Night of the Soulless Heathens – 242



#242. Rookie Paladin Azadin 3

Azadin called Camilla to resolve the situation.

“So what’s so troubling you Azadin?”

Camilla asked with a smile.

“It’s clear that the soldiers are embezzling but I’m worried because there’s no concrete evidence. We need to know where the supplies are leaking so we can investigate.”

“Confirmed evidence? You don’t need that. You can just hang him with circumstantial evidence. Why don’t you just hang him?”

“Then this fortress is finished. If they had intended to kill us in the first place they wouldn’t have bothered to investigate here. I don’t want to kill them.”

“Huh? They might have killed the previous platoon leader. And they’ve all already committed crimes and been brought here?”

Camilla said that it didn’t matter since they were sinners anyway. But Azadin knew that she didn’t mean it.

In the first place she was brought here because she was a sinner.

“Camilla. I didn’t come here just to be a platoon leader in the Rescue Knights.”

“huh?”

“I also know very well that the Rescue Knights do not welcome me. Nevertheless I came here to prepare the Rescue Knights before the Age of Jupiter comes.”

“You’re preparing for it?”

“Yes. Then you can’t be satisfied with just the position of platoon leader right? You need more power and authority sooner. You don’t think I’m a boneless brat and came here because the Knights ordered me to do you?”

“Actually I thought you were a very kind person all this time. Hmm. Okay.”

Camilla heard Azadin’s words and took something out of her bosom.

“What is that?”

“It’s Dwarven Ale. If you look at the bottle you can see the brewery’s name written on it.”

“…It’s not something that would flow into such a remote place.”

Dwarven ale is an expensive luxury. Frugality is expected of all members of the Order of the Salvage so there is no reason for them to enter the remote Vermillion Keep where the lowest of the low live except perhaps the higher-ups.

“That’s right. They say that once every two weeks a foreign merchant would come and buy jinsha at a high price and in return they would provide the fortress with various items needed including luxury goods luxury items and prostitutes.”

That’s definitely embezzlement.

“How do you know?”

“I didn’t want to know either. They said that if I put on makeup I would be better than a prostitute and they wanted me to drink this and have fun with them.”

“…Oh like that.”

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“Well men’s mouths tend to become infinitely lighter in front of a beauty like me.”

Camilla also passed on the information she had researched to Azadin. There was more information that the soldiers and villagers had been babbling to Camilla about than what Azadin had been researching.

‘Camilla was testing me too.’

Despite having so much information Camilla remained silent until Azadin proved his worth.

When you think about it like that Camilla is definitely not an easy person.

“Okay Azadin. What do we do now?”

“This will be solid evidence so we should negotiate with the squad leaders.”

“Then those bastards will try to kill you. Should I call my brother and Bernard?”

“No. You don’t have to do that. Go alone.”

“Alone? Isn’t that underestimating me?”

“If you take a gang there will definitely be bloodshed. That’s what I’m doing to avoid that.”

Azadin said so and left.

“Wow. I don’t know if you have a lot of confidence or if you’re just a slacker. Well I’m sure you have the skills.”

Camilla followed Azadin curious to know what he was planning to do.

*********

-Whooooowooow!

Thunderclouds were gathering in the sky over Fort Vermilion.

The soldiers’ barracks were stocked with everything from general supplies to expensive liquor tobacco and drugs that the village could not brew and the soldiers were playing card games among them.

Just then someone opened their barracks and came in.

It was Azadin.

“Who is this? Aren’t you the platoon leader? Why are you here?”

Half-elf squad leader Legion was playing around with his swords at targets when he spotted Azadin and smirked.

“You’re playing more healthily than I thought.”

“yes?”

“I was wondering if you could let women into the barracks.”

“Ah. I recommend that you do that outside the barracks. Since I became a squad leader I’ve decided to live by the rules. It’s a bit like that in the public barracks isn’t it?”

When Legion said that the soldiers chuckled.

“So what brings you to the barracks?”

“They were embezzling. Every two weeks foreign merchants would come to buy ginseng and in return they would supply the fortress with the necessary supplies. They would pay much more than the Rescue Knights and they would also provide alcohol cigarettes drugs and prostitutes to win the favor of the local people.”

“Hmm?”

Legion and Kallan looked at Azadin who had come to find them with curious eyes.

“Wow! It’s only been two days and you’ve already figured that out.”

Legion applauded in admiration while Kallan’s hair and beard stood on end in anger.

“What the hell kind of guy blew that?”

“I can’t tell you that.”

“So now that you’ve found out that we’ve been embezzling what? Are you going to hang us right now?”

As Legion asked the soldiers in the barracks all surrounded Azadin.

