The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 421

Having subdued Bissen, Azadin now began preparations to involve himself in the succession battle for the Arangi Kingdom. However, such preparations were not something that could be done quickly, and it took a considerable amount of time.

There were countless tasks to complete to ensure that Banlung’s internal affairs would run smoothly even while Azadin was temporarily away.

While administrative work was underway to abolish Bissen and make Sevron the Count of Sandokar, succeeding Count Ivcek, the season changed to spring.

*********

-Whirr!

That day, a blizzard was raging. Azadin had been managing internal affairs while also preparing cold-resistant wheat and barley for the next planting season. But, of all days, it had to snow today.

“Frankly, I can’t predict the chances of success, Azadin. First of all, the people here aren’t used to northern crops, and the power of the druids I employ is wild magic. As long as the spirits of wild magic are rejecting you, Azadin, I don’t think even druidic magic can do much about it.”

Wild Druid Sedrin warned while overseeing the planting of northern crops.

“What about the Sun of Seonwoo?”

Azadin asked Sion Etar.

“The Elder Council is against it. As you know, we of the Etar bloodline are cooperating with Your Majesty, but the other herald clans do not accept you.”

“Then are they using it in the Elder Council?”

“No. As you know, the herald clans’ sanctuary is in a high altitude…”

The herald clans’ sanctuary, located in a high-altitude area, had a continental climate with hot summers and cold winters. Since the start of Pymbulbert [a period of extreme cold], it was no longer an environment where any crops could be planted.

Moreover, activating the Sun of Seonwoo required an enormous amount of magic power. If a living being were to pay such a price, even the greatest archmage would wither away immediately.

It could only be used if magic power was drawn from an external source, like the light of kingship emitted from the Yegas throne, wild magic, or nether magic. However, the herald clan’s grimoire, ‘Flower, Bird, Wind, Moon,’ was designed to use the caster’s personal magic power.

“If they can’t use it, they should at least give it to me.”

“The Elder Council hasn’t given up on negotiations with the Northern Empire yet. And their personal feelings towards Your Majesty are definitely playing a part.”

Many of the herald clans held ill feelings towards Azadin. Azadin had shattered their aspirations and ruined many of the things they had been doing in alliance with the Nagas.

“Then I should treat the Etar bloodline even better. They must be going to great lengths to be allied with me, aren’t they?”

“I am deeply grateful for your understanding.”

“You don’t mean a word of that.”

Planting northern crops and obtaining the Sun of Seonwoo were not easy tasks. However, that didn’t mean they could just sit idly by. Azadin began preparations for the Arangi expedition.

*********

With the death of King Karnago IV of Arangi and the disappearance of Prince Grixval, the Arangi Kingdom was embroiled in a power struggle between various factions of nobles.

They were largely divided into three groups. One group supported the second son, Prince Balthazar, who was next in line after Grixval.

Prince Balthazar was a capable military man who had served as the Northern March Count. He had a large independent army and had accumulated many achievements in defending the country.

The problem was that Prince Balthazar was a half-elf and, unlike the other princes, could not manifest the abilities of the Arangi Guard. There was already widespread resentment that an elf had assassinated the king, and now there was even more opposition to placing a half-elf prince on the throne.

The next most powerful faction was the one that wanted to entrust the kingdom to Cohen Lionheart, the King of Kings appointed by the King’s Church, and have the kingdom ruled by a council of nobles.

This faction was essentially proposing to have a king in name only while the nobles divided the country among themselves. However, this was also met with strong opposition.

This was because the elf queen who had assassinated the king was Cohen Lionheart’s daughter.

Cohen Lionheart had declared that he would sever ties with his daughter because she had fallen into a cult, thus avoiding responsibility. However, the fact that he was the father of the king’s assassin was undeniable.

There was strong opposition to entrusting the guardianship of the kingdom to such a person.

The Arangi Guard also opposed the idea of establishing a council of nobles to manage the kingdom, making it difficult to proceed.

Finally, there were the Arangi Guards themselves.

The Arangi Guards were arguing that the most suitable general among the princes to lead the Arangi Guard should be chosen and that he should inherit the throne.

In other words, the Arangi Guard would become kingmakers, evaluating and ranking the princes and then supporting the one they chose.

They were essentially saying that they would directly intervene in the succession to the throne.

The problem was that, although the Arangi Guard was small in number, they were a powerful military group that occupied the capital of the Arangi Kingdom.

If the Arangi Guard decided to revolt, the Arangi Royal Castle would become an impregnable fortress.

In short, the Arangi Kingdom was currently in a three-way power struggle between the Arangi Guard, who controlled the capital, the noble alliance, who controlled the outskirts, and Prince Balthazar, the Northern March Count.

*********

In this unpredictable three-way struggle, King Azadin of Banlung entered the Arangi Kingdom with his army at the invitation of Baron Eremba.

Baron Eremba’s residence was a shabby mansion, hardly befitting a lord’s castle.

It was more like a post office than a mansion.

“Hmm. You are Baron Eremba, correct?”

