The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 65

‘The difference in skill between a warrior and a non-warrior is like heaven and earth.’

‘Well, we were just country farmers. On the other hand, the warrior nobles are practically human weapons.’

‘Thinking about it that way, it might be safer to just take this and leave.’

‘To think we were going to break into the Baroness’s residence, we must have been crazy from hunger.’

Everyone came to their senses after being beaten by Azadin.

“Looks like I’m the only one left who can hire you now.”

Azadin put his arm around Belldon’s shoulder.

“Then hire me.”

“Ah, no, how can you do this on your own? Besides, if you’re giving them silver coins….”

“Of course, I should receive more than that. Shall we negotiate the payment? Now, please introduce me to the employer.”

“Uh….”

Belldon is dragged along by Azadin’s strength. Since their bodies are touching, he can feel his immense power. If Belldon refuses here, Azadin might just snap his spine.

“S-save me….”

“That’s why I’m saying I’ll help you. Now, I’ll save you, so let’s go.”

Azadin cheerfully dragged Belldon towards the Count’s castle.

“…….”

Meiya and Sir Zibeck felt bewildered watching this.

‘Isn’t he the one who castrated Prince Kozel? What is he trying to do by meeting Prince Kozel again?’

Moreover, Azadin is a messenger of the Imperial Family, the Emperor’s messenger. They should stop him, whatever he’s planning.

Sir Zibeck hesitated, but in the meantime, Azadin was already taking Belldon away.

*********

They were able to easily pass through the gates of the Count’s castle with Belldon.

“Ah, Mr. Belldon, who is that?”

“Well, he’s a guest of the Prince.”

“I see.”

The soldiers inside the castle also easily opened the way. Thanks to this, Azadin was able to see the inside of the Count’s castle, which he couldn’t see from afar.

‘Whew, good. Just seeing the inside of the castle is a huge advantage.’

Even if he were to infiltrate at night, he would need to know the structure first. It would be reckless for even the Emperor’s messenger to hope not to get caught by the soldiers after infiltrating a building he knows nothing about.

Unless he kills all the soldiers he encounters and breaks in, thorough reconnaissance is necessary to explore the target without getting caught.

“The Prince does not meet guests carelessly. Please wait here for now.”

Belldon led Azadin and his group to the reception room.

“Understood.”

Azadin waited in the reception room, smiling. Azadin could sense a powerful black magic force in his vision.

“Something feels strange.”

Midiam also seemed puzzled, as if she felt it too.

“There’s a strong smell of blood.”

Ismael also smelled the blood.

“It seems the Count is deeply interested in black magic. There are rumors that he has taken in a witch, so it must be true.”

“But is it okay to just barge in like this?”

“It’s fine. This is much better than just infiltrating at night. It’s a huge advantage to come inside during the day. It gives us more options.”

Azadin assured them.

After a while, servants and maids began to enter. Prince Kozel, supported by Belldon and using a cane, was walking in. His face, which had been torn off by Azadin, was covered with a mask decorated with jewels, and he was already irritated.

“I told you to handle it! Why do I need to meet in person to hire a swordsman?”

“Well, he asked for a high price. It’s not something I can decide on my own.”

“How much is this guy asking for? Huh?”

“Greetings, Prince.”

“What? Is it just one person? It doesn’t seem like there are many people here?”

Kozel, who had been blinded by Azadin, was puzzled by the lack of people in the reception room.

“There’s no need to deploy many people for an assassination. One skilled person is enough. Besides, it seems like what you need right now is not just a simple assassin, but an expert with wisdom.”

“Tch. This guy. Are you trying to negotiate with me now? Wisdom? What nonsense are you talking about?”

“First, let me ask. Why are you trying to catch Sir Tarki? Just to vent your anger? There must be something more important than that?”

“…Hey.”

Prince Kozel seemed offended by those words and gestured to Belldon.

“Kill this bastard here.”

“Yes?”

“Right now!”

Then, soldiers who had been waiting outside the reception room rushed in. Soldiers armed with thick body shields charged at Azadin, but….

-Whap!

Azadin did a backflip, went between the soldiers, and lightly kicked their heads. With just that, the helmeted soldiers flew and crashed into the fireplace and window frames.

“Oh dear, oh dear.”

Azadin took the body shields, gave one to Ismael, and pointed the other directly at Prince Kozel. The blade of the body shield stopped right in front of Prince Kozel’s nose.

“If I were a real assassin, you would be dead right now, Prince.”

“…….”

“Of course, I won’t harm my client.”

Azadin retrieved the body shield.

“What is this guy? Did he just take down the soldiers with his bare hands?”

Kozel, who couldn’t see, asked Belldon, puzzled by the cold chill that had passed in front of his nose.

“Yes. They were no match. He, he’s the real deal…. He’s really strong. If he hadn’t stopped just now, we wouldn’t have been able to stop him at all.”

