The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 108

92. Deal with Wooden Cloud

The figures in robes stepped aside, clearing a path for Karyl to face Fran Lourein.

Fran removed the mask covering his face.

Karyl spoke to him, “I’m not sure what this means. Has His Grace fallen for a new cult, or are you preparing for a new masquerade ball?”

Picking up the mask from the floor, Karyl stared intently at Fran.

Unlike his polite demeanor from earlier in the day, his eyes were filled with hostility.

“What did you talk about with Tairan Shutean?”

His direct question, without any preamble, made him seem like a different person.

‘He seems to know the Emperor is involved with the cult… Wooden Cloud’s intelligence network must extend to the Empire as well as the cult.’

Even in this situation, Karyl quickly analyzed the situation.

He had survived countless battlefields.

“Hmm.”

Before reaching the realm of Sword Saint in his youth, he participated in the Empire’s wars for Oliven while his swordsmanship was still incomplete.

Naturally, he had been captured many times.

Such pressure held no weight for him.

In the past.

Fran Lourein’s face during the Empire War, eager to behead him at any moment, came to mind. Karyl found it amusing to think if he knew his future self, would he even be able to have this conversation.

‘He doesn’t know the content of my conversation with the Emperor. Probably killed the attendant. Luckily, my hunch was right.’

Also.

This meant that even if Wooden Cloud still existed outside, at least the Imperial Knights remaining by the Emperor’s side were not part of Wooden Cloud, including the trainees who assisted him.

‘For now, the Emperor is safe…’

It was absurd to worry about the safety of the Emperor, the most powerful monarch on the continent, but for Karyl, it was the most crucial card.

“Wouldn’t the most basic part of a deal be presenting your terms? I believe you were the first to express your intentions.”

“…Do you think I called you here to negotiate?”

Fran lowered his voice.

At that, the figures in robes blocked the doors.

‘Judging by their contained aura, they’re Sword Expert level [a high rank for swordsmen]. Since there are no mages, they must all be swordsmen.’

Karyl quickly assessed them.

Excluding Fran, there were fifteen figures in robes. The basic requirement for the Imperial Knights was Sword Expert level.

‘That means they’re all knight-level.’

A considerable number.

Fran’s confident attitude was understandable.

“What do you want?”

“As I said, we are heading north. Our reason for going to the Dragon Lord’s residence is also related to the Emperor. That’s all I can tell you in the current situation.”

“…”

“Cove is Lord Fran’s territory, so it’s fine, but White Bunker, the last gateway to the north, is different. You know why.”

White Bunker.

The duchy’s largest fortress and an absolute fortress that had never fallen in 500 years.

It was also the gateway from the duchy to the north, and it was currently the territory of Tully Lourein, who could be said to be the most powerful person in the duchy.

In other words, if Fran, the owner of Cove, controlled the entrance to the duchy in the separated duchy territory, Tully controlled the gate to the north.

At Karyl’s words, he nodded as if he had expected it.

“You wouldn’t make the absurd demand to destroy White Bunker. What do you want?”

“If Lord Fran’s steel fleet could advance inland, I would ask for such a favor… But unfortunately, that proud steel is too heavy to move…”

Karyl said playfully, pointing to the ships docked in the harbor.

“I wouldn’t ask for that.”

Fran’s expression slightly hardened at his words.

“Our guild members should be arriving at White Bunker now.”

“Kamma Fobill.”

Fran said the name as if he knew it.

“He passed through Cove three weeks ago. If he had been a week later, he probably wouldn’t have crossed the sea.”

“He was lucky.”

“Or perhaps he’s skilled. The Slave King’s [Kamma Fobill’s nickname] navigation skills are not just rumors. Crossing the sea in less than ten days. Others take at least two months.”

Karyl smiled lightly at his words.

‘Fortunately, Su Wang [sea monster] entered the spawning season and barely escaped the area before going to the sea.’

Suan, who knew the waters of the Four Rivers better than anyone, also knew about the spawning season of Su Wang.

He rode the currents faster than Su Wang’s speed along the river, and as a result, his ship was able to pass through the sea one step ahead of Su Wang.

‘Anyway, crossing the strait in half the time of other navigators… Has his skill improved much more than in my previous life?’

He was great back then, but thanks to the stable harbor of the Lawless Port and the ships like the Howard, created with Karyl’s unwavering support, Suan Hazar’s growth exceeded Karyl’s expectations.

If he was on par with Karl Max, called Max Meister in the past, Suan Hazar now was several levels above him.

‘Maybe it’s time to create a special operations unit.’

The Rabat Guild’s Black Sail.

The special operations unit led by Suan Hazar had made numerous achievements while traveling the Four Rivers.

Although it was Oliven’s achievement, Karyl intended to prepare everything that would be helpful in preparation for the upcoming Holy War.

“Support Kamma.”

“Impossible.”

Fran cut off Karyl’s words immediately.

