The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 458

It was early autumn, and even in Chitai, a northern region, the sun should have been shining brightly during the day, making it quite warm. Though a cold wind might pass by at night, the days were typically warm in the early autumn of the north.

However, a blizzard was now sweeping in from the West Sea, scattering snow across the inland. Although the people of Chitai were accustomed to the cold, this blizzard was far colder and harsher than expected.

‘Good. With a blizzard like this, even if that bastard is leading an unholy army that sold its soul to the devil, they won’t be able to advance any further! I wish the snow would keep falling and starve the expeditionary force to death!’

King Sebalhan of Chitai was using this opportunity to direct the construction of earthen fortifications to strengthen the castle walls.

He had requested reinforcements from the Northern Empire, but the question was whether they could hold out until the reinforcements arrived.

This blizzard would slow down Azadin’s army’s offensive, but it would also delay the Northern Empire’s reinforcements.

In the meantime, he had to reinforce the weak parts of the castle somehow. Driven by this impatience, he was overseeing the construction of the earthen walls when the weather became so cold that frostbite cases were rapidly increasing among the workers.

The ground was frozen, making it difficult to dig with shovels and pickaxes. Asking them to dig up that soil and pack it with stones to build earthen ramparts in various parts of the castle was practically a death sentence for the workers.

However, Sebalhan, restless with impatience, ordered the supervisors to use whips and urge the workers on.

Even the supervisors, who could hardly be called humane, knew that whipping people in this weather was tantamount to murder, but Sebalhan prioritized reinforcing the castle walls before Azadin’s army arrived.

It was then that an elf claiming to be an envoy from the Northern Empire came to see Sebalhan.

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He was an elf with complex black tattoos all over his body.

The guards of the royal castle were perplexed by the sudden appearance of this elf.

If he were an envoy from the Northern Empire, shouldn’t there be a proper entourage and protocol?

It was hard to believe that someone who came alone and claimed to be the king’s envoy was genuine.

‘I have already received word that reinforcements are being sent. So, you claim to be an envoy from the Northern Empire?’

‘That is correct. You received the message about sending reinforcements through the King’s Church, did you not? I am an envoy of His Majesty Cohen Lionheart, sent to deliver news that cannot be conveyed through the King’s Church. I hope you will understand that I was unable to bring proper gifts, having traveled this long distance alone.’

The elf said this and presented his identification. It was a genuine letter of appointment with the seal of the Northern Empire.

Sebalhan’s guards were still doubtful but allowed the elf into the royal castle.

‘So, you’re saying the Northern Empire sends envoys like you when they have dirty deeds to propose that they can’t mention to the King’s Church? Hmm. You dare to falsely claim the name of the Northern Empire and tarnish its honor. Wouldn’t it be upholding the honor of the Northern Empire if I were to cut off your head?’

Sebalhan said this to test the self-proclaimed envoy.

Sebalhan was born with power, practically with his mother’s umbilical cord. Even if it was an act, his attitude of despising the weak as a ruler was so natural that he was confident he could easily deceive people even on the diplomatic stage.

Not many could maintain their composure in the face of Sebalhan’s bluff, implying that he could kill someone like him at any time, no matter how arrogant the elves were.

However, this elf merely smiled at Sebalhan’s provocation.

‘There is no need for you to verify me in such a way. It is something you can decide after hearing what I have to say. You have already confirmed that I am not an assassin, have you not?’

After presenting the letter of appointment from the Northern Empire, he had submitted to a humiliating search procedure, being stripped naked and examined.

This examination, which thoroughly investigated even his anus and genitals, was not something that should be done to an envoy of a nation. It was done with the intention of intimidating the other party and making them cower.

Despite this, he had changed into the clothes provided by Chitai and spoke before Sebalhan without being intimidated.

‘Alright, what is it that the Northern Empire is proposing to me? If it’s something they’re avoiding the King’s Church to propose, it must be something extraordinary, right?’

‘His Majesty Cohen Lionheart has promised reinforcements. However, Your Excellency, in your wisdom, must know that it is doubtful whether the reinforcements will arrive in time.’

‘This weather will halt the expeditionary force, won’t it?’

‘It will also halt the reinforcements. With the Chitai light cavalry having turned against you and joined King Azadin, it won’t be long before the enemy’s army reaches the capital. Isn’t that so?’

‘So? What kind of help are you offering besides reinforcements?’

‘The Northern Empire has instructed me to deliver this.’

The envoy pointed to the luggage that had been taken from him during the body search.

A court servant, trembling with fear, brought a metal rod wrapped in cloth on a silver tray. The silver tray was glowing as if it had been heated, its color changing.

It was as if the heat radiating from the metal rod was heating the silver tray.

‘What is this?’

‘It is a Nether grimoire [a book of dark magic].’

‘How dare you!’

The guards who were listening reached for their swords.

The envoy was now suggesting to King Sebalhan of Chitai that he use the Nether grimoire and delve into forbidden power.

