"You're throwing around a lot of thanks today. I told you, no need to be so polite. But if you really feel bad about it, how about working for me?" Alaric waved a hand dismissively, then added without hesitation, "You know I'm seriously short on help around here."
Azik wasn't surprised by this, already familiar with Alaric's personality. He smiled and said, "I thought I was already working for you."
"Huh, come to think of it, you're right!" Alaric nodded, his eyes glinting with a mischievous edge. "But your workload before was nowhere near enough. Since you're officially signing on now, that workload's about to ramp up."
At this, Azik instinctively glanced at the Red Angel, Medici, his mind flashing to the terrifying workload Medici endured. He fell silent for a moment, then, mustering some confidence, said, "That sounds daunting, but fortunately, as the former Death Consul, I'm quite adept at handling administrative affairs."
Alaric blinked, suddenly realizing he'd overlooked something... back in the day, the Death Consul was Salinger's handpicked administrator, managing the entire Balam Empire with ease, a testament to his formidable competence.
Alaric's eyes lit up. Even with the assistants provided by Herabergen, his team was still stretched thin. A top-tier asset like Azik joining the ranks would surely lighten the load for both Sasrir and Medici.
Without hesitation, Alaric clapped Azik on the shoulder. "It's a deal!"
"…It's a deal," Azik echoed, a flicker of regret crossing his mind. But it was too late to back out now, so he could only nod.
The others witnessing this exchange reacted in varied ways. Medici shook his head, letting out a tsk. "Hopeless!"
Another soul charmed by Alaric's wiles.
"You think you're any better, Red Mommy?" Lil' Amon piped up out of nowhere, his expression deadly serious as he posed the question.
"Cough…" Klein, standing nearby, quickly grabbed Lil' Amon. Having grown accustomed to treating Amon like a child, he coughed lightly and turned to Medici. "Mr. Medici, don't mind him. Lil' Amon didn't mean it…"
"Didn't mean it? Oh, he meant every word," Medici sneered, shooting Lil' Amon a glance before flicking his forehead with a finger.
Pop!
The next second, Lil' Amon went flying, soaring at least a dozen meters before crashing into a coffin with a clatter of splintered wood and bones. Scrambling up from the debris, Amon glared stubbornly at Medici. "Red Mommy, you're too rough! I was just saying... "
His words were cut off as Klein, quick on his feet, clamped a hand over Amon's mouth to stop him from digging a deeper hole. With a helpless whisper, Klein said, "Can you please say less?"
"I actually think Lil' Amon's got a point. Lil' Red is pretty hot-tempered…" Jack, who had scurried over to Amon's side, chimed in casually. But before he could finish, Klein's other hand shot out, covering his mouth too.
Exasperated from wrangling two troublemakers, Klein shot Jack a weary glare. "You, too... pipe down!"
Jack, now freed from Klein's grip, flashed an awkward grin and grumbled, "Klein, you're acting like a mother hen!"
"And whose fault is that?" Klein retorted, releasing his hands and giving Jack an exasperated look.
God knows what it's been like dealing with these two troublemakers lately. Sometimes, Klein genuinely despaired at how reliable he was. If he weren't so dependable, he could be the troublemaker instead of cleaning up after these two.
"Uh…" Jack's eyes darted around before he deftly changed the subject. "How about we check on Mr. Azik's condition instead?"
Klein gave him a resigned look but didn't pursue the topic, turning his attention to Azik nearby.
At that moment, Azik was receiving a bracelet from the Evernight Goddess.
"Though Lucifer and I have temporarily suppressed the awakening will of Salinger within you, that doesn't mean it won't resurface. You are, after all, his descendant, molded by him, naturally suited to be his vessel for revival," Amanises said, her voice gentle yet devoid of much emotion. "This bracelet carries my power, which can help you further suppress Salinger's awakening. But it's only an aid. Ultimately, you must rely on your own will to confront your father. If you wish to truly break free from Salinger, become the Death and take his place. Only then will you gain true freedom."
"…I understand. Thank you, Your Excellency," Azik said, gazing at the bracelet in his hand. He wasn't surprised by the Evernight Goddess's words. As the one affected, he knew Salinger's will was only dormant, not truly gone.
But Azik felt no fear. The most dangerous moment, when he was most vulnerable to being overtaken by the Death, was right after his soul fusion, when he was incomplete, his cognition fragmented, and he was at his weakest.
Having survived that ordeal, even if the Death's will stirred within him again, Azik was confident he could resist.
After all, the Death had fallen. His lingering will, like the remnants of other ancient gods, was dangerous but not invincible.
As long as Azik had enough anchors, as long as his humanity remained steadfast, he could suppress the Death's will. During the soul fusion, with his cognition divided, he was nearly defenseless in this world where unified cognition and a strong sense of self were crucial to resisting a more powerful will.
If Azik had fused with the Death Consul as the dominant self, he would have struggled against the Death, as the Death Consul's humanity was too thin, easily overwhelmed.
Only Azik, with his humanity at the forefront, his cognition unified, and bolstered by rich anchors, had the strength to counter the Death's awakening will.
And should Azik successfully ascend to Sequence 0, replacing the Death wasn't impossible... Salinger wasn't a primordial being like the Primordial One, and his mark on the Death Pathway wasn't indelible.
But that was a distant goal. For now, he was still far from becoming the Death.
"I look forward to the day you become the Death. Perhaps then you'll bring me some new surprises," Amanises said, gazing at the gentle history professor. She couldn't help but feel a touch of astonishment.
Until today, she had never imagined saying such words to a Death candidate.
But… Amanises glanced at Alaric, who was smiling nearby, before silently withdrawing her gaze.
She didn't know if her choice was right or wrong, but for now, allowing Azik to become a King of Angels didn't seem like a bad thing.
***
Every 100 Power Stones and 5 Reviews will earn you a Bonus Chapter.
And if you want to read up to 50 chapters ahead, don't hesitate to visit our patron: pat reon . com / XElenea (remove space)