The Shadowed Legacy Of The Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 503

Night of the Soulless Blasphemer 16

If public opinion were the same as before, the fact that they were of the Herald Clan would have been used as an excuse to plunder their supplies.

However, as Azadin became king, declared himself Emperor, subdued the southern kingdoms, and was even recognized by the Order of the Knights of Salvation, the status of the Herald Clan also rose.

They could no longer be oppressed and looted just because they were of the Herald Clan.

Besides, were the Herald Clan such easy targets?

Moreover, the power and warmth conveyed by the Emperor’s voice were astonishing.

It must have been a power projected from a distant place, yet it had the ability to call the Heralds and convey warmth.

No one dared to act rashly, fearing that the Emperor’s eyes and ears, who wielded such power, might be focused on this place.

Then, the Emperor’s voice echoed once more.

[Do not fear. We are passing through the deepest dawn of this night. If you give in to fear and despair, you will not be able to enjoy the joy when the dawn breaks. Until the night breaks, the Heralds must maintain security in each area and gather willing volunteers to assemble. We will open the dawn with our own hands.]

The Emperor’s voice was surprisingly speaking of hope even in this situation.

“This night that seems like it will never end, is it just the deepest dawn?”

“C-can we believe it?”

“Hmm.”

The residents were bewildered by the Emperor’s voice.

To say that this terrible cold and seemingly endless night would soon end was, frankly, unbelievable.

However, though they couldn’t believe it, they wanted to believe it.

“To open the dawn with our own hands, does that mean he wants us to fight again?”

Someone interpreted the Emperor’s words for them.

That’s right.

Azadin had given people hope, but on the other hand, he was asking for their help.

Do not despair.

Do not commit suicide.

Hold onto hope and lend your strength to the upcoming battle. That’s what he was saying.

“Don’t be ridiculous!”

“After conscripting so many, he wants us to fight again?!”

The residents protested.

As Azadin conscripted refugees to motivate them, rumors spread among the suspicious that Azadin was deliberately conscripting refugees to kill them.

Azadin was trying to save his soldiers as much as possible, but there was deep distrust of him, a Herald who had risen from a count to a king, and now an Emperor.

“What is the Emperor doing, acting all high and mighty?!”

“Isn’t this happening because a soulless blasphemer is claiming to be Emperor in the first place?!”

“That’s right!”

The people criticized and complained about Azadin.

Seeing this, Derek frowned.

Not only him, but all the other Herald Clan merchants were slightly angered by the people’s words.

‘No, do they just want to be rescued without fighting?’

To the Herald Clan, who were all warriors, the people’s desires seemed too shameless.

Derek was not someone who liked Azadin at all.

He had been hostile to Araiel, suffered severe injuries, and had to retire from being a Herald. Even after that, he had clashed with Azadin.

He also didn’t like that Azadin had broken the clan’s wishes, opposed them, and then reconciled with the Etar bloodline.

As someone supported by the Saban family, Derek had no reason to acknowledge Azadin, who was supported by the Etar family.

However, that didn’t mean he didn’t know the weight of what Azadin was carrying.

He was a fellow clansman, even if he was a disliked one. And what other alternative was there in the current situation?

However, he didn’t know how to make these people understand.

He was also a Herald, so if he got angry at them, it would only look like they were sticking up for their own kind.

They wouldn’t know how much of a concession it was for him, supported by the Saban family, to acknowledge Azadin.

‘Damn it, it feels like the wound I got from Araiel is throbbing again. Why do I have to feel like this because of Azadin?’

But then, it happened.

“T-the Emperor would never carelessly let people die!”

A young man who looked like a soldier stood up.

“Hey, Herald Clan. Can we support you? I believe in the Emperor and will fight with him.”

“Who are you?”

“My name is Tarki. I even have a personal acquaintance with His Majesty the Emperor.”

“……Is that so?”

Suddenly, the surrounding temperature dropped.

What a braggart.

That was clearly what everyone was thinking.

“I’m not joking. I’ve met His Majesty the Emperor in person. Right, right?”

“Yes.”

Behind the young man named Tarki was an elegant noblewoman dressed in mourning.

“It’s absurd to call him a soulless blasphemer. He is the truest knight among knights, with the most passionate soul.”

She was Mrs. Nort, Tarki’s mother.

The atmosphere completely reversed when the elegant noblewoman called Azadin the knight among knights.

“Everyone! Shouldn’t we do something!? Everyone dislikes the Emperor conscripting, but if he didn’t conscript in this situation and said everything was fine, would you be able to believe him?”

“That’s true.”

“Ah, actually, I’ve also met His Majesty the Emperor in person. He saved us.”

Those who had been saved by Azadin, even those who had been rescued by Azadin’s kindness and not because of the gold coin contract, began to testify.

“So, Herald Clan, what should we do?”

People, including Tarki, gathered and asked Derek.

Even those who had been at the forefront of criticizing Azadin just now, subtly walked over and lined up in front of Derek as the atmosphere reversed.

“Ha.”

Derek also gave a wry smile.

