Kaden had Nervin leave with the secondary body of 7RU-MC. He expected it to take for a while until they reached their destination. In the past it wouldn't have taken that long, but due to the chaos people weren't able to move around too easily. Not even someone like Nervin who was at Condensation stage or the robot. It was more about who you were involved with than your strength. Those with army and church were going around freely.
As it turns out 7RU-MC was able to go about with its business rather easily along the way. It had connections and was basically treated as a rich merchant at whatever checkpoints there was along the road. Nervin was an entirely acceptable 'bodyguard' so there were very few questions about him.
At least that part went well.
Kaden had difficulties holding back his rage as 7RU-MC wandered around him, doing some scans, poking at him...touching his feathers! It felt annoying and Kaden had the urge to put his feathers in order each time the robot messed with them.
"Endure!" Kaden told himself. "If this trade works out, I can get influence over nobles in Saint Empire. I will then gain relatively safe access to No Man's Land close to where I need to go. The pull is accurate enough that I can roughly confirm the direction once I can move closer!"
Luckily Ciner had not come back. It was seemingly causing some problems far enough that it wasn't a problem. At least this was what his slaves at the hunter town were able to hear as rumors. There were no survivors, but damage to surroundings were something Kaden could link back to Ciner.
"Best result would be that, in its crazed rage, Ciner will die", Kaden thought as he absorbed as much enjoyment from that thought as he could. Mostly to get some positive things to counteract the annoyance 7RU-MC generated.
Kaden also made some extra communication amplifiers. He needed to maintain perfect control over the distance at least until he was ready to move closer. The enslaved hunters could easily scatter them.
There was also a need to get slaves elsewhere than the hunter town. He couldn't take it over entirely without risking being noticed.
"Perhaps I should arrange myself a way closer to some roads", Kaden pondered. "I could send some portable concealment formations so I can wait closer. I still need to be there to perosnally to create my slaves."
Still, Kaden prefered to enslave people when no one would notice it was happening. One such place was momentarily pick them from the roads, enslave them and then send them back to their lives to wait for orders.
It was still difficult. It was risky and the amount of acceptable slaves was very small. Hunter town worked because strong enough people gathered in it. It would be far more rare to run into them randomly on the road.
For these reason Kaden decided not to do so afterall.
"Once Nervin is working for one of the nobles, I will know of what they do. I merely need to arrange the situation so that I can pick people related to the nobles instead and then they'll walk back themselves once enslaved and no one will know", Kaden decided.
This was indeed somewhat risky, but now that he had better view of the situation and he could expand it, the risks that would have made it too dangerous before, could now be mitigated.
There was also another important thing to note. There was a war going on. The battles were at the border of Saint Empire and Sacronan. That was far away from the No Man's Land. There would be very few people watching the area so building another concealed base closer was possible. The nobles were the ones watching over those areas and the one Kaden was getting involved with was the one whose actions he could observe inside.
Eventually Nervin and the fake 7RU-MC reached Corand. On the way Kaden had observed no change in how things were from his previous scoutings. It wasn't quite as obvious at Corand, but number of guards was high and everyone was checked at the gates.
This was not a problem. Those at Condensation stage had influence by themselves and without a reason they normally wouldn't be stopped. The current situation wasn't obviously normal, but there was more respect for stronger people than weaker.
Being with 7RU-MC it was even easier to pass through. It was the same at Corand as it was along the way. The robot, who seemed to be known as Lady Fundun, carried even extra influence and was able to pass with Nervin after only superficial examination.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
As for the situation inside the city that Kaden was very familiar with. It was ... tense. The higher state of security was present. People were going about their business relatively normally, but also very quietly. Far fewer people were out anyway.
The random hangings and purging of supposed heretics seemed to be less present than in random villages and towns along the way. Kaden did observe doors marked with signs of heresy and it was very easy to guess what could be found inside, if the occupants had not already moved elsewhere.
Everyone knew and could feel the situation, but, as far as Corand went, things were kept out of sight, if not mind.
Things did get better towards the deeper layers. That is the layers where those with more wealth lived and also where nobility lived. They all kept presence in Corand even if the lands they owned were elsewhere. It would be best to start at Corand, if one wanted to work for them.
The robot informed Nervin that it had a residence close to the noble layer. At least it had not been able to get itself status as a noble yet. It was only a rich and powerful merchant as far as anyone knew.
