Night of the Soulless Heathens – 341



#341. The Ascension of the Northern Qi 1

“What do you mean Sir Azadin?”

Triodana reacted nervously.

“Strategically it would be better for defense to abandon Sandokkar and return to the Salvation Knights’ Territory. The terrain of the Salvation Knights’ Territory is much more rugged than the flat land of Sandokkar so it would be easier to defend and if we also put some pressure on the Arangi Kingdom wouldn’t the Arangi Kingdom actively cooperate?”

“That is… too big a picture for a field worker to judge. I will step aside for now to report to the higher-ups. Sir Azadin. In the meantime I hope you have a long and prosperous life….”

As Triodana spoke he stepped back and suddenly stopped his hands from pulling back the awning of the barracks.

“But Sir Azadin by whom did you receive your knighthood?”

“Lord Planck.”

Azadin answered Triodana’s question honestly. He had no need to hide it because he sensed that Triodana was asking questions while already knowing. There was no reason to lower his status when they both knew each other.

“Did you know that there is a prophecy that the last person to be appointed by Sir Planck will become the flower of chivalry?”

“I’ve never heard of this before. Do you still do that after you die? Even after you become a Death Knight?”

Azadin answered with a sly laugh.

At least Sir Planck didn’t tell Azadin about the prophecy.

Of course that didn’t mean Azadin didn’t know. Since becoming a member of the Rescue Knights he had often heard that story from those who recognized Aurelia Dunn.

“But the flower of chivalry. What a strange thing to say. If one is truly a paragon of chivalry wouldn’t he rather wish for justice courage wisdom and mercy to fill the whole world so that he himself would not be special? Rather than monopolizing the glory of chivalry and all that other fancy stuff?”

“Hmm.”

Triodana felt ashamed and angry at Azadin’s remarks.

Prophecies are not important. What is important is to fill this world with virtue.

Rather than hear the shameful words that I alone am the flower of chivalry I would rather have justice and virtue flow like water throughout the world and be buried myself.

Azadin’s words may have sounded good but for the Northern Qi Cohen faction who were obsessed with these prophecies and had killed their master this was an insult and a slander against them.

‘How dare this lowly wretch insult his father? Why would Lord Planck treat a guy like this….’

Triodana was indignant at Azadin’s remarks but her first priority was to leave this place on good terms.

“Then Sir Azadin I will make sure to convey your innocence to your superiors.”

“Hmm. I hope you’re safe too.”

Azadin wished Triodana good luck in a dry manner.

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Sir Gareth a Tercio commander of the Order of Courage remained in Sandokar with his men to assist in repairing and defending the gate while investigating how Azadin came to seize control of the County of Sandokar.

Originally Sir Gareth and his unit were planning to go to the Kingdom of Banling together to rescue the merchants who were sending out a request for help but the Tercio troop led by Sir Gareth was a mixed force of humans and dwarves so they had the weakness of moving slowly.

Since the wagons and carts had already been requisitioned by Azadin’s warlords they had to remain here unable to advance or retreat from Sandokar.

From Azadin’s perspective the fortress walls are guarded by Tercio soldiers using gunpowder weapons making it even more formidable.

Here the blunderbusses and cannons that Azadin had confiscated from Chashan’s men were also placed so the defense of the Sandokar Gate could be said to be considerable.

“I guess I get to guard someone else’s fortress for free.”

Sir Gareth was secretly impressed when he was entrusted with the defense of the County of Sandokar. To Azadin he was a nuisance if not an enemy or friend.

However Azadin was conscripting even Sir Gareth and using him as a defense force for Sandokar.

The problem is that the world is becoming more and more dangerous.

Standing on the ramparts of the Sandokar Gate Fortress Gareth felt a cold wind.

A cold wind that didn’t seem like a summer breeze made his beard shiver.

“Sir Gareth it looks like the refugees have arrived again.”

Gareth’s aide a dwarf paladin pointed with his staff toward the path in front of the gate.

Refugees carrying various belongings were gathering along the road.

“Count Evecheck?”

“We are opening our gates and accepting refugees.”

Evechek and Azadin had already agreed to accept all the refugees.

The refugees accepted in this way were approached by Azadin’s infantry captains the half-elf Legion and the dwarf Kalan and they picked off soldiers.

Rather than simply providing relief to refugees they selected those who were fit to be soldiers trained them and paid them salaries so that they could support their own families.

“Hmm. This is how you call up troops. It’s like waking up a sleeping dragon. It was a waste of time.”

Sir Gareth after observing the situation in Sandokar became convinced that the inquiry regarding Azadin was wrong.

The refugees were all talking about the destruction of the Banreung Kingdom and the vampires and mutants.

It was proven that Azadin did not kill the Prince of Banling because he was crazy but that he was really a vampire.

