novelThe Prerequisites of The Plan
| ← Ch.0493 | Ch.0495 → |
"Well done, Faxul. I was right in deciding to set up this meeting. For too long, I've been doing everything alone. I realized that a fresh perspective would definitely help, and I see that that objective has already been realized. For now, let us disperse. Those 8 trinkets can also be used to contact me directly: they have a lot of tricks hidden in them, so keep them safe at all times. Ruminate on everything you've heard, and if you have something to say, we can speak away in the next meeting. Goodbye."
As Daneel said this, the others who were still blinking their eyes and trying to wrap their heads around the fantastic tale nodded, deciding that it really might be best to just take some time.
Kellor teleported those from Lanthanor away, and Faxul and Luther left on their own after nodding to Daneel.
Finding himself alone in the sky surrounded by empty thrones, Daneel grinned.
The meeting... had been a grand success.
There was, of course, the tip from Faxul which had already been a game changer... but what he hadn't mentioned was that he felt freer than he had in ages.
Having such a heavy burden on his shoulders had been slowly burying him into the ground, inch by inch, but this action of laying everything out had resulted in him becoming capable of digging himself out from that desolate, suffocating hole of darkness.
Just before he, too, teleported away, a thought came to him.
He had to give some cool name to this meeting.
The Round Table of Angaria sounded good, but Daneel decided that it reminded him of the original too much. Besides, he did not want to end up like the head of that table.
So, deciding to think on this, Daneel dispersed the clouds before heading back to Olfax's mansion.
Once he was there, Daneel woke up Drakos again.
The reason he had asked the dragon to meditate was that there were quite a few instances of scheming being beneficial in his tale that would definitely have risked history repeating.
Now that that was done, he could safely call upon his trusty friend again.
"Drakos, I've decided on a plan. It's not a scheme. It's just... a method of using circumstances to get what we want. Is that clear?"
As Drakos heard this right after waking up, he said, "Of course, Young King. I'm not totally unaware of myself. I can tell if I am being affected by something I see or hear. If that is the case, I will go into meditation immediately. It was the dying wish of my f-I mean, the Emperor that I stay as myself instead of invoking the memories and instincts of my race. I intend to follow that directive to my death, whenever that may be."
Hmm? Then why weren't you able to detect anything last time, when you almost lost control?
Daneel heard Drakos speak in a serious tone, but due to that incident, he wasn't really ready to take Drakos up on his word.
Still, he needed the Dragon on this task, and he had analyzed this quite carefully. It would definitely be exactly as he had just stated: just an opportunistic usage of circumstances to get what he wanted.
So, simply giving out a sound to indicate that he understood, Daneel sat down and started to chalk out the finer details of his plan.
In essence, it was similar to the one he had used in the Hidden Kill Sect: by upping the danger and becoming the way out there, he had taken control of the Sect.
Here, though, the first part wasn't needed, as the danger was present all on its own.
All he would have to do was make sure that the latter was done as flashily as possible.
After all, there was nothing like publicity in order to turn public opinion towards something.
As for whether it was too risky to openly ally with/take over a Kingdom, he knew that the High Council was busy with its own matters, especially due to the fact that it was short-handed right now. He didn't even need to worry much about the Central Continent, as he was already a Peak Warrior, which was almost definitely the strongest level here.
The only worrying thing might be the actions of the other active Empire Spirits, but Daneel couldn't possibly accommodate into his plan.
So, hesitating no more, Daneel called for Olfax and said, "Sit down, Olfax. It's time for another major operation in this Kingdom."
As he said this, untold excitement shone in the old spy's eyes.
Almost as if he were resisting the temptation to break out into a jig, the loyal citizen of Lanthanor sat in front of the King, who opened his hands wide and said in a grand gesture, "We are going... to save Eldinor, and make the elves beg to fall under the rule of Lanthanor."
No matter how much of a miracle-worker the King of Lanthanor, this was just too much of a farfetched claim.
Olfax could only drop his jaw and stare, wondering whether he had heard right.
The history of over-ambitious Kings was clear: the entire continent would ally against them, and their Kingdom would be slaughtered before being split apart and absorbed by the rest of the forces.
As he voiced this concern after taking a few moments to calm down, Daneel chuckled and said, "Don't you worry about that. I'll handle it."
The Hidden Kill Sect and the Black Raven Kingdom were both under his control, more or less. From where would an alliance come to threaten him, if these two chose to stay out of it?
