The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 334

Delia, the manager of the Vandike Company’s Fireglyph branch, found herself in a precarious situation.

Her dealings with Azadin had caused the Fireglyph branch’s sales to skyrocket tenfold.

Azadin had consolidated several territories in the Chadra Highlands, reclaimed farmland, and streamlined land registration, reorganizing agricultural land to maximize yields with fewer farmers.

He not only placed massive orders with the Vandike Company for goods needed to transform surplus labor into soldiers, technicians, and workers, but also commissioned the creation of various items that the Vandike Company desired, significantly boosting their profits.

Delia had reaped enormous economic benefits from her trade with Azadin.

However, the Council of Elders of the Messenger Clan was enraged, demanding Azadin’s immediate execution.

They considered it an insult that a clan traitor had openly joined the Rescue Knights and made a name for himself, interfering with their crucial business.

In particular, the Council of Elders viewed the disruption of the Jo Unseon attack as an intolerable act of defiance and directly ordered Delia:

‘Identify Azadin’s weaknesses, and if possible, cut off trade and assassinate him!’

Along with this order, the Council of Elders gave Delia a dagger.

‘Seriously, what am I supposed to do with this one knife?’

Delia was well aware of Azadin’s capabilities, having witnessed them firsthand.

Azadin had made astonishing improvements in his martial prowess and magic, subduing or allying with the Chadra Five [a group of powerful warriors] and taking control of the Chadra Highlands. He had even brought Count Sandokar under his command.

She couldn’t fathom the Council of Elders’ mindset, believing they could eliminate such a formidable individual with a single knife.

And that wasn’t all.

‘Burning grain in this situation?’

Even if it was a simple path to victory, she couldn’t comprehend the actions of the Messenger Clan’s leadership, who chose to burn the Jo Unseon [a strategic location or resource] instead of plundering it, especially with Pimbulbert’s forces approaching.

‘They’ve gone mad after associating with those Naggas [a monstrous race]. Those senile fools….’

Attacking military provisions was a fundamental tactic in warfare.

But what would the future hold if they burned the food supply like that?

Delia wasn’t alone in her concerns.

A significant number of young people within the Messenger Clan were questioning the Council of Elders’ decisions.

They sought to control the Hybrids [a mixed-race group], not annihilate them. The Council of Elders seemed to envision a future of exterminating the Hybrids and coexisting with the Naggas, but the Naggas were a completely different species and were cannibals.

The younger generation of the Messenger Clan did not desire a future alongside the Naggas.

And….

Delia found herself sympathizing with the future that Azadin was presenting.

“Ah, I’ve gone crazy.”

“What is it, Manager?”

“Ah, no….”

She had been lost in thought and had spoken aloud without realizing it. Feeling flustered, Delia pointed to the back of the horse pulling her carriage.

“This, this.”

She was currently leading a caravan directly to Banling.

“How many of my subordinates, the doppelgangers [shape-shifting spies], did that Azadin kill, and yet I’m leading a trade caravan to Banling because he told me to?”

“You don’t seem too upset about it, considering what you’re saying.”

“No, I’m angry. Ugh.”

Yes. She was angry at Azadin. He used her in various ways, killed her doppelgangers, and yet he nonchalantly brought business items and made demands.

But if she fulfilled those demands, the income was guaranteed. The results were not bad, and she didn’t have the confidence to survive a fight with Azadin. So, by making rational choices, she had become like Azadin’s subordinate.

She even entertained the thought that she would rather be a subordinate.

Azadin had promised his subordinates definite rewards, and it was said that he had inflicted pain worse than death on Chashan and his gang, who had attacked and tortured the caravan this time.

The news that Chashan had not only castrated himself to escape the pain but had also struggled to commit suicide was also conveyed to her.

If Azadin had been a cruel person by nature, she might have been surprised and disgusted by his cruelty, but those who knew Azadin’s usual demeanor trusted him instead.

It wasn’t that Azadin had a ferocious nature, but that he couldn’t forgive Chashan for harming his subordinates.

Just being sincere about avenging his subordinates made him a much more ideal boss than those foolish Council of Elders.

‘But he’s not asking me to betray the Council of Elders and join him first, so I can’t betray the Council of Elders first…. No, why isn’t he asking me to be his subordinate? Does he not want to take responsibility for me and just wants to use me? Pleasure without responsibility? Is that it?’

While she was pondering this, a half-orc approached the front of her caravan.

It was Kuntachi, a member of Azadin’s military force.

“There are soldiers ahead, Manager.”

“Really? What kind of soldiers?”

“Uh, what kind of soldiers were they?”

Kuntachi, unsure himself, turned around and asked the air.

Since he was a messenger and alone, who would answer his question? Kuntachi, who had been asking questions to the air, scratched his head awkwardly.

“…Why are they using a half-orc as a messenger?”

If orcs were a race known for their superior intellect and corresponding lack of charm, then half-orcs, who were hybrids of orcs and humans, tended to be either only muscular and lacking in intellect or only intellectual and physically weak, leaning towards extremes.

Since half-orcs with strong bodies tended to have diminished intellect, it was unlikely that a message would be properly conveyed if such a person was used as a messenger.

