The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 113

94. Serrated Thorns

Joy rubbed his eyes several times, wondering if he was seeing things.

However, the figure of the Flame Giant standing behind Carryl was still visible, and he looked at Yurin with questioning eyes.

“…….”

Although he didn’t answer, Yurin’s expression suggested that his eyes were not mistaken.

“May there be joy in Yula.”

Yurin Huggard recited the prayer in a low voice.

The head of his mace began to glow red. An enhancement spell for battle. Among first-class priests, few could use this blessing.

It was also the reason for his nickname, ‘Berserker of the Battlefield.’

Woo-woo-woong…….

Emitting a red aura, Yurin stood in front of Carryl.

He was on high alert, as if he would strike down his mace at any moment, and shouted.

“You… what the hell have you done!”

This place was Risseria’s Lair, called the Flame Dragon, who possessed the most powerful magic among the Fire Dragons.

Even though the investigation was over, it wouldn’t be strange if something happened.

Moreover, the evidence was unfolding right before his eyes.

‘The Imperial Exploration Team clearly stated that they had finished investigating all the entrances below the cave. But this is happening even before going underground…….’

Was it a coincidence?

No.

Yurin’s gaze towards Carryl changed.

‘That bastard tricked us.’

Whoosh-

It was then.

As Carryl slowly opened his eyes and spread his hand, a small spark flared up and disappeared on his palm.

“Hoo.”

With a low sigh, Carryl smiled lightly at Yurin, who was glaring as if he would pounce at any moment.

“……?!”

Yurin looked at him with a bewildered face at his nonchalant smile.

“I retrieved it.”

“……What?”

“What His Majesty desires.”

As the flame disappeared from Carryl’s palm, the figure of the Flame Giant behind him also vanished.

“…….”

Yurin stared at the herb placed on his hand.

“What is that……?”

“It’s a leaf called Serrated Thorns. A precious treasure that will become His Majesty’s medicine. According to the information from the black market, it’s an herb containing the power of the Fire Spirit King.”

“Huh…….”

That wasn’t wrong.

Fire was the attribute closest to life.

And Serrated Thorns was also a grass that contained the energy of fire.

‘Of course, it has nothing to do with the Spirit King, but it’s a plausible excuse for what happened earlier.’

Yurin was still suspicious, but his eyes flickered slightly at the sight of the Flame Herb, which he was seeing for the first time.

Carryl gave a faint smile at his expression.

‘Deceiving is so easy. They probably don’t even think that this grass is just a weed growing in front of the lair.’

Humans believe too easily in what they see.

Just like dressing up a beggar well can make them think he’s a nobleman, or dressing a nobleman in rags can make them think he’s a beggar.

Taking advantage of the moment when Lamine’s power was absorbed into him, he took out the Serrated Thorns from his pocket.

They would now believe that the Flame Giant from earlier was the form of the flame contained in the Serrated Thorns.

He had only given it a slight effect, but the weed had become a magic herb in their eyes.

‘I was thinking about this while watching the fanatics of Blue Lore created by Wooden Cloud, but I never imagined I would use it myself.’

Carryl gave a bitter smile.

“Is this the…… herb that brings eternal life?”

Joy Johansel, one of the victims of his acting, looked back and forth between him and the Serrated Thorns and asked with trembling eyes.

Carryl shrugged at his question.

“Do you really think it will bring eternal life? Even if you eat the heart of a dragon, you cannot live forever. That is the realm of God.”

“Then……?”

“According to the information coming from the black market, this herb restores stamina and stabilizes magic power. Even if it doesn’t bring eternal life, it has a great effect on prolonging life. Surely, this Serrated Thorns will greatly help His Majesty’s illness.”

Carryl carefully put the Serrated Thorns into the container he had prepared.

It was an expensive container with preservation magic on it.

‘Anyway, Serrated Thorns must be dried to detoxify the miasma…… It’s better to look good if possible.’

Carryl smiled faintly, as if satisfied.

“I’ll keep that.”

Yurin said, pointing to the bottle he was holding.

“Understood.”

Without hesitation, Carryl immediately handed him the bottle containing the Serrated Thorns.

