Night of the Soulless Heathens – 405



#405. The Age of Revelation 6

“…Are you mocking me right now?”

Jecht was indignant at Azadin’s words but he could not ignore them since he regarded Azadin as a symbol of fate.

I can’t stand it without checking what all of Azadin’s words and actions mean.

So Jecht lowered the tip of his sword and looked straight into Azadin’s eyes to see what emotion he was talking about.

Azadin looked at Jecht and asked.

“Do you know the story about the three archangels being turned into stone statues?”

“Of course I know. It’s a story about the limitations of an imperfect lower-level god. The Yaegas are the true gods. They came to this land and only achieved victory and returned. They are no different from the defeated Archangels of the Trinity. The reason the King’s Church recognizes the existence of the Salvation Knights is because they are a lower-level religion that clearly serves lower-level gods and they are useful as a meat shield to block Netherstrom.”

Zect revealed his honest feelings about the Rescue Knights.

“Yes. That is the perspective from which the King’s Church views the Knights Templar. The Yaegas gods were victorious and left but the three archangels lost their power and turned into stone statues. That is why the Knights Templar know that even if they are good and strong divine beings it is not enough to risk everything to practice virtue and justice.”

“What do you mean by that now?”

“Lord Jecht. I am afraid.”

“….”

“Now that darkness has reached out to those who are starving the beings of the Nether the gods of those terrible other dimensions will exert their influence on this land. Even with the protection of the angels and the revelations of the Yaegas spirits I am infinitely powerless compared to my mission. That is why I needed a capable person like you.”

“Was it necessary?”

Zect raised an eyebrow at hearing him speak in the past tense.

“Yes. Even if you used witchcraft to drive many refugees to their deaths it would definitely be of great help if you could let go of that obsession and inferiority complex. I needed you and in fact I still need you.”

“under.”

Azadin’s reaction was so unexpected that Jecht couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

He honestly didn’t mind hearing that the person he considered the messenger of the gods the embodiment of destiny thought highly of him and that he was needed.

But jealousy rears its head again.

If he helps Azadin overcome the tribulation won’t his power elevate him to the ranks of legendary heroes or even myths?

I don’t like that.

“I can’t stand to see you achieve your great mission by helping you?”

“It is naive to think that way. This world is harsh Jecht. Even the Archangels of Virtue need the help of others. Do you think we will win if you help me a mortal who cannot even reach the toes of such Archangels? It is truly narcissistic to worry about sharing the glory after overcoming this ordeal.”

“So what’s your answer to my request for a duel?”

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“I need the help of someone as capable as you. However if you will challenge me to a duel without resorting to virtue simply because I have been chosen by the spirit of Yaegasu then fine. I will collect the blood of the people you sacrificed.”

Azadin drew his sword.

Aurelia Dawn the ceramite longsword wielded by Sir Planck the Wisdom burns with a dazzling golden light.

Then Zibek also stood beside Azadin.

“Your Majesty your opponent is a shameless scoundrel. There is no need for Your Majesty to accept his wild words in an honorable duel. I recommend that you shoot him with a cannon and grapeshot while I take his sword.”

“under….”

Suppress them with artillery even if you get hit by shells together.

Zect laughed as he heard Zibek’s words criticizing him.

“Ject! You will die not as a forsaken one who challenged the messenger chosen by the gods but as a villain who simply murdered the people. Do not dress up your evil deeds as fighting against fate! There is no justice in your actions.”

Zibek was acutely aware of Zect’s inferiority complex towards Azadin and belittled him.

Even if Azadin could win against Jecht without taking much damage it would not be a good idea for the king to personally duel Jecht.

Because it satisfies Zect’s twisted self-satisfaction.

“It’s not fun. No it’s not fun.”

Zect dropped his sword.

“If I challenge you to a duel will I only be cutting down a human being instead of the great being that fate has chosen for me? Then it’s no fun. I understand. I withdraw from the duel.”

Jecht drunk on jealousy and self-pity challenged Azadin to a duel believing him to be some sort of prophet of absolute doom.

However Azadin discouraged Jecht by reminding him that even though he was chosen by the gods even the three archangels fought with their lives on the line.

In that case it would be better for Jecht to put away his sword and take the throne of Korathar that Azadin promised.

however….

“Wait a minute Lord Jecht. Who do you think you can take back what they just said?”

Azadin instead sent a sharp murderous blast at Jecht who was gathering his killing intent.

“Do you think that if you dare draw your sword against the King your disrespect will be forgiven if you just put it back in its sheath?”

Jibek also joined in putting pressure on Zect.

“Oh didn’t you say you needed my help?”

“Of course it is necessary. But still I have to take responsibility for using sorcery that sacrificed the people.”

“yes?”

“Sir Jecht I will strip you of your title as a knight. You will become a knight of atonement and serve in the army.”