If they offended Azadin right now, everyone in this room would be killed. Realizing this, Belldon naturally began to use honorifics.

“Hmm, is that so?”

Seeing Belldon’s polite attitude, Kozel also changed his mind. There was no point in provoking a skilled person who could kill him right now; it would be like lying down in his own coffin. He needed to maintain the relationship between employer and employee to gain an advantage over Azadin.

“So, what do you want? It doesn’t seem like you just want money? How much do you want?”

“I want about 50 gold coins.”

“Ha! Are you crazy? You could buy a manor with that money.”

Prince Kozel scoffed at Azadin’s outrageous demand. However, Azadin said with a smile.

“The Countess would be willing to pay that much. If she wants something more than just attacking the Baroness’s residence, that is.”

“What?”

“Eek?”

Belldon, the Prince’s page and milk brother, was horrified by what Azadin said. Being a page who had learned to read the room, he immediately understood what Azadin meant.

“Hey, what are you talking about?”

“Well, young master, what this assassin is saying is….”

“What is it?”

“If something were to happen to the Count, the Countess would become regent. If that were to happen, the Countess wouldn’t necessarily need to send her son to the clergy….”

Belldon spoke indirectly.

‘Hire me to assassinate the Count!’

He couldn’t say it like that, could he?

*********

‘Amazing.’

Midiam was amazed by Azadin’s quick thinking. Prince Kozel was just trying to deal with Tarki out of anger. The injured fool was just having a tantrum before his power and wealth slipped out of his hands.

But Azadin used that, which he had only seen briefly on the street, as an opportunity to infiltrate the castle, and even boldly escalated the situation to the point of assassinating the Count.

He already knew about the relationship between the Countess and the Count, and the information about the Count’s successors from Baroness Nort, but to do this in such a short time with that information? It was amazing agility.

“You’re crazy. So, you want me to introduce you to my mother? To assassinate my father?”

“If we’re going to take on a job, shouldn’t we play in bigger waters? This will be better for you too, Prince.”

Prince Kozel, who had been castrated and lost his sight, was still a noble. From the Count’s perspective, he was a useless person, so it would be beneficial to get rid of him somehow, but if the Countess became regent, she would need someone to use as a steward or manager. The only way he could stay in Salasma without joining the clergy was if the Countess became regent.

“You’re really crazy. But I like it. You seem skilled and bold.”

Prince Kozel turned to Belldon.

“Hey, send that guy out.”

“Yes?”

“Listen, I’ll contact you later. For that time, stay at the ‘Blue Rose Inn.’ Belldon! Get these guys a room at the Blue Rose Inn!”

“Ah, understood.”

He said that, but Prince Kozel seemed to be tempted by Azadin’s proposal.

*********

The Blue Rose Inn was a luxurious brothel. Nobles and wealthy people frequented this place, and Prince Kozel had rented a private room there for a large sum. Belldon led Azadin and his group there.

Judging by the fact that he was making them wait in such a secluded place, it was safe to assume that Kozel had already agreed, even though he had grumbled in front of them.

“That’s amazing.”

Even Ismael, who didn’t have good feelings towards Azadin, couldn’t help but be impressed.

“What? This inn? Well, if Kozel is renting this long-term at his age, he must be spending money like water….”

“Ah, no. I mean your quick thinking.”

All members of the Messenger Clan are trained in espionage, information manipulation, and assassination, but most of it is just a superficial training. However, what Azadin had just shown was incredible improvisation.

As Azadin was leaving with Belldon, he looked at the general layout of the Count’s castle again, and whether it was a good thing or not, he had also established a line of communication with the Countess through Prince Kozel.

Moreover, as he was parting with the page, he requested information such as the castle map and the work schedules of the servants. However, Azadin was not satisfied.

“We can’t relax yet. From the Prince’s perspective, if he had antagonized me in the castle, in the reception room, his own head would have been in danger. So, he might have moved us to an inn he knows and then released soldiers. If we had fought in the reception room, his own life would have been in danger, but if we fight here, only the soldiers’ lives would be in danger. Besides, there might be some secret device here that could easily subdue us.”

Azadin said that and looked around. He was checking the entrance and escape routes. Since there was no voice of the Emperor to warn him about ambushes, he was on edge.

Azadin looked outside the building. He became more and more nervous every time soldiers passed by.

“Ah, damn it. I’ve relied too much on the Emperor’s voice since I became a messenger. When the Emperor’s voice was there, the spirits would recognize anyone approaching. It really shows when it’s gone.”

“The Emperor’s voice must be very useful. It seems you relied on it a lot.”

Ismael said that and created a foresight bird [a magical bird used for reconnaissance] and sent it flying.

“You.”

“Yes?”

“Foresight bird is quite a difficult magic, and you can use it at that age?”

“You know it well. Even though you can’t use magic.”

Ismael seemed to be sneering.