The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 195

153. The One Behind

“Where is Brother?”

“He has departed for Rubica Territory, the Empress’s domain. I believe it will be difficult for him to come to the Imperial Capital for the time being.”

“Hmm…….”

Oliver sat in the garden, sipping warm tea that hadn’t yet cooled, listening to the report from the court magician, Cardin Luer.

“He is preparing to make a comeback… but the situation seems difficult. The number of nobles who followed the First Prince has also decreased significantly.”

“But the Empress and the Prime Minister are still there. It’s not a situation where we can afford to relax.”

“Your Highness is absolutely right.”

Cardin nodded at Oliver’s words.

“One never knows what might happen. Whether the weather was good or bad, my brother always sat in this spot, drinking tea like this…….”

The garden where Oliver was sitting was none other than the place where Ruon always had conversations with the Prime Minister.

Winter had arrived, and although there were no flowers, pure white snow was piled up like flower petals.

He spoke with a regretful voice, as if reminiscing, but a faint smile remained on his lips as he brought the teacup to his mouth.

“With all due respect, I understand your sorrow at the loss of your only brother, but it may be a blessing in disguise for Your Highness. We must use the time given to us to attract more ministers to our side.”

“I know. I am already grateful that you, who have been neutral until now, have decided to help me.”

Oliver replied with a still gentle face.

“Cardin, it seems Father has no intention of stepping down from the throne yet.”

It might sound rude, but looking at Oliver’s face, one would never think so.

“How many more people will suffer…….”

Oliver clicked his tongue slightly.

“Don’t misunderstand me. I have no intention of starting a rebellion or anything like that. It is the empire that Father has built. Even if his decisions are somewhat extreme, the empire was completed because of his will.”

“I do not misunderstand. Furthermore… the day will come when Your Highness’s grace will shine upon the empire.”

Looking at him, Cardin resolved to serve him even more diligently.

After the Solar Hall incident and the downfall of Prince Ruon, he leaned even more towards Oliver.

‘A man who seeks to kill his own brother will surely lead the empire down a more brutal path than the Conqueror King.’

He said quietly.

“Lord Kwell will soon be leaving for his territory. It seems… His Majesty is holding him responsible for what happened at the Solar Hall.”

Oliver nodded at Cardin’s words.

“The eye of the storm will likely be Karil McGovern. What he said to Father before leaving the hall—there must be something between them. And now that Tatur has become an independent nation, his power will only grow.”

“I will order a discreet investigation.”

“Good.”

“Then, if you’ll excuse me… I have something to tell Tiren before Lord Kwell departs, so I will take my leave.”

Cardin Luer glanced at Tiren, who was waiting outside the garden, and rose to his feet.

“I’m counting on you.”

At Oliver’s words, Cardin bowed and slowly walked away.

“…….”

Crack……!!

As soon as he left, the teacup in Oliver’s hand cracked and shattered.

His palm was cut by the glass shards, and red blood welled up.

“Hoo…….”

Watching the drops of blood falling onto the pure white snow, Oliver finally let out a low sigh, as if something stuffy was leaving him.

The falling drops of blood seemed like an act of drawing out poison.

‘Did he… decode the Myeong [a person’s destiny or fate]?’

He maintained an expression as if he knew nothing, but in reality, he was bound to be conflicted inside.

‘Karil McGovern. How did that bastard know? If that guy decoded Father’s Myeong, why did Cromen leave him alone? Did he not know about the third one?’

Recalling Karil, who suddenly appeared, stirred up the Imperial Palace, and disappeared, Oliver bit his lip.

There were many things to find out, but he couldn’t easily ask.

Oliver was the one who tried to poison not only his brother but also his father.

That was because none of his retainers knew about this matter.

Except for,

Just one person.

“Things have become difficult.”

Oliver said in a low voice, as if whispering. His voice echoed in the empty garden.

Swish…….

At that moment,

The leaves covered with snow scattered, and the pure white snow on top covered the blood droplets that Oliver had dropped a moment ago.

“It seems His Majesty will be difficult to deal with using the same method.”

The floor, which had been stained red, turned pure white again as if nothing had happened, and he looked ahead with the same expression as usual.

“I apologize for the disappointment.”

Since when had he been there?

A man inside the garden grabbed a handful of cold snow, scattered it, and raised his head.

Step- Step- Step-

He walked over.

Footprints remained clearly on the floor, and Oliver bowed to the man, looking at the scattering snowflakes.

“Lord Neil Blanc.”

One of the Empire’s Four Great Dukes.

Oliver seemed to know this man well, even though the Emperor did not know his identity properly and his whereabouts had been unknown until now.

* * *

“This way…….”

Benedict, whose face was even more messed up in the process of asking a few more questions, walked with a clumsy posture, unable to straighten his back properly.

Aslak seemed to be beyond surprise, simply watching Karil’s group and following Benedict.

