The Order’s Secret Weapon (3)

If Azadine were purged, Vermilion Fortress would once again become an ownerless stronghold that couldn’t be managed. For an Order that needed the rare resource of cinnabar, they couldn’t purge Azadine.

That was exactly what Azadine was aiming for.

Only Azadine could manage Vermilion Fortress. If they wanted a stable supply of cinnabar, there was no alternative but Azadine. He was trying to plant that impression.

But Hexenmaier hadn’t summoned Azadine merely as a member of the Order.

“Sir Azadine, according to a trustworthy source, you have a copy of the Heavenly King’s Scripture….”

“A copy of the Heavenly King’s Scripture? I did have it at one time. But I returned that copy to the damaged Quartz Throne of Vthuma in order to drive off the Nether reapers threatening Vthuma. I already wrote it in my statement in Coxhall.”

“Mm. I did see your statement, but….”

Before meeting Azadine in person, Hexenmaier had been determined to imprison him.

But once he actually met him, Azadine’s bearing was no joke—and without him, cinnabar production would be disrupted.

“Don’t misunderstand. I called you only to confirm the situation at Vermilion Fortress. You may withdraw now. I will provide what Vermilion Fortress needs, so draft a requisition request. I’ll also select and send a new archivist.”

In the end, Chapter Master Sir Hexenmaier was forced to acknowledge that Azadine would continue running Vermilion Fortress.

“That was close.”

Azadine came out of the meeting with the Chapter Master and let out a sigh of relief.

From the look of it, Hexenmaier had intended to detain him, but Azadine’s excuses, the importance of cinnabar mining, and the favorable impression he gave had combined to derail the Chapter Master’s original plan.

And perhaps because he didn’t know Macdogal was an assassin of the Benevolence Order, he treated Macdogal’s death as nothing more than the death of some nameless archivist.

Chapter Master Hexenmaier belonged to the Courageous Knights, so he likely had no ties to the Benevolence Order.

“See? Just like I said. I told you to show your face.”

Camilla, who had been waiting in the reception room, swaggered at Azadine.

“Sure, showing my face worked. But wasn’t it also huge that I emphasized I’m the only one who can run the cinnabar mine? Why are you so smug?”

“Even so, if you were wearing a weird mask, he would’ve thrown you in a cell. Just looking at him, it felt like he called you with the intent to crush you. Give credit where it’s due.”

“Fine. I’m truly grateful for the advice. Camilla, it’s thanks to you. Otherwise it would’ve been bad.”

“Right? Then let’s buy something.”

The instant Camilla said it, Bernard stepped forward as if he’d been waiting.

“Since we’re here, I’d like to purchase some alchemy equipment.”

“Alchemy?”

“Yes. I do some alchemy.”

“Right. You came here on purpose to research blood magic, didn’t you?”

“Yes. But it’s not just for research—I’ll generate profit through alchemy too. We’ve got a cinnabar mine, and if we also make and sell goods, won’t profitability be excellent? My skill isn’t lacking, either.”

“Hm. Alright. Buy what you need.”

Since they were already in Fireglyph, Azadine decided they would stop by the market and buy necessary items like alchemy equipment.

Azadine’s group asked around the market merchants for where they could get alchemy gear.

“If it’s that, the Van Dyke Trading Company will be dealing in it.”

When people recommended the Van Dyke Trading Company, Azadine’s expression hardened.

“That company has a branch here too?”

“Of course. It’s a bit expensive, but they carry rare goods, so it’s the best-selling company. The biggest building in the square is Van Dyke’s.”

“Ah. That one.”

Azadine spotted the shop in the center of the square and hesitated.

The Van Dyke Trading Company was a subordinate organization of the Herald bloodline, like the Korasar Peddler Guild—one of the Five Bloodlines’ business arms, a tool to gather information, earn money, and gain secular power.

The Emperor’s voice had disappeared and now Azadine was the only Emperor’s Herald left, but that didn’t mean the Herald bloodline—the Aragasa of the Harkonia line—had been destroyed.

Their worldly power still remained.

‘If I go for no reason, won’t I get ambushed? I’m curious what happened, but if I go now, there’s no way they’ll look on me kindly.’

To the clan, Azadine would be their sworn nemesis who had obstructed their long-cherished wish.

After Leader Hathir fell, what had become of the other branches? Azadine was curious—but he decided not to meet them and invite trouble.

“Bernard. You go in and choose the alchemy equipment yourself.”

“Is that alright? What about the cost and haggling?”

“Handle it within this budget.”

Azadine handed over a pouch filled with silver and gold coins.

