The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 199

The Betrayer of the Clan 2

When the famously wealthy Kingdom of Butuma was seized, the question of who would take control of its core businesses was of paramount interest. It was like counting the value of the pelts before the hunt was even successful, but these young messengers were overflowing with confidence.

“The sugar plantations and gold mines are the sources of Butuma’s wealth. Our Aman clan wants the sugar plantations.”

Midiam shook her head at Haldun’s words.

“Isn’t it too early to act like we’ve already won? There are guards here called the Golden King’s Crows. They’re probably our own clan members who will stand in our way.”

“Ah, those betrayers of the clan? They were just servants or fools who barely managed to get a seat at the messenger table anyway. They won’t be a match for us, the real messengers.”

“We’re not exactly real messengers either. We’re just rich kids who got lucky enough to fill the empty spots of those who left the clan to side with Ara’el.”

In the past, Midiam had been overconfident in her abilities. But now, she was almost excessively humble.

“Does that mean you’re including yourself, as an Etar?”

“That’s right. It’s true. My body hasn’t fully matured yet. Maybe later, but I’m lacking now.”

Haldun clicked his tongue as Midiam Etar readily admitted her shortcomings.

“Well? I think I’m as good as any adult messenger. Watch this.”

Haldun loaded a blue-tinged arrow onto his moon-carved bow.

The scene showed a Butuma military commander in ornate armor, attacking the Nagas from atop a war elephant with a massive crossbow.

The Nagas were helpless against the Butuma forces.

If they got close, the war elephants would trample them. If they stayed far away, arrows would fly from the massive crossbow, and even the Nagas would be torn apart by the spear-like bolts.

The Nagas tried firing small arrows from a distance, but they were useless against the bamboo armor on the elephants and the armor worn by the commander.

Even if they used curse magic, the protective charms placed by the blood mage would absorb the magic instead. The charms created by the blood mage absorbed the surrounding magic, neutralizing magical attacks.

Haldun fired an arrow at the Butuma military commander. The blue-tinged arrow flew in a trajectory, piercing the commander’s armor and embedding itself deeply.

The armor that had deflected all the Nagas’ arrows was easily pierced like paper by the arrow of a messenger clan member, especially one imbued with blue energy.

The commander, who had been expertly slaughtering the Nagas, screamed and fell, shocking the soldiers.

Everyone looked for the direction the arrow had come from, but it was impossible to tell. Haldun had made the arrow curve, changing its direction almost at a right angle. The soldiers just yelled, looking in the wrong places.

“Hahaha. Look at that.”

Haldun laughed gleefully and turned to Midiam.

“How about that? I can easily take down someone those Nagas can’t even touch.”

However, Midiam didn’t look pleased.

“Let’s move. Our goal is to draw out the Crows and disperse the king’s guards as much as possible. If we stay here too long, we’ll definitely run into the Crows.”

“I’m not afraid of the Golden King’s Crows. It’s better this way. I’ll lure them out and catch them here.”

“It’s best not to be so overconfident.”

Midiam felt ashamed looking at Haldun’s confident demeanor.

‘I guess this is how Azadin felt when he looked at me in the past.’

He must have looked so immature and pathetic.

“Let’s move. Our mission is to keep moving and create chaos. Catching the Crows is something we can do later.”

Ismail, who was assisting Midiam, stepped forward to speak, and Haldun glared at him.

“What? Do you know your place, servant? We’re talking here.”

“But the Crows will be approaching while we’re doing this.”

“That’s why! I’m saying I’m not afraid of the Crows!”

It was then that a figure suddenly appeared on the roof next to them.

“What? Why is it so noisy?”

Surprisingly, it was Azadin who had landed on the roof.

“Azadin?!”

Midiam was happy to see him. But Ismail coldly blocked Midiam’s path.

“Midiam and Ismail? I thought you went far away, but you’re in Butuma?”

“Have you received the orders?”

“What orders?”

“All messengers are to gather in Butuma, defeat the false king of Butuma, Manza-Zadek, and take the throne of Butuma.”

“…No. Why haven’t I heard of this? It doesn’t sound like a directive delivered through the Emperor’s voice.”

Azadin was an outcast among the messenger clan. If the orders weren’t delivered through the Emperor’s voice, he would have to receive them through the network of servants, the Korasar peddlers’ association, or the Butuma peddlers’ association….

Everyone in the clan was ostracizing Azadin, who had close ties with Ara’el. Even Aldis’s promotion of Azadin to Second Envoy couldn’t stop the clan’s rejection.

Rather, such a reckless promotion, a promotion that reeked of Aldis’s favoritism, only intensified the animosity of others.

“The Emperor’s voice opposed this operation. So, we delivered the orders through a separate network, but well, it’s good that you’ve heard the orders now, isn’t it?”

Ismail spoke nonchalantly, even though he knew the situation well.

“Ah, so you’re Azadin of Muan? Hmm, I heard rumors that you were a complete idiot, but you don’t seem to be stuttering.”

Haldun swaggered towards Azadin.

“I am Haldun of the Aman bloodline. Azadin. I’ll give you the honor of cooperating with me. Let’s hunt the Golden King’s Crows together. Then I’ll arrange a good position for you later.”

“What kind of good position?”

“Well, how about a small sugar cane farm in Butuma? I’ll take care of it for you.”

