Night of the Soulless Heathens – 195



#195. Golden King 1

“If you who stole Grimslow’s body don’t kill me or take over the church but just let it slide what will happen to my reputation that has taken root in this land? That’s why I’m trying to keep you under my authority by any means possible. Don’t worry. I’m not asking anything of you. All I ask is that you protect my authority. You want that too don’t you? In this situation I need controlled power rather than chaos.”

The Lord of the Qing Dynasty knew exactly what Azadin wanted. Realistically it would take a lot of effort to take over his sect and Azadin didn’t want that.

What Azadin wanted was to exert influence on Bthuma to prevent the civil war of the Herald Clan from spreading to the outside world and in return he would acknowledge the authority of God in the church.

“But is it really necessary to say quantum?”

“Grimslow is disappointed in me and will not grant me any more miracles. However if you become my adopted son the miracles you experience will also become mine.”

“How detailed.”

Azadin frowned at the sight of God.

The appearance of the Heavenly King was like that of a young boy. If we were to guess his age he would certainly be older than Azadin. Was he born like this? Or did Grimslown’s revelation give him this appearance?

Whatever it was his proposal did not match his appearance. It was not the childish words of a child but the dark sly words of an old man in power. There was something unpleasant about the proposal yet it had an irresistible advantage.

“Personally I don’t feel like it but from a grand perspective I have to do it. Otherwise it would have been pointless to come this far.”

“It’s good that you understand quickly. I really want to adopt you as my child.”

“Then should I call him God or Father?”

“If you can save my face in public there’s no need to do that in private. But I hope you show me endless respect in public.”

“Okay I understand. Then what is your name?”

“I am Kazas.”

“What is Kazas?”

“Why are you surprised?”

“No I know someone with that name. Why does it have to be that name?”

“It’s the name of an elven wizard who was very famous in this area in the past. There’s a superstition that if you use such a strong name you won’t die even if you get sick as a child.”

There was a faint note of contempt for superstition in the voice of the cult leader.

Azadin found the sight funny.

But when I thought about it it was not funny but scary. Those who willingly choose the superstitions and primitiveness they detest as a means for their greed are dangerous.

Although Azadin had managed to force him to come to an agreement the interest of the people had to be guarded.

“Welcome to the family the Herald Clan.”

“This is the second spirit Azadin.”

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“Yes Azadin.”

After saying this God got up and the bleeding from his ear had stopped.

The spear Azadin had fired had nearly split his ear in two but the bleeding wound had completely healed hardening into something like tree resin.

Even though Grimslowe was disappointed in him it seemed that Grimslowe’s power still remained in him.

*********

Cheonju Kazas the leader of the Cheonggeun Party officially recognized Azadin as a person who had received revelations and declared him his adopted son.

Originally it was supposed to be a festival and a joyous occasion but because the situation was so urgent instead of a festival the residents who were driven out of the settlement were accepted.

Also when the church’s warehouse was opened for them the residents who had been driven out of the introduction site and the lower class of Btuma people who were in similar situations all praised the virtues of the Cheonggeun Party.

And with the help of the Qing Dynasty Shati and Scott also passed without much inspection.

In the first place the blood magicians who checked the disguised people at the checkpoint were members of the Cheonggeun Party so if they kissed Scott and Shati were able to pass through safely.

“No matter how necessary it may be how could you become someone else’s adopted child so easily?”

Shati was surprised by Azadin’s choice.

“It’s a formality. There’s no need to make things worse when things are already so chaotic. Besides that guy named Cheonju from Cheonggeondang is someone I can communicate with very easily.”

Azadin turned his gaze away from Shati as he watched the movements of the Btuma army preparing to defend the city. It was difficult for him to deal with her who insisted on bringing up something he himself was ashamed of.

“I am so glad. At one time I thought God thought of you as some kind of rival and wanted to eliminate you. But if you had received a revelation why didn’t you tell me?”

Jiswah naively believed that Azadin had really given God a new revelation and that everything would end well.

In fact there was a push and pull of power and authority but Azadin kept his mouth shut because his faith in Jiswah was too deep and thorough to reveal the details.

“Jiswa.”

“yes?”

“Help the Cheonggeundang people reinforce the city walls. Then I will introduce them to the King.”

“Are you talking about an audience with the King?”

“Wow Captain you’re amazing. Things are going so well. Who would have thought we’d meet that Manja-Zadek?”

“I guess the King has work to do and he’s meeting you. Why are you an Orc necromancer so concerned?”

“Huh? You don’t know the Golden King Manja-Zadek?”

“Isn’t that the Golden King Manja-Zadek?”

