Generally, those active in the guild harbored a sense of inferiority for not having become heralds, so they could not treat the heralds recklessly.
However, Salem was a former herald, held a high rank, and came from a prestigious family. To him, Azadin was nothing more than an upstart who had become a herald through suspicious means, an arrogant brat unworthy of standing on equal footing with him. Even the mere act of negotiating as an equal was offensive.
Yet, Azadin was reaching the limits of his patience as well.
'I can't take this anymore. Should I just beat this bastard down? With his personality, if I hit him, he'd probably consider it a disgrace and kill himself. But I really can't hold back any longer.'
"Shall we step outside this canopy for a moment and have a conversation?"
"Are you challenging me? I may be older, but I'm not at an age where I'd lose to someone like you."
"If that's what you think, then that's perfect."
As Azadin stepped out from under the canopy first, the regional head, Salem, was dumbfounded.
"You insolent brat! Good. I'll kill you with my own hands."
Just as the enraged regional head, Salem, stepped outside, a gentle harp melody resonated from somewhere.
"Is Azadin here by any chance?"
A young and beautiful woman's voice called out.
"Ah, Aldis?!"
Azadin was astonished upon hearing the voice.
***
The one who had interrupted Azadin and the regional head's conflict was a female adventurer leading three horses on the verge of collapse. She appeared to be in her early twenties, with a tall, striking figure. A crescent bow was fastened to her waist, marking her as a member of the Herald Clan.
In her hands, she held a small harp, likely the source of the music heard earlier.
A slender sword adorned with silver embellishments hung at her waist, and elegant pheasant-feathered arrows rested in her quiver. Even in stillness, she exuded beauty and dignity.
Most striking of all were her eyes—deep violet in color. Silver-haired and violet-eyed, her graceful presence was almost ethereal, as if she were a fae rather than a human.
"Ah, Lady Aldis."
"What brings you all the way to such a remote place?"
All the merchants, except for the regional head, bowed their heads before Aldis. Even Salem, the regional head, showed her due respect.
While the ranks among heralds were often filled according to available vacancies, Aldis is the First Herald. Among the 108 heralds, she stood at the pinnacle in both skill and status.
"Please, don't do that. There are so many people watching…."
Saying so, Aldis approached Azadin.
"Azadin, it's been a while. I have to look up at you now."
"Ah, Aldis. What is going on?"
"I heard you were dismissed, so I rode nonstop from Arangui to get here. I can't believe you did something so foolish."
Aldis smiled as she spoke to Azadin.
"Don't worry. I petitioned the Grand Master. I told him that there was no way you would betray us. But for now, the Grand Master insists on maintaining your dismissal while the organization stabilizes. Instead, he sent me to reassure you."
The Grand Master referred to none other than Hatir, the current chief of the Herald Clan.
He was the one who passed down Beauty of Nature, Haeseo, taught magic, and presided over the Herald Clan's elder council, making all major decisions.
If Aldis had already petitioned the Grand Master….
Listening to the conversation, Midiam clicked her tongue. What nonsense. Azadin had been cursed, and now they expected him to be reassured simply by the promise that the curse would be lifted later?
Yet, to his shock, Azadin actually let out a relieved sigh at Aldis's words.
"Oh, that's a relief."
"..."
It was evident that Azadin's trust in this Aldis person was absolute.
'What the hell? He acts completely different from how he does with everyone else.'
As Midiam stood bewildered, Aldis pulled a letter from her garments.
"This is an oath signed by Lord Hatir and the other elders. It has been certified before the Emperor's Voice, a written guarantee that your dismissal will be revoked in half a year. I actually argued that it should be lifted immediately, but the chaos within the organization is too great to overturn it so soon. So, I brought this instead."
Aldis had not only spoken but had taken action. To have obtained such a document from those proud elders—Midiam, despite herself, had to acknowledge Aldis's influence within the clan.
Azadin accepted the oath and expressed his gratitude.
"Thank you, Aldis. You went to such great lengths…."
"It was the right thing to do. Honestly, the others are so stubborn that I was worried they might have subjected you to unnecessary humiliation. But please understand, Azadin. They're all old, and because of our herald ranking system, they're especially sensitive to hierarchy. It's not easy for the older generation to change the way they've lived."
***
The Herald Clan, the Aragasa, had always been a people skilled in martial arts and archery. However, the power that earned them the title Divine King Slayers came from the grimoire Beauty of Nature, a gift from the emperor. The one who compiled Beauty of Nature into an interpretative text was none other than Harconia, the first chief of the Herald Clan.
Because she was a woman, 'Harconia Haeseo' proved to be more effective for women. Thus, the Herald Clan evolved with a balance—men excelling in physical prowess and women in magic abilities, working together to fulfill their missions.
Thus, Return of Harconia was a title given to the strongest herald of an era. Before Arael held that title, Aldis had been the one known as Return of Harconia.
Born with violet eyes—the Eyes of Harconia—this girl hailed from the most prestigious bloodline of the founding families, the Jedaha bloodline. Her exceptional magic and archery made her unrivaled among her peers.
