The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 90

“I have now taught you everything I can.”

As the dazzling morning sunlight crested the horizon, the master spoke, silhouetted against the light.

“But the Kazas Haze [a type of magical energy] is destroying your body, Azadin. I was wrong to think this. It’s not suitable for humans.”

“Not suitable?”

“Yes. Even when we elves are injured, we always fully recover. Our joints and ligaments regenerate completely, so chronic illnesses like arthritis or back pain that humans suffer are just temporary injuries for us elves.”

“I envy that.”

“Using the Kazas Haze damages your body, and that damage accumulates. You’ll suffer in your old age. If you even reach old age, that is.”

The master was worried about Azadin.

“Azadin, what I’ve taught you might betray you.”

“No, Master.”

Azadin shook his head.

“The Kazas Haze can’t betray me.”

He looked at his arm.

The power within.

He, who had been scorned as a failure of the Messenger Clan, was saved by this power alone. More than anything, what saved him was the existence of his master, who worried for him.

“I’ve already been saved, so this power can’t betray me. What I fear is….”

*********

“Ugh….”

Azadin opened his eyes. Or rather, since he had no eyes, it would be more accurate to say his consciousness awoke and his ‘sight’ activated.

The dazzling light, like the morning sun of that day, shook Azadin’s mind with stimulation, waking him up. It was a pleasant sensation.

Azadin raised his head and watched the morning sunlight caress the earth.

“Beautiful.”

It was the same morning sunlight he saw every day, and the scenery looked similar everywhere, but the memories that came to mind each time he saw the landscape made it look even more beautiful.

Azadin controlled his wounds with his breathing and gathered his spirit with memories as he got up.

“You’re awake. Are you alright?”

Jibek looked at Azadin with a worried expression.

“Sir Jibek?”

Azadin remembered from last night that Sir Jibek had helped him. He recalled being hit by Zekt, breaking his ribs, being stabbed in the chest by the black steel arrow, and being in danger.

But all those wounds were healed?

“I washed your wounds and applied ointment, but they’ll open up again if you move too much.”

When they first met, Jibek had looked at Azadin as if he were some kind of ruffian. From the perspective of the King’s Church, the Messenger Clan was a heretical group that should be killed on sight, so it was understandable.

But now, Jibek’s attitude toward Azadin was nothing but polite.

‘He saved my life, so he could be a bit boastful, but he’s a very serious person after all.’

Azadin thought this and expressed his gratitude to Jibek.

“I’ve caused you trouble. But where is this?”

“It’s the border between the Rantaric County and the Salasma County. Can you see the Kora River?”

“Ugh. Oh, my body aches. My head is spinning. Damn it. I pierced Zekt with an arrow, but he didn’t die. He definitely crossed the line. He was no longer human.”

“The Inquisitors and Judges do research black magic, but he certainly crossed the line. Still, it’s amazing that you managed to shoot an arrow into Sir Zekt.”

It was amazing to wound a strong person like Sir Zekt. Jibek was praising Azadin for that reason.

Judge Sir Zekt was at the pinnacle of the Church. Azadin, who was only a 108th level, had injured him.

“It was because he was off guard that I managed to hit him with the black steel arrow.”

“Even so, if Sir Zekt had been an ordinary human, you would have won.”

“…….”

Shame tickled his face. Azadin felt endlessly ashamed because his words sounded like an excuse.

“But Sir Jibek, can you go back to the Church?”

“I need to testify that Sir Zekt used black magic to win the trial and prove my innocence, but Lady Meiya also saw me rescuing you and running away, so if I go to trial, I’ll be branded a heretic and executed.”

“Oh, um… I’m a bit sorry about that.”

“It’s something I was prepared for. Rather, I’m grateful that I can use this opportunity to make up my mind.”

“Grateful?”

“Yes. I’ve felt that Sir Zekt was strange for a long time. But his position was high and his influence in the Church was so great that I couldn’t dare oppose him, nor could I join his ranks, so I was wandering. This opportunity has allowed me to make up my mind, and I feel relieved.”

Jibek had originally been taught by Zekt and respected him. Who wouldn’t like his polite attitude and elegant demeanor, as he was of royal blood and respected everyone?

But the Sir Zekt he had met now was not the same. He was just a slave to terrifying power, using black magic without hesitation.

“Sir Zekt said he was looking for a copy of the Divine King’s Scripture. The Messenger Clan is also looking for a copy of the Divine King’s Scripture… is that correct?”

“That’s right.”

“From the perspective of a Holy Knight of the Church, the fact that the Divine King’s Scripture has been leaked is an intolerable matter.”

“But as a member of the Messenger Clan, we can’t give up. We believe it’s the only way to lift the Emperor’s curse. It’s our clan’s greatest wish. We can never give up. And we were the ones who originally leaked the Divine King’s Scripture.”

Azadin and Ara’el, the cursed siblings, were deeply involved in the Divine King’s Scripture leak.

“But can the Messenger Clan be trusted? Once they gather the copies of the Divine King’s Scripture and lift the Emperor’s curse, they’ll still have the copies in their hands. Can they be trusted when they wield that power?”

“No, that’s not it. It’s not like they’ll just lift the Emperor’s curse and be done with it, right? They’ll definitely try to repay the persecution they’ve suffered. I’m an Araga [a member of a specific clan], so I know well that our clan has a strong sense of entitlement.”

Azadin shook his head, then frowned with a groan. Just moving his body a little hurt.

“Hearing you say that, you’re at least better than me. When you become a member of an organization, you inevitably get dragged along by the organization’s interests and logic. Even if you know your organization isn’t perfect, you rationalize that all organizations are like that, and you keep quiet about their immorality or mistakes.”