Azadin was quite taken aback by the shabby state of Baron Eremba’s territory.

If he was inviting a foreign power to participate in the succession battle, shouldn’t he have some kind of power?

Even though a baron was not a low-ranking title, Baron Eremba’s territory seemed to have no particular assets or specialties.

However, Azadin was not the only one who was disappointed.

“Ah, Your Majesty Azadin. According to rumors, you were a three-headed, six-armed demon with a lightning fuse on your head.”

Baron Eremba said something that was hard to tell if it was a joke or not, but he also seemed very disappointed.

This was because Azadin’s army consisted mostly of refugee soldiers with few cavalry.

Baron Eremba was not wrong to be disappointed, as he had brought soldiers who were worse than novice mercenaries and called them the king’s soldiers.

“I don’t have a lightning fuse, but I’m willing to strike anyone who wants to be struck by lightning. So, I’d like to hear your plan.”

“Ah, yes, Your Majesty. May I speak with Prince Sram for a moment?”

Baron Eremba asked for Azadin’s understanding and then called Prince Sram.

“No, this is different from what we discussed, Sram.”

“What do you mean, Uncle?”

“They said King Azadin was amazing, but this is different from the rumors. Even if he’s good, how can he bring soldiers who look like beggars? Is he looking down on the Arangians? Soldiers armed with slings in this day and age? Are we living in the Stone Age?”

“No, Uncle. King Azadin has won many battles with that kind of army.”

“No, we’re going to be criticized for bringing in a foreign power, so we have to win if we’re going to be criticized. If we lose like this, we’ll just end up as the biggest scoundrels, won’t we? What about the Celestial Fire? Didn’t you say there was an army of angels full of handsome and beautiful men and women?”

“It’s pretty scoundrel-like to say that in front of a guest.”

“Guests are guests, but these beggar-like soldiers eat the same amount of rations, don’t they? Think about my position, having to provide those rations. Rations are already expensive. I was expecting to see the Celestial Fire!”

The conversation between Prince Sram and Baron Eremba was meant to be private, but Azadin could hear it clearly.

Azadin smiled wryly.

‘They were expecting the Celestial Fire, it seems. But we don’t have many proper cavalry either… I’m sorry, but the Celestial Fire has to be used in many places.’

Azadin had sent the Celestial Fire to the Sandokar and Naisandokar regions to combat the monsters that threatened the trade routes, allowing them to gain combat experience and achievements.

He had assigned two Celestial Fire members and five regular cavalry to each group, using the Celestial Fire Knights as veterans to train the regular cavalry and squires into better knights.

He was using the Celestial Fire to improve the training of the cavalry, but it seemed that Baron Eremba was just expecting the Celestial Fire’s glamorous appearance and angelic form.

“What should we do? Should we rebuke them for their rudeness?”

Jibek, who had managed the internal affairs of the royal castle during the Bissen subjugation but had come along on this Arangi expedition, asked Azadin for his opinion.

“Well, it would be difficult to cause trouble right away when we’ve been invited as guests. But they must have been expecting a lot from the Celestial Fire.”

Azadin said this and gestured to Jibek to knock.

Jibek approached the room where Prince Sram and Baron Eremba had disappeared and knocked on the door.

“Ah, yes. I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. We will hold a banquet immediately.”

“No, Baron Eremba, don’t hold a banquet in this time of Pymbulbert. I have some thoughts on the Arangi Kingdom’s succession issue.”

“Yes.”

“First of all, even if I don’t become king, it doesn’t matter as long as someone else can bring forth the light of kingship on this throne. In that regard, I think the Arangi Guard can be persuaded.”

“What?”

“I want to form an alliance with the Arangi Guard. Can you arrange that?”

“Ah, I understand. If that’s the case.”

Baron Eremba had been half-doubtful of Azadin, but when Azadin specified his course of action and made clear demands, he naturally became more inclined to cooperate.

‘It seems they thought that if they had the Celestial Fire and the light of kingship, everything would be solved on its own.’

As Azadin had predicted, Baron Eremba had invited Azadin because he was fascinated by the fact that Azadin had manifested the light of kingship and gained the loyalty of the Celestial Fire. It was clear that he had not made any clear plans for the future.

Even with such a person, it was necessary to treat him well without offending him, as he was providing rations and was on the supply route to the Banlung Kingdom.

*********

“If there is no external intervention, Prince Balthazar will become king.”

As soon as Azadin heard the story of the three-way power struggle in the Arangi Kingdom, he came to that conclusion.

“Why is that?”

Jibek questioned Azadin’s immediate conclusion.

“Well, Prince Balthazar’s organization has the most solid command structure, doesn’t it? The noble alliance is trying to hand over the throne to the Northern Empire and become the de facto rulers, but would Prince Balthazar just stand by? Eventually, there will be a military conflict, and to wage war, each noble would have to contribute their private soldiers. And that’s all money. Money. On the other hand, what about the Arangi Guard? If there is no prince to put forward other than Prince Balthazar, their plan is just empty talk. Well, if there is no external intervention, that is.”