The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 406

251. The Secret of the Millennium Ice Cave (1)

Late at night.

Deryl Harian visited Carryl, who was gazing blankly out the window.

“It’s smooth sailing. To think the Nephilim’s Sky Fortress is similar to the magic engineering of a golem… Isn’t it interesting?”

Unlike when they met in the Millennium Ice Cave, he was once again wearing the white robe signifying the Golden Cross Society.

“At this speed, we should be able to reach the Blood Cave by tomorrow.”

Carryl glanced at him briefly at his words, then quickly looked away again.

“As we expected, the Nephilim have retreated, but thanks to that, we can no longer receive their support.”

“Instead, we’ve gained the power of our Demon Realm.”

“Can we trust demons?”

“Trusting you is probably similar to trusting demons.”

Deryl Harian gave a bitter smile at Carryl’s sharp reply.

“Deryl, how much do you know?”

He asked, his eyes gleaming.

“When we reunited in the Millennium Ice Cave, you said you were waiting for the rightful king. That was about the ability to determine the throne. Do you know what’s inside the Millennium Ice Cave?”

Deryl Harian shook his head.

“I was just a guide; I didn’t see inside.”

“Is that so?”

Carryl stared at him, and Deryl didn’t avoid his gaze, seemingly not lying.

“There’s a tower.”

“…Pardon?”

“There are two Millennium Ice Caves in the north. One is where the Blader who led the Mythic Age is sleeping, and in the other, a tower was frozen deep underground.”

Deryl Harian couldn’t hide his bewilderment at Carryl’s unexpected words.

“The Golden Cross Society is another legacy left by Kaie Essir. He was also the one who found and stored the Great Magic Tome, Polsetia. He sought those who would protect the ancient texts. We have been preserving the ancient texts, continuing his legacy, but…”

Deryl said cautiously.

“We only protect; we don’t want to get involved any further. The more people know a secret, the more its meaning fades.”

“But you need to know. From the moment you handed me Polsetia, you were already involved.”

“Well… As I said in the Millennium Ice Cave, this is a personal matter.”

Deryl shrugged.

“There are things that Kaie Essir couldn’t complete before his death. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that we exist to achieve the great deeds he couldn’t.”

“The revival of the Divine Beast, you mean.”

“Yes.”

Deryl said, gently stroking the head of the small deer standing next to him.

“The Divine Beast is a creature with the power of spirits. It was believed to have disappeared, but in fact, rather than disappearing, its origin was sealed, which is why its lineage was cut off.”

“By lineage, you mean…”

“The Spirit King. The reason why Laxis of Light could be revived and Duat of Darkness could be released from the seal is all thanks to you, Carryl. Thanks to that, Alkar, who has the power of light, could be reborn.”

He said to Carryl.

“Before Kaie Essir disappeared, he left us with these words.”

“Which?”

Deryl looked at Carryl.

“In the moment of the Great Cataclysm, the Divine Beast will be another power for humans, so when the master of spirits appears, hand Polsetia to him and revive the Divine Beast.”

Carryl stared silently at the verdant deer, Alkar.

“What help could this little deer possibly be?”

“Well, what is clear is that Alkar, including the Soul White Wolf Lorebrok and the Azure Turtle Kalduan, called the Three Phases, disappeared from the world at the same time as the Spirit King was sealed. They are both products of spirits and a link that connects spirits to the human realm.”

“You’re saying that if the Divine Beast is alive, the power of spirits can become stronger.”

“That’s right.”

“Kaie Essir foresaw the revival of spirits and ordered you to revive the Divine Beast.”

“Yes.”

“Unbelievable.”

Carryl looked at Deryl Harian and smiled coldly.

“Just what is your identity?”

He murmured one person’s name in a low voice.

“Kaie Essir…”

It was then.

“Airship approaching!! It’s the Kyodo Mercenary Corps!”

A red dot, captured by the Sky Fortress’s detection network as it flew towards the Blood Cave, appeared on the magic mirror installed by Wingel.

The airship was flying in at high speed.

Carryl nodded at his subordinate’s report.

“Grant landing permission and aim all the golem’s anti-air cannons at the airship. If they do anything foolish, shoot them down.”

“Yes, sir!!”

“And inform Ganes. Have him lead the Wyvern Squad to greet the airship.”

“Understood.”

Carryl glanced slightly, as if he had been waiting for Gordon’s appearance, and looked out the window of the Sky Fortress.

“Another person who knows about the rightful king has come. It seems it would be better to have the rest of the story with him.”

Deryl gave a faint smile.

Although they didn’t participate in the Nephilim War, Carryl didn’t think the Kyodo Mercenary Corps had been doing nothing all this time. It was a personal matter, but Carryl had made a request to Gordon.

His return clearly meant he had brought someone important.

“You know what Gordon’s arrival means, right? The path to Tramel, where the Blood Cave is, passes through that person’s territory.”

He was waiting for someone.

