Episode 358 – The Master of Aintrier (8)
Azonne fled to the Shelter of Darkness.
As his vision was swallowed by darkness and the surroundings fell silent, he quickly calmed his previously excited mind.
This was the worst-case scenario.
A situation where he could lose everything if he made one wrong move.
“I have to act immediately.”
He urgently summoned the Black Market executives.
While the executives began gathering one by one into the dark space, Azonne swiftly started thinking. He considered what he could do under the current circumstances, and when an idea came to mind, he began drafting the necessary letters.
Once several letters were completed, all the executives had gathered.
After taking a breath, he began issuing orders right away.
“The reason for this emergency meeting is due to a major request.”
“Whose request is it?”
“Azonne Vistas.”
Azonne, who had been running the Black Market under a hidden identity, used his real name for the request—this was to mobilize the Black Market with full force.
He pulled out a blank promissory note from his robe and placed it on the small altar at the center of the space.
This altar served as an exchange channel, used to transfer items between connected locations.
“The reward is a blank check.”
Murmurs began to spread.
There were no limits to the compensation.
To Azonne, it didn’t matter—it was all money that just circulated within his own pocket anyway. But to the executives, it meant the request was of immense importance.
As the executives’ attitudes shifted after examining the certificate, Azonne nodded and proceeded with the meeting.
“What’s the current status of Aintrier?”
“We were just about to report it. A massive fire broke out at the Lord’s castle. We’re gathering intel by spreading out, but…”
“No. Send everyone to the castle. I want every detail of the situation uncovered.”
“Pardon? If we do that, our identities could be…”
“It doesn’t matter. Deploy them immediately and report back right away.”
“U-understood.”
Azonne turned to another executive.
“Deploy outer operatives to track down Azolett.”
“We’ve confirmed that she’s currently staying in Aintrier, but…”
“No. She’s no longer in Aintrier. Search the road to Prime Root. You must find her.”
He pulled out the letters he had prepared earlier.
“As soon as you locate her, deliver this letter to her.”
“May I ask what’s in the letter?”
“It’s a top-priority letter personally requested by Azonne.”
In addition to Azolett, he had sent similar top-priority letters to Demtor’s Gram Seraphim and Prime Root’s Sword Demon, Karvas.
All of them were letters requesting support for Aintrier.
“How long will it take for all the letters to be delivered?”
“If we move with top priority, they’ll receive them within three days.”
“Three days, huh…”
It was tight, but not impossible to hold out.
Furrowing his brow, Azonne looked at the executive seated in the far-right corner.
This executive handled divine names professionally, managing spirit-absorbing witches and selling divine name intel.
“How many witches do we have left?”
“Around thirty. Of them, five are expected to be depleted within the month.”
The witches used for spirit absorption.
Depletion meant death by the curse of the divine name in exchange for revealing its secrets. Requests for divine name information could only be made through the Master.
“There’s been a request regarding Azonne’s divine name list.”
“You mean Azonne Vistas?”
“That’s right.”
“I believe the previous executive already reported Azonne’s divine name to the Master…”
“A re-verification request has been made. How long will it take?”
“It can be done immediately.”
“Are they in the witch storage?”
“Yes. How much of the list should I check?”
“All of it.”
“…All of it?”
“Doesn’t matter how many witches get depleted, just confirm the full list and bring it to me.”
“U-understood.”
The reason Azonne requested a recheck of his own divine name list was because of the “Greedy Judge.”
He had to find out why the Judge hadn’t activated.
Moments later, the executive who had stepped out returned.
“Um…”
The executive, holding the intel, nervously looked at the Master.
His voice trembled, unlike before.
At the reaction, Azonne clicked his tongue lightly.
‘He’s figured it out.’
[Owner of the Black Market]
If he had seen Azonne’s full divine name list, then he would know something he couldn’t ignore.
Azonne, under normal circumstances, would never have issued such a reckless command.
“But now’s not the time to nitpick.”
To overcome this crisis, the Judge was essential.
Azonne silently picked up the paper on the altar and looked over his divine names.
His identity had been exposed, but it didn’t matter.
Once he confirmed everything, he could just handle it the same way as the previous executive.
[Azonne Vistas – Hand of Midas (Luck)]
[Eyes of Greed]
[Eyes of the Golden Castle]
[Midas’ Coin Maker]
[Greedy Judge (Target: Owner of the Divine Name)] (Sealed)
[Owner of the Black Market]
“…Hmm.”
Azonne let out a low groan and narrowed his eyes.
‘The Greedy Judge is sealed.’
This confirmed someone had sealed his ability.
Who could it be?
The answer came quickly.
‘That bastard.’
Arthur.
He hadn’t realized it at the time, but now that he thought it through, Arthur had behaved as if he had known about Azonne’s powers from the start. And at the most crucial moment, his Judge had been sealed.
Suddenly, he remembered the slip of paper Arcane had given him.
[Arthur XXXX – Divine Hunter (XX)]
Divine Hunter.
He now understood what kind of power Arthur’s hunter ability entailed.
‘This could be worth a fortune.’
Did Arcane know this secret about the Divine Name Hunter?
If even he didn’t know, then this information was of immense value to the owners of divine names.
‘Perfect. I was just about to ask them for help on bad terms.’
He had requested aid from Demtor’s Gram and Prime Root’s Karvas.
He had nearly negotiated from a weaker position, but with this information, he could sway them all.
