'?!'
Azadin was startled when Arael's eyes suddenly gleamed. In that instant, Arael's kick struck Azadin hard.
Of course, Azadin blocked it… but Arael's shadow pierced straight through his guard.
'What the hell is this?!'
Azadin's body was flung into the air, crashed into the ceiling, bounced off, and slammed into a painting hanging on the wall.
It was likely a large oil painting depicting the glorious history of Count Lantarik's house. The canvas tore apart, and Azadin's blood defiled the artwork.
"Urgh!"
Azadin realized that the broken frame had stabbed into his back. Though he wore leather armor and wasn't impaled deeply, the impact still tore through the armor and into his skin, enough for blood to seep out.
Just one strike, and it had that much force. A normal person wouldn't have survived.
"Not bad, Azadin."
Arael flicked her dislocated wrist, and black shadows extended from within her sleeve to cover the injury.
Amazingly, the wound healed in an instant.
"No way!"
Shati screamed.
The way Arael had just healed her wrist and fingers was far faster than the regenerative green magic that Shati used—it was instantaneous healing.
To think someone could restore wounds at a speed akin to the healing magic of restoration thought to have vanished after the light of the king's virtue waned?
"Damn. I can't beat you with just brute force, huh? Looks like martial arts alone won't cut it, Azadin."
"…Kugh."
"But still, I won. Stop being stubborn and become mine."
"Just kill me instead."
"Really?"
In that moment, Arael rushed forward, grabbed Azadin by his belt, swung him through the air, and hurled him against the opposite wall.
–CRASH!
Azadin smashed through a candlestick and collided with a bookshelf, then fell to the floor. Books rained down, burying him.
"Urgh?!"
Then Arael stretched out her hand… and shadows erupted from the ground, trying to engulf Azadin.
Scott tried to form a hand sign and chant a spell to save Azadin, but at that moment, his mana began to resonate violently.
"Huh?!"
Black mana rampaged in Scott's hand, slashing across his cheek. The illusion disguising his human face tore apart, and blood splattered from his now-revealed orc face.
Even the magic surrounding them had gone mad, stirred just by the power emanating from Arael.
'This is bad!'
Just as everyone thought they were doomed...
"Ah."
Arael let out a sigh.
"I didn't mean to go this far, but it's become a habit. My body just moved on its own. I've gotten used to bashing in the skulls of anyone who defies me too fiercely or tries to assert their pride in front of me."
It sounded absurd, but she probably meant it. Arael genuinely looked regretful after tossing Azadin.
"You don't understand, Azadin. I truly regret the past. I desperately want to take back the things I did to hurt and torment you. That's why I want to atone. I'll give you the position next to me, bestow you with wealth, honor, and beautiful women. My subordinates might dislike it, but I'm sincere."
Azadin could tell that Arael genuinely felt sorry, that she wanted to mend their relationship.
But the very moment she promised wealth and honor, she placed herself on a parallel line with Azadin. Ironically, though these twins were born on the same day, they stood on parallel lines of emotion—never able to understand or empathize with each other.
"The very way you talk is wrong. With that mindset, you'll never understand what you did to me or how you could ever truly apologize."
Azadin loathed Arael's shamelessness.
Money, glory, power, women.
To offer those and demand forgiveness was an utterly vile act that completely disregarded Azadin's feelings.
Sure, there might be people satisfied with that—those beast-like men whose whole lives revolved around chasing riches and women.
But Azadin was not one of them. The fact that she saw him as such a creature made him feel sick to his core.
"You think I'm doing this to curry your favor?"
"Hoo, you're difficult, Azadin. Fine. I expected this much resistance. It wouldn't be right for our reconciliation to come too easily."
"Yeah. At least on that point, we agree."
Azadin, having recovered somewhat from his wounds, rose to his feet again. The shock had numbed his body, but he couldn't afford to collapse now.
On top of that, the Four of the Beauty of Nature were clearly ready to attack Azadin's group. Aleph said to Arael,
"That man likely possesses the Book of the Divine King. His companion, that naga—she's the one who escaped from Salasma."
Seraph, too, couldn't hide her hostility and spoke up to Arael.
"Hehe? You recognize me?"
Shati was flustered by how the heralds instantly identified her identity just from her face.
Judging by their demeanor, these Four of the Beauty of Nature seemed to be high-ranking heralds… The fact that they recognized her filled her with both a sense of pride and even more intense worry.
"W-wait a second!"
At that moment, Midiam stepped forward.
"Azadin needs the copy of the Book of the Divine King! We're trying to use it to lift the curse of service—if you're trying to take it away, surely you're not saying you want your brother to die under that curse, are you?"
"Midiam!"
Azadin was furious at her.
"Are you begging for my life from Arael now?! Why won't you even try to fight?!"
"I just…"
Then, upon hearing Midiam's words, Aleph instead made a suggestion to Arael.