Recognizing her potential, the Grand Master, Hatir, took her as his direct disciple and entrusted her with a monumental task from a young age: deciphering the copy of the Book of the Divine King.
However, in the midst of this, the copy of the Book of the Divine King was stolen by Akre. Enraged, the elder council and the Grand Master placed the Curse of Service upon Akre and pursued him, but he ultimately managed to escape.
And his fate…
***
A child's cry echoed across the desolate road. People approaching the corpses lying on the roadside flinched when they realized where the wailing was coming from.
But upon seeing the gruesome sight, they gasped, hurriedly crossed themselves, and fled in terror.
"My god…."
"N-no, the umbilical cord… from a man's belly…."
"It's a curse! A curse!"
"Oh, Divine King!"
People recoiled in horror as they saw a man's stomach split open, with newborns still connected by an umbilical cord emerging from within. Some were so terrified that they wailed in despair.
The traitor of the Herald Clan, Akre, had managed to evade every pursuer for the past year. But in the end, he could not escape the curse.
A man who gave birth on the roadside and died—this was the fate of the traitor of the Herald Clan, Akre.
***
"Akre…."
Aldis, who was only a twelve-year-old girl, dismounted from her Kerim mountain goat and approached Akre's lifeless body.
"Hmph. What a waste. Who would have thought that a mere researcher, not even a herald, had such skills hidden?"
Another man, Grand Master Hatir, narrowed his amber-colored eyes as he looked down at Akre's corpse.
Akre had never been a herald—he was a researcher, a mage with an innate talent for analyzing and studying magic. And yet, he had eluded the pursuit of the heralds again and again. It felt like a slap in the face.
"So, these children… they were born of the curse."
"Yes, the Curse of Service. We had never used it before… but its effect is undeniable. That foolish disciple. With such talent, he still chose to betray the clan."
Grand Master Hatir made no attempt to hide his disdain for Akre.
"But, what about these children? They seem hungry."
"They are the product of a curse. According to the contract of service… children born of this curse are supposed to possess extraordinary talent."
"Then we should take them in."
"But this could be Akre's reincarnation. It would be best to sever the bloodline of a traitor. And besides, they're twins! The Curse of Service states that only one child should be born from it."
"Still, I'll check first!"
As Aldis spoke, Grand Master Hatir glared at her.
"The curse may affect you as well."
"They're just infants. If we leave them like this, they might die."
Ignoring the warning, Aldis rushed forward to examine the twins. They were a boy and a girl.
"Ah…."
"What is it? Ah!"
Hatir, who had come closer, also furrowed his brows. One of the children had no eyes. Where eyes should have been, there was only smooth skin.
"As expected, twins are an ill omen."
Hatir drew his sword. A long steel blade, shimmering with a faint blue light.
"No, Master!"
Aldis stepped in front of him.
"Step aside, Aldis. These children are cursed. They must be eliminated!"
"But… just because one of them has no eyes, does that mean they must die?"
"Foolishness. How could a blind child survive? Think of the harsh fate that awaits our Aragasa people. That child would be better off dead now!"
"But… wait a moment."
Aldis suddenly realized that the child she was holding was looking at her.
"This child… can see."
"What?"
"It seems like he can see, even without eyes."
"What do you mean seems like? Are you lying to me out of pity?"
"But I can feel his gaze."
"A newborn shouldn't even be able to open his eyes yet. Hm?"
Before Hatir could finish his sentence, he too felt it—the sensation of being watched. The infant girl in Aldis's arms had opened her eyes and was looking directly at Hatir.
"Incredible. Is this child also gifted with Harconia's Eyes?"
"Yes. Her eyes are the same color as mine."
Like Aldis, the infant girl who had just opened her eyes had deep violet irises. But there was something else—Hatir could clearly feel another gaze. The boy's gaze.
"Impressive. Truly, children born of the Curse of Service… a curse that creates an even more exceptional lineage?"
Hatir clicked his tongue, realizing that both children possessed extraordinary abilities.
"Fine. Aldis, they're your responsibility."
Hatir sheathed his sword.
"We lost the copy of the Book of the Divine King, so we may as well take something in return."
***
Thus, Aldis brought Azadin and Arael to the holy land. On the way, she fed them with milk from kind villagers, gave them goat's milk, changed their diapers, and endured countless hardships.
Yet, when she finally arrived, the elders erupted in outrage.
"These children may be the incarnation of the Book of the Divine King! We should kill them! If we do, they will transform back into the book!"
"That's absurd!"
"I don't believe in the delusion that they'll turn into a book, but I do agree that they should die. Akre's flesh, blood, and soul—even if purified by the contract of service—cannot be forgiven. They must be punished."
Everyone was in deep despair. To obtain the copy of the Book of the Divine King, the Herald Clan had suffered immense losses. They had joined the war of succession in Tarasar, where many had perished.
Blood and gold—all had been sacrificed to finally seize the copy of the Book of the Divine King, only for it to vanish into nothing. It was only natural that they had lost their minds.