The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 45

#46. Aldis 1

“Even if it’s supposed to be relief supplies, this bread is honestly terrible quality.”

The bread was so hard it felt like a rock, capable of cracking a skull if used as a weapon. When Azadin smelled the bread, it had a woody scent, as if sawdust had been mixed in.

“Is there sawdust mixed in?”

“Right? That’s how the Relief Knights are. They receive a lot of donations, but their giving is just for show.”

As Midiam criticized the Relief Knights, Azadin shook his head.

“Whether it’s for show or not, the Relief Knights are the only ones taking care of the refugees right now. There are so many mouths to feed, we can’t afford to be picky about the quality of the food.”

However, Azadin frowned as he examined the bread again.

“But I can’t eat this bread as it is.”

Azadin broke the bread and put a piece in his mouth, then made a face.

“Ugh, I want to spit it out. But I have to eat what I put in my mouth. The Relief Knights prepared this bread for the refugees, so I can’t just throw it away after putting it in my mouth out of curiosity.”

“Wouldn’t it be bad for your health?”

“It’s okay. I’m very strong. I should be able to digest this bread.”

Azadin barely managed to swallow the bread he had put in his mouth and struggled.

“Shall I make porridge? That might be easier to digest.”

“Okay.”

“But I don’t really want to eat porridge with that bread in it. Can’t we just give it to the other refugees?”

“Don’t be picky. If we cook it well so it doesn’t mix, it’ll be fine.”

Azadin prepared a pot, first coating the bottom with spices and cured lard, then added water and oats. As he was making the porridge, children gathered around.

“Merciful elder, in the name of the merciful archangel, we beg for alms.”

“We haven’t eaten for three days.”

“We’re hungry.”

The refugees near the campsite were openly using children to beg.

“What about what the Relief Knights give?”

“They only give to adults, and they tell the children to join the Relief Knights.”

“There are too many people and too little food.”

The children claimed, their eyes gleaming as they looked at the boiling pot. They all looked gaunt from hunger, but their eyes were shining, which seemed to confirm that they were indeed starving.

Azadin threw the Relief Knights’ bread into the pot to increase the amount of porridge, then divided it into the bowls the children had brought.

“Eat it here and now.”

“Huh?”

“Eat it here.”

Azadin fed the children the porridge.

“What are you doing?”

This time, it wasn’t Midiam or Ishmael who interrupted, but Tarki, who had been organizing the campsite.

“Why are you making me, a knight, take care of the horses and goats, and giving food to those lowly things? The Relief Knights are already providing relief!”

“I brought the Relief Knights’ bread. I received relief supplies as someone who isn’t a refugee, so I have to pay it back with interest.”

“The interest seems excessive.”

“Don’t be so stingy about feeding the kids. These children will grow up well later… huh?”

At that moment, a group of people approached Azadin’s campsite.

Their luggage was marked with the small flag of the Korasar Merchant Guild. The clan had found Azadin and come looking for him.

“You’re doing a very commendable thing here.”

The person leading the merchant guild took off his hood. He was a middle-aged man with a lean build and a stern look.

“Azadin, I can’t believe you’d walk so boldly on the main road while being wanted by the clan.”

“The regional head?”

“You should call me Regional Head Salem. I heard you greatly insulted our guild members? They said you hit and humiliated them, telling them to listen to you because a messenger is higher than a servant?”

Salem, the regional head of Salasmar, whom Azadin was going to see, was leading a caravan and happened to be passing by.

And this regional head was extremely angry. As a high-ranking member of the Saban family, he seemed to have received a full report of Azadin’s disrespect towards the Korasar Merchant Guild members. He glared at Azadin as if he could kill him with his eyes and shouted.

“Clear the area.”

Servants formed a human wall to prevent others from approaching.

“Tarki, clear the area.”

Azadin also asked Tarki to clear the people away.

“Hey, you brats! This old man wants to eat some kid meat, so if you come near, I’ll roast you over the fire! Get lost!”

“Eek!”

The children ran away in fright. As soon as the people around them were cleared away, Midiam and Ishmael made Tarki step back. They made space so that Azadin and Regional Head Salem could talk alone.

The regional head clapped his hands, and servants brought a stool and set it behind him, then brought poles and cloth to make a canopy. It was already dark as the sun had set, and the canopy completely blocked the surrounding view.

Moreover, the servants took out instruments and began to play, drowning out the conversation between Azadin and the regional head. Azadin and Regional Head Salem began their private meeting in the space they had created.

*********

“You’re as good as any noble.”

Azadin sneered as he watched Regional Head Salem enjoy his wealth. The canopy, chair, and instruments were not things that ordinary travelers would carry. Salem had these items to show off his taste and dignity, making him more extravagant than most nobles.

“Shut up, Azadin. I’m itching to kill you right now. If you weren’t hiding in a crowded place, I would have killed you already.”

