Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Brazen Challenger 5
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Midiam and Ismail followed Azadin, carefully watching his back. Only then did Midiam and Ismail remember what they had received.
“Ah, wait. Azadin.”
“…….”
Azadin didn’t respond.
“Um, Herald-nim?”
“…….”
“Hey, handsome guy walking up ahead?”
“Pfft.”
Ismail couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter. Azadin let out a sigh and came to a stop.
“What now?”
“I forgot something. I have a letter for you.”
“A letter? Who’s it from?”
“The regional manager of Salasuma.”
“Tch.”
Azadin sounded disappointed at the mention of the regional manager.
“Were you hoping for a letter from someone else?”
“No.”
Azadin shook his head.
“Haah. Fine. Hand it over.”
Azadin took the letter from Ismail and opened it. The contents were a reprimand for skipping too many mid-term reports, along with notice that copies of the New King’s Scripture had recently been appearing across the world and that recovering them would factor into personnel evaluations.
‘If it’s written in a letter like this, then all the other Heralds already know about it.’
Azadin sighed as he read the regional manager’s letter.
“Do you two know about this already?”
“Huh? I haven’t read the letter.”
“It says copies of the New King’s Scripture have been showing up around the world lately.”
“Oh, that. Yeah, we know. Copies of the New King’s Scripture—like the ones your father spread across the world after betraying the clan… Ow!”
Midiam spoke without thinking, and Ismail couldn’t hold back—he stepped on her foot.
“What the hell? Why’d you do that?”
But Midiam had no idea what was going on.
“Whatever. So you two knew about it too?”
If even attendant candidates—kids who hadn’t officially become attendants yet—knew, then a good number of the Herald Clan must be aware of the New King’s Scripture copies.
“How much credit do you get for recovering them? It says it’ll factor into evaluations—what’s the weighting?”
“Recovering New King’s Scripture copies? Uh, no idea?”
“You don’t know? Hm. Guess I’ll have to go see the regional manager after all.”
Azadin lamented the fact that he’d have to visit the regional manager just as the letter instructed.
“Alright. Thanks for delivering the letter. I got it.”
“So, you’ll give me the reward mentioned in the letter?”
“Reward?”
“Yeah. Recognize me as your attendant.”
“No, that’s not happening.”
“Why not?”
“First off, your motives for coming to me aren’t pure.”
“My motives?”
“Yeah. Didn’t you come to challenge me to a duel because you thought I looked like a pushover? So why should I take you on as an attendant?”
“Th-that was definitely my mistake. But Heralds have to take on attendants anyway, right?”
“That’s my second reason. In principle, the relationship between a Herald and an attendant is just between the two parties, but by custom, the families arrange it with some consideration. But little miss—do you really think the Etar Bloodline would accept me as your master? I’m that Azadin, the one despised by the entire clan. Did you tell your family head you wanted to serve me as your master and get permission before coming here?”
“Oh. Uh, no, we didn’t.”
Midiam had charged ahead without a thought for the aftermath, solely intent on beating Azadin and becoming a Herald herself. When Azadin pinpointed that exact issue, she had nothing to say.
“Right? I don’t want to get dragged into your reckless mess.”
“So, you won’t even take me on as a slave because I’m from Etar?”
“That’s part of it, but fundamentally, I don’t approve of slavery.”
“R-right.”
Midiam was at a loss for words.
“So, if you’re satisfied, will you leave me alone now?”
“Uh. Um.”
Midiam hesitated, then asked,
“Th-then, could we at least travel together until you reach your destination?”
“Travel together? Why would I?”
“Well… I could tell you what’s been going on in the clan lately.”
“…….”
Ismail watched in fascination as Midiam begged and pleaded. The Midiam from the Etar Bloodline was normally arrogant and cheeky. Yet Azadin was thoroughly ignoring her, and Midiam was desperately trying to latch onto him somehow.
“We’re going the same way anyway—couldn’t we at least stick together until then?”
“What, it’s not like I rented out this road. Follow behind if you want.”
With that, Azadin walked on ahead.
*********
The Herald Clan consists of the 108 Heralds, along with their attendants and the civilians engaged in business.
Those involved in commerce have spread out across the world in guild form to support the Heralds, and those guild branches are the regional headquarters.
The Herald liaison at those branches is called the regional manager.
It started out as a way to support the Heralds, but business isn’t something you can half-ass.
Once they got serious about commerce, the guilds started running properly—and now it feels like the roles have reversed, with the Heralds existing to support the guilds.
It went something like this:
‘When we first started trading, the existing guilds bullied us hard. Kidnap their families to negotiate.’
‘The border guards in XX region demanded bribes and seized our goods. If we pay once, they’ll keep demanding, so let’s kill them as a warning. Slaughter their whole family brutally and put them on display.’
They’d dispatch Heralds for missions like that.
