The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 349

The Northern Empire hadn’t gained its power and influence for free. It had taken decades of hard work for him to build his forces. There was no reason to be jealous or envious just because he was now seeing the fruits of his labor.

Rather, the Northern Emperor would likely be on edge at the news that Azadin had been granted the title of Count. It was an achievement he had obtained after enduring far longer than the effort and time Azadin had put in.

“What is the quest about?”

Jibek approached Azadin after hearing the messenger’s words that the Erantree Quest had been issued.

“The order is to rescue Bishop Akenar of Coxhall, who is isolated in the Banlung Kingdom. In addition, I am to investigate the situation in the Banlung Kingdom and submit a report.”

“A bishop isolated in the Banlung Kingdom? I doubt she’s still alive.”

“If she’s dead, the gist of the quest is to at least retrieve her remains.”

With people currently fleeing from Banlung, it was absurd to ask Azadin to enter the Banlung Kingdom and rescue someone. It was an incredibly dangerous mission.

However, Bishop Akenar of Coxhall was Azadin’s patron, and Azadin was indebted to her.

Given Azadin’s personality, there was no way he would refuse this quest.

Those who issued this quest were trying to keep Azadin in check at an opportune moment.

“This is absurd.”

Niselda, a member of the Mercy Order and a half-vampire, shook her head at the Erantree Quest.

“Refuse it, Count Azadin. You are no longer just a rescue knight, but now the Count of Aranggi. You have many responsibilities, and there is no reason for you to go into Banlung to rescue someone. Who has even undertaken an Erantree Quest recently?”

The current state of the Banlung Kingdom was so dangerous that Niselda was vehemently opposed to it.

To search for someone who may or may not be alive in the Banlung Kingdom, which had turned into a hellhole overrun with cultist mutants and vampires, and to even retrieve their remains, was excessively troublesome and dangerous.

“The Mercy Order is right behind you. You no longer need a bishop as a patron. This Erantree Quest was issued by the Wisdom Order, who see you as a thorn in their side, so if you just wait a little, I will resolve the situation.”

“By killing people?”

“As a result, a few will die.”

Niselda spoke casually, but Azadin stopped her.

“Stop it. If it were any other quest, I wouldn’t care… but Bishop Akenar of Coxhall is someone I am indebted to. If her whereabouts are unknown, I should naturally go and find out.”

“But from here to Coxhall… no, there’s no guarantee she’s even still in Coxhall, is there?”

“Even so, the Banlung Kingdom needed investigating. I will go to Coxhall myself.”

“So, you wanted to go all along? But weren’t you holding back until you stabilized the territory and settled the refugees?”

“I won’t deny it.”

“I understand. Then I will go with you.”

“But we need you for counterintelligence, Niselda?”

Azadin’s military force was continuously expanding, so they needed talented individuals to match that growth… and in the midst of that, they needed to filter out the cultists and spies who were infiltrating.

“Even if I’m not here, Sir Heine and the Chadra Convent will actively help. For some reason, the upper echelons of the Mercy Order are trying to actively cooperate with Count Azadin. Besides, Griselda is in Banlung, isn’t she? She and I have some scores to settle. If you don’t take me, I will desert and follow you separately.”

“Okay, okay, just don’t do that. Then should I take Bernard too? He also wants to settle things with Griselda. And while I’m gone, the Eye of Ashajit [a powerful artifact] could be attacked by vampires if I leave it here, so I should take the Eye of Ashajit with me as well….”

At that moment, one of the soldiers raised his hand.

“Are you perhaps going to Coxhall?”

“Yes, why?”

“I fled from Coxhall to here. I was originally from Butuma, so I can’t say I know the roads of Coxhall well… but I can guide you on the way there.”

“Who are you?”

“My name is Edir. I am from the retinue of Darhan Zadek.”

“The son of the Golden King Manza Zadek?”

In the past, Azadin had received the position of Golden Lion from the Golden King Manza Zadek. [A high-ranking title in the Golden Kingdom].

It was a fleeting position, but since he had been appointed as a direct subordinate of the king, he had already been officially recognized by the forces of the Eight Kingdoms before his current position as Count of Aranggi.

At that time, Azadin had felt deep gratitude towards Manza Zadek. That favor extended to Darhan Zadek, and to those who showed him respect.

“What is it? A retainer, of all people….”

“Do you want to gain merit?”

Those around them were surprised that someone who had just arrived was offering to guide them.

Edir himself knew that this was an unreasonable thing to do, but he wanted to confirm something about Azadin.

“I understand. I will allow you to accompany us.”

Azadin decided to allow Edir to accompany them.

*********

There were many volunteers who wanted to join Azadin on his Erantree Quest.

However, many talented individuals were needed to govern Azadin’s continuously expanding military force, Naisandokar, Sandokar, and the Chadra area.

The people who would accompany him on the Erantree Quest were Niselda and Bernard, a father and daughter burning with revenge against Griselda.

And then there was Jibek, a holy knight of the King’s Church, and the retainer Edir.

The others could not be taken because they had to manage the military force, Sandokar, and Naisandokar while Azadin was away.

Azadin chose the necessary horses and equipment.

“Ah. Captain. What about the hippogriff?”

Selim asked when Azadin chose horses instead of the hippogriff.

