Night of the Soulless Heathens – 481



#482. Miracle Paradox 2

“But this one was too much Cohen. The thrones of Karasar and Tarasar are still untouched by me and if people there use sacred magic in my name I….”

“Huh? Is that so?”

Cohen bowed his head before Azadin as if he didn’t know.

“…….”

Azadin knew Cohen was sincere and kept his mouth shut.

He was also secretly wary of Cohen but had no reason to stop him.

Because people needed hope and Cohen was clearly delivering hope.

“It’s not a big burden so it’s okay. Just Cohen. Don’t let them use sacred magic in the way of the King’s Church but let them use sacred magic with the power of cultivation. Make them accept the New Testament scriptures. Worshiping me blindly makes my will even more difficult.”

“Yes! I will respectfully accept it.”

Cohen was saying that he would follow Azadin’s orders.

‘I don’t know if it’s real or just an act. It looks real to me. But even if Cohen is real it won’t be easy to fix since I already know that he can use holy magic in the King’s Church in my name.’

Azadin shook his head realizing that things had gone wrong but that it was difficult to place blame.

It’s too late to rebuke Cohen.

For now I just hope that we can quickly spread the teachings of the New Testament as Cohen said.

“Then Cohen I will leave the North to you. We will now return to the South and first secure the throne of Chitai and then subdue the Naga Empire. Will you hand over the Northern Aragatha forces and the remaining Elves to me?”

“Yes of course… elves?”

Northern Aragatha had already betrayed Cohen and joined Azadin so she was effectively Azadin’s vassal.

But you want the elves?

“There are still elves who have not escaped. Hand them over to me.”

“Oh that’s something they’re just interrogating right now.”

As the Telvarin Guild and the elves left the north leaving the Nether in ruins with their sorcery the Northern Qi forces were capturing and interrogating the remaining elves.

Of course the interrogation here naturally involved torture and rather than obtaining information it was simply to abuse the elves and extort their property.

“The elves who fled Assander probably headed to the Naga Empire. Most of those who remained are either innocents or spies who wish to remain here and monitor the situation.”

“I guess so.”

“Hand it over. He will be an important talent in conquering the Naga Empire.”

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“Of course I’ll give it to you. Is there anything else you need?”

“We need troops and supplies but we’ll need a lot of people to evacuate here too. I’ll take care of the rest. Ah can you accept the Chitai people too?”

“Of course. We will make sure that people can come to Changgok Hall.”

“Okay please.”

Azadin finished talking with Cohen and ordered his men to prepare to leave Assander.

*********

When Azadin announced that he was leaving Assander the townspeople flocked to him.

They blocked the road shouting in front of Azadin’s soldiers.

“Your Majesty the Great Emperor.”

“O God the eldest son and ruler of this land.”

“Please don’t abandon us!”

When Azadin tried to leave everyone got into an uproar and tried to stop him as if the soldiers had made a mistake in their manners.

That wasn’t all.

“Your Majesty! My child is sick! Please bless him!”

“Your Majesty… please seek treatment!”

There were people who brought sick children to Azadin and asked him to bless them and there were also many who were sick themselves.

Everyone was longing for a miracle and blocked Azadin’s path.

It was a shocking thing for Azadin’s subjects.

Miracles aren’t free.

Of course how much more painful must the suffering of those suffering from illness be?

At that moment a living god descended to this land so his body would be hot and acting like that…

They had no consideration for the subject whatsoever.

“You cheeky bastards! How ridiculous!”

To Cohen Lionaire who already hated humans their appearance was a disgusting thing that made him unable to help but feel contempt.

Azadin’s power should be used for the greater good of the world.

However the refugees of Assander wish that as soon as their safety is guaranteed they will be left alone and no one else will be taken in.

I can understand the petty bourgeois mindset of wanting to be treated and cared for only when it suits them but I find it all the more disgusting because I understand it.

In their consciousness there is not the slightest consideration for other countries or other peoples.

It is just filled with the complacent belief that if you catch God’s eye and somehow save yourself that’s the end.

“Gardens! Any rude men who dare to block His Majesty Azadin’s path are to be executed on sight!”

“yes!”

At Cohen’s command armed guardsmen with thorn whips stepped forward.

“Get out of the way you guys!”

“How dare you! Block His Majesty the Emperor!?”

The smell of blood filled the air along with the sound of a whip cutting through the wind.

The harsh beatings like the teeth of a wild beast gnaw at people’s flesh.

Startled people run around in confusion trying to run away or lie down but they are on the verge of being crushed to death in the narrow passageways of the underground city.

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Looking at that sight Azadin smiled bitterly.

‘Is this something I should stop?’

In this situation we need to tell them not to harm the people but if we do we will be end up supporting those who are begging for miracles making it even more difficult to stop their begging.

There must be many who long for Azadin to be like a saintly king who only appears in old tales and isn’t this meeting their expectations?

