The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 172

135. Preparing for the Funeral

“It’s been quite enjoyable. I hope we meet again.”

“Of course. I’ll visit once the etherstone for the airship is complete.”

Gorden Fabian gave his final farewell from the deck of the magic-powered ship.

“I think we’ll see each other before that. Don’t you think? I hope that day passes quietly, but… it’ll be difficult.”

“Even if I don’t stir things up, they might not stay still. It’s an opportunity everyone’s been eyeing, whether for good or bad.”

“Well, I think you’re the one who’s going to stir things up. And in a big way.”

Gorden clicked his tongue at Carryl’s words.

“In any case, the reunion won’t be in a pleasant place.”

Knowing that the event he was referring to was Cromen’s death, Gorden’s voice lowered.

He felt responsible for the Third Prince’s failure to properly resolve the issue with Digon.

“So, the place we’ll meet next is the funeral hall. Is that the stage you mentioned before?”

“Do you still remember what you said back then?”

“As you get older, you tend to remember useless things well.”

Gorden recalled the day he showed Mart the scene of Ollivern poisoning Cromen in the Vestal Marquis’s territory.

“Do you regret it?”

At Carryl’s question, he gave a bitter smile.

“Just like I said before when you asked the same question, my answer hasn’t changed. No matter who ascends to the throne, the remaining two won’t survive anyway.”

As a powerhouse of the continent, Gorden was just uncomfortable with the fact that he had even attacked the City of Specters to survive, but the young prince had become a victim, caught up in the political situation.

“Will Ollivern’s mask be revealed by this?”

“No. Some will recognize the mask, and others will still try to put it on.”

“Isn’t that what you were trying to do by moving? Even by killing Cromen?”

Gorden looked puzzled at Carryl’s words.

“Do you think the Empire will collapse with just one incident? If they find out that Ollivern is the one who killed Cromen, the Emperor will gladly use it as an excuse to get rid of the princes.”

“Hmm…”

Gorden nodded at Carryl’s words.

If it was Tairan Shutean’s personality, he was more than capable of doing that.

He was the Conqueror King who wouldn’t even allow his own son to inherit his position.

“I have no intention of strengthening the Emperor’s wings, which have only been slightly clipped. I’ve only given him the seeds of doubt. That’s enough for now. What I want isn’t just the downfall of the princes.”

Carryl thought of Mart.

He wondered how he would act after Cromen’s death.

Although he was the eldest son of the Count’s family, Mart was young. There was little he could do, and his influence was not significant.

But his father was different.

Kwell McGovern, Ollivern’s biggest supporter and the one called the greatest swordsman on the continent.

‘If I were just going to depose Ollivern, I wouldn’t have planned such a troublesome thing from the start. What I want is not just to prevent him from ascending to the throne, but to make the talented people who follow him my own.’

He couldn’t possibly acquire them by simply absorbing the Empire with force, as he was not of royal blood.

‘If I can bring his father, the greatest swordsman on the continent, to my side through Mart…’

Numerous knights and powerful individuals who followed him would all come under his command.

‘They are the foundation of power to prepare for the upcoming greater war, the Holy War.’

Carryl’s eyes gleamed.

“I can’t even fathom how many steps ahead you’re looking… I can’t even guess what you’re trying to do anymore. I’ll step aside, so go wild on your own.”

“A has-been? To me, you’re a monster.”

Carryl smiled faintly at Gorden’s words.

“I haven’t had a proper conversation with him, but I’ll give Cromen a gift that even the Empire can’t give him on his final journey.”

“A gift? You’re the one who made this happen, and you’re saying that? Should I be expecting something or worrying?”

Carryl smiled faintly at Gorden’s words.

“Both.”

Whoosh…!!

Silence fell.

After the magic-powered ship docked,

Gorden Fabian, looking at the subordinates of the Order of Knights who had come to meet him, thought that the time had truly come to end his journey with Carryl.

Buzz – Buzz –

His subordinates were simply amazed by the sight of the enormous ship, unable to close their mouths.

“I’ll take care of keeping them quiet, so don’t worry. But it’s best to be careful. If the Empire finds out about that ship, they’ll have their eyes on it.”

Carryl smiled faintly at Gorden’s words.

“They won’t have time to pay attention to me anyway. Even though they know that the civil war is the perfect opportunity to strike the Duchy, they can’t move. Both the Duchy and the Empire are ultimately struggling in their own squabbles.”

“And you’re quietly expanding your power in the meantime? You’re a scary guy.”

Gorden had already confirmed that Miliana, the queen of the Digon clan, known as the ruler of the South, was already following Carryl.

In name and reality, Carryl was now no exaggeration to be called the king of the South.

He pursed his lips as if to say something more, but then shook his head.

“Was it Suan Hazar? It seems like he’s got a good foundation, but tell him to be careful when using the gauntlet he got from the City of Specters. If he’s not careful, he might be overwhelmed by its power.”

It might be unnecessary worry, but for some reason, Gorden Fabian couldn’t shake the name Kalduan engraved on the gauntlet.

“Why do you say that?”

“Kalduan was a divine beast with power comparable to a spirit king or dragon during the Magic Era [an ancient period of powerful magic and mythical creatures], though it has disappeared now.”

Carryl nodded at his words.

“It’s just a legend from the past anyway. It’s been hundreds of years since the divine beast disappeared.”

Carryl, who had already seen Kalduan in the subspace created by Quonitte, agreed, having felt the divine beast’s majesty with his own eyes.

“What I want to say isn’t about the possibility of the divine beast being alive. It’s about the habits of the Azure Ogre.”

“Habits…?”

It was a story he hadn’t even heard from Quonitte.

Carryl asked Gorden with interest.

