Chapter 181
Chapter 181
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 181
Chapter Title: Naga's Island 3
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The Naga merchant Deha joked about Azadin before bursting into laughter himself.
But from Azadin's perspective, it was no laughing matter.
"That's not a very good joke. It makes me frown more than laugh."
"It's a good joke to us. Isn't it?"
When Deha asked the other Nagas, they erupted in loud laughter, "Kuhahaha!"
"It looks like you're laughing because your boss told you to."
"More importantly, Shati. Why don't you come over here? You're a Naga, aren't you?"
"...Pardon?"
"No."
Azadin cut in at that moment.
"If you're going to call Shati, at least guarantee her safety. Swear it on your honor."
"Pardon? Why are you imposing such a condition?"
"Shati won't betray her own kind anyway. From my position, I can't demand that she fight her kin for my sake. So at least you can testify that she's been innocent all along and has always strived to be loyal to the Nagas—in place of the wages for using her services up till now."
"Pardon? I can't understand that at all. What are you talking about? Why do you care so much about her?"
"I think it's the best choice I can make in this situation. If I look after her this much, she won't resent me even if she's forced to help me, right?"
"It sounds like you think you can just kill us all and keep using her again. Can't you see how many of us there are?"
"Well, a person needs to stay positive."
"Pfft."
The Naga merchant Deha let out a burst of laughter.
"Very well. Shati, I, Nagaraja Dehasuram, swear on my honor that I won't hold your past mistakes against you. Come here."
"Tch. If you put it that way, I have no grounds to stop you."
Azadin moved the hand that had been blocking Shati's path.
"......"
Shati hesitated for a moment before slowly stepping toward Deha—no, Dehasuram.
"There, then."
With Shati gone, Azadin's group was left with just Scott, Azadin, Jis, and Set. With fewer targets to attack, the situation looked much better for the Nagas. Even for Azadin, escaping alive from here wouldn't be easy.
But then Dehasuram made an unexpected proposal.
"I'll make you an offer you can't refuse. Would you like to die a heroic death fighting here? Or accept my invitation?"
"Invitation?"
"Yes. I'd like to have a serious talk with you. I'll host you as a guest according to our customs of hospitality. What do you say?"
Dehasuram's subordinates flinched in surprise at his words.
The customs of hospitality. They were a pact stating that even if the two parties were mortal enemies, once one received the other as a guest, the guest would treat the host with respect, and the host would provide food and lodging without ever poisoning the guest's meal or attacking them in their sleep.
If one invoked the customs of hospitality, the two sides couldn't harm each other again until they returned to the same circumstances as before the invitation—an ancient tradition.
Breaking such customs would mark one as dishonorable, and for someone of Nagaraja stature, rather than street thugs, the losses would be too great.
In other words, inviting Azadin meant they wouldn't harm him for at least a while.
Naturally, the Nagas struggled to accept Dehasuram's choice. But his status was such that it crushed even minor objections, leaving them silent as they awaited Azadin's response.
"Before that, one question: what's your relation to Dehares?"
"He's my cousin. Don't I look even more handsome than him?"
"I'll... accept the invitation."
*********
Having agreed to Dehasuram's invitation, Azadin and his group headed to their palace.
The path from the docks to the palace was adorned with an elegant garden. Maintaining the paved road lined with bodhi trees and flame trees amid Btuma's frequent rains would require constant care from gardeners and laborers.
"The gardeners and servants are humans."
Azadin noticed that the ones tending the garden trees were humans.
"None of us Nagas are interested in landscaping. Oh, and our chef is human too. We won't serve human meat to guests—that would be rude."
"However..."
As they ascended the path to the palace, tents could be seen pitched across the hillsides. It was the Naga army camping on this island in preparation for invading Btuma.
'Showing me this means they won't just let me go. Well, that's obvious. They already knew who I was.'
Given that they knew how much Azadin had disrupted Naga operations in the past, it wouldn't be strange if they tried to kill him on the spot.
So why invite him as a guest and escort him to the palace?
"Why invite me? Don't your subordinates have anything to say?"
"Naga society is even more hierarchical than human society. Once I decide, no one dares object."
Dehasuram smiled as he spoke.
"I'm inviting you because I admire great heroes. You probably don't believe that, do you?"
"You're right."
"I want to hear your story. Truth be told, I learned of your exploits because a Herald sold your information."
"Sold my information?"
