The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 322

Prince Kalintz was taken aback when Azadin asked him for a pass.

Traveling through the Knight Order’s territory of Saint Mallory was one thing, but crossing into the Banreung Kingdom was a matter of a different magnitude.

Of course, as the Chapter Master of the Fireglyph, Prince Kalintz had the authority to grant such passage. Moreover, the justification Azadin presented was clear.

“Criminal Chashan has escaped, so I intend to launch an investigation to apprehend him and subdue the forces behind him. Wouldn’t that be sufficient justification?”

“However, Lord Azadin, I just received word via messenger bird that the Wisdom Order is summoning you.”

“Summoning?”

“Yes. They wish to hold a disciplinary hearing.”

From the Wisdom Order’s perspective, Azadin was nothing but a thorn in their side.

How could they tolerate him striking them and then returning to the Chadra Highlands unscathed? It seemed they intended to hold a disciplinary hearing to find some fault with him.

“They shouldn’t have the time for that. What about the Celestial Fire Knights?”

“Ah, the Courage and Mercy Orders have decided to dispatch supervisors. It seems that, using the Celestial secret you uncovered as leverage, the other Orders have gained control over the Celestial Fire.”

They were creating a committee to oversee the Celestial Fire Knights, preventing them from acting arbitrarily, and this committee would be jointly managed by the three Orders.

This meant turning the Celestial Fire Knights, previously a subordinate organization of the Wisdom Order, into a subordinate organization of everyone.

It was a proposal that the Wisdom Order had no reason to accept unless they were being threatened.

But the fact that they accepted it suggested some behind-the-scenes power struggle.

“Things have been sorted out rather quickly?”

Azadin gave a wry smile.

In the end, it seemed the Courage Order also failed to publicly reveal the truth about the Celestials, their weaknesses. After all, while fighting among themselves, there was no need to expose the Celestials’ weaknesses, the sacrilege of altering the angel statues, to the world.

Ultimately, what each faction of the Rescue Knights wanted was control over the Celestial Fire Knights, not to tarnish the reputation of the entire Rescue Knights.

Azadin also wanted that, which was why he handed the scroll to the Courage Order within the Rescue Knights instead of to Lord Zekt.

“So, wanting to hold a disciplinary hearing doesn’t mean they will actually hold one. They’re just testing the waters, aren’t they?”

“Yes. They’re watching me to see if I leak information to outsiders and asking me to submit it as evidence for the disciplinary hearing. In other words, it’s a request for cooperation to submit evidence to use against you in the disciplinary hearing.”

“Hmm. It seems only the Wisdom Order is doing this?”

It seemed that no one other than the Wisdom Order wanted to put Azadin on trial. No matter how much the Virtue Orders distanced themselves from their virtues, the Wisdom Order wouldn’t be foolish enough to put Azadin on trial without clear charges.

But what if they charged him with stealing the Celestial secret? That would be tantamount to admitting to the world that the Celestial secret existed. Moreover, it would be a disgrace for the Wisdom Order to admit that their heart had been raided by a single person.

Azadin understood their frustration and desire to find fault with him, but to properly ensnare him, they needed to create a list of charges against him.

Would they charge him with invading the Wisdom Order’s research facility?

Then they would inevitably have to talk about the Celestials’ reincarnation ritual.

Otherwise, what charges could they use to ensnare Azadin, who was in the remote Chadra Highlands, a place they usually ignored?

“It’s good that the three Orders, Courage, Mercy, and Wisdom, are divided like this. They’re too busy keeping each other in check, so the Wisdom Order can’t punish me unilaterally. Though it’s not like the other Orders are fond of me either.”

“So, the Wisdom Order is subtly asking me to create grounds to ensnare you, Azadin. They want me to disarm you as much as possible, so you can’t resist, and tear your subordinates to pieces to strip you of your power.”

“Will you do it?”

“No. I’m not part of the Wisdom Order. Why would I?”

“…….”

Azadin didn’t know what kind of expression to make at Prince Kalintz’s reaction. He understood why Zan and the others liked this prince.

“Anyway, I don’t have to follow the Wisdom Order’s commands. If I issue this pass, it would be a blatant act of defiance against the Wisdom Order. And I don’t want that.”

“Then issue the pass to Nicelda and make it for a group accompanying her. If you issue a pass for an investigation team, wouldn’t it be a sufficient excuse for the Wisdom Order if they didn’t expect me to leave with them?”

“…Ah, there was such a method. You’re quite clever? But Nicelda, you mean the half-vampire Nicelda? Are you close enough to issue a pass in her name?”

Prince Kalintz said this as he issued the pass as Azadin had requested.

“I’ve issued it, but what are you planning this time?”

“I’m going to crush the Banreung Academy and the Dwarf Mafia, and investigate the Elemental Wailing.”

The Sun of Seonwoo. The unknown object that could overcome Pimbulbert was related to the Elemental Wailing.

