The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 127

The Parallel of Emotions 2

“Huh?”

Adler stared at his arm. His severed wrist flew through the air.

“Get your filthy hands off! This is Lord Araiel’s presence!”

Araiel’s subordinate, who had been holding back due to Araiel’s restraint until just now, shouted with glee.

‘What is this? This guy? Did he really cut off my hand with his bare hands?’

He had struck with the edge of his hand, without a weapon, yet the bone was cleanly severed. Blood gushed from the smooth cross-section, as if cut by an axe.

“Ughhh!”

As Adler screamed, a voluptuous female herald behind him pressed down on Adler’s shoulder, causing him to fall forward.

Then, she pulled out a hairpin from her hair, and the hairpin heated up on its own, emitting a clear red glow. With the hairpin, which looked like it had just been heated in a forge, she skillfully cauterized Adler’s wound. The smell of burning flesh filled the air.

“Ughhh!”

“Oh my. Bear with it. Aren’t you a big boy?”

She smiled brightly and snatched a golden key from Adler’s hand.

The reason they had entered unarmed was because they didn’t really need weapons. They were that powerful as warriors and mages.

“That key?!”

Azadin, his eyes fixed on the key Adler had lost, asked Brand.

“That’s the key to the Emperor’s treasury!”

“Ugh?!”

Azadin was taken aback by those words. He had come all the way to Rantaric, and now the key to the Emperor’s treasury was being taken by Araiel’s faction?

However, these people were not to be trifled with. Perhaps due to the negotiations with Adler, they were empty-handed, but their killing intent was extraordinary. Above all, there was a killing intent beyond just them.

‘That woman is the famous Dimia of the Flowers. Is the man the Seraph of the Birds? And there are more in ambush.’

As Azadin hesitated, Ismail stepped forward.

“Azadin! This is your chance to strike Araiel and prove your loyalty to the clan.”

At that moment, everyone’s killing intent focused on Ismail.

“Not the clan, the Council of Elders, you mean.”

The woman holding the hairpin scoffed. The man who had cut off Adler’s hand glared at Ismail.

“It seems you’re a subordinate. Don’t you know who we are?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

Ismail pointed to the woman using the hairpin.

“Dimia of the Flowers.”

“Oh my.”

“And the Seraph of the Birds.”

“……”

The man who had cut off Adler’s hands with his hand edge glared at Ismail.

“Aleph of the Wind.”

A sound of someone clicking their tongue was heard from the castle’s watchtower terrace.

“Indim of the Moon.”

Ismail pointed to the roof.

-Thud!

The roof was torn open, and a shadowy figure covered in a robe landed from above. Indim of the Moon had broken through the building when Ismail recognized his presence.

Seeing that Aleph and Indim were not disarmed… no matter what Adler had done, his life was practically in Araiel’s grasp.

“The team leaders of the Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon, the figures who were to become the next leaders of Araga, but now they are traitors to the clan.”

“Then you know that even if we are empty-handed, we are not opponents you can dare to challenge. Azadin. You should have trained your subordinate better, shouldn’t you?”

Araiel smiled and spoke to Azadin.

“What are you thinking, Araiel?”

“I’m thinking of saving the world.”

Araiel’s answer was concise.

“Save the world?”

Azadin scoffed at Araiel’s words, but… he was afraid.

The Age of Jupiter was approaching, and the gods were losing their power. In the midst of this, Araiel, whom he had met, had become incomparably stronger than before.

It seemed that Araiel’s faction’s plan was to make Araiel a goddess and worship her as a living deity, which seemed crazy, but now it seemed entirely possible.

However, if that happened, she, whom Azadin hated so much, would become the savior of this world.

The hatred, contempt, and disgust that Azadin felt for her were not accepted by anyone, and Azadin, who was already ostracized among the herald clan, would become an outcast whom no one understood.

To such an Azadin, Araiel reached out her hand.

“I will save the world and save you, Azadin. You’re under the curse of servitude, aren’t you? Come here. This older sister will take care of it.”

“……”

As Araiel reached out to Azadin, Seraph and Aleph showed obvious signs of dislike. Were they worried that Azadin, who had joined late because he was Araiel’s brother, would threaten their positions?

Fortunately for them, Azadin had no intention of accepting Araiel’s offer.

“I refuse!”

Azadin placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

Among Araiel’s group, only Aleph of the Wind and Indim of the Moon had weapons.

However, just because the others were unarmed didn’t mean they were opponents to be careless about. After all, they had cut off Adler’s arm with their bare hands.

However, before them, Araiel suddenly walked into Azadin’s space. To come within striking distance, where his sword could easily take her head, unarmed and without any sense of tension.

Did she think he wouldn’t swing his sword because they were siblings? After leaving an indelible scar on Azadin’s face?

Azadin was dumbfounded and glared at her.

“Is there a reason to refuse? Why? Ah… is it because of Aldis?”

At the mention of Aldis’s name, Azadin became enraged.

“I’ve never liked that about you. Araiel. Apologize to me first!”

“How dare you!?”

“That’s rude, Azadin! No matter that you are Lord Araiel’s kin, how dare you!”

When Azadin demanded an apology from Araiel, Araiel’s confidants, the four of the Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon, were furious.

To them, Araiel was a divine being, a living goddess. She and humans were not equal, and no matter that he was her brother, Azadin was a powerless weakling.

