Chapter 191
Chapter 191
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 191
Chapter Title: Sugar Rush 7
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“But I never imagined the Herald Clan would run a slave system.”
“It’s not a slave system, exactly. It’s closer to kidnapping key figures, but calling it a slave system for them is karmic retribution—or mutual correspondence, shall we say. Those who treated others’ freedom lightly deserve to have their own restricted in kind. Only then does the story gain any aesthetic appeal, don’t you think?”
“Aesthetic, huh.”
“And securing them will serve as a lesson to the new plantation owners.”
The previous plantation owners had been kidnapped, elevating their legal heirs to the role of new owners.
These heirs feared the Herald Clan’s immense combat prowess—and even more, the prospect of their fathers, the former owners, returning.
Negotiations thus proceeded smoothly. With even a single Azadin proving unstoppable and the owners abducted, there was no longer any justification for upholding slavery just to maintain and raise private soldiers.
The new plantation owners installed Landa Vanema as head of the Bell Hoda sugar cooperative and actively cooperated in establishing the new order.
“Then the petition is complete. And Landa Vanema, I have a request for you, as head of the Bell Hoda sugar business cooperative.”
“A request? What kind?”
“It’s simply that everyone on the plantations join the Azure Turban Sect…”
Jiswa, who had been listening, swiftly launched into proselytizing.
“Back off. Know your place, huh?”
Azadin shoved Jiswa aside and asked.
“The owners may have changed, but they still have private soldiers, right?”
“Of course. But they’re just handing off-the-shelf weapons to regular farmers. They’re no proper soldiers. They’re good for catching runaway laborers or lynchings, but you couldn’t call them true warriors. Not like those adventurers.”
Landa Vanema had felt in her bones just how much stronger the adventurers hired by the other plantation owners were compared to the regular private soldiers.
So when she heard Azadin had subdued them like children…
She couldn’t help doubting her own ears.
“Those private soldiers are useless now, so disband them. Ah, of course, leave a small vigilante group. Bandits and monsters do rampage, after all.”
“That’s not what I’m asking. Quite the opposite.”
“The opposite?”
“Yes. A massive Naga army is about to invade Btuma. You need to arm and train Bell Hoda’s private soldier organizations.”
“What? You’re serious?”
“I’ll attach one Herald from the clan as an advisor for the training.”
“No, how extensively do you plan to train them?”
“Marching and cargo transport should suffice in a day or two. And prepare rations.”
“You’re really gearing up for war? Against the Naga Empire? For real?”
“It’s real. So, what will you do? Of course, I’m not in a position to force your cooperation even if you refuse.”
“You’ve got the plantation owners, don’t you? Threatening to release them would be enough to compel me.”
“Threats don’t make friends.”
“What’re you saying? You’ve threatened plenty up to now. Sigh… Fine. Bell Hoda survives only if Btuma does. If the Naga Empire really invades, I’ll mobilize every human and material resource here to defend and aid Btuma.”
Landa Vanema agreed to Azadin’s request and offered a handshake.
“Thank you, Landa Vanema.”
“No, no. Thank you, Azadin. I owe you more. What you accomplished looked easy because you wrapped it up so quickly in such a short time, but no one else could have done it.”
It seemed effortless because it was handled so swiftly, but before he arrived, Landa Vanema had been backed into a corner, even seriously contemplating suicide. People change their minds over time, but she still vividly remembered her desperation when she made the petition.
‘I’ve gained a pretty solid ally. Good thing I handled the petition.’
Just then, one of Landa Vanema’s subordinates entered.
“The Herald Clan says a military advisor has arrived for them.”
Azadin had requested, through the Emperor’s voice, someone capable of commanding and training Bell Hoda’s private soldiers. It seemed the advisor had come.
“Fast. Or rather, faster than expected?”
Azadin decided to meet the military advisor.
*********
“Impressive.”
The military advisor was a familiar face. A beauty with brown curly hair and green eyes gazed at Azadin.
“I was wondering what you’d been up to in the meantime, and here you’ve taken Bell Hoda?”
“Taken? That’s an odd way to put it. I built goodwill. But what brings you here, Jenis?”
“What brings me? This whole area was my territory to begin with.”
“Ah. So you’re the Herald who rejected the petition?”
“That’s right. My duty is to assist Lord Arael. But to think you’d sway the entire Bell Hoda sugar plantations to your side…”
The Herald Clan had long taken interest in Bell Hoda’s sugar cooperative. But aiding one plantation meant the others would sniff it out like ghosts and shut it down.
Favors fade like writing in water; grudges are etched into bone. Taking a sugarcane plantation commission only to empower enemy factions was a headache.
Especially now, amid the Herald Clan’s civil war—it was far too messy to handle. Yet Azadin had sorted it all out neatly.
“Not only resolving the petition in my stead, but bringing my own subordinates along to secure the plantation owners’ persons. And after all that, you offer me the military advisor position?”
“Exactly. You rejected the petition mission, but you won’t turn this down, right? The rewards are substantial.”
Becoming military advisor for Bell Hoda, which amassed wealth through sugar—it was a position worth bribing for. No reason to refuse when it was handed over freely.