“After you’ve looked at the goods, meet us over there.”

Azadine pointed at Fireglyph’s victory monument. A monument stood at the entrance of the square to commemorate the victory of heroes who had fought here long ago, and to console their souls.

“Understood.”

Azadine separated from the group and examined Fireglyph’s victory monument.

It was a monument commemorating the “War of Fireglyph,” when the Three Archangels had blocked the armies of Nether at Fireglyph.

Eight hundred years had passed, and the inscription on the monument had melted with rain and worn down from countless hands, making it hard to read—but Azadine looked at it and let his imagination wander to an age when all humankind had united to oppose colossal, aberrant evil gods.

And then it happened.

“Kyaaah!”

“Save me!”

A commotion erupted in the middle of the market.

“Damn. What is it?”

Azadine looked around to see where it was happening. Something he could climb up to get a view…

His eyes fell on Fireglyph’s victory monument.

‘That’s a cultural relic. No. The parts people can touch are already dissolving.’

Azadine erased the impudent thought that had briefly surfaced and, in a hurry, used Arael’s voice.

Arael’s voice appeared overhead and, with a hawk’s vision, surveyed the ground for Azadine.

The attack on the Rescue Knights Order’s pilgrimage band naturally delivered a severe shock to the entire Order.

In response, the Order’s core sect, the Wisdom Order, immediately convened an emergency countermeasures meeting. Working heads from each sect gathered together and began discussing measures.

“Since Sir Izmilla is being targeted, we must protect her within the sect.”

The Wisdom Order spoke with that intent, but the other knightly orders thought differently.

The Courage Order, in particular, came out against it.

“Are you saying we went through all that hardship just to coddle and hide the Celestial? Now is the time to reveal that majesty to the people! Now is the time to prove to all under heaven that the Rescue Knights Order is the teaching of this land—salvation itself! Not that corrupted ‘conversion’ of the King, but that we are the true apostles!”

“The Celestial’s power has not yet been fully interpreted.”

“Real combat is the best teacher.”

“A teacher who kills a disciple during training is not called good.”

“Then it seems our ways of interpreting differ.”

“That is why you are the Courage Order and we are the Wisdom Order. In cases like this, set aside courage and listen to wisdom.”

“Hmph. Isn’t it because we always give way that you grow arrogant and feed your own greed? The sect that produced the most fallen—what are you so proud of….”

As the mood between the Courage Order and the Wisdom Order grew hostile, the Benevolence Order stepped in to refocus them.

“For now, the Order’s tarnished honor can be smoothed over if we release Nisraph to make the rounds and distribute more relief supplies. More important is who the traitor is. Wasn’t who the Celestial is information we didn’t even know in the first place? Even I learned only because of this incident that Sir Izmilla is the Celestial.”

The Benevolence Order subtly criticized the Wisdom Order for hoarding all information and hiding behind mystique.

“Right. To learn who the traitors are, appropriate information-sharing is needed. And I would like our Courage Order to take custody of Sir Izmilla as well, so we can protect her.”

“No, that won’t be necessary. We are currently investigating the traitors independently. Once their outlines emerge, we will share information. And we will have Sir Izmilla participate in that investigation.”

“Why?”

“Her being the Celestial is already exposed to the enemy. That means she can be excellent bait. Of course, it is dangerous, but… in Fireglyph, it will be fine.”

“Fireglyph?”

“Isn’t that the entrance to the Chadra Plateau? You’re sending the Celestial there?”

The other sect officials were flustered, but the Wisdom Order official raised an index finger adorned with a golden nail ornament and brought it to his lips.

“The enemy likely won’t be able to restrain themselves and will reveal their capabilities. But Fireglyph lies deep inside the Order’s body. They won’t be able to harm the Celestial easily.”

Izmilla and the Wisdom Order investigation team headed to Fireglyph’s archive repository to track the traces of the alchemist Giacomo—a former member of the Order who had committed murder and disappeared.

But after confirming that Giacomo’s records were missing, they left the archive and were resting at an inn when armed Fireglyph soldiers suddenly surrounded them.

“Excuse us. Sir Izmilla. A murder has occurred inside the fortress.”

“An order has been issued to verify the identities of all entrants and leavers, and to check belongings and weapons, in order to investigate the murder.”

“What? A murder—who died?”

“A legal clerk named Pallos.”

“The murder weapon? And the location?”

“A dagger. A dagger with a bent blade—like the one Sir Izmilla is wearing.”

As they said that, the soldiers pointed to the dagger at Izmilla’s waist.

“Disarm and come with us. We will escort you to the investigation room inside the castle.”