“Manza-Zadek defeated those who coveted Btuma’s wealth and he slew many ogres especially in his youth. Our orcs with their innate keen intellect used to lend their wisdom to the ogres and nagas in exchange for huge rewards but they suffered greatly at the hands of Manza-Zadek’s forces. My parents were also killed by Manza-Zadek’s elephant army.”

In that case Manza-Zadek would be Scott’s parental enemy. However Scott seemed to admire and respect Manza-Zadek.

“That’s what a strong and great king is like. And this golden city too. I want to meet him too.”

“I will go to the intelligence agency alone with the Cheonggeun Party people.”

“What a pity. I wanted to see the glory of the Golden King.”

“I’ll tell you after I see it.”

Azadin felt complicated as he watched Scott who seemed to genuinely respect Manza-Zadek.

At that time a messenger from the Qing Dynasty came to see Azadin.

“Your Majesty your audience appointment has been made so please prepare to enter the palace. We will help you. Please come.”

It seemed like preparations were finally complete to meet Manza-Zadek.

*********

Azadin changed into the clothes of Btuma prepared by the people of Cheonggeondang and met the Lord in front of the audience room.

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“Be careful what you say Azaddin. His Majesty the King is the Golden King both wise and fearsome.”

God told me what I should be careful about when meeting Manja-Zadek. But everything was simpler than when I met God. I just had to wait for Manja-Zadek to have time because he was busy with work.

Azzaddin was bored with waiting so he asked God a question.

“Oh then since we’re rich I’d like to ask. Why do you do that ritual? Isn’t it more important than being a king?”

“Why do you think that might be?”

“Um… maybe we need to sort things out?”

“This is amazing.”

Cheonju Kazas was amazed at Azadin’s words which gave the answer right away.

“That’s right. Originally a merchant traveling between Btuma and Korasaar I became a member of Grimsroun’s household… I realized that I couldn’t hold all this power in my body so I needed to share it somehow to lighten the burden. It’s impossible to run an organization alone. That’s why I asked for the understanding of my fellow merchants back then and they became my first Taoists. They were all capable and smart friends. Otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to become a merchant in Btuma.”

The Lord Kajas praised them.

“But they knew my past and my motivations better than anyone else so that became my weakness. Eventually they started to treat me rudely and threatened my authority.”

“So that’s why you created such a show of formality?”

“It was created because it was necessary so it’s not a pretense. Let’s say it’s a ritual that pursues practicality.”

“So the Taoist priests who started back then decided to submit to this ritual and serve you?”

“No. He was purged for opposing the ritual and openly disobeying it.”

I had vaguely expected it. There was no way the cult leader would spare those who did not recognize his authority and simply acted as if they were his partners.

This pretense would have been a perfect excuse to purge such people and thus the leader would have made the sect completely his own.

“But it’s amazing. How can you deduce the purpose of this ritual and the circumstances I’m in right away? You’re really smart. You have such great power and you’re also so smart. Are you really a member of the Herald Clan? Or are you just one of the more special ones?”

“Um. Well if I were to tell you a story it would be a bit long.”

Azadin felt that it might be dangerous to go into detail about himself and the Heralds to God.

Then the king’s servant came in and announced that preparations for the audience were complete.

*********

The Manja-Zadek palace was also built in the Btuma style just like the Cheonjieondang Heavenly Temple.

The pillars were erected and large sheets of cloth were intricately draped to replace the walls. The structure was such that ventilation could be improved simply by changing the arrangement of the cloth when wind was needed.

Between the pillars there was something that took on the role of a wall. It was a huge oil painting probably as long as a horse. In the large canvas was a majestic black-skinned man holding a golden scepter trampling on the corpse of an ogre warlord and taking a pose of victory.

He is the Golden King who protects the wealth of Btuma by repelling the ogres that invade from the north of Btuma.

But… in the middle of the audience room a man so fat that it seemed as if he were not even human was sitting on a quartz throne. He was as big as an elephant and so fat that it looked as if he was forcibly holding something inside his skin that was about to explode.

Nevertheless the features of his face were strangely similar to the portrait so he could tell that he was Manja-Zadek.

‘Did the artist draw him with a knife stuck in his throat? Or did he originally look like that when he was young and then he became like this? But how can a person look like that? And why is he so big? Is he a giant?’

Azadin saw a large scepter next to Manza-Zadek’s throne. It was the golden scepter that had been in the portrait.

Its length was only twice that of a human being but when compared to its appearance in the portrait it was clear that Manja-Zadek was born with a larger physique than the average human.

But this is the appearance of the Golden King that even the haughty Scott admired.