“Of course not. For Lord Arael’s will, and Bell Hoda naturally…”
She trailed off with a cough.
“Truly worthy of the 2nd Herald—no, an astonishing feat, Azadin. I have to admit it.”
“That sounds like you weren’t keen to admit it before.”
“Well, even as Lord Arael’s brother, Azadin the Insolent had a reputation, didn’t he? And I have some confidence in my own skills, only to be suddenly named 2nd Herald. Isn’t that excessive favoritism? Numbers are just symbols, but with Aragsa tempers being so fiery…”
“You mentioned confidence in your skills? Come to think of it, Sion Etar lost to you…”
Azadin recalled Sion Etar making that excuse back in Coral Sahar.
“No way. The rumor that Sion Etar lost to me is nonsense. It’s an alibi he cooked up. He was originally the ‘Moon’ of our senior generation.”
The Four Luminaries: Flower, Bird, Wind, Moon. Among them, the one titled ‘Moon’ was deemed the strongest and most exceptional.
‘That would make Indim the top of the Four Luminaries now, but he sure doesn’t seem it?’
Azadin clicked his tongue, thinking of Indim, who picked fights with him at every turn.
Jenis warned him about Sion Etar.
“Spreading that false rumor of losing to me was because he’d made a deal with us—he needed an excuse to hand over goods and people. Truth is, he’s far superior to me. Be careful. He’s back in the Elder Council now.”
“I see. Hm, got it. If you can’t handle Sion Etar, that puts you below me, so no need to resent my 2nd Herald rank.”
“Hah. Quite the confidence.”
Jenis laughed at Azadin’s words, though her eyes didn’t smile.
“I’ll endure it for the rewards. Right, 2nd Herald Azadin. Off to Btuma now?”
“Yes.”
“You claim to hate Lord Arael, but stopping the Btuma invasion will count as defying the Elder Council’s plans. Still going?”
“Of course. You’d better not interfere with reinforcements coming to Bell Hoda.”
“As if. It’s meddling in Council business, after all. Besides, it’s not like we’re going to war with these people?”
“Right. The private soldiers are fine for beating serfs with clubs on the plantations, but they’d die against Nagas. Have Bell Hoda haul supplies to Btuma and serve as engineers.”
“Understood. That’s not hard.”
Jenis agreed to take the military advisor position Azadin offered.
At that moment, the docks suddenly grew uproarious.
“Th-this is bad! Disaster!”
Laborers working the docks shouted, and bells rang out across the docks and the sugarcane plantations.
“War has broken out in Btuma!”
“The Nagas have invaded Btuma! Ogres assaulting from the north, Nagas from the south…”
While Azadin had been in Bell Hoda, the Naga assault on Btuma had finally begun.
Biting his lower lip amid the clamor, Azadin felt a pang. He didn’t regret coming for the petition. But it would’ve been nice to time it better…
“We’re suddenly swamped. How soon can you depart?”
“I just arrived.”
“You’re the Herald in charge here—you must know the situation inside out.”
“Bell Hoda’s ‘soldiers’ are just serfs, and I don’t even know our stockpiles yet, so I can’t say for sure. We’ll leave as soon as we’re ready. Still, it’ll take at least a week.”
“Got it. Then I’ll head to Btuma first with my comrades.”
*********
Surprisingly, Landa Vanema—who they’d already bid farewell to—stood waiting at the village outskirts with horses prepared for Azadin’s group.
“These are the Arangi Mountain horses Elder Salko had. I’ve loaded them with Bell Hoda specialties: cachaca and assorted pastries. They keep well, perfect for travelers.”
“Cachaca? Liquor.”
“Made from sugarcane. Unlike rum from the leftover bagasse after sugar extraction, this keeps all the sweetness—a premium brew. You know how valuable liquor is on a battlefield, right?”
“Of course.”
“And this… it’s the head of an azure steel axe-lance. The ‘Azure Executioner.’ They say the great dwarf smith Morton forged it.”
“Azure Executioner? That’s an incredible treasure. You sure it’s okay to give this? We already settled up with imperial gold coins, and you’ve agreed to aid Btuma.”
Azadin marveled as he took the Azure Executioner. The azure steel longsword he currently wielded, Blue, was impressive enough—but this was overwhelmingly superior.
This cross-shaped weapon, doubling as axe and spike, seemed enchanted, emitting a faint glow of its own. The only drawback: it was just the head, lacking a shaft.
“Better in your hands than rotting in our warehouse. Besides, you’re doing this to save Btuma, aren’t you? Helping you helps Btuma. Heh… Truth be told, I had Herald Clan gold, but I never knew they had such fine people. The rumors were dead wrong.”
“Don’t let your guard down too much…”
Azadin felt awkward seeing Landa Vanema’s goodwill, born of his aid, toward the Herald Clan.
He wanted to embrace it, but doing so worried for her future. The Herald Clan was no pushover.
“I’ll gather the private soldiers as you wish, organize them as quickly as possible, and send them off. I’ll secure rations too.”
“Thank you. Time’s short, so forgive my rudeness in departing immediately—we’ll meet again.”
Azadin accepted Landa Vanema’s gift, the Azure Executioner, mounted the horse she’d prepared, and set off for Btuma.