The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 456

In Kaspa, Gil Sang-han, a count of Chitai, chieftain of the Black Eagle tribe, and a sixth cousin of the king, served as the governor.

They had fortified their defenses, ready to fight Azadin’s army to the death.

‘Azadin’s army has come this far with unstoppable momentum, so they surely lack proper siege weapons. What we should fear are the hippogriffs [mythical creatures with the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a horse] flying from the sky, so double the watchmen and deploy mages to keep a thorough watch!’

Count Gil Sang-han was reinforcing his forces by hiring mages and sellswords at his own expense.

Just then, an envoy from Azadin’s army arrived.

‘If it’s just a blatant surrender demand, behead the envoy!’

‘Actually, that’s going to be difficult.’

‘What? What do you mean? What’s the problem? Is it because of the customs of hospitality?’

Among nomadic peoples, there was a custom of hospitality, where guests were never harmed without reason.

Harming an envoy was a violation of this custom, which everyone was reluctant to do.

However, Gil Sang-han was in no position to be picky.

If everyone insisted on upholding the custom due to superstition, he was willing to personally behead the envoys.

However…

‘King Azadin is among the envoys.’

‘What?!’

Upon hearing that, they had no choice but to meet the envoy.

*********

Surprisingly, Azadin himself was at the head of the envoy procession.

‘I came to talk first. Since it’s an important matter, it’s better for the highest authority to come directly, wouldn’t you say?’

‘W-we’ve heard rumors about you, but you’re even more audacious than the rumors suggest. How dare the very person who has disgraced our people’s blood come as an envoy!’

Gil Sang-han subtly criticized Azadin, who had stormed into Chitai territory with unstoppable force.

‘Speaking of the people’s blood, haven’t you done far more to earn resentment by massacring civilians?’

‘Ha. We were merely reclaiming what was taken from us by the settled peoples.’

‘We have long been deprived of good land by the settled peoples and forced to live in barren places, so even if we kill you and take your property, it is inevitable.’

‘……’

Many nomadic peoples tended to think that the wealth of settled peoples was something they were originally entitled to.

They believed that they were forced to live in harsh lands because they had been deprived of good land by the settled peoples long ago.

Therefore, Azadin’s vassals could not contain their anger at their attempts to justify their pillaging and plundering as merely reclaiming what was taken from them in the past.

‘That’s ridiculous! How can raping women and killing children be justified like that?!’

‘You are beasts without human compassion! If we don’t cut you down right now…’

As Azadin’s vassals became enraged, Gil Sang-han’s vassals also became agitated. As both sides grew heated, Azadin raised his hand and slammed the negotiation table.

-Bang!

The table leg exploded, drawing everyone’s attention.

‘Now, everyone be quiet. If killing was the solution, I wouldn’t have bothered setting up this meeting. And who said it was okay for anyone to speak out of turn before I opened my mouth? Are you trying to smear my face as king?’

Azadin stopped them.

Seeing Azadin so angry, his vassals immediately shut their mouths.

It takes two to clap, so when Azadin’s vassals fell silent, Gil Sang-han’s vassals also quieted down, no matter how much they tried to speak.

‘Well, it’s nothing new for you to talk nonsense. Shall we talk? First, open the city gates and surrender immediately. If you release our people who have been captured, I will end this by holding those who committed excessive killings accountable. If you block the city walls and force a siege, I will repay you in kind for what you have done. The castration of every man in this city will be the beginning.’

‘Castration? Is he out of his mind?’

‘Is he joking?’

Azadin had silenced everyone and then spoke words that were nothing short of brutal.

‘Ha! That’s a joke. What will you do if we don’t let you leave here alive?’

‘You think you can kill me here, the one who single-handedly defeated the vampires of Banreung? The heads on your necks are already as good as mine at this distance. However, the reason I haven’t taken them is because there is a clear benefit to be gained from negotiation, and if I were to take all your heads at the negotiation table, who would dare face me at the negotiation table afterward? That’s why I’m holding back, so please don’t speak recklessly just because you have a mouth on your neck.’

Azadin glared at the governor of Kaspa and his vassals, then chuckled.

Even though the king had come as an envoy to the heart of the enemy camp, he was not intimidated at all. Rather, he regarded their heads as lightly as beads in his pocket, which left everyone speechless.

Did he really have the ability to bluff like that?

Judging by how he had exploded the table earlier, his skills seemed impressive, but no matter how skilled an individual was, it was difficult for one person to handle ten hands.

It was doubtful whether Azadin had the ability to overcome this number, but the rumors and heroic tales surrounding him were all terrifying.

To verify the truth of those rumors, they would have to risk their own necks, and if they risked their necks here, it wouldn’t end with just their own lives.

Azadin’s army was now enraged, and they could truly castrate every man in this city.

Not just for nomadic peoples, but involuntary castration was a humiliation worse than death, something they could not bear.

Everyone was frozen with fear, unable to properly respond to Azadin’s threats. Seeing their state, Azadin spoke.

‘If you surrender, I promise Kaspa a prosperity unlike any it has seen before.’