This was also one of the other major reasons why Daneel liked this plan so much. Unwittingly, he had already destroyed the age-old tradition of forming an alliance to stop Kings who tried to take control of more than one Kingdoms, making it so that it was no longer possible for that to repeat.
However, if he said this out loud, Olfax would, of course, look at him as if he were crazy.
So Daneel just said this cryptic statement, before proceeding to chuckle mysteriously, as if he was some mastermind who had everything under control.
Sadly, the truth was far from that. He was just scrambling to do his best, but so far, it seemed to be working.
Discarding these useless thoughts, Daneel said, "All you need to know is that in 10 days, there will be a major threat to all elves in this Kingdom, which we will help avert."
"..."
After revealing this plan, Daneel had expected some kind of shocked expression from Olfax.
However, the man was just sitting there and staring at Daneel, as if waiting for him to continue.
What was going on?
Breaking the awkward silence, Daneel said, "That's it."
Noticing his mistake, Olfax looked to the side sheepishly before coughing and saying, "Apologies, My King, I thought you were continuing. With all due respect, saving the elves will not result in them begging to be under your rule. Elves are the proudest sons-of-... Sorry, sir, I mean that their pride will never allow them to agree to be under anyone's rule."
Daneel thought for a bit after hearing this. Indeed, just a simple act of saving them might not be enough.
He had already considered this, and Daneel had just thought that making it as dramatic and grave as possible might result in him succeeding.
However, he realized that he had unconsciously been thinking like a human.
Olfax, due to his prolonged exposure to elves, had been able to pick up on this.
All in all, this made it clear to Daneel that it would be a mistake to carry out something which related to a different species without having a member of that species on hand in order to test whether his plan would be successful.
Yes, although Olfax was experienced, he wouldn't be enough.
At this moment, the dragon spoke up.
"Young King, I know a thing or two about elves. Although their pride dictates their lives, there is something they value even over their pride: their love for magic. Also, they are not completely ungrateful being; from what I remember, elves do not like to keep debts."
Right!
Daneel knew exactly just how much they loved magic. It was one of the few things that almost all members of their race had in common.
For this love, many talented elves spent their lives in solitude, choosing the embrace of the myriad elementary particles and their study instead of doing anything else with their time.
Yes... he would definitely have to use these, too.
However, he found himself once again going back to the thought that allying with an elf might be best.
Eldra was out of the question, so who else could there be?
Suddenly, he remembered a very strong elf who was one of the few he truly respected on this continent.
...
In Elfaven, in a large house with an artistic exterior made of stone.
This house was famous in the capital for the renowned artwork on the exterior which set it apart from the neighboring villas. Meandering fish, drifting birds, sprawling vines- all of these and many more had been carved into the stone outside, resulting in an impressive mosaic which made many stand and stare.
It was only at night that the inhabitants of the house were left alone, and as Katerina sat on the balcony of the villa and looked out at the capital city, she once again cursed that fling with that very handsome human who had done this in an attempt to woo her.
He had succeeded, but their relationship hadn't lasted.
Suddenly, the senses that she had cultivated during her long years in the army warned her about a presence that was standing behind her in the balcony.
Taking a deep breath, Katerina readied herself before swiftly turning around with a flash with a dagger in each hand.
However, there was no one there.
Snip!
At the same moment, she felt something sharp at her throat that cut into her skin, making a line of blood appear.
The intruder had somehow moved to the position behind her!
Was this really going to be her end?
Boom!
In the most amazing burst of complex elementary particles that Katerina had ever seen, an object thundered through the head of the figure who was about to sink his knife into her neck.
At first glace, she thought that that... object, whatever it was, had hit him, but seeing no blood, Katerina realized that he must have escaped.
What was that? She had never seen something so delicate, yet so destructive.
With a start, she turned around to see that there was another man behind her, beside whom floated another of those... bullets that were as large as a dinner plate.
"Hello, Miss. Katerina. I would like to have a chat with you, " the figure said, before making the apparatus beside him disappear.
A Warrior level P-Paragon?
Just which talented member of the Big 4 had come to save her life?
Wondering along these lines, Katerina nodded, but rubbed her eyes as she heard what the figure said.
"In 10 days, all elves will cease to exist. I need your help to stop it. Also, your Queen is one step away from unleashing something that will destroy the continent itself. Follow me, and I'll show you."
Sometimes, there was no stronger weapon than the truth, mused Daneel, as he saw the shocked expression on Katerina's face.
| ← Ch. 0493 | Ch. 0495 → |