Night of the Soulless Heathens – 241



#241. Rookie Paladin Azadin 2

While ordinary reservoirs are full of bugs and mud reservoirs made by filling holes with sand and gravel can store significant amounts of rainwater without worrying about the water becoming contaminated.

Of course it costs much more to build than a typical reservoir but in places like the Jinsa mine it was worth the investment to secure a clean water source.

‘Amazing. He’s on a different level from the platoon leaders we’ve had so far. Is this the Emperor’s messenger?’

The soldiers who came to pick a fight were amazed at Azadin’s ability to handle his work. But then an unexpected problem occurred.

“This woman is a soldier? Kick! You’re joking right?!”

The soldiers had discovered Camilla.

Even among the Cell Swords in the big cities women are not uncommon. There are quite a few female assassins female fighters sorcerers etc. so everyone is familiar with female combatants.

But in rural areas like this it’s a different story.

“Hey. You’re pretty Miss. What’s that sword on your waist? It’s too big for that one.”

“Hey. How much does it cost to stay overnight?”

The soldiers immediately began to harass Camilla who clicked her tongue.

“Hey. You guys. Are you playing your teeth while thinking about what will happen next?”

“Huh? Even your angry face is cute?”

Seeing this Azadin glanced at the squad leaders. The squad leaders were curious about how Azadin would react so they just left the situation alone.

‘There’s nothing I can do about this.’

If the platoon leader Azadin gets involved in such matters he will gradually lose his sense of leadership. If he interferes in the minor disputes between soldiers the soldiers will hate him even more.

In this case a well-behaved middle manager had to coordinate them but the problem was that Azadin’s adjutant MacDougall did not like Azadin very much.

“Stop. She is an excellent scout. I won’t let you insult her unnecessarily.”

When Azadin said that the soldiers burst into laughter.

“Yes yes. I understand. I will consider this as yours Captain.”

As the soldiers snickered and raised their little fingers Countach strode out. He scratched his head and asked his sister.

“Sister. What are those guys saying? Are they teasing you?”

“Don’t kill me.”

“You were just teasing me weren’t you?! You guys!”

At that moment Countach rushed in and punched the soldier who had just been laughing. The startled soldier raised his arm to defend himself but Countach’s punch went through his arm and into his face.

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“Keukkuk!”

The soldier floated into the air and then rolled around on the ground.

“This little shit!”

The other fellow soldiers were about to draw their weapons but at that moment a rock struck the hilt of their swords. Azadin had thrown a rock and struck their weapons.

Everyone was shocked by the powerful impact that shook their entire pelvis and made their lower abdomen hurt.

“Everyone stop. If you bring your weapons to the fight among yourselves I will execute you immediately. Countach. You too calm down.”

“Ugh. Azadin. I’m calm. Calm down. Don’t hit me.”

Countach raises his hands and covers his face looking frightened.

‘If other people see me it looks like I’m hitting you all the time.’

Azadin was taken aback by Countach’s overly timid demeanor but to those around him he was a very effective threat.

The fact that the big scary giant was afraid of Azadin was proof that Azadin was not an easy opponent.

“Camilla. You may not be able to stop your sister but you shouldn’t encourage her.”

“I told you not to kill him. I told you not to kill him. That’s enough to stop him.”

“You should have defended me by saying you weren’t kidding me.”

“You shouldn’t lie to Countach like that. He’s stupid and if you lie in that situation he’ll gradually lose confidence in his intuition. My mom lied to him like that denying his intuition and he got ruined. Are you telling me to do the same to him?”

“That’s definitely a problem. I see.”

Azadin nodded knowing that Camilla’s excuse had some merit.

“Then the rest of the soldiers…..”

“Tch!”

The soldier who was punched by Countach spat. Blood and teeth poured out on the floor. Three teeth were broken.

“What are you doing Captain! That guy hit me! And you’re taking his side?”

“Countach has been suffering from that kind of illness to begin with. That’s why I warned you. You reap what you sow soldier.”

“Ugh. This soulless blasphemous bastard!”

The soldier who had his teeth knocked out by Countach drew his dagger in anger and rushed at Azadin. But at that moment Bernard recited a spell.

“town!”

The soldier who was rushing towards me covered his mouth with his hand.

The blood flowing from the wound in his mouth transformed into a spider’s shape its legs bursting out tearing at his cheek.

It was clearly liquid blood but it tore through his mouth with such force that it looked like a metal skewer.

“Kwaaak!”

“Eek!?”

The soldiers were horrified at the sight.

Then a meteor of golden flame passed through the soldier’s mouth. Azadin swung Aurelia Dunn and cut down only the blood spider in an incredible manner.

“Bernard. What are you doing?

“Haha. Captain Azadin seems too kind-hearted to have meddled. Knock knock. Punish me. I will gladly accept it.”

“Um. Are you okay?”

Azadin examined the soldier who had been hit by Countach and had his mouth completely torn by Bernard.

