The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 306

The Miracle Guide 1

The Archangels of the Trinity were originally high-dimensional beings without physical bodies.

However, they descended to this earth to save humans suffering from the ancient gods, and for that purpose, they created physical bodies.

And when those bodies reached their limits, the Archangels of the Trinity were no longer able to exert influence in this world and were banished.

It was clear that the power of the Rescue Knights, who used the power of miracles and white mana from the angels, would be weakened. With the powerful Nether creatures still remaining, the loss of that power was tantamount to telling the Rescue Knights to die.

Therefore, the Archangels of the Trinity, knowing that they, as high-dimensional beings, would be bound to this world, petrified their remaining bodies and sealed their existence within them.

They left the teaching that as long as the doctrine of the three virtues was upheld, the power of white mana would not be cut off. These divine beings chose to sacrifice themselves solely for the sake of humans.

The place where the angels petrified and sealed their bodies that had reached their limits was Saint Mallory Fortress. It was said that in the fortress’s underground, there were petrified statues of the Archangels of the Trinity, and only the Holy Knight who had achieved the greatest feats could have the honor of paying respects to the angel statues once a year.

However, there were also ordinary angels who followed the Archangels of the Trinity who chose to petrify themselves.

And their statues were formed in various places around the Archangels of the Trinity, but… as Saint Mallory Fortress transformed into a large city, they became obstacles to the city’s expansion, and eventually, there was a need to move the angel statues.

So, the Wisdom Order gathered as many petrified angels as possible near the Archangels of the Trinity,

and the angel statues that could not be placed near the Archangels of the Trinity were taken to their respective orders.

However, moving the petrified angel statues inevitably caused damage to them.

Who would dare to impiously destroy an angel statue? But when moving things made of stone, there was no way to prevent thin parts from breaking or snapping.

And from the broken surface of the angel statue, blood flowed.

Pious clerics and holy knights were startled and tried to stop the wound, but there was no way to stop the blood flowing from a stone being.

But then, a miracle occurred: the wounds of people who touched the angel’s blood were healed, and severed arms and fingers grew back.

The angel’s blood had miraculous effects.

That was the fact they had come to know.

*********

The angel’s blood must not be allowed to flow.

The Knights of Mercy and Courage were ashamed that the angel’s blood had flowed and sought to atone, but they had no way to restore the petrified angel statues with their abilities.

Therefore, the Wisdom Knights sought to study this angel’s blood, and a fierce dispute arose among the three knight orders, to the point of drawing swords.

‘We have already committed the sin of damaging the angel statues, but a greater and heavier sin is to defile the ideals of the angels! To let that flowing blood go to waste is a treasonous act that defiles the noble sacrifice of the angels!’

The Wisdom Knights made such claims and studied the angels’ blood, leading to various advancements in magic.

And they discovered the method of making ceramite.

Originally, ceramite, a metal that burned with holy power, was a sword created and bestowed upon humans by the Archangels of the Trinity.

That holy flame had the power to make even the powerful forces of the Royal Church and the Eight Kings acknowledge the Rescue Knights.

The image of the Holy Knight wielding a holy sword to defeat monsters and protect humans imprinted on the people that they were truly holy and righteous beings.

They were able to create the ceramite longsword, but it was not good to let it be known that it came from the blood of angels, especially from the blood that came from damaging angel statues.

In the end, the Orders of Courage and Mercy agreed to overlook the actions of the Wisdom Order in exchange for an equal share of ceramite.

All for the sake of the orders’ justice.

But… now, not ceramite, but Celestials, beings that were half-human and half-angel, were beginning to be created.

This was an impiety that the Mercy Order could not overlook.

In fact, it was strange that the production of ceramite weapons had continued to be maintained.

The Mercy Order suspected that the Wisdom Order was intentionally damaging angel statues to obtain angel blood.

But Celestials?

At first, the Wisdom Order shamelessly claimed that Celestials were born through a sacred virgin conception ritual.

However, after the initial research on Celestials was completed, for some reason, Celestials began to increase simultaneously.

‘It’s already a terrible impiety to intentionally damage angel statues for the sake of ceramite longswords, but Celestials…’

Hayne shuddered, imagining the ugly truth of the Wisdom Order that would unfold before her eyes.

This must be prevented from leaking to outsiders at all costs.

Zekt, Jibek, that damned orc, and even Azadin.

Azadin was nominally a member of the Rescue Knights, but… Hayne had decided that Azadin would eventually have to be dealt with as well.

But that Azadin was now opening a locked door with his back to Hayne.

“The lock… is secured with magic and chains. Normally, it’s impossible to open from here.”

Azadin checked the state of the door and quietly focused his mind.

Arael’s voice materialized according to Azadin’s consciousness, unraveling the magic on the lock and separating the chains inside the door.

Azadin, having neutralized the magic, mechanical devices, physical latches, and chains, easily succeeded in opening the door.

The Wisdom Order’s magic was quite precise, but it was not a difficult task for Azadin, who had inherited the abilities of Arael, one of the strongest mages of the Heraldic Clan.

