Night of the Soulless Heathens – 94



#94. The Tribe of Arael 4

About two hundred soldiers were gathered in front of the fortress. The looting of the nearby villages had already been completed and the sight of the vast amount of loot and the civilians being dragged around with ropes was truly miserable.

With so much loot the order should have been disrupted just like a band of thieves but surprisingly the Count’s army moved in an orderly manner even in this situation.

Just by looking at the soldiers’ condition it was clear that Count Garnahair of Lantaric was a formidable figure. The soldiers were all repeating the words of the sergeant and urging the people inside the fortress to negotiate with the count.

A flag was raised over the fortress and two knights and a herald came out. Azadin Sir Zibek and the knight who was the captain of the fortress guard had come out to negotiate.

Garnahair also welcomed Azadin and his party accompanied by one knight and one messenger.

“I am Garnahair Count Lantaric. Which of you has the real power?”

Garnahair was a middle-aged man with white hair but his appearance was young. Perhaps because of the strong Yaegasu blood he exuded a pure energy and his eyes had a strange light that seemed to shine on their own.

He was a man of such majesty that it was frightening to ordinary people just to look at him. If a man like him in silver armor were to walk around country boys would believe he was an angel.

‘That guy is committing the murder of civilians.’

Azadin sighed and stepped forward in front of Garnahair.

“I’m going.”

“How strange. Aren’t you originally a wanderer Messenger Clan? And you decide to negotiate?”

“Because you are an expert. Didn’t your Majesty bring the messenger family to the negotiations?”

“….”

Garnahair closed his mouth seemingly speechless.

“By the way you’re… Nephthys?”

Azadin looked at the woman standing next to Sir Garnahair. It was Nefty the 75th rank in the Heraldic Rank.

The rank of a herald is merely a number but even so those who reach rank 75 are considered to be of considerable power and Nephthy in particular is a woman who became a herald on her own without any family background and has proven her worth among the herald clan.

As a senior three years older than Azadin she was looking at Azadin with interest.

“Do you know me Azadin?”

“Yes. You are more famous than Kahsan aren’t you? You are 75 years old.”

“Yeah. So you really beat Kahsan?”

“Did Kahsan say that himself?”

“Yes. That’s great. If he had told you that he lost to someone who was looked down on by his clan it would have tarnished his honor but he put the interests of the organization first rather than tarnishing his honor. Isn’t he a cute guy?”

“From my perspective as the listener this statement leaves me with quite complex emotions doesn’t it?”

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Just revealing the fact that he was defeated by Azadin would tarnish his honor so he wanted to hide it. Saying that would be an insult to Azadin.

“Of course I apologize for looking down on you Azadin. So why don’t you join our side? Arael is asking me to bring you. Up until now everyone was against you because they thought you were incompetent but if you’ve defeated Kahsan things will be different. Everyone will welcome you when you come.”

“Rather than talking about such things I think negotiating with the Count would be a priority right now. I will open the fortress. In return you will guarantee the safety of the people inside the fortress. Also I would like you to allow me to retreat with the living people from the nearby villages.”

“Even the townspeople? That’s a lot to ask for in return for opening the castle.”

“It’s not that we need money. We opened the gates so shouldn’t we have a justification? If we say we opened the gates to save the people then we have a justification and the Count doesn’t necessarily need to become infamous so I think it will be a good deal for both parties.”

When Azadin said that Garnahair frowned.

“Are you trying to insult me?”

“yes?”

“Aren’t you talking about notoriety now to criticize me for killing my people? How rude of you to criticize me to my face!”

“I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry you heard that.”

“First of all take off your mask. Why are you wearing a mask to the negotiation scene?”

“I know it’s a little ugly but I guess I get it.”

When Azadin took off his mask Count Lantarik was also taken aback by his appearance.

“The eyes…..”

“I just kept it hidden because it was disgusting to look at.”

“Hmm. Anyway the people won’t give up. Just open the fortress gate and leave without touching anything. It doesn’t take long to conquer a fortress like this. Oh and…..”

“yes?”

“There will be an old man among you named Brand. He used to work as a clerk in my mansion but he has committed embezzlement and theft so I would like you to hand him over to me.”

“Are you talking about the brand?”

“Yes. If you don’t hand him over I won’t accept his surrender.”

“Hmm. Is it really something that the Count should personally step in and take care of just one old man who has completely fallen from grace?”

“The thing he stole was something precious to me. Also he has been serving me for a very long time. If I let him go alive after he betrayed me there is a high chance that he will say something stupid that will harm my reputation.”

“I understand. So the Count’s demands are that you open the fortress gates and leave hand over Brand’s soldiers and that you will not hand over the soldiers of the people but only let us go with our lives is that what you mean?”

