Night of the Soulless Heathens – 162



#162. Leap of Knowledge 5

Indim took Azadin’s warning to beware of the Qing Dynasty hordes as a challenge to his own abilities.

“Huh. What a rabble.”

“You’re not afraid? Didn’t you let your guard down and get raided by the Senate?”

“….”

Indim became mute and unable to speak.

When the tribe of Arael was on the rise they must have looked down on the Senate and Aldis but when they took away the most important throne from them at a crucial moment the tribe of Arael ended up collapsing.

For those who had lost most of their ground due to their carelessness Azadin’s words had a sharp edge that really hit home.

“What the hell are you? Aren’t you on the Senate side?”

After the Wind Aleph smiled and said goodbye to the guests who were bothering him he ran to Azadin and asked him.

Unlike Indim whose face was covered by a mask Aleph whose face was revealed was a handsome man with a cool manly face and a stylishly grown beard.

Moreover his eyes were heterochromia with his right eye being green and his left eye being black. He was a handsome man who radiated a mysterious charm and so he was attracting the attention of women even in this difficult environment where making a living was difficult.

“I just act according to my beliefs.”

“Then hand over the copy of the New King’s Letter that you took from Dimia? Use that to prove that you are not on the side of the Senate.”

“I think you misunderstood what I said. You don’t share my beliefs either.”

“Hey Azadin. What I’m telling you now isn’t a request. It’s an order. Just because you’re Arael’s younger sister…”

“I’m not complaining to my superiors when I tell you this Aleph. I’m currently the second in command.”

“Ha. Azadin of Muan. You’re the second lieutenant? The Senate has been very generous.”

“I need to become at least the second commander to save Dimia’s reputation.”

Azadin reminded Aleph that Flower Dimia had defeated him. Then Aleph became indignant.

“This kid. At that time Dimia was performing a ritual and the harmony of the Flower Bird and Moon was broken. It wasn’t my skill. Surely you’re not making fun of the four members of the Flower Bird and Moon because of that?”

“Ah now is not the time to fight over pride. I was wrong. If Arael is here let me meet her.”

“Arael will contact you. For now stand back. The Cheonggeun Party bastards are watching.”

The Cheonggeun Party requested Azadin and his party to investigate the Arael tribe but if the two of them show that they know each other they will be suspicious.

‘I think that’s already wrong.’

Azadin thought so but stepped back for the time being.

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*********

That night it started to rain in Adyrov perhaps because of the clouds that had rolled in from Koral Sahar.

The tents pitched in the campsite were shaking. The refugees had not brought proper tents so the rain was soaking them.

Adyrov is a warm region all year round so even if it rains it is not cold but it is a deadly threat to patients suffering from fever.

“This is a big deal.”

Azadin was under a roof made of tarpaulin.

Neither Azadin nor Zibek packed tents in their luggage. They simply carried a small multi-purpose tarpaulin.

I somehow managed to make a roof using that tarpaulin but it was still flimsy.

If it were just Azadin a tarp would have been enough but Shatina Scott didn’t have a tarp so they made a crude roof but it wasn’t much help.

“Captain. We can gather the muscles of various creatures and use our magic to support the roof. Then we can cover a large area like a board with a single piece of cloth.”

“Don’t do it. People are watching.”

Azadin stopped Scott from using his necromancy on such trivial matters.

Then a woman’s voice was heard through the raindrops.

“Azadin. I said I would meet you in Btooma but here we are.”

“Arael…..”

Azadin knew who the voice belonged to. It was Arael who had come to find Azadin.

“They were moving by land but they stopped here.”

“It is here in the Baronial Domain of Adyrov that Count Garnahair obtained the key to the Emperor’s treasury. I was planning to investigate this while fleeing to Btuma.”

Arael was surprisingly explaining their actions when she heard the panicked voice of her confidant Indim.

“Arael that guy might be a scheming member of the Senate. May I give him information about the Emperor’s treasury?”

“No. Azadin is not a stooge of the Senate. Is he?”

Arael declared.

“Well? Lord Aldis has given me the position of Second Herald. If she my guardian becomes the most powerful person in Aragasa then naturally I will enter the center of Aragasa’s power. Why do you think I am not on the Senate’s side?”

“You have a paladin in your party. And an orc and a naga. That’s quite a variety.”

“….”

Even though Scott and Shati were using transformation magic to transform into human forms Arael easily saw through their true nature.

Arael appeared in Azadin’s shelter. She was still beautiful and powerful but her eyes looked tired.

“I’m glad you’re safe Azadin.”

