Night of the Soulless Heathens – 391



#391. Iron Mask 3

Azadin opened his eyes in his chair.

My nose is bleeding.

“…….”

He silently wiped the coffee with his hand got up from his seat and looked around.

Inside his own tent.

It was an overly humble tent for the military camp of the Naisandhokar Margrave who had recently risen to fame and fame throughout the world.

As Azadin opened his eyes inside he heard a familiar voice in his ear.

[An ominous shadow approaches from the north. The Inquisitors sent by the King’s Church are coming down to recruit troops….]

Arael’s voice warned me.

[The victories are piling up but there is no substance. Azadin.]

Recently Arael’s voice has been speaking to her not just as an artificial spirit imitating the Emperor’s voice but as if she were the real Arael.

“Yeah. That’s practical.”

From the outside it looked like Azadin was making great strides but in reality things weren’t going so well.

The sudden increase in territory is not substantial. The land available for farming next year will be very limited.

Fimbulbert started this year but there is still a harvest this year. The real famine will hit the world starting next year.

Although he seemed like a superhuman and showed no sign of it on the outside Azadin was troubled.

But if he shows signs of wavering people will become uneasy.

Of course the senior members of Azadin’s closest warlords vaguely understand Azadin’s grievances.

Because of the beliefs of the Rescue Knights they are accepting refugees without limit and are worried about their food stocks dwindling but they do not show it on the outside…

You may be bleeding unconsciously while suffering from extreme pain.

Azadin was trying hard to ignore this problem and pretend to be calm.

[Fortunately goblins and Breeds are rampaging in various places.]

“Thank goodness?”

[Oh don’t tell me you didn’t think about that. Azadin. Since Bree and the goblins are going to attack we can use the refugees as soldiers and if they die we’ll have fewer mouths to feed. The survivors will become elite soldiers.]

“You’re talking more and more like Arael.”

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[I am a being created by containing a part of her soul. Just like the Emperor’s voice…]

“The Emperor’s voice is free of Nether’s sorcery. Do not deceive my sister’s voice.”

[But I’m telling you Arael must have thought the same thing.]

I also didn’t like how Arael’s voice was increasingly speaking like Arael.

But what he said was also true.

As goblins and Bree’s armies moved in to pillage the northern regions of the Naisandokhar region the effort to stop them was exhausting and this soon reduced the number of mouths.

But the thought that it was fortunate that people died and had fewer mouths to speak of was a sacrilegious thought that Azadin could never bear in his heart.

Azadin shook off the unholy thoughts and left the tent.

Outside the tent Zibek greeted Azadin with his usual tired eyes.

“You are awake Azadin. We have received reports that Lord Jecht and Lord Astarte have landed in the north.”

“Astardear?”

“Yes. He is famous for hating the Herald Clan…”

“That’s right. The one who leaked the copy of the New King’s Book. I’m surprised. He’s still alive.”

Azadin was tied to Astarte by a strange bond.

Acre who escaped with a copy of the Book of the New King after Astarte leaked it was cursed and gave birth to Azadin and Arael.

A cursed life born from a man’s womb without a mother.

If we trace back its roots it would not be an exaggeration to say that Astarte’s mistake lies there.

“On the other hand the Arangi army is building an outpost two leagues to the south and is gathering its troops one by one. They have ignored the several provocations that Lord Selim has made and are only focusing on gathering its troops at the outpost.”

Judging from the movements of the Arangi Kingdom army they must have known that the heretic inquisitors of the King’s Church had landed in Bissen to the north and were gathering troops.

“If we just sit still I’m afraid we’ll be attacked from both the South and the North.”

“There’s no need to worry too much about the Kingdom of Aranggi. The problem is the Inquisitor.”

“Yes? Why?”

‘Actually I don’t know that either.’

Azadin wanted to say that but he pretended to be calm and answered.

“Aren’t the goblins and brinagas rampaging as winter approaches? They’ll naturally appear not only in Naisandokar but also in Arangi Kingdom. Aren’t the fiefdoms of Arangi Kingdom much richer than Naisandokar where people originally didn’t live well? However Arangi Kingdom is currently gathering troops from all over the place by order of the king. They should be protecting the kingdom but they’re pouring troops into a useless war so it’s bound to be a problem. The problem is the Inquisitors. Unlike the king and his vassals the Inquisitors have nothing to protect.”

“Then would you like to defeat the Inquisitors first?”

“Yes. That’s why I told you to provoke Selim. Get ready.”

Azadin hid his anxiety and prepared to set out hoping that his prediction would come true.

*********

The scouts began reporting to Carnago IV.

“Count Azadin’s army is preparing to go on an expedition.”

“A campaign? Are you saying you’re going to invade us?”

“No. It seems they are trying to deal with the Inquisitors who are coming down from Bissen first. The sounds of horses being shod weapons being repaired and food carts being checked can be heard from afar.”

