The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 175

138. Absolute Gap

“Come closer.”

The Emperor’s first words echoed throughout the Sun Palace.

“……!!!”

“……!!!”

With just a single word, the courtiers couldn’t hide their astonishment.

The distance to the Emperor was 150 meters.

Caryl, standing in the very center of the hall, wore a faint smile beneath his mask at the Emperor’s words and slowly began to walk.

Step- Step- Step-

Caryl’s footsteps grew louder, and as he approached, the two knights standing beside the Emperor slowly placed their hands on the hilts of their swords.

However, the Emperor raised his hand to stop them.

“But…….”

Bellen Valentian spoke cautiously.

“Lower your swords.”

The Emperor looked at Caryl with a calm face.

Now,

The distance between them was now 100 meters.

Caryl reached for his waist.

“You……!!”

Bellen Valentian shouted lowly at the sight. But Caryl had nothing on his waist.

Nevertheless, the sharp energy emanating from him gave everyone present the illusion that he *was* drawing his sword.

Swish……!!

As if mocking their fear, Caryl knelt on one knee and rested his arm on it.

“I greet Your Majesty.”

As Caryl knelt and lowered his head, the Emperor, as if to show off, addressed the two knights and the surrounding courtiers.

‘Who is he?’

‘What is his relationship with His Majesty?’

‘No other subject has ever broken the absolute gap [the closest distance allowed to the Emperor] and gone so close.’

His appearance filled the Sun Palace with curiosity.

Even though all the courtiers from across the Empire were gathered, no one knew the identity of this masked boy.

“Heh heh heh…….”

Perhaps reading the minds of the courtiers,
Tarian Stefan pointed at Caryl and said in a low voice.

“What are you all worried about? This child is the son of Quell McGovern.”

Buzz- Buzz-

At his words, the courtiers were even more astonished than when the Emperor broke the absolute gap himself, and they were at a loss for words.

“Ah, or was it not his son but his confidant.”

As if teasing Caryl, Tarian Stefan tapped his forehead lightly and spoke as if recalling a memory.

“What does it matter? Whether he is his adopted son or his confidant… What matters is that he is a person of the Empire.”

Exactly the same words he had said to Caryl in Heim.

Surprisingly, just like he remembered the goblin incident a year ago from his first meeting with Caryl, he remembered the words he had confidently said in Heim a year later, word for word.

“How is your health? Your Majesty.”

“Thanks to you, it has improved. Very light. At this rate, I feel like I can stay in this position for decades to come.”

The Emperor smiled and tapped the armrest lightly. The expressions of the courtiers subtly changed at the sight.

“It is a blessing for the Empire.”

“It seems you are the only one who is pleased with my health.”

It was thought that Tarian Stefan’s health was deteriorating, and the Empire would naturally transition into an era of succession disputes.

But it was no exaggeration to say that all the chaos began when he returned from Heim fully recovered.

“That person is the savior of my life. Even the Empire’s top healers did not know my illness, but I met him by chance in Heim.”

The Emperor introduced Caryl to the courtiers.

“He has returned my health to me, so it must mean that I am to sit in this position longer. This must also be the will of God.”

“Yo, Your Majesty is too kind.”

The courtiers all bowed and spoke at his words.

‘Is that him…….’

‘What on earth did he do?’

‘The person who cured His Majesty’s illness that we couldn’t even find…….’

It was the appearance of a boy whose identity was unknown, but even that in itself was nothing more than a thorn in their side.

‘And he’s related to Quell McGovern?’

‘Could it be that he’s doing something again…….’

‘Useless.’

The eyes of the courtiers now shifted from Caryl to Quell, who was standing behind the Emperor.

It was not strange, as his adoption of adopted children was already well known within the Empire.

Mart, Tiren, Randal…….

His children all had outstanding talents, and as if to prove it, they were already receiving attention within the Imperial Palace.

‘But…….’

‘I can’t understand.’

‘Why bother…….’

As courtiers, they should have been pleased that the Emperor’s health had improved, but the courtiers in the Sun Palace were not.

It was a well-known fact that Quell McGovern was supporting Oliven.

In that situation, it didn’t make sense that he had helped the Emperor.

The Quell they knew was a righteous knight full of loyalty, but before being a knight, he was someone who cared more about the people.

Tarian Stefan, the Conqueror.

