Chapter 73.5: Rudecka's conjecture
A few days had passed since the incident involving Elton and the Blessing Bestowal. As expected, news and rumors spread in waves to various corners of the Fae region and other territories in a remarkably short period. It put many tribes and kingdoms on high alert, even across the Whispering Expanse. While the full truth remained unknown to most, two things had been confirmed: The Fanged Elf Tribe had bestowed the special High Status title of Margrave upon a human, and a Fanged Elf Royal had received a powerful blessing that sent shockwaves through the Fanged Elf Kingdom.
Only certain factions managed to glean a bit more information. This included the revelation that 'Lady Shayleaf' was the Elf Royal who received the Bestowal, and the Margrave was a young man with the surname Solman. An extremely select few were able to piece together even more clues, even among the Nobles of the Elf clan. They theorized that Margrave Solman and Lady Shayleaf's breakthrough might be connected. Outside the Celebi Forest Kingdom, in a different region, one such person had come to this very conclusion on her own.
The Rudell Region was a chaotic land ruled by four distinct races. Among them were the Tetrahand-Seers, a race characterized by their four eyes and four arms. The Tetrahand-Seers themselves were divided into three Supreme Factions that fiercely competed, driven by extreme rivalry. Within and beneath these Supreme Factions were numerous weaker factions and alliances, each with diverse goals, some aiming to topple rivals, others seeking to crush members of the other three races for power and resources. Interestingly, while these four races were bitter enemies among themselves, they formed strong alliances against outsiders. This unity against external threats had kept them unchallenged despite their internal turbulence, though it also perpetually held back their collective progress.
Within one specific Supreme Faction of the Tetrahand-Seers, there existed a sub-faction attempting to persuade the powerful overseers to adopt new strategies beyond mere brute force. Although the Tetrahand-Seer race had produced its share of brilliant schemers, their ultimate goals inevitably reverted to raw power and tactical missteps. Within this particular sub-faction was one of its current higher-level leaders of this generation: 'Wise Tetra Witch' Rudecka. Though she was currently a Golden Lord to the Mortal Shedding Realm experts of her faction, she held strong prospects of joining their ranks in the future, having already achieved numerous successful operations. She commanded significant respect, not only among other Tetrahand-Seer factions but also from the other three ruling races. This respect, however, came with the caveat of being seen as a dangerous rival.
Currently, Rudecka sat in her room within a luxurious clan mansion, deep in thought about the recent influx of information, swiftly connecting the dots.
"That girl… Shayleaf, was it? A member of the Fanged Elf Royal family, the so-called Crimsonroots… went into closed-door cultivation for a breakthrough. The Elven Bestowal Magic was placed upon her, causing a huge reaction from the Fanged Elf World Tree. Hmm… something like that awakening her dormant bloodline powers? Out of the blue? Haha, I don't believe it for a second. Then there's the new human Margrave… Margrave Solman, wasn't it? Hmm, a human Margrave at such a time. If I'm not mistaken, isn't the Laughing Blue Blade Reaper's actual name Elton? Solman? Yes, a prisoner interrogated in the Whispering Expanse mentioned that, according to reports. Margrave Solman is likely the Laughing Blue Blade Reaper and is most likely this boy, Elton Solman. Aeloria made such a huge effort and gambled to keep those humans. Apparently, that girl Shayleaf was in the Nightbloom Dukedom when the incident happened, and rumors say she was extremely fond of Margrave Solman… so what if… Was it him?"
As Rudecka racked her brains, unknowingly closing in on a huge secret, she suddenly heard a knock on her door. Before she could tell the person to enter, the door simply opened, and a mighty yet suppressed aura surged into the room.
"Ah, Rudecka, pardon me for barging in, but I think we should have an urgent conversation about what's coming soon, given how things have been going recently…"
This person was a Mortal Shedding Realm cultivator and also a Tetrahand-Seer. He also happened to be the leader of the faction Rudecka had aligned herself with, and her Uncle. Rudecka didn't mind his intrusion and immediately shared her current conjectures. The man nodded as he listened. Afterward, Rudecka steered the conversation to a topic he was somewhat aware of due to her past actions and subtle hints: her competitive obsession with the Fanged Elf Aeloria. The things she chose to reveal this time left him utterly speechless and even a bit scared of letting such information leave the room.
"You-you-you-you!! How could you say such things! I understand your plight, but the race should take priority when times get tough!" he exclaimed, his face nervous and dumbfounded.
Rudecka looked at him with a stern expression. "Let's be real, Uncle. Looking at the current state of our Tetrahand-Seers and the chaotic state of the other four races, do you seriously think we have a chance of truly surviving and getting by? Even our great Oracles can barely figure anything out. So, over the years, I took it upon myself to secretly unite those from various factions within our race, as well as those from the other four races, who share similar thoughts, whether directly or indirectly. The moment I truly suspected Lady Aeloria would be the crux to finding a way to escape playing in this… fake world, I wanted to take a gamble. Whether with you and the other leaders under your faction, or without you."
The man folded his four arms together, deep in worried thought, filled with uncertainty. Finally, he spoke. "No, this won't do with the way things are now, Rudecka… Why haven't you gotten into contact with Lady Aeloria about this yet?"
Rudecka looked down, sighed, then met his gaze again. "I had little to no evidence, even with my suspicions, to risk such a gamble… Until now. Uncle, we have to move fast, and we might even have to pay a price, but I believe that woman will certainly take the olive branch we extend. After all, I've made preparations since long ago in case I ever needed to utilize her help in any way."
"Ohh, do tell," said the uncle, a grin spreading across his face.