The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 244

Azadin sat in his room at the top of the Vermilion Fortress tower.

Even though it was called the top floor, the tower was only about three stories high. However, because it was situated on a peak, the view from the window was dizzyingly high. It was a good vantage point to see anyone approaching the fortress.

Azadin had already finished all the paperwork.

There was a lot of backlog because the squad leader had been absent for half a year, but it was still a small fortress. With most of the work done, he now had nothing but time on his hands.

During that time, Azadin meditated, organizing the grimoires of Arael within him.

The necromancy he used to create the undead for cinnabar mining was also found in Arael’s grimoires.

‘She’s truly amazing, Arael.’

They were clearly magics that Azadin didn’t know well, but just by contemplating the grimoires of Arael that had grown within him, knowledge and memories surfaced as if he had always known them.

Did Arael understand and master all these grimoires?

Azadin was thrilled by the enormous legacy Arael had left him.

He could feel her talent, her will, and the weight of the burden she had carried.

‘It’s a shame. If only my body were whole….’

Azadin felt regret as he organized the vast magics Arael had left him.

As he was meditating, Arael’s voice suddenly warned him.

Darkness was flooding in, rushing towards Vermilion Fortress.

The Shade Hag’s power was engulfing Vermilion Fortress, as seen from the perspective of a bird flying high above.

Startled, Azadin ended his meditation and rose from his seat.

He approached the terrace of the tower and looked down at the village. Sure enough, he could see the darkness rapidly encroaching, swallowing the mountain valley.

“It’s starting.”

Azadin picked up his ceramite longsword [a sword made of a ceramic-like material], the Crescent Moon Bow, and his quiver.

“Squad Leader!”

The soldiers’ shouts echoed from below the tower.

“I’m coming down!”

Azadin leaped from the Vermilion Tower.

Even though it was called a tower, it was only about three stories high as a building. Azadin landed on the roof of the barracks next to it, rolled lightly, and touched down on the ground.

“The wind is ominous! The Shade Hags will appear!”

“I know. Everyone, get inside the barracks, Legion! Kalan! You two stay here!”

“Yes, sir!”

“What about the soldiers?”

“They’re all tied to the pillars!”

The Shade Hags used illusions. They were especially effective on men, using illusions related to lust and desire, so even if there were many ordinary soldiers, they would only be a hindrance, being easily swayed by the illusions.

Kalan and Legion had tied the soldiers to the pillars in advance to prevent any harm when the Shade Hags appeared.

This meant that the two of them could maintain their sanity even against the Hags’ illusions.

Therefore, Azadin only prepared the dwarves, Kalan, and the half-elf, Legion, who had high resistance to illusions, and Bernard, who was originally a mage, while the rest were tied up at home.

“I’m worried about when we have to untie them later.”

At that moment, beautiful music began to be heard from the darkness of the night.

“It’s starting.”

A sweet, floral scent wafted in with the music. And a beautiful young woman’s voice began to sing.

“Hey. Stop with the useless tricks and let’s talk!”

Azadin shouted, shaking off the Shade Hags’ attempts to bewitch him.

But, as if they hadn’t grasped the situation, they continued to sing, luring him with their sweet voices.

“Come play with us. We are the nymphs of passion. Petals ready to be soaked in the desires of virile men.”

At the beautiful voices and sweet scent, the soldiers began to writhe, bewitched.

“Ugh….”

“I want to go out!”

But thanks to being tightly tied to the pillars with ropes, they were okay.

However….

“Ugh!”

“Ah! No, Kuntachi!”

Kuntachi was the problem.

Kuntachi broke the ropes that bound him with his strength and ran outside.

“Ah, no! Kuntachi! Listen to your sister! Those are Hags!”

Camilla tried to stop him in a panic, but Kuntachi was not listening, and just tried to run towards the Hags who were singing sweetly.

Unable to bear it any longer, Camilla took out her blackjack.

It was a flail with a sandbag attached to a club, a weapon used by thieves to knock people unconscious.

Camilla swung the blackjack with all her might, hitting her younger brother’s temple, but Kuntachi didn’t even get knocked out. Instead, he became even more excited and rampaged.

“Krrong!”

“Ugh! Azadin! Help me!”

“Well, I guess I have no choice. Legion!”

“Yes?!”

“You do it.”

“Understood. It’s my chance to prove my loyalty! Squad Leader!”

Legion happily ran like a beast and transformed into a werewolf, immediately tackling Kuntachi.

Kuntachi had great strength, but the transformed Legion was even stronger, quickly pinning Kuntachi to the ground.

However, trying to subdue him without killing him was no easy task, even for Legion as a werewolf.

“Kuh, this half-orc! How is he so strong?”

“Wow. Nymphs. Nymphs! Soft. Boobs.”

Kuntachi rubbed his head against the rough fur of Legion, who was holding him down, calling it soft, and then started kissing him.

“Ugh. Stop it, you bastard. That’s not a nymph’s boob, that’s my….”

“…….”

Azadin felt a headache coming on and pressed his head.

