The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 388

King Karnago IV of Arangi had enjoyed a life of uninterrupted good fortune. Everything seemed to unfold as he wished, as if guided by a favorable wind.

He hadn’t achieved his long-cherished goal of seizing the Banlung Kingdom, but he had profited handsomely by imposing tariffs on the food exports of the Relief Knights heading there.

However, for Karnago IV, who had lived a life of luxury, enjoying beautiful women and achieving everything he desired, a real headache had emerged for the first time.

“No, Gisleng is dead? Well, let’s say it’s because the opponent was a member of the Messenger Clan. He could die from a stray arrow. But why are you all here reporting to me without doing anything?”

“That is…”

The Arangian Guard member assigned to Prince Gisleng was at a loss.

They were the escort force the king assigned to the princes, and also the king’s eyes to monitor them.

Even if a prince died, they were supposed to appoint a commander from the Arangian Guard to manage the situation, rather than losing all command and being completely defeated.

However, the expressions of the Arangian Guards were strange.

“Your Majesty, Count Azadin used magic that seemed like the King’s Healing.”

“What?! What are you talking about?”

“He healed the hand of a person with frostbite in an instant.”

“There are those who speak such blasphemous words among the crowd…”

The Arangian Guards couldn’t bring themselves to mention the word ‘miracle’.

In front of King Karnago IV of Arangi, who hated the Messenger Clan, it was a sin to even suggest that a member of the Messenger Clan, a soulless blasphemer, had dared to use the sacred magic of the Yaegas gods.

However, the soldiers who had directly witnessed Count Azadin performing a miracle had completely lost their composure.

The New Testament Declaration [a religious text] was secretly circulating among those who could read among the soldiers.

“I didn’t even consider listening to it because I thought it was nonsense, but now I can’t ignore it anymore.”

King Karnago IV of Arangi looked around and held out his hand.

“Bring me that blasphemous book of Count Azadin.”

“Yes?”

“But…”

Everyone was just looking at each other. No one would admit to possessing a heretical book that would be a blasphemy just by having it.

Karnago IV was not a fool, and he knew well why they were hesitating.

“I will not hold you accountable. Bring it to me quickly!”

Then, an Arangian Guard quickly took it out from his chest.

“Your Majesty, this is only something I brought to report to the higher-ups. I have not dared to even open this blasphemous book. In fact, I am illiterate!”

“What nonsense are you spouting, saying you’re illiterate?”

Karnago IV ignored the trembling Arangian Guard and opened the book.

Karnago IV, who had carefully examined the book made by folding a piece of paper and oiling it, was startled.

“This guy, did he perhaps destroy the throne?”

“Yes?”

“No, he’s subtly repeating not to be obsessed with the material throne? Well, that can’t be, right?”

Karnago IV was a scoundrel who would steal the woman his son was interested in, but he was not a fool.

He quickly grasped the content of Azadin’s New Testament Declaration and the meaning it implied, and he even understood the hidden context within it.

However, destroying the eight thrones of Yaegas….

It was unimaginable.

“If that’s possible, this guy is either a real demon or… anyway, a big shot. He’s not a madman spouting blasphemous lies in the marketplace. The problem is that he called for war…”

In the feudal contract system of the Hybris Continent, the limit for a lord to mobilize vassals for war without compensation is 90 days during the off-season.

To mobilize them for longer, it costs money.

Therefore, the most efficient way to reduce war expenses was to send an advance team to create an outpost, resupply the troops as quickly as possible, and shorten the battle time.

That’s why King Karnago IV of Arangi had sent his elite troops as an advance team to create an outpost.

He never imagined that those elite troops would be crushed by mere rabble.

‘No, actually, they only killed the commander, Gisleng. And the miracle he showed, that’s what lowered the morale of the soldiers. I thought I could handle it within 90 days because there were no walls, but this has become troublesome.’

If an outpost is not built, the troops must be gathered in the rear to resupply and slowly advance to face the enemy.

That alone would take at least three weeks, and the lord’s troops coming from a distant place would take a month.

“But it might be a good thing after all. The King’s Church won’t ignore this, so they will surely make a move. Until then, I’ll have them build an outpost in the rear, even if it takes a while.”

The King of Arangi is pushing back the outpost because of one Messenger Clan member who has just risen to prominence.

It was not an easy decision, but Karnago IV pursued practicality over appearances.

“Have the wavering soldiers return to the rear and escort the supply unit. If they believe that Count Azadin performs miracles, they wouldn’t want to fight Count Azadin no matter what orders I give.”

It was the King of Arangi who first recognized Azadin and granted him the title of Count. Apart from his hatred for the Messenger Clan, he acknowledged his abilities.

It was a disgusting thought, but if Azadin really used healing magic that looked like the King’s Healing. If he had even faked it to look that way, the soldiers would not want to turn their spears against Azadin, who might be the true king, by the order of Karnago IV.

‘Indeed, a cool-headed judgment.’