Yet, he was committing the rudeness of demanding an apology from Araiel. Of course, there was also the reason that they were worried that Azadin, as Araiel’s kin, would join the organization and disrupt the established order.

However, Araiel restrained their anger and apologized to Azadin.

“Everyone, stop. Why are you interfering in my conversation with my brother? When did you become so impudent?”

“We, we apologize, Araiel.”

“I couldn’t help but.”

“He’s not even being as abusive as Lord Adler, is he? Is my brother that bothersome?”

Araiel had noticed that her subordinates were particularly wary of Azadin.

The brother of an absolute being.

For those who had sworn loyalty to Araiel, there was no more troublesome opponent than this. That was why they found it harder to tolerate Azadin’s every move than Adler, who had openly hurled abuse.

“First, Azadin. I apologize for my subordinates’ rudeness.”

“Is that all?”

“No. I apologize for everything. I’m sorry for tormenting you when we were young. And I’m sorry for hurting you.”

“……”

“Is that enough?”

Araiel looked at Azadin with an innocent smile.

A beautiful woman with purple eyes that resembled Azadin’s but were beautiful and captivating, unlike his eyeless ones, was smiling without any malice.

That sight was so disgusting that Azadin couldn’t bear it.

“How could it be enough! I still have nightmares when I sleep! You made me suffer my whole life, and you think a few words at this moment will make it all forgiven?!”

“Of course, I understand. That’s why I’m trying to show sincerity, isn’t it?”

“Sincerity?”

“Yes. I’ll release the curse of servitude on you, give you money, and if you want, I’ll give you beautiful women. Wealth, fame, longevity, and beautiful women. Isn’t that the best life a man could ask for?”

“Ha, hahaha! That’s absurd.”

Azadin placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. At the same time, Azadin’s other hand threw a dagger. Almost simultaneously with the dagger throw, he drew his sword, aiming for Araiel’s neck.

However, Araiel caught the dagger flying towards her in mid-air and used that dagger to parry Azadin’s sword…

-Clang!

The sword slipped from Azadin’s hand and embedded itself in the ceiling rafters.

The sword was so deeply embedded that only the end of the hilt was visible, quivering.

‘This is impossible.’

Zibeck and Shati, who knew Azadin’s monstrous strength, were shocked by the sight. Araiel did not budge even in the face of Azadin’s monstrous strength. Rather, she was faintly smiling?

“It’s been a while. Let’s see how much our brother has grown?”

“See all you want. But the viewing fee will be quite expensive!”

“I’m looking forward to it? Ah, you can’t use magic, can you? You’re using the Kazas Hese, right?”

At that, the four of the Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon were flustered.

The source of Araiel’s power was extraordinary magic. But she was going to fight hand-to-hand without using magic?

“I will take his place. There is no need for Lord Araiel to dirty her hands.”

Aleph of the Wind tried to step forward, but Araiel shook her head.

“What’s so dirty about exchanging blows with my brother? Everyone, step back. I will not forgive anyone who interferes here.”

“……”

For Azadin, it was an opportunity. Araiel was probably trying to show off her superiority by defeating Azadin in his area of expertise…

‘She’s underestimating the Kazas Hese [a martial art]. Now is the chance.’

Araiel and Azadin stood within each other’s range.

The close-quarters combat range between herald clans, which may seem trivial, but both were capable of inflicting fatal wounds even with bare hands.

Araiel held the dagger she had taken from Azadin a moment ago and confidently approached Azadin.

At that moment, Azadin restrained Araiel’s hand holding the dagger and flicked his quiver with his other hand. He grabbed the arrows that spilled out of the quiver with his other hand and stabbed them at Araiel.

However, Araiel lightly knocked away the arrows with the edge of her hand and instead poked her finger at Azadin’s temple.

To poke the temple of the skull with a finger? It seemed like a ridiculous attack, but it could not be allowed.

Azadin and Araiel’s hands and feet crossed paths in the air, and each time, a sound of air being torn apart erupted.

“?!”

“Unbelievable!”

Those watching were shocked.

Azadin’s group, who knew Azadin’s monstrous strength well, were surprised that Araiel, with her female body, was able to withstand that strength, and Araiel’s subordinates were bewildered that Azadin, who was known to be incompetent, was daring to fight Araiel on equal terms.

“Not bad! As expected of Kazas!”

Araiel was amazed, recognizing that Azadin’s abilities were considerable.

At that moment, something happened that shook the balance of the tense exchange.

Azadin grabbed Araiel’s wrist as she was thrusting her hand towards him, and swept his hand from above to below, causing Araiel’s fingers to fold.

-Snap!

Araiel’s index finger broke. As a surprised Araiel tried to pull her hand away, Azadin’s arms intertwined like snakes, dislocating her wrist as well.

Araiel pulled her arm back, dislocating her wrist bone with her own strength.

“You’re completely different from 10 years ago!?”

Araiel praised Azadin, more surprised than in pain.

However, Azadin had no intention of stopping here. Araiel’s subordinates, the four of the Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon, were talents raised by the elders of the herald clan, each with overwhelming skills.

If he didn’t secure Araiel now, when she had carelessly stepped forward, he would have to face the four of the Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon.

‘At least to the point of taking Araiel hostage here…’

But then Araiel smiled.

“I’m delighted!”