However… Delia soon realized that words were not necessary.

A large number of human and dwarf refugees appeared before them.

“What is it?”

There were soldiers in front, but behind them were refugees fleeing with all the valuables they could carry. Kuntachi had summarized this by saying that soldiers had come from the front.

It wasn’t wrong, but in this situation, he should have said they had encountered refugees!

She was annoyed, but there was no time to argue.

At the head of the refugees was a nobleman in ornate armor, his face etched with fatigue and frustration, revealing a distress that his aristocratic demeanor couldn’t conceal.

“Who is this caravan?”

“This is the Vandike Company’s Fireglyph branch. I am the manager, Delia.”

“I am Baron Jerod of Ivkar. Could you perhaps exchange some of my hardwood furniture for food?”

“…….”

Delia smiled wryly at his words. Usually, the biggest mistake refugees made was bringing high-end furniture.

High-end furniture, crafted by artisans from high-quality wood into pieces that were almost works of art, was extremely expensive when purchased and very valuable in peacetime.

However, it was too heavy for refugees to carry while fleeing.

It might be expensive in peacetime, but in wartime, it was no match for precious metals and food.

“It seems you are refugees?”

“That’s right. Isn’t it fortunate that you haven’t made a wasted trip either? You’ll only encounter monsters if you go further north.”

“What on earth has happened?”

“I don’t know exactly. But monsters are pouring out from the north.”

“According to rumors, monsters are emerging from the ground. From deep within the heart of the mountains.”

An old man, who seemed to be the baron’s steward, added his voice.

It seemed that monsters had begun to appear throughout the Banling Kingdom.

“And the Elemental Wailing [a magical phenomenon] is affecting people. Hmm. Is that enough of a story?”

“Good heavens….”

Delia felt that this situation was unusual and clicked her tongue.

A cold wind swept in from the north, scratching her skin. Even though it was still summer, the chilly cold made her shiver.

“Uh….”

“It’s snow.”

Snow was falling from the sky.

The ground temperature was high, so it melted into rain as soon as it fell, but it was definitely snow in the upper atmosphere.

The horses pulling the carriage were startled by the cold rain and snorted.

It wasn’t just the Banling Kingdom that was collapsing. The entire world was collapsing.

The harbingers of destruction were taking shape and slowly tightening their grip on all of humanity.

However, Delia didn’t have time to dwell on the shock. Baron Jerod, hungry and exhausted, was urging her.

“It’s a dwarf-made ebony furniture. It’s decorated with silver foil, and when I bought it, it was more expensive than the same weight in silver. It was my mother’s dowry, and it’s a masterpiece that I kept carefully to give to my daughter when she got married.”

In a world that was collapsing, the baron, who had fled his territory with his people, was urging Delia to buy his heirloom furniture to buy bread.

“I understand. I will buy it. But there is a condition….”

Delia agreed to the deal to appease them for now.

*********

Baron Jerod’s furniture was undoubtedly a masterpiece, but it wasn’t a very good trading item in the current situation.

However, while buying it, Delia decided to hire Baron Jerod’s group as a kind of mercenary.

Since they had encountered refugees here, there was no point in forcing the trade route.

Delia, having decided to turn the caravan around and return to Sandokar, sent a messenger pigeon with a detailed account of their location, situation, and rumors about the Banling Kingdom.

Now, all they had to do was turn the carriage around and retrace their steps….

But turning back the way they came was not an easy task.

It was a road that had been uneventful when they came, but on the way back, many refugees and rapidly changing weather awaited them.

“…Ugh. I can see my breath.”

Kuntachi was blowing his breath and enjoying it.

“Are you okay? Damn it. I’m cold?”

The female bandit Camilla frowned, pulling her cloak tighter.

The temperature was dropping.

The wind blowing from the north was biting cold.

It was still the middle of summer, but the cold was unusual.

Now, Pimbulbert’s rantings were not the ravings of a madman but were taking shape and showing their claws.

“It really seems like the world is about to end. Hmm? Hey, everyone, stop!”

Camilla stopped the group and stepped forward.

Refugees were camped at a three-way intersection. They could tell they were refugees because they were carrying a lot of their belongings, but they also had clubs and blackjacks in their hands, and some even had crude swords and shields.

Archers were also stationed along the road. It was clear that they were a group that could not be taken lightly.

However, they were also tense, seeing Camilla and Kuntachi’s armed state, as well as the soldiers behind them.

“Who are you?”

“We are the Vandike Company’s Fireglyph branch. Count Ibechek of Sandokar and Sir Azadin of the Rescue Knights guarantee our trade.”

“Azadin….”

“Is that the soulless heretic?”

The refugees stared at Camilla, Kuntachi, and their subordinates with hollow eyes, muttering among themselves. Camilla clicked her tongue at the sound.

“You’re not insulting Sir Azadin right now, are you?”

“What? Is this bitch crazy? We can insult a Messenger Clan guy.”

The refugees, who had already become half-bandits, showed their displeasure at Camilla’s intimidating attitude.

The atmosphere was turning hostile.