The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 276

The conflict with Sir Sork ended in a peculiar way, or rather, it would be more accurate to call it a postponement.

“But that’s impressive,” Sedrin said, clearly awed by Azadin.

“Originally, I said I would pledge my loyalty in exchange for freeing my clan, so it’s not yet time to pledge loyalty… Fine. Azadin, you’re the only one who can free my clan.”

“Does that mean…”

“Oh, don’t misunderstand. I’m only loyal to you as your subordinate, not exactly for that reason… Do you know? These days, elves don’t eat people, but to us, humans are like livestock. I don’t eat humans like the old ones, but from an elf’s perspective, what should I say humans are?”

“Hmm?” Azadin didn’t understand why Sedrin was making such a fuss.

“Okay, Sedrin. Then, can you go to the Southeast Rock Fortress right now and help Sir Broham? I’d like you to use your magic to control griffins or hippogriffs to help with the bridge construction.”

“Um. Okay.”

“Then, Selim, shall we return to the Fireglyph?”

As Azadin said that, Sedrin stopped him.

“Wait a minute? Is that all?”

“For now?”

“No, why is it that I have to do work at the Fireglyph with Selim, while I…”

“Well, because we need you, who is good at handling animals, to use griffins for the bridge construction?”

“Ah, that’s right. I see. Hmm. Okay. The cause is important.”

Sedrin looked at Azadin’s reaction and nodded as if he had convinced himself of something.

“Then, what should I do? Sir Azadin.”

The half-vampire Niselda was working as the right-hand of the head nun at the Chadra Monastery. The lives given to women in this Chadra Highlands, the exile of the Relief Knights, or rather the whole world, are too harsh. The monastery has protected women on the condition that they sever ties with the secular world.

Because there were hordes of thieves and thugs lurking nearby, not recognizing the authority of this monastery, the monastery needed its own military force. The half-vampire Niselda and her sisterhood were the monastery’s military force and deterrent.

“Is your arm okay?”

“To be honest, I lost too much blood. Of course, I can easily deal with any ordinary human.”

“Are you going back to the monastery?”

“Actually, I want to go to the Fireglyph with you, Sir Azadin.”

As Niselda said that, Sedrin was surprised.

“No way? Wait. Niselda. What do you mean?”

“Please don’t misunderstand, Sir Azadin. I heard that you have a blood mage as a subordinate.”

“Are you talking about Bernard?”

“Yes. If he is Bernard of Banreung, he is my father.”

“……”

“Will you allow me to accompany you?”

“I welcome your company, Niselda.”

“Thank you, Sir Azadin.”

The half-vampire Niselda decided to accompany Azadin.

*********

It took about a day to do personal maintenance in the Black Forest. Bathing, treating wounds, eating, and sleeping. After bringing their condition to the best, Azadin returned to the Fireglyph on a hippogriff, accompanied by Sir Selim and the half-vampire Niselda.

As Azadin landed on the stable of the Fireglyph, the head of the investigation team, Sir Pavel, and Sir Izmilla approached.

“My goodness… isn’t that a hippogriff? Sir Azadin,” the head of the investigation team, Sir Pavel, looked enviously at Azadin, who had flown in on a hippogriff.

“Yes. With the help of Sir Selim… But what’s the matter? Why are you here to greet me?”

“Ah, Sir Azadin. The Relief Knights Headquarters has appointed a new Chapter Master. Now, the investigation team will transfer the acting duties and disband.”

It was just yesterday that he had the argument with Sir Sork… and in the meantime, a new Chapter Master had been appointed.

“Already? Who is the new Chapter Master?”

“Prince Kalintz. He has already entered the Fireglyph Fortress and is currently transferring duties.”

“Prince Kalintz, you say…” Azadin frowned. Prince Kalintz, the son of the Northern Empire, had maintained some kind of relationship with the previous Chapter Master, Sir Hexenmeier.

‘Could such a person become the new Chapter Master?’

“Was he a member of the Knights?”

“Ah, he was recently knighted. Haha. Actually, I was the one who knighted him.”

“When?”

“Just this morning.”

“……”

The Hospitallers of the Relief Knights are already paladins the moment they decide to dedicate themselves to virtue, without the need for anyone’s knighting.

Azadin had been knighted by Sir Planck, who was from the Messenger Clan and had become a Death Knight, so he was not in a position to say anything about the qualifications of others as knights. But even so, there was a limit to everything.

“He became a Chapter Master on the same day he was knighted? Doesn’t anyone say anything?”

“W-well, of course, there are those who say something, but we can’t keep doing this temporary duty forever, can we? And Prince Kalintz has the qualities of a true hero. You’ll like him when you see him.”

The head of the investigation team, not wanting to miss the honor of being the one who knighted a powerful knight, actively defended Prince Kalintz. He had not had much personal interaction with the prince, but he was sweating profusely as he decided and defended his character and personality based on a fleeting impression.

“Sir Azadin, I’m sorry. The upper echelons of the Knights are afraid that you are expanding your power too quickly, so they are trying to neutralize you in any way they can.”

