Chapter 52
Chapter 52
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Aldis 7
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Ismail decided to keep his suspicions about Arael's motives from Midiam and changed the subject.
“There’s a risk Azadin could be swayed.”
“Swayed?”
“Yes. Even if his relationship with Arael is bad... who knows. Arael has followers, but he’s still short on manpower, so he’ll want to recruit blood kin.”
“Ah. So in other words...”
“The elders probably see him as someone to infiltrate Arael’s camp as a spy.”
“Then Ismail, you don’t need to warn him. If the Elder Council made that decision, they wouldn’t send us along with him.”
“......”
Of course. If the elders decided that, they wouldn’t bother sending Midiam, of the Etar bloodline, to infiltrate with him. It would make more sense for Azadin to dispose of the attendants and convert alone.
But what about Ismail in that process? He could end up sacrificed as bait to deceive the enemy.
“Hmm, I see. Got it. Ismail, you’re scared, aren’t you?”
Midiam laughed as he observed Ismail’s demeanor.
“Y-Yes.”
Ismail was afraid he might become the sacrificial lamb in this scheme, but had Midiam truly grasped that? Or did he simply think Ismail was just plain scared?
“Ahaha. Alright, alright. Don’t worry too much. Your mother was my wet nurse, remember? We’re milk brothers. No matter what, I wouldn’t just let you die.”
“...Thank you.”
“Hmm. By the way, I’m curious. What do you think Azadin and Aldis are up to right now? Don’t tell me it’s that?”
“Whatever it is, it’s not whatever scandalous thing you’re imagining, Midiam.”
Ismail clicked his tongue at Midiam, who was letting his fantasies run wild.
*********
Azadin and Aldis shared all the stories they’d accumulated over time. But once they actually started talking, Azadin found he didn’t have much to say from his perspective.
All he had were the days spent diligently learning “Kazas Hex” under Elder Kazas, along with the various strategies and skills required of a Herald.
The minute details of the “Kazas Hex” training methods and curriculum were impossible to explain, let alone replicate.
“Fine, let’s say the training content is a secret. What kind of person was Elder Kazas? I only know he’s an elf.”
“A pervert.”
“A pervert?”
“Yeah. A madman. A madman. But...”
Azadin gave a wry smile. Kazas was undoubtedly a madman, but he had treated Azadin far better than the other kin.
The Aragasa despised Azadin. He was the traitor who had sabotaged their clan’s long-cherished dream when it was within reach, the son of Akre, weak and frail. Born under the curse of eyelessness, his appearance was grotesque.
Only two people had never persecuted such an Azadin: Aldis and Kazas.
“His perversions were at least tolerable. He didn’t go around eating humans like in the Nagashura era.”
“That’s a relief. When I heard you’d been placed under Lord Kazas, I had nightmares every night of you being devoured.”
“Haha... did you? Hmm?”
Azadin found Aldis’s words puzzling.
“My master said he rarely takes disciples. So... why did he take me as one?”
Azadin had assumed Aldis had persuaded Kazas. But from her words, it seemed she didn’t even know him.
Of course, even without prior acquaintance, Aldis was a member of the founder clan, a promising figure called Harconia’s prodigy—her request would have been hard for the elders to ignore.
But Kazas? He was different. He didn’t care about politics within the founder clan or the Herald clan. He was an utter eccentric.
Kazas was an elf serving on the Aragasa council of elders. Not being Aragasa, he hadn’t received the Four Seasons of Fire, Wind, Flower, and Moon, and his traits were utterly unique.
The one time he had actively stepped forward was to appoint Azadin as a Herald. Before that, he was unknown even among the Herald kin.
But surely Aldis could have moved Kazas to recommend this eyeless oddity as a disciple?
That’s what he’d thought... but she’d had nightmares of Kazas eating him? Did she really know nothing about Kazas?
“You know? Why would someone who’d stayed hidden all this time take you as a disciple?”
So Aldis wasn’t the one who recommended him to Kazas.
“Then... ah, no, never mind.”
There were still so many stories left untold. He couldn’t waste time on weird topics with Aldis, whom he’d always longed for.
*********
Azadin and Aldis lost track of time, sharing countless stories. At last, the moment of parting arrived.
“I should’ve slept, but the sun’s already rising.”
Aldis smiled as she gazed at the sun rising in the distance. There was no sign of fatigue on her.
“Are you alright? Maybe rest a bit...”
“No, I’m fine. I haven’t needed much sleep lately. Well then, I should be going, Azadin.”
“Where are you headed?”
“I’ve covered all of Corasr. Next, I’m thinking of heading to Btuma. I want to lift the kill order on you and meet Arael.”
Btuma was one of the Eight Kingdoms, located south of Corasr.
“Is Arael in Btuma?”
“I’m tracking him down. Also gathering copies of the New King’s Array scrolls while I’m at it.”