Haldun, still young and having just become a messenger to fill a vacancy, treated Azadin like his servant.

On the other hand, Midiam was fidgeting, as if sitting on pins and needles, and was watching Azadin’s reaction.

Judging by Azadin’s attitude, there was no way he didn’t know that the messenger clan had attacked Butuma. And considering his personality, he wouldn’t be happy about it.

He wouldn’t agree to the act of attacking a city and causing many casualties for their own benefit without any justification.

“If the Golden King is ousted, who will sit on the throne? Aldis took Korasar, and who will take Butuma?”

“Probably Lord Hatir, I think? Do you know? That he’s actually the legitimate heir born between the Emperor and Lady Harkonia? If he, the legitimate heir of the Yaegas royal family, takes the throne, the Emperor will return, and we will become the Emperor’s messengers again.”

Haldun puffed out his chest.

“Even a half-wit like you will regain the glorious position of the Emperor’s messenger.”

“Then the Lord must be here.”

Azadin was grateful that Haldun, who was ignoring him because he only trusted his family, was answering all his questions so readily.

On the other hand, Midiam, sensing Azadin’s feelings, slowly distanced herself.

“Azadin, what are you going to do?”

“The answer is clear. The Golden King, Manza-Zadek, has not committed enough tyranny to be ousted from the throne. Slaughtering people to overthrow him and take the throne is something the Emperor’s voice cannot accept. No….”

Azadin gave a bitter smile.

“I cannot accept it.”

“What?”

Only then did Haldun realize that Azadin was not going to participate in the operation, but rather had come to stop them. But still, he was just Azadin of Muan, wasn’t he?

“Ha… is this guy crazy? No, no, this is good. Give up your position as Second Envoy, Azadin.”

“Does that mean you’re challenging me to a duel?”

Azadin asked, and Haldun scoffed.

“A duel with a traitor of the clan? Hey!”

Haldun gestured to his servants, and they all simultaneously fired arrows at Azadin. However, Azadin swung his cloak, blocking the arrows’ paths, and then struck the cloak with a palm strike.

With a sound like a bursting drum, a shockwave scattered, and the arrows lost their power. Some of the arrows were even enchanted, but the magic lost its power and became ordinary arrows, which were then caught in the cloak that Azadin was swinging.

At the same time, Azadin leaped out, targeting Haldun first.

-Thwack!

Azadin flicked his middle finger, striking Haldun’s forehead. It was just a light flick, like children playing, but… the result was astonishing.

The skin on his forehead tore, and a large amount of blood gushed out, staining Haldun’s face with blood.

“Kuaaak!”

“Young Master!”

The servants rushed in with their swords, but Azadin swung his sword faster.

The azure steel sword danced, easily shattering the servants’ weapons.

“Kuk!”

“Damn it!”

And then, Grimslaw’s club flew towards them. The club flew on its own, striking the servants’ heads and chests, knocking them down.

But a hand suddenly grabbed the handle of Grimslaw’s club as it flew.

It was Ismail.

“Azadin. Are you going to betray the clan for the sake of the people of Hybris?”

“It was the council of elders who betrayed the clan in the first place. The curse of service wasn’t placed by the Emperor. It was placed by the council of elders.”

Azadin turned around, holding Haldun hostage to prevent the servants from acting rashly.

-Rumble!

Thunder roared in the rain and wind.

“What grounds do you have for such outrageous claims? That the curse of service wasn’t placed by the Emperor!”

“The Emperor’s voice admitted it directly. Harkonia assassinated the Emperor, and the curse of service was placed by the council of elders to control us.”

The rain intensified. Under the downpour, Ismail glared at Azadin, holding Grimslaw’s club with just one hand.

“What does that matter? Our clan’s long-cherished wish is about to be fulfilled. Once we take the throne, no one will dare look down on us.”

“It’s just an ambition to trample on innocent people.”

“They are not innocent! They have always ignored and insulted us! They are not our people!”

“But Harkonia even killed the Emperor she loved to save them. And it’s not just her. We, the Emperor’s messengers, risked our lives for the people of Hybris. But if we don’t care about their lives now, that’s what you would call corruption.”

“So what? What’s wrong with seeking power? Why shouldn’t we have it?”

Ismail was furious. But was that anger directed at Azadin?

Azadin spoke to Ismail, who couldn’t control his emotions.

“First of all, of course, it’s wrong to kill and cause suffering to innocent people. Secondly… even if the clan controls everything, there can’t be servants or persecuted people within it. Ismail, do you think you can have that power?”

“……”

“Thirdly, the Age of Jupiter is approaching. The King’s Church is losing its power, and in this time of tribulation, if we protect the people, they will no longer be able to reject us.”

“That’s….”

“This is the right way. We are strong enough to earn the respect of the people of Hybris! That’s why the council of elders bound us with the curse of service! Because they can’t achieve what they want if we earn respect fairly with our own strength!”

“……”

“What the council of elders wants is this! Invasion! They’ve been restraining us all this time because they wanted to do this. Don’t justify this atrocity with hatred for the people of Hybris!”

“Damn it.”

Ismail regretted listening to Azadin’s words. He should have just fought, but after listening, he had no counterarguments. He himself was feeling skeptical about what the clan was doing.

“You still have a way with words, Azadin. I hate you with a passion.”

“Is that so? I kind of like you.”

“……”

Ismail silently released the hand that was holding the club.