However, Yurin still did not let his guard down.

“If what you say is true, then the Flame Giant from earlier is related to this herb? I felt a vast amount of magic the moment the wall broke.”

“Then how else would you explain what happened inside? Without any information, haven’t you ever thought that your solo actions could put us in danger?”

“M, Master…….”

Carryl smiled lightly at his words.

“Don’t worry. That won’t happen.”

“That won’t happen? How do you know that! I have no intention of being put in danger because of you. It’s the same as in the archipelago…… If you’re going to die, die alone!!”

Yurin shouted as if he would grab Carryl by the collar like he did back then. But his arms did not move differently from then.

“I have no intention of killing you or your disciple. The two of you are very important to me.”

Carryl emphasized the last words.

“And me too.”

How could he think of dying in this life that he had returned to?

It was a foolish thought.

“Besides, isn’t this for His Majesty? I think it’s a mission that must be completed even at the cost of one’s life…… Or is that not the case for Lord Yurin?”

“Th, that’s…….”

Gulp-

Yurin, who had been raising his voice until just now, lowered his gaze and spoke without realizing it as soon as he saw Carryl’s eyes.

“Master……?”

It was an unimaginable sight from him, who was called a madman and had smashed the heads of countless enemies with his mace.

“……I understand.”

Yurin finally nodded at Carryl’s words.

Certainly, what he said was not wrong.

It was for the Emperor, and if it was a planned event, there was naturally no room for rebuttal.

But Yurin’s attitude was strange.

Joy Johansel had a bewildered expression at his changed appearance.

‘What…… what is it? Could it be that I…….’

However, Yurin himself felt more confused than Joy’s bewilderment.

Yurin realized that his palms were drenched in sweat.

‘Am I afraid of him?’

It was unbelievable.

But it was instinct.

Perhaps Yurin wouldn’t have felt it if his skills were lower. This may be possible because he is an excellent combat priest.

Joy, who was unrelated to combat, did not notice.

A strength that was completely different from anything he had experienced before.

It wasn’t any murderous intent or fighting spirit directed at him.

Carryl in front of him hadn’t done anything.

It was just a pure difference.

Thud.

“……!!!”

Yurin flinched without realizing it, just from Carryl lightly touching his arm.

“Well, let’s go back.”

Looking at Yurin’s appearance, Carryl said in a calm voice, as if understanding.

* * *

“Master!!!”

There were welcoming faces when he returned to Cobb.

Kamma, Suan, and Kal.

‘It seems like he did a good job with the work I ordered in Cobb.’

Carryl nodded, recalling the orders he had given before leaving, seeing Kal with the two of them.

“Then…….”

Yurin, who had become thinner than before the trip, seemed tired and left first with Joy’s help, as if he had been waiting.

He had definitely spoken less, and said that he would stay in a different place until the departure preparations were completed, not the mansion where he had stayed with Carryl.

“How are the departure preparations?”

“Everything is finished.”

“Good. Lord Yurin, then I’ll see you here tomorrow.”

“……I understand.”

Kal looked at his changed appearance with a curious expression a few times, and when the two left, he asked Carryl.

“Master, what happened? Why is that human being so obedient? Always…….”

Kal asked excitedly, but covered his mouth as if he had realized something.

“Calling a first-class priest a human being. You’ll be arrested for insulting the clergy.”

“Hehe…….”

Carryl chuckled at his appearance.

With every breath, he occasionally felt a hot energy from his blood vessels.

Carryl was simply enjoying this energy he felt after absorbing Lamine’s energy.

‘You can’t tame a madman with ordinary methods.’

Yurin Huggard is a beast-like man.

A rough man with madness for blood and slaughter, even though he is a priest. At first, Carryl thought about excluding him altogether.

‘He could definitely be an obstacle in my acquisition of the Empire. But he will be a more powerful help than anyone else in the Holy War.’

If you look at the history of the Empire in three main parts.

The War of the Princes, the war of imperial power.

The Imperial War, in which Olivon unified the continent after his enthronement.

And finally, the Holy War, the war between the fallen, the monsters of another world, and humanity, after the oracle was given.

