The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 76

It was quite a feat to hit an arrow’s nock with another arrow, yet he couldn’t even lift a water bowl right next to him.

Azadin realized his condition was terrible and chuckled. In this state, he couldn’t even catch a chick.

Just then, the door opened.

“Are you awake, benefactor!?”

It was a young child in a maid’s uniform. The child Azadin had rescued from the bakery owner.

The child was overjoyed to see Azadin awake and ran out into the hallway, shouting. Soon, a group of orphans came rushing in.

“You’re awake!”

“Are you feeling okay, benefactor?”

“I’ve brought you some food.”

The children were genuinely happy that Azadin had woken up.

Unlike their dirty and sickly appearance when they were under the bakery owner, the children now had recovered their health, and their clothes and bodies were clean. It was clear that living as servants of Baroness Nort was a much better environment.

“Alright, alright, calm down, everyone.”

Azadin stopped the children who were trying to talk to him.

“How long have I been asleep?”

“You’ve been sleeping for a whole day.”

“Ah, that’s why I’m so hungry. Ah, I see. Ugh.”

Azadin tried to get up, but he couldn’t.

“Are you okay?”

“Ah, yes, I’m fine. Do you have something like a cane?”

“A cane?”

“I’ll go get one!”

The children rushed out like a receding tide and then came back like a rising tide, each carrying a cane.

Azadin chose one, grabbed it, and struggled to get up. First, he drank some water and went to the bathroom. Even then, the children kept following him around.

“Hahaha. Azadin, you’re awake?”

Midiam and Ishmael, who were tending to their bows and leather armor, spoke to Azadin as they watched him being followed by the children.

“You guys are safe too.”

“It’s all thanks to you, Azadin.”

“But I wish you could do something about these kids.”

“Let’s call the head maid.”

As Midiam said that, the children flinched and scattered like mice in a warehouse when the lights are suddenly turned on.

“The head maid must be scary.”

Azadin chuckled at the sight.

“Have you eaten?”

“I should. I’m still sleepy. By the way, what happened after that?”

“There’s a rumor going around that the Count turned into a monster.”

“What about the Count’s castle?”

“Because of the monsters that poured out after the Count’s death, the church has taken control of it. Baroness Nort told me that there’s a power struggle going on between the church and the Count’s wife.”

“Hmm. What about the Naga who ran away with the copy of the Divine Scripture? Did you chase after him?”

“We tried to chase him, but we couldn’t find him. He hid among the refugees, and we can’t use this wand in crowded places. It’s obviously made of bone, and if we use it, we’ll be treated as cultists.”

“Really? Then what was the result of using the wand again?”

“That is…”

Midiam hesitated, and Ishmael stepped forward.

“It moved away and then changed direction after a while. It seems that the Naga mage used a method to hide the copy of the Divine Scripture from pursuit.”

Azadin had ordered Midiam and Ishmael to chase the Naga who took the copy of the Divine Scripture, but they had arbitrarily abandoned their mission and returned. If Azadin had told them to chase him until he died, this would have been an act of misconduct as a subordinate, and they would have deserved punishment.

Midiam made the decision on his own, but was it okay?

“Good job. It’s better than you guys being in danger. If you had continued to chase him, you would have been in danger. The Naga Shura forces are very powerful. The Count was also planning to receive additional support from the Nagas.”

Azadin said that and fell into thought.

“If the Count’s wife and the church are struggling, this place must have become dangerous. I need to leave this place. But before that, I need to get paid, right?”

Azadin had agreed to receive 50 gold coins from the Count’s wife for killing the Count. Well, even if the Count’s wife hadn’t asked, he would have needed to infiltrate the Count’s house to find the copy of the Divine Scripture.

“I did the work, so I should get paid.”

Azadin said that and sat down in front of the meal the children had prepared.

********

However, Azadin ate, washed up, and then collapsed and slept again. When he woke up again, it was the next day.

“Wow, I was knocked out like a sick person for two days? Really? No, come to think of it, I am sick right now.”

Azadin tried to get up from the bed, but…

“Huh?”

He was in more pain today than yesterday.

“Ugh… Ouch.”

Shortly after, Midiam, who opened the door and entered, found Azadin groaning on the bed and laughed.

“Rest. Do you know what condition your body is in right now? You’re covered in bruises.”

“R-really? Did you take a look?”

“If you went to Kozel or the Count’s wife’s house in that state, you’d be killed even by the dogs they keep, let alone the soldiers.”

“I guess so.”

“Let’s move after you’ve rested enough and recovered. Should I give you a massage?”

When Midiam asked that, Azadin shook his head.

“No. Don’t.”

“Why? You need it for a quick recovery. You don’t have a right to refuse.”

Midiam forcefully started to massage Azadin’s body.

“Agh!”

Azadin screamed, but he couldn’t even push Midiam away.

*********

In the end, it took four days for Azadin to be able to function like a normal person. For four days, he had been lying down, eating, washing, and sleeping.