7RU-MC and its 'home' was ... unusual. In general it was just as gaudy as the clothes it created. It was also clearly partly built to showcase its creations. Kaden wondered whether the robot actually even spent much time in there. Why would it? It was a machine and didn't need rest. It was probably mostly a prop to help it build its image of a wealthy merchant selling fashion clothes.
Kaden had Nervin stay in while 7RU-MC said it was going to arrange the meeting. Time for scouting and getting complete image of the situation was for later. Nervin needed at least some protection from working for the nobles before Kaden was risking him to be discovered by the criminals he had been working for before.
Kaden had expected 7RU-MC to go out and arrange meeting with the Northwind family, but it turned out to be unnecessary. Not only a servant from Northwinds came with an invitation, but from several others. It only had to bring up a matter of arranging a favor for a Condensation stage warrior in need of a new employer.
Through Nervin, Kaden was watching everything unfold.
"How is it that everything goes exactly as that damn machine planned it", Kaden muttered to himself. "I'm actually not even sure it planned anything."
What the robot simply did by walking in, it would have taken Kaden careful planning and setup. It was quite infuriating. Kaden simply told himself that it was merely difference how the robot operated. Anyway, no matter how aggravating it was, Kaden was going to accept it all since it meant his plans were also working along with it.
Kaden glanced at the robot nearby. It had for the time being stopped poking and feeling at his feathers and was now crafting more of its unusual clothing and clearly imitating some of the shapes found in feathers. As for anything else, such as mana structures or the sort, Kaden could sense none. If there was any interest to be found in the dresses, that was it.
Since 7RU-MC was handling the things at Corand for the time being, Kaden concentrated elsewhere. If the Northwinds were the main target, Kaden started to look for a place where he could move and how to do that.
There were some likely options. Basically any starting point somewhere in the noble family territory was fine.
"I will then need to clear myself a way", Kaden continued his thoughts. "I will have to use the black pentagon to determine the point where I enter No Man's Land so I'm there the shortest amount of time."
The nobles had enough influence that Kaden could expect to get himself a safe path as soon as he was able to influence them enough. At least in general. There were a few parties not involved with them that could be moving about in the area.
Such as the future targets of his vengeance that he promised to Anuu. The True Magi that killed her. There were people, such as the sects that worshipper Ronar, in the relative nearby area that might have expeditions into No Man's Land.
It was not yet the time to tangle with them, but it was also very unlikely he would run into them.
At any rate, due to dangers in No Man's Land, there were actually very few people who were interested in it.
"It should not be too difficult to get there unnoticed with a bit of help", Kaden thought to himself.
Not long after the fake 7RU-MC returned to inform Nervin of what was going to happen. It seems 7RU-MC had received invitation to one of the parties where nobility and important people gathered at. It was perfect.
"Nervin, you will remain where you are and await the robot to arrange the meeting with the nobles", Kaden told Nervin. "While it is unlikely you are hunted by Shadow Pact yet, if ever, you should try to not be found. Fight back only, if someone actually comes after you."
If nobles had found out the robot, the 'lady Fundun', had come to Corand, it was possible other interested parties could tell who came with it.
Depending how fast the nobles acted or if they would take 7RU-MC's offer, it could take from a few days to much longer. At any rate, as usual, Kaden prefered discreet actions so Nervin would stay hidden rather than scout more of the current state of the Saint Empire. There was no need to seek out knowledge outside of Kaden's current undestanding of general instability.
"I will have to wait a bit longer even after Nervin is in", Kaden decided. "I cannot compromise him by acting immediately. Waiting is necessary anyway. I can make use of this time to one by one move some of the hunters I have enslaved to Corand. I can use them to support whatever I need Nervin to do. I can also hand them some formations to use."
Kaden's plotting was interrupted shortly as 7RU-MC suddenly decided it needed to examine Kaden's tail feathers. He was disturbed and shuddered a bit as the robot touched him.
"Oh my", 7RU-MC said as it gently brushed Kaden's feathers. "These are truly wonderful. I should make a trip to Frika later and find more wondrous things to observe."
Kaden shuddered once more and held back his rage. The deal was still useful. He only hoped that the robot would do this trip and be torn apart by enraged Cari that it annoyed with its mere presence.