The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 177

140. A New Day

‘A dragon?’

[Indeed. They possess magic surpassing any other being on the continent and have a high affinity with spirits. If there’s a dragon here, it will see through your essence, which shares the same magic.]

Carryl chuckled at Laminu’s words.

‘I was worried for a second… But I don’t think I need to worry about that. Where am I? This is the Imperial Palace, of all places.’

[It never hurts to be cautious.]

Carryl paused, taken aback by his words.

In his past life, Carryl had met most of the dragons remaining on the continent while carrying out the oracle.

But when he thought of dragons, only one name came to mind.

The Platinum Dragon, Nardie Maugg.

‘Just….’

There was only one thing that bothered him.

The conversation they had when he told Carryl that the Dragon’s Heart was in Einherjar.

[Just a passing curiosity. I wondered who was the strongest among the three powerhouses of the continent, including your father. They would never fight directly over politics or anything like that… So, I sought them out myself.]

The Three Greats of the Continent.

An honorable title given to the three who reached the pinnacle of sword, magic, and martial arts.

His father, Quell McGovern, the leader of the Dawn Society; the master of the Ivory Tower, Archmage Verch Blano; and finally, the Fist King, Balbont.

At that time, Nardie Maugg said he had only come into the world once to meet those three.

He said he had visited the mansion to meet Quell McGovern.

[If you were just a little younger… or if your father had introduced you to me when you were younger. Comparing you to the Three Greats, let alone your father, would have been laughable.]

And recalling that time, he had lamented while evaluating Carryl’s swordsmanship.

“……”

Carryl shook his head, reminiscing about the past.

‘At that time, Nardie Maugg said he had visited the mansion. But in terms of timing, it’s already in the past. Honestly, at first, I thought about staying at the mansion to meet him….’

If he had waited like that,

He might have met Nardie Maugg sooner than now.

But what about the time in between?

He might have become stronger with the help of a dragon, but if he had just stayed at the mansion, he wouldn’t have made connections with Tatur, Azor’s magic guild, the southern forces, and furthermore, the nobles of the Istrian Three Kingdoms and Gordon Fabian.

‘If that were the case, it would have been impossible for a foreigner like me to set foot in the Imperial Palace.’

The time spent in vain would have been too precious.

Now, he believed his choice was wise.

Because he needed influence, not just individual strength.

Besides, the suspicions surrounding Nardie Maugg that had been accumulating over time had not yet been resolved.

However, if there was one thing that suddenly bothered him about Laminu’s words,

‘The only dragon who helped humans after the oracle was given was him.’

Carryl shook his head.

‘No. Even so, it’s hard to believe that Nardie Maugg is related to the Emperor right now.’

The reason Carryl was so sure was not because he knew the Platinum Dragon well.

On the contrary, it was because he knew the Emperor, Tyran Schtean’s, disposition.

‘If a dragon were related to the Empire, that snake-like bastard wouldn’t have stayed still. He would have used it somehow.’

If the Empire, already reigning as the strongest on the continent, had a guardian dragon, the Emperor would have used it to crush the remaining two forces on a large scale.

Dragons, who must uphold the rules in the process of making a covenant, cannot attack other countries, but they must do their best to protect their own kingdom.

‘That alone is enough. Just not having to use the Empire’s military power for defense multiplies its strength.’

In the Age of Magic, there were occasionally dragons who made covenants with kingdoms and became guardian dragons, making human wars resemble dragon wars.

But now, it was hard to even see a dragon, so there was no way they would get involved in human affairs.

[You never know. It’s been hundreds of years since the spirit world and the human world were severed. But now I’m with you, aren’t I?]

‘We’re different. To be honest, I didn’t even know you existed.’

[You don’t know all humans either.]

“……?”

Carryl tilted his head, seemingly puzzled by Laminu’s words, but he stopped there.

Knock- knock- knock-

The sound of knocking on the door was heard.

“Come in.”

Carryl replied in a slightly nervous voice.

He was curious to know who would be the first guest to visit him.

“Hmm?”

The person who opened the door was unexpectedly a soldier he didn’t know.

He saluted Carryl with a tense face.

“Excuse me.”

“What’s going on?”

“Yes. Sir Quell has ordered me to quietly escort Carryl-nim….”

Carryl let out a low sigh at the soldier’s words.

‘Of all the places, it had to be the most uncomfortable one first.’

His father, Quell, was the person he wanted to meet last if possible.

Because he wanted to meet Mart first in the palace before that.

‘Well, honestly, it’s difficult.’

The Imperial Palace was a place where not only Ruon and Oliven were present, but also three of the Empire’s four dukes were gathered.

It was not easy for Mart to come and see Carryl in this place where so many prominent people were present.

‘Come to think of it, that Oliven guy. He was definitely there, but he didn’t say a word.’

Carryl recalled him standing quietly among the officials. If he hadn’t paid attention, he might have passed by without even knowing he was an Imperial Prince.

‘That guy already knew. He knew that opening his mouth in such a place would only be a loss.’

“……”

Carryl hesitated for a moment, grabbing the doorknob.

A sudden question.

Although the Emperor did not imprison him, he clearly told him to be discreet.

That meant he would not allow any meetings for the remaining three days of Cromen’s funeral.