While investigating that, it was also a chance to obtain information about Azadin’s subordinate, the alchemist’s daughter.

Originally, these were tasks he had forced Chashan to do, but it seemed Chashan was determined to resist Azadin to the very end, even if it meant death.

“You’re going to crush the Dwarven Sorcerers. If anyone else said that, it would sound like crazy talk, but it’s different when you say it. Please, go easy. Don’t get me caught up in the mess. You know that issuing this pass is different from before, right?”

Prince Kalintz asked Azadin for confirmation.

“I appreciate you finding out the secret of the Celestial Fire and sharing it with me. However, the previous pass was within the Knight Order’s territory, and this one is for another kingdom. This time, I don’t have much to gain like last time. I hope you understand that I’m issuing this pass purely out of past goodwill. If you cause trouble, I’ll get dragged into it, so issuing this document means more than just stamping a piece of paper. You understand?”

“I understand. I’m grateful, Prince Kalintz.”

“It feels like I’m being forced to receive a bow after being poked in the side. But it’s good that you understand.”

Only after making a fuss did Prince Kalintz hand over the pass.

*********

East of the Southeastern Rock Fortress, the smuggling route that Azadin’s warlord had diligently constructed had transformed into a rather impressive sight.

A gentle slope was carved into the cliffside, creating a cargo ramp and stairs for people to pass through. A massive tower was erected, and from this tower, a huge reduction gear was installed, allowing ropes to be lowered and raised to the ramp.

Now, when wagons or carts arrived here, they could be connected to the ropes and pulled up the hill or lowered slowly.

Azadin and Nicelda were surveying this smuggling route.

“The construction is very well done.”

Azadin admired the reduction gear and the well-paved mountain path.

Azadin had wanted to supervise it himself, but he had too much to do, so he entrusted the construction supervision to the dwarf Kalan and Lord Broham, among others. It was a situation where he couldn’t complain even if it was made haphazardly, but seeing the current result, it was clear that the essence of dwarven engineering had been poured into making it precise and sturdy. The large stone tower supporting the reduction gear looked reliable just by looking at it.

“Everyone worked very hard. It’s all thanks to Lord Azadin. When you present such a great goal, everyone can’t help but be enthusiastic.”

Nicelda said with a wry smile.

Among the people Azadin had decided to take to Banreung was the blood mage Bernard, who had ties to the Banreung Academy.

The blood mage Bernard was Nicelda’s blood relative, her biological father.

Bernard and Nicelda. This father and daughter were connected only by biological blood ties rather than any paternal affection. They didn’t have much of a connection.

Well, that was also the average family situation of this era. Even if poor tenant farmers had poor conditions, wealthy merchants and successful noblemen would leave the upbringing of their children to their wives and focus on external activities.

However, Nicelda became a rare being, half-human, half-vampire, and Bernard was also responsible for this.

Not only was her upbringing not properly done, but her life as a human was also destroyed. Bernard had many disqualifications as a father of that era.

Nicelda also wasn’t a very sociable person, and she had long given up on her father’s affection or parental obligations, so this father and daughter were in an awkward state.

But this time, when Azadin formed a team to go down to the Banreung Kingdom, they were grouped together as a team.

“Hmm. If it weren’t for this incident, the Vermilion Fortress and the territory would be on a smooth path. Especially since the money confiscated from the drug dealer Chashan is also abundant.”

Bernard said, glancing at Nicelda. That bothered Nicelda. She wanted to say something to clear the air, but she had nothing to say.

But to treat him vaguely was awkward, and somehow, they were worse than strangers.

Azadin also felt the strange air between this father and daughter.

“I think I made a mistake.”

“Pardon?”

“No, it’s nothing. Huh?”

Azadin saw the soldiers from the tower fixing the reduction gear approaching him. They were from the Southeast Fortress, and they were also Azadin’s subordinates.

“Lord Azadin! We heard you were coming.”

“Yes. You’re doing a good job. I came to investigate the missing caravans.”

“Lord Azadin. This was sent by messenger bird…”

They handed Azadin something rolled up in paper. It was a letter and a human finger.

“…….”

The finger was cut with something like a rusty saw, the cross-section was not smooth, the fingernails were all torn off, and the fingerprints were charred with charcoal.

The finger had been cut off after terrible torture.

Along with it were the demands of the Dwarven Arrow and Chashan.

First, they wanted the fortress handed over.

Second, they wanted Chashan’s position reinstated and 2,000 Banreung gold coins as compensation for the money taken from Chashan.

Third, they wanted the Dwarven Arrow’s drug trade to not be prohibited in the future.

There were also minor demands, such as selling large quantities of food at low prices, as food prices had recently skyrocketed, but the three main demands were these.

“He’s going out of his way to die.”

Azadin was enraged by the absurd demands and the finger, evidence of cruel torture.

It was a fierce rage that no one who had seen Azadin before had ever witnessed.