost laughed at the act they were all doing, including him. Instead, he made his eyes widen a little as if afraid of them, and then he swallowed and narrowed his eyes, easily adopting an arrogant look. "What? I am an Athrimir, you are just mercenaries!"
That hit a nerve, and Vale did not think the bloodlust and anger that radiated from them were purely acting. They must really hate the way everyone called them mercenaries, even though that’s what they are.
"Boy," Vaelros said in a low, dangerous voice. "Are you trying to insult us?"
Vale winced. Maybe he should take things slow. "Alright, alright. If you don’t wish to join me, then I can release the Rift for ten years and allow you to form a company in Akatsuki. In return, I’ll also build a military base here."
That made everyone pause, and they seemed to be contemplating his offer, but Vale knew it was all for show. Once the war is over, they plan to make him into their puppet and use his face to rule. Vale had to remind himself that.
Morvane hummed softly. "Well, ten years isn’t a bad payment. But, Vale Athrimir, what if the Akatsuki Rift is not as rich or profitable as we all predicted? How will you compensate us? Will you give us your Rift?"
"A Rift will always be profitable. Ruins will always sprawl around it. Now let’s get to another important thing, how many warriors can you give me?"
"Enough to hit Akatsuki hard. Now, we have to plan things carefully. The Akatsuki thought we were going to submit to them, so they’re expecting us. We will plan around that....."
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Vale was back in his room after the day’s meeting that took long into the night. The current plan they settled on was to use deception to get close to the Akatsuki and then go for an attack. That means they won’t be going with all their forces, but they’ll go with the very important ones.
They also agreed to use Vale as bait. Although Vale himself did not know how well that would work.
He also learned a lot about the current situation in Athrimir.
First, the Clan leader was missing, and most of the ruling forces were in disarray. Akatsuki already took half of the territory, and the rest is now under the command of the Ito Clan through their WaterLord.
Also, Commander Garran betrayed him.
Vale couldn’t be more shocked by that fact. He didn’t really know the Commander well, as he’s permanently deployed to the west, but he had information gathered for him, and the Commander shouldn’t have been the type to betray. But then again, people don’t write betrayal on their face.
Eirikr had detained all the high-ranking officers, the Master Knights, and any other person of importance they could get their hands on. But, with relief, he had not killed anyone.
Vale received that news with joy and heavy skepticism. He did not understand why Eirikr did not kill anyone, and when he asked the Company Captains, they said they did not know either.
It wasn’t that Vale wanted his men killed, he just didn’t understand logically why they were allowed to live.
What about Slya and Tiber? The news he heard about them had filled him with fury. Apparently, after Eirikr failed to get them to reveal where he was in a peaceful way, he began to torture them. After all, they are his direct subordinates, and they should know where he’s disappeared to.
Of course they did not, but that did not stop him from trying.
Another big piece of news is the meeting that’s currently happening between Ito and Akatsuki in the desert. Apparently, the meeting is to determine how they will share the Athrimir. And the final day of the closed-door meeting will be in four days’ time, when they will let the whole world know the fate of the Athrimir and how they will all be dealt with.
The Matsumoto were also invited to this meeting on the final day, where they are expected to swear fealty. It’s when the attack would take place.
As Vale sat in the chair in the room, he forcibly blocked all emotions from his head to concentrate. But his was a failing effort. His eyes continuously flared red like embers as he remembered that his subordinates were getting tortured.
’....Tiber and Slya....’
He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down, but he really felt like hitting something again and again. ’....I hate being powerless and at the mercy of others...’
He closed his eyes and forced deep breaths as if he was meditating just to calm himself. After he calmed down a little, he focused.
’....we have the Matsumoto and those behind them, the Hollow Grave, and then we have the Ito Clan and Akatsuki Clan...let’s cut it down to three, Ito and Akatsuki against Matsumoto and then the Hollow Grave....’
’....currently, out of all the forces, only mine has the least power. I need to make use of this situation. I must turn them against one another....but how?.....’
"What are you thinking about?"
The voice was low as a whisper even though the room was already shielded. Vale didn’t open his eyes as he replied to Isolde, who was in another part of the room. "How can I use the Akatsuki to kill the Matsumoto?"
Isolde took her time, and her voice was slightly amused as she replied. "You really are vicious. Don’t you mind that I’ll tell your secrets? Huh? No reply? Alright, alright, I’ll tell you what can be done. What you need to do is create a situation where the Matsumoto doesn’t have the total upper hand against the Akatsuki and Ito.
"It’s really hard because you have to find the perfect balance and timing. Do it too quickly and you’ll reveal your hand too soon, and too late and you’ll lose."
’.....is something like that possible?....’
"Thank you, Isolde."
She chuckled and then fell into silence.
Vale did not say anything after that as well. But after a while, he blinked and said, "When do you think the Company Captains will send someone to attack me?"
"Eh? Why do you think they’ll send someone to attack you?"
"Two things. First, they need to know if I have any cards left to play. They want to know if I have any secret powerful Artifact as the Clan leader of the Athrimir."
"You do have an Artifact."
"Second, if I don’t have one and they end up saving me, they want me to owe them. That would be the psychological beginning of making me into a puppet. I need to start relying on them."
"And what if they don’t attack?"
Vale shrugged. "Then they don’t."
As one of the Athrimir bloodline, he had been taught lots of things. And his father once told him to always check every possible way an enemy might have leverage over him.
Like how Isolde is slowly turning herself into a trusted person he could count on for information and conspiracy solutions. Vale opened his eyes. ’....what does that tell me?...’
’...that she’s positioning herself into a long-term job. If I don’t get captured by the Hollow Grave, then she’ll still be there feeding them information and such...’
Vale frowned. His father also told him that the bane of those in power is that they see conspiracy in everything. And worse, they were always half right.
Fuck.
Vale rubbed his head. Left to him, he would settle all his problems by throwing straight punches. Ah....it all boils down to power. The power to tell your enemies to their face that they are enemies and then back it up with a good punch.