The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 127

105. Southern Disaster (2)

“Just a bit further, and we’ll be in the Vestal Marquisate.”

“Good. You’ve all worked hard.”

A narrow road, just wide enough for a single carriage. Since this road only led to the barbarian-infested South, there was hardly any traffic.

“I apologize for not providing an imperial carriage.”

“It’s fine. As you know, I’m more accustomed to riding a horse than a carriage.”

Baron Harun bowed his head, seemingly touched by Oliver’s words.

“…….”

Mart looked at him, intrigued.

‘I remember him visiting the mansion a few times before. I thought he was a rigid, unfeeling martial artist through and through… I didn’t know he could make such an expression.’

Harun, who served as an aide to the Valsar and McGovern families in the border region, willingly joined Oliver’s southern expedition in place of Kwell McGovern.

Kwell recommended him, but he was also a capable warrior who had previously apprehended Suan Hazar, for whom an arrest warrant had been issued.

“You’re working hard too.”

“Not at all. It’s an honor to serve you, Your Highness.”

“Kwell’s eldest son, wasn’t it? All your brothers are outstanding. I’m sorry about what happened to the fourth.”

Looking into Oliver’s eyes, Mart felt like he could understand Harun’s feelings a little.

‘Truly deep eyes, like a lake. It may be blasphemous to say, but it’s something I don’t see in His Majesty. Could my father have been captivated by those eyes?’

He was curious.

His father, despite being at the pinnacle as the continent’s greatest swordsman, was a stoic man who silently guarded the border for the sake of the empire.

Mart had, in fact, volunteered to serve under Oliver, like Harun, in this expedition, without informing his brothers.

He wanted to see with his own eyes why his father had chosen the illegitimate Oliver over the legitimate heir, Ruon.

“Forgive my presumption, but is it wise to go to the South through the Vestal Marquisate…”

Oliver smiled lightly at Mart’s words.

“I know what you’re worried about. He’s probably already prepared to deploy troops under his brother’s orders. But to go to the South via this road, we have no choice but to pass through the Marquisate.”

Unlike Ruon, who had deployed 70,000 troops, Oliver was only accompanied by thirty guards.

‘The Vestal Marquis may be incompetent, but his territory has the Wisteria Knights, who are in charge of defending the South.’

Moreover, there were 20,000 soldiers stationed in the Marquisate.

They couldn’t be withdrawn to defend the South, but they were enough to hinder them.

‘20,000 against 30…’

The difference in power was incomparable.

If the Vestal Marquis, under Ruon’s orders, decided to prevent Oliver from passing through, could they really escape?

‘As my father said, what if I were to harm the Prince…’

Thud-

It was then.

Lost in thought, Mart was startled by Oliver’s hand tapping his shoulder, and he looked at him.

“Your worries are written all over your face. Like your question, I know what you’re worried about. But what you need to do is not that, but to be my guard.”

“…Pardon me?”

“Worrying and solving problems is the king’s job, not the knight’s.”

In that moment, Mart felt an unapproachable dignity in his eyes, which had seemed so gentle.

“I… I am honored, Your Highness.”

He bowed his head without realizing it.

“We’ve been waiting.”

It was then.

Turning the corner of the road, a group of knights in purple armor were waiting for Oliver.

“…!!!”

At that moment, Mart couldn’t help but be surprised.

The person at the head was none other than Sir Jervang, the vice-commander of the Wisteria Knights.

‘Could it be…’

Why was it?

From Oliver’s unfathomable presence, he felt not the same reverence as Baron Harun, but fear.

* * *

Lord Tower.

Waaaaaaaah—!!!

Waaaah–!!

Deafening shouts echoed from all directions, and the ground trembled as if an earthquake had struck, as banners were repeatedly slammed into the ground.

“…….”

Watching the imperial army, which was raising its momentum as if it would charge at any moment from the ramparts, Marje sighed deeply.

“Any news from the royal palace?”

“There’s still no special message. They just keep saying they’re in discussion.”

“Fools…! Sitting at their desks, they wouldn’t know the state of the war.”

Brushing back his thick beard, he looked ahead.

Although he had not reached the realm of Sword Master, Marje, a veteran of many battles, was by no means afraid of the imperial army.

He was only concerned about the people of the border region, who had been conspicuously gathered in front of the castle and held captive for more than half a day.

