Night of the Soulless Heathens – 160



#160. Leap of Knowledge 3

Just then a soldier who had his spear snatched away and was left empty-handed saw other figures coming from the village entrance and shouted in horror.

“Sir! There’s a knight over there!”

Wasn’t that a knight wearing full plate armor and the insignia of the King’s Church riding into the village gate?

“What the hell. What happened?”

“retreat!”

The Qing soldiers realizing that they were powerless against them put down their loot took care of the wounded and started to flee.

*********

Azadin who had climbed up the coastal cliff had to wander for a while.

“Aragasa’s map doesn’t show this place very well either.”

Azadin was appointed as the messenger for Korrasar and was given guidance on the territory assigned to him by the Senate of Aragatha.

The Adyrov region was not on the map so Azadin was not familiar with the geography of the region.

“If it’s Adirop… isn’t it one of Count Lantaric’s fiefdoms?”

“Yes. You said that the secret to the Emperor’s treasure vault was here.”

According to Brand who was the secretary of the former Count Lantaric Garnahair Garnahair was conducting research on the Emperor’s treasury in Adyrov.

So I decided to stop by a nearby town and hear some stories…

“It seems like there are armed soldiers in the village?”

“yes?”

“Since the Jibek Hall is so fancy I’ll go first and check out the situation.”

Azadin said that and went undercover first only to meet a group called the Cheonggeun Party.

“What if we fight while trying to figure out the situation?”

Jibek is hitting.

“I don’t know how bad they are. They loot but they don’t distribute requisitions or kill or assault people.”

Azadin was firm on his principles: a thief who simply stole something wouldn’t cause permanent damage.

According to Azadin’s principles the Qing Dynasty was not yet a target for killing or permanent damage.

“You’ll know if you ask the townspeople.”

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Azadin returned the cart to the people.

“Thank you. And you? Are you part of the Paladin’s party?”

“That’s right. Oh I’d like to buy some beans or oats.”

Azadin took out a silver coin and put it in the merchant’s hand and handed him the sack hanging from his saddle. It was enough to fill a sack of beans and oats.

‘He’s the one who pays a fair price for helping people. Phew. As expected this is a dignified action worthy of an emperor’s messenger. But what if this merchant refuses to accept the money and wants to repay the favor?’

It was when Azadin had such concerns.

The merchant who received the empty sack was delighted and took a few handfuls from the baggage that was about to be confiscated by the Qing dynasty and put them into Azadin’s sack.

however….

“Huh? That’s it? I think I paid the silver coin.”

“Oh food and grain are expensive these days. There have been a lot of refugees coming from Coral Sahar recently so the price of food has skyrocketed. If you want me to fill your sacks more you have to pay more.”

The merchant said this and held out his hand to Azadin.

“….”

I just saved you from being robbed by the Cheonggun Party so you want me to charge you the full price?

‘I didn’t do this expecting any kind of greeting but this guy is really annoying.’

Azadin sighed took out more money and handed it to the merchant.

“Good. At this rate I’ll give you a bunch of oats as a bonus.”

“Ah. Yes.”

Azadin clicked his tongue inwardly as he watched the merchant make a fuss over a mere bundle of oats.

In a normal year I could have paid enough money to buy enough grain to fill a cart but they barely managed to fill two sacks and made a fuss about it with just one sack of grain.

“I understand that refugees have been flocking from Coral Sahar but what about those guys wearing turbans on their heads?”

“Oh you mean those guys wearing towels dyed with blue tree fruit? They’re the guys who run wild calling themselves the Cheonggeun Party. They’re a cult.”

“Cult religion?”

“Yes. It’s a religion that recently entered the country via land via the Bthuma side but what on earth does the King’s Church do? Well Coral Sahar… Oh my. Get out of my mind.”

It’s really bold of you to badmouth the King’s Church in front of its knights.

But with Coral Sahar recently being swept by storms and creating refugees respect for the King’s Church has noticeably waned.

‘Only Ancestus IV is pitiful.’

Even though it was not his fault that the light of the king’s reign was weakened he will be remembered in history as a tyrant.

“What do those cultists do?”

“What is it? They are making a fuss about creating a new world by bringing in refugees and young people who are not up to speed. They are capturing powerful people and somehow coaxing them into giving them money and they are training their troops. The problem is that the dwarves are joining them.”

“If you’re a dwarf are you a dwarf?”

“Yes. The dwarves have been very active since they joined the Qing Dynasty. Be careful.”

“Okay where is Baron Adyrov’s castle? Can I buy a map of the area?”

“Oh you mean the map?”

The merchant held out his hand again.

“I’ll give you a discount since you’re my benefactor.”

“….”

It was a moment when the help of the Corasar Bobusang Guild was desperately needed.

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*********

“Damn. You’re really rip-off. I should have just bought the grain later.”

Azadin unfolded the map he had purchased with great money.

Looking at the map of the Adyrov region it was surprising that this area was located on the border between the Kingdom of Khorasar and the Kingdom of Btuma.

Usually these border areas become strategic points with developed economies due to active trade or military presence but I had never heard of a place called Adyrov.