Even after resting like that, he was still suffering from muscle pain and bruises, but considering he had fought the Count, this was a very good outcome. He had destroyed a bell tower and fought a house-sized Naga, so he should be grateful just to be alive.

“Hmm.”

Azadin was tending to his Crescent Moon Bow and strapped it to his waist.

“I’ve wasted too much time.”

“It’s dangerous to walk around in that condition.”

“I know.”

He could regret wasting time, but it would have been more dangerous to push himself in that condition. It was necessary time. He had to give up some things.

“Then, shall we go see Kozel and the Count’s wife?”

“Are you really going to get the money?”

“Money is one thing, but I’m also curious about the situation.”

“Why do you insist on getting the money? Isn’t what’s important for you right now to meet the elders or the chieftains to revoke your dismissal?”

“Or to collect more copies of the Divine Scripture.”

Ishmael couldn’t let go of his attachment to the copy of the Divine Scripture.

“I hate my sister, but I don’t deny that she’s capable. With her current abilities and influence, the Messenger Clan is probably in a state of internal strife. And quite a big one at that.”

“Huh?”

“The elders and chieftains are probably on the run. If they had stayed in the sanctuary, they would have been killed by Araelle.”

“That…”

Ishmael was shocked by Azadin’s words.

In the Messenger Clan’s hierarchy, the elders and chieftains of the Council of Elders were beings far above the clouds. Of course, those who were of low status and dissatisfied with the class system disliked the existence of such elders and chieftains.

Nevertheless, when they saw their knowledge of magic and overwhelming power, it was not easy to dare to defy them.

“So, there’s no guarantee that our report will work properly if we report through the clan’s usual chain of command. The reason why Aldis went out of her way to persuade me is not only because she’s my guardian, but also because there’s no one else who can act as a chieftain independently.”

The Messenger Clan’s command structure must have collapsed due to Araelle’s rebellion. If that’s the case, there’s no point in rushing things from below right now.

“And there’s a high chance that we won’t be able to receive support from the guilds in the future. There’s a good chance that there will be traitors among the members of the guilds, like Derek. Derek was a member of the Saban family who was even sponsored by the Saban family, and yet he betrayed them. So, we need to secure funds for future activities, right?”

Azadin chose a weapon from the saddlebag on his mountain goat. He sheathed two swords that were not in very good condition and left Baroness Nort’s mansion, heading towards the Blue Rose Manor.

*********

There were more Holy Knights of the King’s Church, their subordinates, and church soldiers on the streets. The atmosphere was chaotic. The friction between the regular soldiers and the church people could be felt just by walking around the streets.

“I need to be careful.”

Azadin was cautious as he arrived at the Blue Rose Manor and asked the staff there to call for Seodong Beldon.

“…Mr. Beldon, you say? Um, I understand. Would you like to wait inside?”

“Yes.”

After saying that, Azadin made sure the staff member was moving and immediately left the Blue Rose Manor. If Beldon were to report Azadin’s group to the Holy Knights, it would be easy to get surrounded in a building like this.

“Then, shall we wait in the alley? Oh, my body aches.”

“Shouldn’t you be resting more?”

“I want to, but it seems like there’s no time, and there’s a lot to do.”

“I guess it’s not good to just lie down when you’re not in good health. Maybe it’s better to move around a bit for the baby in your belly?”

Midiam nodded in agreement with himself.

“Hey, that’s really terrible, okay? That kind of thing only happens when you die from the curse of service. Are you wishing for my death right now?”

Azadin was disgusted by Midiam’s joke. Even if it was a joke, it wasn’t funny at all.

After a while, Beldon was seen walking towards the Blue Rose Manor. Fortunately, he was coming to the meeting place alone without stabbing anyone.

“Are you well?”

Azadin jumped out of the alley and quickly stood next to Beldon.

“Y-you’re alive.”

“Did you expect me to be dead?”

“Ah, no, it’s just that…”

“Just what?”

“Is it true that you… did that to the Count?”

“Surely you didn’t think it was a natural death after such a big incident?”

“No, it’s just…”

Beldon, of course, knew what had happened to the Count’s castle.

Considering the completely devastated appearance, the traces of fierce battles with countless monsters, and the rumor that the Count had become a monster and was crushed under the bell tower, it was believed that at least a group of dozens of armed men had killed him.

But this man did it alone?

“Well, if you don’t want to believe it, it doesn’t matter, but can you recognize this?”

“…….”

Beldon was speechless when he saw the ring Azadin showed him. It was the Count’s signet ring.

“It would have been nice to have a sword or other jewelry, but I only got this because I met the Count when he was naked.”

“Good heavens. What are you? According to the rumors, the Messenger Clan killed the Count, but could it be?”

“If it was the Messenger Clan, they would have demanded the Emperor’s gold. If you happen to have the Emperor’s gold, you can give it to me. It’s much more expensive than gold.”

Azadin acted nonchalantly.