The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 392

The rumor that Azadin’s army had crushed Count Polchen’s forces without taking any losses and was advancing north reached Zekt’s ears as well.

The carefree commoners had already exaggerated the rumors, claiming that Azadin had outwitted King Arangi with some miraculous strategy, and that he had cut down the enemies like falling leaves with his immense power and the exploits of the Chadra Ogres [a race of large, powerful humanoids].

Even after filtering out such nonsense, it was clear that Azadin was advancing north with a complete victory.

“……”

Zekt’s subordinates all had grim expressions.

“Why do you all look like that?”

“Isn’t it that the heretic is coming with his full force?”

“Although it’s an army that has swelled in numbers by gathering those with nowhere else to go, I was worried about what we would do if they had more troops than us.”

“I told you. The distance is quite far. He’ll only be moving with a few cavalry and light infantry. Horses won’t suddenly appear out of nowhere, so we’ll actually have the advantage in terms of troop numbers.”

Zekt said confidently, and it was true.

After Azadin defeated Count Polchen, he had sent a significant number of his infantry units back.

“And… ah, no, it’s nothing. Never mind.”

Zekt, as well as the elite Holy Knights of the Royal Church, were actually full of complexes.

They were Holy Knights of the Royal Church who had not been recognized for their inheritance rights because they were not the eldest sons, or because they were disliked by their fathers and had to leave home.

Among them, those who had been recognized for their exceptional talents and skills and had been assigned to the Inquisition knew better than anyone that they were capable.

However, they could not have fiefs [land granted by a lord in exchange for service].

The rumors that Azadin, a soulless blasphemer and untouchable, was becoming a Count and achieving great success were enough to make them feel frustrated, as they had to live the unwanted life of a clergyman, unable to legally start a family or have a fief.

“Do not worry, everyone. When we actually face them on the battlefield, we will have the advantage in terms of troop numbers. And Lord Astadeer was once a Divine King. Even if he looks like this now, he is specialized in killing the Heraldic race [a race of beings with unique powers]. He is the one who has hunted the most of the Heraldic race among the Inquisitors.”

Zekt reassured his subordinates, but he also had many complaints about Lord Astadeer.

To tell them to trust that wreck of a man who seemed desperate to die, drinking alcohol three times a day without fail. Even he himself didn’t find his own words convincing.

“It’s not that I don’t trust Lord Astadeer, but I’m worried that alcohol will consume not only his worries but also his health.”

“Yes, it’s not that he’s drinking alcohol, but that alcohol is drinking him.”

Zekt’s subordinates, who did not drink and were sober, were all worried about Lord Astadeer’s disgraceful behavior, but they did not cross the line.

However, Lord Astadeer’s subordinates, who were steeped in alcohol, were different.

*********

“He’s having a great time, that soulless blasphemer!”

Unlike Lord Zekt, who did not drink, Lord Iron Mask’s subordinates, who were heavy drinkers, were drunk from midday and were cursing at Azadin.

And they showed even more blatant jealousy and envy.

“That bastard, a Margrave! King Arangi is crazy too! He pretended to be generous and gave the Margrave title to an untouchable, and now he’s been bitten!”

“To give a title to a guy who doesn’t even know gratitude, he should have given it to… me.”

The drunken Holy Knights’ grumbling openly revealed their complexes and why they were so angry and envious.

Zekt smiled bitterly as he watched their disgraceful behavior.

He could not condone their disgraceful behavior, but what they were saying was also a point of dissatisfaction for him.

Those who were assigned to the Inquisition in the Royal Church were inevitably talented individuals.

They were talented people who would not have been out of place in the positions of kings and nobles, but they were forced to leave home and come here because they were out of favor with their parents, or because their maternal property was small, or for other political reasons.

From the perspective of those who had become Holy Knights simply because they were unlucky, despite their abilities being sufficient, it was understandable that they would feel resentful when they saw that terrible Heraldic race bastard, who was less qualified than them to become a noble, had become a great noble.

Zekt was also secretly feeling such envy.

‘If he really becomes the King of Banlung, I wouldn’t be able to hide my envy and jealousy, no matter how hard I try. I must make sure that doesn’t happen.’

Zekt kicked Lord Astadeer’s subordinates, who were so drunk that they didn’t even notice his approach, to wake them up.

“Now, everyone. You need to sober up now. I’ve been the one gathering and training the soldiers and distributing supplies all this time……”

Then, a merchant who was selling alcohol approached Zekt with a smile.

“Hey, Inquisitor. I haven’t received the payment for the alcohol yet.”

“Huh?”

Zekt turned to look at the merchant.

He was a merchant who followed the army and sold war supplies.

Recently, due to the soaring food prices caused by Pimbulbert, he had received winter gear instead of silver coins. It was clear that the winter cloaks, which should have been supplied to the troops, were piled up on his cart.

‘It’s common for the low-ranking soldiers to steal supplies and exchange them for alcohol, but even Lord Astadeer and his subordinates are engaging in such disgraceful behavior.’

“Of course, I will pay you. Here.”

Zekt handed him a pouch filled with gold coins.

“……Ah, well, hehe. I’d prefer goods over this.”

Although it was enough gold to pay the price, the merchant looked dissatisfied. He even returned the pouch of gold coins.

