Chapter 129
Chapter 129
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 129
Chapter Title: Parallel Lines of Emotion 3
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‘?!’
Seeing Arael’s eyes suddenly light up, Azadin panicked. In that instant, Arael’s kick slammed into him.
Of course, Azadin blocked it… but Arael’s shadow pierced right through his defense.
‘What is this?!’
Azadin’s body floated into the air, slammed into the ceiling, bounced off, and crashed into a painting hanging on the wall.
It was probably a large oil painting depicting a glorious scene from the Count Rantaric family, now torn to shreds with Azadin’s blood staining it.
“Ugh!”
Azadin realized the broken picture frame had stabbed into his back. His leather armor prevented a deep wound, but the impact tore his skin beneath it, blood seeping through.
Such power from a single strike. An ordinary person wouldn’t have survived.
“Not bad, Azadin.”
Arael shook out her dislocated wrist, and black shadows extended from between her sleeve folds to cover her wound.
Incredibly, the injury healed in an instant.
“No way!”
Shati screamed.
What Arael had just done—healing her wrist and fingers—was faster than the instant regeneration from the green magic Shati used.
With King’s Radiance weakened, restoration healing magic was thought to have vanished entirely, yet here she was healing wounds at such speed?
“Wow. Looks like I can’t win with just hand-to-hand. Pure martial skill won’t cut it against you, Azadin.”
“…Tch.”
“But I still won, right? Stop being so stubborn and become my subordinate.”
“I’d rather you kill me.”
“Is that so?”
In that moment, Arael charged forward, grabbed Azadin’s belt, swung him around, and hurled him toward the opposite wall.
-Boom!
His body smashed through a candelabra, collided with the bookshelf on the other side, and fell. Books rained down, burying him.
“Ugh?!”
Then Arael extended her hand… and shadows rose from the floor, seeking to swallow Azadin whole.
Scott formed a hand seal and began chanting a spell to save Azadin, but in that instant, his mana started resonating wildly.
“Ah?!”
Black mana rampaged in Scott’s hand, clawing across his cheek. The illusion of human form tore away, blood spraying from the orc’s face.
Just the power emanating from Arael was enough to drive the surrounding mana mad.
‘This is bad!’
Everyone thought they were done for…
“Ah.”
Arael sighed.
“I didn’t mean to go this far—old habits kicked in, and my body moved on its own. I’ve smashed the heads of so many who dared defy me or show pride in my presence that it’s become reflex.”
It was ridiculous, but sincere. Arael had flung Azadin aside and now looked regretful.
“You don’t get it, Azadin. I genuinely regret the past. I’m desperate to make amends for tormenting and hurting you. That’s why I want to atone to you. I’ll give you the position right below mine, shower you with wealth, honor, and beauties. My subordinates won’t like it, but I mean it.”
Azadin could tell Arael was sorry and wanted to mend their relationship.
But the moment she promised wealth and glory, she was doomed to run parallel to him. Laughably, these twins born on the same day were forever on parallel lines of emotion, unable to understand or empathize with each other.
“The fact that you’d even say that shows how messed up you are. With your mindset, you’ll never grasp what you did to me or how to truly apologize for it.”
Azadin despised Arael’s brazenness.
Money, honor, position, beauties.
Telling him to accept her apology in exchange was the ultimate disregard for his feelings.
Sure, some might be satisfied with that. Plenty of beastly people saw life’s purpose as gaining riches, glory, and women.
But Azadin wasn’t one of them. The thought that she saw him that way was so repulsive he couldn’t bear it.
“You think I’m doing this because I want your gratitude?”
“Heh, you’re a tough one, Azadin. Fine. I expected this much resistance. Our reconciliation can’t be too easy.”
“Yeah. At least we agree on that.”
Azadin recovered from his injuries and rose again. Shock had numbed his body, but he couldn’t just lie there.
Moreover, the Four of Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon were poised to attack Azadin’s group. Aleph said to Arael,
“That one has the New King Annals. That naga with him escaped from Salasma.”
Seraph likewise didn’t hide his hostility toward Azadin, urging Arael on.
“Eh? You recognize me?”
Shati panicked, seeing the herald kin instantly identify her from her face alone.
From their demeanor, these Four seemed high-ranking heralds… The pride of being recognized by them was overshadowed by greater worry.
“W-Wait a second!”
Midiarm stepped forward then.
“Azadin needs the New King Annals copy! We’re trying to lift the Curse of Service in exchange for bringing it back, so if you take it… surely you don’t want to let your little brother die under the Curse of Service?”
“Midiam!”
Azadin was furious with Midiam.
“Are you begging Arael for your life right now?! Why aren’t you thinking of fighting back?!”
