The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 435

“You say you’re leaving even though the war isn’t over and I haven’t failed to pay you? Even if you’re mercenaries, you know desertion is a crime, right?”

Azadin was known for showing mercy even to his enemies.

However, there was no reason to be lenient with the elves of the Telbarin Guild, who were suspected of being spies and had a bad reputation for slave trading.

If they were to leave Azadin’s army now, even if they were mercenaries, they could be punished for desertion. And desertion during wartime was punishable by immediate execution. It was a good opportunity to hold the elves, who were already suspected of being spies for the Northern Empire, accountable.

“Of course, we’re not just leaving. We’ll provide appropriate compensation.”

“Compensation?”

“Yes. As compensation, how about we give you one of the Sunwoo’s Suns…?”

“……”

Azadin was taken aback when the Telbarin Guild elves offered an unexpected item as compensation.

The Sunwoo’s Sun.

It was something mentioned in Emperor Yaeslat’s report, which the Messenger Clan had taken but had not yet activated.

Azadin had tried to obtain the Sunwoo’s Sun through negotiations with Sion Etar, but Sion Etar kept making excuses and hadn’t brought it.

And now, the Telbarin elves also had one?

“That’s unexpected. How do you have that?”

“Well, the Sunwoo’s Sun was originally created by us elves during the Nagas Empire [an ancient elven civilization].”

Their words carried a sense of pride as the original inhabitants of this continent with a long history.

“We’ll give you the Sunwoo’s Sun as compensation. What do you say?”

“Alright. The deal is made. When can I receive it?”

“In the name of the Telbarin Guild, we will send it to the Banlung Kingdom by ship in a month. Shall we draw up a certificate?”

“Yes.”

Azadin was bewildered by the Telbarin Guild’s offer of a legendary magical artifact as compensation.

*********

The news of Fireglyph’s fall quickly spread around the world.

For the kings and nobles of various countries who knew that Fireglyph and the Chadra Plateau were Azadin’s base, and for those who felt disgusted by Azadin’s advocacy of the New Doctrine and his claim to be the King of Banlung, it was very satisfying news.

In particular, the residents of Asendar, a territory of the Northern Empire, were very excited and preoccupied with gossiping and slandering Azadin.

Even now, people gathered at the inns of Asendar were excitedly badmouthing Azadin.

“See? I told you he was nothing special. He was just one of many mayflies. Now, all that’s left for him is to lose everything and fall. A soulless blasphemer as king? What a ridiculous idea?!”

“A lowly commoner dared to take the throne, but his true colors have been revealed.”

“But he really did manifest the Light of Kingship, didn’t he?”

“That must be nonsense!”

“And our king, the Northern Emperor, also manifests the Light of Kingship. I don’t know what tricks that Messenger Clan guy is using, but he must be disguising it with some kind of sorcery.”

“The true king is only the Northern Emperor. The Messenger Clan is usurping the throne with sorcery. According to rumors, the Banlung throne broke just from him sitting on it, didn’t it?”

The atmosphere suddenly turned cold.

“Hey, even so, that’s not true.”

Everyone could accept the idea that Azadin was not a true king and was imitating the Light of Kingship with sorcery.

However, they didn’t want to believe the rumor that Yaegas’s throne broke when Azadin sat on it.

With chaos sweeping the world, the idea that the throne of Yaegas, the pillar of their faith, had broken was ominous.

Also, if there was a being who could break the throne, wouldn’t Azadin be too powerful, even if he was a spawn of evil?

What people wanted was to condemn the ugliness of evil in a situation where good was guaranteed to win.

But what if evil was stronger than good?

Some of them would not hesitate to switch to the stronger side, as if nothing had happened.

Since everyone wanted to criticize Azadin as much as possible, they treated the rumor that Azadin broke the throne as nonsense and continued to spread absurd rumors about him.

From stories that Azadin’s army ate human flesh, that the Messenger Clan held high positions and killed kings and nobles indiscriminately, to the fact that Azadin married a fellow Messenger Clan member, everything became a target of criticism.

“Ah, these bastards. They’re annoying.”

The Northern Aragasa soldiers serving in the Asendar army were sitting near the fireplace in the tavern where the gossips were chattering, listening to their ridiculous nonsense.

They were vassals of the Northern Empire, but as fellow Aragasa people, they felt annoyed when they heard the absurd accusations against Azadin.

“If Fireglyph has fallen, then the commander of the defense force there is Prince Kalintz, right? Is the prince safe?”

“I don’t know about that.”

“Hmm. Wasn’t Jan the one who was assisting the prince?”

“Ah, that slick one.”

“With Jan’s skills, he would have safely extracted the prince, right?”

The Northern Aragasa soldiers highly valued Jan.

“…He should have.”

Most of the Northern Aragasa liked Prince Kalintz.

Prince Kalintz had grown up among the Aragasa since childhood and was familiar with many Northern Aragasa people.

However, the Northern Empire didn’t even recognize Prince Kalintz’s face.

“A toast to the prince’s safety.”

The Northern Aragasa shared a drink, wishing for Prince Kalintz’s safety.

“And to King Azadin as well.”

They emptied their glasses with solemn expressions.

*********

The King of Chitai, Nampa, was furious at the news that his subordinates had disobeyed his orders, become obsessed with looting, and suffered a bitter defeat at the hands of Azadin’s army.