“It costs too much to maintain. And the wind is too strong. Even with what we’ve loaded now, assuming there’s no fodder supply, it’s only enough for ten days.”

If they loaded beans and barley to feed the horses without a cart, the cost would be greater than the benefit. With a cart, they could load more, but the speed would decrease.

“If possible, I’d like to resupply fodder along the way.”

“If it were a hippogriff, you could just feed it monsters.”

“I don’t think feeding cultist mutants or vampires would be good for the hippogriff either?”

“That’s a shame.”

“Take care of the territory while I’m gone.”

Azadin asked Selim and loaded the luggage.

At that moment, he noticed the retainer Edir staring blankly at Jibek.

‘Isn’t that the guard knight that Darhan Zadek favored?’

Edir recognized Jibek.

He was the person who had seized the position of captain of the guard as soon as he entered Darhan Zadek’s military service.

He was with Azadin, but it didn’t seem like they knew each other.

However, Jibek did not recognize Edir.

Edir was not a knight but a member of the retinue, so he probably didn’t leave a strong impression.

“Shall we get going then?”

Azadin loaded the equipment onto the horses and began to walk alongside them.

*********

As Azadin left Sandokar and continued east, black shadows began to follow him.

Vampires who had been hiding near Sandokar had begun to chase Azadin.

“What should we do?”

Jibek, who had noticed the vampires’ pursuit, asked.

“Let’s ignore them for now and keep going.”

Azadin followed the desolate road towards Coxhall.

“This way. The bridge on that road is broken, so you have to go a long way around.”

Edir guided them, stopping Azadin from simply following the signposts.

But his gaze was fixed on Jibek.

“Sir Jibek… weren’t you in Darhan Zadek’s guard?”

“That’s right. Edir, you said you were a squire from Butuma?”

“Yes. I was in Darhan Zadek’s retinue.”

“Why did you come all the way here?”

“I was part of the commando unit that Darhan Zadek organized to reclaim the Golden City. There were rumors that Darhan Zadek was assassinated by the Messenger Clan….”

“It’s good to open up, but can’t you be quiet? The vampires are listening.”

Bernard stopped Edir as his voice grew louder.

Edir had no reply, so he shut his mouth.

And for two hours, he simply guided them without saying anything else. Because bridges were broken, barricades were set up on the roads, and monsters and demons were roaming around, they would have wasted a lot of time if they had moved according to the signposts or the old maps.

Thanks to Edir, who had fled from Coxhall, Azadin’s group continued to move while avoiding combat as much as possible.

*********

It was snowing again. There was already a considerable amount of snow on the road, and the horses were getting tired.

“Okay. Shall we rest there?”

Azadin pointed to a farm with an old barn.

The farm was empty, as if the people who had fled had taken all their belongings, but the state of the buildings seemed as if they had been tended to until recently.

When Azadin’s group cautiously investigated the farm, a mutant appeared from the compost heap where they made fertilizer from livestock manure.

A monster that had been eating the compost had risen.

However….

-Hammer of Heavenly Punishment!

Jibek threw a small throwing hammer, and the mutant was smashed with a heavy impact sound.

Jibek retrieved the hammer he had used as a catalyst and looked around.

“It seems there are no more enemies. It’s safe. And there’s hay in the barn.”

“That’s a relief.”

Azadin unloaded the hay and poured it into the troughs, feeding the horses.

He had brought beans and barley to feed the horses, but if they ate that, it would be gone in an instant.

“It seems there are no other grains.”

“But there are vegetables in the garden. The animals have been eating them, though.”

“Let’s get them.”

Azadin and Jibek pulled out cabbages, carrots, and radishes from the garden that had become mushy on the outside from the snow.

There were traces of insects and wild boars and deer having eaten them, but many were relatively okay.

Azadin brought them over and put them in a pot, then cut up pemmican [a preserved food made of dried meat and fat] and put it in the pot.

“Alright, then.”

Azadin gathered scrap wood and rubbed his ceramite longsword, Aurelia Dawn, with his hand, then blew on it.

A golden spark flew into the pile of scrap wood, and a fire started.

Azadin gathered the horses around the campfire and sat down in front of it.

“While the food is cooking, shall we continue our story? Edir. Why do you look at Jibek with such hatred?”

Azadin suddenly asked Edir a question.

“Huh? I, I don’t hate him.”

Then Niselda snorted.

“Mr. Edir. I have always had my knife ready behind you. In case you attacked Sir Jibek.”

It meant that Niselda, a half-vampire assassin, had been constantly watching Edir’s back.

Edir himself had no idea she was there… if he had done anything suspicious, Niselda’s blade would have immediately cut off his breath.

“If I was suspicious, why did you allow me to accompany you? When I told you to take a detour because the road was cut off, you followed without question, didn’t you?”

Azadin had followed the direction Edir had suggested without much suspicion.

“I’m not doubting your intentions, Edir. But separately from that, it seems like you hate me or Sir Jibek. Could it be because we look too similar?”

“Huh? Similar?”

“The reason I brought Jibek on this quest is not only because he volunteered, but also because he doesn’t get along well with the other knights of Sandokar.”

“Cough.”

Jibek spilled the water he was drinking after hearing Azadin’s words.

Sadly, he couldn’t deny Azadin’s words.