The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 14

13. Choosing the Sacrifice

“My name is Ardin. It is an honor to meet the young masters of the McGovern family.”

Five days later.

As if they had been waiting, soldiers were stationed in front of the mansion precisely at the appointed time.

“…….”

Short, cropped hair.

Caryl watched the man with intense eyes, his sharp, viper-like yellow eyes scrutinizing him from the rear.

“500 soldiers from the Valsar family. I have come to support the McGovern family under imperial orders.”

“Welcome. It must be difficult to defend the border, but I thank the Valsar family on behalf of my father for not hesitating to provide support,” Mart said skillfully to Ardin with a nod.

‘Just as reported. He doesn’t project a significant presence.’

Smallness wasn’t merely about physical stature.

The measure of a man.
The criterion for whether he posed a threat or not.

As far as Mart knew, Ardin wasn’t particularly threatening compared to the McGovern family’s reputation.

There were even rumors that they had adopted children to compensate for his perceived shortcomings.

‘The adopted children are the dangerous ones.’

But in any family, the position of those who aren’t direct descendants is inherently weaker.

Ardin didn’t take it too seriously.

“But… who is that behind you?”

Amidst all this, one figure stood out.

He glared at Caryl and inquired.

“He is the sixth. Please understand that he is covering his face due to certain circumstances.”

‘What? Another one in the meantime?’

Ardin frowned, observing the mask Caryl wore—the kind one might see in high society—as he stood with his arms crossed.

“Ah… I see. So now you are not five young masters, but six young masters. Hahaha.”

Quickly, he casually shifted his spear behind him, brought his fist to his chest in a salute, and nodded towards Caryl.

“…….”

‘What a strange guy. Anyway, doesn’t that guy Cwell [likely a reference to Count Cwell McGovern] have any pride as a count? Why is he taking in these strangers like this?’

Ardin mused to himself, observing Caryl’s lack of response.

Magic Spearman Ardin.

Caryl couldn’t take his eyes off him.

To Caryl, Ardin was an unforgettable figure.

‘He employed a rather rare spear technique called Magic Spear, which infuses lightning-attribute magic power into the spearhead.’

He was quite famous on the battlefield, but at this point, he was just a rookie recently recruited into the Valsar family.

And there were many individuals with that level of skill on the continent.

So many that Caryl couldn’t even recall their names.

But Ardin was special.

‘A spy from the Lurein Principality.’

It was much later that Caryl discovered the truth.

‘Randall dies during this goblin subjugation. Everyone assumed it was an accident. But his true identity was revealed later, completely changing the situation.’

Randall’s death thrust the Valsar family back into the spotlight, creating a significant ripple effect.

But Ardin had vanished by then.

Even the existing suspicions were impossible to investigate due to a lack of concrete evidence.

‘But the relationship between Valsar and McGovern, who were responsible for the border, deteriorated, resulting in a substantial loss of national power.’

Caryl scrutinized Ardin.

At best, he was currently just a newly recruited assault captain commanding 500 soldiers.

There wasn’t much he could accomplish alone.

But.

What if he wasn’t alone?

‘Is it truly a coincidence that Ardin arrived at this particular time?’

Caryl doubted it.

‘I encountered him again a few years later during the war with the Lurein Principality.’

Eventually.

He died at Caryl’s hands.

But revenge was merely a belated act.

It wouldn’t bring the deceased Randall back to life.

‘The last words he uttered then.’

His gaze, intensified beneath the mask, sharply fixed on Ardin.

‘There’s more to it.’

A person with sufficient power to dispatch the Baron’s soldiers, who should have been guarding the border, as reinforcements.

‘The higher-ups who are controlling him.’

He was also a spy.

Clearly, that individual must be one of the nobles in the imperial capital, the heart of the empire.

‘There aren’t many feudal lords with the authority to influence personnel matters. But the fact that a high-ranking noble is a spy implies…’

Many of the defeats in the war with the Lurein Principality must have been orchestrated by him.

‘Unlike his outward appearance, Ardin was tight-lipped.’

He didn’t reveal the identity of that person until his dying breath, and consequently, that individual remained a mystery, never exposed.

‘But this life will be different.’

What Caryl intended to do.

Not only to prevent the incident caused by Ardin of the Lurein Principality but also to expose another spy deeply embedded within the Empire.

Caryl’s eyes gleamed with determination.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing…….”

When Tyren, who stood beside him, inquired in a low voice, Caryl responded calmly.

“Understand that I had you wear a mask. I can’t reveal your origins.”

Tyren replied quietly.

It was a familiar situation.

He had spent most of his childhood doing it.

‘Among the books stored in Einherjar [likely a reference to a library or repository of knowledge], there was also magic that could alter appearance. But if I were to use that, I’d be revealing that I possess magic power.’

Caryl pondered, touching the mask he was wearing for the first time in a long while.

‘At a more crucial moment.’

The time to reveal his power was already planned in his mind.

‘Besides, there are many things I can accomplish because I’m concealing my face.’

As much as he concealed his strength.

It was beneficial to hide his existence as well.

“Monitor that guy.”

Nod-

That’s what he wanted.

‘It’s a good thing. That was my purpose in the first place.’

Simply.

It wasn’t just to save Randall’s life.

‘The most important thing to change the future.’

No matter how capable he was, he couldn’t achieve everything alone.

From farmers plowing the fields to ordinary soldiers.

Everyone was needed.

“Depart—!!!”

Tyren’s cry.

1,000 soldiers began to move in unison.

Caryl slowly raised his head.

3 years from now.

‘Until the oracle [likely a prophecy or divine revelation].’

He had to ascend a little higher.

Power was power.

‘Don’t forget.’

If you aren’t in a position to execute your will, you can’t accomplish anything.

If you attempt to achieve everything through power alone, you’ll only become a murderer.

‘Ollie Ben [likely a name].’

The Second Prince he trusted.

And his only friend.

But eventually.

Hadn’t he killed him with his own hands in his previous life?

He couldn’t repeat the same future.

What was needed to prevent that.

‘I have to go to the capital, not the frontier, as soon as possible.’

To the center of power.

‘The many battles to come.’

He remembered.

From the methods of victory to the reasons for defeat.

‘Monopolize all the honor.’

Squeeze-

Strength surged into Caryl’s hand.

His eyes, fixed on Ardin, lit up.

‘You will be the first sacrifice.’