No, he had tried to draw his sword. But Azadin was faster. He extended his foot, pressing against the pommel of the count's sword to prevent it from leaving its scabbard. Then, lightly, he drew his own sword and swung it toward the count's neck.
It was a strike as swift as lightning and carried a terrifying force. However...
—Ka-kak!
Azadin's sword merely cut through the count's armor and neck guard. Behind the count, Nefti, the 75th rank of the Herald Clan, had subtly pulled him back, allowing him to evade the attack.
"You've crossed the line!"
At that moment, Nefti drew her sword.
"Now, stop. You shouldn't attack your opponent during negotiations!"
With one hand, Nefti pushed the count back, while with the other, she pointed her sword at Azadin's throat. It was a rapier-like weapon specialized for piercing through armor, thin yet surprisingly heavy. But she controlled it effortlessly with one hand, as if it were an extension of her own body.
However, Azadin had already blocked Nefti's sword path with the pommel of his own weapon.
"You raised the white flag and entered negotiations. No matter how much your opponent provokes you, you shouldn't be the first to strike. It was just a trivial taunt, wasn't it? If you fall for such things and act rashly, it doesn't matter how noble your lineage is. What I'm saying is, even if you're Lady Arael's younger brother, even if you have the blood of some esteemed noble, I'll kill you. No—I'll torture and abuse you until you beg for death, making you regret ever being born."
Nefti pointed her sword at Azadin and flashed him a smile.
"Isn't that right? It'd be foolish to attack during negotiations after raising the white flag…."
Azadin and Nefti withdrew their swords at the same time.
"You, you bastards!"
Count Lantarik, realizing that Nefti and Azadin's words were directed at him, fumed with rage. But something about Nefti's words stuck with him.
No matter your lineage, you will be punished.
That remark had clearly been meant for the count himself.
"So, Kahsan was taken down after all. You are quite formidable. But Azadin, you don't seem to be in perfect condition either. You're sweating profusely."
"I have a constitution that makes me sensitive to heat…."
Azadin avoided Nefti's gaze, which had turned sinister as she noticed his wounds.
"So why has Arael allied with the count?"
"I can't say. If you're curious, why don't you join us? Then I can tell you everything."
"It's not a request for a gold coin, is it? Well, just the fact that you're working with this count is reason enough for me to distrust Arael."
"That's unfair. Do you think the other factions of the Herald Clan are any cleaner?"
"If you're rebelling against the existing powers, at least bring a banner of a different color. Trying to persuade me to switch sides while holding the same flag seems like a ridiculous request. Besides, do you know who left this scar on my face? Your oh-so-great Arael."
"And it's made you quite handsome."
"That concludes our discussion, then. Guarantee the safety of everyone in the castle, as well as the civilians your forces have captured. That is my only condition."
Azadin glared at Nefti before turning away.
"You'll regret this, fledgling Herald."
The count threatened Azadin.
The negotiations had failed. It was inevitable, considering both sides had drawn swords against each other during the meeting.
The count had reached for his sword first, but Azadin had used that as an excuse to try and kill him on the spot.
This man is beyond saving.
He had released bandits to terrorize civilians, pillage, and massacre people without hesitation. Leaving such a high noble alive would only result in countless more victims.
So, even if he had to break the laws of negotiation and suffer condemnation from all, Azadin had resolved to kill him. But Nefti had interfered.
Yet, in the end, Nefti had still defended Azadin. It was the count who had broken the rules first. So, she dismissed it as a minor incident, and Azadin silently agreed.
"Well then…."
Azadin's party returned to the fortress and locked the gates once more.
The soldiers, who had gathered like a flock of chicks waiting to be fed, were startled to see their commander unconscious.
"H-how did the negotiations go?"
"They have failed, for now."
Azadin, boldly making such a declaration, then found a spot and lay down.
"What?!"
"The count underestimates this castle's defenses. He believes he can force the gates open with brute strength, so the rewards he offered for opening them were too meager."
Still lying down, Azadin spoke, making everyone uncertain. Just then, the unconscious garrison commander woke up in a panic.
"Ugh, what… what happened?"
"Commander?!"
"Is it true that the negotiations have failed?"
"Negotiations failed? Damn it! Hey!"
The garrison commander quickly sat up and looked around.
"Herald! Why did you refuse the count's proposal?"
"What are you talking about?"
Azadin turned onto his side and looked at the garrison commander.
"He said if we handed over one old man, he would let us go!"
At those words, the soldiers flinched.
That was different from what the Herald had said. No—Azadin had merely been vague. But if what the commander said was true, then they could have survived, and the negotiations had been ruined because of him.
"You must have missed it while you were unconscious. After that, the count also demanded your lives. He said knights and soldiers who betray their lord don't deserve to live, and that if we handed over the castle's garrison, he would spare the civilians imprisoned here."
"...."
Zebeck clicked his tongue from the side. He couldn't believe how brazenly Azadin was lying.
"What? Nonsense! Why would a grand noble like the count want the life of a mere low-ranking knight like me?"
