The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 201

158. For the Family

“Father.”

Tiren sought out Kwell, who was preparing to leave for the territory.

“You’ve come.”

A gaunt face in just a few days.

Tiren examined Kwell’s complexion and let out a soft sigh.

“You must have many concerns. I truly didn’t expect Carryl, that child, to return in such a way, and to cause such a commotion…”

“It’s unbelievable.”

“Yes, not only the power of the Spirit King, but above all, Carryl being the reason for the defeat at Twin Armor. What on earth was he thinking…? If things had gone wrong, the McGovern family’s survival could have been jeopardized.”

Tiren clicked his tongue.

“That child had ties to His Majesty. Perhaps this is also His Majesty’s command.”

“Their conversation didn’t seem very amicable for that to be the case.”

Kwell nodded at his words.

The Empire could now be said to be clearly divided into the Emperor, the First Prince, and the Second Prince factions.

Outwardly, everyone follows the Emperor, but the throne can always change if an opportunity arises.

In the tense tug-of-war between the three, Carryl’s appearance was a wake-up call for everyone.

“But it was helpful in the end. For the time being, Prince Ruon will be busy stabilizing his forces again.”

“Watch your words. This is the Imperial Palace.”

At Kwell’s words, Tiren carefully nodded.

“What about my brother?”

“He said he’s going to Tatur.”

“Yes?”

Tiren exclaimed in surprise at Kwell’s unexpected answer.

“Meeting Carryl again at a time like this…”

“It’s not a good decision. But for some reason, he insisted that it had to be now.”

“He’s not usually like that…”

“He’s old enough to make his own decisions. Sometimes that can be a mistake, though.”

Mart was more knowledgeable about aristocratic society than anyone else. Kwell felt that he was expressing his opinion properly for the first time.

“Is it related to His Majesty summoning Father?”

Kwell shook his head at Tiren’s question.

“No. It’s Mart’s own decision. More than that, I’m worried because I heard that Jake’s health isn’t good.”

The fifth of the McGovern family.

One year younger than Carryl, he was a very frail child compared to his other brothers.

It had been several years since Kwell brought him from the monastery where he had been abandoned, but he was still quiet and weak, mostly staying in his room.

Therefore, even after Carryl, who had made the mansion noisy, arrived, Jake and Carryl rarely saw each other.

“It’s natural to worry about the fifth, but… I wonder if Father returning to the mansion has anything to do with His Majesty.”

Kwell answered the question about Mart immediately, but he couldn’t easily open his mouth to this question.

“His Majesty told me to resolve the McGovern family’s affairs within the family.”

“Are you saying… to cut off Carryl?”

Tiren didn’t understand.

Although Carryl had provoked him, now that Tatur had become an independent state, using him, a McGovern, would give the Empire the key to breaking the three-way power system—a golden opportunity.

“His Majesty didn’t make any demands regarding Carryl. However… He told me to bring Jake to the Imperial Palace.”

“Yes?!”

“He said he was worried about the child’s health and told me to bring the child myself.”

“Are you saying you’re going to bring Jake to the Imperial Palace?”

Kwell heavily shook his head at Tiren’s words.

“He’s going to Heim.”

“…That’s outrageous!”

Kwell nodded quietly at Tiren’s outcry.

“Yes, it’s outrageous. But what can we do? The fact that Jake’s health isn’t good is already known to all the nobles… Since His Majesty said it himself, I can’t refuse.”

“Heim is the Holy Land of the Order [a powerful religious organization]. No one can enter without permission. In some ways, it’s more isolated from the outside world than the Imperial Palace.”

He couldn’t possibly not know the Emperor’s intention to take him hostage rather than treat him.

Tiren, who didn’t express his emotions well, raised his voice this time.

The Emperor’s demand was too harsh.

‘I know that the reason why you kept me and Randol in the capital after the Goblin extermination was to keep Father in check.’

But thanks to Olivon’s skills, both of them were able to join the court mage and the Knights of Lyeo, who were both people of the Second Prince faction.

As if not to repeat the same mistake, the Emperor openly demanded Jake this time.