Azadin hated it. Sure, the entire clan was bound by the Curse of Service, but what the Emperor wanted from the Herald Clan was to maintain public order—not to get involved in assassinations, kidnappings, extortion, or threats.
At this rate, weren’t they just assassins hired by a merchants’ guild?
So when Azadin repeatedly refused the Salasuma regional manager’s requests, the manager started seeing him in a very poor light. Especially since Azadin was already the traitor’s son, shunned by the Herald Clan—even without this, but now with bad blood between him and the regional manager…
He’d been dodging the Salasuma regional manager like that, but apparently after the New King’s Scripture copies started circulating, orders had come down from the organization to prioritize the communication network.
He was supposed to go to Salasuma and meet the regional manager, but Azadin’s current location was one of the borderlands even within the Salasuma margrave’s territory. Even following the roads, who knew how long it would take to reach Salasuma proper.
On top of that, the area had been in a month-long drought, leaving nearby villages already desolate. The teahouses and inns along the highway had emptied out as people fled. As he walked the road and the sun set, the air grew chilly. Azadin decided to camp by the roadside and began setting up.
Having rushed here alone, he lacked proper gear, so he wrapped himself in his cloak and huddled by a rock to block the wind. But Midiam and Ismail were pressing against the mountain goats they’d brought for warmth and munching on hardtack.
“Come over here.”
“No thanks.”
For Azadin, he’d told Midiam and Ismail to get lost, so he couldn’t bring himself to mooch off their goats. But Midiam saw this as her chance and beckoned him.
“We’re clanmates, right? Isn’t it weird for fellow clan members to run into each other in this far-flung place and then stay apart?”
“…….”
Ismail was bewildered by Midiam’s words.
Was this really the same arrogant Midiam he knew?
She must have been miffed at losing to Azadin and being discarded as useless. Having never been treated that way before, Midiam was now desperately trying to prove her value to him.
“Don’t you need water too? We’ve still got some left. In my canteen…”
“…….”
Azadin sighed and gradually edged toward their Kerim mountain goats. Just approaching the Kerim goats made a clear difference in warmth.
“Well, we’re clanmates who met by chance in a far-off land, so this much is fine.”
“Right?”
Midiam beamed and handed Azadin her canteen and hardtack.
“Yaaawn. I’m sleepy. Should we set a night watch?”
“The Emperor’s voice warns us, so Heralds don’t need a night watch.”
Azadin answered. Midiam glanced at him and saw he had his head tilted back, gazing at the stars in the night sky.
Midiam studied Azadin’s face. Below the bird-shaped mask marking him as a Herald, his exposed lower face still had a youthful look—smooth skin with barely any beard. From the mask alone, you’d guess he was strikingly handsome.
‘I wonder what’s hidden under the mask. Even just this part of his face—he’s really handsome. I want to see what’s under the mask too.’
Midiam drifted off with that bold thought.
*********
Exhaustion must have built up from the long journey, because when he opened his eyes, the morning sun was rising. He’d slept soundly without any dreams.
“Hey, little miss and droopy-eyes. Time to get up.”
Azadin was already awake, stretching. Say what you would, he’d slept warmly thanks to their Kerim mountain goats.
He’d started off at a distance, but before he knew it, he’d ended up snuggled against the goats’ fur. Embarrassed, Azadin cleared his throat and watched the sunrise.
“Little miss, huh. Well, my name’s Midiam. But if it’s a nickname with affection behind it, I’ll gladly accept.”
“Got it, Midiam.”
If he kept calling her little miss from now on, it’d imply he’d grown fond of her. Azadin decided to use her name instead.
“Uh, I’m Ismail. If you’re giving nicknames…”
“Shut it, droopy-eyes.”
Ismail had followed Midiam’s lead for no reason and ended up worse off than before. Azadin checked the goats’ condition and spoke.
“Thanks to your goats, I slept warm last night. Appreciate it.”
“No problem. It’s the least we can do for clanmates who crossed paths in a far-off land.”
Midiam was already bantering playfully with a grin.
“But these goats don’t have horseshoes.”
“Horseshoes?”
“If you shoe them, they can’t handle mountain paths.”
“But you came along the Emperor’s Highway.”
Azadin pointed at the road.
“Walking on paved roads with bare hooves wears them down too fast. I’ve got shoes among my supplies, so no riding the goats until we shoe them—let’s walk. The goats are thirsty anyway. If we don’t hurry over that mountain to somewhere with plenty of water, they won’t hold out.”
Azadin quickened his pace along the road.
“Ah, th-then?!”
Midiam excitedly chased after him, but Azadin drew a line.
“Only until we meet other clanmates nearby. Then you two head back. Got it?”
“Oh, yes.”
Midiam glared at Azadin resentfully for drawing the line even now.
Azadin’s walking pace was incredibly fast, each stride long, so even riding their goats, Midiam and Ismail weren’t much faster. Since their speeds matched, Midiam drove her goat alongside him, staring fixedly at Azadin’s face.