The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 314

Although it wasn’t intentional, I’m deeply troubled that my mistake caused such extensive damage.

And I need to recover the Wendigo’s dagger, but it ended up in Triodana’s hands.

‘There’s no way he’d just give it to me if I asked. And if I claim to be the original owner, it’s like confessing that I used magic to locate the weapon, which might make me responsible for destroying this city, right?’

Even though it was unintentional, with this much property damage and so many casualties, I wouldn’t have a leg to stand on even if they decided to hang me.

While Azadin was silently observing, applause erupted.

People were clapping and cheering.

Many were awestruck by Triodana’s appearance, with his angel wings spread wide as he subdued the great evil in an instant.

“Oh! Th-the angel!”

“The great angel has saved us!”

“Long live the Rescue Knights! Long live the Archangel of the Trinity!”

People were going wild, praising the superhuman being who had saved them.

Azadin felt a pang in his heart watching this.

‘He’s the one who was reborn while destroying the angel statue. People who don’t know the truth can’t help but worship this performance. Huh?’

Azadin unconsciously reached out a finger.

Something pure white fell from the sky and touched Azadin’s fingertip. It quickly melted into a drop of water and seeped into Azadin’s glove.

“………”

It was snowing.

*********

It was impossible for it to snow in Saint Malory.

Of course, it was also impossible for the sea to freeze.

Was it because the temperature suddenly dropped? Snowflakes were falling gently from the sky.

Triodana, having recovered the Wendigo’s dagger, realized that this dagger was no ordinary object but a relic of a Netherworld reaper. He swung the Wendigo’s dagger in the air, took hold of it, and walked towards Azadin.

“Sir Azadin. I clearly told you to stop, didn’t I? Surely you heard me? Of course, I understand you ran because of the situation, but why didn’t you stop for a moment to talk to me? And how did you know about the anomaly from that distance?”

“It’s hard to explain; it’s a unique sense of the Herald Clan. So, is it okay for me to go now?”

Azadin made that excuse to Triodana, who was questioning him.

“No. I can’t just let someone who has done such a great deed go. The Wisdom Order is considering extending a special invitation to you. We’ll provide you with a proper room in the chapter, not some cheap inn, so please rest there with your companions and answer our simple survey. Rest assured, we won’t do anything impolite. Rather, we intend to commend you for your actions. To defeat such monsters so easily, you must be from the Herald Clan. With that level of skill, you should be able to easily deal with the monsters in the underground passage, right?”

“Hmm, I don’t know if you’re suspecting me or praising me. Let me just say one thing?”

“…Sir Azadin. I’m speaking for your own good right now. Actually, I was half-doubtful until I saw you, but now I’m certain that you are the culprit.”

“Is that something I should be angry about?”

“Please don’t misunderstand. I’m not angry at you even if you are the one who infiltrated the underground passage and stole valuable items from the Wisdom Order. Rather, I’m admiring you as a heroic figure full of spirit.”

Of course, I couldn’t admit that it was me.

Even if Triodana was impressed by Azadin, infiltrating the Wisdom Order and stealing items was a serious crime. I couldn’t reveal to the world that I was grinding the angel statue to extract angel’s blood, so they would try to eliminate me without a proper trial.

“Don’t treat me like a fool and accept the invitation. I don’t want to harm someone like you, Sir Azadin. There will be opportunities for us to cooperate. Definitely!”

Triodana glared at Azadin, subtly threatening him.

Azadin also faced Triodana while holding the Executioner of Azure [a powerful sword].

The snow that had begun to fall from the sky fell between Azadin and Triodana, then scattered by the hot wind that blew.

“I wouldn’t call this cooperation.”

But then, a bird flew between Azadin and Triodana.

“Hmm?”

“This is…”

It was a carrier pigeon.

A magically enchanted carrier pigeon, it was flying in from the sea.

At first, there was one, but then several more passed between Azadin and Triodana, heading towards the carrier pigeon tower.

The regular liners and trading ships operated by large merchant guilds always carried magically enchanted carrier pigeons, and those pigeons had all flown in and finally arrived at Saint Malory.

Something must have happened to the ships.

And….

“Alright, everyone stop!”

A dwarf wearing the cloak of the Rescue Knights blocked the path between Azadin and Triodana. His hair was pure white, but his beard was as red as blood. He was clearly from the Tercio Regiment, famous for their tactics of using spears and muskets together, armed with a single spear and a musket.

Triodana recognized him and clicked his tongue.

“Sir Gares?”

It was Sir Gares of the Knights of Courage, one of the three sects of the Rescue Knights.

Not only that, but his Tercio brigade was also arriving.

“Sir Triodana. And Sir Azadin, I believe. I don’t know what’s going on, but you two are heroes who protected the docks. And this dock is under the jurisdiction of our Knights of Courage. I’d like to hear a report on what happened?”

“…I will return to the Wisdom Knights then.”