‘The Order… only gives strength to His Majesty. Once Jake goes to Heim, there’s no way to get him back…’

There were only two ways: to obey the Emperor’s orders or for Olivon to ascend to the throne.

The latter method was the most ideal, but if things went wrong, Jake’s life could be in danger before that.

‘So far, the succession of the Imperial throne has never been done normally.’

The current Emperor is also struggling so hard to avoid being deprived of his position rather than giving it up.

The curse of the throne.

In the end, he couldn’t get the position without seeing blood.

‘The Emperor is planning to check Carryl, Prince Olivon, and our McGovern family at the same time through Father.’

It was impossible not to admire his extraordinary idea.

But it was by no means a welcome thing to be the target of that scheme.

“The beginning was probably… because of the illness Carryl had. We need to find out what that is first.”

Tiren nodded at Kwell’s words.

Carryl announced Tatur’s independence in the Sun Palace in the presence of all the ministers.

‘The land of slaves and ethnic minorities.’

They were still trying to keep it a secret within the Empire, but rumors were faster than wings, and slaves from all over were frequently deserting to Tatur.

‘If it were His Majesty, he would have beheaded Carryl in the Sun Palace that day.’

But he couldn’t.

The conquering king of the world let Carryl go back leisurely in front of all his vassals.

Weakness.

Everyone there realized it at once.

《Carryl McGovern holds the Emperor’s weakness.》

That’s why the Emperor, who wanted to take Carryl’s head right away, couldn’t give any special orders, and conversely, the vassals couldn’t strike Tatur because they needed Carryl to bring down the Emperor, who had only been felt as a high wall, from the throne.

‘In a way, that guy Carryl is more amazing than His Majesty.’

If the Emperor came up with the best way to use Kwell in the worst situation, Carryl protected Tatur, or rather, the lives of thousands… tens of thousands of ethnic minorities, without any damage, while holding everyone in the Empire back.

It was something no one else had done.

A great feat that could be called a great achievement.

‘Yes, Carryl. You’re amazing.’

Clench—!!

But Tiren clenched his fist without realizing it.

‘A very formidable enemy.’

Because there wasn’t a single McGovern among the tens of thousands of people he had protected.

‘Abandon the family and save more people? I can’t be such a great man. The family that took me in after I was abandoned is more precious to me.’

Tiren looked up at Kwell.

‘Then I will protect the family.’

He said quietly to his father as if he had made up his mind.

“Father, thanks to the consideration of Lord Kadin Luer, I was also able to attend the funeral of the Third Prince in the Sun Palace.”

“That’s right.”

“Do you remember what Prince Ruon said in the Sun Palace when Carryl took off his mask at that time?”

“Hmm…”

Kwell stroked his chin as if trying to remember Tiren’s words. But it was difficult to remember everything one by one because it was such a hectic situation.

“He said that the color of his eyes is not brown.”

But surprisingly, Tiren remembered everything without forgetting it.

Tiren did not miss that one word that everyone had taken lightly.

“Wouldn’t he have said that because he thought he was an imperial citizen?”

“That may be the case. But there was a sense of incongruity in Prince Ruon’s reaction. Besides, he must have met Carryl at Twin Armor.”

Tiren said carefully.

“Perhaps Carryl wasn’t wearing a mask at that time. Don’t you know? Ethnic minorities can’t change their eye color. Even if the red eyes are the power of Laminue [a powerful artifact or deity], other colors are impossible. But…”

Kwell looked at him.

“It’s possible with magic.”

“Could it be… Are you saying that Carryl has magical power?”

Kwell asked with a worried voice at Tiren’s words.

“I don’t know. Even my teacher couldn’t confirm it, so it’s honestly close to impossible.”

Kadin Luer, a 7th class archmage, did not say that Carryl had magical power.

If he couldn’t do it, no one else could confirm it.

“Tiren, are you still keeping the magic competition of Azor in mind?”

Tiren shrugged slightly at Kwell’s words.

Because everyone had forgotten about it now.

“The best way is to ask Prince Ruon directly… But it’s impossible in the current situation. The same goes for Lord Ajif.”

