The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 91

77. The Three Kingdoms Plan

Clang- Clang-!!

The loud sound of pickaxes echoed through the mine.

It was no exaggeration to say that this place, where dozens, even hundreds of workers came and went day and night, was a city that never sleeps.

“It’s the 10th floor!! Just a little more effort!! Once we break through this floor, the Baron will grant us special allowances and three days of rest!!”

The mine manager shouted amidst the sweltering heat.

“Yes—!!!”

The workers’ response to his cry echoed loudly within the mine.

Such commotion would have been enough to attract public attention, but fortunately, this land where so many people gathered was one of the most abandoned wastelands on the continent.

Moreover, Beryl, who had already faded from public interest, was ironically ignored by all three kingdoms for a year.

“Good. Very good.”

The person watching them with a satisfied smile was none other than Baron Beryl.

At first, he was skeptical, but after seeing attribute stones actually coming out of the old mine in his territory, he could hardly believe it even with his own eyes.

‘Well… I couldn’t help it since I sold the land, and I didn’t have the funds to develop the magic mine in the first place anyway….’

Beryl clicked his tongue slightly.

In exchange for selling the land along with the mining rights, he was to receive a portion of the attribute stones obtained from the magic mine permanently.

In fact, that alone was an enormous profit.

“Hmm….”

Thanks to the attribute stones already mined here, he had not only recovered his magic power to its prime but also felt that he could reach a new level with a little more time.

Moreover, he had distributed low-grade attribute stones to his disciples, regaining their loyalty, which they had lost until now. It was truly like a windfall.

‘But it’s still a shame.’

However, there was no end to human greed, and Beryl, who had been a promising genius in his youth, was now just an old magician with many desires.

Looking at the attribute stones piled up inside, he couldn’t help but salivate.

‘Is there… any way?’

It was then.

“It’s been a while, Baron Beryl.”

Just when he thought no one would visit him, a small carriage stopped, and the man who got out greeted him amiably.

“Oh! If it isn’t you. It’s been a while. Half a year? The workers you sent are doing a great job.”

“Hahaha… It’s nothing. I just sent a few people I had on hand. I’m glad it’s helpful.”

“Yes, Kamma. What brings you here?”

The person who got out of the carriage was, as Beryl said, Kamma.

The two men, who were of similar age, were also similar in their greedy behavior, and despite having met only a few times, they got along like old friends.

“My master has requested to see Baron Beryl.”

“Master? Oh ho… So the owner of Tatur has finally returned. I was wondering about that.”

Beryl sensed an opportunity at Kamma’s words.

‘This is an opportunity.’

He had always been curious.

Just what kind of amazing person had conquered Tatur, which was called a lawless zone?

Moreover, they had taken over a place that he thought was impossible to conquer without a war, without a sound.

‘I heard he killed Curran of the Lawless Port and defeated the champion of the arena… I wonder what kind of fearsome-looking guy he is?’

“Then… I will escort you.”

Whether he knew his thoughts or not, Kamma looked at Baron Beryl with a strange smile.

* * *

“Hmm….”

Reading the reports piled up in his office, Khalil thought.

‘Suan Hazar’s skills are better than expected. The Lawless Port has stabilized, and the magic warship has been repaired, so all that’s left is to set sail.’

Dushalla, who was doing behind-the-scenes work in the Istrian Three Kingdoms, starting with Baron Beryl, was also excellent, but Suan, one of the seven talents who were called the Seven Pillars of the Empire in his previous life, was clearly more outstanding than other managers.

‘It means he’s not just a strong guy. He led Ollivern’s special forces in the name of the merchant guild.’

For about a year while Khalil was away, Suan Hazar had been secretly rescuing foreigners and slaves through the Lawless Port.

Among them, the continentals were once again secretly placed in various kingdoms and villages, and the foreigners were taught how to row.

Khalil was satisfied with the fact that even the crew of the magic warship was perfectly prepared.

‘The time has finally come for the Rabat Guild to launch. A chaotic period is the perfect time to avoid the Emperor’s eyes.’

His eyes gleamed.

‘That’s why I called Baron Beryl.’

But there’s something he needs to do before that.

Kwonwang Balbont.

Suan Hazar’s strength comes not only from his outstanding talent but also from some of the martial arts he inherited from Kwonwang [literally, Fist King].

‘I need to complete Suan Hazar’s martial arts training. Once the Rabat Guild is launched, there won’t be time to train him.’

Khalil himself can use some martial arts to some extent, but his stance was perfectly suited for the sword.

In his life, he had never seen anything more powerful than Balbont’s martial arts.

