The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 129

“They won’t know the location of the Emperor’s treasury. Even if they did, it wouldn’t be easy to open. It’s located in the forgotten kingdom of the old dwarves.”

“You’ve regained your senses, sir.”

“Yes. Congratulations, Sir Guillaume Balte. With Adler losing both arms, you are now the rightful heir to the Lantaric Count.”

Brand said this, but his face was far from smiling.

There was even a sense of deep-seated resentment.

‘That’s understandable. He’s been loyal to my father his whole life… but my father…’

Guillaume Balte, knowing that Brand had gone mad after suffering terrible things at the hands of the Lantaric Count, couldn’t accept his congratulations at face value. But he wanted to compensate him somehow…

“D-Don’t be ridiculous! What kind of Count is this good-for-nothing!”

Adler, who had fallen to the floor, shouted.

“Adler, you’re finished. You were recognized as the Count’s successor, and your vassals supported you, but in this situation, who would support you, having lost both arms? Besides, the traces of necromancy are so clear in the basement? There’s clear evidence that you deserve to be burned at the stake. I’ll say it again, you’re finished!”

Brand mocked Adler. But Adler was out of his mind, perhaps due to the pain.

“How dare you! Don’t be ridiculous! I am a masterpiece! You, Guillaume Balte, and those corpses sleeping in the mausoleum! I’m different from you inferior failures! But you ruined me! Ugh… I, I need to reattach my arms! I can still reattach my arms with necromancy! My arms!”

Adler crawled towards his arms that had fallen on the floor. But Brand strode over and slammed his axe-spear down on Adler’s arms.

“Y-You bastard!?”

-Thud!

Brand lifted his axe-spear again and brought it down, chopping Adler’s arms into pieces. Adler was horrified to see his arms being cut off like meat at a butcher shop.

“S-Stop it!”

“Hahaha. Why should I stop? When I told them to stop, the thieves, the agents loyal to the Lantaric Count, never stopped!”

Brand, holding the axe-spear, was laughing while crying.

“They never stopped!”

It was a bizarre sight. Laughing and crying, Brand chopped Adler’s arms into small pieces with his axe-spear. Since it was flesh that had already been separated from the body, Adler wasn’t in pain, but it was a gruesome sight that made the onlookers’ skin crawl.

“Sir Brand.”

Guillaume Balte called out to Brand. But that was all.

He couldn’t bring himself to stop him. It was hard to guess what would happen if he tried to stop Brand, whose eyes were gleaming with madness.

Then, Brand’s head turned sharply towards Guillaume Balte. It was a chilling movement, like a wild beast turning its gaze.

“Are you going to say I’m going too far? Of course, you would. This Adler isn’t the Count. He wouldn’t know what happened to our family. But then, what about my daughter and son-in-law, my grandchildren? What crime did they commit to deserve such a terrible death?”

“I’m sorry, Sir Brand! But…”

“Yes, I know. Collective punishment is just a way for uncivilized people to vent their anger. But… it’s absurd that you inherit power, wealth, and even will, but not the sins! Those who inherit something should also inherit the sins! And I, as a parent of my daughter and son-in-law, of my children, should…”

“This is bad!”

Azadin tried to stop him, but it was already too late. The enraged Brand turned and swung his axe-spear, striking Guillaume Balte.

Azadin threw a candlestick to weaken the force of the axe-spear, but it wasn’t enough to stop the powerful Brand.

But then, something unexpected happened.

Guillaume Balte blocked Brand’s attack with his sword. When Brand was enraged, Guillaume Balte had predicted that he might attack him.

“Ugh!”

The terrifying force crushed Guillaume Balte’s body and pushed him back.

-Thud!

He had blocked the axe-spear, but Guillaume Balte’s body rolled on the floor from the force.

“Stop!”

Azadin stopped Brand. Then, Brand started sobbing and threw down his axe-spear.

“Ughhh! Please. I can’t take it anymore… Just kill me.”

“First of all, Adler will suffer more if he’s left alive.”

“……”

“And Guillaume Balte… are you okay?”

“M-My arm is broken.”

“You’re really weak.”

Azadin chuckled and asked Guillaume Balte, ‘A knight getting his arm broken by a scribe.’

“Do you want revenge on Brand? A mere scribe hurt the future lord, so we can’t just let it go.”

“N-No. Not at all… Haha.”

Guillaume Balte shook his head.

“He has every right to be angry. I didn’t know he was suffering like that. I didn’t know my father and brother would do such a thing.”

“I see.”

Azadin chuckled.

“Sir Brand. Adler’s life is yours. But can you let Guillaume Balte off this time?”

“I know it in my head, but I just can’t stand it.”

“But look at him. Look at his face. He doesn’t look anything like his father, does he?”

“……”

Guillaume Balte already had a complex about his appearance, and it seemed like Azadin’s words were too harsh.

“It’s too much to punish an abandoned child for his father’s sins. Let Guillaume Balte inherit Lantaric. That’s revenge on the Lantaric Count. The Lantaric Count would really hate that. Don’t you think?”

