The Real Visitor Came Calling-and Took Another Fall

"So they agreed to change the venue? The formal talks will be held in the Windless Wasteland seven days from now?" After hearing Lunebo's report in his office, John knew Robrek had to be the one arranging the negotiations. He sighed inwardly, instructed Lunebo to assign extra staff to prepare for the commercial talks, then contacted Gabri and told him about the plan to develop Windless Wasteland Pass and the problems they had encountered in negotiations.

He also asked whether Gabri could finish absorbing the Venomfang Clan soon, offering the Bull Clan arms and supplies from Faoken for its campaign. If the commercial development of the Windless Wasteland had gone smoothly, John would not have pushed the Bull Clan to absorb another tribe so soon. Such a move could easily draw the Saka Royal House's attention. If the royal house did not want the Bull Clan to dominate the region and brought powerful tribes into the contest—or sent an envoy to investigate—it would surely uncover the Sage Successor.

John had already prepared the Sage Avatar as a smokescreen. But a Sage Successor caught up in a tribal conquest would be far more important, and far more likely to receive close royal scrutiny. Now that Robrek had spotted something suspicious about the Windless Wasteland development, he would probably send people to investigate Faoken more thoroughly during the talks in seven days. With a member of the royal house already watching, John could no longer afford to play it safe.

The Bull Clan had to absorb the Venomfang Clan as soon as possible and establish itself as the dominant power in the Eastern Domain.

That would keep the In the Name of the Sage Project under control.

Once Gabri understood the situation, he thumped his chest and promised to lead his people