‘Kwonwang is such a free-spirited person that he leaves for training, so I couldn’t predict it, but now I can guess where he is. He’s involved in the upcoming ‘incident’.’

It was a golden opportunity.

And it was an opportunity that he should never miss.

‘Because of that incident, Kwonwang decides not to take any more disciples. It’s a shame that Balbont’s Eight Forms are lost without a successor.’

Khalil smiled softly.

‘It’ll be different this time.’

He imagined how strong Suan Hazar would become if he mastered all of Kwonwang’s martial arts.

Khalil, who knew his previous life, couldn’t help but enjoy that imagination.

‘There’s still a lot to do.’

Tatur was, in a sense, the most unique place on the continent.

Not just foreigners and slaves came here.

Survivors of ancient kingdoms, such as dwarves and gnomes, who were prosperous in the magic era but have now disappeared, are hiding in the shadows of the black market.

‘Some of them are races that were hard to see even in the magic era. You won’t find the Myo race or the Ain race anywhere else.’

Looking back now, he regrets why he didn’t use them properly.

The craftsmanship of dwarves and gnomes, the agility of the Myo race, and the monstrous power of the Ain race.

‘If you consider individual abilities, they are better than humans. But in the end, they couldn’t escape the darkness of the black market.’

The reason was simple.

Because they are not human.

‘They call even the same humans heretics for not having magic power, so they would never borrow the hands of these races.’

It was funny.

Most of the weapons called ancient relics and praised as treasures of the imperial family were made by the hands of dwarves and elves.

Khalil will not neglect them in this life.

‘If Kalipsone comes back with the survivors of the Gnome Kingdom, it will be a great force.’

He tapped lightly on a box on his desk with his finger.

The four fangs he had snatched from him in the black market had already absorbed Khalil’s magic power little by little and turned red as if they were holding blood.

The box was what Kalipsone had left him before he left.

The tightly locked box had the seal of the Gnome Kingdom on it.

Click-

At that moment.

Khalil’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

Inside the box was a plain armor made of thin chains.

Chain mail, which can be worn on the outside or as a supplement inside heavy armor, was a common item anywhere.

“To see this here… Did Kalipsone have this too?”

But his eyes were not looking at a simple armor.

‘I got something good that I didn’t expect. I was just about to get some armor.’

He got Ice Claw from Gray Academy, but Khalil hadn’t worn any armor until now.

Because he didn’t need to.

Khalil had been deflecting most of the attacks with his sword.

‘But the ones I’m going to meet in the future are different.’

Especially.

Platinum Dragon Nardie Mauge.

In a different encounter from his previous life, going to him empty-handed now, not knowing what might happen with the dragon, was like committing suicide.

Charrreuk-

Khalil took out the chain mail in the box and thought.

‘Elven Mail. Armor made by melting the branches of the World Tree, which has now been lost. I thought it was a work of the elves, but did Kalipsone make this too?’

It wasn’t impossible.

The name Elven was ultimately named after the World Tree, and unlike the dwarves who mainly made thick plate mail, most of the gnomes’ works were light armor.

‘Not bad. The branches of the World Tree offer more than ordinary defense.’

Outstanding magic defense.

‘Most of the enemies I’m going to meet in the future use magic. Even if I can block just one attack, the outcome of the game will be different.’

Khalil smiled faintly as if he liked the gift Kalipsone had left him.

‘It’s still quiet, but soon the magic mine will be known.’

Khalil straightened his clothes and sat down.

Since it was the territory granted to Baron Beryl, he didn’t care whether he sold the land or the mine in terms of regulations.

But in any place, what is above the rules is the king’s influence.

‘No matter who the owner is, the Istrian Three Kingdoms will eventually fight over the magic mine, as they did in their previous lives.’

Khalil’s eyes gleamed.

‘I will save the Three Kingdoms.’

Not simply to protect them from the Empire for no reason.

Compared to the Empire and the Duchy, the size of the Three Kingdoms is so small that it would be difficult to exert power even if all three kingdoms were combined.

But the location was important.

The Istrian Three Kingdoms are located below, centered on Tatur.

‘Because it can serve as a breakwater to protect the south from the Empire.’

To do that, what was needed was Baron Beryl.

‘Baron Beryl is a greedy person. He’s someone who can betray me at any time. But conversely, if I satisfy him, he’s someone who will betray even the kingdom he belongs to.’

Not everyone in the world can be righteous. But even if they are not righteous, they can be useful.

That was Baron Beryl, so even after Khalil bought his land and mining rights, he continued to have Dushalla show him signs of sincerity.