“It’s vast.”

Karil uttered his first impression of Antihum.

Although it has the name of the Great Library, entering the main gate of Antihum actually felt like entering a huge temple or village.

“Wow… it’s huge! It seems bigger than Tatur?”

Especially, even when entering the building, trees grew lushly as if walking through the Northern Forest, and vines hung everywhere.

If the forest paths were not blocked by bricks like a maze, one would not think that this was indoors at all.

Mikhail looked around the inside of Antihum with a curious expression.

He had been to the South and the Principality with Karil since the 교도 [Gyodo, likely referring to a specific mercenary group or rank within one] Mercenary Corps, but this was his first time seeing such a landscape.

“…….”

If Mikhail was like this, there was no need to mention Serika. She pretended to be nonchalant, but she was startled even by the sound of stepping on leaves.

“Is that the artillery unit that blew away Four Nine a little while ago?”

“Y-Yes, it is.”

“Hmm.”

Karil looked at the long gun barrel on top of the Great Library, the central structure visible in the distance.

‘It looks similar to the one in the Imperial Palace.’

But its use was completely different.

The artillery unit on the Imperial Palace walls was only used to announce the Emperor’s death.

Moreover, the gun barrel was twice as long as the one in the Imperial Palace, making it seem like a fortress if it didn’t have the name of a library.

‘It’s quite a distance from here to the river… Judging from the fact that it shoots fireballs made of magic power rather than launching shells, it’s being controlled directly by a magician.’

Moreover, the accuracy is excellent.

Equipment of that level did not exist in the current era.

‘Is it from the Magic Era?’

If it could be manufactured, it would have been possible to intercept long-range attacks in the war against the Fallen during the Holy War.

‘If I could disassemble that and manufacture it…….’

Karil licked his lips slightly.

But he soon shook his head.

‘It’s impossible right now. If I fail, I might lose valuable artifacts. It would be difficult unless you are well-versed in magic engineering.’

Karil immediately thought of one person.

‘I need to hope that the civil war in the Principality ends as soon as possible. That’s the only place that can design magic engineering of this level.’

Although lagging behind the Empire in magic and swordsmanship, the reason why the Lurein Principality is one of the three strongest on the continent was due to magic engineering.

In particular,

The Golem corps created by Wolfgang Schmarga, the founder of Askalon, a relic of the Magic Era, and the Wyvern Brigade, which handles wyverns tamed with specially engineered bits, were forces that only existed in the Principality.

There is a man with outstanding talent in recreating and inventing such relics.

Most people call him a weirdo, but those who know him know.

‘He’s a genius.’

Magic Engineer Wingel Hart.

Otherwise, Tully, the first duke of the Principality, would not have appointed him as the general supervisor of the Magic Engineering Corps.

‘But even such a genius couldn’t rebuild Askalon.’

Karil pursed his lips regretfully, recalling the lower volume of Askalon’s blueprints that he had stolen from Heim. It was not difficult to obtain the upper volume, but there was still no one to make it or a way to make it.

‘Well, even Wolfgang himself, who created the blueprints, couldn’t complete Askalon because he couldn’t find the right ignition stone.’

But this life is clearly different from his previous life.

Originally, there are many branches in magic engineering, but dwarves were better at making golems than humans.

Wingel of the Principality and the dwarves of Tatur.

‘If these two join forces…….’

Moreover, in his previous life, he had never even tried because the Cadihum Magic Mine had not been developed and he could not obtain the Octagonal Stone, but this time, he might be able to solve the problem of the ignition stone that even the Magic Era could not solve.

‘In the end, the Cadihum Magic Mine needs to be developed quickly. Those Istrian Three Kingdoms guys. They have such important resources, yet they’re just fighting among themselves.’

Karil let out a low sigh.

Buzz- Buzz-

Following the maze-like path, small houses built here and there came into view.

This seemed to be the residential area of Antihum.

“How many people live here?”

“About 300 residents live in the village around the Great Library.”

“Really? The population is small compared to its size.”

“Since they don’t accept outsiders… This is the first time in decades that three people have come.”

Benedict said, rubbing his bruised eyes.

“And this is also where people gather and live before joining the Immortal Society. There are 500 magicians inside the Great Library.”

‘Hmm… something’s strange.’

Karil frowned slightly, looking at the buildings.

‘If my memory is correct, there wasn’t a village like this inside the main gate of Antihum…….’

When he first arrived at Antihum to find the Ten after the oracle was given, it was through the Empire’s teleportation magic circle.

Therefore, he did not enter from the outside like this, but immediately moved into the Great Library, which was the base.

Perhaps that’s why he didn’t see the outside properly.

Karil tilted his head slightly, looking at the residents of the Immortal Society who were looking at them with curious eyes from inside their homes.

‘……Am I not remembering correctly?’