The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 459

“Cough, cough.”

Azadin frowned, coughing.

Blood seeped into his hand.

Death felt imminent.

His body should have given out long ago.

A miracle, his sister’s life force, and Azadin’s own fierce will were forcibly keeping his dying body alive.

However, this expedition was so brutal and arduous that he felt his life slipping away like grains of sand with each passing moment.

‘Just a little further, we’re almost there.’

Azadin endured the pain in silence.

Then, Jibeck’s voice came from outside the tent.

“May I come in?”

“Come in.”

Azadin allowed Jibeck to enter.

“Are you alright?”

Jibeck asked as he stepped into the tent.

The core of Azadin’s army was maintained solely by Azadin’s personal strength and charisma.

What if Azadin were to collapse in the middle of the war?

“I’m fine.”

Azadin lied, forcing himself to stand.

“There’s only a little left now.”

Currently, the trade between the north and south of the Hybris continent was severed.

Originally, there was a north-south trade route connecting Korasar, Tarasar, and Karasar, and another connecting Chitai, the Knights of Salvation territory, and Arangi. However, with the destruction of Korasar and Butuma, the East Sea trade route was cut off.

Furthermore, with Azadin seizing control of Banreung and Arangi, the northern trade route was also blocked.

This was because Azadin had been branded a heretic by the King’s Church.

However, if Azadin were to take Chitai, he would independently revive the northern trade route and establish a base for spreading the new teachings in the north.

It would surely be a significant leap forward.

“So, what is it? Sir Jibeck?”

“That is…”

As Jibeck hesitated, another figure approached Azadin’s tent.

“Your Majesty. The governors of Chitai have come to see you.”

Niselda opened Azadin’s tent and was immediately struck by the smell of blood that filled the air.

Her eyes widened as she saw Azadin bleeding.

The craving for blood as a half-vampire, and even more so, her concern for Azadin’s health, shook her.

She knew very well that if Azadin collapsed, everything would be over.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. More importantly, the governors have come?”

“Yes. The intellectuals and officials of Chitai say they have come to petition Your Majesty, but they are probably just old, worn-out schemers who have come to test Your Majesty.”

“There’s no need to be so harsh. We have placed security forces in the areas we have quickly advanced and captured to maintain martial law. It’s true that they have demands. Let’s not have preconceived notions before we meet them.”

“Are you alright?”

Niselda asked again.

Although she didn’t say it directly, Azadin understood the hidden meaning behind her question.

Niselda was asking if it was wise to show his obviously ill appearance in front of the governors who had just surrendered.

“Is it that obvious?”

“Maybe it’s because I’m a dirty vampire, but the smell of blood is strong. I think humans can smell it too.”

“It’s fine. What’s the big deal about a little blood smell in an advancing army? Let them in.”

Azadin ordered the governors to be brought in.

*********

Azadin had organized and deployed security forces in the occupied areas, placing his trusted aides in charge of governing the cities.

The Chitai nomads who had just surrendered were placed at the front, while those who were in urgent need of rest and reorganization after the long march were left in the rear to serve as security forces.

Could their visit be about their dissatisfaction?

Thinking this, Azadin brought the petitioners inside.

Surprisingly, the Chitai governors who came in prostrated themselves before Azadin, showing the respect that would be given to the king of Chitai.

“It is an honor to behold the sacred body of the Holy King Azadin.”

“What?”

Azadin was taken aback by their attitude, which exceeded his expectations.

Holy King? Were they calling Azadin that?

They claimed that they had long suffered from the arrogance of the Yaegas gods, and they praised Azadin’s new teachings, which presented a path for the royal way and made the people the foundation of the nation, with great enthusiasm.

“From the moment we saw the teachings of the new faith, which stated that merit and achievement, not lineage, prove the royal way, we were dazzled and our hearts fluttered as if we had seen light at the end of a long, dark tunnel.”

“I don’t know how much we have dreamed of being able to serve Azadin since that day.”

“…….”

Azadin felt disgusted as he looked at those who were openly praising him.

Did they think he was foolish enough to be pleased by such blatant flattery?

If they were truly so moved by Azadin, why did they resist until they were forced to open the castle gates?

“Nonsense. If you had said that before opening the gates with your military, it would be one thing, but what nonsense are you spouting now? If you continue with this empty flattery, I will consider it an insult and rip your tongues out while you’re still alive. Stop the useless talk and get to the point. Why have you come?”

“…….”

The governors looked at one person, sensing Azadin’s fierce rejection of their flattery.

A scholar-looking man rose from his seat. He was wearing glasses, but the frames were so often broken that he had tied them with string and hung them on his hat. He smiled cheerfully and replied.

