The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 404

#405. The Age of Revelation 6

“…Are you mocking me right now?”

Zekt was furious at Azadin’s words, but since he regarded Azadin as the embodiment of fate, he couldn’t ignore them.

He couldn’t bear not knowing the meaning behind Azadin’s words and actions.

So, Zekt lowered his sword and looked directly into Azadin’s eyes, trying to discern the emotions behind his words.

Azadin looked at Zekt and asked,

“Do you know the story of the three Archangels becoming statues?”

“Of course, I do. It’s a story about the limitations of an incomplete lower god. The Yaegas gods are the true gods. They came to this land, achieved victory, and returned. They are on a different level than the defeated three Archangels. The King’s Church acknowledges the existence of the Rescue Knights because they are a lower religion that serves obvious lower gods, and they are useful as meat shields against the Netherstrom [a powerful storm from another dimension].”

Zekt revealed his honest thoughts about the Rescue Knights.

“Indeed. That’s how the King’s Church views the Rescue Knights. The Yaegas gods won and left, but the three Archangels exhausted their power and became statues. That’s why the Rescue Knights know that even if they are good, strong, and divine beings, they must give their all to practice virtue and justice.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“Sir Zekt, I am afraid.”

“……”

“Now, if darkness reaches out to the starving people, the beings of the Nether [another dimension], those terrible gods from another dimension, will exert their influence on this land. Even if the angels protect us and the Yaegas gods give us revelations, I am infinitely powerless compared to my mission. That’s why I needed a capable person like you.”

“Needed?”

Zekt raised an eyebrow at the past tense.

“Yes. Even if you used sorcery to drive many refugees to their deaths, if you overcome that obsession and inferiority complex, you will surely be a great help. I needed you, and in fact, I still need you.”

“Ha.”

Azadin’s reaction was so unexpected that Zekt couldn’t help but laugh.

It wasn’t unpleasant to hear that the person he considered a messenger of the gods, an embodiment of fate, highly valued him and said he needed him.

However, jealousy reared its head again.

If he helped, and Azadin overcame the calamity, wouldn’t he be elevated to a legendary hero, or even a myth, by his power?

He didn’t want that.

“I can’t stand to see you achieve your great mission with my help.”

“That’s a naive way of thinking. Zekt, this world is harsh. Even the Archangels of Virtue need the help of others. Do you think we will win just because you help me, a mortal who doesn’t even reach the tip of those Archangels’ toes? You’re already worried about sharing the glory after overcoming this calamity. That’s quite the ego.”

“So, what’s your answer to my duel request?”

“I need the help of a capable person like you. But if you challenge me to a duel simply because I was chosen by the Yaegas gods, instead of lending your strength to virtue, then fine. I will make you pay for the blood of the people you sacrificed.”

Azadin drew his sword.

The ceramide longsword used by Sir Planck of Wisdom, Aurelia Dawn, blazed with a dazzling golden light.

Then, Jibeck stood beside Azadin.

“Your Majesty, the opponent is a shameless rogue. There is no need for Your Majesty to accept such a person’s nonsense with an honorable duel. I recommend that you fire the canister shot and grapeshot while I take his sword.”

“Ha…”

Even if they were hit by cannon fire together, he wanted to suppress him with artillery.

Zekt laughed at Jibeck’s words criticizing him.

“Zekt! You will die not as a forsaken one who challenged the messenger chosen by the gods, but as a villain who murdered the people. Don’t try to dress up your evil deeds as fighting against fate! There is no justice in your actions!”

Jibeck accurately recognized the inferiority complex Zekt had towards Azadin and belittled him.

Even if Azadin could win against Zekt without much damage, it was not good for the king to deal with Zekt directly through a duel.

It would be like satisfying Zekt’s twisted self-satisfaction.

“How boring. No, it is boring.”

Zekt dropped his sword.

“What’s the point of dueling you if you’re not a great being ordained by fate, but just a human? Then it’s not fun. Understood. I withdraw the duel.”

Zekt, consumed by jealousy and self-pity, regarded Azadin as an absolute prophet of fate and challenged him to a duel.

However, Azadin reminded him that even the three Archangels had fought by burning their lives, thus breaking Zekt’s will.

In that case, it was better for Zekt to withdraw his sword and accept the throne of Corasar that Azadin had promised.

But…

“Wait a minute, Sir Zekt. Who do you think you are to take back your words as you please?”

Azadin, instead of letting Zekt withdraw his killing intent, sent a sharp killing intent towards him.

“Do you think that if you draw your sword against the king and then just put it back in its sheath, your blasphemy will be forgiven?”

Jibeck also pressured Zekt.

“Ah, no, didn’t you say you needed my help?”

“Of course, I need it. But you still have to take responsibility for using sorcery that sacrificed the people, right?”

“Huh?”

“Sir Zekt, I am stripping you of your position as a Holy Knight. You will become a Penitent Knight and serve in the ranks.”

“……?!”