“Yes.”

Then the captain of the guard urged Azadin.

“Let’s give it to him. Can’t he survive if he gives up the life of one of the people outside the fortress or a secretary?”

“….”

How can you already be showing weakness while we’re still negotiating? Azadin clicked his tongue at the captain’s words.

“Okay then let’s go back to the fortress and have some time to discuss.”

“No decide here yourself.”

The Count tried to dissuade Azadin from going back.

“If you don’t open the gates quickly it’s no different from resisting to the end. You also agreed to the negotiations because you wanted to open the gates and beg for your lives right? Then what’s the problem? The lives of the people? Brand’s life? Oh is that it? Did Brand say something strange about me?”

“He went mad. He said he was captured by a group of bandits and had to eat his own children. That’s why he went crazy.”

“Is that so? Then it’s not a big deal. You don’t want to get all killed here because of one senile old man do you? So decide right here.”

The count was forceful and demanded that a decision be made on the spot.

“Let me… let me hear it. Anyway we don’t have the courage to talk to a noble like you Count…”

Azadin waved his hand lightly as the captain of the guard once again showed weakness that should not be shown in a negotiation.

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-puck!

“Ugh?!”

As the captain of the guard fainted Sir Zibek naturally supported him as if he had known in advance that Azadin would silence him.

“Huh?”

The count’s eyes narrowed as he saw the messenger clan and the knights of the king’s church moving in unison.

“It seems you have not yet experienced our defensive capabilities Count.”

Azadin said with a smile.

“Your defenses?”

“Yes. It would be a piece of cake to lose a single fortress like that so even if you open the gates and surrender there’s nothing in return. Don’t you think so?”

“Yes.”

“Then we have no choice but to prove the value of the goods we sell. If we fight inside that fortress and gradually wear down the Count’s forces the Count will be willing to spare the lives of his people and even one senile clerk.”

“You dare threaten me? Why on earth would you do something like that? Isn’t this none of your business?”

“Because I am the Emperor’s messenger. The lives of the people are precious and it is my mission to listen to the voices of those who have been wronged.”

“Even after hundreds of years since the Emperor died? Well then I will kill the people I am holding captive right now. If you do not agree to negotiations I will kill the people I am holding captive. Reducing the number of Salasma’s people will greatly help my strategy. What do you think? If you value the lives of your people what choice will you make?”

“Uhm…..”

Jibek who had been listening let out a sigh. Although he was a knight of the King’s Church he was of low-class noble birth and had never heard or seen such a mad story.

When disputes arose among the lower nobles over land water groundwater or springs the people were thoroughly protected even if they were treated like livestock and thus they showed a genuine desire to protect.

When the people die the harvest declines sharply. This is a very obvious proposition among the lower nobles but it does not apply to Count Lantaric a high noble.

Since the major cities are their fiefdoms they always have places where people are flowing in and since they can train well-trained soldiers and send their people to pioneer villages for relocation great nobles can kill as many people as they want in other people’s fiefdoms for political purposes.

That means this man can truly kill people.

‘Are you threatening to take a person’s life just for the sake of intimidation? Disgusting.’

As a knight of the King’s Church I must protect the nobles who inherited the blood of Yaegas with the light of the King’s Flower. However the words of Count Lantaric before my eyes were disgusting and ugly.

What will Azadin say?

“Oh that’s a really interesting threat. But you’ve already massacred your people before. Even if I open the gates you’ll still kill them right? If you don’t open the gates you’ll just ruin your dignity by slaughtering people in front of the fortress. It’s a different story if you didn’t care about your dignity in general.”

“Huh. You think killing people will damage my dignity? You don’t know. I am showing mercy.”

Count Lantaric said so shamelessly.

Killing is mercy. Even if we give it a hundred steps and assume that it is true what did Donair who was influenced by the Count do? He tortured people horribly and made his family eat each other. Where can you find mercy?

“My conditions are firm. In exchange for opening the fortress gates you guarantee the lives of your scribe Brand the lives of the people and the lives of the soldiers guarding this fortress. If you break this demand and kill people before my eyes I will resort to other methods. Putting the lives of the people in your hands is no different from killing them.”

“I will kill those who are being held captive right now and then I will kill you too. Is that okay?”

Instead of answering Azadin looked at Nephthy the 75th leader of the Herald Clan who was wearing a mask and standing next to him.

“Nefty are you on Arael’s side? Like Kahsan was?”

“okay.”

“Why did you join hands with such an idiot?”

“What?!”

The Count was indignant at seeing Azadin insulting him in front of him.

“This kid!”

The count drew his sword in indignation.