As the thought he had been harboring came to mind, Carryl looked at Deryl Harian, who was standing next to him.

“Of course. He is the last person who knows the secret of the Millennium Ice Cave. Then… I will step back.”

“It’s going to get quite noisy. He is the most outstanding of the Sword Masters. The one he brought is no less. If they cause a ruckus, it might be troublesome.”

Deryl Harian chuckled at his words.

“It sounds out of place for you, Carryl, to call someone else outstanding. Even if it’s Gordon Fabian, he wouldn’t dare cause a disturbance here with you present.”

“You never know. He’s not the type to bend his will for fear of death. He also knew the secret of the Millennium Ice Cave.”

“Then he will follow you even more.”

“Maybe? It could be the opposite. What I mean by troublesome applies to you, not me.”

Deryl Harian shrugged, bowed lightly to Carryl, and was about to step back.

“You still haven’t answered my question.”

At that moment, Carryl stopped him.

“Kaie Essir… are you talking about him? He may have founded the Golden Cross, but unless I’m an elf or a dragon, how would I know about someone from 250 years ago?”

“Is that so?”

“We are merely upholding his legacy.”

Deryl finished speaking and leisurely left the situation room. However, Carryl still couldn’t take his eyes off his back, tilting his head as if deep in thought.

[Be careful, Carryl. He’s still a suspicious guy. He told us he didn’t know what was inside when he guided us through the Millennium Ice Cave, but we can’t take his word for it. Besides, he didn’t give a proper explanation about what he was trying to do.]

“You don’t have to worry. He won’t betray us.”

[How can you be so sure?]

“Because ‘that’ which we saw in the Millennium Ice Cave is also necessary for him. Thanks to that, I know why he came wearing the red robe only allowed to Kaie Essir.”

[Hmph… I still can’t trust him. Those who tell you to trust them without giving everything are always ready to stab you in the back.]

Carryl nodded at Aln’s words.

“That’s right. It’s clear he knows something more. What do most people say about a person from 250 years ago?”

[It’s obvious since no one can live that long. They would say he’s dead.]

“That’s right. Most people naturally assume that the great mage from 250 years ago is dead. But what about him?”

[……?!]

“Just now, he clearly said this: Kaie Essir disappeared.”

[Could it be…….]

“He’s holding back, even though he knows more. But at least it’s enough to verify the truth of what we learned in the Millennium Ice Cave.”

However, Carryl snorted as if even what Deryl was trying to hide was within his predictions.

“And that applies to those who are coming now as well.”

Thud, thud, thud….

With the loud sound of the starting stone, the airship landed on the ground of the Sky Fortress. The Free Army stationed in the Sky Fortress watched the airship land, aiming their weapons.

Looking at the neatly aligned soldiers, Gordon realized that Carryl’s forces had become more solid than before.

“Carryl, you’ve been causing quite a stir.”

Gordon shrugged, looking at the soldiers.

“You’ve come at the right time. Greetings can wait. I just happened to have called all the people needed for this occasion.”

“To think this would happen as soon as we returned from the Millennium Ice Cave. You really are an unpredictable person.”

“I had somewhat anticipated that the Nephilim would target the continent. After all, I killed their messenger.”

“But no one imagined you would even seize the Sky Fortress that came down from the Celestial Realm. Not even the Nephilim who fought you could believe it, including me.”

“I feel the same way.”

It was then.

A person riding a Wyvern entered Carryl’s sight as the gate of the Sky Fortress opened.

“You’ve arrived.”

Although his face was covered by a robe, the refined magical power emanating from him instantly revealed his identity.

It was none other than Altemann.

“Hoo….”

As Altemann, who had landed on the Sky Fortress, took off his robe, his face looked a little gaunt.

‘Come to think of it, he doesn’t seem to have shown up since the coronation ceremony….’

People realized that his figure could not be found in the battle with the Nephilim.

“Did you find out what I asked you to?”

“It’s as you thought. I’ll give you a detailed report later.”

Carryl nodded at his answer. People paid attention to the conversation between the two.

‘When did the Lord give him a separate order? If he hasn’t been seen since before the coronation ceremony, that means it was before he left for the north….’

‘To think he was already thinking about the next move in the meantime… I can’t help but be amazed.’

Anslem and Dushalra, who could be said to be Carryl’s strategists, widened their eyes as they looked at the two.

“Gordon, you came all the way here to find me, surely you didn’t come alone.”

“The Kyodo Mercenary Corps always fulfills its requests.”

At his question, Gordon raised one corner of his mouth and gestured with his head towards someone over his shoulder.

Step- Step- Step-

A man walked down the stairs of the airship.

Carryl, facing his face, spoke with a hardened expression for the first time.

“I’ve been waiting.”

It was none other than Kwell McGovern.

“A fierce war will break out soon. But before that, we all know that there is one thing we need to address.”

Carryl looked back and forth between Kwell, Gordon, and Altemann.