Night of the Soulless Heathens – 126



#126. Lantarik Entry 5

Azadin reported his findings to Guillaume Wald.

“So? Sir Guillaume Wald. What will you do?”

Kefka the elf merchant who was watching the scene asked.

“I will lift the salt monopoly for three years.”

“A salt monopoly? It’s weak. And it’s only for a limited time.”

“I already know that you are smuggling salt. I know that giving you a three-year monopoly will not bring you much profit.”

Guillaume Wald said so and stuck out his chin.

He had a long face from the beginning and his chin was unusually protruding forward. He was not handsome even in vain but there was a dignity that came from that strangeness.

“You wouldn’t want your vassals who are attached to Adler to resent you would you? If you lead me to Adler I will kill Adler. The vassals will submit to me if Adler is dead but I doubt they will look kindly on you who are helping me and extorting excessive compensation.”

“If you compensate us too much our vassals won’t leave us alone? Is that what you’re saying?”

Kefka smiled as he watched Guillaume Wald subtly threaten him. Rather than being offended he was surprised at how classy the other person was threatening him.

“But if I give you the salt monopoly for three years haha. If I harm you won’t it be difficult for you to get salt?”

In other words the three-year exclusive right guarantee is not only given to increase income but also to guarantee safety for three years. That is what Guillaume Wald was saying.

“How about it? I think this is a pretty good deal if I just guide Adler to some extent.”

“I see. Hmm. This time Count Lantaric will be a tough one.”

Kefka said so and gave them their things.

“These are our company’s uniforms. You’d better get them altered in advance so they can be worn. And don’t expect too much from us. We’ll just let you in. Then kill Adler or whatever you want.”

“i get it.”

Negotiations with the elven merchants of the Telvarin Guild have been established.

*********

Azadin and his party changed into the porter outfits of Kefka’s company and headed to Rantarik.

There are many dangerous checkpoints along the way to Lantarik and many troops are stationed there including the Herald Clan. However thanks to the customs clearance that Kefka has he is able to pass through all of those checkpoints without any problems.

Eventually the group arrived safely at the castle town of Lantarik.

“I can’t believe it. How could they do this?”

Azadin asked in surprise at how easy the journey was.

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“That’s right. We’re transporting drugs on Adler’s orders. If they search our luggage in front of other guys and find the drugs it would be a loss for Adler’s reputation so why bother?”

“….”

“This is your territory from now on. What are you going to do?”

“I don’t think I need to tell you that. How do I take over the cargo?”

“We’ll just store it in the warehouse by the river and that’s it. People from the castle will come out and take it over separately. By the way Prince Adler is not among those who take over the cargo. In other words that’s all we can do.”

“I understand. I have no choice. If I become a count as promised you will grant me a three-year monopoly on Lantaric.”

“If you can then don’t say anything stupid when Adler catches you.”

“Haha. You’re not going to sell us to Adler are you?”

“If it’s gotten this far Adler unless he’s an idiot would know we’re involved. It’s not that we have a bad reputation but we’re bad guys not idiots.”

“That’s fortunate.”

Guillaume Wald smiled bitterly.

Guillaume Bald entered Lantaric safely after making a deal with the elf merchant of the Telvarin Guild but the problem started from here.

If he the eldest son does not agree to the ordination all power will be transferred to Guillaumebald now that Count Lantaric has disappeared.

However Adler accused Guillaumewald of murdering Count Lantaric because his father’s disappearance was evidence of his father’s murder. In this case his authority as the eldest son would be suspended until the trial was over and of course there was no way Guillaumewald could be left alone now that his vassals had turned their backs on him.

However it is also foolish to gather other followers or buy mercenaries with money to fight Adler. Adler’s vassals will come out and if you kill them the Landgrave of Lantaric will eventually become an empty shell.

We already lost a lot of troops talent and money by invading Salasma. Now that Guillaume Bald has obtained Lantaric it will be difficult if the vassal group is in disarray.

If you can catch and defeat Adler cleanly you will have the reputation of conquering a new high fortress and your subordinates will be able to change their flags without any burden.

“Let’s go through the secret passage.”

“Secret passage?”

“There is a secret passage that only Count Lantaric and his family know about. However….”

“Adler knows too right?”

“Yes. But Adler wouldn’t tell the soldiers or the people there.”

This is an escape route made in case your vassals betray you. If nothing happens don’t tell your vassals or subordinates.

However both Guillaume Wald and Azadin knew what was waiting for them there.

“Even if they don’t have the undead guarding them they might have laid down the undead.”

You could tell that Adler was a necromancer by the items he bought.

“It’s time for Scott McGreen the undead specialist to step forward.”

“….”

“Why? Are you dissatisfied? A paladin? Smash it with your proud divine magic? It will resonate a thousand miles away.”

“No. Tsk.”

Jibek had no choice but to accept it even though he was afraid that his senses would become dull.