“I never thought I would actually consider that arrogant brat as my true master.”

“What can we do? It’s the situation we’re in.”

“And it’s hard to listen to those Hubris guys talking nonsense about having a soul or not.”

“Then let’s work. Unload all the goods. Let’s feed the people and go!”

Derek unloaded the peddlers’ supplies and distributed them to the volunteers.

Then, even those who had been in despair and were about to commit suicide by eating the fruits of Grimslaw [a poisonous fruit], changed their minds and regained their will to live.

They truly hoped that this night would end and dawn would come.

*********

“Ugh! I can’t do this!”

Scott’s groans echoed.

Scott, who had been entrusted with the Necro Titan by Sok, was realizing his lack of ability.

The Necro Titan’s movements were slower compared to when Sok was operating it.

He was a self-proclaimed genius, and others also said, ‘Well, he’s annoying, but he is a genius.’

However, his predecessor, Sok, was also a well-known Orcish mage with a brilliant mind.

In terms of skill, Sok was actually more outstanding.

Rather, Scott should be praised for taking on the role of Sok’s successor and establishing at least a defensive line.

However, the situation was getting worse.

Every time thunder and lightning raged in the distance and a whirlwind arose, monsters appeared as if they had always been there.

Dimensional monsters were appearing, leading huge bodies that seemed to reach the sky.

They were also creating Necro Titans, but Necro Titans took a long time to manufacture.

Moreover, in addition to the monsters, Nether minions of human size were swarming in.

“Pimbul Horde! Assemble!”

The Wights and Vampires, who had been Azadin’s enemies until just now, descended in front of the ice fortress, each carrying their own flags.

Undead gathered around their flags and immediately formed ranks.

“This is our master’s last order! Let’s protect the future of the living with our immortality!”

At Dahlia’s cry, the Vampires scoffed.

“Hmph. I don’t know about that!”

“Your Majesty the Emperor! Give us orders!”

The Vampires asked Azadin for orders.

They did not intend to recognize Dahlia, a Wight knight, as their leader.

It seemed that there was infighting between the Wights and Vampires in the Pimbul Horde.

Azadin gave a wry smile and divided the authority.

“The Vampires, who are fast, will form a separate unit. Dahlia! I entrust the general undead to you.”

“Yes!”

He separated the command by assigning the Vampires to a separate unit and entrusting the main force of the Pimbul Horde to the Wight knight Dahlia, and then gave them instructions.

“Pimbul Horde! Advance at a steady pace! Vampires, flank on the left and right!”

The Pimbul Horde advanced according to Azadin’s orders.

The Nether minions were terrifying monsters, but the Pimbul Horde were also undead, and they fearlessly charged and swung their weapons at the Nether minions.

A huge mass of flesh monsters broke through the undead soldiers with tremendous force, destroying the Pimbul Horde’s ranks.

However, the flesh monster that broke through was buried in the thick formation of the Pimbul Horde. As soon as its breakthrough power disappeared, it was bitten by ghouls swarming from all sides.

Not only that, but the commander, Dahlia, and the Wight knights cast green magic to create ice spikes, taking away the breakthrough power of the charging Nether minions and sending their troops to charge at them.

The Pimbul Horde, without any special tactics, faced the Nether minions who charged with their individual combat power, and achieved decent results with their military strength and organization.

The undead wyverns and wraiths flying in the sky also launched attacks all at once, effectively repelling the Nether minions.

“I truly feel that the Pimbul Horde’s reputation is not in vain.”

The elf druid Sedrin had a complicated expression.

Her hatred for Sok, who had violated her bloodline, was still present, but the combat ability of the Pimbul Horde that Sok had created was clearly the best shield for the living right now.

Dahlia, riding an undead wyvern, flew into the sky and cast magic on the huge monster attacking the Necro Titan, completely turning the tide of the battle.

Moreover, as the Necro Titan absorbed the corpses of the Nether minions killed by the Pimbul Horde, it recovered its body with corpses and black ice.

“Yaaah!”

Scott’s shout was heard, and the Necro Titan was seen slowly swinging its ice fist.

The sight of the giant swinging its fist looked endlessly slow from afar, but the fact that the flesh of the monster hit by it exploded and its body was torn apart showed that it had tremendous power.

In fact, about 4 seconds later, a tremendous roar shook everyone’s ears. The sound of the fist’s impact was this loud.

“Alright! It’s roughly cleaned up!”

Surprisingly, the Pimbul Horde succeeded in repelling all the Nether minions that had approached the fortress.

However, the world was suddenly enveloped in darkness.

And the moment lightning flashed, even more Nether minions and monsters than before were visible.

“What?!”

Right next to Dahlia, who was flying on a wyvern, a huge monster appeared.

It was an indescribable, blasphemous monster made of insects and flesh.

On its shoulder was a knight in golden armor, and above his head was a bizarre, crimson, dimensional halo.

It was an ominous halo that felt like a terrible gaze, as if space was torn and another world was looking at this place.

“Could it be Sir Zekt?!”

Dahlia was excited at the sight of the ominous figure.