The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 258

181. Preparing for the Eve

“What are you going to do now?”

Serika asked with a stern face upon returning to the base. The commander, who had quickly dealt with the remnants of Yoman’s forces and issued a standby order, also waited anxiously for Carryl’s words beside her.

It was a natural reaction, considering he had not only single-handedly subdued Ganes, who was known as the strongest in the Principality, but also arrived riding a drake from the Wyvern 1st Unit.

“Besides, what are those drakes?”

“They are remnants who joined us in the midstream of Vinfredo. Isn’t it common in war to incorporate stragglers into our forces?”

Carryl said as if it were nothing.

‘…That’s only possible because the stragglers are human.’

Serika looked at him, who was speaking glibly, with an incredulous expression.

“Are you going to support Brown Ant? That woman, she spoke proudly as a Sword Master, but seeing as she didn’t come with you, I guess she’s still tied up?”

She snorted and said.

‘S, Sword Master again?!’

The commander next to her gaped at Serika’s words, unable to hide his surprised face.

It was because two Sword Masters had appeared when none had appeared for decades.

‘How did I not know until now?’

The commander looked at Carryl.

The future of the continent could change depending on which side the two Sword Masters belonged to.

Of course,

the commander had no way of knowing that the two were already on the same side.

‘If only Lord Changwang were here at times like this…’

But the commander knew it was a belated regret.

The remaining of the Five Great Sword Masters were Gordon Fabian of the Kyodo Mercenary Corps and Balbont, known as the Fist King.

However, neither of them belonged to any faction.

Considering that even the great powers of the continent, the Empire and the Principality, had only one Sword Master each, the emergence of two Sword Masters certainly had great significance.

That’s why the absence of Changwang was even more regrettable.

Excluding the four Sword Masters mentioned, the last one was Changwang (Spear King) Dustin Philip.

He was originally a Sword Master belonging to the Principality, but as the oldest of the five Sword Masters, he declared his retirement and hid his existence.

On the day of his retirement, Dustin said that he would enjoy rural life somewhere in the northwest, but in fact, the northwest of the Principality was where the most beasts and monsters lived within the Principality’s territory, so it was unlikely that he had easily given up his spear.

He trusted Ganes and gave up his position, but he would never have imagined that he would lose in this way.

“You don’t have to worry about Brown Ant. Unlike you, she must have completely occupied the swamp. She’s probably advancing to Frau Hat by now.”

“Unlike me?”

Serika frowned slightly.

“The level is different. Unlike a child who needs a lot of attention, she doesn’t need help.”

“…….”

Although she didn’t say anything, Carryl didn’t miss the slight vein popping out on her forehead.

“Otherwise, her neck would have already been blown away by Ganes’s halberd. I may be great, but I haven’t learned necromancy yet. I don’t know how to reattach a severed head.”

Carryl continued to tease her as if her reaction was amusing.

“…I definitely received help.”

For some reason, she would have usually retorted, but surprisingly, she readily admitted it.

Carryl looked at Serika.

She pretended to be okay, but she experienced the fear of death for the first time.

Strong and confident, but still young.

Death could never be familiar, and she would never have imagined it.

It was natural, but the aftereffects of the battle with Ganes did not easily fade away.

“It’s the battlefield you commanded. You’re strong enough just for not crying in that place.”

Carryl smiled at her.

“You still need a lot of attention, though.”

“Wh, what…”

Serika blushed and shouted as he patted her shoulder lightly.

“Was it half a year? The time you said you could catch up with the gap between you and Ganes. The war we have to go through is long. Half a year will pass much faster than you think. Don’t stop so you don’t fall behind.”

“Hmph… Don’t worry.”

“Of course. Use the life you’ve been given more valuable. I sent you to earn your keep, but you’re getting my help instead. It’s not the time to whine about following Mihail.”

“…Who’s whining?”

She rubbed her reddened cheeks with the back of her hand as if trying to hide them and answered.

“You seem uneasy.”

Carryl said, looking at the commander behind Serika.

“…Yes?”

As if his feelings had been read, he swallowed hard without realizing it.

“Well, I understand. You must be feeling complicated. You’re from the Principality. Although it’s a civil war, it’s about killing your comrades. Besides, we who are helping are not affiliated with the Principality.”

The commander looked bewildered at Carryl’s words.

“As history tells us, there are no eternal allies. From your point of view, we may be seen as strong enemies who will return someday. You’re worried that we might become enemies, right?”

Carryl nodded.

“You’re a good commander. You don’t settle for the victory or defeat in front of you but worry about the future of a more distant country. He must be praising you.”

‘…He?’

“Well, that’s why he didn’t object to Serika’s appearance and easily handed over the command.”

The commander didn’t know how to react to the unexpected praise and looked embarrassed.

“As you said, there are no eternal allies. Then what is the way to improve this uneasy relationship of ours?”

“Th, that’s…”

The commander hesitated, looking at Carryl.

“A way to become eternal allies.”

“Th, that…”

“I think you can come up with an answer.”

At the moment when he was confused about how to answer his question, the commander realized that Carryl’s last words were not directed at him.

Because Carryl’s gaze was behind him.

He hurriedly turned around.

“……!!!”

At that moment,

the commander was startled and hurriedly stepped back and lowered his head.