“That’s…”
Then Aleph, having heard Midiam, urged Arael instead.
“That gives even more reason to seize the New King Annals copy. Right now, your brother rejects your grace out of ignorance, but as the Curse of Service closes in, he’ll beg for your mercy on his knees. Won’t true reconciliation come only then?”
Azadin burned with rage at those words. It’s fine now because his belly’s full, but when death looms, he’ll grovel in thanks and reconcile. That’s what they meant.
If he died, fine—but would he really reconcile like that?
Yet thinking deeper, dying by the Curse of Service was too horrific… He wasn’t sure he could hold out until the end.
If his life hung by a thread, could he still nobly tell Arael to kill him instead? Not just die, but suffer so horrifically?
In the end, he might accept her reconciliation as she described.
If she gave him all those rewards as promised, he might pretend to relent after being saved, gradually soak in the benefits, forgive her past, and willingly embrace the reconciliation she wanted.
‘No way!’
So at least now, he couldn’t accept it.
“I have to resist while I still can. Even if it means dying here!”
As Azadin steeled himself for a desperate stand,
“No. Leave the New King Annals copy.”
Arael stepped back.
“Lady Arael?”
“If I seize the New King Annals copy through oppression, what if the Council lifts Azadin’s Curse of Service without conditions? From their perspective, just lifting a curse they imposed lets them take credit. Azadin would distrust me even more.”
“But we need the New King Annals, don’t we? If you must leave it, leave one page—the rest we take.”
“You think I’d ruin everything over a few pages of the New King Annals?”
Subtle anger laced Arael’s voice. Aleph trembled in fear but wouldn’t back down on Azadin’s matter.
“It seems you’re worried that just because he’s my blood kin, he’ll become second-in-command and wield power freely. Such needless concern.”
“An organization needs no second-in-command. Only the Absolute One’s loyal limbs.”
“That’s enough with you lot? Understood. Azadin’s settled. We won’t take the New King Annals.”
“…….”
“See, little brother? The path ahead is treacherous. But you’ll reconcile with me in the end.”
“Because you’re stronger than me?”
“No. Because I love you.”
“Nonsense…”
The love Arael spoke of was insufferable arrogance.
Deciding Azadin’s fate unilaterally, cornering him until refusal was impossible, forcing reconciliation—that wasn’t reconciliation or forgiveness, but more violence.
“Then we’ll be off. Azadin. You all have business here, I take it?”
Arael dangled and shook the key to the Emperor’s treasury.
“We’ll take this. Bye.”
Arael and the Four of Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon departed. Flower’s Dimia sliced the air, blowing a kiss to Azadin.
“See you later, young master.”
Arael’s group leaped out the window and vanished in an instant. Azadin shook off the books and stood, beckoning Shati. She scowled and grumbled.
“…What, you think I’m some medicine chest?”
“Better than a medicine chest.”
“Tch.”
Shati cast regeneration magic on Azadin’s body.
“Is that your sister?”
Zivok asked Azadin.
“Yeah.”
“Amazing. Did you feel her aura? She didn’t seem… human. I thought the ‘goddess’ talk was a joke, but… receiving people’s worship, claiming King’s Radiance as her own. If she truly bears the Emperor’s bloodline, it might be possible.”
Zivok assessed coldly.
When a rightful king sits upon the Royal Throne, King’s Radiance protects the world. So said the King’s Church, though interpretations of “rightful king” varied.
The Church denied it vehemently, but when Emperor Yaeslrat monopolized all eight Royal Thrones alone, King’s Radiance had shone intensely.
If Arael, as the Emperor’s descendant, claimed the Royal Throne and King’s Radiance acknowledged her… what would the King’s Church do?
‘They’d have to accept her as sovereign.’
Of course, she was gathering New King Annals copies, perhaps deciphering them to understand King’s Radiance’s essence and exploit some trick.
They could claim that…
But if the Age of Jupiter truly dawned and monsters overrun the world, the people would flock to Arael regardless of tricks, as long as she brought them peace.
And that would birth a new goddess.
“But if you’re twins, doesn’t that make you Emperor’s bloodline too?”
“Probably. But I wasn’t born with whatever perks she got. Ugh… it itches.”
Azadin shuddered at the itching sensation over his body.
“Wait, hold on. This isn’t the time to discuss that, is it?”
Ismail suddenly made a fuss.
“The Emperor’s key got stolen—what do we do? At this rate, the Emperor’s treasury falls into their hands…”
“It’s fine.”
Brand said.
“If the key alone opened the door, why didn’t Count Rantaric open it?”
“Sir Brand?”
Guillaume realized Brand had returned to his senses.
But suddenly, a chill seeped in.