Like his epithet, he ascended to the throne despite being the second son, not the crown prince, in the succession dispute between brothers, and later achieved the Empire’s wealth and military strength through numerous wars and territorial expansions.

Looking only at the results, he would be a hero who achieved achievements that would be counted among the best in the Empire’s history.

But in the eyes of the courtiers, he was imprinted not as the Conqueror but in another sense.

That is,

A tyrant.

That is why they were hoping for a change of the throne more than anyone else.

‘Foolish act… Quell’s son helped the Emperor? He’s undermining his father.’

‘He’s bringing in those who don’t know their place…….’

‘Tsk tsk…….’

As much as the expressions of the courtiers looking at Caryl, Quell’s complexion, who was standing in the hall, was also dark.

‘Why you…….’

When the doors of the hall opened and the masked Caryl appeared, Quell felt like he was holding his breath.

An untimely commotion.

Aside from it being Cromen’s funeral, the fact that arrows were fired near the Imperial City was something that would not be strange even if his head was cut off immediately.

But the person who caused the commotion was now confidently walking into the hall and even greeting the Emperor.

Whoosh-!!

The moment Quell’s eyes met Caryl’s, he felt his shoulders tremble slightly without him realizing it.

At the same time, instead of grabbing his sword, he clenched his fist tightly.

It wasn’t out of fear or anything like that.

Ironically, his trembling came from the joy of reunion, and he clenched his fist because he felt Caryl’s growth in that instant.

‘The aura he exudes is different. In less than a year… I can’t see the end of it at all.’

Quell imagined in the short moment that Caryl was walking on the carpet.

He couldn’t know perfectly because he was hiding his energy, but he examined Caryl’s gait, posture, stride, etc., and mixed swords with Caryl in his imagination with the instinctive sense of a Sword Master.

Every time Caryl took a step, Quell had already exchanged dozens, hundreds of moves in his head.

He shook his head.

Quell had adopted children with outstanding talents, but it was truly the first time he had seen such terrifyingly outstanding talent.

Of course,

It was something to be proud of since Caryl was also his adopted son, but ironically, Quell’s worries only grew because Caryl was the one who was receiving everyone’s attention in the middle of the political world among his children.

This was because the life Quell wanted for Caryl was one where he would not set foot in the Imperial City, let alone the political world, and would simply live quietly in the territory for the rest of his life.

“That arrow. You did it.”

“I am sorry, but please consider it the hearts of the soldiers for Prince Cromen.”

“Why did you shoot three arrows?”

“On the third night of the funeral. Shooting arrows so that the soul does not wander on its way to the land of God.”

Caryl answered the Emperor’s question as if he had been waiting for it.

“Isn’t that the Empire’s long tradition? I am inadequate, but I was lucky enough to put fire in the sky with that heart.”

It wasn’t wrong.

Certainly, there was such a custom in the Empire.

But if it was the death of an ordinary person, no one would doubt it.

But the person who died was none other than the prince.

Moreover, at best, that custom was just firing one arrow.

A total of three arrows were shot into the sky.

‘Is it a coincidence……? Surely not. There’s no way that child knows the secrets of the Imperial Family.’

Quell thought as he looked at Caryl.

He prayed that it was a coincidence.

If so, this matter, although he would be reprimanded, would be a light matter compared to what they were worried about now.

‘I was expecting the Emperor to be embarrassed, but the only one whose expression I can find is my father.’

Caryl smiled bitterly.

He knew well enough what fears Quell was thinking.

‘You don’t have to worry. The things you’re worried about won’t happen.’

Cromen’s death and poisoning.

The arrow that announced it.

As Quell feared, he knew all the truth and what he had done, but there would be nothing more foolish than saying it himself in this place where the courtiers were gathered.

That would be the same as revealing that he was the culprit.

Where is this place?

It was the Imperial Palace of the Empire, full of countless schemes and plots.

Act carefully.

Move slowly, but make sure to tighten the opponent’s neck.

“How many arrows were fired?”

The Emperor asked.

“40,000.”

Buzz…… Buzz…….

They had guessed, but people couldn’t help but be surprised at how that many could infiltrate near the Imperial City.

“Heh heh heh……. Did you all hear? As expected, he is the child of the Quell family, called the First Sword of the Continent. Even his actions are never ordinary.”

Clang—!!!

It was then.

“You……!!!”

