The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 51

Ismail decided to hide his thoughts about Araelle’s motives from Midiam and changed the subject.

“There’s a risk that Azadin might be swayed.”

“Swayed?”

“Yes. Even if Araelle and he don’t get along… you never know. Araelle has followers, but she’s still short on numbers, so she might want to bring her own kin on board.”

“Ah. So, in other words…”

“The elders probably want to send him as a spy into Araelle’s camp.”

“Then, Ismail, you don’t need to warn me. If the elders decide that, they wouldn’t send us together.”

“……”

Of course, that was true. If the elders decided that, there was no way they would send Midiam, an Etar [a member of a high-ranking clan], along with him. It would probably be a better story if they just dealt with the servants and Azadin defected on his own.

But what about Ismail in that process? He might be killed as a sacrifice to deceive the enemy.

“Hmm, I see. I get it. Ismail, you’re scared, aren’t you?”

Midiam smiled, seeing Ismail’s attitude.

“Y-yes, I am.”

Ismail was afraid of the possibility that he might become a sacrifice in this scheme, but did Midiam really understand that? Or did he just think Ismail was scared?

“Hahaha. Well, I understand. Don’t worry too much. Your mother was my wet nurse, right? We’re milk brothers. No matter what, do you think I’d let you die?”

“…Thank you.”

“Hmm. By the way, I’m curious. What are Azadin and Aldis doing right now? Could it be that?”

“Whatever it is, it’s not what Midiam is imagining.”

Ismail clicked his tongue, watching Midiam’s wild imagination.

*********

Azadin and Aldis shared stories they had accumulated over time. But when it came down to it, Azadin didn’t have much to say.

He had only diligently learned the ‘Kazas Way’ under Elder Kazas, and the various strategies and techniques required of a messenger.

The detailed training methods and curriculum of the ‘Kazas Way’ were impossible to explain, and even if he did, no one could follow them.

“Okay, let’s say the training content is a secret. What kind of person was Elder Kazas? I only know that he’s an elf.”

“He’s a pervert.”

“A pervert?”

“Yes. He’s a madman. A madman. But…”

Azadin gave a bitter smile. Kazas was definitely a madman, but he treated Azadin much better than the other members of their race.

The Aragasa hated Azadin. He was a traitor, the son of Acre, who had thwarted their clan’s long-cherished wish right before their eyes, and he was weak. He was born with a curse that made him blind, and his appearance was hideous.

The only two people who didn’t persecute Azadin were Aldis and Kazas.

“His perversion was still tolerable. He didn’t eat humans like in the Nagashura era [a mythical, dark age].”

“That’s a relief. When I heard you were entrusted to Kazas, I had nightmares every night that you were being eaten.”

“Haha… Is that so? Hmm?”

Azadin was puzzled by Aldis’s words.

“My master said he rarely takes disciples. But… why did he take me as his disciple?”

Until now, Azadin had thought that Aldis was the one who persuaded Kazas. But looking at Aldis’s remarks, it seemed like she didn’t know Kazas at all.

Of course, even if she didn’t know him, Aldis was a member of the founding clan, a promising figure called the reincarnation of Harconia, so even the elders couldn’t ignore her request.

But what about Kazas?

He was completely different. He was an eccentric who didn’t care about the political infighting within the other founding clans or the messenger clan.

Kazas was a member of the Aragasa Council of Elders, despite being an elf. Because he wasn’t an Aragasa, he didn’t receive the Hwajopungwol [a blessing or power unique to the Aragasa] and his nature was completely different.

The only time he actively showed himself was when Azadin was appointed as a messenger. Before that, he was not even known among the messenger clan.

But if it was Aldis, wouldn’t she have been able to move Kazas to recommend a strange, blind guy as his disciple?

That’s what he thought, but… she had nightmares about Kazas eating Azadin. Did she not know anything about Kazas?

“I know, right? Why would someone who had been quiet all this time take you as a disciple?”

Aldis was indeed not the one who recommended Azadin to Kazas.

“Then… ah, no, it’s nothing.”

There were still many stories they hadn’t shared. He couldn’t waste time on strange stories when he was finally in front of Aldis, whom he had always longed for.

*********

Azadin and Aldis talked for hours, losing track of time. Finally, the time for farewell was approaching.

“I should have slept, but the sun is rising.”

Aldis smiled as she watched the sun rising in the distance. There was no sign of fatigue.

“Are you okay? You should rest a bit…”

“No, I’m fine. I haven’t been sleeping much lately. Well, I should get going, Azadin.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’ve finished going around Korasar. I’m thinking of heading to Butuma now. I want to lift the kill order on you and meet Araelle.”

Butuma was one of the Eight Kingdoms, located south of Korasar.

“Is Araelle in Butuma?”

“I’m looking for her. I’m also looking for copies of the Divine King’s Scripture.”

“Hmm.”

Aldis smiled as Azadin fell silent and placed her hand on his cheek.

“You’ve grown so much. You’ve become a fine young man.”

