Night of the Soulless Heathens – 191



#191. Sugar Rush 7

“But I didn’t know that the Herald Clan also practiced slavery.”

“It’s not slavery. In fact it’s closer to kidnapping than slavery but to them calling it slavery is like karma or a correlation. Wouldn’t it be more aesthetic if those who made fun of others’ freedom had their freedom restricted in the same way?”

“Aesthetics.”

“And we need to secure them… as a lesson to the new farmers.”

With the existing farm owners kidnapped the legal heirs became the new farm owners.

They feared the formidable fighting ability of the Herald Clan and more than that they were reluctant to see their fathers the former owners of the farms return.

So the negotiations went smoothly. Since Azadin could not be stopped anyway and the farm owner was kidnapped there was no reason to support slavery saying “We operate slavery to raise private soldiers and maintain them.”

The new owners actively cooperated in establishing a new order in Bel Hoda with Randa Vanema as the union leader.

“Then the petition is considered complete. And Randa Vanema the chairman of the Bel Hoda Sugar Association I have a favor to ask of you.”

“Please? What do you want?”

“That is all the people on the farm are joining the Cheonggeun Party…”

Jiswa who had been listening quickly began to preach.

“Get out of here. Distinguish between what to wear and what not to wear. Okay?”

Azadin pushed Jiswah away and asked.

“The farm owner has changed but they still have private soldiers?”

“Of course there are. But they are just ordinary farmers who have put commercially available weapons in their hands. They are not real soldiers. They are good at capturing or lynching runaway workers but they are not real warriors. Those adventurers were real warriors after all.”

Landa Vanema was keenly aware of how much more powerful the adventurers hired by other ranchers were than the regular soldiers.

But when I heard the story of Azadin easily subduing them like a child… I couldn’t help but doubt my ears.

“Those private soldiers are no longer useful so we’ll disband them. Oh of course we’ll leave some vigilantes behind. It’s true that bandits and monsters are out and about.”

“I’m not asking you to disband. Quite the opposite.”

“the opposite?”

“Yes. A large Naga army will soon invade Btuma. We need to arm and train Bel Hoda’s private military units.”

“What? Are you serious?”

“For training I will assign you one of the Heralds as an advisor.”

“No how much training are you going to do?”

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“A day or two will be enough for the march and carrying of luggage. And prepare food as well.”

“Are you really preparing for war? Naga Empire? Is that real?”

“It’s true. So what are you going to do? Of course even if you refuse I’m not in a position to force you to cooperate.”

“You’ve got the farmers under control. If you threaten to release them wouldn’t that be enough to force them?”

“You can’t make friends through threats.”

“What are you talking about? You’ve threatened me enough so far. Phew… Well that’s fine. As long as Btuma is safe Bel Hoda can survive. If the Naga Empire really invades I’ll mobilize all of Bel Hoda’s human and material resources to protect and rescue Btuma.”

Landa Banema responded to Azadine’s request and offered to shake his hand.

“Thank you Landa Vanema.”

“No what. Azadin. I am more grateful. What you did in a short period of time made it look easy but I couldn’t have done it without you.”

It may seem easy at first glance to get things done quickly but before he arrived Landa Vanema was on the edge of a cliff and seriously considered suicide. People change their minds as time passes but he remembered in detail how desperate he had been when he made his petition.

‘I’ve got some pretty good allies. I’m glad you’re processing the petition.’

Then Landa Vanema’s subordinate walked in.

“I heard that a military advisor came to see the messenger clan.”

Azadin had requested through the Emperor’s voice that someone be sent here to command and train the private soldiers of Bel Hoda. It seemed that military advisor had arrived.

“It’s fast. No it’s even faster than I expected.”

Azadin decided to meet the military adviser once.

*********

“That’s amazing.”

The military adviser was a familiar face. A beautiful woman with brown curly hair and green eyes was looking at Azadin.

“I was wondering what you did in the meantime Azadin you took over Bel Hoda?”

“It’s strange to call it a fall. They say they established a friendly relationship. But what brings you here Zenith?”

“What’s going on? This area used to be my territory.”

“Ah. I was wondering who the messenger was who rejected the petition. It was you?”

“Yes. It’s my job to help Arael-nim. But I can’t believe I’m making the entire Bel Hoda Sugar Plantation into one piece….”

Originally the messenger clan was also interested in Bel Hoda’s sugar combination. However even if they help one farm if an outside force comes in the other farm owners will know about it like a ghost and exclude them.

Kindness is engraved in water and resentment is engraved in bones. If you accept a request related to a sugarcane farm and end up raising a lot of hostile forces on the other side it will be a headache.

It was a very complicated matter to deal with now that the Herald Clan was embroiled in a civil war. But Azadin had sorted it out very neatly.

“Not only did you resolve the petition on my behalf but you even took my men with you to secure the personal enlistments of the Bel Hoda farm owners. And after doing all that you’re giving me the position of military advisor?”

“Yeah. You said you declined the petition mission but you wouldn’t decline something like this right? Do you fail a lot?”

He becomes a military advisor to Bel Hoda who has amassed wealth through the sugar industry. There is no reason why he would hesitate to give up a position he wants even if it means paying bribes.

“Of course there is no reason to refuse. For the sake of Lady Arael’s will Bel Hoda is of course….”

