The Shadowed Legacy Of The Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 387

“Didn’t I tell you? Even if we had twice the numerical advantage, it would be difficult. I wasn’t wrong.”

“The total numbers are similar, but we charged in a wedge formation while they used a crane formation [a battle formation where the front lines are narrow and the flanks are extended]. In the engagement area, we have more than twice their numbers. But looking at the current state, we’d need four times the number, not two.”

“That’s because the enemy is exhausted. Normally, we’d need about ten times their number, wouldn’t we?”

Count Ibechek frankly admitted that the cavalry’s capabilities were lacking.

Meanwhile, the tips of the crane formation’s spears were closing in on Azadin and Ibechek.

Prince Gislain, confident of victory from the previous clash, spurred his tired horse and charged towards Azadin.

No matter how skilled Azadin was, even on a hippogriff [a mythical creature with the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a horse], it was too late to fly away at this distance. A hippogriff needed a preliminary movement to push off the ground before taking flight!

But then, Azadin pulled out the Azure Steel Bow from his quiver.

‘Hmph, an arrow from the Messenger Clan? I don’t know how skilled they are at archery to be called a King Slayer, or whatever grand title they have…’

At that moment, three arrows were fired in quick succession from Azadin’s hand.

Prince Gislain used his shield to cover his head and his spear to cover his horse’s head.

He tried to charge, using his spear to cover the areas not protected by his horse’s armor.

However…

The arrows imbued with the magic of Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon curved, one to the side and another upwards, engulfing Prince Gislain. The remaining arrow flew straight ahead.

“What?!”

The three arrows flew on different trajectories and struck Prince Gislain almost simultaneously.

Prince Gislain, who had only heard rumors of the Messenger Clan and didn’t know the details, was bewildered by the arrows that curved unexpectedly.

Moreover, their power was extraordinary.

-Thwack!

The steel shield was pierced in one blow, and the arrowhead tore through flesh.

‘It, it pierced through the shield and armor like paper? Even if it’s Azure Steel…’

-Thud!

With two more arrows piercing him in quick succession, Prince Gislain lost consciousness.

The knights in the crane formation were thrown into confusion when Prince Gislain at the front fell from his horse.

“Selim!”

And at Azadin’s shout, a hippogriff appeared from the sky. Selim, the minotaur riding the hippogriff, and his subordinates threw nets from above.

It was easy to be mesmerized by the hippogriffs’ magnificent appearance with wings and eagle beaks, but the weight they could carry into the sky was extremely limited.

If they carried a knight in armor or a minotaur like Selim, there was almost no weight left to carry.

The nets carried by the light hippogriff riders were small, designed for gladiators in the arena, and were not large enough to inflict significant damage.

However, that was only if the Arangian Kingdom’s charge was a normal charge.

Prince Gislain had fallen, and the vitality spell he had cast had lost its effect. Now, the horses and riders had to pay back the principal and interest of the strength and stamina they had borrowed.

They were so exhausted that they would fall from just being hit by a bundle of hay. When the small nets fell, the front lines began to collapse.

As the crane formation collapsed, even the mighty Arangian knights became vulnerable to attacks from the flanks.

Count Ibechek’s knights finally began to push back the Arangian knights.

“Good! Victory is ours! The Arangians are nothing special!”

Count Ibechek was delighted to see the enemy’s strength waning and their formation collapsing.

But as soon as he shouted in excitement, flames suddenly erupted from the enemy’s ranks.

Long flames, as thick as a person’s arm, shot out, burning Selim’s nets and threatening the approaching cavalry.

The horses, startled by the flames flashing before their eyes, reared back and fell.

The Arangian Guards tore through the nets, dismounted, and began to move.

“Krrr…”

Although they looked human, the knights who breathed fire from their mouths each picked up a battle halberd, which ordinary soldiers could barely lift with both hands, one in each hand.

“Come on!”

They lightly swung their halberds left and right, and since the entire area within a 1-jang [approximately 3.03 meters] radius was within their range, no one dared to jump in. Tremendous power and fighting spirit emanated from these Arangian Guards.

“Wh, what do we do?”

Count Ibechek asked Azadin in a panic.

Clearly, now that the crane formation had collapsed, it was the right time to strike, but…

Seeing the Arangian Guards breathing fire and swinging their weapons, he knew he would die if he stuck his head in there.

“There’s no need to fight. Let’s go back.”

“Huh?”

“The objective has been achieved. Let’s go back!”

Instead of charging into the collapsed enemy formation and cutting off their breath, Azadin decided to retreat, avoiding the Arangian Guards.

“…What?”

“Come on, you bastards! Huh?!”

The Arangian Guards roared, forcibly raising their fighting spirit, but Count Ibechek’s knights began to retreat, not engaging them.

“Hahaha. It seems they know how scary the Arangian Guards are!”

“Yeah. How dare they…”

The Arangian Guards scoffed at Count Ibechek’s knights retreating from them, but then they saw all their gazes focused on one place.

All eyes were on Prince Gislain’s side.

“………”

“Could it be?”

The Arangian Guards turned their heads in disbelief.

They had only seen their commander, Prince Gislain, fall from his horse…

They saw his aide, looking somber, taking off his helmet beside him.

