The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 96

“Kodanus! Summer Mirage at maximum output!”

“Yes!”

Kodanus imbued his arrows with magic and shot them towards the four sides of the fortress they were about to infiltrate. As the arrows struck the fortress walls, the magic of the Summer Mirage dissipated, briefly unleashing a warm gust of wind.

Nema, who was maintaining the Foresight magic, nodded.

“The two guards on the watchtower are asleep.”

The warm, languid power of the Summer Mirage had lulled the guards on the upper levels of the fortress to sleep. Already exhausted, they succumbed to the heat, unaware that they were losing consciousness, falling into a deep slumber as if suffocated by the summer heat.

“Hmm….”

Kodanus seemed momentarily drained, having used a lot of his magical power.

“Alright. Good job, Kodanus. Then, Kodanus and Nema, stay here and follow Kahsan’s instructions. We’re going up!”

Nephti lightly ran along the furrowed field and reached the base of the fortress. Yarabin followed her, then leaped onto the fortress wall, grabbing the brick crevices with his hands and climbing as quickly as if he were running on flat ground.

The fortress wall had protruding windows designed to hinder those climbing from below and to allow the firing of arrows and stones from low positions. Yarabin easily grabbed these windows with both hands, leaping across them in mid-air.

Nephti and Yarabin climbed the fortress walls, avoiding the windows that were too narrow for a person to pass through.

Finally, as they climbed over the wall, they found the King’s Church knights in armor, swords drawn, along with Azadin and his two attendants, waiting for them.

“You were waiting for us? We put the guards to sleep and were monitoring with Foresight magic, so how did you know?”

“It’s the magic of the King’s Church. ‘United Will.’ Thanks to it, we knew when you put the guards to sleep.”

Jibek had cast the ‘United Will’ spell on the guards, allowing him to know if they died or lost consciousness, and had placed them on the watchtowers and in the embrasures [openings in a wall for firing through].

“Oh, not bad. How did you manage to win over the knights?”

Nephti was impressed. Most of the King’s Church knights were remnants of nobles who had lost out in the succession battles, and they were all greedy. Some of the younger ones were still pure, but Jibek had dark circles under his eyes and a gloomy demeanor, making him look older than his age.

“When one’s purpose is high, allies will follow, wouldn’t you say?”

Upon hearing that, Nephti’s servant, Yarabin, stepped forward in front of Azadin. He glared and jutted out his chin, provoking Azadin.

“Hey, you eyeless, deformed Azadin! You say your purpose is high? You’re hindering the noble will of Ara’el and patting yourself on the back, you’ve got a thick face!”

“Who are you? Not a messenger, are you? An attendant?”

“……”

“A servant, I see.”

Ismail said, and Midiam chuckled.

“A servant dares to pick a fight with a messenger….”

“Sh-shut up, kid! I may be a servant, but my skills are as good as any messenger!”

“……”

“Pfft?! D-did you hear that, Ismail? Isn’t that what people who get dropped from the messenger ranks always say? If they were really as good as a messenger, they would have become an attendant. Wow, I’ve never actually seen someone say that!”

“Why, you insolent….”

Yarabin’s face turned bright red as Midiam openly mocked him. He thought he had become a servant because his family was poor, but to others, it was just another excuse. Being openly called out by the young girl made him feel ashamed and flustered.

“Enough. Yarabin, step back.”

Nephti pulled Yarabin back and stepped forward herself.

“When one’s purpose is high, allies will follow. Good words, Azadin. And you, knight, you’re impressive too.”

“Your praise is too much.”

Jibek nodded slightly to Nephti. Nephti smiled at Jibek, then turned to look at Azadin, Ismail, and Midiam before speaking.

“Azadin, let me tell you Ara’el’s will. Ara’el wants to create a nation of Aragas [a clan of people].”

“A nation?”

“Yes. To throw off the curse of servitude and create a nation with our own power! If we succeed, those Hybris people won’t dare to look down on us as soulless beings. That’s why we follow her, because Ara’el’s will is so high.”

“……!?”

“A nation, you say?”

Midiam and Ismail were shocked by those words. But Azadin was indifferent.

“That’s a great story, but if there’s no concrete plan, isn’t it just nonsense? Even if we get rid of the servitude contract with the Emperor, what about the Eight Kingdoms that see us as a thorn in their side?”

“There is a concrete plan. Azadin, the copy of the Divine King’s Scripture is that concrete plan.”

“A copy of the Divine King’s Scripture?”

“Yes. If we gather them, we can break free from the curse of servitude and also gain a firm advantage over the Yaegas gods. Do you know that the power of the Yaegas gods has been weakening recently? Even if kings and nobles claim to be descendants of gods, their blood is already too mixed with human blood.”

“Blasphemy!”

Jibek, who had been listening, protested.

“As a knight, you wouldn’t want to hear that, would you? But that’s a fact that even Count Lantarik acknowledged. The light of the King’s Authority is weakening. Even if a rightful king sits on the throne, monsters roam in desolate places, and the dead rise from their graves. The only one who can save this world is the current goddess, Ara’el, who was not born from the normal human lineage.”

“Ara’el?”

Azadin was dumbfounded by those words. To him, Ara’el was just a hateful sibling, yet Nephti, a senior messenger, was worshipping her as if she were a goddess.