“We also know that he, a nobleman exiled from the duchy, is the administrator of the Free City. You’re saying such a person will make a deal with Tully?”

It didn’t make sense in the first place.

“Even if you give him a billion gold, she, with her strong pride, will not accept a sinner.”

“The important thing is that Kamma is currently in the duchy.”

“Hmm?”

“A deal with Lord Tully? It’s possible. It’s not that difficult.”

“What do you mean?”

Fran tilted his head and asked at Karyl’s confident appearance.

“Call Kamma in White Bunker. Since he has to use a ship to return, he will come here.”

“So?”

“Open a Rabat Guild branch in Cove as if to show off. As big and flashy as possible. Well, repairing the mansion we’re staying in would be appropriate. We’ll pay for the repairs.”

“Huh…”

Fran made a dumbfounded expression, looking at him speaking so casually.

What kind of place was the mansion Karyl was staying in?

It was chosen because the lack of escape routes due to the market people made surveillance easy, but conversely, it was in the middle of the city.

It could be said to be the most prime real estate for commerce.

The plan he had set up was being turned against him.

He couldn’t hide his embarrassment.

“If you receive Lord Fran’s full support, Lord Tully won’t just stand by. She’s very interested in everything you do.”

Tully Lourein.

As she was at the top, she was a woman full of suspicion.

Just the fact that she was trading with a merchant he had rejected and that he was giving them unwavering support would make her greedy for the Rabat Guild again.

‘With her personality, she wouldn’t want to be taken away from her brother, even if it was a poisoned apple.’

Karyl was confident that if his plan went according to plan, he would be able to open guild branches not only in Cove but also in White Bunker.

Something the Empire hadn’t done.

No.

No kingdom had anyone who could freely move between the two places that could be said to be the entrance and exit of the duchy.

Except for Karyl.

‘That way, I get one step closer to the invisible empire I planned.’

South and North, Free City and Magic City, and even the duchy. If, through this, his guild could exert influence even in the Imperial Capital….

Squeeze-

Karyl unconsciously clenched his fist.

Fran Lourein said coldly, looking at him.

“Why should I go that far? I don’t even know how valuable your information is yet.”

At that moment.

Karyl answered without any delay.

“The Emperor doesn’t have much time left.”

“…!!!”

At his words, Fran unconsciously turned his head slightly. Karyl didn’t miss his reaction.

Because the gaze stopped at one of the figures wearing robes.

“The reason for going to the Dragon Lord’s residence is also because of that. To find a way to cure the Emperor’s illness.”

“Foolish, showing all your cards yourself. Then I can’t accept your offer even more. If I imprison you here, it means you can’t save the Emperor.”

One of the men standing next to Fran snorted at his words.

“…”

Karyl glanced at him briefly and then shifted his gaze back to Fran.

“Do as you wish if you want war. Even if war is burdensome, nothing is more important than your own life. Would the Emperor just stand by… Besides, unlawfully detaining the priests of the cult. If you turn even the cult into an enemy, who will leave?”

Cove, separated from the Empire by the sea, was also the first place to be attacked in the Empire’s invasion.

“Perhaps Lord Tully and the other dukes will see that giving up Lord Fran is better than facing the Empire-Cult alliance.”

Karyl made a gesture of slitting his own throat with the edge of his hand.

“You!!! Impudent…!!”

One of them stepped forward, pointed at Karyl, and shouted.

Chwaaa—!!

But his words were not finished. The finger pointing at Karyl slowly went from front to top.

Crack…….

With the sound of flesh tearing, his body falling backward was split exactly in half.

“Heu… Heuaak?!”

“Ugh!!!”

The people standing on both sides screamed, looking at the two pieces of the corpse. The cut surface was coldly frozen, and not a single drop of blood splattered on the floor.

“They’re not even street bums, and they keep interrupting when the leaders are talking.”

Karyl frowned, touching his ear as if annoyed.

“You… definitely…”

Fran had a face full of suspicion rather than anger at the death of his colleague.

He looked at the magic engravings drawn on the door and ceiling.

There was no reaction.

He knew he was a mage when he received the report.

He had won the Expert Magic Competition in Azor, so he had prepared for it.

‘The barrier didn’t activate. That means he didn’t use magic…’

Fran quickly turned his head.

“I never said I couldn’t use a sword?”

Following his gaze, Karyl also raised his sword and pointed to the wall with the magic engravings as if he already knew.

Thud-

The blade of the Ice Claw was embedded in the floor.

“I hold the Emperor’s life in my hands. That means I can keep the Emperor on the sickbed or on the throne.”

“…”

“Fran Lourein, if you help me, I will help you defeat Tully Lourein and become the number one person in the duchy.”

Karyl said, turning his palm upward as if grabbing his heart, then clenching his fingers.

“I can make the duchy safe from the Emperor.”

“…!!”

Karyl slowly turned his head.

“Answer me.”

It was the person Fran had glanced at a moment ago.

Looking back and forth between the two, Karyl said in a calm voice.

“So, will you do it or not?”