The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 286

192. Heim (4)

“What did you just say?”

Oliver’s face hardened as he glared at Caryl.

“I am the prince of the Empire. Do you think that even a king of a nation can speak informally to me?”

However, Caryl scoffed and said,

“The Empire? What is that? From the Duchy to the Three Kingdoms of Istria, no successor, let alone a king, dares to match me. Don’t think that the fancy name of the Empire reflects your own ability.”

He added, driving the point home.

“The Empire wasn’t built by you. Don’t mistake the foundation laid by your predecessors as your own achievement. You’ve done nothing.”

“…….”

“And even now, what you can accomplish is insignificant. The Emperor is better. At least he expanded the Empire under the banner of the Conqueror, from the northern lands to the southern borders. You’re just trying to get a free ride on the land stained with the blood he shed, under the guise of justice. Stop pretending to be virtuous. Isn’t that right?”

“That’s harsh……!!”

Seeing Oliver, who had abandoned all pretense of courtesy and was now growling, Caryl felt a strange sense of déjà vu, as if he had returned to his past life.

The days when they were close friends.

Even then, they argued and snapped at each other a lot, but Oliver was the only one he could trust to watch his back.

But that’s precisely why he wants to cut off his head even more.

‘Not now.’

Oliver was the one who framed him and his comrades.

Killing him here would only make his death a tragic assassination.

It must be a death that is thoroughly dismissed and forgotten.

Before stripping off his mask in front of everyone and creating the perfect stage for his demise, death would be a favor, not a punishment.

“I think you know the Emperor better than anyone else? Don’t you know what kind of person he is? I used my magic here. The Order has a barrier, so if anyone other than the priests uses magic, an alarm will sound immediately, and combat priests will be dispatched. But nothing happened.”

“…….”

Caryl continued, pressing his point to Oliver.

“As you know, my magic contains the power of the Flame King. The power of the spirits is free from the shackles of the Order’s magic. The Emperor, who is allied with the Bishop, would have noticed immediately. I also intended to make my presence known.”

“……What are you trying to say?”

“The reason why the Emperor isn’t showing up.”

Caryl looked directly at him.

“It’s probably because he’s trying to get rid of you and meet me. The Emperor would rather meet with me, even though I’m a rude guy who defied him, because at least he can trust me more than his own son.”

Oliver chuckled derisively at Caryl’s words.

“That’s funny. You’re saying that Father would meet you before me? Even after what I said in the Sun Palace?”

“Of course.”

Oliver raised his head, seemingly taken aback by Caryl’s confident nod.

“The Emperor doesn’t believe that someone who openly draws a sword would be plotting behind his back.”

“Plotting?”

“For example, poisoning.”

Caryl looked at Oliver and raised one corner of his mouth in a sardonic smile.

“Of course, I hope that kind of thing doesn’t happen anymore. Because I don’t want to waste arrows. I have to use those arrows elsewhere. For example…….”

“You…….”

Despite Oliver’s glare, Caryl continued relentlessly.

“War, or something.”

Clang―!!!

Oliver slammed his fist on the table, sending a shockwave through the room, and shouted.

“Your arrogance knows no bounds. Are you saying you want to go to war with the Empire?”

The table he slammed broke into two pieces, and the teacups on it fell noisily, shattering on the floor.

He was the prince of the Empire, but unlike his two other brothers, he grew up like a weed, fighting for survival, not a flower carefully cultivated in a greenhouse.

As if to prove it, Oliver never stopped training, even after ascending to the throne in his previous life.

Thanks to that, he reached the realm of an upper-level Sword Expert, even if he wasn’t a Sword Master.

That alone was an undeniable testament to his talent, but from Caryl’s point of view, he was just a Sword Expert.

“…….”

Caryl stared intently at Oliver.

He could already sense magic, so there was no way he didn’t know the gap between them. If he unleashed his magic at full power, the sheer force of it would make Oliver tremble and collapse.

Nevertheless, the reason why he could still hold his head high in front of him was because of the bracelet on his wrist.

The rusty bracelet looked completely out of place for a prince, an oddity in his otherwise regal attire.

‘As expected. I knew he would have it.’

But Caryl knew better than anyone what it was.