He withdrew his duel request and sheathed his sword, but suddenly he was ordered to serve in the ranks.

It was the worst timing to strike, making it awkward to say let’s fight again.

‘Well, all my subordinate officers died or went missing in Bissen, so I don’t have any troops under my command anyway. Still, to be a Penitent Knight and serve in the ranks? Isn’t that just saying they’ll keep using me as a regular swordsman? This bastard…’

However, Azadin’s command contained the dignity and reason of a king.

From Azadin’s will to uphold the virtues of the Rescue Knights, even if Zekt was capable, he could not be used without any punishment for harming the people.

It was a traditional knightly practice for a knight who committed a crime to go on a penitent journey and serve in the ranks, so there was justification and even elegance.

If Zekt went on a penitent journey, just as the knights of the Celestial Fire recognized Azadin for completing the Erantry Quest [a quest to prove one’s worth], Zekt would also be recognized.

It felt like he was being scammed for giving up the duel, but he couldn’t take back the words he had just spoken.

In the end, Zekt had no choice but to follow Azadin’s solution.

“Understood. Then…”

“Good. Then, Sir Zekt, from now on, you are not Zekt, the Inquisitor of the King’s Church, but a Penitent Knight. Wear a hemp robe and go on a penitent journey. And devote yourself to the three virtues. I know you are a believer of the King’s Church, but you know that the three virtues do not conflict with the laws of the King’s Church and are complementary, right? There shouldn’t be any particular complaints…”

At that moment, Zekt’s knees buckled as he lost his strength.

“I fully understand the desire to take revenge on the chosen one of fate because fate is harsh. But that is a feeling that a believer of the King’s Church has. The faith of the Rescue Knights knows that even gods are imperfect, and that justice does not always prevail, and yet there is meaning in striving for virtue. In this time of calamity, we must unite every ounce of strength to protect humanity, so atone for your sins through a penitent journey and only for the people…”

“He fell asleep.”

Jibeck checked that Sir Zekt had fallen asleep and turned to Azadin.

“It seems that Your Majesty’s sermon was like a sleeping pill. With such poor sermon skills, will the missionary work of the New Testament really succeed? If you’re planning to turn the church into a giant sleeping dormitory, then it’s a success.”

“…That’s why I trust you, Jibeck. Show me the sermon skills you learned in the King’s Church.”

“Unlike priests, Holy Knights are not specialized in proselytizing or missionary work.”

Jibeck clicked his tongue as he looked at the sleeping Zekt.

“A penitent journey. You really struck at the right time.”

“What do you mean?”

“As soon as he withdrew the duel, you said you would make him go on a penitent journey, so Sir Zekt had no shame in reversing the words he had just spoken and ended up accepting the penitent journey.”

“Honestly, he killed a lot of people, so he should do that much. Why is he walking around with his head held high just because he’s of royal blood? He’s not even proud of himself, so he’s just a bundle of inferiority.”

“Hahaha.”

Jibeck burst into laughter as he watched Azadin scolding Zekt.

*********

Jibeck criticized Zekt as a bundle of inferiority, but in fact, the feeling he had when he first met Zekt was inferiority.

A human being who had reached a realm that I could never reach even if I trained my whole life.

Yet, Zekt was a human being full of endless inferiority and anger despite having such great talent and power, so Jibeck was simply afraid.

Always smiling, but committing terrible acts without a second thought, Jibeck could only bow his head before this eccentric superior, his teacher.

So, following the old customs of order, he blindly pledged allegiance to his superiors, blindly worshiped the royal and noble families, and the bloodlines of the new kings, and strongly ignored the people who were dying and suffering before his eyes.

Until he met Azadin, he had only passively helped the sacrificed people. He did not have the courage to do what he thought was right.

He seemed to hate Zekt because he thought the humiliations of that day originated from him.

‘In the end, I was just a coward and a scoundrel…’

Jibeck said self-reproachfully.

“Then, I will call people to let Sir Zekt rest. Should we put him in a cell?”

“If we put him in a cell, can we keep him locked up? He’s a Penitent Knight now, so give him a hemp robe and let him rest enough.”

“That’s true. What should we do with Bishop Bissen?”

“Let’s keep him alive and heal him for now. Even if he’s a traitor, I can’t execute a clergyman with my own hands, right? Besides, we can get a ransom.”

“I don’t know if they will pay the ransom.”

“More importantly, a Celestial with crimson wings. I need to ask Sir Karna about it. Bring Sir Karna here.”

*********

“The king is looking for me?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“Is he only looking for me?”

“I’m not sure about that.”

Karna, who was summoned by Azadin, was inwardly trembling with fear.

As soon as the Celestial Fire joined, Azadin kept Sir Karna and Sir Izmilla by his side, and split the forces of the Celestial Fire Knights and sent them to deal with the monsters in various parts of Sandocar and Naisandocar.

Wasn’t this a typical sign of a purge, splitting Karna’s military power into pieces and separating them?