The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 296

The members of the Celestial Fire, the Celestials, were strange beings, but there was no malice felt from them.

Even if they couldn’t be completely trusted, there was no reason to refuse them as allies.

But Zibeck was defining them as enemies?

“Why?”

Zibeck immediately explained why he considered the Celestial Fire as enemies.

“When we arrived at the Hybris Peninsula, the Celestial Fire was just about to depart from Saint Mallory. At that time, I saw the young commander of the Celestial Fire, Karna, who was also the grandson of the Northern Emperor. It was…”

“It was?”

“It was exactly the same as Adrata. Prince Adrata, the son of the Northern Emperor who seized Butuma.”

“They could look alike since they’re related, right? Besides, even if Prince Adrata is higher in rank than Karna, they could be of the same age.”

As long as his desires didn’t wane with age, the God-King Yaegas could have children at any time.

So, it was common for a son to be younger than a grandson.

It wasn’t uncommon for relatives of similar age to look very much alike.

However, Zibeck shook his head.

“No, it’s not just that they look alike. Lord Azadin, I don’t know how to describe the shock I felt when I saw him. The first moment I saw him from afar, I felt like I was a small boat floating on the sea where a giant sea monster lurked. The fear that an unspeakable, terrible monster was preparing to devour everything with immense malice from its depths.”

“…Ah.”

Azadin also sympathized with what Zibeck meant.

The formation of the Celestial Fire, knights with the blood of beautiful and noble angels.

It was clearly a group formed with goodwill and good intentions, but wasn’t there some great power and conspiracy behind it, regardless of their individual character?

Zibeck was also feeling that suspicion.

“They are too identical. So much so that it’s impossible unless they are twins. It’s not just that a son and father, or relatives, look alike.”

“So. The Celestial Fire is a means for the Northern Empire to get their hands on the Rescue Knights? They must have been created through suspicious magical means from birth?”

“That’s the only way to think about it. Lord Azadin. Be careful.”

“Hmm, so that’s why you came to find me. I understand. Get some rest. I need to sort out my thoughts in the meantime.”

“……”

As soon as Azadin told him to rest, Zibeck collapsed and fell asleep.

He was exhausted and worn out from his long escape, and he fell into a sleep that was like death.

“This is something.”

Azadin, of course, believed Zibeck.

He wasn’t slandering Karna for no reason, but Karna really must have looked exactly like Prince Adrata.

Since Karna’s birth was suspicious, it was possible that he was born using some kind of evil magic.

But how could he prove it?

‘First, I need to hide and disguise Zibeck. Even if the Northern Empire has done something, now is not the time to confront them head-on.’

Azadin decided to protect Zibeck and Scott, and while they were asleep, he kept watch around them and took a rest himself.

*********

When Azadin returned to the main force of the Celestial Fire Knights, they had just finished a battle with a scouting party of the Bree army.

The 40 Celestial Knights swept through the Bree with terrifying power, and the forces of their attendants and infantry were larger than those of a decent count’s army, splitting the Bree scouting party into pieces.

“Ah, Lord Azadin! I’m sorry. After you left, the Bree attacked, so I couldn’t go out to capture the God-King… no, the traitor Lord Zibeck. So, did you find Lord Zibeck?”

Karna greeted Azadin and asked.

“Ah, is that so? I couldn’t find him. The Bree sorcerers used forest magic, so even if I tried to look from the sky, the branches were too dense to see.”

Azadin pretended not to know and said that.

“Oh dear. Is that so? I’m sorry for making you go on a wild goose chase.”

Fortunately, Karna didn’t seem to suspect anything.

“It’s nothing. I’m more ashamed. I left my post while the Celestial Fire Knights were in battle.”

“Haha. Such a ragtag group is no threat at all. We are the descendants of angels, so how could we be defeated by Bree rabble? However, there were some casualties among the soldiers. It would be good to have a decent infantry commander. So, what do you think of my proposal?”

“It’s a gracious offer, but since I’ve obtained a pass, could I give you an answer after we arrive at Saint Mallory first?”

Azadin asked Karna, who was trying to win him over, if he could postpone his decision.

“Hmm. Could it be that you don’t like my proposal?”

Karna seemed a little disappointed by Azadin’s attitude. Just showing the angel’s wings was enough to turn even the fallen knights who had been indulging in debauchery into devout angel believers.

But Azadin had no reaction even when the Celestials shone their angel wings or when a beautiful young female knight stroked his cheek.

Could it be that Azadin is wary of us?

Karna couldn’t help but get that impression.

In fact, Azadin was wary of the Celestial Fire, so it wasn’t an unfair suspicion for Karna to have.

“Of course not. It’s an honorable offer. With darkness approaching, the activities of the Celestial Fire Knights are like a ray of light driving away the darkness. But as you know, given my background… I need to prepare a lot first.”

“It’s a pity, but I can’t leave the position of infantry commander vacant until then.”

“It doesn’t matter. If there is justice and virtue in the Knights, I will gladly serve even in a minor position.”

“Ah, I see. I’m sorry, Lord Azadin. I didn’t mean to insult your faith.”

