Night of the Soulless Heathens – 389



#389. Iron Mask 1

King Karnago IV of Arangi has lived a smooth life so far. Everything has flowed according to his will as if the wind was leading him.

Although he failed to achieve his long-held goal of taking over the Kingdom of Banreung he made a lot of profit by imposing tariffs on the food exports of the Rescue Knights heading to the Kingdom of Banreung.

However Carnago IV who had been living a life of wealth fame and fame acquiring beautiful women and achieving everything he wanted was faced with his first real headache.

“No Ghislaine died in battle? Well let’s say that’s because the enemy was a herald. You could die from being hit by a blind arrow. But why are you guys not doing anything and coming here to report to me?”

“That is…..”

The Arangian Guard member assigned to Prince Gislain was in an awkward position.

They were the bodyguards assigned by the king to the princes and they were also the king’s eyes that watched over the princes.

Rather than losing all command and being defeated just because the prince died the situation had to be resolved by sending a commander from among the Arangian Guard.

But the Arangian guards’ expressions are strange.

“Your Majesty. Count Azadin used a spell that seemed to heal the King.”

“What?! What are you talking about?”

“Healed the hand of a frostbitten man in one go.”

“There are some people in the crowd who are talking nonsense.”

The Arangian guards could not bring themselves to mention the word miracle.

In front of King Karnago IV of Arangi who detests the Herald Clan it is shocking to even mention that the Herald Clan’s soulless blasphemous people dared to use the sacred magic of the Yaegas clan.

However the soldiers who witnessed Count Azadin performing miracles were completely disengaged.

The New Testament Declaration was secretly circulated among those soldiers who could read.

“I thought it was just bullshit so I didn’t even think about listening but now I can’t ignore it any longer.”

King Karnago IV of Arangi looked around the crowd and extended his hand.

“Bring me that damned book from Count Azadin.”

“yes?”

“However….”

Everyone was just watching. There was no one who would claim to have a heretical book that would be considered blasphemous just by possessing it.

Carnago IV was no fool and knew very well why they were so angry.

“I’ll leave it at that. Hand it over now!”

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Then the Arangian guard quickly took it out of his bosom.

“I am ashamed but this was only brought to report to my superiors. I have never dared to open such a blasphemous book. In fact I am illiterate!”

“What kind of ridiculous excuses is the illiterate making?”

Carnago IV ignored the trembling words of the Arangian Guard and opened the book.

Carnago IV who was carefully examining a book made by folding and oiling a single sheet of paper was startled.

“Did this guy destroy the throne?”

“yes?”

“But aren’t you subtly repeating that we shouldn’t be obsessed with material thrones? Well that can’t be right right?”

Carnatus IV was not stupid but he was so reckless that he would steal the woman his own son fell in love with.

He quickly grasped the content and metaphorical meaning contained in Azadin’s New Testament Declaration and even understood the context hidden within it.

But to think that Yaegasu’s arm throne was destroyed…

It’s unimaginable.

“If that’s possible then this guy is either a real devil or… a big shot. He’s not some lunatic spouting out nonsense in the marketplace. The problem is that he’s calling for war….”

In the feudal contract system of the continent of Hybris the limit for which a monarch can mobilize his vassals for war without compensation is 90 days during the off-season.

It costs money to mobilize more than that.

So the most efficient way to wage war was to send out an advance party to create an outpost and prepare to resupply troops as quickly as possible to shorten the battle time and reduce the cost of war.

So King Karnago IV of Arangi sent his elite soldiers as an advance party to create an outpost.

Who would have thought that those elite soldiers would be destroyed by mere mercenaries?

‘No in reality I only killed the commander Gislain. And because of the miracle he showed the morale of the soldiers dropped. I thought I could handle it within 90 days because there were no walls but it turned out to be difficult.’

If an outpost has not been built you will have to gather your troops in the rear supply them and advance slowly to engage the enemy.

That alone would take at least three weeks for the lord’s forces who had come from far away to retreat for a month.

“But maybe it’s a good thing. The King’s Church won’t sit idly by and watch this happen so they’ll definitely take action. Until then let’s build an outpost in the rear even if it takes some time.”

The King of Aranggi retreats his outpost because of a single messenger who just rose to fame.

It was not an easy decision but Carnago IV pursued practicality over saving face.

“Have the soldiers who are wavering turn to the rear and escort the supply unit. If Count Azadin believes in performing miracles no matter how many orders I give they won’t want to fight him.”

King Arangi was the first to acknowledge Azadin and bestow upon him the title of Count. Despite his hatred for the Herald Clan he acknowledges his abilities.

It is disgusting to even imagine but if Azadin really used healing magic that looked like the King’s healing if he had even struck the rock to make it look like that the soldiers would not be willing to turn their spears on Azadin who might be the true king by order of Carnago IV.

‘As expected that is a cool-headed judgment.’

