CH270 Countdown

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Speaking of Zora, Alex felt a headache coming on. He couldn't understand, for the life of him, why she would not only reject it but also personally take part in selecting his other would-be wives.

'Actually, scratch that. I can think of at least two reasons why she would. One more palatable than the other. I hope I'm wrong about the latter,' Alex mused darkly.

'Damned woman! Just you wait—I'll spank your butt red!' he gritted his teeth.

'As for the other women, since I don't have much of a choice in the matter, I may as well meet them first before making up my mind. Who knows? They might not be so bad. We might even work out an arrangement that's amenable to both sides.'

As always, Alex chose to be pragmatic—accepting the hand dealt to him and focusing instead on what he could control.

Earl Drake, who had been silently watching, noticed the shift in his son's expression and gave a slight nod.

'This boy really doesn't disappoint,' he sighed inwardly.

"I have no doubt you've read about Interplanar Conquests during your time at the Enclave," Drake began. "Still, I will send you some additional texts. They are the personal accounts of your predecessors who undertook such journeys—including my own. From them, you'll learn practical dos and don'ts you won't find in official records."

He continued, his voice solemn. "I'll have the butler prepare a stipend for you. That is as much as I will help. From this point on, you're on your own. Your preparation for the journey will be entirely in your hands.

"As a scion of the Fury Family—and my heir—tradition dictates that you head to the secret agoge. There, you will choose those who will become your closest party and retainers, bound by a contract of loyalty only slightly less binding than that of the Shadow Guard. The number and quality you can recruit will depend on your wealth, so choose wisely. Remember, you still have many other preparations to make as well."

Alex inclined his head, silently acknowledging the weight of his father's words.

"Interplanar Conquest is no joke," Drake added, his tone sharpening. "Plan everything to the smallest detail if you can. My advice—think of it as a business. In the end, everything will come down to wealth. So plan wisely."

Alex nodded again, his expression calm but resolute.

Then, just as he had done the day he ordered Jared to send Alex off to the DragonHold Enclave, Earl Drake rose from his seat. He placed firm hands on the armrests of Alex's chair.

His crimson pupils locked onto Alex's ruby-red, sharp and unyielding, ensuring he held his son's full attention.

"Never forget, Alex. Interplanar conquest is not a game. You are smart, yes, but never allow yourself to grow complacent. Define your goals, and remain steadfast to them. The journey you are about to embark upon will test you to your very core—it will force you to reconsider who you are, and who you wish to become.

"To be born in this plane, in this era, is to be bound by fate to Interplanar conquest. It is the path every true powerhouse must tread. In the books I will give you, you will read accounts that will make you aware of the cruelty of Interplanar conquest. Yet the truth remains that without the wealth plundered from weaker planes, the Virellian Empire, the Arun Continent, and the greater Pangea plane would never have risen to such heights of power.

"When one truly begins Interplanar conquest—when one fully comprehends its reality—they will come to either one of two extremes:

"Some question the point, the meaning, the endless deaths and massacres that inevitably follow. They begin to pity the enemy, forgetting that those of other planes, unless subjugated, are our enemies. Others accept the killings as part of the natural order. They embrace the slaughter until they become numb to it."

He leaned closer, voice lowering, each word pressing heavily on Alex's mind.

"Contrary to what you might think now, the choice is not simple—not until you step through an interplanar gate yourself. If you do not wish to be changed against your will, to look into your reflection and fail to recognise the man staring back… then you must be certain. Certain of who you are, of what your goals are, and of how far you are willing to go. And then, hold steadfast to them against all odds.

"This… is the only way one survives the trial of Interplanar conquest. Only then can one emerge as a true powerhouse."

Drake released the armrest and straightened.

"Father… which of the two extremes are you?" Alex asked suddenly.

Drake's lips curved in a faint, unsettling smile. His eyes flashed with a deeper, darker crimson.

"Which do you think?"

Calm Madness!

Alex sighed inwardly.

He gave a firm nod, taking his father's words to heart.

"Leave quickly. You don't have much time to prepare."

"Yes, Father."

Alex rose from his seat, bowed respectfully to his father, and swiftly took his leave.

On his way out, he crossed paths with the castle's Chief Maid. After a brief moment of thought, he requested paper, pen, and ink. One of the maids brought the items without delay, reminding Alex just how much his reputation within Ashen Castle had changed compared to when he first arrived.

He quickly drafted a series of letters addressed to his siblings, inviting them to a gathering in the coming days.

From his father's tone, Alex understood that he would be departing for the outer worlds in only a few short months at most. That urgency weighed on him, pushing him to secure his place in his siblings' hearts as a dependable older brother before he left.

In truth, he had another proposal prepared to present to his father—one made on behalf of his siblings. Yet he held back. First, he would speak to each of them personally before taking such a significant step.

Once the letters were finished, Alex handed them over to the Chief Maid with strict instructions.

"Deliver them in person," he said firmly. "Directly into the hands of my siblings, and to them alone—no one else."

The middle-aged woman bowed her head in acceptance. Alex then left the castle, mounted Dread, and galloped back toward the Back Mountain Lodge, his mind already racing with plans and ideas for what he needed to prepare.

From the window of his office, Earl Drake stood watching his son disappear into the distance.

A quiet sigh escaped his lips.

'With the boy out of their reach soon, and I can finally turn my focus to flushing out the parasites festering in my midst.'

Alex and Jared believed the mysterious dark Legend who had nearly killed them at the Fort had been spurred by their influence in that battle. But Drake knew otherwise.

The killing intent directed at Alex had told him all he needed to know.

That Legend had marked Alex long before the Fort's defence. The battle had merely offered additional incentive—it had not been the cause.

And when the Legend had referred to Alex as Earl Drake's heir, Drake understood the truth. The boy was targeted not for who he was, but for the position he held.

That implication troubled him deeply. It was one of the very reasons he had resolved to send Alex away to another world the moment the opportunity arose.

'It almost feels like fate,' Drake thought, before narrowing his eyes. 'No… providence.'

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