The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 488

Extran Story 1. The Age of Freedom

“That’s all for the report.”

Anserm Howard said, dismissing the magic screen he had created in the air. His report was finished, but the numerous parchments piled on the desk were still scattered haphazardly.

“Good work.”

Carryl’s voice came from behind the stacks of documents. He didn’t even look at Anserm, who had finished his report, simply waving one hand to acknowledge it.

In his other hand, he now held a pen instead of a sword, and even as he received the report, he was still signing documents.

“…….”

Anserm looked at Carryl and gave a bitter smile.

“My lord.”

Unable to watch any longer, he approached Carryl and snatched the pen from his hand. As a strategist, he was no match for Carryl’s strength, but unexpectedly, the pen came loose from Carryl’s grasp easily.

“As a civil official, I may not be able to fight directly in battle, but at least I can help with these matters. No, these tasks are my responsibility. At least when it comes to paperwork, please don’t try to do everything alone.”

Anserm began to organize the documents that had fallen to the floor, and Carryl finally let out an awkward laugh.

“You’re regretting dividing the continent into seven kingdoms, aren’t you? If it were under your rule, the reports coming from each region would be much simpler.”

The parchments were stamped with different seals, and Anserm teased him playfully.

Carryl gave a wry smile at his words and looked at a small fragment stored in a transparent glass case on the wall of his office.

The glass case looked like an ordinary glass ornament at first glance, but the glass was crafted by gnomes, harder than orichalcum [a mythical metal], and several layers of barrier magic were engraved inside, encompassing all races.

“You don’t really think that, do you?”

Carryl gestured towards the glass case, and Anserm nodded as if he couldn’t win.

“It’s only been five years since the Great War ended. There are minor conflicts, but they are insignificant compared to the battle against the gods. It can truly be called an era of peace.”

“It’s only been five years. The aftermath of the war still remains, and even after this short time, minor conflicts have already arisen.”

“But wasn’t that what you expected, my lord? That humans cannot grow without conflict. If the continent were under your rule, there would be peace, but progress would be slower.”

Anserm unfolded one of the parchments he had picked up.

This one, stamped with a green seal, was a report from the Granbell family, formerly a duchy.

“Wingel Hart has completed a new type of golem. Not a combat golem, but an automated machine for agriculture.”

The parchment depicted a machine resembling a magical chariot with dozens of rake-like attachments at the rear.

“They are already testing it in the eastern plains. If this golem is mass-produced, agriculture within the Granbell territory will greatly develop.”

He took out another parchment.

This one, stamped with a blue seal, was a report from Viola’s Ranion Alliance.

“The amount of fish harvested in the Ranion Alliance’s straits has increased this year, making it possible to supply the southern regions. Trade between the Digon tribe and the alliance is expected to become more active. This will also contribute to friendly relations.”

Carryl smiled faintly at his words.

He knew what Anserm was trying to say.

Anserm wanted to say that the achievements he had made were the right choices for the future of humanity.

“Stop with the embarrassing talk.”

“I’m just informing you of the reports from various regions.”

Anserm shrugged at Carryl’s words.

“More importantly, you don’t look well. I must say again that Lord Tyren and I will assist you in handling state affairs from now on.”

“That’s welcome news. Surely, if you two, as chancellors, don’t help Carryl, that would be dereliction of duty.”

A sharp voice echoed in the room.

“You’ve arrived.”

Anserm smiled and bowed as the door opened.

“Try to do better.”

“Haha……. I will keep that in mind. Then, I’ll leave you to talk.”

At Miliana’s rebuke, he put down the parchments he was holding and bowed to Carryl.

“You still haven’t slept properly, have you? Subordinates need to take good care of their superiors so they can be comfortable.”

“He’s doing well enough. And you know why I can’t sleep.”

“Yes. Alun still appears in your dreams, doesn’t he? It’s already been a year. Is it the effect of the soul contract? Is he holding onto you, or are you unable to let him go…….”

Miliana approached Carryl and gently swept his hair back.

“It’s been a long time since you had your coming-of-age ceremony, but you still haven’t become an adult? You, who always led us from the front, still can’t break free from him.”

Carryl, who was sitting in the chair, slowly looked up at her.

“Ah……!”

Then, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close.

“You should already know whether I’m an adult or not.”

Carryl leaned his face against Miliana’s side and said playfully. She blushed slightly at his words, but soon replied in the manner of an empress.

“That old man is still making people worry even in death. No…… was he originally dead?”