Thanks to that, he was able to participate in the magic competition easily.

‘In fact, a letter of recommendation is nothing compared to what I’m going to get from him from now on.’

Khalil smiled softly.

‘Maybe that old man thinks the same way. He didn’t know that the land that was useless would be a goose that lays golden eggs after he sold it. He must be very upset.’

Khalil had seen countless people like Baron Beryl in his previous life.

‘He’s thinking about what he can get from me. Furthermore, he’s thinking about whether he can take what I have.’

But it doesn’t matter.

The more such people are, the more reliable they are.

Ttok- Ttok- Ttok-

It was then.

A soldier’s voice was heard from outside the door.

“Baron Beryl has arrived.”

Khalil nodded slowly as if he had finished organizing his thoughts. The plan was set. Now it was time to check.

‘Shall we test the Baron’s vessel [character]?’

He said in a low voice.

“Let him in.”

* * *

“I’m finally meeting the Master. Hehe… I didn’t know you would be such a young… no, young man.”

Beryl hesitated for a moment, saying that Khalil’s first appearance was different from what he had imagined.

‘What. Is he a complete kid? Is this guy the new owner of Tatur?’

It wasn’t the first meeting he had imagined.

But Beryl was cheering inwardly.

‘You’re going to try to make a deal with me, who has lived several times longer than you? I didn’t know about the magic mine, but it won’t work now.’

He scanned Khalil from top to bottom, unable to hide his greedy eyes.

“I’m going to start a merchant guild.”

Khalil threw the first stone.

“Oh, so you’re finally going to start trading attribute stones. That’s good. It’ll probably sell for a very high price among magicians.”

Beryl said as if he had been waiting.

“Especially in the Kingdom of Istan, which has many magicians among the Three Kingdoms, it will be more popular.”

He smiled bitterly, recalling the magicians of the kingdom who had excommunicated him.

All he was thinking about was revenge.

“That’s right.”

A person who lives with a narrow view will not broaden his view even if he gets old.

“A merchant guild is all about connections. I see now. The reason why you called me separately.”

His eyes were already shining, expecting a price.

“In fact, getting connections is not easy. Ahem… I don’t like to move directly, but if it’s Khalil, I’ll consider it….”

He said, clearing his throat.

Nobles are, by nature, a proud bunch.

Khalil agrees that he doesn’t like the way they look, but he hates nobles who have sold even their pride even more.

‘Magicians are greedy by nature, but it’s not about materialism and lust. Beryl, your magic power has increased by absorbing attribute stones, but your vessel [capacity] is still the same.’

Khalil smiled bitterly at his appearance.

On the other hand, Beryl thought this meeting was a golden opportunity.

‘I’m going to make all transactions with the Three Kingdoms through me. It’ll be hard to take away the mining rights of the magic mine, but I’ll be able to make a profit in between. Hehehe, attribute stones that are twice as much as now will come to me.’

Khalil pretended not to know his thoughts and said without showing any expression.

“Of course. How can I neglect the great magician Beryl himself moving? Instead… I have someone I’d like you to introduce.”

“Who is it?”

The reason why he had left him alone until now.

Exactly.

Because of this.

Khalil took out a parchment from the bookshelf. Inside were the names of several people in the Three Kingdoms.

“Ahem.”

Beryl nodded as if it was nothing, looking at the names written inside.

“More than half of them learned magic from me. It won’t be difficult to arrange a meeting. Hehehe, Khalil, you’re really lucky. You met me in the Three Kingdoms.”

“Thanks to you.”

Khalil smiled faintly, looking at Beryl.

‘Yes. Most of them are your disciples. I deliberately picked them. That way, you’ll be excited and run around.’

Khalil looked out the window, leaving behind Beryl’s words, who was excitedly talking about his relationship with him as if he had already made the deal.

‘The merchant guild is just an excuse.’

In fact, his purpose was different. Another harvest from Azor.

Exactly.

Wooden Cloud.

‘One of its stems is in the Three Kingdoms. Right in the parchment you handed over.’

With a calm expression, Khalil looked at Beryl and casually picked up his teacup.

“If there’s anything you want, please tell me. I won’t spare any necessary support.”

“Hahaha, as expected of the owner of Tatur, you’re generous. Good. I’ll definitely make arrangements.”

Beryl said, laughing happily.

‘Yes, move as much as you want. So that you can catch their eyes. Baron, you’ll have to be our target instead.’

Unlike Beryl, a faint smile spread across Khalil’s lips.

‘That will be the opportunity for me to advance into the Istrian Three Kingdoms.’