Azadin was born because of the curse of servitude, and he was called a cursed child, but for Ara’el, it was the basis of her extraordinary birth. Some are belittled, and some are praised. The discrimination was so blatant that it was annoying.

“So? Ara’el has great power, but did she have to join hands with that trash count who kills commoners?”

“Hahahaha! You’re speaking foolishly for a messenger, Azadin. It’s not bad that you care for the Hybris people, but that’s only a virtue in times of peace. In war, isn’t destroying the enemy’s supplies the golden rule? If we spare those Hybris people because we pity them, and they later become a force that oppresses the nation we create, that would be sacrificing the greater good for personal feelings.”

“You’re going to create discord in this world and build a nation in the gap? Your delusions are severe.”

“Delusions? How dare you call Ara’el’s will a delusion?”

Yarabin, who had been listening, flared up.

“Azadin, you said that when one’s purpose is high, allies will follow, right? You may dismiss Ara’el’s will as a delusion, but it seems like your attendants want to become our allies?”

“N-no! What nonsense!”

Midiam denied it, but Ismail neither affirmed nor denied it.

‘A nation of Aragas…. If there’s no way to realize it, it’s just nonsense, but if there was no basis, a capable messenger like Nephti wouldn’t have sided with Ara’el. Seeing how many messengers have switched sides, Ara’el must have the ability to realize what she said.’

Thinking that, his heart began to race.

“How about it, Azadin? Isn’t Ara’el’s will to build a nation of Aragas high? If you want to become an ally, say so now. Ara’el will always open her doors wide for you.”

“Hahahaha. That’s a very kind offer.”

Azadin burst into laughter.

“Indeed, for an Aragas, that’s an offer that would make one’s blood boil. And seeing so many people on Ara’el’s side, it seems like there’s a solid plan and credibility beyond mere delusions.”

“Right?”

Nephti was pleased that Azadin had highly evaluated Ara’el’s vision.

“Azadin, you’re welcome.”

Nephti extended her hand, offering a handshake.

‘He doesn’t seem like an incompetent person who just relies on being Ara’el’s brother, so he’ll be a great help.’

Nephti genuinely welcomed Azadin. However, Azadin shook his head.

“Thank you for the welcome, but I’ll have to refuse.”

“What?”

“You bastard!”

Yarabin, who had been watching, was furious.

“Aren’t you an Aragas! You should be jumping at the chance to create a nation for your persecuted brethren, but why are you always picking fights?”

“No, calm down, calm down. Goodness. You get worked up too easily. So, I also sincerely want to join you and work together.”

“Then why?”

“But if I’m so easily persuaded, Count Lantarik would get off too easy, wouldn’t he?”

“What? What does that….”

“Instead, go tell Count Lantarik. Tell him that I can’t be persuaded unless he guarantees the safety of the civilians. And I’m Ara’el’s only blood relative, so fighting or killing me is out of the question, and if he sincerely considers an alliance with Ara’el, he should let those commoners go.”

The moment Jibek heard Azadin’s brazen words, he burst into laughter.

“That makes sense.”

Jibek didn’t know much about the messenger clan, the Aragas. But seeing Azadin’s attendants, Midiam and Ismail, waver the moment they heard the words ‘nation of Aragas,’ he could tell how much they desired it.

After all, weren’t they persecuted beings called soulless blasphemers?

Even Azadin wasn’t completely unmoved. Yet, he was making such unreasonable demands.

Nephti let out a hollow laugh.

“What? So you’re saying we should conspire with you to get the Count to yield?”

“That’s right. Isn’t it a pretty reasonable proposal? If the Count thinks of me as Ara’el’s blood relative, he’ll take my proposal seriously, right?”

“I’m sorry, but that’s impossible. There’s no way such a demand would work. Count Lantarik is….”

“He’s in a position where he has to kill people indiscriminately to research black magic, right?”

As Azadin said that, Nephti was startled.

“You?”

“You bastard!”

Yarabin and Nephti frowned, realizing that Azadin had brought it up knowing the truth.

“Nephti! This guy is playing with us! He never had any intention of joining Ara’el’s cause from the start!”

“So, you’re forcing us to use force.”

Nephti also drew her sword. However, Azadin did not draw his sword.

“Stop. I don’t want to kill you.”

“…What?”

“Are you out of your mind, Azadin? I know you’re injured. And will your attendants really support you? Sure, the knight and the soldiers here are on your side, but you know that even if there are many soldiers here, they’re no match for us, right?”

Although it was a small fortress, there were about 20 soldiers stationed there, but Nephti, a messenger, treated that many soldiers as if they were scarecrows.

‘But that’s probably true.’

Jibek had seen the power of the messengers firsthand, so he knew that their words were not empty. Jibek was confident in his skills, but having seen Azadin, he believed that he would have to give his all just to face one of the messenger clan.

But what if the attendants turned against him?

‘There’s an artificial spirit flying in the sky, and I can feel a murderous aura that makes my skin tingle. The messenger clan members who approached from below will probably be reinforced at any moment.’

In this situation, Azadin was brazenly saying, ‘I don’t want to kill you.’

‘What is he planning, this man?’

Ismail also became curious.