Chapter 155
Chapter 155
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 155
Chapter Title: Usurper 1
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At that moment, the Quartz Royal Throne began to emit light on its own.
“Impossible!”
The watching retainers were all horrified.
The throne glowed of its own accord, spewing forth a fierce, pulsating light from within.
It was the King's Radiance.
“I’ve never seen it this powerful….”
One elderly retainer couldn’t help but mutter. Those words drove the final nail in. The retainers and guards didn’t dare consider resisting the woman who had claimed the throne; they simply observed the situation.
“Holy Knights. Your strength should have returned. Proceed to the castle gates and save the people.”
“…….”
The Holy Knights of the King's Church, embedded among the retainers, were bewildered.
“Don’t make me laugh! You’re the regicide! What makes a wretch like you—argh!”
Sir Aldorf resisted, but in that instant, his arm was severed at the shoulder.
“How insolent.”
As Kazas raised his hand, Aldorf’s arm was suddenly in his grasp. Kazas opened his mouth and tore off a chunk of muscle from the forearm.
“Eek!”
“An elf!”
But at that moment, Aldis rebuked Kazas.
“Don’t scare them, Kazas.”
“My apologies. This is the Emperor’s presence.”
Kazas immediately apologized, spat out the contents from his mouth, and prostrated himself before Aldis.
“…….”
“Wait. Kazas…?”
“Demon King Kazas!?”
“The Demon King who devours grimoires! He’s alive?”
Elder scribes among the retainers gasped upon hearing Kazas’s name.
“Right now, we all need to unite to survive. I’ll have to devote all my power to stopping this storm, so Holy Knights—your aid is essential.”
As Aldis spoke, sure enough, the rain and wind had already ceased.
The power of the King's Radiance was undeniable. Hope began to fill the hearts of those who had just been ravaged by a massive evil force.
Only a scant few resisted it, gripped by bewilderment and distrust. Most people didn’t doubt that Aldis Jedaha, radiating the King's Radiance, was the true queen.
“Ah….”
“And the Emperor’s Herald, 108th Herald Azadin.”
Aldis called to Azadin in her usual benevolent voice.
“Yes.”
Azadin prostrated himself before her. He was still confused, but to Azadin, Aldis was an existence he couldn’t refuse.
She was his grandmother, the object of his admiration, the one he loved—practically everything.
But what was she now?
“I release the curse of servitude upon you. Along with that, I raise your rank: you are now the 2nd Herald. And I bestow upon you the name of Jedaha.”
“…….”
“From now on, you shall be known as the Emperor’s 2nd Herald, Azadin Jedaha.”
“I am grateful for this undeserved honor.”
It was an unprecedented reward and promotion.
The 2nd Herald. Even among the Herald Clan, where rank held little meaning, the 2nd Herald was different.
The 2nd Herald had been the rank Aldis herself held until now. Having proclaimed herself Emperor, she was no longer a Herald, so she had passed the position to Azadin.
On top of that, the name of Jedaha?
For Azadin, deemed the most irreverent and lowly among the irreverent Herald Clan, to receive the 2nd Herald rank and the Jedaha bloodline name.
The Azadin of the past would have been overcome with emotion, shedding tears from eyes that had none.
But now, it brought no joy. His body trembled instead. An indescribable sensation ravaged his mind and body like a storm, tearing him apart.
“And Sion Etar!”
Unlike the bewildered Azadin, the one called next prostrated himself with resolute certainty.
“Yes!”
“Subdue the traitor Arael and her supporters. I’d prefer to avoid bloodshed if possible.”
“With pleasure!”
‘…So he’s of the Etar bloodline.’
Only then did Azadin realize what was happening.
As Arael’s faction rapidly expanded its influence by absorbing the Etar bloodline, in truth, the Etar bloodline had already been in league with Aldis.
That was how they’d seized the throne at the perfect timing.
“Hahaha.”
Arael looked around at the situation.
“Ah, Lady Arael!”
Standing beside Arael was only Jenis, disguised as a maidservant. For her disguise, her only weapons were the body-adhering Moon Horn Bow and dagger.
Kahsan and Nefti seemed bewildered but were staying put to observe. Dimia, bound in ropes, looked utterly baffled as well.
“What in the world….”
“Impressive, Aldis. I should have known better than to underestimate you. I had no idea you were in league with him, so I wasted my suspicions on Second Herald Hatirm alone.”
“Arael. This isn’t the time for us to fight among ourselves. I am also your grandmother, so if you join hands with me, I’ll forgive all past sins and grant you the Jedaha name. Even the sin of slaying the elders and stealing the New King Chronicle copy. A talent like yours will be essential to overcome the trials ahead.”
“Aldis. I won’t become your adopted daughter after enduring such humiliation. I’ll take my leave from this place!”
As Arael spoke, she glanced at Dimia, who was bound beside Azadin.