She said so and cleared her throat.

“Azadin this is truly an incredible feat worthy of the Second Lieutenant. I have no choice but to admit it.”

“It sounds like you weren’t really willing to admit it until then?”

“Even though he is Arael-nim’s younger brother wasn’t Azadin of Mu-an famous? And I have some confidence in my skills but you’re suddenly calling me the 2nd Lieutenant? Isn’t that too much favoritism? Well they say it’s just a number but in the end all the Aragasas have fierce tempers.”

“You said you were confident in your abilities? Come to think of it Zion Etar was defeated by you…”

Azadin remembered Zion Etar’s excuse in Coral Sahar.

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“No way. The rumor that Zion Etar was defeated by me is a lie. It’s an excuse he made up to provide his own alibi. He was originally the ‘Moon’ of our previous generation.”

The four people of Hwajopungwol. Among them the one with the title of Moon was considered the most powerful and outstanding.

‘That means Indim is the best character in Hwajopungwol right now but it doesn’t seem like that at all?’

Azadin clicked his tongue as he thought of Indim who kept picking on him.

Zenith warned us about Zion Etar.

“He spread false rumors about being defeated by me because he had a conversation with us and was using that as an excuse to hand over goods and people to us. To be honest he is much more skilled than I am. Be careful. He has now returned to the Senate.”

“I see. Hmm I see. If you can’t handle Zion Etar then you’re below me so you don’t have to feel bad about me being the second-in-command.”

“Haha. That’s great confidence.”

Zenith laughed at Azadin’s words but her eyes did not laugh.

“I will endure it because I have been given a lot. So Second Commander Azadin. Are you going to Btooma now?”

“okay.”

“Even if you hate Arael if you stop the invasion of Bthuma you will be guilty of opposing the Senate’s actions. Are you still going to do it?”

“Of course. You must not interfere with the arrival of reinforcements from Bel Hoda.”

“How could that be? It’s just sabotaging the work of the Senate. Besides we’re not going to start a war with these guys are we?”

“Yes. The private soldiers may be useful for beating serfs with clubs on the farms but they will be useless against Nagas. You just need to carry supplies from Bel Hoda to Btuma and act as engineers.”

“Okay that’s not that hard.”

Zenith offered to take the military advisor position that Azadin had handed over.

Then suddenly the docks started to get noisy.

“Oh no! This is a big deal! This is a big deal!”

As the workers on the docks began to shout bells installed on the docks and throughout the sugarcane plantations began to ring.

“The war in Bthuma has begun!”

“The Nagas have invaded Btuma! The Ogres are invading the north of Btuma and the Nagas are in the south…”

While Azadin was in Bel Hoda the Bthuma Nagas finally began their attack.

Azadin bit his lower lip as he listened to the people’s commotion. He didn’t regret coming to Bel Hoda to hear the petition. But it would have been better if he had come on time…

“I suddenly got busy. When can I leave?”

“I just got here?”

“You’re the messenger in charge of this area so you’ll be familiar with the situation right?”

“Even if they are Bel Hoda’s privates they are just serfs and I don’t know how much supplies they have so I can’t be sure. Let’s leave as soon as we’re ready. It’ll still take a week.”

“Okay. Then I will head to Btuma first with my colleagues.”

*********

Surprisingly at the village road Randa Vanema who had already said goodbye was waiting for Azadin and his party with his horse ready.

“This is the Arangisan that Salko had. It is loaded with cachaça a specialty of Bel Hoda and various sweets. They don’t spoil easily so they are good for travelers.”

“Kashasha? It’s alcohol.”

“It’s liquor made from sugarcane. Unlike rum which is made from molasses left over after sugar is extracted it’s a high-quality liquor that retains its sugar. Do you know how valuable liquor is on the battlefield?”

“Yeah.”

“And this is… the head of an Azure Steel axe. It is called the ‘Blue Executioner’. It was made by the great Dwarven blacksmith Morton.”

“The executioner of the Qing Dynasty? Isn’t that a great treasure? Is it okay to give something like this? I already paid the price with the Emperor’s gold and I promised to help Btuma.”

Azadin was surprised when he received the Blue Executioner. The Azure Steel longsword that Azadin was currently using was an impressive item but the Blue Executioner was an overwhelming item.

This cross-shaped weapon which is both an axe and a wedge has a faint glow of its own as if it is enchanted. However it is unfortunate that it is a spear axe without a handle leaving only the head.

“It’s better for such a luxury item to be in your hands than to rot away in our warehouse. Besides you’re doing this to save Btuma right? Isn’t that right? Helping you is helping Btuma? Wow… Actually I had the gold of the Heralds but I didn’t know that the Heralds were such great people. The rumors really are wrong.”

“It’s not good to be so carefree…”

Azadin felt embarrassed to see Landa Vanema who had come to the favor of the Heralds because of his service.

I want to acknowledge her kindness but I worry about her future if I do because the Herald Clan is by no means an easygoing people.

“I will gather the soldiers you wish and finish organizing them as quickly as possible so that they can be sent out. I will also make sure to procure food.”

“Thank you. Well I don’t have much time so I’ll see you later. Please forgive my rudeness in leaving right now.”

Azadin accepted the gift of the executioner from Landa Vanema mounted the horse she had prepared for him and rode to Bthuma.