‘He has the insight of someone who is not a complete idiot, unlike the bastard who stole his own son’s woman and then dumped her. He’s low, but not stupid.’

The Arangian Guards were newly impressed by the king’s judgment and insight and withdrew from the king’s presence.

*********

Sir Zekt, an Inquisitor of the King’s Church, along with another Inquisitor, Sir Iron Mask, led an escort force and boarded a ship heading to Coxhall.

However, they had to stop in the Visen region on their way to Coxhall.

“The Relief Knights stationed in Coxhall are said to be closely associated with Count Azadin, disregarding the central authority’s intentions.”

The clergy and Relief Knights of the Visen region greeted Sir Zekt and Sir Iron Mask with great reverence.

Their reverence was especially directed towards Sir Iron Mask, and they seemed overwhelmed just by having met him once.

Seeing all their attention and reverence focused on Sir Iron Mask, Sir Zekt was dumbfounded.

‘I don’t like this. How can they value this drunken fool, who has been entrusted with important duties by the church and has taken on all sorts of missions, more than me? This guy hasn’t even resolved half of the problems caused by leaking the New King’s Scripture, and just because he was a king once… Ah, to welcome someone who became king without qualification and only spread discord in the world so much.’

Zekt was feeling inferior and jealous of Sir Iron Mask.

Because Sir Iron Mask was the very person who had committed the grave sin of giving the New King’s Scripture to the Messenger Clan, the former King Astadeer of Tarasar.

A great sinner who had fallen into the Messenger Clan’s scheme and leaked the New King’s Scripture.

Unable to bear the shame, he had even abandoned his throne and voluntarily donned the iron mask of a prisoner. He had joined the King’s Church and become an Inquisitor.

However, rather than performing his duties as an Inquisitor, he spent his days drinking, but when it came to matters involving the Messenger Clan, he would rush in with his eyes blazing and always draw blood.

Despite that, Sir Iron Mask was still respected by the common people and nobles, and they treated him with even more reverence than high-ranking royals like Sir Zekt.

“Why are the knights of the Relief Knights also following him? Wasn’t the Relief Knights supposed to be allies with the King’s Church in protecting this world? They are neglecting him while he is spreading heretical teachings about the King’s Church. Is that the will of the entire Relief Knights?”

Sir Zekt questioned the clergyman of the Relief Knights with anger.

“The immature and young members of the Celestial Fire Knights are following him. In fact, the accident that happened in the Banlung Kingdom is officially said to have been resolved by us…”

“You mean he resolved it?”

“Yes. His achievements are so great that they are said to be captivated by him.”

In fact, the Relief Knights were known as grain merchants until Count Azadin rose to prominence, and there were no knights who could enhance the honor of the Knights.

The upper echelons of the Knights had launched the Celestial Fire Knights as part of a plan to gather public support.

However, the Celestial Fire Knights, which had been ambitiously prepared, had their light faded by Azadin’s achievements, and even the Celestial Fire Knights were captivated by Azadin.

“But he is…”

Zekt was conscious of the gazes and ears around him.

Surprisingly, the clergyman from the Relief Knights nodded.

“Yes. The throne of Banlung was broken. I was surprised that it was cracked.”

“…”

It seemed that they had already investigated the Banlung Kingdom and knew the truth.

Zekt, who had been hesitant to reveal the fact that the New King’s throne had been broken, was surprised when the other party spoke first and his eyes lit up.

“Even though the throne was broken, people still follow him? It goes without saying that he is a soulless blasphemer who spreads misfortune and disaster, right?”

“That’s why Count Azadin is publishing this book.”

The clergyman of Visen handed over the New Testament Declaration. It was a book that the Inquisitors Zekt and Astadeer had already obtained long ago and read to tatters.

“He kept saying that it doesn’t matter if the throne is broken.”

Astadeer muttered.

“Yes. But why isn’t the King’s Church announcing it? Since they are not revealing the fact that Count Azadin broke the throne, many people are following him. There are even those who claim that he used the King’s Healing.”

“The King’s Healing?”

Zekt pretended to be surprised, but he wasn’t actually very surprised.

‘That guy does have the white magic that you stupid Relief Knights lost a long time ago. That’s why it’s a headache.’

If Azadin performed a healing miracle, those who had not experienced a healing miracle would all think it was the King’s Healing.

That would be proof that Azadin was the rightful king. Even if the throne was broken, if he showed the King’s Healing, saying that saving the people was the proof of a king, regardless of the throne, the people would have no choice but to follow him.

“The New King’s Scripture…”

At that moment, a heat rose from Astadeer’s body along with the smell of alcohol.

A heat and smell of alcohol, as if alcohol had been poured into a blacksmith’s furnace, quickly engulfed the surroundings.

“It must be because of the New King’s Scripture. There’s no way such a guy could use the King’s Healing! Ugh.”

Astadeer, who had been furious, started to gag, then turned his head and began to vomit.

It was a natural result since he had drunk a large amount of alcohol before coming here.