Chapter 221
Chapter 221
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 221
Chapter Title: Herald of Ruin 6
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“Cut it out! Arael!”
You could tell from the reactions of the Flower-Bird-Wind-Moon Four—no, now just the three survivors.
Arael wasn’t trying to absorb Azadin’s body into her own. She was doing the opposite—offering her own body to him.
Twins could give their blood to each other. If Arael sacrificed herself, not only could Azadin survive, but he might recover from his crippled state and regain his strength.
But accepting such a massive favor would mean forgiving her.
He didn’t want that. Azadin wasn’t ready to forgive Arael yet. And now she was forcing forgiveness on him like this?
Judging from Indim, Seraph, and Dimia’s attitudes, this hadn’t been part of any prior agreement. He had no desire to bear the lifelong obligation of forgiving her just because she’d decided this on her own.
“Arael! You absorb me instead! You’re the one who has to lead the rebellion!”
“…The truth is, it was a lie.”
“What?”
“The talk about rebelling for Aragasa’s prosperity! Let Aragasa go to ruin for all I care! Prosperity my ass!”
“…….”
Thinking about it, it made perfect sense. There was no reason Arael wouldn’t hate Aragasa.
“But I still don’t get it! Why are you trying to sacrifice yourself for me? Why do you….”
“Azadin. I’m sorry.”
“What?”
“My big sis act was just bravado. The truth is, I was scared. If I didn’t pretend to be strong, if I didn’t put on a show, I was afraid they’d crush me on a whim. And…I won’t make excuses. I was young and stupid too.”
“…….”
“Back then, I was an Aragasa just like them, so I hated and despised the weak. That’s what was normal for Aragasa. But when I finally saw the wider world, I realized it was the Aragasa who were wrong for forcing that on children. By the time I figured it out, though, my position was too high and I had too many subordinates. I was terrified of showing weakness by apologizing to you in front of them, of letting them down after they’d idolized me. So I pushed you even farther away. I couldn’t even apologize properly and just had to live as the mighty rebel Arael.”
The strong, arrogant Arael had all been a disguise, a masquerade to protect herself—that was her confession.
Outside the magic circle, Seraph, Dimia, and Indim felt awkward about what was unfolding.
“We have to stop her….”
“No! If we go in now, we’ll get fused too! Anyone with different blood gets fused, and it’ll kill Lady Arael and us!”
“But if this keeps going….”
“Lady Arael!”
Even hearing her admit that her subordinates had driven her to this, they still needed her.
Arael looked at them, then back down at Azadin.
“Don’t….”
Azadin panicked at the tear falling onto his face.
“Please stop. What am I supposed to do with this? Hating you was how I kept myself together. But now you apologize, and…what? I have to accept it? You die for me, and I have to forgive you? Why force forgiveness on me? I’m not ready! This isn’t right, Arael! Stop this ritual now! This isn’t for me—it’s just so you can feel good about yourself!”
“Azadin….”
But Arael didn’t stop the ritual. The magic circle thrummed, and powerful Nether energy poured into her body.
He wanted to stop her, but Azadin was a total cripple who couldn’t even twitch a finger.
“When I was at my loneliest and weakest, you scarred my face! You slapped away the hand I offered and insulted me! And now you’re ditching me on your own terms again? Don’t make me laugh! If you really want to apologize, drop this dark sorcery and let’s live like this—arms and legs crippled, leaning on each other! Even powerless and helpless, we can get by together! Otherwise, we’ll just be power-hungry Aragasa until we die! Please…sis! This isn’t right!”
“!!!!”
Azadin had called Arael “sis” for the first time. But…the ritual had already progressed beyond control.
Arael smiled.
“I’ll give back what I took from you long ago…Azadin.”
Like embers flaring in charcoal, faint flames flickered within her, scorching her skin, consuming her body, turning it to ash.
And that ash flowed into Azadin’s body, healing his severed arms and legs…and the old scar on his face.
Incredibly, eyes were forming on Azadin’s face. Deep purple eyes just like Arael’s, weeping bloody tears.
“Arael!”
Azadin grabbed for her with his regenerating arms, but her body crumbled.
“Ah…you…idiot!”
“Please…forgive me.”
“I won’t forgive you! I won’t! If you want my forgiveness, live a long life! Live long, talk with me, eat with me, spend time together…build some bond, then maybe I’ll forgive you! Not like this, doing whatever you want and demanding forgiveness!”
“Hehehe….”
Arael laughed to the end as she dissolved into ash.
Azadin slammed the ground and collapsed atop her crumbling body.
“Arael!”
Beast-like sobs wracked him as tears poured from his eyes onto the pile of ash.
