Night of the Soulless Heathens – 335



#335. Heart of Destruction 1

Delia the manager of the Fireglyph branch of the Vandyke Trading Company was in a difficult situation.

Thanks to the deal with Azadin the sales of the Fireglyph branch increased by about tenfold compared to the past.

Azadin reorganized the agricultural lands by annexing several fiefdoms on the Chadra Plateau reclaiming farmland and consolidating land parcels allowing fewer farmers to produce more crops.

And not only did he order a large quantity of goods from Van Dyke’s Company to turn the remaining surplus labor force into soldiers technicians and laborers but he also manufactured and created various goods that Van Dyke’s Company wanted greatly increasing the company’s profits.

By dealing with Azadin Delia gained enormous financial benefits.

However the Senate of the Herald Clan was furious and demanded that Azadin be killed immediately.

It is an insult to the Herald Clan for a traitor to openly join the Salvation Knights and make a name for himself and it is also an interference with their important work.

In particular the Senate viewed the sabotage of the transport ship attack as an intolerable challenge and gave direct orders to Delia.

‘Uncover Azadin’s weaknesses cut off the deal if possible and assassinate him yourself!’

Along with this the Senate gave Delia a dagger.

‘What do you want me to do with just this one knife?’

Delia knew Azadin’s abilities well having seen them up close.

Azadin somehow managed to subdue or ally with the Chadra Oguls with his amazingly improved military force and magic and take over the territories of the Chadra Plateau and this time he even took Count Sandokar under his command.

I cannot believe the mentality of the Senate that believes they can kill such a person with a single sword.

That’s not all.

‘Burning grain in these times?’

Even though it may be an easy path to victory it is difficult to understand the actions of the upper echelons of the Herald Clan who tried to burn rather than plunder the transport ships now that Fimbulbert was approaching.

‘You went out and ate with those guys. You crazy bastards…’

Attacking the reserves is so important that it can be considered a basic part of military strategy.

But what does the future hold if we burn all that food?

Delia wasn’t the only one who had these questions.

Many of the young men of the Herald Clan began to question the actions of the Senate in this matter.

They want to rule over the Hybris not exterminate them. The Senate seems to be envisioning exterminating the Hybris and living with the Nagas who are a completely different race and cannibalistic.

The young people of the messenger clan were not sympathetic to the future with the Nagas.

and….

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Delia sympathized with the future that Azadin showed her.

“Oh I’m crazy.”

“What do you mean Manager?”

“Oh no…..”

It seems that she was caught up in her thoughts and couldn’t hold it back so she let out a sound. Delia who was at a loss for an answer pointed to the back of the horse pulling the carriage in front of her.

“This. This.”

Now she was leading the caravan herself and heading to Banreung.

“How many of my subordinates the doppelgangers have been killed by that author Azadin and now I’m personally taking the upper class to Banreung just because that author told me to?”

“You don’t seem that offended by what you say.”

“No. I’m angry. Yeah.”

Yes. She was angry at Azadin. He used her in various ways killed her doppelgangers and still naturally brought her business items and demanded them.

However if she accepts his request the income is certain. The results are not bad and she is not confident that she will survive if she fights Azadin but if she just listens to him he will give her a certain reward so she made a series of rational choices and before she knew it she had become Azadin’s subordinate.

I’d rather be a subordinate. That’s what I thought.

Azadin promised his men a solid reward and it is said that he gave Chashan’s men who attacked and tortured the merchants this time a pain worse than death.

She was also informed that Chashan was in so much pain that he castrated himself to free himself from the pain and even tried to commit suicide.

If Azadin had been cruel people might have been shocked and disgusted by his cruelty but those who knew Azadin as he was believed him.

It’s not that Azadin had a cruel nature but that he couldn’t forgive Chashan for harming his subordinates.

If he is sincere in avenging his subordinates’ grudges he is a much more ideal boss than those stupid elders.

‘But he didn’t ask me to betray the Senate first and join him so how could I betray the Senate first? Why doesn’t he ask me to be his subordinate? Does he not want to take responsibility for me and instead use me? Irresponsible pleasure? Something like that?’

As she was thinking that a half-orc walked up from the top of her group.

It was the half-orc Countach a member of the Azadin warlords.

“Soldiers have appeared in front. Manager.”

“Really? What kind of soldier is he?”

“Oh what kind of soldier was he?”

Countach without even knowing it turned around and asked the air.

As he was a messenger he came alone. Who would answer his questions? Countach who had been asking questions to the air scratched his head in embarrassment.

“…Why are you using a half-orc as your messenger?”

While orcs were a race known for their superior intelligence and corresponding lack of luck half-orcs who were of mixed blood with humans tended to fall into extremes of either having only developed muscles and no intelligence or having only developed intelligence and a weak body.

Half-orcs with such a strong body tend to have a weak intellect so if you use one as a messenger your words will not be conveyed properly.