Of course the Salvation Knights’ sangha meeting was more of a ritual to harass and expel anyone the organization didn’t like rather than one that truly judged right and wrong.

He was from the Jeonryeong clan so he was not liked and he caused political controversy by disgracing the reputation of the Justice Church and killing the prince of Banreung.

The prince of Banreung could have been punished sufficiently regardless of whether he was a vampire or a demon.

However Azadin’s influence in Chadra and Sandokar prevented such a senseless punishment.

Azadin’s warlords have grown to enormous proportions by absorbing able-bodied men from the refugees as soldiers and they enjoy high support from the people.

In this situation if Azadin is executed by the Samunhoe on an innocent charge will Azadin just sit by and take it?

No even if Azadin himself surrenders to the Samun Society his subordinates who become soldiers under him and the refugees who make a living off of his wages will not remain still.

In order for the Knights Templar to reap the benefits they had to hold Bishop Sehnat responsible for inciting the inquisition without a just cause.

‘Well it’s a good thing for us. Isn’t Bishop Sehnath a puppet of the Northern Qi? He doesn’t have enough loyalty to stop him from destroying himself. If we can cause discord between him and the Wisdom Sect it’s definitely a good deal. The problem is…’

Sir Gareth also had much to do. Now that Azadin had been proven innocent he had to mend his relationship with him and return to continue the work of the Order of Courage.

I can’t continue to act as a mercenary at the Sandokar Gate for free like this.

‘Why don’t you hurry back? It’s about time we heard any news.’

As if reading Sir Gareth’s mind a horn began to sound from the watchtower. Azadin and his men had returned to the Sandokar Gate.

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Azadin returned to Sandokar protecting the caravan and refugees. The Triodana group that went with him are nowhere to be seen.

Sir Gareth went to meet him and asked him slyly.

“You have returned safely Sir Azadin. But what happened to Sir Triodana? Surely you did not kill him?”

“Haha. You are laughing at something that should not even be said as a joke Sir Gareth. Sir Triodana went back on her hippogriff first. Since she is not dead why don’t you contact the Order of Wisdom?”

Azadin laughed off Gareth’s harsh words from the moment they first met.

“So what do you think after staying in Sandokkar and investigating?”

“The charges have been dropped. The evidence is clear that Prince Kalzmati of Banreung was a vampire and your occupation of the Sandokar County has been proven to be legitimate. The Samunhoe is over.”

“That’s fortunate.”

“But… as a member of the Order of Courage separate from the Samunhoe I have concerns that you a trainee knight are creating such a large warlord. And why are you gathering refugees to raise a standing army? Are you planning on waging a war of conquest?”

Most knights have difficulty cultivating even one fief given to them. However if they absorb multiple fiefs like Azadin and build up a great power comparable to that of a great noble they can increase the cultivated area per person increase productivity and direct that number of people to commerce and industry.

The problem is the standing army.

Soldiers who train and are always ready for battle are bound to be elite.

They keep raising so many elite soldiers.

On the topic of training articles what are you thinking when you train so many troops?

Gareth asked that outright.

“It’s to best fight against the approaching Fimbulbert. And they also prefer to work for their own wages rather than receive one-sided relief. There are many wild beasts and monsters in this area so we need to keep patrolling and subduing them to ensure the safety of the roads. It’s a mutually beneficial understanding.”

“You also built a caravan a craft alchemy workshop and a blacksmith shop?”

“Well even if you put everything in there there will still be people left over.”

Indeed as refugees poured in from all over the place the Knights Templar were overstaffed.

“Sir Azadin. What would happen if the upper echelons of the Knights of Salvation gave you the Erantree quest?”

“What is an Erantry quest in this day and age? What kind of thing are you talking about?”

“If you investigate the destruction of the Banreung Kingdom or if the upper echelons of the religious order exercise their personnel authority and send you to another region that is.”

In order to weaken Azadin’s warlords the Salvation Knights could have given Azadin the mission of the Erantry Quest Knights or exercised the right to appoint personnel. However Azadin shook his head.

“Count Sandokar did not surrender to the Knights of Salvation but pledged his loyalty to me. Although the territories of the Chadra Plateau have been united each territory belongs to the Chadra Oguls.”

If Count Sandokar has sworn allegiance to the Knights Templar then even if Azadin is deployed elsewhere the Sandokar County will remain under Azadin’s control.

Even if Azadin is kicked out of here the Knights Templar will not be able to control the County of Sandokar. Of course they will be able to prevent Azadin from directly running the County of Sandokar but what will the Knights Templar gain from that?

Declaring your blatant hostility towards Azadin?

The reason Azadin accepted the oath of loyalty from Count Sandokar who had political motives for one reason or another was because the oath of loyalty was a heavy burden placed on Azadin but at the same time it was a shield that protected him.

“Sir Gareth you know what this means right?”