‘Would Father really disobey His Majesty’s orders to meet me?’

No.

But Quell would not be absent from the place he was going now.

“You’re wasting your brain unnecessarily. You bastard.”

He seemed to know who was waiting for him.

Carryl smiled wryly, thinking of the person who had not revealed his presence in case he refused to meet him alone because of the Emperor’s orders.

Squeak-

He slowly opened the door and quietly walked down the hallway.

‘Okay, you couldn’t say a word earlier… Let’s hear your voice for the first time in a while.’

* * *

“Seeing them like this, they are truly beautiful eyes.”

Carryl looked up.

As he expected, Oliven was waiting for him in the room at the end of the hallway.

And the two people standing behind him.

Quell McGovern and Kadin Luer.

Carryl thought as he looked at them.

‘Kadin joined Oliven’s faction as in my past life. Then Brin Inique and Belin Valenton must be the core of Ruon’s faction… The reason they didn’t call me is probably to find a way to save Ruon’s position before meeting me.’

Carryl sorted out the situation in his head.

It was a time of upheaval, but he had already experienced the events of the Empire in his past life, and from the beginning, they were just pieces moving on the board he had created.

Generally, the Ruon faction, with two of the Empire’s four dukes, would seem to be more dominant, but the reality was different.

Sword and magic.

Oliven, who had made both Quell and Kadin his own, had built a power that could not be compared to Ruon.

‘There are already more knights who follow Father than Belin, the commander of the Total Knights, and behind Kadin, who is from the Dawn Society, are the mages of the Ivory Tower.’

If he had to consider a variable….

Duke Neil Blanc, the remaining one of the four dukes.

But he was only rumored to exist, and no one in the Empire had ever seen his face.

‘I couldn’t even confirm if he existed in the first place, and no one knew him in my past life either.’

Carryl had never seen Neil Blanc either.

Perhaps he was a fictional character created by the Emperor to balance the dukes.

At least, if he were a duke, he should have his own duchy, but even Neil Blanc’s territory was unknown.

“I am honored.”

Carryl lightly brushed around his eyes at Oliven’s words.

Among the ten people of the oracle, there was Miliana, a barbarian, but even she had magic, so she did not have black eyes.

Evidence of heresy.

Ironically, he was at the forefront of fulfilling the oracle more than anyone else, but no matter what achievements he showed, people looked at him with prejudiced eyes as a foreigner.

It was a strange feeling.

No one had ever called his eyes beautiful in his entire life.

Ironically, that first compliment came from someone who had tried to kill him.

“I have already heard of your martial prowess in the Sun Hall. The 40,000 prisoners in Twin Armor could have been a concern for His Majesty… I am grateful that you came here.”

“It’s nothing.”

“There is only one thing that I didn’t take seriously, but strangely, seeing you reminds me of what happened in Piasta.”

Oliven said to Carryl.

“The Slave King.”

His voice echoed softly in the room.

“A few years ago, I caught him in Piasta. As the manager of Tatur, he was quite a nuisance to the Empire because he helped not only slaves but also foreigners escape at times.”

Carryl felt Oliven’s eyes watching him.

“But he broke out of prison and escaped.”

“……”

“Haha, it’s nothing. I heard from Sir Quell that he is in Tatur now. I was wondering if you had heard anything about him.”

Oliven smiled faintly.

‘He knows I took Suan out with me.’

If he had shown a bewildered expression, Oliven would have latched onto it.

But Carryl had already considered the possibility that he knew enough.

At that time, Oliven’s eyes in Tatur were not just Aedan alone.

‘Juke di Hold.’

Carryl recalled her face, which he had forgotten for a long time.

‘I haven’t seen her since we parted in Tatur, but she probably hasn’t returned to the Eastern Country yet, so she might be here now.’

But fortunately, perhaps.

From Oliven’s words, it seemed that he did not yet know that he reigned as the lord of the South.

‘The fact that she didn’t report the affairs of the South to Oliven… Could it be that she had a change of heart after meeting Aedan?

It wouldn’t be bad if she came to my side.

Juke’s talent was outstanding, and her abilities would double with Aedan.

But she was not important now.

“I heard from Sir Quell. Quell’s adopted son, right? As you know, your father wants to serve me. And you know what this place I called you to means.”

Doo-geun… Doo-geun… [Sound of a heart beating]

There is no absolute gap for the Imperial Prince.

The distance between Oliven and himself was less than 50 meters. Even if Quell McGovern was there, he could definitely cut off Oliven’s head if he swung his sword.

“……”

That day in his past life comes to mind.

How could he forget, even after countless eons had passed?

The day the Emperor he trusted tried to kill him.

“Hoo….”

But Carryl let out a low breath and suppressed the murderous intent that had instinctively surged up.

Not yet.

A little more….

He had to wait for the right time.

He had been waiting for countless eons as he said, so he couldn’t make a mistake with scattered emotions.

“Well, wouldn’t the person my father wants to serve be a king for the people?”

Carryl said coldly.

The atmosphere in the room froze instantly at that bold remark.

He saw Quell’s face looking embarrassed, but Carryl didn’t care.

“The dawn is breaking. Your Highness. It’s different from yesterday.”

He said quietly.

“Now it’s a new day.”