“Hmm.”
Aldis smiled as Azadin fell silent, placing her hand on his cheek.
“You’ve grown so much. You’re a proper man now.”
“Well, yeah.”
“Perhaps... the elders or the chieftain might tell you to kill Arael to prove your innocence.”
“Probably. That’s why we were named as we were, after all.”
The Dragon of No Mercy, Azadin, and the Angel of Justice, Arael.
No longer objects of Aragasa faith, they were now mere ancient myths, but their meaning was clear: names of mutual destruction.
“You know, wouldn’t it be better if Arael won? According to the myth?”
“Will we fight?”
“If it’s what you want, Aldis.”
Azadin was saying he could kill Arael if Aldis wished it. But that only underscored how furious he was with Arael.
Aldis, knowing Azadin’s wounds hadn’t healed, gave a sad smile.
“No. If you two fought, I’d be heartbroken.”
“Then I’ll avoid it. But does Arael think the same? If he comes at me, I won’t have a choice.”
Azadin made no effort to hide his lingering resentment toward Arael. The wounds Arael had left still throbbed; he couldn’t ignore them.
“Hmm... so if Arael attacks, you’ll fight?”
Aldis was surprised that Azadin still harbored open hostility toward Arael.
Even Aldis, once called Harconia’s prodigy, had felt an insurmountable wall when facing Arael.
The unparalleled genius Arael. The title of Harconia’s prodigy now belonged to her.
Yet Azadin showed no intimidation against such an Arael. Did he truly believe he could win?
‘It’s just sibling rivalry pride, right? They won’t actually fight.’
Aldis dismissed Azadin’s composure as bravado and smiled.
“Oh, Aldis. Actually... I found two copies of the New King’s Array scrolls.”
“Oh? Two? Impressive!”
“Will you hold onto them?”
“Hmm, why give them to me?”
“Because you might need them...”
“No. You keep them, Azadin. I’ll persuade the others somehow, but the other clans might still persecute you. It’s safer if you hold them as collateral.”
“But the Kurt god cultists made some weird wand and were tracking me. Won’t I keep getting chased if I have them?”
“If you store the grimoire inside yourself, you can evade the wand’s tracking spell. Ah... but you can’t use magic, can you?”
Aldis rummaged through her belongings, pulling out a silver bracelet. She began writing in the air.
A soft silver light, like her hair, floated up and overlapped the bracelet, engraving letters onto it.
“This bracelet will let you store the New King’s Array scrolls. It won’t be traceable by simple spells, so put them in here.”
Aldis smiled and fastened the bracelet on Azadin’s wrist. Then, as before, she embraced him. She still smelled of lavender.
“Then farewell, Azadin. Stay safe. Let’s meet at the sanctuary during the summer solstice festival.”
“Yes... if the festival happens.”
Azadin bid Aldis goodbye.
*********
Thanks to Aldis’s mediation, it seemed Salem, the Salasma regional manager, had cooled off.
“You pulled an all-nighter, huh. I’ll arrange a carriage.”
“Thank you.”
“I get that you were shocked to be demoted out of the blue when you’re innocent. But you should’ve understood it was unavoidable from the central command’s perspective, having to manage operatives across the entire Eight Kingdoms.”
With a day passed, his anger had subsided, and the regional manager showed some understanding of Azadin’s position. Still, excusing the demotion as necessary for organizational operations felt like an afterthought.
‘Is this his idea of an apology? Excuses to the end. But if I kick away this olive branch, we’ll be mortal enemies. This must be him swallowing his pride as it is.’
Azadin didn’t like the regional manager’s attitude of offering reconciliation while tacking on excuses. But even this much concession likely required immense self-restraint on his part.
“Yes. I understand. Thank you for the carriage.”
As Azadin accepted the gesture, the regional manager shared information on Salasma.
“Then here’s some advice. Salasma right now... is hell.”
“Hell?”
“Yeah. The count was always eccentric, but lately it’s worse. He brought in some strange witch from somewhere, and his barracks are crawling with suspicious barbarians. Refugees have flooded in, but... disappearances keep happening among the refugees and the lower classes.”
“Disappearances? Have you investigated?”
“We hired adventurers to look into it... but the adventurers vanished too.”
Adventurers were typically mercenaries, noble youths who refused the royal church, and assorted ruffians—competent enough in combat or espionage.
If even they were disappearing...
There was definitely something wrong in Salasma.
‘He’s acting like he’s sharing some precious secret, but this is info I should’ve had anyway, right?’
The Herald clan ran the merchant guild to support the Heralds, yet this regional manager had explicitly told Azadin not to enter Salasma.
The reason was fear that a “subpar” Herald like Azadin might blow their cover and harm the Corasr merchant guild...
‘And yet you caused all the trouble yourself.’