The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 64

“Yes. But you know my position. Sir Zibeck needs to make a name for himself, especially with his current problem, right? If he defeats the thugs who attacked the Baroness’s mansion, he can be forgiven without becoming a penitent knight [a knight undergoing a period of atonement].”

“Then what about the friends you hired with the money?”

“The young master told me to hire the Sellsword Guild or other adventurers, but no sane person would agree to attack the Baroness’s house. So, I picked out some lively guys from the refugees, and they all jumped at the chance.”

“…….”

“Well, I had to spend a bit more money to equip them with weapons. There are plenty of these refugee youths everywhere. If a few disappear, no one will notice.”

Belldon, the young master’s page, spoke quietly, so no one else could hear.

“Are you asking me to kill the refugee youths?”

Belldon was asking Zibeck to make a name for himself by betraying the thugs he hired.

But Sir Zibeck was reluctant. He was supposed to become a penitent knight, but wasn’t this too despicable?

‘Even the messengers of the Messenger Clan value honor, I can’t do that.’

However, the adjutant, Meya, who was listening nearby, was delighted.

“This is a great opportunity, Sir Zibeck. You must accept it.”

“Right?”

“That’s nonsense. Belldon, pay those guys the promised reward and dismiss them immediately. I’ll talk to the young master.”

“What? Oh no, that’s a disaster. Then I’ll be in trouble. Sir Zibeck, you know how the young master is….”

“Sir Zibeck. That’s….”

Meya was also bewildered by Sir Zibeck’s stubbornness.

“Huh? Wait, aren’t you guys?”

Meya spotted a man, a boy, and a girl among the passersby.

“You’ve come to Salasama too?”

“Ah, Adjutant?”

It was Azadin, Midiam, and Ismael.

“Hmm? Sir Meya, do you know them?”

“Ah, yes. They are the pilgrims I met during the black magic disaster. I heard they are quite skilled.”

“Well, they would be.”

Sir Zibeck smiled wryly. It seemed Meya didn’t know that Azadin was a member of the Messenger Clan [a secretive organization known for their skills and discretion].

“It’s been a while.”

“Ah, Sir Zibeck. You’re here too.”

“Do you know Sir Zibeck as well?”

Meya was simply amazed.

“Yes, we met by chance. Adjutant, did you find your father?”

Azadin asked innocently, even though he had killed her father.

“No. I couldn’t find him, so I returned to my post for now. I have a lot of work to do. My father, Sir Gazrek, is a model knight, he must be on a mission. He’ll be safe.”

“…….”

Even if you’re biased, there’s a limit. Gazrek, who didn’t hesitate to massacre civilians to cover up their mistakes, was a model knight? Azadin had to struggle to keep his expression under control.

“Oh dear, but what’s going on?”

“Well, it’s like this.”

Sir Zibeck spoke honestly.

“Young Master Kozel hired poor refugee youths to attack Baroness Nort’s house. Whether they succeed or fail, they’ll be hanged or killed, but so many volunteered. It shows how desperate the refugees are.”

“Ah….”

Belldon was flustered.

“H-how can you tell that to others?”

“This person is trustworthy. He’s very discreet.”

Sir Zibeck said, surprising himself. He, a holy knight of the King’s Church, had vouched for Azadin, the Emperor’s messenger. Azadin smiled wryly at his words.

“Is this person in charge of hiring?”

“Yes, he is.”

“Ah, uh, um.”

Belldon was bewildered by the sudden turn of events. Then Azadin spoke.

“I’m sorry, but hiring people who have never held a sword will be useless. Don’t make these poor people bleed for nothing, hire a capable professional.”

“A capable professional?”

“I’m talking about me.”

“…….”

Midiam and Ismael, who were listening to the conversation, clicked their tongues.

‘D-daring.’

‘Is he crazy?’

“…….”

Sir Zibeck, who was listening to the conversation, also sighed.

“Sir Meya, let’s leave them alone.”

“What?”

“There’s a good reason.”

Sir Zibeck made way for Azadin to talk to Belldon alone. Or perhaps he left to avoid hearing the dirty story that would make him want to wash his ears.

*********

In the evening, Azadin left Baroness Nort’s mansion and investigated the Count’s castle. But the area around the castle was not easy to scout. Everywhere he could see into the castle, there were guards and watchtowers.

“Is the Count quite paranoid?”

Salasama was in chaos due to the influx of refugees. The refugees, who had left their homes and were starving and poor, were begging, and some were resorting to theft, robbery, prostitution, and murder, rapidly worsening the public order.

To maintain the city’s stability, most of the standing army had to be diverted to maintain order. However, the Count, surprisingly, didn’t care about the surrounding public order and was only focused on defending his castle.

At this rate, there was no way to get in.

“Can’t we enter through the underground passage? The were-rats invaded the Baroness’s mansion that way, didn’t they?”

Midiam followed and offered an opinion.

“I checked the underground passage, but there was a huge iron gate blocking it halfway. I don’t think even I could break that iron gate.”