“…?!”

I withdrew my request for a duel and put away my sword but now I’m suddenly being ordered to join the army.

Then you came in at the worst possible time when it was not even cool to say let’s fight again.

‘Well anyway all of my non-commissioned officers were killed or went missing in Bissen so I don’t have any troops under my command. But even so as a knight of atonement you’re going to follow the army? Doesn’t that mean you’re going to continue to use me like a regular swordsman? This bastard….’

However Azadin’s orders were filled with the dignity and reason of a king.

Given Azadin’s determination to uphold the virtues of the Knights of the Salvation Order it is impossible to use Jecht who harmed the people without any punishment no matter how capable he is.

When a knight commits a crime it is a traditional chivalric policy to go on a journey of atonement and join the army so it is justified and even elegant.

If Azadin goes to atone for his sins as the Knights of Celestial Fire have acknowledged since he completed the Erantri quest then Jecht will be acknowledged as well.

I feel like I’ve been cheated by giving up on the duel for no reason but I can’t take back what I just said.

In the end Zect has no choice but to follow Azadin’s solution.

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“Okay. Then….”

“Very well. Then Lord Jecht. From now on you will no longer be the heretic Jecht of the King’s Church but a knight of penance and wear the hempen veil and perform penances. And you will engage in the three virtues. I know you are a believer of the King’s Church but you know that the three virtues do not conflict with the laws of the King’s Church but rather complement each other? I don’t think you will have any complaints….”

At that moment Zect’s knees buckled as he lost all strength.

“I fully understand the desire to seek revenge on the chosen one because fate is cruel. However that is the feeling of a believer in the Church of the King. The faith of the Knights Templar is to know that even God is imperfect and that justice does not always prevail but to strive for virtue nonetheless. In times of turmoil like these we must unite even a handful of power and use it to protect humanity so wash away your sins as an act of atonement and only for the people…”

“I fell asleep.”

Jibek confirmed that the fallen Jecht had fallen asleep and turned to Azadin.

“Perhaps the king’s sermon was like a sleeping pill. If your preaching skills are that poor how can you really do missionary work in the New Testament? If you plan to make the church into a giant sleeping dormitory it will be successful.”

“…That’s why I trust you Jibek. Show me the preaching skills you learned at the King’s Church.”

“Unlike priests knights are not specialized in missionary work or evangelism.”

Jibek clicked his tongue as he looked at the sleeping Zect.

“It’s an act of atonement. You really stabbed me at the perfect time.”

“what?”

“You said you would make me do penance as soon as I withdrew from the duel so you had no shame in going back on what you said right in front of Lord Jecht so you ended up accepting the penance as well?”

“Honestly since you killed many of your people that’s the extent of it. Why would you be so proud of your royal bloodline? You’re not even proud of yourself so you’ve become a bundle of inferiority complexes.”

“ha ha ha.”

Jibek burst into laughter as he watched Azadin scolding Jecht.

*********

Although Zeek accused Zeck of being a bundle of inferiority complexes the truth is that the feeling he felt when he first met Zeck was an inferiority complex.

A human being who is at a level that I cannot reach even if I train my whole life.

However even though he had such great talent and power Jecht was a human being who was filled with endless inferiority complex and anger so Jebak was simply afraid.

Jibek could only nod his head in disbelief at this eccentric superior teacher who always had a smiling face but committed terrible acts without any hesitation.

So following the old customs called order they blindly showed loyalty to their superiors blindly worshipped the bloodline of the king nobles and god-kings and turned a blind eye to the people suffering and dying before their eyes.

Before he met Azadin he had only passively helped the people who were being sacrificed. He did not have the courage to do what he thought was right.

It seems that he hated him because he thought that the numbers that day came from Zect.

‘In the end I was just a coward and a coward…..’

Jibek said with self-reproach.

“Then I will call the people and have Lord Jecht rest. Should I put him in the cell?”

“If you put him in a cell you can lock him up. Since he has become a penitent give him a hemp curtain and let him rest a lot.”

“That’s true. What will Bishop Bissen do?”

“Let’s revive him and recover him. Even if he’s a traitor I can’t execute the priest with my own hands. Besides I can collect a ransom.”

“I don’t know if I should pay the ransom.”

“More than that it’s the Celestial with the crimson wings. I should ask Lord Karna. Please summon Lord Karna.”

*********

“The king is looking for me?”

“Yes that’s right.”

“Are you looking for me alone?”

“I don’t know about that.”

Karna who had been summoned by Azadin was inwardly trembling with fear.

When the Celestial Fire joined Azadin split the Celestial Fire Knights’ forces and sent them to fight against the monsters in various places in Sandhokar and Naisandhokar leaving Lord Karna and Lord Ismilla by his side.

Isn’t this a typical sign of a purge as it breaks up Karna’s military power into pieces and separates them?