*********

The secret passage leading to Count Lantaric’s castle led to a hidden mausoleum. Guillaume Wald struggled to turn the rusty engine.

“If you turn this a hidden door in the tomb will open and you can enter the castle through it.”

“Wait a minute. Move aside.”

“Brand?”

When Brand took Guillaume Wald’s place and turned the rusty engine crank it began to creak and the door began to open. The door which had not moved at all when Guillaume Wald was hanging on opened with incredible ease.

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“Okay then.”

Scott got up from his wheelchair and sent his shadow into the open passage.

“As expected there are undead swarming inside. But….”

“why?”

“These are the corpses of young children. And they all look similar.”

“….”

The moment he heard those words Brand’s expression became strange.

“First of all there are no undead with empathy.”

“Empathy?”

“By connecting the eyes or senses of the undead to the caster the caster will notice the undead the moment they notice. However it is tiring to cast such a spell. It is also impossible to do that with simple necromancy using corpses. However even if the caster does not have empathy when a lot of undead fall the caster will be able to tell.”

“Can you release it?”

“Even if you defeat the undead the sorcerer won’t know? Hehe. That’s my specialty. No there’s no need to defeat it. This…..”

Scott took the amulet out of his pocket.

“If you stick this on your forehead and hold your breath the undead won’t notice. Let’s use this to avoid the undead and get in.”

“….”

Azadin smiled bitterly at Scott’s confident attitude.

‘This kid is incredibly useful. I shouldn’t say this in front of Lord Jibek but there’s a reason why people are fascinated by necromancy.’

*********

As we entered the tomb we found that the inside was littered with the corpses of children.

The corpses mostly young boys and girls of four or five years old had been transformed by strange magic into horrific figures. Bone had grown from their shoulder blades resembling the remains of wings.

“It’s a Necro Angel. It’s quite something.”

“Necro Angel?”

“The corpse contains the blood of the gods. They may look small but they are very powerful so be careful. However their detection ability is very low.”

Scott said so placed the amulet on his forehead and walked away.

“Oh shit. I’m gaining muscle.”

He approached the Necro Angel blocking his way. The hideous looking Necro Angel didn’t seem to notice Scott as he approached.

Scott created a black shadow blade from his fingertips and lightly stabbed Necroangel into the back of his neck.

“!!!!!”

Necro Angel was shaking unable to even scream. Scott lifted the paralyzed Necro Angel and pushed it to the side of the road.

“Follow me.”

“….”

Sir Jibek followed behind him and glanced at the fallen Necro Angel. It was a deformed child with silver hair a characteristic of the Yaegasu gods.

“This is…..”

“It must be the work of Count Lantaric. There are traces of repeated crossbreeding to select one Adler.”

Azadin explained.

“Crossbreeding? The children of the Count… you mean? Why these children?”

“Perhaps only when they grow to a certain extent and show their growth and intelligence will we be able to know whether it was a success or a failure.”

“So you raise them until they are four or five years old and then kill them?”

Zibek frowned as he saw the evidence of the terrible sorcery committed by the nobleman he was supposed to be defending in the King’s Church.

“I’m just approaching it cleanly in the realm of academics. Humans are too wild. You could say they’re closer to beasts. How can they use necromancy so dirty?”

Scott muttered as he went along clearing away the Necroangels that were blocking his path.

Then Ismail stopped Scott.

“…there is a trap.”

Ismail found a wooden box on the floor and carefully removed it. There was a spring attached to the box and when it was released the connected wire was released probably setting off an alarm installed somewhere.

Ismail carefully secured the rope attached to the chest to another solid rock.

“Good. We’ve passed through the tomb. The undead in the tomb right now are enough to burn Adler alive.”

Guillaume Wald said so and frowned.

“But… it’s shocking. My father is cold to me but he doesn’t seem like the kind of person who would do something like this.”

“That’s how desperate they are. In the age of Jupiter.”

“Shatie said so and laughed.

“Those so-called Yaegasu Shinjok have so much that they’re even more fearful. When the day comes when they lose everything they’ll use necromancy or nether magic without hesitation. They’re ridiculous.”

“….”

Zibek had no real rebuttal to Shati’s tirade. Even the Arbiter Lord Jecht used nether magic.

“Sleep. Enough. From now on you have to be quiet. It’s your turn.”

Azadin announced that the mausoleum section was over and they had reached the base of the castle.

*********

When we arrived at the underground level through the mausoleum there were soldiers there.

At Azadin’s beckoning Midiam and Ismail quickly moved through the darkness approached the soldiers from behind and aimed their daggers at their necks.

“omg?”

“Now be quiet…. What’s up there? Where is Prince Adler?”

“Your Majesty the Adler… is meeting with the messenger family in the reception room.”

“Messenger Clan? Who?”

“I am the leader of the messenger clan.”

“….”

Azadin tilted his head.

“Arael is here?”