There was a one-way gate that could only be used to escape from the Count’s castle, not to enter. It was natural for a proper underground secret passage.

“If there’s some kind of mechanism, can’t we enter from the outside? If we look around carefully?”

“I don’t think so. Hmm, should I just climb over the wall at night? But then….”

Azadin thought about climbing over the wall at night and clicked his tongue. He had no idea what the internal structure was like, how many guards there were, or how often they patrolled. If he climbed over the wall, he was bound to make a mistake.

If he could subdue the patrols or the servants working inside, it would be different, but that meant harming innocent people. He could try to just knock them out, but if he was unlucky, he could kill an innocent person.

Azadin, who had the faith of the Rescue Knights [a religious order focused on helping those in need], didn’t want to kill innocent people. To infiltrate at night, thorough prior investigation was necessary.

“I need to ask the Baroness in detail about who enters and leaves the Count’s castle. If possible, it would be good to get a map. The Count’s wife and children must be able to come and go, right?”

“How? By disguising yourself as a servant? I don’t think a noble would hire someone wearing a helmet or an eye patch as a servant?”

Midiam pointed out. If Azadin disguised himself as a blind man, he would gain the sympathy of those around him, but being blind was also a very memorable characteristic. He was not in a position to easily disguise himself and enter.

“I guess there’s no choice. Then, should we take our time and try to break through the iron gate?”

He couldn’t break the gate in one go, but he could destroy it with tools over time. Azadin decided that and was on his way back when he met Sir Zibeck’s group.

*********

At that moment, the refugee youths rushed over.

“What are you talking about, employer?”

“No, this guy in the helmet is asking to be hired instead of you guys?”

“What?”

They surrounded Azadin. But Azadin was not intimidated at all and said,

“I’m sorry, but you guys are not enough. I’ll give you some money, so be satisfied with that. This kind of work is not for you.”

“Hey, are you looking down on us too much?”

The refugee thugs were furious. Then Azadin took out gold coins in front of them. They were not the Emperor’s gold coins, but the common coins of the Eight Kingdoms.

“Huh?”

“What is it? Are you showing off because you have a lot of money?”

“No, how about we make a bet?”

“A bet?”

“If you win the bet against me, I’ll give you this.”

“…….”

The eyes of the thug youths gleamed with greed as they looked at the gold coins.

“W-what is it?”

“It’s simple.”

Azadin nodded to Midiam.

“Draw a circle twice the width of my shoulders at my feet.”

Midiam took out a piece of chalk and drew a circle at Azadin’s feet.

“Like this?”

“Yeah, good.”

Azadin held up the gold coins and said to them,

“If you push me out of this circle, these gold coins are yours.”

“…What?”

“But if you lose, go back quietly and rely on the Rescue Knights’ relief with your families.”

“Y-you bastard!”

“How much are you looking down on us!”

The refugee youths were enraged by Azadin’s provocation.

“Ah, wait a minute. Why are you guys doing this on your own….”

The young master’s page, Belldon, was in a difficult position. Originally, he was going to sacrifice them to appease Young Master Kozel’s desire for revenge and bury the matter.

Of course, this was not something a mere page should decide. However, contrary to Belldon’s expectations, things were going in an unexpected direction.

“The time limit is….”

Azadin tossed the gold coins into the air.

The gold coins that had been tossed high into the air fell back into Azadin’s hand.

“Let’s make it ten coin tosses. If I fail to catch the gold coins again, you win. If you win, I’ll give you these gold coins as a bonus.”

“……!”

“How about it? Will you do it?”

“Yes!”

“Then!”

Azadin tossed the gold coins. At that moment, the thugs rushed at Azadin all at once.

“Hit him!”

“Kill him!”

However, Azadin’s index finger struck the philtrum [the vertical groove between the base of the nose and the upper lip] of the youth who had rushed to the front. The youth was horrified by the shock that paralyzed his whole body. Azadin grabbed his head, wrapped his arm around him, and spun around inside the circle.

“Uwaaaaa!”

Like a bull being dragged by a leash, the thug youth ran on the ground. Those who had rushed to push Azadin out were also swept away, colliding and falling in a mess.

Azadin spun his opponent around once like that and threw him away. The thug youths fell like bowling pins all at once, and then Azadin caught the gold coins falling from the sky.

“One.”

“…….”

“Uh.”

Those who were watching clicked their tongues.

Midiam and Ismael, who knew Azadin’s abilities, were also shocked by the skill Azadin displayed.

“Why? Aren’t you going to attack more?”

“Ah, no.”

“That’s enough.”

Azadin had generously said he would do ten coin tosses, but everyone’s will was cleanly broken after just one.

“Hmm. Ismael.”

“Yes?”

“Give this to them.”

Azadin gathered some silver coins and handed them to Ismael. Ismael took the silver coins and gave them to the thugs. They took off their leather armor and weapons and returned them to Belldon.

“Uh, uh…. W-wait a minute! Wait….”

Belldon was flustered, but the refugee youths, who had already tasted the bitterness of Azadin, were too busy thinking about dividing the money he had given them.