“I’m sorry if it seems like we’re insulting Your Majesty. But please understand that this was a rational choice from our perspective. With all sorts of rumors circulating about Your Majesty, we had to prepare for the possibility that you might be someone who likes flattery.”

“So you insulted me?”

“No, it’s just that if we offered flattery to someone who likes flattery, they would be pleased, and if we offered flattery to a cautious person who dislikes flattery, they wouldn’t immediately rip out our tongues just because we made a little joke. We just thought you were that cautious.”

“But if I had wanted to shock and shake you to take the initiative, I might have ripped out half of your tongues. As a warning to those who were late in opening the gates. Didn’t you consider that possibility?”

“Haha. I don’t think you would do that. Although it was flattery, it is true that we were impressed by the new teachings. We have reaffirmed that Your Majesty has a more passionate soul than anyone else….”

“How rude!”

Niselda, who had been listening, was furious. Discussing whether Azadin had a soul or not was an overly pointed remark about Azadin being a member of the messenger clan, who were often called soulless blasphemers.

Wasn’t it extremely rude to say in front of the king, ‘I doubted you had a soul, but you do?’

However, Azadin stopped Niselda.

“So, what do you want?”

“Well, of course, we came to confirm the rights and limitations of the governors who usually govern each region. We intend to be loyal to Your Majesty, but if so, wouldn’t you return our autonomy to us? If so, we will actively work for Your Majesty.”

“So, you all came rushing here, betraying the king of Chitai, and now you’re asking me not to doubt your loyalty? You’re asking me to trust you with the back door when you might lock it behind me?”

“Half of the people gathered here are those who don’t care who the king is as long as their own power is secure, and half of the remaining half are cowards who are loyal to King Sebalhan but don’t want to shed their own blood, so they bowed their heads to Your Majesty. And the rest are intellectuals who are eager to ride the new wave of Your Majesty. Yes. You definitely shouldn’t just trust us. We are people who value our own safety above all else, people who would immediately pledge allegiance to anyone if a knife were held to our throats. But isn’t that the life of the common people?”

“So. Why did those common people risk their necks to come to me when they could have just stayed put?”

“Currently, the capabilities of the garrison troops are declining, and the city’s resources are not being properly allocated. At this rate, we will never be able to hold out for long.”

“Why do you think you can hold out when the garrison troops can’t?”

“Shamefully, we have selected the residents of the city and its surroundings. We did not provide food to the nomads outside the city and punished those who tried to cross the walls, protecting only our own safety. On the other hand, Your Majesty has put forth the new teachings and considers the people the foundation of the nation, accepting all the refugees, and that difference is causing many problems. Your Majesty’s will is clearly the royal way, the right path, but in reality, there is neither good nor evil.”

This scholar was pointing out that the loyalty of the governors who had gathered could not be trusted, but that the current governors were still necessary for Azadin.

Azadin was feeding everyone without discriminating against the residents.

Underneath it all was Azadin’s meticulous personnel management, his efforts to make use of anyone he fed.

Azadin’s subordinates were clumsily following suit, and the city’s stockpiled food was rapidly dwindling.

“At this rate, we won’t last long. Your Majesty. But if Your Majesty were to directly govern the city, you would have to compromise your dreams and ideals in order not to starve the people. So, please leave it to us.”

Azadin had tried to maintain a critical attitude towards this scholar and the governors when he saw them.

However, the scholar, with his remarkable eloquence, had seen through Azadin’s current situation, his thoughts, and clearly identified the problem.

He was clearly a considerable talent.

“Hmm, what is your name?”

“I am Scholar Garasan.”

“Would you consider becoming a staff officer in our army?”

“Me, Your Majesty’s staff officer?”

“Yes.”

“It’s something I’ve always wished for. But I’m worried. If you bring in a renowned scholar like me, won’t the existing staff officers lose face?”

“You don’t have to worry about that. My staff officers are all capable.”

“Haha, being capable is all relative. Even though I look like this, I am a renowned scholar in Chitai. I have received the top score nine times.”

The past system of Chitai was to select officials through exams from all over the country, and the top score was given to the most outstanding person.

“No, why did you take the exam nine times? If you got the top score once, you should have just been appointed?”

“My family runs a school that teaches scholars who take the civil service exam, so if I got the top score and was appointed as an official, there would be a flood of requests for favors. Instead, if I just get the top score and return, the school will be flooded with students. It’s a very lucrative business, and it’s not bribery or a request for favors, so it’s good. I kept taking the exam for school promotion, and that’s how it turned out. So, even those whom Your Majesty thought were gems and entrusted with important tasks are nothing more than pebbles in front of me.”

“I might offend you, but you don’t have Orc blood in your ancestry, do you?”

Azadin doubted Garasan’s lineage at his arrogant remarks.