“Did you get a message from Turtle Castle?”

“Yes. They say they are willing to open the gates if we agree.”

“That cunning fellow. The reason Twin Armor has been able to be the shield of the three kingdoms is that it has kept the internal appearance a secret. Letting them in is the same as showing our weaknesses.”

Aven had no intention of letting them through in the first place.

Marje thought that Aven must have said this knowing that he would never open the gates of the tower.

He was trying to pass everything on to him.

‘It’s a way to protect his kingdom without incurring the wrath of the empire. It’s not just the guys in the royal palace who are using their brains.’

He was displeased with Aven, but it was not in his nature to do such a thing in the first place.

“Prepare to sortie at any time.”

“Understood.”

The adjutant nodded at his words.

Kugugugugu…….

It was then.

The clear sky suddenly began to darken.

“There was no report that it would rain…”

The adjutant muttered with a bewildered expression.

But anyone could tell that it was not just a simple dark cloud.

“G, General!!”

With the sudden strange phenomenon, a magician belonging to Lord Tower hurriedly shouted for him.

“It’s… It’s a dungeon!!!!”

Ruon’s camp.

The people who had been captured for no reason were kneeling in the rice paddies, heads bowed, just hoping that the outcome of this situation would come quickly.

‘Why the hell…’

‘Damn it, why us…’

They were cursing all sorts of things inside, but they were just powerless people.

They were already resentful of the fact that the tax would be raised this harvest season, but now they realized that such complaints were a luxury.

Because now their lives were on the line.

Their hearts were torn as they stood on the rice paddies they had cultivated with such care, trampling on the grain they thought they could finally harvest after barely passing the spring poverty.

“Are you resentful of me?”

Ruon said, looking at them.

But no one answered. They knew very well that the moment they opened their mouths, their heads would be cut off.

“If you’re going to resent someone, resent them, not me. Because they dared to defy the empire.”

After the promised day had passed, he looked at Ajif as if he could no longer wait.

“Prepare the formation.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the shouts of the soldiers who had been waving their flags and shouting at the tower all stopped.

A long silence fell.

But everyone knew that the silence was a signal for the fierce battle to come.

“Your Highness, what about these people…”

“I have given all the consideration that the empire can give to a small country. Nevertheless, if they do not accept it, it means that their future will be the same as theirs.”

The captured people looked at Ruon and shouted.

“P, please save us!!”

“Your Highness!!!”

“Just our lives…!!”

Swish-

In response to their cries, Ruon, without changing his expression, beheaded the man kneeling next to him.

“H… Heeik!!”

“Kyaaak!!”

Ruon said coldly.

In reality, he didn’t care, but he muttered as if he was acting as if he couldn’t help it.

“I offered it because I valued your lives, but unfortunately, it seems that they don’t value your lives, so what can I do?”

Ruon raised his hand.

Chuck-!! Cheok–!!

Chaaack–!!

As Ruon raised his hand, the soldiers guarding the prisoners all aimed their weapons at once.

There was no escape.

The prisoners stared blankly at the sharp blades that would soon pierce their hearts.

“…….”

Their lives would end when he lowered his hand. The moment Ruon’s hand slowly went down.

It was then.

Kugugugugugugu……!!!!

Suddenly, the world went dark as if there was a power outage, and dark clouds filled the sky in an instant.

As if night had come, Ruon’s hand, which was going down, stopped.

“What is it?”

Ruon looked up at the sky with a hardened face, feeling an eerie sensation above his head.

People were relieved that his arm, which had almost taken their lives, had stopped, but their peace did not last long.

Something was wrong.

“……!!!!”

Something falling like rain.

The moment he saw it, Ruon’s eyes widened as he stared at the sky.

His hand, which had been lowered, hurriedly pointed back to the sky. With trembling lips, he shouted.

“Sh… Shoot!!!”

What he was pointing at.

Monsters were pouring down from the sky as if a hole had been drilled in it.

* * *

Thump-!! Kuwoooong–!!

The moment they saw the identity of the monsters falling from the sky, everyone, whether they were from the imperial army or Twin Armor, couldn’t help but be shocked.

Something swooped past the heads of the people who were staring at the sky with faces frozen in terror.

Crack.

With the sound of bones breaking, a scream of “Aaaagh-!!” faded faintly into the sky.

Thump……!! Thump……! Thump!!