Salem threatened Azadin. It was an empty threat.

“I heard Araelle betrayed you? Then it doesn’t seem like you’re in a position to do that right now? It doesn’t seem like Araelle would have betrayed you alone, and the group that followed her would have betrayed you as well, right?”

Araelle was a symbol for those who did not belong to the five founding clans, and many followed her. If she had betrayed the Messenger Clan, then a considerable number of her ardent followers would have betrayed them as well, so the current leadership of the Messenger Clan would be in a state of chaos.

“You! Are you also in league with Araelle?”

Salem’s anger was proof that Azadin’s guess was correct.

“No. Absolutely not. That will never happen.”

Azadin touched his wound. The wound on his face made by Araelle throbbed.

“I want you to withdraw my dismissal. I’m not on Araelle’s side.”

“You insolent brat. Why should I do that? I heard that you and Araelle don’t get along, but even that could be a desperate measure to deceive others, couldn’t it?”

“Haha. You’re talking nonsense. What would I do if I infiltrated the clan? Everyone in the clan despises me. If I infiltrated, would they all trust me and give me good information? You know that’s not going to happen, don’t you?”

“…….”

Azadin’s words were self-deprecating and scathing, but they were true. The entire Messenger Clan despised him, so to pretend to be a bad sibling for years to infiltrate Azadin? From a very young age?

It was impossible. The regional head knew that what Azadin was saying made sense, but before that, he hated Azadin.

‘I don’t like him.’

Regional Head Salem of Salasmar was a person who valued authority and hierarchy. To him, the orders of his superiors were absolute. Therefore, the elders’ decision to dismiss Azadin was a perfectly reasonable measure.

Azadin is not on Araelle’s side? He didn’t participate in the rebellion? What does it matter?

In any of the Eight Kingdoms, even in the lands of the dwarves or elves, the system of guilt by association was common. In a world where it was natural to punish the family of a serious criminal, Azadin was a criminal just for being Araelle’s relative.

Even if Azadin didn’t get along with Araelle and wasn’t on the same side, there were many who wanted to kill him to vent their anger.

But Azadin was claiming his innocence and recklessly shaking the authority and hierarchy. If he had just bowed down and begged, the higher-ups would have taken care of it, but he couldn’t wait and dared to assert himself as a criminal.

‘And he’s laughing at me for saying stupid things?’

Azadin was only saying that because he was frustrated that he was being seen as being on Araelle’s side. But from the regional head’s point of view, it sounded like Azadin was mocking him.

“I understand that you’re not on Araelle’s side. But why should I discuss with the elders about withdrawing your dismissal?”

“Because it’s the right thing to do. A young man of the clan, a messenger, is about to be harmed by an innocent accusation, and you, the regional head whose mission is to help messengers, are ignoring that fact?”

“Hmm, helping you is the right thing to do. Isn’t it possible that it’s not? Maybe you’re Araelle’s spy, or even if you’re not, we could threaten Araelle’s actions by threatening her family.”

“Are you going to use me as a hostage to lure Araelle out? That’s impossible, isn’t it?”

“Even if that’s not the case, if the elders and the leader withdraw their words in the current situation, the organization’s prestige will be shaken. It’s a time when it’s more important than anything to correct the organization’s discipline and hierarchy.”

“No, Araelle has already betrayed and left, so the organization’s prestige is already shattered anyway. Wasn’t it you who encouraged Araelle, calling her a reincarnation of Harkonia and the greatest genius ever? You’ve already proven that your judgment is terrible, so will the organization’s discipline be restored by dismissing an innocent person now?”

“You! How dare you criticize the decisions made by the elders and the leader?”

Salem was furious that Azadin dared to criticize the elders’ handling of the matter.

In fact, this was a communication problem caused by the worst compatibility between Azadin and Salem. Salem was saying that if the elders and the leader withdrew their words ‘immediately,’ the organization’s prestige would be shaken.

In other words, he was saying that he would subtly withdraw it later when the situation calmed down to avoid damaging the prestige, so Azadin should not openly resist and listen quietly.

But to Azadin, it sounded like he was being told to die alone because their pride was more important. There was so much that was being omitted, so it was inevitable.

Conversely, from Salem’s point of view, it felt pathetic to explain in detail to Azadin, who was his subordinate, and he felt ashamed just by that.

‘I’m the superior, so wouldn’t I take care of it? Why is this subordinate bothering me so much? Are you trying to damage my dignity?’

That was the feeling Salem had towards Azadin. The intelligent Azadin understood what Salem was trying to say and why he was acting this way, but that was why he hated him.

“I understand. Then I won’t openly rebel, but in return, please lift the kill order immediately and give me a guarantee that you will withdraw my dismissal within at least half a year. Let’s write a contract….”

“You insolent brat! You dare to ask me for a contract when words should be enough?”

“My life is at stake, so words can’t be enough.”

Azadin also raised his voice.