“…”

“He’s a child who has gained the power of the Flame King. He always exceeds our imagination. Of course, it may be just my speculation. I guess I’m at an age where I’m stubborn.”

He smiled bitterly, quoting what Kwell had said earlier.

“But if he really gained magical power… Maybe that will be poison.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I don’t know how he gained magical power, but just as Carryl holds His Majesty’s weakness, we may be able to hold his weakness.”

Tiren took a breath for a moment.

“Why would he wear a mask? To pretend to be an imperial citizen. Why? Because he’s not a man who will be satisfied with just Tatur. Someday… He will eat the three countries and cast his teeth on the Empire.”

“…”

“Father, I have an idea.”

Kwell looked at him.

“Tell him to let the three countries know his true identity. And if he doesn’t want that to happen, tell him to save Jake from Heim. An ethnic minority pretending to be an imperial citizen. That will be fatal to him.”

Tiren said coldly.

“He’s already at odds with the Empire anyway. At this time when the power of the three countries is needed, he will save Jake in order to hide his identity.”

“…What’s next?”

“Report to His Majesty in advance that he’s coming to Heim, so that he can take his head. No matter how well he flies, it’s possible with the power of the Order and the power of the Empire…”

Slap—!!

It was then.

Tiren belatedly realized that his vision had been turned over along with the dizzying pain he felt on his cheek.

“…”

With a dumbfounded face, he looked at Kwell.

His cheeks were burning.

“Stop it.”

Kwell looked at him and shook his head.

“Tiren, you’re trying to do the same thing as His Majesty right now. Carryl is your brother. Are you trying to threaten that child! Calling him a bastard, taking his head. How can you say that! How can you call the sixth of the McGovern family that way. You’re the one who doesn’t have humanity!”

But at his words, Tiren frowned instead.

“Why are you so biased towards Carryl? Blood is not connected, but everyone is the same. That’s what you always said, Father.”

Wiping the blood from his mouth, he said sharply.

“Is what that bastard is doing really something that an equal brother would do? No. Rather, that bastard is the one who will destroy the family!”

“That’s…”

“Or did something happen in the North? I heard that you met the Order mercenary corps during the Northern Expedition. Your complexion hasn’t been good since then.”

Tiren asked worriedly, but rather, Kwell’s complexion worsened at those words.

With a desperate voice, Kwell grabbed Tiren’s shoulder and asked back.

“Who else knows about that story? I told the Blue Knights to keep it a secret.”

“…Yes?”

Rather, Tiren asked back with a bewildered face at Kwell’s unexpectedly surprised appearance.

“Was that… a secret? Keuk!!”

At Kwell’s question, Tiren frowned, feeling pain in the shoulder he was holding.

“I, I heard it from Gordon Fabian. He told me on the airship when I was heading south… But he talked about it casually as if it wasn’t a big deal.”

Kwell, seeing his face, hurriedly released his hand.

“…Ah, no. That’s what he said. It’s nothing.”

“…”

‘What is it? He’s not the type to lie, so why… If Father told his vassals to keep it a secret, something must have happened. Something hidden in the North that I don’t know about…’

He didn’t say anything, but he had already keenly noticed Kwell’s condition.

There was a clear handprint of Kwell on his face, even though he had only been grabbed once.

“This matter must be done secretly. His Majesty must not know that we are contacting Carryl.”

“If I had known this would happen, I would have told him when Mart went to Tatur.”

Tiren shook his head at Kwell’s words.

“My brother’s movements have already been reported to His Majesty’s ears. Rather, when Brother Mart returns to the territory, entrust him with the escort of Jake and have him go to Heim together. My brother, who has been to Tatur, will be suspected by the Emperor, so it’s better to go to Heim to avoid suspicion. Also, he can take care of Jake.”

“Then what are you going to do with Tatur?”

“Isn’t there one person in the South who can move freely while avoiding His Majesty’s eyes?”

“Don’t tell me…”

Tiren nodded, looking at Kwell, who was making a face as if he had noticed.

“The fourth.”

He said with strength in his voice.

“Use Randol.”