The sticky atmosphere dissipated a little at her joke, and Carryl chuckled.

“There’s no need to feel guilty. Look out the window. The results of all the tasks you’ve accomplished are always by your side. We have found peace, and the expressions on people’s faces are bright enough to declare that this era has arrived.”

Miliana said.

“This is all your doing.”

“Peace…….”

But even at her words, Carryl looked out the window with a slightly hardened expression.

A single old building visible in the far outskirts of the capital caught his eye.

“There’s still work to be done for that.”

“Work……?”

She looked at him.

“Miliana. Beyond the age of magic after the mythical era……. If we were to give a name to this era, could this era be called the age of peace?”

At his sudden question, Miliana looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“No.”

Then, she answered without hesitation.

“Why? You clearly said a moment ago that peace had arrived.”

“That’s right.”

Carryl frowned slightly.

He seemed unable to understand her wavering answer. Seeing him like that, Miliana smiled once more.

“Dividing eras is like saying that the current era will end. It feels like peace will be broken again in the future. If you want to define an era…….”

She looked into Carryl’s eyes.

“It should be called the age of freedom.”

Carryl raised one corner of his mouth as if satisfied with Miliana’s answer.

“I see. Not peace, but freedom……. If that word came from you, then perhaps we’ve gotten a little closer to the sight he wanted to see.”

He stood up.

“I’ll be back for a while. Tell Israfil to warn everyone not to contact me until I say so.”

“Huh? Where are you going?”

Carryl kissed Miliana lightly on the cheek and said.

“There’s someone I need to meet.”

* * *

“…….”

In this era of change and the beginning of a new world, Carryl slowly opened the door in front of the imperial tomb, now a relic.

Kugugugugugu……··.

The large stone door opened, and a cold chill was felt.

After the establishment of the Free State, Miliana was the first to suggest abolishing the imperial tomb during the capital’s renovation process, and she was displeased that Carryl had left it intact.

This place, where the successive emperors were sleeping, was the most anti-Free State remnant.

Nevertheless, Carryl left this place.

No one else raised any objections to his absolute decision, but most of them would have thought similarly to Miliana.

Only Kay Rothschild agreed with his decision, but since she was a woman of few words, people could not know Carryl’s intentions.

Whiiiiik—!!!!

As he stepped inside the door, a cold chill swept over Carryl’s entire body.

Carryl knew well that the cold in this place, which was not under preservation magic, was not a simple wind but the energy of spirits.

[Kaaaaaaa—!!]

[Krrr……!!]

He understood the anger of the vengeful spirits who hated him for destroying the empire, but that was all.

Paat……!!

With a wave of his hand, the clinging remnants of souls disappeared as if they were being scattered. To him, who had reached the realm of Grand Master, the pinnacle of magic and swordsmanship, they could not offer any resistance.

“It’s been a while.”

The remnants of the vanished spirits turned to dust, and only silence remained in the tomb. Carryl looked at a boy sitting on a throne in the mist.

Unlike himself, who had grown into adulthood over time, he still looked the same as he did back then.

“Oliver.”

[You really came.]

“It’s not like Kay resurrected your corpse with necromancy……. It’s amazing that you’re maintaining the form of a spirit so well.”

[The fact that you came to find me means you really survived the war against the gods……. That’s the amazing thing.]

“You shouldn’t be that surprised. It’s not just surviving, but winning.”

Oliver’s eyebrows twitched at Carryl’s words.

“Humanity has regained freedom from the gods.”

Oliver had a somewhat bittersweet expression, but he seemed to accept humanity’s victory as calmly as he had accepted the empire’s destruction.

It was as if he had expected Carryl to succeed.

“You once told me that when the Free State achieved prosperity, you would tell me the story you had left in your heart.”

[It’s surprising that you’re keeping the words left by a ghost in mind.]

Oliver stood up from the throne and slowly approached him.

[Haha, did you really believe it? No matter what you say, what meaning would it have to me? In the end, everything is yours now, and I’m just a ghost in a tomb.]

“It has meaning.”

Carryl replied with a calm face to his sarcastic words.

[What meaning?]

“There’s something to do before that.”

[……What?]

Carryl looked at Oliver.

“What you wanted to see. It’s not too late to hear your story after that.”

[Wh, what…….]

It was then.

“Outside.”

At that one word, Oliver looked at him with a dumbfounded expression, unable to say anything.

Carryl grabbed his arm. Despite being in the state of a spirit, Carryl held Oliver’s arm tightly as if he were a living person.