‘That’s not like a fool to steal my son’s woman and then dump him because he’s sick of it. He may be lowly but he’s not stupid.’

The Arangian guards withdrew from the king’s presence once again impressed by the king’s judgment and insight.

*********

The King’s Church’s Inquisitor Lord Jecht led an escort of troops and sailed for Coxhall on a ship accompanied by another Inquisitor Lord Iron-Mask.

However on the way to Coxhall they had to stop in the Bison region.

“It is said that the rescue knights stationed in Coxhal are betraying the central government’s will and working closely with Count Azadin.”

The priests and knights of the rescue order of the Bissen region were embarrassed and dared to welcome Lord Jecht and Lord Iron Mask.

In particular their awe was directed towards the Iron Mask Lord and it was obvious that they were shocked just by meeting him once.

Seeing all their attention and awe focused on Sir Iron Mask Sir Jecht was dumbfounded.

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‘I don’t like it. How can you value this drunken fool more than me who has been holding important posts in the church and taking care of all kinds of tasks? He hasn’t even been able to resolve half of the problems caused by the leak of the copy of the New King’s Book and yet he has only been king once… Oh how you welcome this man who has become king without being qualified to do so and has only caused discord in the world.’

Zect felt inferiority and jealousy towards the Iron Mask.

Because the Iron Mask Lord. He was the former King of Tarasar Astarte who was the criminal who gave the copies of the Book of the New King to the Heralds.

A great sinner who fell for the trap of the Jeonryung clan and leaked a copy of the Shinwangjinseo.

Unable to bear the shame he abdicated the throne put on the iron mask of a prisoner and became a monk in the king’s church becoming an inquisitor.

However rather than doing his job as an Inquisitor he would spend every day drinking and whenever it came to the involvement of the Herald Clan he would get angry and rush at them and they would always show blood.

Even though he is a knight in the Iron Mask he is still respected by the common people and the common nobility and they treat him with even more reverence than high-ranking royals like Lord Jecht.

“Why are the knights of the Order of the Salvation following him? Weren’t the Order of the Salvation comrades who protected this world together with the King’s Church? He is spreading heretical teachings about the King’s Church and they are neglecting him. Is that the will of the entire Order of the Salvation?”

The Jecht Lord became angry and questioned the priest of the Salvation Knights.

“The young and inexperienced members of the Celestial Fire Knights are following him. In fact the incident that occurred in the Kingdom of Banling was reported to the public as something we had handled….”

“So you’re saying he trained?”

“Yes. They say that it is so fascinating because of its great activity.”

In fact the Knights Templar were famous as grain merchants before Count Azadin came to prominence and there was no knight who could bring honor to the order.

The founding of the Celestial Fire Knights by the upper echelons of the Knights Templar was also part of a plan to rally public support.

However the ambitiously prepared Celestial Fire Knights were not only overshadowed by Azadin’s activities but even the Celestial Fire was being bewitched by Azadin.

“But he…..”

Zect was mindful of the eyes and ears of those around him.

Surprisingly the priest from the Rescue Knights nodded.

“Yes. The throne of Banreung was broken. I was surprised that it cracked.”

“….”

It seemed that they already knew this fact from investigating the Banreung Kingdom.

Jecht who had been reluctant to reveal the truth that the throne of the new king had been broken lit up when his opponent spoke first.

“Even though the throne was broken did people still follow him? It goes without saying that he is a soulless blasphemer who spreads evil and disasters.”

“That’s why Count Azadin is publishing this booklet.”

The priest of Bissen held out the New Testament Declaration. It was a book that the Inquisitors Jecht and Astarte had already obtained long ago and had read until it was worn out.

“I kept saying that it didn’t matter if the throne was destroyed.”

Astaroth muttered.

“Yes. But doesn’t the King’s Church announce it? Many people follow him because they don’t reveal the fact that Count Azadin destroyed the throne. There are even those who claim that he used the King’s Healing.”

“The King’s healing?”

Zect pretended to be surprised but he wasn’t really surprised.

‘He still has the white magic that you stupid Rescue Knights lost a long time ago. That’s why he’s such a pain in the ass.’

If Azadin performs a miracle of healing those who have not experienced a miracle of healing will all think that it is the king’s healing.

It is proof that Azadin is the rightful king. Even if the throne is broken if he shows off his healing powers saying that saving the people regardless of the throne is proof of a king the people will have no choice but to follow him.

“A copy of the New King’s Book…”

At that moment heat rose up from Astadair’s body along with the smell of alcohol.

The heat and smell of alcohol as if someone had poured it into a blacksmith’s furnace instantly enveloped the surroundings.

“It must be because of the copy of the New King’s Book. There’s no way a guy like that could use the King’s Healing! Ugh.”

Astaroth who was furious started to retch turned his head away and started vomiting.

It was a natural result since I had been drinking heavily before coming here.