The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger

Chapter 53: Aldis (7)

Ismail kept his speculations about Araels motives to himself and changed the topic.

Im worried Azadine might have been persuaded.

Persuaded?

Yeah. While he says that he and Arael are on bad terms we never know. Arael has followers but regardless will need more people. Shell want to include her own flesh and blood.

Aha. So youre saying

The Elders will probably say they want him to infiltrate Araels party.

Ismail, you dont need to warn me in that case. Theres no way the Senate of Elders would send us along if they come to that decision.

Of course, that was also true. Even if the Elders decided to send Azadine, they wouldnt go as far as sending Mediam of the Ethar along as an infiltrator. The cover story would make better sense if Azadine changed sides after getting rid of his servants.

But how would Ismail fare in that scenario? He might end up killed as a scapegoat to deceive the enemy.

Hm, I see. I understand. Ismail, youre scared, arent you?

Mediam laughed at Ismails attitude.

Y-yeah.

Ismail was petrified at the thought of becoming a sacrifice for a ploy, but did Mediam understand that? Or was she just aware of the fact that he was scared?

Aahaha. Well, I get it. Dont fret too much. Ismail, your mother breastfed me as well, didnt she? Were milk siblings. No matter what happens, do you really think Id let you die?

Thank you.

Um. Anyways, Im curious. What are Aldis and Azadine doing right about now? Do you think its that?

Whatever it is, its not what you think, Mediam.

Ismail saw that Mediam had fallen into her delusions and clicked her tongue.

In the meantime, Azadine and Aldis spent time catching up with each other. When it came down to it, Azadine didnt feel like there was much to talk about.

All he could tell her was about his diligent training under Kazas, during which he mastered The Writings of Kazas and learned the various tricks and techniques he needed to become a messenger.

He couldnt disclose the details of the training regime and curriculum of The Writings of Kazas. Even if he did, it wasnt as if he could follow through with it.

Okay, lets say youll keep the trainings details a secret. Tell me, then, what kind of person is Elder Kazas? All I know is that hes an elf.

Hes a pervert.

A pervert?

Yes. Hes a madman. A madman, but

Azadine smiled bitterly. Kazas was certainly a madman, but he treated him much better than his own people did.

The Aragasa despised Azadine. He was the weak son of Acre, the clans traitor, who had interrupted the clans cherished dream despite it being within grasp. He had been born with a curse that left him eyeless and rendered his appearance hideous.

Only two people didnt harass Azadine for being this way, Aldis and Kazas.

Still, his pervertedness was bearable. He didnt eat humans like the elves of the Nagasura period.

Thats a relief. When I heard you were under the wing of Elder Kazas, I had a nightmare almost every night of you being eaten by him.

Hahais that so? Mm?

Aldiss words puzzled Azadine.

Master said he didnt take in disciples because he was picky. But then Why did he take me in?

Until this moment, Aldis had assumed that Aldis had persuaded Kazas. However, judging from her remarks, she didnt seem to be acquainted with Kazas.

As a member of the Founding Families and a promising individual bearing the title of Harkonias Reincarnation, Aldis was someone even the Elders could not ignore. This wouldnt matter, even if she wasnt directly acquainted with them.

But how about Kazas?

He was entirely different. He was an oddball that couldnt care less about the clans internal politics.

Despite being an elf, Kazas was a member of the Aragasa Senate of Elders. Since he wasnt an Aragasa, he hadnt received the books of Beauties of Nature - Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon. This was not even mentioning his completely different traits.

Being such a person, the first time he proactively appeared was when he forcefully appointed Azadine as a messenger. Before that, he was a complete unknown among the Messenger Clan.

Even if it was Aldis, would she have been able to pull on his strings by recommending Kazas to take a strange, eyeless child as a disciple?

Thats what he had thought all these years yet she was saying that she had nightmares of him being eaten. Didnt that mean that she knew nothing about Kazas?

I know, right? He was on the sidelines for so long. Why would someone like him suddenly take you on as a disciple?

As expected, Aldis wasnt the person who recommended Azadine to Kazas.

Then. ah, no, its nothing.

There were still plenty of things that he could talk about. He had missed Aldis over the years, so he didnt want to waste time by bringing up strange topics to her.

Azadine and Aldis shared stories, uncaring of the flow of the time until it was finally time for them to say goodbye.

We need to be sleeping, yet the suns rising.

Aldis smiled as she looked at the sunrise far, far away. She didnt show a single sign of fatigue.

Are you okay? You should rest for a bit

No, its okay. I dont sleep much these days. Okay then, I need to leave now, Azadine.

Where to?

Ive gone around the whole of Korasar. I was thinking of moving on to Vthuma so that I could lift the kill order against you and meet with Arael.

Vthuma was one of the eight kingdoms to the south of Korasar.

Is Arael in Vthuma?

Its more like Im looking for her and, at the same time, for the copies of the Heavenly Kings Book as well.

Um.