Azadin persuaded Brand.

“Indeed… Sir Guillaume Balte doesn’t resemble the Count.”

At Azadin’s persuasion, Brand knelt on the ground.

“I’m sorry, Sir Guillaume Balte. I lost my mind…”

Brand was persuaded by this!

Guillaume Balte felt uneasy for some reason. Still, the joy of persuading Brand was greater than the talk about his appearance.

“It’s alright, Sir Brand. Rather, I should be grateful if you can tolerate my existence. A broken arm is nothing, right?”

Guillaume Balte accepted Brand’s apology and even showed the magnanimity to ask for forgiveness himself.

“I’m ashamed. I feel like I’m losing my mind.”

When Brand said that, Azadin became serious.

“Oh, don’t lose your mind yet. I like you as the Brass Knight, but now that you’ve regained your senses, you need to finish telling us about the Emperor’s treasury.”

“Hahaha.”

Brand chuckled and gestured to Azadin.

“Let’s go to the Count’s study. Let’s find the Count’s memoirs there.”

But before the group headed to the study, the vassals belatedly arrived. What they found was Adler, who had been captured with both arms cut off, and Guillaume Balte, who was injured but still in good condition.

“W-What is this!?”

“Sir Guillaume Balte!?”

The vassals were shocked. The scene before them was crystal clear.

“In accordance with the laws established by the eight sacred thrones of Yaeghas [a fictional religious authority], I, the eldest son, have come to correct the laws of this land on behalf of my father, the Lantaric Count. If there is anyone who denies my birthright, step forward now.”

Guillaume Balte stepped forward confidently to the vassals.

It was the messengers of the Araiel clan who cut off Adler’s arms, but if he said it like this, everyone would only see it as Guillaume Balte cutting off Adler’s arms.

The vassals looked at each other. But that was only for a moment, and soon they all knelt before Guillaume Balte.

“Sir Guillaume Balte! You are the true master of Lantaric!”

“Please lead Lantaric!”

“Y-You bastards!”

Adler was furious that even the vassals had betrayed him, but the match was already over the moment he lost his arms.

With Adler already captured, no one among the vassals would dare to challenge Guillaume Balte’s birthright.

In the first place, there weren’t many people who were so loyal to Adler. The Count had designated Adler, and until then, Guillaume Balte hadn’t shown any particular talent, so they had supported Adler.

Now that Guillaume Balte had shown extraordinary skills, there was no reason to support the youngest son, Adler, while breaking the laws of the kingdom.

“Thank you. The prosperity of Lantaric was possible thanks to your devoted support. I have not forgotten your hard work.”

Guillaume Balte praised the vassals who had changed their attitude as easily as flipping their hands.

The vassals couldn’t hide their embarrassment and blushed in front of Guillaume Balte, but Guillaume Balte didn’t resent them at all. His father had already designated Adler as his successor and had spoken to the vassals. Their choice of Adler was also a sign of loyalty to his father.

“I know that my father entrusted Adler to you, so I know that your loyalty was to be by Adler’s side. And now, Salasmar [a fictional region] is suffering from drought, refugees are swarming, and the people are being killed in a reckless war, and our Lantaric treasury is empty. When I become the Count, I plan to restore relations with Salasmar and save the starving people! So, your help is absolutely essential! Will you help me?”

“T-Thank you.”

The vassals were relieved that Guillaume Balte was not going to purge them but rather said he would use them fiercely. There’s a world of difference between saying he’ll just let them go and saying he needs them, so he’ll keep them alive.

Moreover, Guillaume Balte’s words were generous and compassionate, which naturally made them admire him.

“Well then… I will handle the affairs of Lantaric with the vassals. Sir Brand, please fulfill my promise to those who helped me.”

“Understood.”

Brand received Guillaume Balte’s permission and headed to the study.

“Shati!”

Azadin ordered Shati before heading to the study.

“Use regeneration magic on Sir Guillaume Balte’s arm.”

“Do you really think of me as some kind of medicine box?”

“Don’t want to?”

When Azadin asked that, Midiam and Ismail slowly reached for their weapons.

The information they could get from the Naga Shati had already been extracted. All that was left was the green magic she possessed. Especially the power of regeneration was useful, and if she didn’t want to cooperate anymore, they would have no choice but to kill her.

“N-No!”

Shati was intimidated by Midiam and Ismail’s subtle threats.

‘She’s quite timid for a Naga agent.’

‘So weak…’

At that moment, Azadin stopped Midiam and Ismail and said,

“It’s become a subtle threat, but aside from that, I have high expectations for you. You’re very useful and helpful. To be honest, you’re exceeding my expectations, and I’m always grateful.”

“……”

“Please.”

“Oh, geez. I can’t help it, you warm-blooded creatures. Fine.”

Shati decided to heal Guillaume Balte’s injury.

“Thank you.”

Azadin smiled and followed Brand to the study.