[The Spirit of the Howling Highlands]

Inside the bracelet, there were sharp thorns, as if it was designed to inflict pain on the wearer.

A strange appearance, as if it was made to be worn by a criminal.

One of the artifacts locked away in the Imperial Palace’s treasury.

In the ancient past, before the mythical era, it could be said that it was a world of multiple gods, not a world of a single god.

There were beings comparable to gods in each dimension, including the Spirit Kings. That’s why Bladers [warriors who draw power from spirits] who opposed the gods could be created.

From the blueprints of Ascalon [a legendary sword] to the gauntlets with the power of the sacred beast given to Suan [likely a reference to a character or legend].

In a way, the ruins remaining on the continent were legacies left by those who opposed or tried to approach God, from the mythical era to the magic era.

However, the Order named Yula as the only existence in this world, so the artifacts found were also called heretical and sealed under the Imperial Palace’s treasury so that no one could find them.

That is why the Empire and the Order investigate the ruins, seeking to control or suppress these artifacts.

‘But Wooden Cloud [likely a secret organization]. You guys knew. That even the artifacts you were trying to deny had magical power.’

It was essentially Wooden Cloud’s plan to monopolize the magical weapons, controlling access to power.

Naturally, the artifacts found in this way did not catch people’s eyes and were simply regarded as old antiques, their true potential hidden.

However, one of the reasons why Oliver was able to quickly succeed in conquering the continent, including the Duchy, after becoming Emperor was because he unlocked the artifacts that were sleeping in the Imperial Palace’s treasury.

‘Even the Emperor doesn’t know what kind of power the artifacts in the ruins have.’

The fact that the bracelet, which he dismisses as an antique, is on his wrist proves that Oliver already knows what power is contained in the artifact.

‘And that’s also proof that he’s Wooden Cloud.’

Caryl smiled coldly as he looked at Oliver.

The truth became clear.

The guys who were in league with the Order were the first to monopolize the objects that were considered sacred objects with special powers among the artifacts.

One of them is his bracelet.

‘The moment it’s activated, it absorbs the surrounding magic and makes it disappear in an instant, and conversely, it provides the absorbed magic to the owner.’

Of course, Oliver was the one who surpassed the Sword Master with only swordsmanship without magic.

Even if magic disappeared, it wouldn’t be difficult to cut off Oliver’s head if the conditions were the same.

The problem is that it steals his magic and he absorbs it. Ironically, the near-infinite dragon magic he possesses could give Oliver great power.

‘As far as I remember, space is neutralized, and the absorbed magic is maintained for about a minute. It’s not a threat to me.’

Hundreds and hundreds of moves quickly tangled in Caryl’s head. Even if he lost his magic, he still had the spirit power of Lamine and Etheral.

However…….

‘It’s a waste to use that bracelet for this.’

It has a tremendous effect, but the number of uses is limited, so it can’t be used at any time.

‘Because I have to have it.’

Caryl knew very well how useful his bracelet was in his previous life.

The effect of making magic null was not limited to humans but also applied to the Fallen [corrupted beings].

“Isn’t what I’m saying making sense? What are you thinking so hard about?”

“It’s nothing. I was just saying that the bracelet looks unique. I have to get what I want to be satisfied. I was wondering if I should cut off your arm.”

“……What?”

Oliver looked at him as if he was dumbfounded by his absurd words. Just a moment ago, he was provoking the Empire. He couldn’t understand that he was thinking about something else in a touch-and-go situation where war could break out at any moment.

“War with the Empire? If I have to, I can do it. But at least it won’t happen right now. Because the Emperor is still wondering if that poison only ended up being used on Cromen [likely a character].”

“……If he was curious about that, he wouldn’t have exiled Brother Luon [likely a character] and kept him by his side.”

When Luon’s name came out of his mouth, Caryl smirked and chuckled.

A cold look as if asking if he was serious.

But he didn’t say anything more.

“It would be good to say everything you want to say. Because the time given to you is only until dawn. Do you want the Emperor’s death?”

Caryl placed his hand on the broken table between Oliver and him.

Tzzzzzzzz……!

The part where his finger touched was heated up and turned black ash, a display of raw power.

He used magic in front of Oliver as if to show off and said.

“Conversely, if you want to go to war with me, you can ascend to the Emperor’s throne.”