But the more this happens the further away Azadin gets from the true salvation he desires.

However Azadin could not stand by and watch the soldiers wielding thorny whips that would tear off flesh if hit so he stepped forward and stopped them.

“Everyone stop! Who is shedding blood in front of me?!”

“Oh Your Majesty!”

“Your Majesty the Emperor!”

The people of Assander are jumping for joy when Azadin stops the soldiers.

Cohen also smiled secretly while watching that scene as if he had hoped this would happen.

‘That sneaky guy. That thing that thing… I’m really busy so I can’t help but leave it alone. If I had more free time I would have fixed that habit.’

“Your Majesty. My child is sick! Please….”

“…zebec.”

“yes.”

The knight Sir Zibek stepped forward and examined the child’s condition.

“He’s severely injured and starving. And… there are signs of being beaten.”

Zibek suspected the parents who had brought the child to him.

There are more than a few people who try to use children to elicit sympathy and beg for money.

In particular Assander here had prevented anyone below a certain level from entering the castle so there were many who tried to buy sympathy by using children to enter the castle.

It was a time when human life was not so precious.

The problem with these people is that at times like this they truly think they are doing it for their child.

I truly believe that I am doing my best for the child by cutting off the limbs of a healthy child for begging.

Even without malicious intent ignorance and shamelessness lead to the commission of terrible evil acts.

Although Zibek felt contempt for such people… he did as Azadin commanded and used his divine magic to heal the child.

Just do the bare minimum of treatment and people around you will be impressed and excited.

“Oh!”

“Me too!”

“me too!”

“Everyone stop!”

Now the soldiers are restraining them as Azadin orders them to stop.

“As you can see the teachings of the New Testament enable anyone to use the sacred white magic.”

“yes?”

“New Testament…..”

“If you had followed and understood my teachings you would have saved yourselves already. But why don’t you?”

Azadin knew what would happen if he blindly applied divine magic and mercy.

They just gnaw at the plants like pests that have clung to them.

As we search for greater miracles stronger gods and greater beings we inevitably end up with the Nether’s grim reapers.

The foolishness of the masses who blindly yearn for a great being has brought about the current situation.

Azadin’s subjects who had caught on to his intentions drove out the people who had gathered and shouted.

“These blasphemous and rude things!”

“You dare not accept the New Testament and only hope for a miracle!”

“You infidels! You heretics! Even if I kill you right now it won’t be enough!”

Now that the orthodoxy is with Azadin others have become heretics.

The people were also shocked by the statement that he was a heretic.

Those who heard that Azadin had become emperor still had the perception that Azadin was a herald and of lowly status.

Could it have been possible to rush at Cohen and other royal nobles so rudely right now?

When they had that kind of perception and were called heretics they realized that they had committed a sin that deserved immediate execution.

Everyone fell face down on the ground.

“King Cohen of Assander will preach a new promise to you so truly believe and follow it. It is not God who will save you but the truth that will save you and when you reach the truth even the gods will be saved by you.”

Azadin spoke these words to the people and after appeasing those who longed for a miracle he left the underground city with his men.

“Oh I almost forgot.”

Before leaving he did not forget to cast healing magic and heal a considerable number of injured and sick patients.

If you rule people with only fear or only grace neither will work.

Azadin who was well aware of this fact ruled the people with appropriate fear and appropriate rewards.

A person who is merciless is no different from a villain.

Good is difficult to achieve even with wisdom courage cunning and wit.

A fool who has thrown away his wisdom strategy and wit is nothing more than a closed-minded fool.

Their good intentions only serve to aggravate their evil.

Having lived his entire life under persecution Azadin did not believe in uncontrolled goodwill so he skillfully manipulated the minds and consciousness of the masses to remind them of the teachings of the New Testament.

*********

Go back the way you came and go down to Chitai.

The road to Changgok-gwan had become much rougher than before.

The river which had not been freezing froze over due to the inflow of hot spring water.

Since the ship could not pass Azadin and his party chose to ride a sled over the ice.

“Oh my god…..”

If Niselda and the Sisters of Mercy hadn’t spread their shields of divine light to block the wind it would have been as if my flesh had really fallen off.

The cold wind causes the sled to move south at a frightening speed even when standing still.

The wind blows so strongly from the north to the south that the sled without even having a sail slides by itself and gains so much speed that even the slightest bump would send it flying.

We had to move the sled while trying to keep it from flipping over.

“Are you alright Your Majesty?”

“Yeah. You’re doing well.”

Azadin was delighted to see that Niselda and the Sisters of Mercy were drawing divine magic from the power of cultivation.

Those who came from the Salvation Knights especially those from the Mercy Church easily used divine magic through the power of cultivation.

There is hope when we see that they have reached this level.

however….

“Huh!”

Suddenly a sharp pain pierced Azadin’s brain.