Ailina

Biodata

Background / History

Meeting Lin Yinuo

Ailina meets Lin Yinuo in the Ernst Institute library after books fall from a rolling ladder and he helps her gather them. Introducing herself as Elena Polenas, she criticizes a study of the Fischer Chamber of Commerce for underestimating transport losses and the demands of local nobles. His examples of failed trading ventures impress her, particularly because some appear only in obscure internal family records 8.

Their subsequent library discussions expand to resource distribution, intelligence gathering, and the balance between continental powers. Ailina develops a small-scale trading proposal using neglected Bolenas Family channels to exploit regional price differences. They formally agree to divide profits according to investment and contribution and share intelligence resources 9.

First Profits and the Shadow Line

Using Lin Yinuo’s forecasts, Ailina purchases graystone iron ore and weapon blanks. New military orders sharply increase demand, causing their prices to more than triple within days. She sells the first shipment through their channels and earns a substantial net profit, exceeding Lin Yinuo’s expectations through her timing and independent judgment 13.

Lin Yinuo directs further investment into both trade and information gathering, supplying encryption methods and plans for inexpensive intelligence posts. Their developing network, known as the Shadow Line, later detects troop movements, stockpiled provisions, siege engines, and military pack beasts near the Luo’ao Empire’s border 13 19.

Secret Magic Cannon Production

As war approaches, Ailina takes responsibility for discreetly acquiring unusual metals and low-grade magic crystals through her family’s commercial channels. She also proposes recruiting workers familiar with forging and magic formations. Materials she obtains are used to build the five Type I Magic Cannons deployed in the defense of Third Watchfort 19 20.

The victory draws unwanted attention to their procurement routes. At a private meeting with Lin Yinuo and Hogg, she reports ample funds and a compartmentalized workforce distributed among secret workshops. Lin Yinuo orders compromised channels abandoned, backup routes activated, and intelligence coverage expanded toward merchant associations, mercenary groups, and the major churches 21.

Preparing the Yulan Rear Base

Ailina’s channels help Lin Yinuo monitor the Radiant Church’s covert surveillance and obtain records concerning the Necropolis of the Gods, previous expeditions, spatial fluctuations, and sealing techniques. After his return, her network keeps him informed of continental political changes and serves as a means for Hogg to contact him about difficult clan decisions 24 29.

Before leaving the Yulan Continent, Lin Yinuo entrusts her with commercial expansion plans, improved intelligence methods, non-core Type II Magic Cannon drawings, and a component intended for cross-world communication. Ailina promises to spread the Shadow Commerce Guild’s name throughout the continent and make it his secure rear base. Cross-planar contact remains conditional on his establishing a receiving point after departure 30.

Appearance

• Build: Slender 13.
• Hair: Long and chestnut-colored 13.
• Eyes: Blue, also described as azure 9 13 21.
• Bearing: By Lin Yinuo’s departure, she displays the growing competence and composure of someone accustomed to authority 30.

Personality

Ailina is independent, confident, and willing to question established authorities. Her criticism of commercial scholarship rests on practical concerns—transport losses, local power structures, and workable distribution channels—rather than abstract models. She responds enthusiastically to useful ideas and quickly turns Lin Yinuo’s discussion of information gaps into a detailed plan with risks and countermeasures 8 9.

Her trust in Lin Yinuo does not prevent her from taking initiative. She maximizes their early trading returns and anticipates the need for skilled workers during the Magic Cannon project. Her concern for him and Linley after the wilderness trial is explicitly sincere rather than merely commercial 13 19.

Although disappointed by Lin Yinuo’s impending departure, she accepts responsibility for their continental operations. Their farewell emphasizes mutual trust and commitments rather than an explicit romantic relationship 30.

Abilities & Skills

Commercial Planning

Ailina combines knowledge of family trading channels with a strong sense for practical opportunities 8 9.

• Builds low-investment trading plans around regional price differences and overlooked routes 9.
• Incorporates risk assessment and countermeasures into her proposals 9.
• Times purchases and sales to capitalize on changing military demand 13.
• Manages reinvestment and operating funds sufficient to support covert weapons procurement 13 19 21.

Intelligence Management

She manages the commercial intelligence network developed with Lin Yinuo’s ideas and funding 19 29.

• Develops covert information channels using mercenaries, wanderers, peddlers, tavern workers, and marginalized groups 9 13.
• Receives methods for encrypting messages and establishing concealed, low-cost intelligence posts 13.
• Gathers military warning signs beyond official reporting channels 19.
• Provides political intelligence and access to scarce historical records 24 29.
• The early Shadow Line remains crude and geographically limited despite its usefulness 19.

Procurement and Workshop Administration

Ailina handles materials, recruitment, and peripheral production rather than the Magic Cannon’s core technological design 19.

• Spreads purchases across channels and arranges trusted storage outside the city 19.
• Selects skilled craftsmen and struggling mages with clean backgrounds and family ties 21.
• Separates workers among workshops so each knows only an assigned portion of production 21.
• Uses sealed instructions to preserve secrecy around core magic-array work 21.
• Receives permission to pursue selective military cooperation, provided control of core technology and energy arrays is retained 30.

Equipment / Items

• Intelligence notebook — Contains Lin Yinuo’s encryption methods and proposals for concealed information posts 13.
• Expansion scrolls — Detail future commercial growth and more efficient intelligence transmission and encryption 30.
• Type II Magic Cannon drawings — Non-core designs supplied for controlled cooperation with the Empire’s military 30.
• Cross-World Communication Magic Array core component — Intended to support limited contact across planes if Lin Yinuo successfully establishes the corresponding receiving point 30.

Relationships

• Lin Yinuo Baruch — Business and intelligence partner. He supplies forecasts, strategic ideas, and technical plans; she turns them into functioning trade, intelligence, and production operations. Their partnership develops into substantial personal trust 8 9 13 30.
• Hogg Baruch — Partner in maintaining the Baruch Clan’s continental foundation. They coordinate responsibilities with Lin Yinuo, and her channels provide a means of contacting him about clan affairs 21 29 30.
• Linley Baruch — Lin Yinuo’s younger brother; she expresses genuine concern for his safety after the wilderness trial 13.
• Delia — Identified by Lin Yinuo as Ailina’s younger cousin 8.

Notable Quotes

“Profits will be divided according to investment and contribution, and we’ll share intelligence resources.” 9

“Rest assured. Before you return, I’ll make the name of the Shadow Commerce Guild resound in every corner of the Yulan Continent. This place will be your most secure rear base.” 30