The distance to the outpost of the Arangi Kingdom is such that there is no need to prepare a transport cart. It is a distance that can be traveled in a day.

Perhaps the preparation of the wagon was to deal with the Inquisitor?

“What should we do?”

“Hmm.”

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Carnago IV thought carefully.

Currently the Arangi Kingdom army has established an outpost in the forest area of ​​the plains south of Coxhal and is waiting for the troops to gather there.

Azadin sent Selim’s troops several times to lure out the Arangi Kingdom army and guided them forward to attack but the Arangi Kingdom army did not move at all.

The Arangi Kingdom troops currently gathered at the outpost are not the direct troops of the King but troops brought by the King’s vassals.

Since these troops are the private armies of nobles they try not to fight if possible.

The soldiers did not want to fight because their lives were at stake and the nobles did not want to step forward and shed blood when not all of their vassals had gathered yet.

If you step forward and get beaten first without even saying that the king will compensate you you will end up losing your precious private soldiers.

However there is one being who can change this situation in an instant and that is the king.

If the king decides to do so he can mobilize his troops by declaring that he will compensate for the damage and reward several times over for meritorious deeds.

‘My intuition tells me that this movement is real. Count Azadin has been on a roll so far but he is in a hurry. It’s as if he is trying to save all the people.’

Carnago IV’s intuition told him that Azadin’s actions were not a deception but that he was truly preparing to move his forces.

If you go out at this time and capture the empty Coxhall and hit the back of the head of the enemy who is marching you will gain a huge advantage.

‘My intuition my wisdom my strategy everything tells me that now is the time. But….’

Carnatus IV was anxious.

Up until now his life has been a blessed one with no twists and turns where he just gets whatever he wants.

For him Count Azadin was a real ordeal the first of its kind in a long time.

King Karnago who had built a history of victory by gaining practical experience and subduing goblins ogres and the like but it was only because he had absolute military superiority that he trampled on the rabble.

In contrast Count Azadin defeated Ghislain and gave rise to suspicions that he might really be the king of Banling.

Should I attack him now based on my intuition when my troops haven’t even gathered yet?

If you fail after being so decisive you will truly be a laughing stock to the whole world.

Despite the king’s church’s strict prohibition the minstrels in the marketplace were singing stories about Count Azadin.

With Fimbulbert approaching and all the gloomy news around Count Azadin and his warlords were the only ones who could provide people with some positive and exciting topics to talk about.

‘I’ve only been enjoying certain victories so far so I’m scared because I’m meeting a scary guy for the first time. I’m scared that I’ll fail. I have to… overcome this. I have to overcome this…’

Carnago IV thought deeply and clicked his tongue.

“…It’s a trap.”

“yes?”

“This is a trap. We will not move our troops and wait for complete assembly. However we will not prevent those among our vassals who are competing for merit from pursuing Count Azadin. Those who achieve merit will be rewarded accordingly so know this.”

To summarize Carnago IV’s words:

As a king I won’t move because it seems like a trap but if there’s anyone among my vassals who wants to make a merit then go ahead and do it. If you get counterattacked and end up completely humiliated then that’s your responsibility. It’s not my responsibility.

‘Cowardly.’

‘But it is a reasonable choice. After all he is our king.’

‘Damn. If I were a king I’d be confident that I could do well by passing the buck to others like that.’

The vassals were amazed by Carnago IV’s outstanding political sense.

*********

It would be foolish for the King to jump in and claim credit for sacrificing his body so blatantly.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any fools among the nobles.

Count Folzen a devout believer in the King’s Church was dissatisfied that even though he had virtually abandoned the land of Naisandokhar it was given to a soulless impious person and that the likes of the Heralds were allowed to call themselves counts.

But now that the king has given permission to move troops independently and attack…

Count Polzen immediately led his troops out of the outpost.

Baron Butra and Baron Kalmar who shared the same views as Count Folzen also led their troops and joined.

“He was already a thorn in my side!”

“This time let’s do something big and drive that guy out. Then….”

“That damn territory…..”

The faces of the nobles who had been speaking like that became shadowed.

Naisandhokar is a land that is difficult to take even if given. Even Sandhokar is guarded by Count Sandhokar Ivechek.

Of course Count Ivechek could have his lands confiscated since he was of the same mind as Azadin but it is highly doubtful that the king who is a bastard would split Sandokar up.

Since they didn’t say anything about giving a reward why don’t they just split it up into Naisandokhar and fiefdoms?

“Hmm. I am just responding to the call of fierce faith to subdue the rebels. Let’s not think about rewards right now.”

Count Polzen pursued Azadin’s forces as if he had already achieved victory.

Indeed Count Azadin’s army had left Coxhall and was moving along the northeast road.

It was not very fast as it was moving with carts but it consisted of about 30 cavalry and light infantry.

This is a force that even Count Folzen and Baron Butra Kalmar can see can be considered a force worth fighting for.