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It was clearly an act intended to threaten Azadin but Azadin who had already been through a lot had no way of feeling fear towards them.

Azadin simply shrugged.

“No. I don’t want to kill you guys so I’m just curious.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Why is everyone so sure I’m going to die?”

For a moment everyone had to ponder what Azadin had said.

What on earth is Azadin asking at this very moment?

“What does it mean?”

“If you didn’t want your embezzlement to be discovered you should have poisoned my food or attacked me while I was sleeping. But you didn’t do anything as if I was someone who would disappear if you just sat still. Why is that?”

“Oh the platoon leader was quite cautious about that too wasn’t he? He cooks his own food and sleeps in a place where no one knows where he sleeps.”

“I should do that much too. Otherwise I’d look like an idiot. You should have done something instead. You didn’t look that stupid did you?”

“….”

Azadin instead chastised his soldiers for not jumping over the defenses he had set up and attempting to assassinate him.

Those who were listening could not help but be astonished.

“So if you’re too scared to say anything don’t be afraid and just tell me I’ll take care of you. I’m saying this because it seems like you need my help.”

Azadin rather believed that the soldiers were scared and needed his help.

The soldiers burst into laughter because their attitude was so ridiculous.

“Hahahaha! What do you think we’re doing? This alcohol? This medicine? Do you know how much this costs? We’re living a much better life than some of the ragtag nobles!”

The soldiers couldn’t stand it anymore and started to swear holding out bottles of alcohol and medicine they had used. However Azadin just sighed as if he felt sorry for such soldiers.

“You’re just trying to escape reality with alcohol and drugs. You idiots. Do you think people in their right mind would be happy just because something tastes good in this remote place?”

“what?!”

The soldiers were outraged at Azadin but… he was right.

There’s no reason why you should be able to eat anything when you’re stuck in this remote place like Fort Vermillion and can’t move.

but.

‘That’s not something you a platoon leader should say.’

Azadin whose mission is to keep them in this fortress says something like that!

Then Azadin spoke confidently to his soldiers.

“You are truly small-minded content to enjoy yourself with the money you earned by embezzling a small amount of money and selling it. Follow me now. Then I will get you out of here.”

“This little shit said let’s see!”

“Ka…kakakakakat!”

The dwarf berserker Kalan who had been quietly listening to the story burst into laughter.

“What kind of children are you treating us like right now?! Do you want to die right now!”

“Kalan.”

Despite Legion’s attempts to stop him Kalan picked up the battle axe he had propped up against the wall. A dwarf spear axe a human a long two-handed battle axe he glared at Azadin.

“I didn’t want to get my hands dirty with you since you’re going to die soon anyway because of the curse but seeing you acting so cocky is unbearable. Come out! I’ll fix your bad habits.”

“curse?”

“Stop it Kallan. You’re a berserker. Once you start fighting you’re finished.”

The legion stopped Kallan.

“I will do it.”

As Legion spoke and stepped forward Azadin snorted.

“Just come out both of you.”

“…What?”

“I was planning on correcting all of you anyway. You guys are ridiculous. You guys who were caught by the Rescue Knights and are struggling and you think you can kill me the Emperor’s messenger at any time? Come out now. I’ll show you why the messenger clan is called the God-King Slayers.”

“….”

Legion and Kallan were taken aback by Azadin’s sudden attitude in calling them out.

“This kid!”

The soldiers in the barracks who could not stand to watch rushed at Azadin with bottles of liquor or rocks from the barracks floor but when Azadin lightly shook his hands there was a slap and blood spurted out.

It was clearly just a light slap but blood spurted out of the nose and the person who was hit was sent flying into the wall.

“Oh. Okay! This kid knows something about this!”

Kalan snorted and shook his hair in delight but Azadin ignored him and went out of the barracks.

-Shoot!

A heavy rain was falling. Azadin stood in the middle of the raindrops.

“The weapon is…..”

“You can use it.”

As Azadin spoke Kalan put down his halberd.

“Okay you punk! I’ve never seen such an arrogant guy in my life!”

“You told me to take up arms. You’d better listen to me.”

“Very good! If you’re a man you have to use your bare hands!”

Kallan slapped himself hard roared and began foaming at the mouth.

“I will teach you why I am called the Bear-Tearing Kalan! If you follow my teachings even your body will be torn apart! Kyaaaaaaa!”

The photogenic Kalan leapt at Azadin.

The soldiers who saw that sight were secretly perplexed.

“Squad Leader Lee Li-Jian.”

“Is that okay?”

“Leave him alone. He must be acting like that because he’s confident. Let’s just take our time and admire the skills of the messenger clan.”

Half-elf squad leader Legion just watched with a faint smile seeming to enjoy the situation.