"More precisely, when Count Slasma died without any of his agents surviving, we were curious, so we asked the Heralds. Turns out the Herald in charge of Slasma was you. Tracking your movements that way revealed quite the astonishing hero."
Dehasuram explained that he had pieced together Azadin's exploits using information from the Heralds and the Nagas.
"I'm embarrassed. It was nothing special."
"No, it can't be. You've ruined so many of our Naga plans that everyone's angry and on guard because of you. Far from trivial—it's so grand for one person's achievements that it surprised me. Did you really do it all yourself?"
"Well..."
"Ah, we'll talk later. For now, bathe to wash off your travel fatigue. Then we can chat over tea and a meal."
Dehasuram summoned human servants to guide Azadin's group to the bathhouse.
*********
After bathing and changing into fresh clothes, Azadin's group took in Dehasuram's palace.
Being a trading hub, it wasn't Naga-style architecture but purely human fashion—a Yaegas-style mansion overlooking the sea.
Food and refreshments were being prepared in the elegant garden with its sea view.
"Welcome."
Dehasuram waited in the pergola in the garden, accompanied by servants. Of course, with bodyguards. Nagas armed with tridents and nets revealed themselves.
Thanks to the customs of hospitality, they wouldn't attack, but from the Nagas' perspective, while they trusted Nagaraja Dehasuram's honor, they couldn't trust Azadin's.
Azadin hadn't disarmed, trusting only Dehasuram's honor, so this armed escort was a minor matter.
"Fine. Then."
Azadin took his seat, honoring the invitation.
"Shall we talk?"
Azadin tore into the bread on the table as he asked.
"You're planning to invade Btuma, right? But didn't the Heralds already take the Koral Sahar Throne from you? Still planning to ride the palanquin they carry? Hop on carelessly, and you'll get tossed off a cliff with it."
"Is that really how you see it? Hm. From the Naga Empire's standpoint, this situation is actually ideal."
"Why?"
"Would the Yaegas god-tribes truly accept the Heralds seizing the throne?"
"Well, yeah."
Azadin immediately understood Dehasuram's point.
War between the Heralds and the Eight Divine King Tribes was imminent.
In dividing the humans, usurping Koral Sahar served as the perfect trigger.
"So you're attacking Btuma too? Side of the Elder Council? Or Arael's faction?"
"It doesn't matter which. If the Heralds fracture, that's good in its own way."
"If everything's fine either way, then why invite me?"
"Because the feats you've accomplished are worthy of calling you a hero from our perspective too. You quelled the Wendigo's Fury, executed Count Slasma, and showed no small prowess at Koral Sahar. I wanted to meet such a hero."
"To split open my heart and devour it?"
"Of course not. In fact, there are petitions from the Heralds asking us to quietly dispose of you if you show up."
"......"
"It's curious—petitions from both Arael's tribe and the Elder Council. To them, you're the goddess's little brother in Arael's tribe, and you have a high-status figure as your patron in the Council too. Yet they see you as a thorn in their side and commissioned us Nagas to deal with you... We just don't get it."
"So you want to satisfy that curiosity. Hm, fine. You've shown me sincerity, so I'll return the favor."
Azadin removed the helmet that had covered his face.
"Ah."
Only then did Dehasuram realize Azadin had no eyes.
"I'm called Azadin the Eyeless. Or Azadin the Cursed."
Azadin began recounting his origins.
Why the Heralds despised and scorned him. The grace of Aldis and Kazas, who had raised such a one as him. The jealousy from the other Heralds due to the status Arael had gained as she grew.
"Amazing. I wondered why the Heralds didn't leave and kept serving the emperor—turns out there's such a powerful curse, and you're its product! Even Arael is a product of that curse? What an astonishing tale. Ah, can I share this story with others? It'd sell like hotcakes when I'm playing merchant."
"It's embarrassing, so hold off?"
"Then I'll wait until your fame grows so much it can't be hidden anymore. You're still wearing a helmet and avoiding gossip, so the time isn't right yet. But if everyone wants to know about you later, forgive me if Azadin the Eyeless's past comes from my mouth."
"I'll need to survive here first to build that fame. Don't we both need to stay alive for what comes after?"
"Hahaha. True enough."
Dehasuram laughed at Azadin's words before suddenly pausing.
There was weight to Azadin's words. Both of them needed to survive afterward?
Wasn't he implying not just Azadin but Dehasuram himself was under threat?
Of course, Azadin hadn't disarmed, but what could a mere three do?