It was like telling him to fall into corruption with the Yegas gods [the gods of Chitai]. However, Sebalhan stopped his guards.

‘Do you think a mere grimoire like this can stop that evil foe? You dare to suggest that I learn the sorcery of the Nether?’

‘How could I dare to do anything that would tarnish the honor of Your Excellency Sebalhan? It is something I could never dream of doing. If I could, I would take that grimoire and throw away my soul and my insignificant honor, and serve Your Excellency faithfully, fighting against the evil Azadin. If you would allow it, I would take it myself.’

This elf was drooling over it as if it were a treasure trove of infinite power.

He actually reached out his hand towards the Nether grimoire, and at that moment, the tattoos on his body glowed red and burned.

The smell of burning flesh filled the air. When the elf recoiled in pain, the light from the tattoos disappeared, and blood and pus oozed from the elf’s skin.

It seemed that the tattoos were a seal to prevent the elf from taking the Nether grimoire carelessly.

‘What are those tattoos?’

‘They are there to prevent me from running away with this treasure. But if Your Excellency allows it, I can be freed from this seal and learn the grimoire.’

Even though it must have been excruciating pain, the elf was craving the grimoire even more than his own body being harmed.

Seeing the elf covet it so much, it was clear that it was a great treasure in itself.

‘Seeing how desperately he wants it, it must be an enormous treasure. Then, even if I don’t learn it, I should keep it. There’s no reason to refuse what the Northern Empire has given me. But if I were to learn it to fight against King Azadin, who should I have learn it?’

An elf who is so hungry for power that he craves the grimoire even while his flesh is burning? It’s absurd.

Sebalhan didn’t even know this guy’s name yet.

Should he have another vassal he knows learn it?

That was also impossible. If a single grimoire had the power to turn the tide of the war, there was no guarantee that the person who gained that power would choose to remain loyal to Sebalhan.

In the end, after considering all the options, Sebalhan realized that he himself had no choice but to learn this grimoire.

But was he, the rightful heir of the Yegas gods, supposed to delve into the power of the corrupted Nether?

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Although he had such concerns, Sebalhan ended up holding the grimoire in his hands that very day.

‘Since it’s the power of the Nether, it feels unsettling, but I can’t give such a powerful force to anyone else. It would be refreshing to destroy it, but then how would I face Azadin’s army? Damn it, it feels like I’m being tricked by a con artist, but I have no choice.’

There was also the option of handing it over to a trustworthy subordinate, but with the Chitai nomads having turned against him, there were no trustworthy subordinates left.

Even among the nobles of the capital, Junggyeong, there were those from nomadic tribes, and even they could turn against him at any moment.

In the end, after considering all possibilities, Sebalhan knew that it was the most rational and correct thing for him to learn this grimoire as soon as possible.

‘Come to think of it, the Northern Empire must be facing the same dilemma. Do they think that handing over a bit of Nether magic to me won’t be a threat? If so, then he must already be a master of this Nether magic.’

The Northern Empire could hand over the Nether grimoire to Sebalhan because they were confident that they would not be surpassed even if they handed over this much.

However, Sebalhan was also born into royalty. Although he was being ravaged by Azadin’s army, Sebalhan had never been inferior to anyone in terms of talent.

He couldn’t help but be arrogant.

‘I’ll make them regret handing over the grimoire. Nether magic isn’t something only you have researched, Cohen.’

Sebalhan, knowing the Northern Empire’s intention to manipulate him, willingly accepted the Nether grimoire they had given him and even sought to pursue power beyond that.

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Azadin’s army was slowly advancing through the blizzard.

The southerners called the Chitai nomads northerners, but even they, when you think about it, didn’t live in such cold places. When it was cold, they would set up tents and endure the cold with their livestock.

However, Azadin made sleds and moved slowly across the snow.

Surprisingly, a warm barrier of light was spread out in front of the sleds, blocking the blizzard, making it much easier to move.

In this way, they approached cities that were caught in the blizzard and unprepared, and they conquered them.

The governors of the cities did not dare to resist after seeing Azadin freely use the magic of the Divine King’s Scripture [a holy text] and prove himself to be the king.

In the north, Azadin was known as a soulless assassin who had simply seized the throne by force, but seeing Azadin using the power of the Divine King’s Scripture, they realized that the rumors had been created to disparage Azadin.

Of course, there were some governors who did not open their gates and relied on their castle walls.

‘They have come on a long expedition, so they must be short on food and proper siege weapons! If we just hold out, that evil foe won’t be able to endure!’

Those who thought this had to watch helplessly as the messenger clan units, who had flown and infiltrated the castle walls, easily opened the castle gates.

In the midst of the raging blizzard, the messenger clan agents, blessed by the king, flew on hippogriffs [mythical creatures, half-eagle, half-horse] or infiltrated under the cover of night, easily opening the gates and conquering the castles.

Even in situations where other armies had difficulty moving, Azadin’s army steadily occupied Chitai.

Before long, Azadin’s army was only a week away from Junggyeong, the capital of Chitai.