The previous two wars are also important, but the most important thing for Carryl is the Holy War, which is about the survival of mankind.

In that sense, Yurin Huggard’s divine power was a great help in the battle against the fallen [corrupted beings from another dimension].

‘That’s why it’s necessary to tame him.’

Just like he did with the Lord of the Hills.

And like when he met the Sea King and the Sea King.

Showing overwhelming strength was the most effective, so perhaps Yurin Huggard had faced a strength he had never experienced in his life.

“Stop talking nonsense, Kal, and get the ship ready quickly.”

“Understood!”

Only after sending Kal away did Carryl properly welcome the reunion with the two people he had met after a long time.

This was because the story he was about to tell was something he couldn’t tell Kal yet.

“I was very surprised. I heard that you were in the Principality when you were supposed to be going to the clergy. Moreover, you went to Risseria’s Lair, of all places…… Suan was so frantic that he had to go right away.”

“N, nonsense. I was just a little worried.”

“Oh my, how can an old man like me stop a big guy like you? My back is still twisted from that day…….”

Carryl looked at Kamma’s sly words and said.

“So, what are your impressions of returning to the Principality?”

“Oh, don’t even mention it. The nobles of White Bunker were so cold to us. But thanks to settling the residents of the Port of Outlaws in advance, we were able to break through a few Free Guilds, but it doesn’t seem like we’ll be able to trade attribute stones.”

“Hmm, that means we should only use it for selling information.”

“Yes. So, as Master said, I was looking for nobles who had connections with Lurein…….”

Kamma glanced at Carryl.

Then he grinned.

“What kind of magic did you cast? The Iron King himself contacted us and said he would set up a branch of the Lavat Guild here.”

The Iron King was Fran Lurein’s alias [a false name used to conceal one’s identity].

He spoke as if he was excited when he mentioned the name.

“To be honest, we welcome Cobb with open arms. I chose White Bunker because he has a stubborn personality that hates the Empire and it seemed impossible to trade with him. Besides…….”

Kamma said with an expression that he couldn’t hold back his laughter.

“A week after we came to Cobb, we received a message from White Bunker. The nobles who were so cold to us!”

“Who contacted you?”

“It’s Ruel Illichid. He’s a Count of the Illichid family and manages the funds of the Tuli Duchy. He’s a big shot among big shots.”

“He must have hated being robbed by Fran.”

Carryl nodded, as if satisfied.

“Master, you solved what we couldn’t do in months in one go.”

Suan said with a sincere voice.

But Carryl waved his hand lightly, as if it was nothing.

“Kamma, don’t meet him yet and give him some time. Make him anxious. You know what I mean, right?”

“Don’t worry. That’s my specialty.”

“I’ll be assigning a few more people to you soon. Until then, stabilize the Cobb branch. There’s a lot of work to be done here.”

“People? Where from?”

“From Tatur. And there are a few more places, but it won’t take long. Now that we’ve secured a base, we need to move quickly.”

“Master, the sailors say that the Sea King is in the spawning season, so they can’t launch the ship…….”

Suan asked Carryl with a worried expression at the word Tatur.

“Oh, I solved it.”

“Yes?”

“I mean, you don’t have to worry. So Suan, you also prepare to launch the ship. You have to go to Tatur and bring people back.”

Suan had a dumbfounded expression at his nonchalant words.

‘Really, did you even solve the Sea King? This is…… I’m so surprised that I can’t even speak. It’s hard for us to complete even one properly, but how many things have you accomplished?’

Suan already knew, but he felt that he was becoming less confident in grasping Carryl’s capabilities the more he knew.

Somehow…….

It felt like he still hadn’t seen the end of him.

The awe he sometimes felt for Carryl was not the swordsmanship that overwhelmed him, but these tactics.

“Oh, by the way, what about Mikhail? I need to talk to him because there are mercenaries from the Order of Knights among the people I’m bringing.”

“That, that’s…….”

At that moment.

The faces of the two darkened at Carryl’s question.

“Hmm…….”

But Carryl nodded as if he already knew, and lightly patted the two on the shoulders as if he knew without saying anything.

“You’ve worked hard.”