Karna apologized, worried that he might have insulted Azadin by trying to win him over with his position and power. It was a polite attitude, unlike that of a royal.

‘Looking at this, he’s a very kind and well-raised guy for a royal. Hmm. Lord Zibeck wouldn’t have been making things up.’

Azadin felt a little sorry for pretending in front of Karna.

“Then I will head south, to Saint Mallory. May the Celestial Fire Knights have good fortune.”

“May you also have a safe journey. Ah, Lady Izmilla would like to say goodbye to you.”

“Yes. I’ll go say hello.”

Azadin greeted Karna and left his seat.

*********

Izmilla was the second-in-command of the Celestial Fire Knights after Karna, and the commander of the left-wing assault unit.

She was reorganizing after the battle with the knights of the left-wing assault unit. The knights had suffered little damage, but there were many injured and dead among the horses, infantry, and attendants, so the unit had to be reorganized.

When Azadin came to see her in that situation, Izmilla was noticeably delighted.

“Lord Azadin! You’ve arrived? What happened to Lord Zibeck?”

“The trees were too dense, so I couldn’t find him.”

“Oh dear. That’s a shame. If we capture him, we could make a big deal out of handing him over to the King’s Church.”

“More than that, it seems there was a battle. Are you okay?”

“The horseshoes are worn out. There are many horses that need new horseshoes, and there were many casualties among the infantry and attendants.”

“What about the knights?”

“Not a single one was injured.”

“That’s amazing. Are they all really Celestials?”

“It would be reassuring if Lord Azadin would take over as the infantry commander. Lord Karna hinted to me that he would try to recruit you at all costs.”

Izmilla said that with a sparkle in her eyes.

Looking at the pure goodwill in her eyes, Azadin was embarrassed.

“I’m sorry. But I’ll stop by Saint Mallory first.”

“Then will you join us after that?”

“Well, I can’t say for sure. As you know, I also have to take care of my subordinates in Chadra.”

“Ah, I see. That’s a shame. It would be nice if we could be together.”

“Then I’ll go south. Take care.”

Azadin said goodbye to Izmilla.

Zibeck’s warning about Karna, and the many suspicious aspects, such as the spirit of the Celestials being younger than their youthful appearance, but despite that, the goodwill shown by Karna and Izmilla made Azadin feel embarrassed.

It would be nice if he could trust them without any suspicion and be with them.

But that was blind faith that deliberately paralyzed his wisdom to make himself comfortable.

Azadin said goodbye to Izmilla.

*********

After parting with the Celestial Fire Knights, Azadin flew south on his hippogriff and reached the agreed location.

Scott and Zibeck were waiting on the side of the road near the swamp in the woods.

“Have you returned? Lord Azadin, what are the Celestial Fire doing?”

“They don’t seem to suspect anything in particular. They seem to be going to the Chadra Plateau after crushing the Bree and then returning.”

“They’re going to win the hearts of the people. Indeed….”

Zibeck groaned.

“I’m worried about how we can resolve the injustice of Darhan Zadek if the popularity of the Celestial Fire increases like this.”

Zibeck seemed to want to avenge Darhan Zadek’s grudge.

Azadin said one thing to Zibeck.

“I’ll tell you in advance, Zibeck. I also have suspicions about the Celestial Fire and them. But if those suspicions are minor, and if there is no major reason to oppose them, I intend to condone the Northern Empire taking over the world through various schemes.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes. The people are being threatened by monsters and cultists, but the other kings have not been able to respond properly so far. In comparison, Kohen of the Northern Empire is insidious and sneaky, but he is working hard. Even though he is the enemy of Lord Planck, who led me to the Rescue Knights, if there are no major flaws in the Celestial Fire Knights… I will overlook it.”

“I understand. Then let’s go to Saint Mallory together.”

“Why Saint Mallory?”

“Do you know that the Benevolence Order operates an assassination organization within the Rescue Knights?”

“Well, yeah, I know.”

“Similarly, the King’s Church also has a Shadow Knights group that carries out dirty work. And I was originally trained as Lord Zekt’s disciple to enter that place.”

Zibeck gave a bitter smile.

“I was discharged without passing the final training process.”

“What was the final training like?”

“It was a training to infiltrate Saint Mallory. It was a mission where if an innocent resident discovered us during the training, we had to kill the resident to infiltrate.”

“Infiltrate Saint Mallory?”

“Yes. There was a training facility that imitated the streets of Saint Mallory in the wilderness of the Tarasar Kingdom. The climate is different, so it couldn’t be perfect, but we trained there repeatedly. To infiltrate Saint Mallory and uncover the shameless secrets that the Rescue Knights are hiding and bring them down.”

“What is it?”

“I don’t know either. I was dropped out of training halfway through.”

“Hmm. So the King’s Church also knew that there was some dirty secret of the Rescue Knights in Saint Mallory. But they still don’t know what it is specifically?”

“Yes. Lord Zekt would know more details.”

“Then we need to meet Lord Zekt. By the way, I have a rough idea of where he went.”

“Yes?”

Zibeck was surprised at Azadin’s confident statement about Zekt’s whereabouts.