“Amazing, Sir Azadin. Truly excellent and precise magical skill. To achieve such progress in a short period without the help of the Divine King’s Scripture, you are indeed an outstanding mage. All the mages in the world would pale in comparison to your talent.”

Zekt sneered from behind. It was a sneer from Zekt, who believed that Azadin had taken a copy of the Divine King’s Scripture, but Azadin scoffed and replied.

“If Sir Zekt had read the Divine King’s Scripture, he would know. Is there a door-opening spell in the Divine King’s Scripture? Ah, well, Sir Zekt’s power is based on necromancy and Nether magic, isn’t it?”

“Captain. I hate to say this myself, but how about you both shut up? Even if humans are beasts swayed by emotions, they should know when to talk and when not to, right?”

Scott scolded Azadin and Zekt.

Since that was a hundred times true, they both shut their mouths tightly.

Inside, a vast underground warehouse appeared. Perhaps to build a new building on top of the original Giant Age structure, there were many stone foundations piled up, and various miscellaneous items that could get wet were stored in the gaps created.

And the floor was covered in blood.

Perhaps it was a path for discarding experimental creatures for magical research, as there were traces of dragging bloody beings.

And there was also the foul smell of animal secretions and excrement.

‘The smell is not much different from the cultists’ laboratory.’

Azadin frowned and moved forward silently.

-Click.

-Clang.

Azadin and Hayne could move silently, but sadly, Jibek and Zekt made noise every time they moved.

“You two wait here.”

“What foolishness are you spouting…?”

Zekt refused Azadin’s restraint.

“I am cooperating with you to see the secrets of the Rescue Knights.”

“If you want to see those secrets, it would be better not to clatter around here and there.”

“If you two go and see and then keep your mouths shut…”

“Let’s be honest, Sir Zekt. You and I both have a rough idea of what the Rescue Knights are doing, right?”

When Azadin asked that, Zekt was startled.

“Even if you see it with your own eyes, if the Knights deny it, there’s no concrete evidence. If they’re doing something truly impious and terrible, the Knights will never admit it without substantial evidence. Isn’t that right?”

“What are you trying to say?”

“What I’m looking for is the connection with the Northern Empire. There’s no reason not to share that information with you. Do you understand what I mean?”

Zekt would not cooperate in finding a weakness that could destroy the Rescue Knights. After all, finding such a weakness is practically impossible.

On the other hand, the connection between the Wisdom Order and the Northern Empire, how they are cooperating, how far they are connected, and how strong that connection is?

There was no reason not to share such various information related to the Northern Empire.

That was what Azadin was saying.

Sadly, what Azadin was saying was quite reasonable.

“Very well. Then I will wait here.”

“No, before that, Captain. There’s a very high chance that Sir Zekt will take us hostage. And that human is a necromancer. He might try to kill us or put a psychic restraint on us.”

“I won’t do that.”

When Zekt said that, Azadin smiled.

“He says he won’t?”

“I don’t believe it.”

“He says he won’t, so would you promise on your honor?”

Zekt frowned.

“Depending on the situation, it may change, but at least today, I will not use Sir Azadin’s absence to bind or subdue them here.”

“And a promise to not harm them and actively cooperate on our joint mission.”

“……”

Is this orc mocking me, an Inquisitor of the Royal Church?

Zekt wanted to say that, but… he was the one who was in a disadvantageous position.

In fact, he didn’t expect to get this far safely. After fighting the Angel of Corruption, when he heard another Angel of Corruption wailing in the underground, he had a feeling that the mission had failed.

He never imagined that he would get this far into the heart of the Rescue Knights without much damage. He had to make the most of this situation, and he couldn’t ruin things by bickering with an orc here.

“I swear it.”

“Then that’s that.”

Azadin and Hayne infiltrated inside together.

Every place they entered had a locked door, and even latches that could only be opened from one side, but Azadin opened the doors with magic and carefully stepped inside. No matter how skilled a locksmith was, they could not open a latched door, so people usually became careless when a door was latched or sealed with chains, and there were no special guards inside.

“Sir Azadin. Just a moment…”

“What is it?”

“Are you really going to reveal the Knights’ flaws in front of Sir Zekt? Even if the matter becomes known, it should be resolved within the Knights, shouldn’t it?”

“Ah, that…?”

Azadin gave a wry smile.

“You’re already thinking about the aftermath when we haven’t even achieved anything yet.”

“Of course, I know that I’m making the mistake of counting the fur before seeing the forest [a proverb meaning to count your chickens before they hatch]. But it’s also arrogant and foolish to start something without looking far ahead. Sir Zekt will be hard to handle. He fought the Angel of Corruption and wasn’t even injured, and his consumption wasn’t great either.”

Sir Zekt is a strong person who is hard to handle. That was what Hayne was saying.

But then, Azadin covered her mouth.

The sound of a baby crying began to be heard from afar.

‘What is this?’

Hayne wrote on Azadin’s palm to ask.

‘It seems we’ve come to the right place.’

Azadin wrote on her palm and then carefully headed towards the place where the baby’s cry was heard.