The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 411

“First of all, congratulations, Your Majesty. I apologize, but I’m not here to interrupt your conversation. There’s a serious matter that requires immediate attention.”

Seeing the grave expression on Heine’s face, Azadin immediately summoned those who were waiting outside.

Only after everyone had gathered did she recount the tragic situation she had experienced.

*********

The sanctuary of the Rescue Knights, where the statues of the Three Archangels were located, was in the deepest part of Saint Mallory, even deeper than the sewers where the corrupt angels roamed.

It was here that the Three Archangels had exhausted their power and turned into statues. Thanks to their sacrifice, the Netherstrom formed near the Hybris Peninsula, stabilizing the Hybris Continent.

In the very center of that sacred place, corpses were scattered.

“Are they out of their minds….”

A nun from the Mercy Order trembled at the horrific scene before her.

The bodies of high-ranking clergy members of the Order were strewn about, and iron stakes with gruesome curses were driven into the statues of the Three Archangels.

Dark red blood dripped down the stakes, flowing to the feet of the statues.

And beneath the rain of blood sat Sir Triodana, his wings stained with blood.

Sensing the presence of others, Sir Triodana opened his eyes, which were weeping blood.

The nun involuntarily stepped back at the eerie sight.

“Ah, Sister. Why are you here? The Mercy Order is indeed an obstacle that undermines internal unity. Always watching over their brothers.”

“How can you say that after defiling the statues of the Three Archangels? What on earth are you thinking?”

“I had a revelation.”

“A revelation?”

“Yes, a revelation that the era of false gods is ending, and the era of true gods is coming. Before that, I heard the voice of a great will, telling me to destroy the prophets of the false gods. Unlike these lower gods who died and turned to stone, these are the great, omnipotent true gods who even transcend the gods of Yegas.”

Triodana said this and rose to his feet.

“You’re insane. You’ve become completely consumed by the Nether! Is that the will of the Northern Empire?”

“The will of the Northern Empire? Huhu. Of course not. This is entirely….”

But then, a long blade pierced through Triodana’s chest.

A broadsword had pierced through Triodana’s chest, the blade protruding out the other side.

The nun, Anshik Indozer [a high-ranking knight] Heine, who had somehow gotten behind Triodana, had pierced his back and penetrated his chest.

“Gack?!”

“Hmph!”

Heine, with Triodana impaled on her sword, used her strength to throw him aside.

It was a fatal attack that pierced his heart from behind and severed the aorta connecting the heart and lungs.

“Sir Heine!”

“Lady Drusilla, are you alright?”

“I’m fine. But my sisters….”

Many of the nuns dispatched by the Mercy Order to monitor the power struggle between the Courage Order and the Wisdom Order had lost contact.

In particular, most of the nuns sent to monitor Sir Triodana had gone missing, so the Mercy Order had recognized the seriousness of the situation and dispatched their elite Anshik Indozers.

But who would have expected to witness such a scene?

“To even lay hands on the statues of the Three Archangels. This heresy has gone too far. I must return and report to the head of the Mercy Order.”

But then, Drusilla cried out in surprise.

“Sir Heine! Danger!”

Drusilla threw herself forward in a hurry. A crimson blood sword pierced through Drusilla’s chest.

“Ah?!”

“Hmm…….”

Triodana, who had clearly been pierced through the chest by Heine’s sword, had come back to life and attacked Heine.

“Ugh… Ah, aah! Th-this is….”

The crimson blood sword twisted, becoming veins and flesh, wrapping around Drusilla’s body. But instead of pain, a gasp of pleasure escaped Drusilla’s lips.

“Embrace the gospel. May your joy be full….”

Triodana said this and smiled.

His blood-stained wings unfurled, and droplets of blood formed on each vein and feather.

As Triodana injected the blood into the blood sword, blood surged into Drusilla’s body, transforming her.

“Kuh!”

Heine bit her lip and formed a hand seal.

The Mercy Order’s assassination techniques were overwhelmingly powerful once activated.

Heine’s figure vanished in an instant and reappeared behind Triodana.

Triodana spread his wings, but Heine had already pierced his collarbone, penetrating his lungs.

*********

“I’m sorry for interrupting, but….”

Sir Karna asked.

“You stabbed Triodana that easily?”

“Yeah. I’m curious too.”

Indim, who was listening, agreed.

“Aren’t you exaggerating your heroic tale too much?”

Heine was flustered by the two people who were picking a fight with her in such an unexpected way.

“Ah, no. I can’t explain it in detail, but the Mercy Order has a secret technique that temporarily enhances one’s abilities.”

The Mercy Order had a unique secret technique called the Silent Art.

Nuns who had mastered the Silent Art could transfer the power of their training to those who listened to their whispers, in exchange for not speaking for ten years.

Using the power of a Silent Nun had the effect of completely escaping the perception of the opponent for a fleeting moment.

It was because of this Silent Art that the Mercy Order was able to assassinate countless powerful individuals.

However, it required ten years of silent training.

It was an ability that could not be used except in special cases like the Mercy Order.