“Oh, Sir Izmilla. Don’t say such things. If you say that…”

Wouldn’t that be revealing that Sir Pavel had reported to the upper echelons, wary of Azadin’s expansion of power?

But even if Sir Pavel hadn’t said it, Azadin was naturally suspicious of Sir Pavel.

‘Well, it’s natural to report to superiors.’

The moment a person from the Messenger Clan, who suddenly became a knight, temporarily seized control of the Fireglyph, he successively defeated and subjugated the forces that had been flexing their muscles in the Chadra Highlands. If they just stood by and did nothing after seeing that, it would be more incompetent and irresponsible.

‘But Sir Pavel is too incompetent and unambitious. Usually, if you are given the acting position of a higher jurisdiction than your own rank, you would want to use this opportunity to show your skills and capabilities and build up merit.’

It was when Azadin was thinking that.

“Ahem. Hum… Ahem, ahem. Sir Azadin, have you arrived?” Zan, Prince Kalintz’s confidant and the decurion [a Roman military officer in charge of ten soldiers] of the Northern Aragasa, approached Azadin, dressed neatly.

“Your Highness, or rather, I should now call you Sir Kalintz. Chapter Master Kalintz wishes to see Sir Azadin. As a member of the Relief Knights, we must practice frugality, but even so, we cannot fail to commend the hard work of our predecessors… He is planning to hold a banquet, so please be sure to attend and grace the occasion.”

“A banquet, you say. I understand. Tell him I will definitely go.”

“Yes. Sir Azadin.”

Zan nodded affably and stepped back.

*********

“A banquet for Hospitallers…” Azadin smiled wryly. He had learned that the Relief Knights should be based on diligence and frugality, but it seemed that no one was actually keeping it.

“Then, I’ll see you at the banquet. I’ll come out then too,” Sir Pavel said that and extended his hand to Azadin.

“Sir Azadin, you’ve worked hard. I’ve praised you a lot to the upper echelons.”

“Is that so? Thank you.”

Whether the upper echelons would see Sir Pavel’s praise as pure praise or as a threat was unknown. It was probably more likely to be the latter.

It would be strange if they didn’t feel threatened by the way he was subjugating the Chadra Ogres and expanding his power at such a terrifying speed.

“Sir Azadin.”

Izmilla remained, watching Azadin even as Sir Pavel left.

“Sir Izmilla. How is your health?”

“Thanks to being born so strong, I have no worries. It’s all thanks to Sir Azadin. Were you worried about me?”

“Of course.”

“Then I’m glad.”

Izmilla smiled.

“What will happen to you when the investigation team is disbanded? Will you go back to Saint Mallory?”

“My lack of experience is becoming an issue because of the incident in the pilgrimage.”

Izmilla is a Celestial [a being of divine origin] born by some means of the Knights, so she has the power and abilities of an angel. But she had even suffered the humiliation of being kidnapped by suspicious people due to her lack of experience, so there would be opinions within the organization that she needed to gain experience.

“Where are they going to have you gain experience?”

“I think they will probably create a new internal organization. And it will be filled with my brothers and sisters.”

“Are you saying they will create a unit entirely made up of Celestials?”

“Yes. I think I will be assigned there.”

“Hmm. It’s good in theory. Which order is in charge of it, Wisdom, Courage, or Mercy?”

“I think they will appoint a separate commander internally and operate it as an independent unit.”

“Are they all as beautiful and have the majesty of angels like you, Izmilla?”

“…Such. You flatter me.”

Izmilla was at a loss for words at Azadin’s open praise of her appearance and talent in front of her. But Azadin’s expression was not one of praise, but rather one of concern.

“The people will worship the Celestials. If you gather those who can only be seen as heavenly beings, their status will naturally rise. Then the status of the existing Relief Knights organizations will fall. Moreover, relying on the existence of Celestials itself would weaken the ideology of the Relief Knights, wouldn’t it?”

“Pardon?”

“The covenant made with the angels, not the bloodline of angels, is the essence that the Relief Knights must uphold, but the public will be enthusiastic about the beautiful appearance and power of the Celestials.”

“……”

“I’m sorry, Sir Izmilla. I didn’t mean to deny your existence.”

“No. I just… I never thought I would hear the doctrine of the Relief Knights, which I have always learned, from your mouth.”

“Because I’m from the Messenger Clan?”

“No. That’s right. Until now, we have learned the doctrine, but I don’t think we have ever believed in it. You truly have faith.”

Izmilla saw faith in Azadin. She had been born into the Relief Knights and had lived with them her whole life, but seeing someone with true faith was so unfamiliar that it was dazzling.

To think that she would see such pure faith in Azadin, who was from the Messenger Clan.

Azadin replied as if it were nothing special.

“What’s so new about that? Then, Sir Izmilla, if anything happens, send a letter to the Fireglyph. We’ll contact you later.”

“Yes? Ah… yes.”

Azadin had said that to get information about the unit made up of Celestials that Izmilla would be assigned to, but Izmilla was flustered by Azadin’s words.

‘If a man and a woman exchange letters, isn’t that a sign that they are going to get married?’