“You’re being mischievous.”

“I just want to hear your opinion.”

Carryl said, looking at the man standing at the door.

“Anthem Howard.”

With a slightly pale face, he gave a faint bitter smile as if to match this mischievous prank and answered.

‘Why is the person who should be on the Vinfredo midstream front here…’

The commander looked at Anthem with trembling eyes.

“The method is simple.”

Everyone’s eyes were on him.

“Turn allies into our own forces.”

Carryl nodded as if satisfied with Anthem’s answer.

“That’s right.”

Step— Step— Step—

“Just put them under me.”

Carryl, who had moved, looked out the window at the remnants of Yoman’s prisoners of war and the Fran soldiers guarding them, and said quietly.

‘Wh, what is this…’

The commander couldn’t help but doubt his own eyes and ears. It was Anthem who had been defending the front line until now, replacing Fran, who was tied up in Cove and unable to advance.

“That’s right.”

But now, isn’t he bowing his head to Carryl, not Fran?

“Is the preparation ready?”

“It’s almost over. The garrison of Vinfredo is gathering. Now that the Great Wall has fallen, if Frau Hat is cleared, all roads leading to White Bunker can be said to be in our hands.”

“Hmm…”

Carryl nodded at Anthem’s words and unfolded and folded his fingers as if counting the days.

Then he raised the corners of his mouth as if he had remembered something.

“It’ll be about two months at most now. There’s not much left.”

“Yes?”

“Something fun will happen in the Empire soon.”

Serika and Anthem, who did not know that Emperor Tylan Schtean’s life was not long, unless Miliana was here, tilted their heads as if they could not understand his words.

“Of course, the mountain to overcome is still high. The Golem Corps, which is the main force of the Principality, remains in White Bunker.”

“That’s right. In fact… Although the Wyvern 1st Unit is on our side, the Meister Corps of White Bunker is not an easy force to defeat.”

“Compared to the Wyvern Unit?”

“The drakes of the 1st Unit, who inherited the blood of the Flame Dragon, are strong, but the outer skin of the Golem is covered with defensive magic. In particular, the golems of the Meister Corps are made of parts from the Magic Age found in the ruins, so they have high resistance to each attribute.”

“Hmm.”

“Besides, Revol, controlled by Wingel Hart, the supervisor and golem operator who leads the Meister, is completely different from other golems in size and threat.”

Anthem replied to Carryl’s words with a dark complexion.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to avoid all-out war.”

“Then?”

“Assassination.”

Carryl smiled faintly as if agreeing with a calm expression.

“It’s not impossible, but if we win by assassination, the public opinion will plummet. Will they follow us then?”

“The people are ignorant. What’s more important is whether they can fill their stomachs and sleep warmly than who the owner is.”

“I’m not talking about the people. I’m talking about the nobles.”

Anthem was taken aback when he pointed out a part he hadn’t thought of.

“It’s good to eliminate the seeds of rebellion. But the throne built with blood will eventually be stained with blood.”

“Then…”

“Even if Tulli is removed, the dukes of the Principality still remain. I don’t intend to kill them. Instead, I want to use them to rule the nobles. What is needed to make them follow me is not a trick like assassination, but an overwhelming force that cannot be resisted.”

“…But the Meister Corps has never come out of White Bunker, so Carryl may be saying that because he hasn’t seen them. If there were no ships to carry them and the Meister Corps was trapped in the Principality, the Empire would not have been safe already if they could cross the strait.”

He said with a confident voice.

“Me?”

But unlike Anthem, Carryl’s eyes shone even more at his advice.

Of course, he wouldn’t know.

That it was Carryl who fought against the corruption with the Meister Corps in the Holy War.

There would be no one who has experienced large golems more than him in the present.

‘As well as monsters as huge as those golems…’

Carryl said with a firm face.

“Don’t worry. I have no intention of losing the war.”

Anthem’s eyes shook at Carryl’s words.

“…Doesn’t Carryl think that I might betray him and inform Tulli of this fact?”

Carryl smiled faintly at his question.

“You won’t. You’re not loyal to the Principality, but to the people living in the Principality. You’ve already calculated who is more useful to this land.”

There was a reason why Carryl had such confidence in him.

In his previous life, Anthem did not follow Tulli after the defeat of the civil war and crossed the strait to the Three Kingdoms of Istria.

Even among the nobles of the Principality, there was no doubt about his outstanding abilities.

However, the nobles were wary of him because he was from another country and was a Fran soldier.

It was the same anxiety that the commander felt after learning about Carryl’s strength.

Just as there are no eternal allies, the victorious nobles were now worried that he might covet their positions, so they would kick him out.

And Anthem already knew that his future would be like that after Tulli’s victory now that Fran was ruined.

“I can’t beat you. Really…”

Anthem shook his head as if he had nothing more to say at Carryl’s appearance as if it were too natural.

“I will end the civil war within a month.”

Carryl said as if declaring.

It was a war that had been going on for several months. But no one could refute his appearance as if he could decide the outcome of the war as he pleased.

Gulp—

Anthem swallowed hard.

“Finish preparing for departure.”

Carryl said with an expectant voice.

“So let’s all watch the spectacle that will take place in the Empire together.”