Unlike Azadin, Triodana, who was clearly affiliated with the Wisdom Knights, had the right to refuse the investigation request of the Knights of Courage.

On the other hand, Azadin did not have such authority.

“That’s how it is. Then, Sir Azadin. Will you accept my invitation? Your friends are here too, you know.”

Sir Gares winked at Azadin and asked. Did that mean they had secured Azadin’s companions, Scott and Jibek? It could be a bluff, but Azadin could tell that this dwarf was definitely not bluffing.

*********

When Azadin was led out by Sir Gares, the Knights of Courage had already secured Jibek and Scott.

Jibek and Scott were sitting in a sturdy carriage, and outside, the Tercio Regiment’s forces, armed with spears and muskets, were on standby.

“What is this?”

“The Wisdom Order and the Mercy Order think we’re idiots, but we’re not fools either, Sir Azadin.”

Gares said that and took out a small scroll.

It was the scroll of reincarnation that Azadin had secured.

It seemed they had searched through Azadin’s luggage and found the scroll of reincarnation.

“….”

“Fighting the Tercios is foolish, Captain.”

Jibek was silent, and Scott made an excuse.

The Tercios, who used musket volleys and polearms, boasted firepower that was incomparable to other troop types once they started gathering as a group.

Even the greatest swordsman or a powerful archmage should not create such a situation in the first place, but these Knights of Courage had quickly dispatched Tercio troops to surround the inn where Azadin’s group was staying and secured Jibek and Scott.

“Rest assured. Well, I guess you can’t rest assured even if I say that? I can only ask you to trust us. We don’t intend to harm you. Rather, we are seeking your cooperation.”

In the meantime, the snow had now melted and turned into rain.

Azadin looked out the window of the carriage.

It was raining, and the waves were crashing, making the sea rough. The melted and broken ice chunks collided with each other, and a terrible roar echoed from the sea.

“Well, I’ll hear what you have to say. Sir Gares. What do you want to say?”

“Join the Order of Courage, Sir Azadin. Then we will protect you.”

“Protect me?”

“We will say that you legitimately searched the underground passage under our orders. The Wisdom Order won’t be able to oppress you. In addition, we will be able to legitimately reveal the Northern Empire’s conspiracy to the world and question them.”

“Hmm. Amazing. How did you know?”

Azadin was impressed by the Knights of Courage’s proposal and asked.

Until now, the Knights of Courage seemed to be staying still without much activity, but they had arrested Azadin’s group with a bold decisiveness that even the Mercy Order and the Wisdom Order would be amazed by.

Moreover, they were not only accepting Azadin into their organization but also offering to protect him. It was a decision that was too bold.

How could such a radical decision-making be possible? And how did they get the information? I was curious about the circumstances.

“We heard it from Sir Jekt.”

Azadin clicked his tongue at that.

“Were you allied with the King’s Church?”

“To be precise, it’s the Shadow Knights of the King’s Church.”

“……”

For a moment, Azadin almost blurted out a curse, asking if they were crazy.

The Shadow Knights of the King’s Church were a secret organization raised by the inquisitors of the King’s Church, an organization that dug into the weaknesses of the Rescue Knights or did other dirty work that could not be made public.

For the Knights of Courage to join hands with such a place?

Even if the assassin Mercy Order joined hands, it would be considered dirty, but the Knights of Courage, a group of orthodox soldiers?

“As you know, Sir Azadin, the most bastards of the Yegas royal family are in the Order of Courage.”

Sir Gares briefly explained why the Knights of Courage had joined hands with the Shadow Knights.

The majority of the members of the King’s Church and the Rescue Knights were the children of noble families who had been sent away to sort out their inheritance rights.

The church taught them that they had now become paladins or priests, so they should abandon their worldly desires and dedicate themselves to the greater cause, but everyone knew that this teaching was nothing more than a deception.

Why should some inherit the family and live as they please, while others are forced to abandon their worldly desires?

Those who were forced to become priests or paladins were criticized for even simple acts such as accumulating wealth, falling in love, and having children.

Of course, most of them endured such criticism and pursued their desires, but it was still an act that was socially condemned.

Why is it that what is allowed even for farmers is something they have to do in secret? Because the church has great power? That’s certainly part of it, but even so, the reason they are criticized is because this aristocratic society needs a scapegoat to maintain the inheritance system. They had to be stuck in the church without dividing the inheritance rights of the nobles or the territories of the feudal lords, and they had to live a life as an unwanted priest, even being denied the pursuit of their desires.

The King’s Church and the Rescue Knights shared such resentment.

Just as the Wisdom Order was connected to the Northern Empire, the Knights of Courage were connected to Jekt, and that bond was not formed in just a day or two.

“Amazing. Honestly, I’m impressed.”

Is it like a capable bird hides its claws? It was known that the Knights of Courage were the most behind in such conspiracies and political machinations, but in fact, the Knights of Courage were connected to Jekt, the inquisitor of the King’s Church, and had been lying low without ever showing it until now.