The God of Jesters
Chapter 518 - 8.07.3 The Mad Malidi.

Chapter 518: 8.07.3 The Mad Malidi.

"This will be the first and second time we will be giving you this offer. You should consider it for a bit." Remira didn’t find it weird that the old man would try to defend the girl that worked for him. So she didn’t delve into the matter too much and instead focused back on Heroth.

This was the only time they could deal with the issue without using any effort on their end. Enough time had gone by, and the resources wasted on this whole operation were turning into a burden for the Radiant Knights.

But their goal, the man known as Ricktor Malidi was worth the hassle if they succeeded in the end, and the only man who knew where Malidi was in front of her.

"I am not like others from the Order, they might lose you, they might get fooled by the machinations of the Bartender’s guild. But I am not like them, I can easily discern the truth from a lie, and I can easily track you down to ends reach without much effort on my end." This was the threat.

Either he comes back with her of his own will, or he can follow the path of a fool and cause some trouble.

In the past, the only reason the Knights have failed so much has got to do with this Old man’s water-based bloodline, as well as the constant distraction caused by the Bartender’s guild which has a huge presence in most seaports as well as island nations.

But on land, their existence was limited, and they wouldn’t be able to do much against the hounds of Radiant Order for long. Not to mention, this was Remira we were talking about, the greatest Tracker in the Radiant order, or so she was known among the lower rung of the Order, as for those in the higher post, her identity was a tad bit more sacred. So none dared to title her like that anymore.

"Then try to hunt for me, even if you succeed in capturing me, you will never receive a single answer in your life. So go away, let this old man rest for a bit." Heroth cursed at the girl, the woman who appeared beautiful and well-spoken on the surface, but the arrogance of being a Radiant Knight was still there.

"If that’s what you wish for... " This was a failure, the old man didn’t change his mind. Well, that was to be expected considering the target they were looking for was far from a simple person.

She even wondered if there was a heavy constraint imposed on this old man, it might be the reason why he was denying such a great offer from her. But whatever the case is. "As for your escape from the Church, I hope you succeed. As that will lower part of our competition." With those words, Remira intended to leave this place.

But then she heard a sigh. "He really said the truth, you all are the same." Before she left the scene.

*****

"Greedy bunch, they don’t know when to stop." Looking at the woman’s departing figure, a hint of annoyance appeared on his face before part of it twisted and spoke in an unkind tone. "Still being treated like shit... let it go, bounding us for long will do you no good." Before his face recovered, causing Heroth’s face to turn pale.

"This... it’s weak, I am weak." This small event was worrisome for him. "That annoying Knight, if I meet her again, I might just lose control... I can’t give her the reason." With this meeting, he finally came to a simple conclusion.

He can’t move out of this place, not at the moment at least.

"Well, I will trust you this time little girl, hope your men keep me safe." Heroth sighed, choosing to depend on the Bartender’s guild once again.

Running was not an option when wolves were waiting for him outside. So it’s better to stay here and deal with the issue directly instead of running away.

"Hah! Why did I even meet those bastards." Taking out the remaining liquor in his collection, Heroth downed a gulp before recalling the past.

This was a story that took place just a few years after his birth. The old captain of his ship died while fighting the pirates, while he became lost on the seas on a floating board of his boat.

Heroth doesn’t remember how long he kept floating in the water for long with nothing to eat or drink. It might be due to his overtly absurd bloodline, but he never felt hunger, instead his mind was too groggy to even think about hunger.

All that remained in his mind was the grief over his Captain’s death.

And in his Grief, Heroth didn’t know when he stumbled upon a small island not bigger than a kilometer in the area, built mostly out of the reefs growing over each other.

It was a death knell for countless ships, as can be seen from certain shipwrecks close by. And it might be that one of those shipwrecks had a survivor—an old man who wore a little wooden idol on his neck.

"Little one that hides an old one, who sent you to me?" He asked the man if Heroth would soon come to call his Master, Ricktor Malidi.

A thin bespectacled man who exuded a hint of magical aura. It was only due to Heroth being next to him that could he feel the magic from him, otherwise, the man would appear as a simple mortal from a distance.

"You are?"

"There are no lies in your ignorance, eyes as clear as water... you might be useful." To Malidi of the old, when he looked at the young Heroth, all he saw was a being brimming with potential, so he took him in, and in the makeshift house he had built on the nameless Reef the two started to live together, waiting for a ship.

Or so the foolish Heroth had thought till the week two of his arrival.

"Jump in?" In the middle of the reef, there was a dark blue hole that felt unnatural from the rest of the surrounding water. So initially, with all the legends of seas that Heroth had learned, he had maintained the distance from this odd water patch for a while.

But Malidi, the man that fed him and looked after him for the past two weeks, this puddle was just a treasure trove of knowledge. "Easy easy, this thing is easy for you." Malidi grabbed Heroth’s shoulder while pushing him around and pointing at the water patch. The blood of the Flood, isn’t that what flows in you? Worry not, worry is for the ignorant, kill your ignorance by jumping in."

The man spoke in an odd tongue sometimes, with Heroth barely making out what he meant due to how fast he was sometimes.

Heroth had even wondered if this man named Malidi was a madman. No, he was a madman driven by a certain goal, a goal to unravel all the secrets of this world.

As well as that of the beings, who claim themselves to be gods.

"You are young I guess, I would have loved to have your blood... hah," Malidi said, wondering for a bit, before taking off the little Idol from his neck and handing it to Heroth. "Take this down with you, he will protect."

"This? What is this?"

"This thing? I found it a few years ago. Claims himself to be a comedian, but all I see is a failure, couldn’t even go full way through turning into a Nightmare."

"But even if this thing is a failure, it still can save you in trouble times, just ask for help and he will do the rest."

"Can, can this really save me?"

"You can find it out yourself after exploring the deep," Malidi spoke, pointing toward the water puddle again. "Find anything shiny, bring that shiny to me." Those were the directives that Heroth was given, before being thrown in water that was freezing cold for some odd reason. "Cold, cold enough to forget... Wraith, keep his memory intact." It was the second order that was given, but Heroth was too focused on the cold to even react to this new information.

"Malidi oh Malidi, why do you have to keep causing trouble all the time... I would have killed you if I could."

That was the accursed day he met with Malidi and his pet who would be soon to be known as Jester. The monster that has caused chaos all over the Brihma continent.

"These foolish Knights, they don’t know the danger of Malidi." Only Heroth understood the truth about Malidi. A madman who couldn’t even form his words properly.

The only reason why Malidi had remained unknown for the most part of his life and easily ignored is due to his obsessive fascination with the forbidden, he is interested in nothing more than unraveling the truth.

But if that obsession of his were to shift in a different direction, a wrong one even, then the disaster that happens is too much for a person to handle.

This can be seen from his last meeting with Malidi, where a slight accident and disgust on Malidi’s end caused a whole Island nation to disappear.

A nation that was once the most prosperous among the 57 island alliance and was soon close to overtaking the leading position among the 57 islands.

But fell due to their arrogance irking Malidi the wrong way, causing him to awaken one of the old gods back into this world.

A god with no name and only going by "Emotion."