*********
Azadin wept until he passed out.
Both he and Arael had been in terrible shape, and fusing in that state was a huge shock. He wouldn’t wake for a while.
In the meantime, the three survivors of Flower-Bird-Wind-Moon moved him to the captain’s cabin and discussed their next move.
“What now?”
Dimia asked her comrades.
“Lady Arael….”
“She deceived us.”
Indim shuddered.
“She didn’t care about Aragasa’s prosperity or any of that. She just wanted revenge. Against Aragasa….”
As she spoke, Indim absently scratched her lower belly.
“She used us!”
“Enough, Indim.”
Seraph shook her head.
“I understand Lady Arael’s feelings completely. Azadin is her will now. We have to respect that.”
“But can Azadin wield the Kazas Hymnal again?”
Dimia wondered.
“What do you mean?”
“She said she was giving back what she took. Maybe the Flower-Bird-Wind-Moon power is inside him now….”
“Will he become as strong as Lady Arael?”
Seraph and Indim were stunned. Arael’s strength came from being his twin and taking the grimoire meant for him.
Sure, she was smart and skilled…but so was Azadin.
If he now had Arael’s grimoire too, he might match her—or surpass her.
“It won’t be that simple. He’s probably lost the Kazas Hymnal for good. And look at the new flesh on his arms…like a baby’s skin.”
Dimia flipped over Azadin’s unconscious body on the bed.
“Wow…he really looks like Lady Arael now.”
“They’re twins.”
“Didn’t think much before the eyes grew, but now…”
Dimia licked her lips as she said it.
“Always so thirsty. Your sister just sacrificed herself, and you’re appraising guys? You’re still recovering yourself.”
Seraph bristled at Dimia’s words.
Both Seraph and Dimia had barely survived sacrificing their brothers, and fusion aftereffects left them barely able to move. They weren’t in any shape for lust. They were patients like Azadin.
Plus, the death of their most precious kin—barely hours ago. Seraph frowned at Dimia bringing up something so reckless.
“No, I mean, if Azadin gets strong, maybe…”
“What are you getting at?”
“You’re not suggesting we make Azadin her stand-in now? No way. Impossible.”
Indim objected.
“Why?”
When Dimia asked innocently, Seraph answered.
“Azadin’s reputation in the clan is awful. And a lot of her followers were actually in love with her.”
“Your brothers too.”
“…Anyway, he’s a guy. He’s handsome, sure, but that’s not enough to rally the clan.”
Some had fantasized about marrying Arael if she became leader, becoming the leader’s husband and wielding power as consort.
Arael had cunningly exploited those fantasies and desires to build her faction.
Azadin wasn’t the type for that.
“His reputation’s in the gutter. Known as the Useless Azadin. No good.”
“But now with the eyes…his face is so much like Lady Arael’s. What if we disguise him as her?”
Dimia kept pushing reckless ideas, unable to let it go.
“No chance.”
Indim shot it down first. Seraph explained in detail.
“Lady Arael was always front and center. If she suddenly started wearing a mask and lurking in the shadows with few words, everyone would know. Twins have similar faces, but their voices are totally different. And Azadin’s Kazas-style movements are too ingrained to fix easily. Any Aragasa would spot it instantly.”
“Sigh.”
Dimia shook her head.
“Nothing works. Are we done for? Should we raise the white flag and surrender to Sion Etar?”
“Surrender with Azadin as a gift?”
When Indim asked, Seraph scowled.
“I want to honor Lady Arael’s will. Don’t even joke about that.”
“Such a loyalist. Seraph, Dimia—you two fused, but I didn’t, right? If I kidnap him now, you couldn’t stop me.”
Fusion aftereffects left Dimia and Seraph patient-like. True, as top-tier Aragasa, even half-dead they could handle normal foes or beasts. But that’s why they knew how scary Indim was.
If Indim got serious now, they couldn’t stop her. Even before injuries, she’d been the strongest of the four. The Moon title holder was always the top master among Flower-Bird-Wind-Moon.
But neither Dimia nor Seraph took Indim’s threat seriously.
“You loved Lady Arael the most. Emotionally…and, well.”
“W-what are you talking about? I….”
Indim blushed and denied it.
“I get you’re shocked she betrayed us…but, huh?”
Seraph jolted at the sudden evil aura. Moments later, screams erupted from the crew outside.
“Argh! S-sirens!”
“Curse you, Netherstrom!”
“Netherstrom….”
Hearing the screams, Dimia, Seraph, and Indim rushed out. Black storm clouds gathered in the western sky, whirlwinds howled, and sea monsters leaped up to attack the ship.
“Is this…Jupiter’s Era?”
Seraph frowned.