“Since when did you worry so much about me? So what happened? After you took the throne of Korasaur from Aldis? Did all those who were loyal to you turn their backs on you?”

“Yes. Because the vision I presented was completely taken away. It’s a natural result.”

“That’s great. What are you going to do now? Lord Aldis said that if I persuade you and bring you here he will spare you from death and leave you alone. Do you think you’ll change your mind now?”

When Azadin asked Arael laughed.

“My resolve has not yet been broken. I appreciate Aldis’s kindness but I cannot rely on it and now join her command. And Azadin. You also suspect Aldis don’t you?”

“Me? Aldis?”

“Otherwise you wouldn’t have met me like this. Haven’t you ever been suspicious of the Senate’s behavior where I do the dirty work at the exact right time and you take the good work?”

“….”

Arael’s words hit Azadin right in the heart. But Azadin tried hard to deny it.

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Because doubting Aldis’s goodwill would be tantamount to denying everything that made up Azadin.

“The Senate may be like that but Aldis won’t be.”

“I think so too. Aldis was created to be a completely pure being.”

“What does that mean?”

“Azadin. It may sound like an excuse now but the disgrace at Coral Sahar was a calculated act.”

Arael’s claim was so absurd that it took me a while to understand what he meant.

Azadin was so dumbfounded that he ended up laughing.

*********

“So was it planned from the beginning that we had all cooked and then had Aldis take it away? And that we had the majority of our clan members recruited by saying things like the Arael tribe and then had them all taken away in one go?”

“okay.”

“That’s really great. Are you wearing a steel plate on your face? How can you say such a thing? Arael. Are you deliberately claiming that your entire visionary policy foundation has been taken away from you? I’m asking you seriously have you gone crazy from studying Nether magic so much?”

When Azadin asked that Indim became angry.

“Shut up you dog of the Senate! The Senate of Aragasa is more evil than you think. We must never allow them to take over this world! Arael is our only hope and how dare you insult her!”

“She is hope? Is that what someone who almost destroyed the kingdom of Korasaar by summoning the Nether’s messenger would say?”

Jibek who had been listening from the side couldn’t hold it in any longer and spoke up. Then Indim glared at Jibek.

“Shut up Paladin. I want to kill you right now but I’m holding back. If you insult Lady Arael….”

“Arael please shut Indim’s mouth.”

When Azadin made his request to Arael Arael looked at Indim without saying a word.

“sorry.”

Indim looked at Arael and apologized avoiding Azadin as much as possible.

“I won’t deny that what I did harmed the people of Hybris. However a little bit of staging is necessary to avoid greater harm.”

“It’s disgusting that you weigh a person’s life like that. Well it’s not like I’ve been feeling disgusted with you for a while so let’s leave that aside. So what’s your excuse for saying that was expected?”

“It was a job to drag Aldis out. It was successful.”

“How is that a success for you? The foundation you worked so hard to build has been completely destroyed. And your actions to gain the throne were sincere?”

“To tell the truth I thought it would be great if I could gain the throne and seize its power for myself. However I thought it would be even better if Aldis showed up and took the throne away from me.”

“So losing the throne was ultimately a good thing for you? Are you kidding me?”

“It may be difficult to understand Azadin. But there is one more person I need to draw out from there.”

“Other than Aldis? Who are you?”

“Chief Hathir.”

“Chief Hathir?”

“Yes. He is the son of the Emperor and Harconia. He is Aldis’ father. He suddenly disappeared five years ago.”

“….”

If that were true he would be even more legit than Aldis.

“So. What are you going to do now that your throne has been taken away from you?”

“I can’t tell you everything Azadin. But if I tell you nothing and ask you to join our side that would be too much right?”

“Are you trying to persuade me?”

“Yes. That’s what I’m saying so listen carefully Azadin. Right now we’re trying to find the Emperor’s Treasure House. But those guys called the Qinggeon Party are controlling the entrance to the Emperor’s Treasure House.”

“so?”

Arael took out a small porcelain vial and showed it to me.

“Put this on the food of the Qing Dynasty. If we put the Nether’s followers to sleep they will not be able to interfere with our approach to the treasure vault.”

“Such an easy task? Why don’t you do it yourself?”

Adding medicine to food would be an easy task for Arael a top-tier messenger or the four members of Hwajopungwol. So why did they ask Azadin to do it?

“We can’t do it. That Taoist guy is very sharp.”

Then Jibek said.

“Their bodies already have a strong flow of Nether magic. The Taoist priest is probably also a member of the Nether faction so he will have an outstanding ability to perceive the factions of other factions.”