Kuntachi was struggling, thinking that Legion’s private parts were the nymphs’ breasts, and kept kissing them.

“Giggle!”

“Ah, we are all heated up now. Please cool our bodies, my lord.”

“Anyone who is wrapped in the petals of the nymphs will soon taste ecstasy.”

The Hags mimicked the nymphs, provoking and mocking the fight between Legion and Kuntachi.

“Even so, isn’t it too much for a Hag to impersonate a nymph? This won’t do.”

Thinking that talking wouldn’t work, Azadin aimed his bow at the place where the voices were coming from.

“Don’t get hit.”

Azadin said that and shot an arrow towards the source of the voices.

-Swish!

As the arrow flew, tearing through the wind, a commotion arose in the distance.

“Kuh?!”

The Hags seemed to realize that Azadin was not falling for their illusions.

“Stop with the useless tricks and let’s talk. I am Azadin, the First Envoy of the Emperor, the Golden King Manza-Zadek’s Golden Messenger, and a Hospitaller-Errant of the Relief Knights [a knight who travels to provide aid].”

“What?!”

“An envoy of the Emperor and a Holy Knight?”

Perhaps it was because of Azadin’s shocking self-introduction? The Hags were also surprised.

“Hmm. I heard that the Shade Hags of the Chadra Highlands are beings close to gods and grant even ridiculous wishes, but it seems they didn’t know about me? As expected, they can’t be omniscient.”

“…….”

At that moment, the atmosphere changed completely.

The sweet scent, the pleasant music and songs disappeared, and the stench of blood and filth, along with terrible screams and the sound of metal scraping against a metal pot, surrounded them.

Kuntachi, who had been in a frenzy due to the illusion, finally came to his senses.

“Huh? Uh? Wh, where are the nymphs?”

“Nymphs, my ass. You idiot. Are you awake?”

“I clearly saw a nymph’s breasts in front of me….”

“You moron. That was my….”

“Stop. Maybe it’s better not to say that?”

Azadin stopped Legion.

Meanwhile, the Hags’ voices circled in the darkness, confusing Azadin.

“Ah….”

“Child. Child of the Envoy Clan. We know. We know. We know you very well.”

“You know me well?”

“Of course. Your past, present, and even your future. We know everything.”

“Are you telling me to believe you after showing that pathetic display? Fine. Let’s say you were out of sorts earlier and give you one more chance. Show me some proof.”

“Ah, that’s very easy.”

The Shade Hags whispered to Azadin with excitement.

“The child born as a half has finally become whole. But you lost your other half, so the price of becoming whole was very high.”

Surprisingly, as soon as the Shade Hags revealed their true colors, they spoke as if they knew Azadin’s past.

No. They definitely knew.

‘It seems that when they are seducing men by impersonating young beauties, they are not connected to their supernatural wisdom. But when they are in the form of hags, they are connected, is that it?’

Azadin realized the characteristics of the Shade Hags.

However, it was unpleasant that they spoke as if they knew his and Arael’s fate inside and out.

“Even though you lost the star of your heart, you entered the Order, knowing that you were corrupted to prepare for the coming age of Jupiter. Huhu. Aren’t you curious about what results that will bring?”

“Don’t you want to know the fate that awaits you? Come here, child. Let’s talk. We have prepared delicious things and beautiful women. This place is paradise.”

“I agree with talking. But what I’m curious about is not my future. Why did you keep killing the squad leaders here?”

“Because that was the contract.”

“Is the woman who made that contract still alive?”

“Of course. She is serving us.”

“She will soon become one with us. She has become our adopted daughter.”

The Shade Hags circled around Azadin as they said that. But Azadin didn’t even look and shot an arrow behind him.

-Thud!

A sound of flesh tearing was heard, though it was hard to see.

“Kkeak! You… you bad! You bad child!”

Surprisingly, even though she was hit by an arrow, the Shade Hag only scolded Azadin as if she were disciplining a child or a dog.

It was impossible for her to have only suffered a minor injury from being hit by an arrow.

“Talk in front of me. Don’t go behind me.”

“Yo…you! How!”

Azadin could see things without relying on his eyes, and Arael’s voice, which spoke for the Emperor, scouted the surroundings, so his vision was unimaginably wide.

Even if Azadin was looking forward, they were all in the palm of his hand, even if they vaguely went behind him or moved, thinking they were safe because of the distance.

“It seems you were hit by an arrow. I’m a little sorry. But I won’t apologize. Rather, let’s talk about the woman you captured, the one who asked you to kill the Hospitallers.”

“What?!”

“If you have her, give her to me. If she’s alive, I’ll rescue her, and if she’s dead, I’ll recover her body.”

“Amazing. You didn’t talk to us to beg for your life?”

“You can’t kill me with your skills.”

“!!!!!”

The Hags were startled by Azadin’s arrogant remark.

“What is this….”

“You’re just a human!”

The Hags were enraged by Azadin and gnashed their teeth.

However, Azadin did not retract his statement.