As Azadine fell silent, Aldis smiled and touched his cheek.

Youve grown so much, Azadine. Youve become a decent man, havent you?

You could say that.

Perhaps the Elders or the clans head will ask you to kill Arael to prove your innocence.

They probably will. After all, they even named us that way.

The eyeless dragon, Azadine, and the Angel of Justice, Arael.

They were no longer worshiped by the Aragasa and were nothing but an old myth. Yet, there was no doubt what their names represented. Their names belonged to The Two in a Battle to Victory and Death.

My goodness, isnt it better for Arael to win then, if we go by the tale?

Will you fight her?

If you want me to.

Azadine would kill Arael if Aldis wished for it to happen. Yet, it was still the same as Azadine trying to refute his anger towards Arael. Aldis smiled sadly, knowing Azadines wounds had not yet healed.

No. If you two ended up fighting, Id be very sad.

Well then, Ill have to avoid her after all. But would Arael think the same? If Arael comes at me, Id have no choice.

Azadine made no attempt to hide his resentment towards Arael. The wounds that Arael inflicted on his flesh still stung as if they were fresh and were something he could not ignore.

Hm so you mean, if Arael comes at you, youll fight, is that it?

Aldis was shocked at how Azadine openly expressed his animosity towards Arael.

Aldis was called Harkonias Reincarnation, yet even she felt that Arael was an insurmountable barrier.

The unparalleled prodigy, Arael. The nickname Harkonias Reincarnation now belonged to her.

Yet Azadine showed not even the slightest hint of fear at the thought of having Arael as his opponent. Was he that confident that he could prevail over her in a fight?

Its probably the pride between siblings on bad terms, I think? They wouldnt actually fight.

Aldis smiled as she thought of Azadines composure as nothing but a bluff.

Ah, by the way, Aldis I found two copies of the Heavenly Kings Book.

Ah, really? Two copies? Thats amazing!

Can I pass them on to you?

Mm, why would you do that?

It seemed like you needed them, so

No. Keep them with you. I can convince others, but theres no telling when the clan members decide to persecute you, is there? So its better for you to keep the copies on you as security.

But apparently, the Kurt clan followers are tracking me with a strange wand. If I keep them, I wont be able to get them off my tail, will I?

Binding the magical book inside yourself can help you evade the tracking spell. Ah you cant use magic, right?

Aldis rummaged through her things before taking out a silver bracelet and using it to scribble in the air.

A faint silver light, the same color as her hair, appeared out of thin air and, when superimposed on the bracelet, engraved the scribbled words upon it.

You can store the copies of the Heavenly Kings Book in this bracelet. Basic tracking spells wont work on it, so put them here.

Aldis smiled as she put the bracelet on Azadine. Then, just like old times, she embraced him. As always, she smelled of lavender.

Okay then. Goodbye, Azadine. Stay safe. Lets see each other at this summer solstice festival in the Sanctuary.

Yeah assuming there will be a summer solstice festival.

Azadine bid farewell to Aldis.

Aldis intervention seemed to have calmed Salems anger as well.

You must have stayed up all night yesterday. Ill arrange for a carriage.

Thank you.

I understand your sudden dismissal shocked you because you werent at fault. But the organization has to maintain its command over its members spread across all the Eight Kingdoms. It was an unavoidable step, and you shouldve understood that.

Since a day had passed, it seemed the district heads anger had subsided because he was a bit more understanding of Azadines perspective. However, the excuse that his dismissal was an inevitable choice for the organizations operation was unnecessary.

Is this his apology? Its all excuses, even until the end. If I beat him up when hes trying to make a gesture of reconciliation, hell become my mortal enemy, wont he? He probably had to bend himself backward to do this much.

Azadine wasnt pleased with the district chiefs attitude as he made unnecessary excuses while offering a conciliatory gesture. Still, he decided to let it go as he knew the district chief was really restraining himself.

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

As soon as Azadine accepted his gesture, Salem gave him information about Salasma.

Then heres a piece of advice. Right now, Salasma ishell.

Hell?

Yeah. The Count has always been a temperamental man, but hes even worse these days. He brought a strange witch with him from somewhere, and his barracks were crowded with strange barbarians. Refugees are flocking there, but refugees and people of lower ranks are continuously going missing.

Missing people? Have you looked into it?

I hired adventurers to investigate the matter but. They went missing too.

Adventurers included mercenaries, children of nobility rejected by the Kings Church, and a variety of hooligans. They were all skilled in their own right, whether in intelligence or combat.

The fact that they even went missing

Meant that there was a clear problem in Salasma.

Hes talking like hes letting me in on some precious secret, but he was supposed to tell me that anyway, wasnt he?

In the first place, the Messenger Clan operated the merchant guilds to support the messengers. Still, this district chief couldnt stop Azadine from entering Salasma.

He had tried to block him as he thought Azadine was a subpar messenger, so revealing his identity would hurt the Korasar Peddlers Guilds reputation yet

In reality, youre the one causing all the trouble.