BXBX NOVEL Chapter 95: Meeting [2]
Chapter 95: Meeting [2]
The Vessels are the inheritors of [Primordial Evils], entities on par with [Primordial Gods], they gradually gain their powers, abilities, and characteristics.
Vessels go through five stages of awakening, and at the fifth stage, they become the incarnation of the [Primordial Evils].
During these awakenings, they lose control over themselves, killing anyone or being manipulated by the [Primordial Evils] to kill their loved ones... just to mentally break their vessel.
But the real battle for control only starts after the third awakening, determining if the vessel can maintain their original personality or remain just a vessel.
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"...I want Shyamal—the Vessel dead."
A lingering silence fell over the hall as Randall\'s words echoed, his gaze fixed on the emperor with no shred of emotion in his eyes.
"...Why?" Paul asked, frowning. It was his first time hearing this, "...She is your own daughter, Randall."
"That\'s why I want her dead before she turns into a monster." Shifting his focus, he replied sternly, looking at him.
"...Are you fucking serious?" Paul snapped, glaring at him, a vein throbbing in his neck, "...killing her off is the best solution you can come up with?"
"...What do you want me to do then!?" Randall snapped back, his voice rough, a dour look on his face, "...You don\'t know what destruction she could cause."
"She could, not like she already has—."
"...She already has!!!" Slamming his fist on the table, he yelled, "...On her first awakening, she already has!!"
A memory passed through his eyes as Randall remembered the mayhem and destruction she caused when she first awakened.
"...Trust me, I know what I am doing." Rubbing his brow, he mumbled solemnly, "...She would be better off dead."
"...Really, Randall?" A feminine and cold voice echoed, forcing him to look at Esmeray, "...Or are you doing it just because your wife died giving birth to her?"
"...That\'s not the reason." Shaking his head, he replied through clenched teeth, trying to control his anger.
"...Then are you afraid that she will know how her own father sold her to the Heimdalls just to get butchered?" Esmeray pressed further, her lifeless eyes boring into him.
Like any devout family of the Gods, the Heimdall family believed that killing a Vessel was for the best.
When they discovered one, they did not hesitate to arrange a marriage with her just to keep her close.
...Had it not been for the execution of the Heimdall family, Shyamal would have been dead after her first awakening.
"..."
"...Or is it because your beloved son died protecting her?" She taunted, making the veins bulge on his forehead.
"...None of your concern, Lady Esmeray." Composing himself, he replied, glaring at her, "...It\'s best to kill her before she becomes even more powerful."
"...Then what about your lineage?" Quinton quickly intervened, asking, "...Who will become your new heir?"
"...I found a few." Randall replied, taking deep breaths,
"...Two of the most suitable candidates are Ethan Varon and Ashlyn Zyanya, orphans from the first year in the academy."
"...Are you planning to adopt one of them?" Sylvania asked, making him nod his head.
"...Then I shall suggest something."
Nevaeh chimed in, making everyone look at her. "...Instead of you killing her, make someone from the younger generation do it instead."
"...That will definitely increase their popularity in front of the masses," Quinton added, nodding his head.
"...This can work wonderfully to elevate someone to a higher level."
"...Then it\'s settled."
Randall stated, looking at the emperor. "...But if anything, I don\'t want her to be alive during the festival."
The emperor nodded his head, glancing at Esmeray, who was looking at Randall without any expression on her face.
"...If that\'s over, then I would like to propose something, Your Majesty." Alvin stood up from his seat and slightly bowed towards Quinton.
"...Speak," Quinton instructed, making Alvin nod his head.
"...It\'s about my daughter Miley," Alvin replied, looking deeply into the emperor\'s eyes. "...I would like to propose a marriage alliance."
"If this is all that is left to discuss, then I will excuse myself." Esmeray abruptly stood up from her seat and walked out of the hall.
Nobody stopped her as she opened the door and walked through the hallway.
A shadowy figure appeared behind her.
"...Were you listening?" She asked without looking back.
"Yes, my lady," Adaliah replied, walking behind her.
"What a bunch of lowlifes they are," Esmeray whispered softly as she walked towards the teleportation portal.
...
The door of her office opened, and Adaliah let Esmeray enter first as she taking her seat on her chair.
"...What a bunch of mongrels." Esmeray scoffed with a disgusted look on her face as she remembered the so-called nobles of the empire.
"...Why not just kill them?" Adaliah asked, walking beside her.
"...They have their uses."
"...Why not just show your strength then?"
