Chapter 99
Chapter 99
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 99
Chapter Title: Night Crawler 1
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Azadin opened the fortress gates and sent out all the fortress guards and civilians.
“What if the count’s army slaughters us the moment we step outside?”
Everyone trembled in fear, half-believing and half-doubting, but nothing happened once they left the fortress. The count was too busy fighting the mysterious monsters and the undead that had suddenly appeared to pay any attention to his rear.
The members of the Arael tribe from the Herald tribe, who had allied with the count, were moving while avoiding Azadin, but they showed no intention of immediately joining the count’s forces.
They figured they could use it as a perfect excuse for failing to capture the fortress if they swooped in to help when the count’s army was in peril.
*Oh, we were trying to take the fortress, but suddenly there was chaos in the rear, so we came to your aid. If only you hadn’t been fine and dandy, we would have captured it.*
That way, they could gloss over their defeat at Azadin’s hands. The people who emerged from the fortress were bewildered to see the enemy forces retreating.
“It’s... it’s fine?”
“See? It really is.”
“Amazing. Is this the power of the Herald tribe? Incredible.”
The soldiers felt awe toward Azadin, who had executed everything according to plan. As the sun set and night fell in darkness, with even the moonlight hazy, they groped through the gloom like they were crawling through a cave with no end in sight.
The future was uncertain, anxiety and fear squeezing their hearts. Yet Azadin boldly pressed forward into that anxious unknown.
*This man is truly intelligent and wise. Did he predict this situation would unfold?*
*And that confidence—how can he be so assured?*
As the people sent him looks of awe, Azadin turned back to them.
*I’ve gone and done it, but... what the hell is that? I thought breaking the seal on the New King’s Scripture replica would bring Zekt chasing after us, but no? And what’s with the undead army?*
In truth, Azadin was flustered too. But if he showed panic or anxiety, the others who had trusted and followed him would surely descend into madness. So he deliberately feigned composure.
“Alright, everyone. This is where we part ways. May the Three Great Archangels’ blessings be upon you.”
“......”
Everyone was shocked when Azadin invoked the angels’ blessings.
They had viewed the Herald tribe as soulless blasphemers. Horrific beings who killed gods and served the emperor. Yet from one of their mouths came a benediction from the faith they themselves recognized—the Salvation Knights and the angel worship.
*Is this man an angel worshiper, a Salvation Knight? But a Herald tribe member who worships angels? Not a soulless blasphemer?*
Beings without faith in slaying the Yae gas divine race and without souls. That was the preconception of the Herald tribe.
To most people, faith was proof of a soul. That was why they branded the Herald tribe, who killed god’s bloodkin without qualms, as “soulless.”
But an angel worshiper?
He’s not soulless. He has faith, which means he has a soul.
*No wonder he saved us without gaining anything from it.*
*But parting ways here?*
Azadin drew his sword from the saddle—not of a horse, but of a mountain goat—and pointed north.
“Avoid Rantaric and head north. You’ll be safe once you reach an area controlled by the King’s Church. My companions and I will act as decoys to keep the army from pursuing you, so we’ll say our goodbyes here.”
“Ah!”
“It’s dangerous.”
“Still, benefactor, are you sure you’ll be alright?”
Delmer asked.
“I’ll be fine. But Shati, you have to come with me.”
“......”
He would let the others go, but he intended to keep Shati, the Naga agent. When Azadin singled her out, Shati resigned herself.
“Fine. Fine. It’s not like I could shake you off and escape anyway.”
“Then once more, may the angels’ blessings guide your path.”
Everyone withdrew in感動 as Azadin bowed gracefully. But one person among them did not retreat....
It was Sir Brand, the Brass Knight.
“Sir Brand?”
“I’ll go with you too.”
“What? You’re coming with me?”
Azadin was taken aback by Brand’s stubbornness.
*Hmm. What now?*
He liked Sir Brand. In this harsh world, doing the right thing without going mad was nearly impossible.
*Someone who chooses madness over submitting to Sephar deserves respect, no matter how insane they seem. But I can’t grant this request. He’s not a warrior—just an elderly scribe. There’s no way he can endure the journey ahead. I need to persuade him gently and send him off.*
So Azadin made an excuse.
“Sir Brand, I must ask you to escort those people to safety. Who else but Rantaric’s famed Brand, with his renowned martial prowess, can protect them?”
Azadin tried to coax and soothe him into going with the refugees. But Brand replied.
“First off, I’m not a knight. I’m Brand, the scribe of Count Rantaric.”
“......”
Azadin’s face flushed with embarrassment.
*I thought he was out of his mind and spouted nonsense... How embarrassing.*
Brand cleared his throat.
“Ahem. I won’t claim my mind is fully intact. You probably won’t believe it. But it’s come back, if only a little.”