“Of course, I have.”

“Maybe… the elders or the leaders might tell you to kill Araelle, to kill her and prove your innocence.”

“Maybe they will. After all, our names were given to us that way.”

The Evil Dragon of the Void, Azadin, and the Angel of Justice, Araelle.

They were no longer objects of worship for the Aragasa, but merely old myths, but their meaning was clear. Names of mutual destruction.

“You know, isn’t it better if Araelle wins? According to the myth?”

“Will you fight?”

“If Aldis wishes it.”

Azadin was saying that he could kill Araelle if Aldis wished it. But that was just a testament to how angry Azadin was at Araelle.

Aldis knew that Azadin’s wounds had not yet healed, and she gave a sad smile.

“No. If you two were to fight, I would be sad.”

“Then I’ll try to avoid it. But will Araelle think the same? If Araelle attacks, then I have no choice.”

Azadin did not hide his discomfort with Araelle. The wounds Araelle had left still ached, and he couldn’t ignore them.

“Hmm… so you’ll fight if Araelle attacks?”

Aldis was surprised that Azadin was still not hiding his hostility towards Araelle.

Even Aldis, who was called the reincarnation of Harconia, felt an insurmountable wall when she saw Araelle.

The unparalleled genius, Araelle. The title of reincarnation of Harconia now belonged to her.

But Azadin showed no signs of being intimidated by Araelle. Could it be that he was confident he could win?

‘It’s probably just pride between siblings who don’t get along, right? They won’t really fight.’

Aldis smiled, thinking that Azadin’s composure was just a bluff.

“Ah, Aldis, actually… I found two copies of the Divine King’s Scripture.”

“Oh, really? Two copies? That’s amazing.”

“Would you keep them for me?”

“Hmm, why do you want me to keep them?”

“Well, I thought Aldis might need them…”

“No, Azadin, you keep them. I’ll try to persuade the others somehow, but the other clans might still try to persecute you, right? So, it’s better if you keep them as a guarantee.”

“But the Kurt followers are making strange wands to track them, right? If I have them, won’t I keep getting chased?”

“If you store the grimoires inside you, you can avoid the tracking magic from the wands. Ah… but you can’t use magic, can you?”

Aldis rummaged through her belongings and took out a silver bracelet and began to write in the air.

A faint silver light, like her hair, floated in the air and overlapped with the bracelet, and letters were engraved on it.

“You can store the Divine King’s Scripture using this bracelet. It won’t be tracked by simple magic, so put them in here.”

Aldis smiled and put the bracelet on Azadin. And she hugged Azadin like she used to. She still smelled of lavender.

“Then goodbye, Azadin. Stay safe. Let’s meet at the sanctuary during the next Summer Solstice Festival.”

“Yes… if the Summer Solstice Festival is held.”

Azadin said goodbye to Aldis.

*********

Thanks to Aldis’s mediation, Salem, the regional head of Salasmar, seemed to have calmed down.

“It seems you stayed up all night yesterday. I’ll arrange a carriage for you.”

“Thank you.”

“I understand that you were confused when you were suddenly dismissed even though you were innocent. But you should have understood that it was an unavoidable measure from the central office, which has to manage the organization members spread throughout the Eight Kingdoms.”

After a day, he seemed to have calmed down a bit, and the regional head understood Azadin’s position to some extent. However, the excuse that the dismissal was unavoidable for the organization’s operation was unnecessary.

‘Is this his way of apologizing? He’s still making excuses. But if I kick away the gesture of reconciliation, I’ll become his mortal enemy, right? This is probably the most he can lower himself and compromise.’

Azadin didn’t like the regional head’s attitude of trying to add excuses even while making a gesture of reconciliation. But even this much concession must have required a lot of self-control on the regional head’s part.

“Yes, I understand. Thank you for arranging the carriage.”

As Azadin accepted the gesture of reconciliation, the regional head gave him information about Salasmar.

“Then, let me give you some advice. Currently, Salasmar is… hell.”

“Hell?”

“Yes. The Count was always a grumpy man, but he’s really worse these days. He brought in a strange witch from somewhere, and the Count’s barracks are swarming with suspicious barbarians. Refugees have been pouring in, but… disappearances keep happening among the refugees and the lower classes.”

“Disappearances? Have you investigated?”

“I hired adventurers to investigate… but the adventurers also disappeared.”

Adventurers were composed of mercenaries, nobles who refused to join the King’s Church, and various thugs, and they had their own skills in combat and espionage.

The fact that even they had disappeared meant that…

There was definitely a problem in Salasmar.

‘He’s talking like he’s telling me some important secret, but this is something I should have been told anyway, right?’

The reason why the messenger clan operated the merchant guild was to support the messengers, but this regional head had forbidden Azadin from entering Salasmar.

The reason was that he didn’t want a ‘substandard’ messenger like Azadin to expose his identity and harm the Korasar peddler’s association…

‘But you’re the one who caused all the trouble.’