It was a horrible sight with the flesh completely blown away but Azadin looked at the wound and removed the bandage to cover the face.

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“Gyeongsang-gun.”

“?!”

“yes?!”

The other soldiers were terrified by Azadin’s calm attitude.

“Bernard. You’re being suspended for a week for being too out of line. While you’re at it get this kid treated.”

“Understood. Kkul. Captain Azadin is so generous. He even treated this guy.”

“I’m actually a bit generous.”

“….”

The soldiers who had been watching now knew the hard way that Azadin and Camilla Bernard were no pushovers.

Perhaps Bernard deliberately interfered because he was looking for an opportunity to take the lead here so as not to be looked down on.

Bernard who was already physically weak needed to show off his abilities in order to gain the respect of the soldiers.

‘Oh my. All my subordinates are just problem children.’

Azadin clicked his tongue feeling that his future was not going smoothly.

“Then shall we end the inauguration speech here? Is there anything else you have prepared? If there is anything more bring it out now.”

Azadin looked back at the soldiers.

Originally the soldiers of Fort Vermillion had intended to take the initiative by teasing the new platoon leader Azadin but the outrage of Azadin and his men easily surpassed their imaginations.

Everyone was dumbfounded and only watched the faces of their real leaders Legion and Kalan.

“I don’t think so. Then let’s rest today. Dismissal.”

Azadin ordered his soldiers to disperse.

Ever since they heard that their former platoon leaders had been murdered one after another the Knights had actually been suspecting the soldiers of the fortress.

It was not uncommon for officers to be killed for insubordination in such remote fortresses.

So the Knights sent Azadin a human resource who could die at any time to Fort Vermillion.

However given that the soldiers were picking a fight with Azadin in an attempt to seize the initiative it is unlikely that all the soldiers were of one mind and one heart to kill their platoon leader.

‘If it was decided from the beginning to kill me there was no need to cause a fuss by picking a fight. It would be faster to kill me while I’m sleeping or poison me.’

There must be a reason the soldiers came to pick a fight.

‘Maybe they were trying to see if I was someone they could talk to and if I was weak enough to manipulate them. Or maybe it was just their nature to pick fights without thinking.’

The two squad leaders Legion and Kallan did not seem like thoughtless guys. The guy named Cormac seemed a bit short-sighted but Legion and Kallan were probably the real leaders of the soldiers.

‘I guess I should check the inventory first.’

Azadin called MacDougal.

“I need to figure out the fortress’s inventory so bring the ledger.”

“These ledgers are empty for half a year?”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m just checking the amount of supplies coming in and out when this fortress was operating properly. If I know how much supplies come in and how much goes out each month I can roughly figure out the gap for the past half year right?”

“But… um. That’s amazing.”

MacDougal was frankly impressed by Azadin.

“what?”

“No you can tell just by looking at them that they’re trying to screw the captain over. This place is basically like a tiger’s mouth. They can poison your food or attack you while you’re sleeping. And isn’t checking their inventory right now basically saying that you suspect them?”

“You’re saying we should cover up the incident because it’s scary?”

“Normally I would have done that.”

“And I’m not ordinary.”

“But I’m just average. I don’t want to be hated by those soldiers. Besides this place is basically like a prison. No in some ways it’s worse than a prison. Prisons have set sentences but there’s nothing like that here. Sob sob. Thinking about it makes me cry again. I miss Sir Ismilla. Oh my fate. I’m going to be stuck here for the rest of my life…”

Azadin was irritated by MacDougal’s whining.

“Go get some work I won’t leave you stuck here your whole life.”

“Yes? Really? Is that possible? Can I meet Sir Ismilla again? Can she and I be together for a hundred years?”

“Isn’t the latter a bit too much?”

Azadin felt discouraged as he watched the man in question MacDougal spread his wings of delusion.

*********

Azadin and MacDougall took inventory.

The weapons that should have remained in the fortress’s weapons warehouse were completely empty and the yield from the cinnabar mines had also clearly decreased.

Anyone who saw it could tell that embezzlement was going on.

Moreover this embezzlement was not just the work of soldiers but also involved miners and villagers.

Could that be why when Azadin and MacDougall began their investigation everyone reacted with extreme resistance.

“It’s because the work has been paralyzed due to the absence of the platoon leader. Why are we doing that?”

“Oh really. This warehouse is no longer in use. What? Then where is the other warehouse? Oh my. The previous platoon leader secretly moved it and died right?”

In this way they obstructed the investigation by making ridiculous excuses and making excuses.

In this way the circumstances of embezzlement are clear but it has become difficult to obtain evidence.

Of course they could all be executed for embezzlement based on circumstantial evidence alone but at a time when their support base was uncertain and even the townspeople and workers did not hide their hostility it was clear as day that if they abused the death penalty public sentiment would be destroyed.

And Azadin truly did not want to kill them.

In the end we had to get our hands on the squad leaders the actual leaders of the soldiers here.