"Then why would a senile old clerk's life matter to him? Count Lantarik is an incredibly emotional and terrifying man. He demanded we choose—either the soldiers would die, or the civilians would. Since he's convinced he can crack this fortress open with ease, he speaks with such arrogance."
Hearing Azadin's words, everyone fell under his spell.
Come to think of it, didn't it all sound plausible?
Count Lantarik had looked down on this fortress, mocking the negotiators who demanded guarantees of safety in exchange for opening the gates.
Thinking about it that way, everything made sense. However, for Zebeck, who knew the truth, it was difficult to maintain his composure.
How can he lie so smoothly?
Yet, Azadin spoke so nonchalantly that no one even considered doubting him.
"W-wait! Is that really true, Sir Holy Knight?"
The garrison commander turned to Zebeck for confirmation.
"If I say anything here, it would put the commander in a difficult position…."
Since Zebeck was also a Holy Knight, he did not outright lie. He simply avoided answering.
As soon as Zebeck hesitated and trailed off, everyone took it as confirmation that Azadin had been telling the truth.
"Ugh…."
They had been eager to offer up someone else's life, but the moment their own lives were at stake, the garrison soldiers quickly fell silent.
Would the civilians be massacred while the garrison survived?
Or would the garrison be slaughtered while the civilians were spared?
If the count had truly made such a proposal, there was no way to choose.
As Azadin had said, they needed to demonstrate the fortress's defensive power and inflict significant damage on the count's army. Only then would the enemy realize that having the gates opened was a significant advantage.
Just in time, the count's army began to move.
***
Having been humiliated by Azadin, the count, unable to suppress his fury, immediately began sending soldiers toward the fortress.
"Is he out of his mind?"
Azadin clicked his tongue as he watched the approaching forces. Small fortresses like this were actually more difficult to besiege. In large castles, there were multiple gates, making defense more complicated.
However, this place was essentially a guard tower built to control the imperial road, with only a single entrance. The rest was all solid stone walls. In reality, the count could have just ignored the fortress and moved on without much trouble, yet here he was, launching a full-frontal assault just because Azadin had insulted him.
"Everyone, fall back from the walls."
Azadin ordered the regular soldiers to withdraw.
"Are you insane?"
The garrison commander objected and took his position on the wall, grabbing a bow and a stone. At that moment, an archer hidden among the attacking troops let loose an arrow.
—Swish!
The arrow flew with terrifying speed, knocking the commander's helmet clean off. Azadin quickly grabbed the commander's collar and yanked him backward, preventing him from dying. However, he couldn't stop the arrow from tearing through the helmet and leaving a long gash across the commander's ear and sideburns.
"Damn it."
It was Nefti's greeting. When Azadin had attacked the count, she had managed to protect him so that he remained unharmed.
In contrast, while Azadin had managed to shield the garrison commander, he had still ended up with a severe injury.
"Aaagh! It hurts! It's poisoned—it's a poisoned arrow!"
"No, it's just a regular arrow. Stop overreacting."
Azadin bent the commander forward and examined the arrow that had shredded his helmet.
"Azure Steel Arrow, huh? They're using quality equipment."
Ordinary arrows were divided into two types—hunting arrows with light tips and battle arrows with steel tips designed to pierce armor.
The Herald Clan, however, possessed even more advanced arrows. The Azure Steel Arrow, crafted from refined blue steel, and the Black Steel Arrow, coated in deadly poison and capable of slicing through armor like paper.
Three Azure Steel Arrows were worth a single gold coin.
Such expensive weapons were now being used against them.
"Shall I return the favor?"
Azadin loosed an arrow of his own, targeting the archers who were covering the advancing troops from below.
The soldiers beside the enemy archers tried to raise their shields to protect them, but Azadin had already anticipated their movements.
—Beauty of Nature, Kazas Haeseo! Yellow Crane!
The arrow curved mid-flight, slicing through the archers' bows and fingers.
"Argh!"
Incredibly, Azadin's arrow severed fingers and destroyed bows with a single shot, then continued flying forward, striking other archers. However…
—Thud!
Someone among the enemy archers caught the arrow in mid-air.
It wasn't Nefti. Another member of the Herald Clan, hidden among the archers, had intercepted the shot.
"So this is Kazas Haeseo? No enchantments, yet it moves with a trajectory and force similar to Yellow Crane?"
A boy, smaller than the towering Aragasa but still larger than a common Hubris peasant, held the arrow with an amused expression.
"Don't just grab it recklessly. Azadin's skills are unpredictable. What if you ended up shredding your own hand?"
"I was just curious. I mean, they said Kahsan was defeated…."
Here and there among the count's soldiers, members of the Herald Clan could be seen. Arael's subordinates.
"As expected…."
Azadin furrowed his brows.
"They've been preparing for rebellion for a long time."
A voice echoed vividly in his ears—Arael's confident voice.
"I will restore the Aragasa. We will destroy all outdated traditions that prevent us from claiming what is rightfully ours!"
The result of that bold declaration was now unfolding before Azadin's eyes.