“Are you alright?”
“Of course... Er, this is truly a nightmare.”
Brand grimaced, clutching his head.
“I can still feel the madness whispering. My family was massacred and defiled, and I...”
“Calm down. So your sanity has returned? Then why?”
“I was Count Rantaric’s scribe, so I know many of his secrets. I feared he’d eliminate me, so I fled with my entire family—only to be captured by that bastard Donear.”
Brand looked at Azadin.
“It was true hell. I want to repay you somehow for freeing me from that hell.”
“Repay me?”
Midiam, who had been listening, looked puzzled.
“To be honest, I used to despise the Herald tribe. Who would’ve thought the one aiding me in my darkest hour would be one of them? I’m ashamed. I want to repay your kindness, even if it costs my life.”
“Repay? What can you do? Hand over the count’s hidden fortune?”
Midiam was baffled. Brand currently had no money or magnificent sword. So how exactly did he plan to repay them?
“Do you know why the Herald tribe is attached to Count Rantaric?”
“Huh?”
“What if the dies for minting the emperor’s gold coins still exist?”
“......!?”
“Huh?”
Midiam, Ismail, and Azadin understood what the old man was talking about.
“The emperor’s mint?”
It was a story like legend among the Herald tribe.
The emperor’s gold coins bore magic so intricate and powerful that crude copies couldn’t be used. But if they found the emperor’s mint and uncovered the secrets bound to those coins?
They could mass-produce them to free the Herald tribe from the curse of servitude, and wield the emperor’s voice and miracles of petition at will.
Finding and deciphering the New King’s Scripture replica to lift the curse was important, of course. It was the mightiest grimoire on the Hybris continent, containing the secrets of the Yae gas divine race’s power. But securing the emperor’s mint wouldn’t hurt either.
“You must be interested in the emperor’s mint. As Herald tribe, right?”
“Is the mint in Rantaric?”
“No... but the clue is in Adiroph.”
Adiroph was another territory owned by Count Rantaric Garnahair.
“Understood. Come with us then.”
“Thank you.”
Brand expressed his gratitude to Azadin.
“Then Brand, hop on here.”
Azadin had Brand ride his mountain goat.
“Let’s head to Rantaric.”
“To Rantaric? Isn’t that dangerous?”
“With the count withdrawing his army, now’s actually the best time to move. He’s probably planning to exterminate the Salasma residents, but you should have no trouble bypassing his soldiers. Right?”
“That’s true, but...”
“The clue to the emperor’s mint is there.”
“Got it. Let’s go then.”
Azadin decided to follow Brand’s advice.
*I wanted to check what undead attacked, but that’ll have to wait.*
Having accepted the non-combatant Brand, they needed to avoid combat as much as possible. Azadin seated Brand on his mountain goat and set off toward Rantaric with his companions.
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Azadin’s group stopped near the Kora River. The docks for crossing the river were already swarming with Count Rantaric’s soldiers.
As the bridgehead connecting Rantaric and Salasma, the count had clearly stationed a significant force and reliable commanders there. If it fell, they couldn’t bring supplies from Rantaric, leaving the count isolated deep in enemy territory.
“Let’s rest here for now, Shati.”
“Why do you call me like I’m your house dog? I’ve lived longer than you. Call me Lady Shati.”
“Want your head to roll?”
Midiam pressed a blade to her throat, and Shati swallowed hard.
“Heal Azadin’s wound.”
“Ah.”
Zibek wanted to see how Shati healed wounds. At that moment, Brand spoke up.
“Do you know of the Prophecy of Jupiter?”
“That’s blasphemy forbidden by the King’s Church.”
Zibek sighed. The Prophecy of Jupiter was a doomsaying prophecy favored by madmen, so taboo even mentioning it was irreverent.
It foretold that when Jupiter’s era arrived, the King’s Church would lose power, and the ancient evils that once roamed this land before the Kurt divine race would revive.
Of course, it was an insult to the King’s Church, so no sane person would utter it.
“To be precise, when Jupiter’s era comes, the old masters sunk in Netherstrom will return, the King’s Radiance will weaken, and even the glory of the Three Great Archangels will fade. That’s the prophecy. A horrific one saying not just the King’s Church and King’s Radiance, but all sources providing white magic to this land will weaken.”
Zibek’s eyes sharpened at Brand’s words. Was he saying to endure because the prophecy attacked not only the King’s Church but also the Salvation Knights’ angel faith?
“That’s nonsense. The ravings of madmen.”
“No, it’s truth. The King’s Radiance is indeed weakening.”
“......!”
In that instant, Zibek’s eyes—previously dulled by fatigue—widened in rage. Fury blazed like flames from his eyes, as if to incinerate the old man Brand before him.
But Brand didn’t blink, enduring Zibek’s killing intent without flinching.