Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Arael's Voice 2
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Previously, it was said that Salem, the regional lord of Salasma, had brought in a strange witch to search for copies of the New King Array Scripture.
"A strange witch, huh. Come to think of it, Baroness Nord could be called a witch too, couldn't she?"
But if that were the case, it wouldn't explain why she had been captured by Mezeri's apostles. Even by Azadin's "sight," Baroness Nord's body had been clean.
Azadin had no eyes, and with the destruction of the Fire, Wind, Flower, and Moon within that body, he couldn't use magic—but in exchange, he possessed powerful resistance to dark magic and transcendent sight. This transcendent sight allowed him to perceive and sense supernatural powers subtly, so no demon had ever fooled Azadin's "sight" up to now.
As he harbored those suspicions, a horse arrived at the mansion's entrance. It was Baroness Nord returning.
*********
"Ah, Lord Azadin."
Baroness Nord spotted Azadin talking with his group in the garden, and one corner of the garden trees stained with blood.
"This is?"
"A cat caught a bird."
"I-is that so?"
"More importantly, did you meet the count?"
"No. They said he refuses to see anyone."
"Didn't they say he summoned you out of concern for your kidnapping, to hear the news?"
"He told me to report to the head maid."
That was a grave insult for a noble. Of course, a head maid wasn't a commoner. The position sometimes involved temporarily assigning daughters of lesser nobles for education.
Even so, treating Baroness Nord, the count's lover, in such a manner was humiliating.
"I've heard that an army of ogres and goblins is on the move in the eastern inland regions. Refugees keep pouring in from the east."
"Hm."
The minions of the King of Teeth and the ogre that Azadin had seen were probably just the vanguard. If more of those things kept coming, it would be time for Count Kazel to fulfill his duties as a border count.
"In such a situation, he's obsessed only with finding copies of the New King Array Scripture."
Azadin sighed and pulled a bone wand from his bosom.
"By chance, Madam, could you use this magic tool?"
"Pardon? Me?"
"Yes."
"Hm, this seems like something made by followers of the Kurt deities. The King of Teeth, or perhaps the King of Claws and Horns?"
"Why would the Kurt deities be searching for copies of the New King Array Scripture?"
"From their perspective, Yaegas deities' Royal Throne and the King's Radiance it emits must be excruciatingly painful. In fact, the minions of Mezeri you saw yesterday weren't able to fully utilize their original abilities. Outside the reach of the King's Radiance, in the outer world, they are faster and stronger."
The King's Radiance was also a massive barrier designed to repel evil entities. By interpreting the New King Array Scripture to counter the King's Radiance, the Kurt deities aimed to seize humanity's domain and once again dominate the entire Hubris continent.
That was probably their goal.
Even if not, it was only natural for Kurt followers to covet a grimoire of such great power.
"But I have three of them and still have no idea how to use them."
Azadin felt a pang of regret that he couldn't use magic.
"Arael's Voice, damn it. It's insanely powerful."
Having witnessed his younger sister Arael create an artificial spirit akin to the emperor's voice—albeit with evil magic—Azadin had come to fear her power.
The Arael he knew from childhood, he could defeat with his current strength. But how much further had she advanced in the meantime?
"By the way, Lord Azadin, have you eaten?"
"Ah, I had something light."
"I-if so, would you care for some tea? Some excellent leaves just arrived. The parlor is soiled, so let's meet in my hobby room instead. We can test the wand there too."
"Hm... sure."
Azadin saw no reason to refuse and accepted her kindness.
*********
Baroness Nord's hobby room was a well-ventilated second-floor terrace. It had probably originally been a space for sword training and physical conditioning, but the maids had decorated it with flowers and set up tables, transforming it into a charming spot.
There, the baroness, now changed into a new dress, welcomed Azadin...
"Hm?"
Azadin was flustered by the baroness's tender gaze.
"No way, right?"
He sat down, looking at the baroness smiling at him.
"Lord Azadin."
She greeted him with a smile.
"Has your stay been comfortable?"
"Yes. Thanks to your consideration, Madam, I've been quite at ease."
"I'm glad. I'm sorry for showing such a shabby side to my benefactor."
"Ah, no. More importantly, the wand..."
"Yes. I'm sorry to display my meager skills. Please don't blame me too much if I fail."
With that, Baroness Nord used the wand. A green flame ignited at the tip of the bone wand. The flame slowly moved in one direction before extinguishing.
Another new flame bloomed from the wand and headed the same way before going out.
"The flame's direction, and the distance it burns before extinguishing, probably corresponds to the actual distance."
If the flame burned longer, it meant farther away.
Azadin instantly grasped the visible magical structure of the bone wand. However...
"This direction is..."
"Yes, the count's castle."
"I see."