‘Hmph. Everyone says that…’

‘No, if you think even a little, you’ll know that my words are not empty. You call yourselves a trading city in Chitai, but who are you trading with? You’re just buying leather and horses from nomadic peoples, taking them to the Chitai coast, and then buying grain, cloth, and handicrafts to sell to the nomads, aren’t you? To be called a trading city with just that, you’re really just a rural market.’

‘Are you trying to insult us?’

‘I’m just being realistic. When I previously asked for Kaspa for negotiations, if that negotiation had been accepted and a trading post of my country had been established in Kaspa, then products from Naisandokar, Sandokar, Banreung, and Arangi would have flowed into this land, and it would have become a true trading city. It would have gone from a rural market in the interior to an international trading hub, wouldn’t the difference be like heaven and earth?’

‘……’

‘The benefits would be enormous. Well, I don’t intend to stop my army here anymore, but even so, this city is located in a bend leading to the Northern Sea, so even if I conquer all of Chitai, it has enough potential to develop as a trading city. Products from Arangi and Banreung, and even Butuma, will be transported by ship to the Northern Sea region from here, and the customs duties and transportation revenue alone would be enough to promise the city’s prosperity, wouldn’t it? Think about the money the merchants will spend while staying here. Even the stray dogs of Kaspa will be carrying silver coins in their mouths.’

Kaspa’s vassals were taken aback by Azadin’s words.

What he was saying was very tempting.

Originally, this place was called a trading city, but the trade here was limited to buying horses, dairy products, livestock, wool, and leather from nomadic peoples scattered here and there, transporting them to the coast where settled peoples lived, and selling products needed for nomadic life in return. It was just domestic trade within the country.

If Azadin’s forces occupied this land as he said, it would be reborn as an international trading city, and the city’s overall income would increase immeasurably compared to now.

There was no guarantee that they could win against Azadin’s army, and if they lost, Azadin, who was threatening to castrate all the men, promised the city’s prosperity if they surrendered. They had to weigh castration against prosperity.

‘Don’t be ridiculous! I am a man of Chitai! What is a little money to me! I will resist to the end and show the spirit of a Chitai man!’

Gil Sang-han was enraged by Azadin’s threats.

It was an insult enough to be asked to serve two masters, but to try to win him over with such benefits?

How could he bring such a proposal unless he saw him as a commoner who would be swayed by profit?

Gil Sang-han’s vassals were surprised by his anger.

‘Ah, could you please wait a moment?’

Gil Sang-han’s vassals asked for Azadin’s understanding and took the enraged Gil Sang-han behind the curtain for a moment to persuade him.

And a short while later, vassals covered in blood returned.

‘We will surrender.’

They presented Azadin with Gil Sang-han’s head, which was still warm from being freshly severed.

‘It seems there was some rather extreme persuasion? I didn’t want it to go this far. I understand.’

Azadin was thus able to take over the trading city of Kaspa with a little bloodshed.

*********

‘That’s what happened.’

When Sebalhan heard that Kaspa had fallen, he was very surprised, but he had simply assumed that Azadin’s army had seized the city using hippogriffs.

However, after hearing the details, he was speechless.

He never imagined they would achieve a bloodless entry.

‘No, it wasn’t bloodless. The governor’s blood was spilled. Gil Sang-han is also my relative…’

His subordinates had directly beheaded their own lord and surrendered to the enemy.

If they committed such an act, they would never return to Sebalhan no matter what. Rather, they would have become Azadin’s most ardent supporters.

Even if he said he would not hold them accountable for killing Gil Sang-han, the king’s relative, the other side would not believe him, and it would only diminish Sebalhan’s authority.

How desperate must the situation be for him to beg for forgiveness from the men who had beheaded his relative? If that fact became known, the local magnates would defect even faster.

‘If those guys directly beheaded Governor Gil Sang-han, they must all be ardent traitors by now?’

‘Yes. Many of the nomadic tribes of the grasslands have turned to King Azadin.’

The trading city of Kaspa was also a lifeline for the nomadic peoples.

If they could not obtain daily necessities from this market, the quality of life of the nomadic peoples would rapidly decline, making it impossible for them to live. Nomads were used to a harsh life, but there were limits.

Without metal tools, pottery, blacksmith equipment, and medicine, nomadic life would quickly devolve into a primitive existence.

They would have to go from sewing clothes with steel needles to using bone needles and bone knives like primitive tribes. Could they handle that?

Azadin’s acquisition of Kaspa with his silver tongue was equivalent to gaining control of the lifeline of all the nomadic peoples who depended on trade with Kaspa.

With Kaspa in the hands of Azadin’s army, the nomadic peoples could not resist Azadin.

Thus, the nomadic peoples had no choice but to make peace with Azadin on the condition that they hand over the commanders who had participated in the massacre.

Azadin took the commanders who had participated in the massacre as hostages and conscripted the nomadic light cavalry to lead the charge in the conquest of Chitai.

The light cavalry, which was the pride of Chitai, was now at the forefront of Azadin’s army, pushing into Chitai.