“Prince Gislain is dead!”

*********

Although Prince Gislain had died, the Arangian Guards fought bravely, and they were able to return safely to their main camp.

However, their main camp, which had suffered from the cold without supplies, had turned into a refugee camp rather than a military base.

The soldiers with hollow eyes sighed when they heard that Prince Gislain had died.

“According to the rules, I, as the same prince, should succeed command…”

When Prince Sram, who was there as an envoy, pointed to himself, the aide, who was Prince Gislain’s milk brother, frowned.

“I know. I was just saying it. Listen to the end. I’m not saying I’ll do it, just that it feels awkward.”

“I apologize. I lost my mind and forgot my manners.”

“I understand completely. Gislain was more like a brother to you than to me.”

“……”

“Since things have turned out this way, I will take the prisoners of Count Azadin back. What about the conditions? Should we give them the supplies as initially promised?”

Azadin had initially promised to exchange prisoners for fodder and provisions. But after Count Azadin’s army raided their supply units… giving them supplies now would be like returning what they had taken.

“We will exchange supplies for prisoners.”

The aide followed Prince Sram’s proposal.

“Okay, then. Huh?”

At that moment, a hippogriff flew to the front of the outpost’s main camp. Surprisingly, Count Azadin had visited the Arangian Kingdom’s outpost with only Selim and a few attendants.

‘Is he crazy? Why is he coming here naked after winning?’

Prince Sram couldn’t understand why Azadin was doing this.

The Arangian Kingdom’s army, facing defeat, was completely demoralized.

So, they were actively responding to the prisoner exchange, and after the exchange, they would probably retreat to the rear and reorganize until they joined the main force.

Prince Gislain’s death was a serious blow.

However, it didn’t mean that the entire force had suffered significant damage.

The outpost still maintained a force of about 100 soldiers, most of whom were knights, including some Arangian Guards.

And the enemy’s commander-in-chief was coming into the middle of this group of high-quality soldiers?

Wasn’t this a golden opportunity to avenge their defeat?

Moreover, Azadin was born into the Messenger Clan, so even if they did something outside the code of chivalry against him, they would receive less criticism.

‘Does he want to die after winning? Even if he is the master of the King’s Aura, the Arangian Guards are not to be trifled with!’

Prince Sram broke out in a cold sweat as he welcomed Azadin’s visit.

*********

As Prince Sram had expected, the aide, Prince Gislain’s milk brother, and the Arangian Guards were burning with anger.

Count Azadin had come in person.

Although it was against the code of chivalry, it was a golden opportunity to ambush him and avenge their defeat.

But then…

As Count Azadin entered Prince Gislain’s main camp without bloodshed, a warm ray of sunlight shone on their tents.

“…Huh?”

The Arangian Kingdom’s army, which had been suffering from the cold until just now, was momentarily speechless.

As Azadin dismounted and approached them, a warm breeze blew from the northeast.

“So, Prince Sram, you’ve secured the release of the prisoners? You’ve worked hard.”

“Ah, yes. But, how did you know? I haven’t even informed the main camp yet.”

“Well, I have my ways.”

Azadin smiled and approached the refugee soldier captain who had been tortured the most.

The soldiers who had seen Prince Gislain’s corpse and felt the warm breeze brought by the King’s Aura in front of them could not dare to oppose Count Azadin and bowed their heads before him.

In front of them, Azadin personally untied the refugee soldier captain’s ropes and took his hand.

“…You’ve suffered greatly, William.”

“Oh, no, sir. It’s nothing, Captain.”

The refugee soldier captain smiled bitterly and waved his hand. His fingers were throbbing from being broken during torture.

He had been bandaged in a hurry, but even with current medical technology, it was difficult to fully heal a broken finger. Moreover, he had been left in the cold at night and had frostbite, so he was in a state where he might have to have all his fingers amputated.

As a soldier, he was finished, and he wouldn’t be able to make a living no matter what he did in the future.

He had been promoted to refugee soldier captain and had received three fiefs from Azadin, making him a member of the gentry, but those fiefs were currently useless.

He could only make a living if he could farm and produce crops.

However, despite all of this, the refugee soldier captain, William, was inwardly proud that he had kept his faith in Azadin to the end.

But Azadin took the refugee soldier captain, William’s, hand and squeezed it.

“Ah!”

At the same time William screamed…

His hand was enveloped in golden light.

“Huh?”

Blood flowed from the wound.

Blood flowed from the wound that had been frozen and unable to bleed due to frostbite, and new flesh grew, and the old flesh, which looked like a mass of bruises, crumbled and fell off.

“Your hand has become a little smaller, but if you train steadily, you will be able to live as before.”

Azadin said this and placed his hand on William’s shoulder.

The refugee soldier captain, William, looked at his hand in shock.

The hand that he thought he would have to amputate had been restored!

It was a little smaller than before, but was that a big deal?!

He had avoided becoming disabled?

“Ah, Cap, Captain! Thank you.”

The refugee soldier captain, William, wept and bowed his head before Azadin.

Not only that, but the soldiers of the outpost, the knights of the Arangian Kingdom, who were watching this, could not help but be amazed.

“A, a miracle.”

“Oh my god.”

“The King’s healing…”