‘Should I lead the army myself? No. I was told not to lead the army.’

Cohen Lionheart of the Northern Empire had repeatedly warned Nampa.

‘Azadin is a top-tier expert among the Messenger Clan, skilled in assassinating kings and nobles, so don’t lead the army recklessly.’

Nampa was slightly offended. He was confident in his martial arts and magic, but wasn’t it the same as saying that he was no match for Azadin?

However, he had to secure a definite victory rather than protect his petty pride.

‘If this happens, I’ll be the one to defeat Azadin on my own. Even if I can’t get Arangi, shouldn’t I be able to take Banlung? Would the Northern Empire approve of that? Hmm, if they don’t approve, should I break away from the Northern Empire?’

Nampa was already assuming victory and was concerned about the future distribution of profits.

But then, there was a commotion outside.

“…What’s going on?”

“F, fire!”

Flames were rising from the royal castle’s warehouse.

The fire, started with a mixture of pine resin, oil, and metal powder, was fiercely burning the warehouse.

“What?! What is….”

As Nampa panicked, a figure appeared on the castle wall.

“King Nampa of Chitai. As an envoy of the Emperor, I will deliver death to you!”

“What?”

Nampa quickly cast a protection spell and drew the curved sword he had at his waist.

However, the arrow that flew broke through his protection spell easily, severed his sword, and pierced through Nampa’s body.

“Kuh?!”

The arrow, made of black steel, tore through Nampa’s protective magic like paper.

“W, what is this!”

Nampa was shocked as he touched the black arrow, the Nethersteel Arrow, that had pierced him.

The cold Nether poison emanated from the arrow.

A terrible arrow that rejected magic and stole life. How could such a weapon exist?

“S… Kingslayer?!”

Those were the last words of King Nampa of Chitai.

*********

Assassinations occurred simultaneously in the four northern kingdoms: Chitai, Asendar, Karasar, and Tarasar.

The Messenger Clan, under Azadin’s orders, raided the royal palaces and succeeded in assassinating Nampa of Chitai and King Katsaim of Karasar.

They used the Nethersteel Arrows, a treasure of the Messenger Clan, to kill the kings, and then, while fleeing from their pursuers, they were captured and mostly died without being interrogated.

When their bodies were searched, it was confirmed that they all had orders stamped with King Azadin’s seal.

In response, Cohen Lionheart of the Northern Empire condemned Azadin for daring to execute kings through assassination and declared the launch of the Northern Alliance Army, vowing to eradicate Azadin.

*********

“Something doesn’t make sense.”

Azadin shook his head after hearing the news.

He was riding his horse, directly commanding his troops, when he heard the news from a messenger. He suddenly asked Ismail.

“Is my existence that irritating?”

“Why are you asking me that?”

“Because you and the Northern Empire have similar personalities.”

“No, when did I ever see that person? And how do you know so much about me?”

“It’s okay, just tell me honestly. Am I that irritating?”

“Hmm. Well, your existence does seem to irritate certain people in particular.”

Ismail answered honestly.

“You too?”

“Yes. Someone like me, the moment I first saw you, I would have seriously considered selling my soul to the devil if it meant I could kill you.”

Ismail recalled the moment he first saw Azadin.

“Even so, for the Northern Empire to do this… isn’t it self-destructive?”

“Perhaps the Northern Empire was planning to eliminate the kings from the start. Unlike us, the Northern Empire doesn’t lack administrative power. If they assassinate the kings and pin it on you, most people won’t investigate properly and will join in the criticism, saying that’s just how the Messenger Clan is, right? The Northern Empire can exert influence over the kingdoms that have lost their kings and are struggling. Isn’t that killing two birds with one stone?”

“The Northern Aragasa who killed the kings must have been elite agents. If they wouldn’t even open their mouths when captured, their loyalty must be high. Aren’t they wasting such talented people?”

“……”

Ismail smiled wryly at Azadin’s words.

The Hybrids, the Yaegas Divine Kings, would never care about the Northern Aragasa agents.

Azadin regretted the skills and loyalty of the Northern Aragasa soldiers, but that was because he was Azadin.

To the people here, the Aragasa, whether they were Messenger Clan or not, were just foreigners they wanted to kill immediately.

“Aren’t talents something you nurture for future use? If they kill the kings and use them up one by one, they’ll think it’s a good deal. You don’t value the arrow more than the target’s life when you shoot an arrow, do you?”

“Hmm, I value them quite a bit.”

Azadin said that and stroked the Nethersteel Arrow in his quiver.

“Well, Nethersteel Arrows are so precious, so it’s understandable. But I don’t know if it’s going to be okay. In this situation….”

Ismail clicked his tongue.

“To assassinate Lord Triodana. Then everyone will really think we killed the kings.”

“It’s better than wasting our strength fighting among humans. Triodana has definitely fallen to the Nether’s influence. It’s more beneficial to assassinate him than to fight Chitai.”

“I wish the others would think the same way. Besides, there are many among our allies who want to grind the Chitai bastards to dust….”

Those who survived the terrible massacre by the Chitai army yearned for revenge on their families.

If they could, they would retaliate in the same way, or even more cruelly.

How intense and heavy is the heart of those who yearn for revenge?

“Of course, justice will be served. But if you had seen what I saw, you would understand my feelings. It’s a shame you can’t.”

Azadin was regretful.

The mountain path of the Chadra Plateau was now appearing before them.