Chapter 62: The Moon of Dawn Approaches, Heading to the Azure Court
Inside the metal box were several small glass containers, their liquid contents sloshing unstably within. The liquids in the glass bottles displayed different hues; some were light golden, others a deep azure, bubbling as if connected to the abyssal depths of the sea. Beside a few of the glass vials lay a pitch-black letter.
Shaya broke the red wax seal on the envelope and took out a piece of paper. This time, it wasn’t a blank scroll like Diris’s; the black paper clearly bore a few lines of text.
“Esteemed Guest:
Your intelligence transaction with the Shadow Council has been completed.
The information you provided regarding the downfall of the Ancient Azure Court during the Land of Calamity era has passed the verification of the ‘Hourglass of Time’ and the ‘One-Eyed Stone Sculpture,’ confirming its authenticity.
After deliberation by the high-ranking members of the Shadow Council, the intelligence you provided has been officially graded as— ‘Angel of Death.’
In accordance with your request to the Shadow Council, the remuneration for this intelligence transaction will be settled with the high-level Alchemical Secret Medicines and rare materials you require.
The list of Alchemical Secret Medicines and Extraordinary Materials includes: 200 milliliters of Holy Sun Church Holy Water blessed by a Bishop, 30 grams of Sage’s Blood, one High-Level Armor Potion…
The Alchemical Secret Medicines and Extraordinary Materials are enclosed with this letter. Please check them promptly.
Due to the extremely high value of the intelligence you provided, there remains a surplus of three thousand Rhine Gold Coins after the transaction. These can be used for future consumption within the Shadow Council.
Incidentally, Her Excellency the Queen of the Night is quite interested in intelligence from the Land of Calamity period.
If you are able to provide us with more detailed intelligence from this lost historical period, we will offer a price that will satisfy you.
We eagerly anticipate our next collaboration.”
The letter was signed with the Black Moon seal, symbolizing the Shadow Council.
Shaya’s gaze swept over the black letter. After a long moment, he nodded slightly. He had gone to considerable lengths for that final echo of history. After all, his opponent might be an ancient god attempting to break free from its shackles and awaken; no amount of preparation would be too much.
He had already squeezed the Royal Princess dry. As for the properties in the Black Lily District, he had liquidated what could be sold. The remaining assets were largely long-term investments, and selling them now would be a self-destructive loss. His only remaining viable path was to become an information dealer.
An ancient, forgotten kingdom buried in the dust of history… Such information could be extremely valuable, marking a monumental discovery for archaeology. However, it could also be considered worthless. The kingdom had fallen, and beyond its cultural and historical significance, there was little profit to be squeezed. It was merely a few relics in a museum or a handful of lines in ancient scrolls.
Fortunately, Shaya’s guess was correct— the Shadow Council, the largest intelligence organization on the Western Continent, had a particular interest in such secret, unknown intelligence that involved extremely high levels of power.
Shaya had no qualms about selling information. Elder Norton of the Brunnhildr Family’s betrayal was almost a certainty, and during his last foray into the historical echo, Norton had revealed his collusion with a secret organization of the lost kingdom. Aside from omitting details pertaining to himself, Shaya had laid bare all the dealings within the Ancient Azure Court.
The Shadow Council proved worthy of its reputation as the king of the underworld, making a lavish offer. They had fulfilled all of Shaya’s demands and even provided a surplus.
“The intelligence grade is ‘Angel of Death’… Is it because it involved Sylvia, a future Legend, and the potential awakening of a Twilight Ancient God?”
“I wonder how the Shadow Council verified the authenticity of the information.”
“‘Hourglass of Time,’ ‘One-Eyed Stone Sculpture’… Judging by their names, they seem related to time. I wonder if they are pollutants or time-element familiars.”
“The letter also mentioned that the master of the Shadow Council, Her Excellency the Queen of the Night, is also very interested in the intelligence from the Land of Calamity period.”
“I had heard rumors that the Queen of the Night’s true race is also a long-lived species. I wonder how long she has actually lived… Could she have personally experienced the Land of Calamity era?”
Such thoughts flashed through Shaya’s mind only for a moment. He quickly reined in his wandering thoughts.
He connected with his soul pact, and with a thought, everything before him, including the metal box and the shield emblem, was stored within Flash’s Spatial Pocket. He then carefully organized and stored them in the sub-dimension created by the Spatial Pocket.
Having completed all this, Shaya stood up and went to the washroom on the second floor. The Magic Lamp’s radiance extinguished, leaving only the faint flickering of candlelight. The washroom mirror reflected Shaya’s image: black hair, black eyes, slender build. His handsome face had deep contours, and his expression was indifferent. He took a deep breath, calming his mind.
“Then, let’s perform the final confirmation.”
“A pair of miniature military teleportation arrays, a Judgment Decree, Holy Sun Church Holy Water, Sage’s Blood, various Alchemical Secret Medicines… nothing is missing.”
“Spirit is full, soul pact compatibility is acceptable.”
“All plans, along with multiple backup and emergency contingencies, are confirmed in order.”
“Preparation complete, ready perfectly.”
With a flicker of thought, his mental energy touched the time-space imprint. Everything around him, be it the flickering candlelight or the gentle breeze, froze in an instant. The historical echo of the Ancient Azure Court initiated its final activation.
…
When Shaya’s consciousness resurfaced, he found himself in a familiar secret room. It was likely early morning. The silver moon still lingered but was gradually fading. The pitch-black sky began to show a hint of dawn, with the horizon tinged with white.
Norton was reclining on a sofa, his aged face shrouded in the light purple smoke of the Dreamland, obscuring his expression.
‘Why is it still this secret room? Did I return to the same temporal point from which I exited the historical echo last time?’
As this thought arose in Shaya’s mind, he heard Norton speak.
“We’ve received word from the secret organization of the lost kingdom.”
“The deployment of Fanatics and Titled powerhouses has been completed.”
“Corresponding riots will occur in the Holy Divine Kingdom and other major human nations, leaving them too preoccupied to interfere.”
Norton’s voice was chillingly cold. Yet, within his detached words, there was an undeniable current of longing and ambition.
“Seven days from now—”
“The Azure Court will fall, and the twilight will descend.”