The doors of the Sun Palace burst open and a shout was heard.

“It was definitely you!! The one who interfered with me at Twin Armor!!”

The person shouting with a face full of resentment, pointing at Caryl, was none other than Ruon Stefan.

Everyone’s eyes were on him.

“It seems the First Prince, who has returned to the Imperial Palace after a long time, is happier to see that stranger than his father.”

Compared to Ruon’s shout, who was shouting roughly with a flushed face, the Emperor spoke calmly as if enjoying the situation.

Caryl looked at him and smiled faintly behind his mask. Isn’t this what they mean when they say enemies are everywhere?

“Father, it’s him. It’s him……!”

“It’s Cromen’s funeral. Did you come here to announce your incompetence? If not, shouldn’t you at least pay your respects to your younger brother first?”

“I…… I’m sorry.”

Ruon answered in a trembling voice at his cold words.

“Did you raise an arrow for Cromen?”

“……Yes?”

“The one you are cursing raised 40,000 flames in the sky for the Third Prince. What did you bring for that child?”

“Your Majesty!! Those soldiers……!!”

Ruon shouted as if he was wronged.

But his words did not continue to the end. He just glared at Caryl with eyes full of anger.

‘I see now. That’s why the Emperor has been taking such a long period of mourning for Cromen’s funeral.’

To use as an excuse.

The more he cares about Cromen’s funeral, the more the incompetence of the two older brothers who failed to support such a younger brother will be seen.

On this occasion, he will hold the two princes accountable.

‘From the beginning, the Emperor would have targeted one of the two, even if he had succeeded in the Southern subjugation. But this time, everyone failed and even Cromen died, so it’s a very good opportunity for the Emperor to corner the two.’

Caryl once again felt that the Emperor, who was trying to achieve his purpose even in the game he had created, was definitely not an easy opponent.

“I know. I already guessed that they were the soldiers you abandoned at Twin Armor. And you haven’t been able to do anything in the meantime, but he brought those 40,000 lives back to their hometowns.”

“No!! That person……. No, that guy attacked the Imperial Army at Twin Armor. Not only that!”

“I have already received enough reports. Didn’t you abandon the soldiers to the monsters that were created and came out of the Maelstrom? Moreover, you left all those who were taken as prisoners in the border area in that living hell.”

“Th…… That’s…….”

“Shut your mouth! It’s been months since I knew of your defeat, but you didn’t return to the Imperial City, nor did you negotiate for the prisoners, and you just ignored them! And yet, what are you so proud of that you raise your voice at a place to mourn your brother’s death!!”

“…….”

Ruon gritted his teeth at the Emperor’s scolding.

“However, the truth must be revealed.”

Everyone’s attention was focused.

“Caryl, is what Ruon just said true? Did you attack the Imperial Army at Twin Armor?”

‘Finally, the arrow has come to me.’

A tension that was more suffocating than when rebuking the princes filled the Sun Palace.

“That’s right.”

Caryl answered as if he had been waiting.

“……!!!”

“……!!!”

The courtiers looked at him as if they had lost their words at his appearance of speaking so confidently.

“But all of this was to save the First Prince.”

“What?! What kind of nonsense is that!!!”

Ruon couldn’t hold back his anger at Caryl’s words and shouted. Low exclamations of the courtiers erupted at the light behavior that could not be said to be the appearance of the Crown Prince.

“Caryl.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Depending on your answer, I may reward you or punish you. Whatever it is, the price will be great, so if it is true that you saved the prince’s life, I will grant you whatever you want as a reward, and if it is the opposite, I will cut off your head.”

“That is a wise saying.”

A strange light flashed in the Emperor’s eyes at Caryl’s answer.

“However, Cromen’s funeral is more important now than your humble life. Rewards and punishments will be discussed after that. Now, everyone, pay your respects to the Third Prince.”

“……!!!”

Everyone in the Sun Palace was just staring blankly at Caryl.

‘Even that guy?’

‘Why……?’

The courtiers were making faces that they couldn’t understand at the Emperor’s order to attend the funeral, even though they should have thrown the suddenly appearing Caryl into prison right away.

“…….”

Everyone was surprised in the same way, but among them, Quell was sweating nervously as if he didn’t know what to do in a different sense.

“So…….”

The Emperor said in a low voice to Caryl as if he had been waiting.

“Take off your mask.”