But… Delia soon learned that words were no longer necessary.

A huge number of human and dwarf refugees appeared at the front.

“what?”

There were soldiers in front but behind them were refugees running away carrying as many valuables as they could carry. Countach dismissed this as soldiers coming from the front.

It’s not wrong but in times like this you should say you’ve met refugees!

I’m angry but I don’t have time to argue.

At the head of the refugees was a nobleman in splendid armor his face deeply scarred with fatigue and despair revealing a poverty that could not be hidden even by aristocratic swagger.

“What about this top?”

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“This is the Fireglyph branch of the Bandyke Company. I am the manager Delia.”

“Baron Jarod of Yvescar. Would you be willing to trade me some wooden furniture for food?”

“….”

Delia smiled bitterly when she heard that. The biggest mistake refugees usually make is taking luxury furniture with them.

High-quality furniture carved from high-quality wood by artisans into works of art is extremely expensive when purchased and very valuable in normal times.

But it is too heavy for refugees to carry and run away.

In peacetime they may be expensive but in wartime they are no match for precious metals and food.

“Are you in hiding?”

“That’s right. Isn’t it good that you guys aren’t wasting your time? If you go further north you’ll only encounter monsters.”

“What on earth is going on?”

“I don’t know for sure. I just heard that monsters are pouring in from the north.”

“Rumor has it that monsters are emerging from the ground deep within the heart of the mountains.”

An old man who appeared to be the baron’s steward also chimed in.

It seemed that monsters had begun to appear throughout the Kingdom of Banreung.

“And the elemental wailings are attacking people. Hmm. Does that make sense?”

“oh my god….”

Delia felt that something was wrong with this situation and stuck out her tongue.

A cold wind blew in from the north scratching at her skin. Even though it was still summer the chill made her shiver.

“uh….”

“It’s snow.”

It was snowing from the sky.

Because the temperature on the ground is high the snow melts the moment it falls and turns into rain but it is clearly snow from above.

The horses pulling the carriage bleat in surprise in the cold rain.

It wasn’t just the Banreung Kingdom that was collapsing. The entire world was falling apart.

The finger of destruction takes shape and slowly strangles all of humanity.

But Delia had no time to revel in the aftershock for the hungry and exhausted Baron Jerrod was there to feed her.

“It is a piece of ebony furniture made by a dwarf. It is decorated with silver leaf and was worth more than its weight in silver when it was purchased. It was my mother’s dowry and was carefully preserved to be given to my daughter when she got married.”

The Baron who had fled with his people leaving his land behind in a world on the brink of destruction was urging Delia to sell the furniture he had inherited as family heirlooms and buy bread.

“Okay I’ll buy it. But there’s a condition….”

Delia agreed to the deal in order to appease them.

*********

Baron Jerrod’s furniture was certainly a luxury item but it wasn’t a very good deal in the current situation.

However when Delia bought it she decided to hire Baron Jerrod and his men as mercenaries of sorts.

Since we’ve already met refugees here there’s nothing to be gained by forcing our way up.

Delia who decided to turn around and return to Sandokar sent a messenger to write down their situation and rumors about the Kingdom of Banreung without any exaggeration.

Now all we have to do is retrace our steps back to get the carriage back….

But going back the way we came wasn’t an easy task.

It was clearly an uneventful journey on the way there but on the way back many refugees and rapidly changing weather conditions were waiting for them.

“…Ugh. My breath is coming out.”

Countach was blowing on it and enjoying it.

“Are you okay? Damn it. I’m cold.”

The thief Camilla frowned as she closed her cloak.

The temperature was dropping.

The wind blowing from the north is bitingly cold.

Although it is still the middle of summer the cold is not ordinary.

Now Fimbulbert was thrusting his claws not with the ravings of a madman but with substance.

“It looks like the world is really going to end. Hmm? Hey everyone stop!”

Camilla stopped the group and stepped forward.

At the three-way intersection refugees were encamped. You could tell they were refugees because they were carrying a lot of their household items but they were carrying clubs and blackjacks in their hands and some were even equipped with crude swords and shields.

Archers were also stationed along the road. It was clear that they were a group that could not be let down their guard.

But they too were nervous as they looked at the armament of Camilla Countach and the soldiers behind them.

“Who are you?”

“This is the Fireglyph branch of the Vandyke Company. Count Sandokar Sir Evechek and Sir Azadin of the Rescue Knights are guarantor of our passage.”

“Azadin…..”

“Are you talking about that soulless blasphemer?”

The refugees looked at Camilla Countach and his men with blank eyes and muttered among themselves. Camilla clicked her tongue when she heard them.

“You didn’t insult Lord Azadin just now did you?”

“What? Is this woman crazy? She could even insult a messenger.”

The refugees who had already become half bandits expressed their displeasure at Camilla’s overbearing attitude.

The atmosphere was becoming tense.