Heine had used two Silent Arts when facing Triodana, succeeding in killing him twice.

“Hmm. I’m not convinced.”

“If you have such an ability, why were you being chased by pursuers?”

Karna and Indim remained unconvinced. It was frustrating for Sir Heine, but she couldn’t reveal the existence of the ‘Silent Art’ to outsiders, as it was closely related to the Mercy Order’s assassination techniques.

If the existence of the Silent Art became known, other organizations would take measures to prepare for it.

In the end, she had no choice but to look to Azadin for help.

“Master Kazas always said that the Anshik Indozers of the Mercy Order are dangerous, so it must be true. Alright, alright, stop the useless talk and continue the story.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Sir Heine breathed a sigh of relief and continued her story.

*********

Sir Heine was not a fool.

Her first strike was a blow that pierced the heart from behind, and there was no way that Triodana, who had survived that, wouldn’t survive again.

Sir Heine pierced Triodana’s lungs and beheaded him from the front, then leaped over Triodana and this time pierced his spine with a hook sickle.

Instead of piercing the bone, she embedded the hook sickle around the bone and rotated it, so the hook sickle wrapped around the spine.

It was a secret technique of the Mercy Order to drive in a wedge when facing a regenerator, making it difficult for them to regenerate easily.

But then, Sister Drusilla rushed at Heine.

Heine was startled and deflected Sister Drusilla’s attack with her broadsword. It resulted in the gruesome severing of Sister Drusilla’s fingernails and fingers as she attacked with her bare hands, but Sister Drusilla, oblivious to the pain, attacked fiercely, filled with joy and ecstasy.

Heine grabbed the rope she had installed when she entered and cut another rope.

The sandbag connected to the rope fell, pulling her body high into the air.

Having escaped the sanctuary in that way, she saw the city of Saint Mallory burning.

The Courage Order had set up barracks throughout Saint Mallory and seized military facilities, and those barracks were now ablaze.

*********

“The Courage Order was defeated and taken over by the Wisdom Order led by Sir Triodana. And the Mercy Order also escaped Saint Mallory. Currently, most of the nuns who escaped Saint Mallory are heading to the Chadra Highlands convent, which you also know, Sir Azadin.”

The Chadra convent, where the half-vampire Nicelda resided, was like a secret training ground for the Mercy Order, and Nicelda was also a member of the Mercy Order.

“And this… the head of the Mercy Order asked me to deliver it to Sir Azadin.”

Heine deliberately called Azadin ‘Sir’ instead of ‘Your Majesty.’

Someone might rebuke her for her rudeness, but she dared to call him ‘Sir’ to remind Azadin that he was a member of the Rescue Knights and still had duties to them.

Also, it was a deliberate action to make him aware that the item she was giving him was only permitted to a brother of the Rescue Knights, a sacred object of the Rescue Knights.

What Heine presented was a rod-like object about a foot long, wrapped in thin silk.

When Azadin unwrapped the silk, he found a ricasso ornament [the unsharpened part of a blade near the handle] made of ceramite inside.

“What is this?”

“It is a part of the holy sword that the Mercy Order received from the Archangel of Mercy. Sir Azadin, from now on, you are a Knight of Mercy.”

“Hmm. That’s too much. Mercy is an area where I particularly lack confidence among other virtues.”

Azadin said this, but he knew that if he didn’t accept it now, the Mercy Order, which had lost its foundation, would be in a precarious situation.

They had taken refuge in the Chadra Highlands, which Azadin had occupied, and bestowed upon Azadin the title of Knight of Mercy. If Azadin accepted this, it would be like a promise to protect the members of the Mercy Order, and they would finally be able to rest easy.

“I understand. It’s too much, but I will accept it for now.”

“Yes. Then, please try combining it with your ceramite sword.”

“Combine it?”

Azadin drew the ceramite longsword, Aurelia Dawn, which Sir Planck, the Knight of Wisdom, had used, and transformed its blade.

The blade melted and combined with the ricasso ornament, becoming one.

“To transform a ceramite longsword so freely, you are indeed amazing. Sir Azadin, you are worthy of calling yourself a Knight of Mercy, no, a Knight of the Three Virtues.”

“Alright, alright. I understand. Don’t worry too much, and Sir Heine, please get some rest.”

Azadin felt pity for Sir Heine, who was desperately trying to pull him to the side of the Mercy Order.

*********

Azadin had reunited with Midiam, and had also won over Sion Etar, forming an alliance with the Etar clan.

Moreover, Azadin had been recognized by the Mercy Order and had even become a Knight of Mercy, but the situation had not improved.

The rebellion in Bissen, and the Mercy Order, which had been supporting Azadin from behind, were now in danger.

Being appointed as a Knight of Mercy was a great honor, but it was just an empty title without real power, and even with this honor and title, those who doubted Azadin still doubted him.

On the other hand, Azadin, who had become a Knight of Mercy, now had the duty to subdue Triodana and his followers and recover the territory of the Rescue Knights.

It was the mission given to him as a king and a Knight of the Three Virtues.