“This is the border area why didn’t I know?”

“It’s because of the endemic disease.”

Zibek explained next to Azadin.

“Endemic?”

“In addition to dysentery and dysentery there are also various other endemic diseases of Btuma in the Adyrov region. It is a well-known incident that the Adyrov Baron family was annihilated by dysentery and with no successor the inheritance was passed on to the maternal line Count Lantaric.”

“Ah so that’s why Count Lantaric mentioned something about Adirov’s guardian.”

Azadin nodded.

“Anyway if you look at the map the only land route to Btuma is Adif the capital of the Adyrov region. Let’s go to Adif.”

Azadin folded the map neatly and put it in his belt pouch so he could refer to it often and set out on his way.

It was not long after I left the village.

“You guys!”

“How dare you interrupt the Cheonggeun Party’s event!”

A group of men wearing blue hoods on their heads were rushing towards us. A group of at least 20 people were rushing in armed with spears bows and body armor.

“Oh my. So you’ve decided to die.”

Scott clicked his tongue at the sight.

Knowing Azadin’s abilities he was not surprised or afraid of the number of people who had gathered but was simply worried about the future of these so-called Cheonggeun Party members.

On the other hand Shati was displeased.

“No if I keep doing this and get hit by a blind arrow that’ll be another….”

She also had no idea that Azadin would be defeated.

Azadin had already defeated the mighty members of the Herald Clan before their eyes and had even prevented the advent of the ancient messenger. He was no one to be intimidated by such a rabble now.

however….

“Everyone please calm down for a moment.”

Isn’t Azadin kneeling before them with both hands raised?

“What the heck? You little brat. You….”

“Ah this one is a knight so leave him alone. He’ll be in trouble.”

Azadin also drew a clear line against those who threatened Zibek.

“….”

The Cheonggeun Party members looked at their commander the secretary.

It was certainly burdensome for them to fight a fully armed paladin but they wondered if they should be forgiven for only kneeling when they had come to beat up their opponents.

‘I came here to beat up my colleague because he got hurt but can I just accept it?’

‘I think the secretary is a little scared of this guy?’

As everyone looked at him like that the secretary coughed in vain.

“Hey you punk. Now do you understand what it means to disrupt the Cheonggeun Party’s events?”

“Yes of course.”

Azadin asked striking the gong in agreement.

“I heard that Cheonggeundang is a religious group. I have been feeling uneasy lately and am questioning whether my existing beliefs are correct. If there is a new teaching I would be willing to dedicate my body to it. Could you possibly teach me something?”

“what?”

“First of all I’m curious about the doctrine.”

“Doctrine… doctrine?”

The members of the Cheonggeun Party were confused. In fact they did not know much about the doctrines of the new religion or anything.

Before that even in the King’s Church they only demanded obedience to the King and nobles who were descendants of the Yaegas Gods and even the Knights of Salvation preached to the common people only the overly simple and primitive doctrine that if they kept virtue blessings would come.

“Well put on your blue robe and follow our leader’s will. The era of the Yaegasu clan is over!”

“Can we join too?”

“That’s… um. Are you a prospective member?”

When the secretary said this the surrounding Qing Dynasty soldiers became dissatisfied. They heard that their comrades had been beaten so they came to take revenge. But they are letting the man who beat them join the religion without any punishment?

As the mood among the Cheonggeun Party soldiers grew clouded Seo-gi also felt uneasy.

at that time.

“Well this isn’t much but.”

Azadin handed the money to the secretary.

“What is this?”

“As I search for the right teachings like a thirsty deer searching for a spring of water I feel a desire to see you emerge from my heart. I hope you will take care of those I have hurt.”

“….”

The clerk coughed and accepted the money that Azadin handed him then showed it to the soldiers next to him. The soldiers’ expressions also relaxed.

“But will the knight next to us also follow our teachings?”

“….”

Jibek was taken aback but he sighed and said after seeing Azadin’s expression.

“Let me hear your story.”

“…Okay. Then follow me.”

The secretary distributed the money he received from Azadin to his subordinates and began to give directions.

*********

As we followed the Cheonggeun Party members over the hill a huge refugee camp came into view.

Wagons are spread out all over the plain and tents are pitched.

The refugees who fled from Coral Sahar were camping in the barren land next to the wetlands as the well-drained land was usually occupied by fields and existing villages.

-Wheein.

Adding a little lie mosquitoes that were objectively the size of a person’s palm but were actually the size of a little fingernail were flying around everywhere.

Azadin shook his hands and killed every mosquito he saw.

But every time he killed these mosquitoes Azadin’s palms would become stained with blood. The mosquitoes were already sucking up a lot of people’s blood and were wandering around.

Moreover there were not only mosquitoes here. Leeches were clinging to the bodies of refugees catching catfish in the mud.

Despite the abundance of poisonous insects the refugees who were driven out from Coral Sahar had to somehow survive day by day here.

A man in well-made clothes who appears to have nothing to do with physical labor is struggling to catch catfish in the mud and members of the Cheonggundang Party approach him and take half of the fish from his basket.

As Azadin watched the scene a strange light flashed inside his helmet.