The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 98

Azadin opened the fortress gates and sent all the guards and civilians outside.

“Aren’t the Count’s troops going to kill us all as soon as we go out?”

Everyone trembled with fear and doubt, but nothing happened when they went outside the fortress. The Count was too busy fighting the mysterious monsters and suddenly appearing undead to pay attention to his rear.

The messengers, the Ara’el tribe, who were allied with the Count, were moving to avoid Azadin, but they didn’t seem to have any intention of joining the Count’s army right away.

If they went to help when the Count’s army was in danger, it would be a great excuse for not being able to capture the fortress.

‘Ah, I was trying to capture the fortress, but suddenly there was a commotion in the rear, so I came to rescue you. If you guys were okay, I would have captured the fortress.’

They could use this excuse to cover up their defeat to Azadin. The people who came out of the fortress gates were bewildered to see that the enemies had retreated.

“I-it’s okay?”

“Y-yeah, it is.”

“Amazing. Is this what the Messenger Tribe is like? Incredible.”

The soldiers were even in awe of Azadin, who was carrying out everything according to plan. As the sun set and the night grew dark, with the moonlight dim, they felt like they were crawling through a cave, not knowing if there was an end to it.

The future was uncertain, and anxiety and fear gripped their hearts. Yet, Azadin boldly moved forward into the uncertain future.

‘This man is really smart and wise. Did he predict that this situation would happen?’

‘And this boldness, how can he be so confident?’

As people showed their awe, Azadin looked back at them.

‘I did it, but… what is that? I thought Jekt would come after me if I broke the seal on the Divine King’s Scripture copy, but is that not the case? And what’s with the undead army?’

In fact, Azadin was also flustered. But he pretended to be calm because he knew that if he showed his panic or anxiety, the others who had followed him would go completely berserk.

“Well then, everyone. I must say goodbye here. May the grace of the Three Archangels be with you.”

“……”

Everyone was shocked when Azadin invoked the blessing of the angels.

They considered the messengers to be soulless blasphemers. Terrible beings who killed gods and served the emperor. But from his mouth came the blessing of their recognized religion, the Order of the Rescue Knights and the Angelic faith.

‘Is this man an Angelic believer, a Rescue Knight? But a messenger who is an Angelic believer? Does that mean he is not a soulless blasphemer?’

A being without faith and without a soul, who kills the Yaegas gods. That was the prejudice against the messengers.

For most people, faith was like proof of a soul. So, people concluded that the messengers, who killed the gods’ kin without hesitation, were ‘soulless.’

But an Angelic believer?

This guy is not soulless. He has faith, so he has a soul.

‘No wonder, he saved us even though there was no benefit to him.’

‘But why is he saying goodbye here?’

Azadin drew his sword from his saddle, or rather, from the goat’s saddle, and pointed it north.

“Go north to avoid Lantark. You will be safe when you reach the area controlled by the King’s Church. My companions and I will act as bait to prevent the army from chasing you, so we will say goodbye here.”

“Ah!”

“It’s dangerous.”

“U-uh, will you be alright, benefactor?”

Delmer asked.

“I’ll be fine. However, Shati, you must come with me.”

“……”

He would let everyone else go, but he would keep Shati, a Naga agent. When Azadin specifically said that, Shati resigned herself.

“Okay, okay. I don’t think I can outrun you guys anyway.”

“Then once again, may the blessings of the angels be with you on your path.”

Everyone was moved and stepped back as Azadin bowed gracefully. However, there was one person among them who did not step back…

It was Sir Brand, the knight of brass.

“Sir Brand?”

“I will go with you as well.”

“Huh? You’re going to follow me?”

Azadin was flustered by Brand’s stubbornness.

‘Hmm. What should I do?’

He liked Sir Brand. In order to do the right thing in this cruel world, it was difficult not to go mad.

‘A person who chooses to go mad rather than succumb to the world should be respected, no matter how crazy they are. But it’s difficult to accept this request. An old man who was just a writer and clerk, not a warrior, would not be able to endure the journey ahead. I need to persuade him to leave.’

So, Azadin made an excuse.

“Sir Brand, I would like to ask you to escort these people to safety. Who else but Sir Brand of Lantark, whose martial fame is high, would protect them?”

Azadin tried to coax him into leaving with the people. But Brand said,

“First of all, I am not a knight. I am Brand, the clerk of Count Lantark.”

“……”

Azadin’s face turned red with embarrassment.

‘I thought he was out of his mind and was talking nonsense… how embarrassing.’

Brand cleared his throat.

“Ahem. I won’t say that I’m completely sane. You might not believe it. But I’ve recovered a little.”

“Are you alright?”

“Of course… well, this is really like a nightmare.”

Brand frowned, pressing his head.

“I can still feel the madness whispering. My family was massacred and violated, and I….”

“Calm down. You’ve regained your sanity? Then why?”