It seemed the count had already obtained a few copies of the New King Array Scripture.
Well, since some copies existed, he must know of their existence. Otherwise, he wouldn't have driven out all his children just to search for them blindly.
"You're searching for copies of the New King Array Scripture, aren't you, my benefactor?"
"Yes."
"If it's not rude, may I ask why?"
"Hm, that's..."
Azadin wondered if he should tell her.
"Is it because of the Herald clan's mission? Indeed, it was the Herald clan who leaked the copies in the first place. During the Tarasar royal succession battle, Sir Astadair leaked the New King Array Scripture to the Heralds in exchange for their aid, becoming king of Tarasar. When the truth came out, overcome with shame, he abdicated, became a monk, and joined the King's Church as a judge—due to the pledge that leaked the copies."
"You're quite knowledgeable."
"Courts of nobles buzz with many tales. As long as you don't drink too much, just eavesdropping is quite rewarding."
She cast a distant gaze toward the count's castle.
"Though it feels like ancient history now that I've truly entered that court."
"And the count..."
"We haven't even talked properly in ages. It wasn't a proper marriage to begin with."
"I see."
"Have you married, by chance, my benefactor?"
"No."
"You seem of ample age to wed. Why not?"
"Because of this face."
Azadin removed his mask to show his scars.
"Oh? Your eyes... Are you alright? But still..."
"I'm not blind. Sorry for showing you something unsightly."
Azadin put the mask back on. But Baroness Nord shook her head.
"No, you're incredibly beautiful. You have such refined and elegant features."
"......"
Azadin felt a mix of embarrassment and fluster from the affectionate gaze of Baroness Nord. Then he snapped back to reality. What he needed now was information on the count. Since it was clear the count possessed copies of the New King Array Scripture, he had to figure out how to seize them.
And Arael. Since Arael's Voice had made first contact, her emissary would come seeking Azadin—he needed to prepare for that too.
"Um... if the count has copies of the New King Array Scripture, do you have any guess where he might keep them?"
"Hm. Well... I'm not sure these days. The count has recently taken a liking to some strange woman of unknown status. Rumors say she's a witch from the Btuma Jungle."
"A witch?"
"Yes. So actually, I was planning to give up this mansion. I thought I'd remarry in a small estate in Nord barony and leave this place."
Having lost his favor, rather than waste effort lingering in the count's court, she intended to live her own life.
She smiled as she said that.
"But for your sake, benefactor, I'll do whatever I can, even if it's unseemly."
Her heart had already left the count's court, but if Azadin wished, she'd help investigate.
That was what she meant.
"Ah, yes. Thank you so much."
"So... would you ever consider marrying me?"
"Hek?!"
Azadin let out a foolish sound.
"I'm embarrassed to admit it, but from the moment you dispatched those Mezeri apostles, I fell for you at first sight. In this age where chivalry has fallen into ridicule, someone as beautiful and noble as you exists only in old tales, I swear."
"Ah... M-Madam?"
Azadin panicked at the baroness suddenly proposing to him. Just then, a figure rushed into the hobby room. It was Midiam.
"Azadin!"
"W-what?"
"Arael's apostle has come!"
"Arael's apostle? What's that now?"
Azadin stood up in surprise, then turned back to Baroness Nord. He had to respond to her proposal.
"I'm sorry. I have someone I like, so..."
"Ah, I see. How enviable. To be loved by someone like you, benefactor."
As Baroness Nord said that, Midiam shrugged smugly.
"Enviable, right?"
"...It's not you. You know that and butt in anyway?"
*********
Having suffered through Midiam's outrageous antics, Azadin faced yet another absurd reality. The ones who had come as "Arael's apostle" were Derek and his group, executives of the Kolasar Merchant Guild.
"Ahem, we meet again, Azadin."
Derek looked ashamed. An executive of the Kolasar Merchant Guild, a former Herald, and a noble of the Sabban family—one of the five founding Herald clans. For such a man to side with the traitor Arael, it was natural he'd feel shame facing Azadin.
"Derek, you're Arael's apostle? Last time I saw you, there was no sign of it. Great acting skills?"
"Well... it hasn't been from the beginning."
"You defected recently?"
"Defected? That's too harsh. Arael is the one who will fulfill our clan's wishes. She's the angel of justice, true to her name."
"But didn't you get your ankle broken for groping that angel of justice? That's why you retired, right?"
Arael was a peerless beauty with black hair and purple eyes, desired by every man her age. Everyone except her blood kin, Azadin.
Derek had been no different. He'd made advances on Arael, gotten offended when rejected, leading to a clash of force where he lost to her, suffering permanent injury and retiring as a Herald.
For a normal person, pride would prevent betraying their clan to serve the woman who beat them into retirement.