Chapter 122 Ezio (2)



Within the vast expanse of the Mauryan Empire, an influential dukedom existed as a formidable bastion of authority and dominion. With vast resources and unassailable might, the Agnus dukedom reigned over a significant tenth of the entire empire, casting an unparalleled shadow.

At the heart of this grand dominion resided Arden Von Agnus, the esteemed ruler whose name resonated not only as one of the empire's ten mightiest figures but also as one of its two distinguished dukes.

Tales of his valor, prowess, power, and strength were intricately woven into the fabric of the empire itself, a living testament to his exceptional stature. However, behind the accolades and heroic narratives, a concealed darkness shrouded Arden's past—a secret narrative of a noble sovereign harboring his own transgressions.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com

The pinnacle of Arden's prime marked a period of clashing desires. Amidst his noble bearing, mortal longings began to stir, casting a shadow over his character. The trifecta of desires—wealth, women, and land—that ensnared countless men, found embodiment even within the heart of this ruler. The very desires that ruled the lives of commoners now held sway over the highborn as well.

It was on a fateful night, under the crimson glow of the red moon—a night steeped in both legend and allure—that Arden's pivotal mistake found its genesis. Enchanted by the allure of a maiden in his service, he succumbed to a lapse in judgment, transgressing the bounds of propriety. The consequences of this ill-fated liaison manifested in the form of an unintended pregnancy, a secret capable of shattering his meticulously cultivated image.

Desperate to safeguard his esteemed reputation, Arden chose to deny the existence of the child—a decision laden with dire consequences. The child's mother, a mere maid, was burdened not only with her lord's scandal but also with a handsome sum to bear the weight of his misstep.

In secrecy, she was exiled to a distant corner, her ruler's intention clear—to erase all traces of his wrongdoing. Yet, her newfound wealth granted by the lord to keep her mouth shut, couldn't silence her conscience.

Overwhelmed by the weight of her decision, she could not bring herself to fulfill the ruler's sinister command. Her reluctance to raise a child amid adversity contrasted starkly with her own fear of committing a monstrous act. Thus, she lingered, torn by the turmoil within her heart.

As time flowed on, an innocent life was born into the world—a boy who bore the distinctive features and radiant complexion of the duke himself. The maid, burdened by circumstances and her own future, deemed the child a "burden" too heavy to bear.

In a moment of desperation, she made a heart-wrenching choice, leaving the child on the doorstep of an orphanage. Unbeknownst to her, this orphanage was far from ordinary. Concealed beneath its facade was a covert sanctuary for an assassin guild, where shadows held dominion and the craft of assassination was honed to perfection.

The maid, now enriched by the Duke's largesse, departed with elation, envisioning a new life with her newfound wealth. Meanwhile, Arden believed his transgressions were buried deep, as he tied the knot with the Emperor's sister and embraced his own existence.

While the abandoned and nameless child unwittingly became a pawn in a perilous game being found by the assassin king himself!The Assassin King extended his benevolent hand to the abandoned boy, embracing him within the folds of his darkened realm. The child, devoid of name and origin, found himself embraced by the shadows, a surrogate son to the master of the assassins' clandestine order. As the boy matured, the Assassin King discerned the latent potential within him, a potential that was as tantalizing as it was dangerous. Thus, the boy was inducted into the lineage of assassins, his training an intricate dance between darkness and discipline.

"We, the residents of the Yalindor, hold steadfast devotion to the revered Goddess Kali. Regrettably, our sacred statue of the goddess has been brazenly stolen from our village. We earnestly implore the assistance of capable scouts, adept in the arts of investigation, to delve into this dire matter and secure the retrieval of our cherished deity's effigy."

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"A request from the people of Yalindor?"

The announcement itself wasn't a rarity, given the eclectic spectrum of pleas that reached the Quest Union's ears—ranging from finding a lost dog to searching for the dragon lairs. However, it was the origin of this particular supplication, hailing from the region of Yalindor, that kindled intrigue.

Known as a land beset by monstrous inhabitants, the Quest Union's recipient who had received the missive was momentarily at a loss for words.

The messenger pigeon that had borne the request exhibited an intelligence that was, in itself, remarkable. As if guided by an invisible hand, the avian courier had navigated its way through the bustling corridors of the Quest Union branch and now perched within the reception area.

Questions circled like birds in the sky, doubting the authenticity of the pigeon's apparent intellect. Regardless of the avian messenger's origins, any mention of the Yalindor's people was treated as a priority—and urgency that the recipient recognized without hesitation. Swiftly, the information was relayed to a superior, triggering a chain of actions.

Yalindor—situated at the confluence of the boundless ocean and the vast expanse of the Mauryan empire. A realm that dwelled outside the empire's direct jurisdiction, yet was inextricably intertwined with the empire's fate. Occupying a space akin to a mere village in size, the Yalindor region paradoxically stood as a bulwark against the Mauryan empire's repeated attempts at conquest.

The magnitude of this resistance lay not in the numbers, but rather in the formidable strength of Yalindor's denizens. Each resident was akin to a commanding officer of an army, boasting a strength of no less than 6 stars in prowess. Augmenting this power was the spiritual shield cast by the region's shaman— A devotee of the goddess Kali. This mystical defense, coupled with the region's strategically advantageous geography, contributed to its steadfast defiance against the empire's might.

In light of the resistance's resolute stance, the Mauryan empire eventually abandoned its ambitions of conquest. Instead, a pact of alliance was forged, cementing a unique rapport. An accord emerged wherein the Yalindor region would commit to providing a contingent of at least 50 combatants to aid the empire in times of conflict. A quid pro quo was established—armed support in return for peaceful coexistence.

The bond between Yalindor region and the Mauryan empire, once forged amidst conflict, had morphed into a cooperative alliance. This alliance, rooted in mutual benefit, mirrored the unity of a formidable army while preserving the region's autonomy. A tale of strength, strategy, and harmony unfurled between the empire's dominion and the untamed heart of Yalindor.

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