In that instant, Azadin unconsciously moved his hand and severed one of the ropes binding Dimia.
It was the most crucial rope, the one that kept her hands and feet close together, preventing her from exerting strength.
Once it was cut, Dimia swiftly snapped the other ropes and fled after Arael.
“After them!”
“Seize them!”
Individuals who appeared to be Sion Etar’s subordinates were already mixed among those in the audience chamber. They stepped forward to capture the fleeing Arael and her followers, but a flash of light sent those trying to grab them tumbling.
“It seems I’ll have to handle this myself.”
“Stand down.”
Aldis stopped Kazas from pursuing Arael.
“Right now, we shouldn’t be fighting among ourselves—we need to protect Koral Sahar first. The King's Radiance has returned, granting strength to the Holy Knights, but that alone won’t be enough. Steward! And Captain of the Castle Guard!”
“…….”
“Are you addressing us?”
They were flustered at suddenly being called out.
A purge? But Heralds were already positioned nearby, bows at the ready.
If they didn’t obey, they’d die.
The captain of the guard and the steward walked forward to the side of the fallen commander of the Royal Guard’s corpse.
“Open all the armories and redeploy the reserves to the front lines. I need your cooperation.”
“But the soldiers just rotated out not long ago….”
“The King's Radiance will be with them. We will surely win. Provided you all sincerely cooperate with me!”
Aldis’s voice was beautiful and full of grace, inspiring faith just by hearing it.
It was a statement with little basis for belief, but without a word, the captain and steward knelt and prostrated themselves before Aldis.
“Yes!”
“Now, I’ll issue detailed orders.”
With that, Aldis unfurled the castle’s map as if she had ruled Koral Sahar from the beginning and began formulating defense plans.
The retainers were all captivated by the defense plans she laid out.
The King's Radiance had already captured their hearts, so no one present doubted she was the true king.
*********
Azadin fled the royal audience chamber as if escaping.
His comrades followed him. They all wore worried expressions.
“Hey, boss. You okay?”
“Ugh!”
Azadin suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest and collapsed to the floor.
He could barely breathe. Since mastering the Kazas Manuscript, such occurrences had been extremely rare.
It only happened during intense training or battle, when his breath rose to his throat. Yet now, with nothing amiss, something was choking his airway.
“We’ve been thoroughly usurped. Everyone’s enchanted. She murdered the king right before our eyes, yet no one seeks to hold her accountable.”
Zibek pitied King Ansetus IV, slain in an instant.
“In a sense, that’s precisely the power of a king. But to think she’s truly the Emperor’s bloodline… What will you do, Azadin?”
“For now, I need to meet Arael.”
Azadin called out to the Emperor’s voice.
[It’s been a while, Azadin. Have you been well?]
“Less ‘well’ and more… Is it true that Aldis is of the Emperor’s bloodline?”
[She is the daughter of the one born between the Emperor and Harconia. Truly the Emperor’s direct granddaughter.]
“Her age….”
For her to be the Emperor’s granddaughter didn’t match the timeline. But those with thick blood of the Yae Gas divine race could live for centuries while remaining young.
[Why else would Aragas’s elders hold her in such reverence?]
“You should have told me sooner. I need to meet Arael. Can you track her location?”
[She relinquished her Herald position and now uses her artificial spirits instead. Magic won’t find her. But it seems they’ll come seeking you.]
“I thought as much. And that goes for them too.”
Sure enough, Sion Etar approached Azadin.
“2nd Herald Azadin Jedaha.”
“Sion Etar.”
“First, congratulations on your promotion. Everyone knows how loyal you’ve been to the council, so even as Arael the traitor’s younger brother, no one opposes this promotion. And your skills are exceptional, aren’t they?”
“Hm. Arael the traitor’s younger brother. Even here, everyone calls me the little brother.”
“What does it matter? There’s nothing to inherit, right? Ah, but becoming part of the Jedaha bloodline changes things.”
“What about those deluded by Arael’s faction?”
“Our Etar bloodline insists on purging them, but Lady Aldis isn’t the type. She’s offered them a chance to turn coats.”
“To turn coats? Think that’ll work?”
“It will. Lady Aldis will grant everything Arael’s faction promised.”
“…….”
In other words, Aldis would continue what Arael’s faction had done: summoning Nether entities, ushering in the era of Jupiter, bringing disaster upon the Hubris people to shake their nation, slaughtering the innocent.
It was excruciating for Azadin to hear.
Aldis would never endorse such meaningless massacres or horrific vengeance, but she loved Aragas too much. Aragas—the entire Herald Clan—desperately desired it, and she alone wouldn’t overturn it for her own sake.
“Lady Aldis needs help.”
“…What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You need to assist her, Azadin.”
Sion Etar had seen through Azadin’s inner turmoil.
Sensing Azadin’s shock at the Etar bloodline’s double-agency and their readiness to plunder everything Arael had built, Sion Etar had approached to persuade him.