“I was Count Lantark’s clerk, so I know many of his secrets. That’s why I was afraid that Count Lantark would eliminate me, so I was taking my whole family to safety when I was captured by that guy, Donair.”

Brand looked back at Azadin.

“It was like hell. I want to repay you somehow for freeing me from that hell.”

“Repay me?”

Midiam, who was listening, was puzzled.

“To be honest, I hated the messengers. But who would have thought that the person who helped me when I was in the most trouble would be a messenger? I’m ashamed. I want to repay your kindness even if it costs me my life.”

“Repay? What are you going to do? Lantark’s hidden wealth?”

Midiam was puzzled. Currently, Brand had no money or a great sword. So, how was he going to repay them?

“Do you know why the messengers are attached to Count Lantark?”

“Huh?”

“What if there was a plate that was used to make the Emperor’s gold coins?”

“……!?”

“Huh?”

Midiam, Ismail, and Azadin knew what this old man was talking about.

“The Emperor’s Mint?”

It was a story like a legend among the messengers.

The Emperor’s gold coins were imbued with such complex and powerful magic that they could not be easily copied and used. But what if they found the Emperor’s Mint and uncovered the secrets of the Emperor’s gold coins?

They could mass-produce the Emperor’s gold coins and free the messengers from the curse of servitude, as well as freely use the Emperor’s voice and the miracles of petition.

Finding and interpreting the copy of the Divine King’s Scripture to break the curse of servitude was also important. The Divine King’s Scripture was the strongest magic book on the Hybris continent, containing the secrets of the power of the Yaegas gods. However, it wouldn’t hurt to secure the Emperor’s Mint as well.

“You would be interested in the Emperor’s Mint, wouldn’t you? If you’re a messenger?”

“Are you saying that the mint is in Lantark?”

“Not exactly… there’s a clue in Adirof.”

Adirof was another territory owned by Count Lantark, Garnaher.

“I understand. Let’s go together.”

“Thank you.”

Brand expressed his gratitude to Azadin.

“Then Brand, get on here.”

Azadin helped Brand onto his goat.

“Then let’s go to Lantark.”

“To Lantark? It’s dangerous, isn’t it?”

“Now that the Count has withdrawn his troops, it’s actually a good time to move. The Count is probably trying to massacre all the residents of Salasma, but you should be able to bypass the soldiers without much difficulty. Isn’t that right?”

“That’s true, but…”

“The clue to finding the Emperor’s Mint is there.”

“I understand. Then let’s go.”

Azadin decided to follow Brand’s suggestion.

‘I wanted to know what kind of undead attacked, but I’ll have to postpone that for later.’

Since he had accepted Brand, a non-combatant, he had to avoid situations where they had to fight as much as possible. Azadin put Brand on his goat and began to move towards Lantark with his group.

*********

Azadin’s group stopped near the Kora River. The docks for crossing the river were already filled with Count Lantark’s soldiers.

It was a bridgehead connecting Lantark and Salasma, so it was clear that the Count had deployed a considerable number of troops and reliable commanders. If this place was captured, they would not be able to bring supplies from Lantark, and the Count would be isolated in the middle of enemy territory.

“Let’s rest here for now, Shati.”

“Why do you call me like I’m your dog? I’ve lived longer than you. Call me Shati-nim.”

“Do you want your head to fall off?”

Shati gulped as Midiam pointed his sword at her neck.

“Azadin, treat your wounds.”

“Ah.”

Zibeck wanted to see how Shati healed wounds. Then, Brand suddenly spoke.

“Do you know about the prophecy of Jupiter?”

“That is a blasphemous statement that the King’s Church forbids.”

Zibeck sighed. The prophecy of Jupiter, which was blasphemous even to mention, was a prophecy of destruction that madmen enjoyed talking about.

The prophecy that when the age of Jupiter comes, the King’s Church will lose its power, and the ancient evil that once roamed this land before the Kurt gods will be resurrected.

Of course, it was an insult to the King’s Church, so it was a statement that could not come from the mouth of a sane person.

“To be precise, when the age of Jupiter comes, the old masters who were sunk in Netherstrom [a realm of chaos] will return, the light of the King’s Authority will weaken, and even the glory of the Three Archangels will disappear. That is the prophecy. It is a terrible prophecy that not only the King’s Church and the light of the King’s Authority, but also all the sources that provide white magic to this land will weaken.”

Zibeck’s eyes sharpened at Brand’s words. Was he telling him to endure because it was a prophecy that attacked not only the King’s Church but also the Angelic faith of the Order of the Rescue Knights?

“That is a blasphemy. It’s the kind of thing that only madmen would say.”

“No, it’s the truth. The light of the King’s Authority is actually weakening.”

“……!”

At that moment, Zibeck’s eyes, which had seemed tired, widened greatly. The anger itself became a flame and seemed to burn the old man Brand in front of him.

But Brand did not even blink an eye and was taking Zibeck’s murderous intent.