Kwaaaang……!!

Just a few seconds later, the corpses of people torn to pieces fell from the sky like rain.

“Kyaaaaak!!!”

“Euaaak!!”

People screamed and ran away as if they were crazy at the pieces of flesh and blood falling on their heads.

[Kireuk…… Kireureuk!!]

[Kikikik!!!]

The harpies filling the sky began to laugh as if they were enjoying their terrified appearance.

Kugugugugu…….

Gugeugeu…….

The huge dimensional gate that had poured out the harpies slowly descended and stood upright like a mirror between the imperial army and Twin Armor.

Woooong-

The dimensional gate seemed to connect to the ground, and a huge cave began to form.

“No way…….”

Even Marje, a veteran of many battles, was seeing the creation of an S-class dungeon with his own eyes for the first time.

“Attack!!”

The soldiers of Twin Armor responded with arrows and magical artillery fire from outside the castle, but they were already struggling to deal with the monsters coming towards the castle.

“General……!! The imperial army is retreating!!”

“The people in front……!!”

With the sudden appearance of the dungeon, the imperial army abandoned the prisoners they had captured in the center without a moment’s hesitation and quickly retreated the front line towards the Pona River.

Even with a healthy body, it was never easy to escape from monsters.

“Aaaagh……!!”

“Aak!!!”

“S, save me……!!”

However, to make matters worse, the people who had their arms and legs tied up were being ravaged by the monsters’ teeth without being able to even stand properly.

The screams of the people poured into the castle.

Ppatdeuk-

Marje gnashed his teeth at the sight.

‘What is the shield of Istan…!!’

Even while watching the people dying before his eyes, Marje couldn’t bring himself to open the castle gates in the face of the pouring monsters.

It was literally a scene of carnage.

[Keuooooooo–!!]

But that wasn’t the end of it.

The harpies, who had been happily flying in the sky, were frightened by the sudden huge cry and began to scatter like a flock of pigeons.

Kuoong…… Kuoong…… Thump……!!

The ground shook with every step. The monster that appeared from the entrance of the dungeon.

A huge axe and two sharp horns.

[Pureureu…….]

Saliva dripping from the corners of his mouth as he breathed out.

“M, Minotaur?!”

The soldiers screamed in surprise at the appearance of the monster.

* * *

“D, damn it……! What the hell is going on!!”

Ruon shouted as if he couldn’t believe what was happening.

“It’s fortunate that the people we captured as prisoners are acting as shields to stop the monsters’ advance. If we retreat the front line as it is, the monsters will head towards Twin Armor instead of us.”

Ajif thought as he watched the dimensional gate created in the sky gradually descend and begin to create a huge dungeon.

“Even if it’s not us, even Twin Tower will have to suffer great damage from a dungeon of that level. It may take some time, but I think we can get over the castle without losing any troops.”

“Damn it, I won’t be able to face my father like this.”

Ruon said as if he didn’t like the situation that was happening against his will.

‘But a Minotaur… An S-class dungeon suddenly like this without any warning…? Surely, an upper-level dungeon appears after lower-level dungeons are created…’

He hadn’t received any reports about it.

Ajif looked back with an incomprehensible expression, but turned his head at the sight of the dying people.

‘It can’t be helped.’

Yes, it’s unfair to them, but it can’t be helped.

Anyway, it’s something they’ve experienced countless times.

Ajif urged himself on.

Hiiiing……!!!

It was then.

The horses at the front suddenly stopped and a cry was heard. The severed heads of harpies were scattered everywhere.

“So this is the real face of the Empire’s prince.”

A low voice.

“W, who is it!!!”

Turning his head, he saw a boy sitting on top of a pile of harpy corpses with severed necks.

The knights hurriedly protected Ruon and shouted at his sudden appearance.

An overwhelming feeling.

The knights couldn’t stop him as he approached, unable to draw their swords from their scabbards. They just stared at him with tense faces.

“A guy who’s going to be king is using the people as a shield and running away…”

Silence flowed.

“Ruon.”

Kahlil looked up at him.

“Is it just a selfish decision?”

The prince glared at him with a hardened face at Kahlil’s appearance, calling his name so casually.

“Or…….”

He looked young, but the way he spoke was not at all.

Kahlil raised the corners of his lips and asked.

“Are you scared?”

At that moment.

The prince’s face contorted.