“…….”

Knock, knock, knock.

It was then.

A knock was heard from outside the door, and a low voice was heard.

“The Bishop wants to see Caryl.”

At the priest’s message, Caryl looked at Oliver and raised the corners of his mouth. He knew very well that the Emperor would be where the Bishop was.

“I think I’m right. You should keep it safe.”

Caryl said, pointing at the bracelet.

“I always keep the words I say.”

Then, he placed his opposite hand vertically on his wrist, made a blade, and gestured as if he was cutting it off.

“Wait a minute!!!”

Oliver hurriedly shouted at him as he stood up from his seat.

“If you want to make a deal with me, think of more tempting conditions. It’s not dawn yet.”

But Caryl left him behind and walked out of the room without looking back.

* * *

“It’s been a while. I didn’t think you would come to the Order on your own…… I thought you were similar to me. But you finally came. Is it the affection of family?”

As Caryl expected, it was not the Bishop but the Emperor who was waiting for him in the main building at the innermost part of the Order.

“There’s no way I can resemble His Majesty when we’re not even blood-related. The one who resembles you is your son waiting for you outside, not me. It’s exactly the same that both of you are looking for me first, not family. Like someone holding onto your lifeline.”

The Emperor chuckled at Caryl’s words.

“Keu keu, you impudent fellow. You’re the only one who talks to the Emperor of the Empire like that.”

His figure was faintly visible in the darkness.

He looked incomparably more senile than when he saw him in the Sun Palace of the Imperial Palace.

‘It must be because of the effect of the Sun Grass [a medicinal herb]. If you use it properly, it will evaporate all the poison of Myeongmi [likely a type of poison], but if there is a lack of fire, the rate at which the poison spreads in the body increases from the moment the heat of the Sun Grass disappears.’

Caryl sensed that the Emperor’s life was at most less than a month left, as he had expected.

“Well, it’s not wrong that you’re holding my lifeline…… Well, did you come here to give me the antidote?”

He said tiredly.

Despite receiving treatment from the Order for several months after Caryl left the Imperial Palace, his condition did not seem to improve at all.

“Does Your Majesty think that I came to Heim to save your life? Or do you really think it’s to save the lives of my family?”

The Emperor nodded as if he had given up.

“Yes, I knew it. I’m the same way. But it came to my mind when I came here. This is where I first met you…… I hope it will be an opportunity to meet you again.”

“……? Why would you want to meet someone who deceived you? It would be more reasonable to capture me. Sir Kwell [likely a character], the best swordsman on the continent, and the combat priests of the Order are all gathered, aren’t they?”

The Emperor smiled faintly at Caryl’s words.

“Keu keu keu……. If I was going to do that, I would have already done it when you used magic. Well, what are your impressions of meeting Oliver? Compared to when you saw him in the Imperial Palace?”

Caryl didn’t understand why he was asking him that.

“He has grown. He also has ambition…… and his heart to think of the people is also sincere.”

He said vaguely in response to the Emperor’s question.

“The people? Sincere? Keu heuk……. That’s right. The Second Prince is such a child.”

The Emperor continued.

“If what you say is true, I don’t have much time left. Even the Bishop has given up. I won’t say it’s because of you. If it wasn’t for you, I would have already died.”

Tairan Schtean [the Emperor’s name] sighed deeply and slowly opened his mouth.

“There is only one reason I called you. It’s because I have something to propose to you. Do you remember the story we shared when you first met me?”

“A deal…… is it?”

The Emperor nodded at Caryl’s words.

“The words you said to me that day. You boldly asked me to give you the Empire to save your life.”

He closed his eyes as if savoring the memory and said.

“Then do you still remember the trivial things?”

“I’ll give you the Empire.”

“……!!!”

At that moment, Caryl’s face hardened slightly.

It was because he had never imagined that such words would come out of the Emperor’s mouth.

“Certainly, like father, like son.”

“……What?”

But what was surprising was just the Emperor’s attitude. His words themselves were not surprising.

He sneered and replied to him.

“Both of you are making deals with me with the Empire on the line…… Do you think I’ll be tempted by just a piece of land?”

Caryl said to the Emperor.

“The Empire is mine anyway.”

The sacred land.

A true declaration of war here.