“Hmm. What would you like to receive?”

“Fur coats are good. Oil too.”

“I understand. Fur coats and oil. Is this enough?”

Zekt took out a piece of paper and wrote something on it. A cartload of fur coats and three barrels of oil, a generous amount.

“Oh, thank you very much.”

“Then, bring that slip after the battle, and I will give it to you then.”

“What?”

The merchant clicked his tongue in dismay. Zekt had given him a requisition slip.

“No, that won’t do. This is……”

At that moment, a black shadow emanated from Zekt’s body.

But then, someone grabbed the merchant’s sleeve and pulled him back.

Zekt’s attack cut through the air, and the merchant was thrown into a pile of fur coats.

“Kuh?!”

“……….”

“Lord Astadeer. You’re awake.”

“I was awake from the beginning. Lord Zekt. Don’t take your anger out on an innocent merchant. If you kill him, the taste of alcohol will be ruined, wouldn’t it?”

Lord Astadeer had rescued the merchant. He had clearly been so drunk that he couldn’t even stand properly, but in that short time, he had intervened between Zekt and the merchant and saved the merchant. Even Zekt couldn’t help but be surprised.

‘If he had attacked me… could I have received it?’

What if the movement just now was not to rescue the merchant but to harm Zekt?

Zekt realized that he had underestimated Astadeer too much and clicked his tongue.

“Stealing military supplies to drink alcohol doesn’t seem like a good thing for military discipline.”

“Using people as test subjects for Nether magic isn’t an action that conforms to the doctrine either.”

“Haha. This is quite……”

“Rest assured, Lord Zekt. If it’s to eliminate that hateful Heraldic race, I will overlook your magic as much as possible.”

Astadeer’s words sounded as if he would only tolerate it until the Heraldic race was eliminated.

“What will you do after you eliminate them?”

“I’ll eliminate another Heraldic race. There are too many of them.”

“……”

Zekt withdrew the killing intent that had been subtly rising after hearing those words.

Astadeer did not like Zekt, and Zekt did not like him either.

However, it was clear from the previous conversation that at least he would not stab Zekt in the back first.

‘I hope he’s as skilled as the rumors say.’

At that moment, news came from the scouts.

“Count Naisandokar’s army has entered the Heart of the Mountain!”

“……….”

They should have called him a heretic or a blasphemer, but the messenger who was delivering the news from the scouts was already calling Azadin a Count.

“Hmm. It seems like the time has come to show my skills as soon as I say it.”

Astadeer staggered as he walked, reeking of alcohol.

“Are you going to be okay? Being so drunk?”

“I’m fine. It’s just a bit of a waste of alcohol.”

Astadeer put his hands together and began to concentrate.

Then, his body began to emit a hot heat….

-Shhhhh!

Steam began to pour out of every pore on his body.

The strong smell of alcohol stung the nose.

‘What?’

Zekt was amazed as he watched Astadeer using the Divine King’s Scripture in a strange way.

Before he knew it, Astadeer had cleanly driven out the alcohol poisoning and was looking perfectly fine.

“Let’s go. The Rescue Knights must have already been informed, right? Lord Zekt?”

“……”

Zekt had not shared any information with Astadeer, who was a drunkard.

It was considered foolish to share information with someone who was drinking all day long except when he was sleeping.

However, what Lord Astadeer was saying was true.

“They have been informed. The problem is whether the Rescue Knights can handle that man.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll go ahead first, so follow with the troops.”

“What?”

Zekt was flustered by Astadeer’s words, but Astadeer quickly began to move south first with only a small number of his subordinates.

*********

As Azadin had built a military force and become a great noble, the Rescue Knights were also very embarrassed about how to treat Azadin.

In particular, the Wisdom Order, which had been at odds with Azadin, was eager to get rid of him.

However, they literally could not get rid of Azadin.

It was because Azadin had already grown too big.

“This time, the Royal Church has sent a subtle threat asking us to do something about Count Azadin. It seems like they won’t leave us alone if we don’t do something about him. If anyone has any good ideas, please speak up.”

As the Archbishop of the Wisdom Order opened his mouth, the high-ranking clergy spoke one after another.

“How can a person who has left the world become a Count in the first place!? Let’s excommunicate him!”

“We cannot do that.”

“What do you mean? Surely the rules state….”

“The rules of the Rescue Knights were received from the three Archangels, and the three Archangels did not care about worldly possessions, territories, or fiefs.”

“That’s the principle, and there are laws established by the Council, aren’t there?”

In order to coexist with the Royal Church, the Rescue Knights also made it so that fiefs were not inherited by those who had left the world.

The Holy Knights of the Church were a good place to deal with the illegitimate children of nobles. If the Royal Church and the Rescue Knights did not share such a perception, the systems of both churches would be disrupted.

Therefore, a clergyman argued that Azadin should be punished by the laws established by the Council, but a legal scholar from the Wisdom Order scoffed.

“That’s why it’s not possible. What the Council prohibited at that time was the right of worldly inheritance. But did Count Azadin become a Count by inheriting it?”

“Ah…….”

The clergyman who had been shouting that Azadin should be punished blushed.

He was once again thrilled by the fact that Azadin, who was from the Heraldic race, had proven his ability and had been granted a position by King Arangi.