“That turtle, called the reincarnation of the Earth Spirit King, makes contracts under special conditions, unlike other beings.”

“Conditions?”

“It’s said to take a finger.”

Carryl chuckled at his words.

“What is this, some kind of child’s play? Are you saying that you make promises to tame a spirit king-level animal?”

Carryl flicked his pinky finger, joking, but Gorden still had a serious expression.

“That’s not it, kid.”

“Huh?”

Gorden sighed softly and said to Carryl.

“Taking a finger doesn’t mean that. The legend of the Azure Ogre means that every time you borrow Kalduan’s power, it actually eats the contractor’s finger as a price.”

“…….”

“Well, legends are just legends. Surely the weapon made by the Blader wouldn’t leave behind such a bizarre condition, following the legend.”

Carryl once again recalled the image of Kalduan in the gauntlet and clicked his tongue.

“Well, anyway, there are definitely conditions attached to using strong power.”

He pointed to the Ice Claw at Carryl’s waist.

“The same goes for you. It even has the power of the dead melted into it.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. I’ll warn Suan as well.”

Carryl nodded.

“If fate allows, it would be good to show it to Balbont as well. He’s the one who can handle that gauntlet the best at this point.”

“The Fist King?”

“Yes. Well, you don’t have to worry. That man has no interest in weapons at all.”

Carryl chuckled at Gorden’s words.

That was understandable.

He was the only one among the five strongest who had reached the rank of Sword Master who didn’t use weapons, saying that his body was his weapon.

Suan, who wasn’t Balbont’s official disciple but had learned his stance from him, reminded him of him.

“Do you know where he is?”

“Well, he’s such a free-spirited person. But he came to see me a few months ago.”

“You?”

“It was right before His Majesty’s order. I heard he was going to Tramel.”

Carryl frowned slightly at his words.

“Tramel… are you talking about that ancient fortress?”

“That’s right. It was a major stronghold during the Magic Era, but now it’s just ruins. So it’s turned into a land where escaped slaves live.”

Tramel, which once boasted its might as a fortress, was just a shadow of its former glory. To Carryl, it was remembered in a different sense.

Although it was currently in a dormant period and closed, it was also the location of the Crimson Blood Cave, the largest demon nest on the continent.

“…….”

The cave had been considered safe because it had been inactive for hundreds of years, but over time, it became the first base of corruption, transforming the entire Tramel into a land of death.

“Well, it’s a ruin, but it’s almost a complete wasteland. I don’t know why he’s trying to go there.”

“Didn’t he say anything else?”

“That guy isn’t an ordinary human either. I can’t know what he’s thinking.”

At that moment,

‘As expected…….’

Carryl nodded at Gorden Fabian’s words, as if he had been waiting for them.

‘The time has come.’

He had always kept in mind that he should have the Fist King as Suan Hazar’s teacher.

‘Fist King Balbont stopped taking disciples due to some incident. As a result, Balbont’s Eight Stances were lost.’

Carryl regretted it.

That’s why he decided that he had to make Suan Hazar his disciple this time.

However, he knew that an incident would occur, but he didn’t know when or what would trigger it.

It would be great if he could meet Balbont and build a friendship before that, but he had been constantly carrying out his plans, and he didn’t have time to pay attention to the Fist King.

However, he couldn’t leave Suan, who had many things to do, in a foreign land for months like Mihail, knowing that the Fist King would appear.

‘Crimson Blood Cave.’

The moment he heard that Balbont was heading to Tramel, he could guess that the ‘incident’ that Carryl remembered would soon break out.

‘But… why is the Fist King’s destination Tramel and not the Crimson Blood Cave? There’s really nothing there.’

He knew that Balbont was involved in the incident that occurred in the Crimson Blood Cave, but Carryl didn’t know that he had business in Tramel, not the Crimson Blood Cave.

‘Is there something in the ancient fortress before the demon nest….’

Carryl tried to recall his memories.

However, in his previous life, he had only gone to Tramel once. That was to destroy Tramel along with the demon nest after the Crimson Blood Cave had become a base of corruption.

‘Even then, I only went to the Crimson Blood Cave and didn’t see Tramel directly.’

He was curious, thinking that he might have missed something.

‘I thought I would have to part ways with Suan for a while, but maybe I should go with him.’

Thinking that, Carryl shook his head with a faint smile.

‘I have one more place to go.’

With the unexpected new information, Carryl once again reminded himself that his meeting with Gorden Fabian had been a great gain for him.

“Well, I was being nosy. I guess it’s because I’ve been through so many things with you. I’m even saying unnecessary things. Anyway, if your subordinate is lucky, he might have a connection with the Fist King.”

“I suppose so.”

Carryl nodded at his words.

‘Unlike what you say, Suan and the Fist King’s meeting won’t be luck, but I’ll make it happen.’

“See you soon. It was fun in its own way.”

“Gorden.”

Carryl threw him a canteen.

Thud-

“It’s Cruaach’s excrement. You’ll need to drink it one more time to get the effect.”

“…….”

Unlike Carryl, who said it casually, Gorden’s mercenaries looked at Gorden with bewildered eyes at his words.

“Oh, that bastard…….”

Carryl smiled at him and raised his hand.

* * *

Whoosh…!!

Whoosh…!!

The magic-powered ship passed through the strait and began to ascend the River Ponaine.

“We’ll be in Tatur soon.”

Aidan approached Carryl, who was standing on the deck of the ship with his arms crossed, and spoke to him.

“What about the prisoners?”

“Dushala has probably finished the preparations.”

“Okay.”

Carryl nodded slowly.

Then, recalling the gift he had given to Gorden, he smiled faintly.

“40,000 lives… Yes, at least this much is needed as condolences to bring to the Prince’s funeral.”

His eyes gleamed coldly.