"...I do not need to prove myself to those lowlifes." Esmeray replied, looking at her. "...and it\'s not like I need to tell them I was also a vessel."
"...Quinton still thinks that you are only a peak Overlord and that his father can handle you."
"...The more they underestimate me, the better."
"...Will you let Shyamal die?" Adaliah asked, arranging her table.
"...She won\'t even make it past her second awakening," Esmeray replied, reclining in her chair. "...She is too weak-minded for what she will have to face."
"....I see," Adaliah replied softly, nodding her head.
"...How is Azariah?" Esmeray asked, closing her eyes.
"...He woke up from the coma this morning and returned to the academy."
"...So he ran away from home, huh?" Esmeray remarked, opening her eyes.
"..My lady," Adaliah mumbled with a conflicted look on her face.
"...Ask whatever you want."
"Isn\'t Azariah growing too fast?" She asked with a concerned look on her face. "...At this rate, it won\'t take him a decade to reach your level."
"...You are underestimating my son." Esmeray replied, an amused look on her face. "...It won\'t even take him half a decade."
"....How?"
"...\'They\' didn\'t curse him to be manaless for his entire life for nothing—\'They\' were afraid of what he will become."
Her brows knitted together as she voiced her concern, "...then won\'t he try to stand against you?"
"...He is kind-hearted—and that is his biggest weakness," Esmeray commented, looking at her. "...Belly did a great job raising him."
Adaliah nodded in agreement, "Too kind hearted I would say...Even when he sacrifices his own flesh, he would still think himself selfish to keep the bones."
"...Give me the videos; I want to see them again," Esmeray requested, making Adaliah take out her tablet.
"...But still, won\'t he try to break free from your control?" Adaliah asked again, passing the tablet.
"...And go where?" Esmeray questioned, opening the tablet.
"...I can feel traces of Sabaoth from him; surely he is trying to manipulate Azariah from behind.....
Even though I can\'t feel anything from Anastasia, I am sure she is up to something....
....Then we have the three main Gods who will try to suppress him by any means, and the Dark Trinity will surely try to kill him."
"....."
Adaliah pressed her lips together, unable to utter a single word as she looked at Esmeray, who revealed something so important nonchalantly.
"...And when someone has nowhere to go...they always return where they belong." Esmeray added as she played the video of Irisveil\'s speech.
"...Anyway, you timed his entrance perfectly."
"....Was it necessary, my lady?" Adaliah asked, frowning.
"...going as far as to influence the church itself into believing that Azariah is the [Exiled Prince]."
"...just in case he ever tries to break free." Esmeray mumbled without any emotion in her voice, "...wouldn\'t it be better to turn the whole world against him?"
"...Even the one he tried so desperately to protect?" Adaliah asked, frowning her brows. "...That will truly break him, my lady."
"....He is my son. Every time he breaks apart, he will pick himself up again and again until nothing can break him."
Esmeray replied as she looked at Azariah\'s fight with Delwyn.
She had seen the video thousands of times, replaying them again and again, her gaze on Azariah as she focused on his entire fighting style.
"...that ice and fire," she mumbled, zooming in, looking at Azariah using his abilities, "...Why does it feel familiar?"
"....One more thing, my lady. He asked me why he was banned from Afelihim," Adaliah informed, making Esmeray glance at her.
"...What does he expect after trying to propose to the Elven Queen?" She scoffed, rubbing her brow.
"...He was a child back then."
"Doesn\'t change the fact that he tried to propose to someone else\'s wif—."
Esmeray\'s words trailed off as she focused back on the tablet.
She played the video again, closely examining Neplh and Muspelh.
As she observed the details, something clicked in her mind.
"Huhhh."
She took a deep breath, placing the tablet down, and looked at the confused Adaliah before asking, "....How is the world tree now?"
"...It\'s barely alive," Adaliah answered immediately, still confused. "....After the last attack, it only has nine years to live—."
"Make it half," Esmeray ordered.
"...Pardon?"
"...I said make the lifespan of the world tree cut in half," Esmeray replied firmly.
"...Sell all the information about it to the cultists or the demiurge, I don\'t care."
"...Do you want the elves to be desperate?" Adaliah asked, tilting her head.
"....Yes, so desperate that they will do anything to save it," Esmeray replied, reclining in her chair.
Every plan she had till now had gone through a drastic change in her mind.
"...And contact the Valentine family."
Once again, Azariah was getting entangled in something he never wanted to be a part of.
"...Tell them I have a proposal they can\'t refuse."