A power that could seal abilities listed in divine name records.
‘To the owners of divine names, this would be a colossal threat.’
It could establish a common enemy.
Azonne gave a small nod and looked at the tense executive.
“Have we confirmed any of Arthur’s divine names?”
“Well, the depletion rate is… quite severe…”
Using the slip from Arcane, they tried to uncover Arthur’s hidden divine name, but each attempt cost another witch her life.
“We’ve already lost three witches. We had to stop the process.”
“So what did you find?”
“Arthur Clayton.”
“Arthur Clayton??”
“Yes. We learned his full name.”
Three witches sacrificed, only to obtain four characters.
Azonne clicked his tongue briefly, then nodded.
At least they had discovered Arthur’s name. That was still something.
But right now, Arthur’s divine name didn’t matter.
“From now on, check Azonne’s divine name list every hour.”
“Pardon? What do you mean…?”
“Exactly as I said. If there’s any change in my divine names, report to me immediately.”
“But that’ll cost a witch per hour…”
“I already said I don’t care, didn’t I?”
“Why? You don’t want to do it?”
“N-no! I’ll do it!”
The executive flinched at the Master’s cold tone.
In the Shelter of Darkness, the Master’s authority was absolute.
He nodded and hurried out.
“Report on Aintrier in real time.”
Azonne planned to stay in the shelter for a day or so to monitor the unfolding situation.
Soon, scattered informants began delivering real-time updates on Aintrier.
“Th-the Special Commissioner, Richard, has been killed!”
The very first report was already troubling.
The shelter began to stir at the news of the Special Commissioner’s death.
Most couldn’t believe it.
In the middle of the commotion, Azonne bit his lip.
“Arthur, you damned bastard…”
There was no way news of the Commissioner’s death could’ve spread so fast.
Azonne pictured the Commissioner’s head.
Solid proof.
Arthur was deliberately spreading the news of the Commissioner’s death.
Azonne felt a sense of unease.
This wasn’t the end.
Sure enough—
“All the Cleaners have been annihilated!”
“Who did it…??”
“It appears to be the World Tree Union. They’ve displayed the Cleaners’ corpses in the plaza.”
One shocking update followed another.
“The Union’s envoy has declared war on Grand Duke Clarke. The Halyans and wizard factions in Aintrier have sided with the Union.”
“Azonne’s whereabouts are unknown. Rumors say he’s dead.”
“Union envoy Alex has revealed a 15% stake in Aintrier. He’s starting to fill Azonne’s vacant position.”
“Lenon Workshop has voiced support for him, and now merchants are rallying around him.”
As he listened to the reports, Azonne clenched his fists tightly.
His palms were drenched in sweat.
The more he heard, the clearer Arthur’s intent became.
‘He’s trying to swallow Aintrier whole.’
These rumors Arthur spread were groundwork to seize Aintrier.
But no matter how well-crafted, if Azonne was still alive, it would all come crashing down like a sandcastle.
“I still hold the overwhelming share.”
Just by showing up, Arthur’s entire plan would collapse.
Meaning all these rumors were meaningless—if it weren’t for one thing.
‘…It’s too fast.’
Everything had happened in just one day.
Arthur’s movements were relentless.
If he was moving this fast, something else had to be going on. That suspicion deepened Azonne’s anxiety.
At that moment, the executive who had been monitoring the witches rushed in.
“M-Master!”
“What is it?”
“A-Azonne’s divine name list…”
The executive placed a new report on the altar, and Azonne hastily unfolded it.
A change had occurred in his divine name list.
[Azonne Vistas – Hand of Midas (Luck)]
[Eyes of Greed]
[Eyes of the Golden Castle]
[Midas’ Coin Maker]
[Greedy Judge (Target: Owner of the Divine Name)]
[Owner of the Black Market]
‘The seal is broken!’
Azonne’s eyes lit up as he looked at the executive who had brought the paper.
“How much time has passed?”
“A-about five hours, sir.”
Azonne did the math.
It had been about half a day since he was unable to use the Judge.
It wasn’t a permanent seal, just a temporary one.
He nodded and praised the executive.
“Well done.”
“Th-thank you.”
“There’ll be a reward soon for the witches. Look forward to it.”
Azonne rose from his seat.
Arthur was quickly taking control inside Aintrier.
“I have to get out quickly.”
Until he heard from Demtor and Prime Root, he planned to escape Aintrier and check Arthur’s movements from outside.
“Just wait.”
Now that he knew Arthur’s fatal secret, gathering a force to kill him wouldn’t be difficult.
Azonne exited the shelter and stepped back into the darkness.
The darkness receded, and dazzling moonlight greeted him.
Moonlight beamed through massive bars.
Looking up at the bright moon framed by the barred window, Azonne furrowed his brow.
‘Why are the curtains open…?’
Just as that thought crossed his mind and he stepped into the library—
He saw a long shadow cast across the floor.
“Now who could this be?”
A familiar voice followed.
Azonne twisted his face as he turned his head.
He could never forget that voice.
“…Arthur Clayton.”
“To think you figured out my full name. Impressive.”
A man stepped slowly from the darkness with the moon at his back.
Arthur emerged from the shadows.
“Must be hard managing two households.”
“…What?”
“Oh wait. One collapsed already. Guess there’s only one left now?”
Arthur took a basic stance of Quanru and said—
“Black Market Master, Azonne Vistas?”