"We now have all the more reason to take the copy of the Book of the Divine King. Though your younger brother is refusing your kindness now, once the curse of service draws near, he'll come groveling before your mercy. Wouldn't true reconciliation only be possible at that point?"
Azadin was enraged at those words. They were saying that while he was full now, he could afford to act defiant, but once he was facing death, he'd be grateful and accept reconciliation.
He'd rather die than accept that kind of reconciliation.
But then again, dying from the curse of service would be so horrific… He wasn't sure he could stay defiant when death was right in front of him.
If that moment came, would he really be able to say to Arael that he'd rather die? Not just die, but die in such a gruesome way?
Maybe in the end, just as Arael said, he would accept her offer of reconciliation. If she gave him the promised rewards, and he owed his life to her, maybe he'd pretend to accept, eventually grow used to the benefits, and convince himself to forgive her and accept the reconciliation she desired.
'Never!'
That's why—at the very least, for now—he couldn't accept it.
"I must resist while I still can. Even if I die right now!"
Azadin braced himself to resist with his life on the line.
"No, it's fine. Leave the copy of the Book of the Divine King."
Arael took a step back.
"Lady Arael?"
"I oppressed him and took the copy of the Book of the Divine King by force, but what if the Elder Council releases Azadin from the curse of service without any conditions? From their perspective, they could take credit just for lifting the curse they placed in the first place. Azadin would distrust me even more."
"But don't we still need the Book of the Divine King? Even if we leave it behind, we should only leave one page and take the rest."
"You think I'd mess everything up just because I'm short a few pages of the Book of the Divine King?"
There was a subtle anger in Arael's voice. Sensing her fury, Aleph trembled in fear, but he didn't seem ready to back down on the matter of Azadin.
"It seems you're all worried that just because Azadin is my blood, he'll become the second-in-command and freely wield power. What a pointless concern."
"Our organization has no need for a second-in-command. What we need are loyal hands and feet for the absolute one."
"So, you're saying you all are enough? Fine. Then that's the end of the matter with Azadin. But I still won't take the Book of the Divine King."
"..."
"See that, little brother? The path ahead is rough. But in the end, you'll reconcile with me."
"Because you're stronger than me?"
"No. Because I love you."
"Don't be ridiculous…"
The "love" Arael spoke of was an unbearable form of self-righteousness.
If she made decisions about Azadin's fate on her own, cornered him into a situation where he had no choice, and then forced reconciliation, that wasn't forgiveness or understanding—it was just another kind of violence.
"Well then, we're leaving. Azadin. You all probably have things to take care of here, right?"
Arael held up the key to the Emperor's Treasury and gave it a shake.
"We'll be taking this. Farewell."
Arael and the Four of the Beauty of Nature departed. Dimia of Flower blew a kiss toward Azadin through the air.
"See you again, young master."
Arael's party leapt out the window and disappeared in an instant. Azadin shook off the books and gestured to Shati. She frowned and grumbled.
"…Do you think I'm some kind of medicine box?"
"Better than a medicine box."
"Tch."
Shati cast regeneration magic on Azadin's body.
"That's your sister?"
Zebeck asked Azadin.
"Yeah."
"Astonishing. Did you see the aura around her? It didn't feel human at all. When people called her a goddess, I thought they were joking… But to be worshipped and claim the light of the king's virtue as her own. If she truly carries the Emperor's bloodline, maybe it's possible."
Zebeck gave his cold analysis.
When the rightful king sits on the throne, the light of the king's virtue protects the world. That's what the King's Church says—but who counts as a rightful king is open to interpretation.
Though the Church tries to deny it, when Emperor Yaeslat alone claimed all eight thrones of the Clan of the Eight Divine Kings, the light of the king's virtue shone more brightly than ever.
If Arael, as a descendant of the emperor, were to claim the throne, and the light of the king's virtue acknowledged her… what would the King's Church do then?
'They'd have to accept her as their lord and master.'
Of course, if she's gathering copies of the Book of the Divine King, she might be analyzing it, uncovering the essence of the light of the king's virtue, and using it with some kind of trick.
That's one way to argue it…
But if the Age of Jupiter truly arrives, and demonic beasts flood the world, then the people will worship Arael—trick or no trick—as long as she brings them peace.
And that would be the birth of a new goddess.
"But if you're twins, doesn't that make you part of the emperor's bloodline too?"
"Probably. But I wasn't born with any of the blessings Arael got. Ugh… itchy…"
Azadin shuddered from the itch spreading across his body.
"Wait a second. Isn't this the wrong time to be talking about that?"
At that moment, Ishmael began flailing in a panic.
"They took the Emperor's key! What now? At this rate, the Emperor's Treasury will fall into their hands…"
"It's fine."
Brand spoke.
"If having the key was all it took to open the door, why wouldn't Count Lantarik have opened it himself?"
"Sir Brand?"
Guillaumevalt realized Brand had finally returned to his senses.
Then suddenly, a chilling aura filled the air.