“Well, don’t blame yourself too much. Most people are like that.”

“What about you? Not all members of the Messenger Clan are as honorable as you. Azadin, will you be able to speak out against your organization then?”

“It would be a lie to say I’m confident. It’s easy to see other people’s faults, but it’s hard to see your own.”

However, in Azadin’s case, he was originally a heretic of the Messenger Clan, so he was in a better position than Jibek, who had been Zekt’s trainee knight.

“Ugh, it hurts.”

Azadin took out a needle and thread to sew up his wound, but a sharp pain surged as he moved his body. His ribs seemed to be broken and cracked.

“I can do it for you, but would you be alright? I don’t have any alcohol.”

Usually, when sewing up a wound, you would drink strong liquor to numb the pain. But Azadin took a breath and held out the needle.

“It’s okay. Just do it.”

“Understood.”

Jibek sewed up Azadin’s wound and wrapped bandages around his body to protect his cracked ribs.

“Alright. It’s done.”

“You’re good at this?”

“I am a Holy Knight, after all. It’s not just the Rescue Knights who are good at treating wounds. Hmm?”

Jibek turned his gaze toward the Kora River and frowned. Smoke was rising in the distance. The territory of the Count of Salasma was burning.

“It seems that war is starting.”

*********

Count Garnaher of Rantaric, a Marcher Lord [a noble in charge of a border region], had invaded the territory of the Marcher Lord of Salasma in the past, but was defeated and barely managed to reconcile by marrying his daughter to him, suffering humiliation.

But now, rumors were circulating that Count Kazel of Salasma had betrayed humanity and become a Naga [a snake-like creature], and was eventually killed. Now was the perfect opportunity to settle old grudges and fulfill his desires.

“It’s war, then.”

Azadin, who was watching the scene from a high place, frowned.

“I heard that the bandits here are agents of Count Rantaric, so it seems they’ve been planning this for a long time. What should we do? It’s better to avoid it, right?”

There was no point in getting involved with the army when a war was breaking out. Especially since Azadin was not in a condition to fight right now.

But then, Azadin noticed something and frowned.

“Ah, damn it. I saw something I shouldn’t have.”

“What is it?”

“Kerim mountain goats.”

“These mountain goats? Merchants often use smaller ones than these.”

Jibek looked down from beside Azadin. The fortress where the fire was rising looked small, but he could recognize a mountain goat from here?

“Those are my followers’ mountain goats. I’m sure of it.”

It was amazing that he could tell if it was a mountain goat or a horse from this distance, but he could even tell whose mountain goat it was?

“I told them to protect the civilians, so they must have gone to the nearest village. But… of all times, the war had to start now. I have to go help them.”

“You won’t be able to fight in your current condition. And your bow is broken, isn’t it?”

“That’s why, can you help me?”

Azadin openly asked Jibek for help.

“Heh heh. You’re asking me, a Holy Knight of the King’s Church, whom you’ve only known for a short time? You’re really… quite bold, aren’t you?”

“It hasn’t been long, but that’s enough. There are people who don’t reveal their true worth even if you spend a lifetime with them, while there are others who prove everything in a very short moment.”

“…….”

“Why?”

“That’s too much praise. Get on. Your mountain goat isn’t in a good condition to ride right now, is it?”

Jibek reached out his hand to Azadin as he mounted his horse.

*********

As Azadin had expected, Midiam and Ishmael had arrived at the village to evacuate the refugees, but the Rantaric Count’s army had suddenly attacked, and they had taken refuge in the fortress.

The garrison of the fortress was only about twenty men, but the fortress walls were so well-built that they could hold out for a while with that number of people. But….

“I see why those bandits killed people and fed them human flesh.”

Midiam shuddered at the horrific sight before her.

The Rantaric Count’s army did not seem to intend to pass without capturing this fortress, which was located at a strategic point.

The fortress had few troops, but it was a key strategic point that could threaten the bridgehead over the Kora River, and since Salasma was currently under the control of the King’s Church, it was impossible to occupy it with a quick maneuver. Therefore, it was politically a better choice to thoroughly devour the Kora River basin.

But what the Rantaric Count’s army chose here was a brutal massacre and execution.

They indiscriminately attacked farms and fishing villages outside the fortress and gathered people. Thanks to that, the front of the fortress was lined with people used as human shields.

“Attack!”

As the soldiers behind them commanded, the farmers, whose feet were tied with ropes so they couldn’t escape, were literally chipping away at the fortress gate with hoes and plows.

If left alone, even the strongest fortress would eventually be breached. But they couldn’t kill the civilians who were being used as human shields.

“Wh-what should we do?”

“Damn it. That madman. Isn’t Count Rantaric crazy?”

The fortress soldiers and the defense commander were shocked by the rampage of the Rantaric Count’s army, which was launching an almost insane offensive.

The smell of sweat from the excited people, the smell of blood that was already rising even before the battle had properly begun, and the sound of metal clashing against metal filled the front of the fortress. The pain was yet to come, but despair had reached its peak.

“Step aside.”

At that moment, a girl climbed onto the ramparts.

“Midiam, we….”

Ishmael wanted to stop Midiam.

The Messenger Clan was a persecuted group. There was no point in revealing their identity. Even if the civilians were massacred here, they had no reason to step in.

But Midiam had changed since some time ago. After meeting that hateful man, she was trying to protect the Hybrids.

‘It is beautiful to protect the people.’

Because of one word from Azadin.

“Arrows!”

Midiam asked Ishmael for arrows and drew her bow on the ramparts.