The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 245

177. The Internal War in the Duchy (10)

“What… What is going on here?!”

Viscount Giles glared at Guiltian, who stood behind him, as flames engulfed the first gate of Moon Ether.

“Is a day enough? At this rate, we’ll be the ones to fall! I delayed the attack report because of you, so what are you going to do? What if they break through the inner walls and come charging in…!”

It was an uncharacteristic outburst for a knight guarding the border. Though his family had protected Moon Ether for centuries, Giles had never experienced war firsthand.

The greatness of his ancestors was a distant memory.

For Giles, who had only known a comfortable life within his peaceful territory, the sounds of explosions, flames, and soldiers’ screams were terrifying, not invigorating.

“Please calm down, Lord,” Guiltian said. “We haven’t lost all our magic artillery, and we opened the gate ourselves; it’s not due to their strength. Our army hasn’t suffered significant losses yet.”

“But they’ve already entered the castle! Report this to the Duchy immediately!”

Despite Guiltian’s reassurance, Giles focused on shifting the blame.

“Please, give me one more chance. There’s no need to open the second gate. I’ll handle this myself.”

He spoke confidently, looking at his lord, who trembled with anxiety.

* * *

“Soldiers of Moon Ether, listen! Foreign tribes are attempting to invade the Duchy’s territory.”

Guiltian shouted from atop the second wall.

“The Duchy is embroiled in a fierce civil war. They seek to exploit this weakness! We cannot allow these vile creatures to endanger the White Bunker [likely a strategically important location] where Tulip resides!”

“Waaaaaaaah!!”

“Waaaah!”

Despite the battle raging within the first wall, the Moon Ether soldiers’ morale remained high.

Magic artillery was deployed along the wall, and the archers, having retreated, lined up, aiming at the approaching tribes.

“Everyone, draw your swords!”

Clang! Clatter!

Hundred knights placed their swords on their chests, facing Guiltian. They might not match the Duchy’s official knight order, but Guiltian knew their skills intimately, having personally trained them.

“We will not allow anyone to breach the walls of Moon Ether! From this day forward, we offer the blood of these foreign tribes to the Duchy as a sacrifice!”

“Waaaaaaaah!!”

‘I can do this.’

He felt the heat from the cheering soldiers and was filled with conviction. Although opening the first wall was a miscalculation, enough troops remained to overwhelm the enemy.

“Attack!”

Guiltian shouted, drawing his sword and waving it.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Swish!

At his command, the archer unit unleashed a volley of arrows upon the Tiger Stripe tribe below.

“Aaaagh!! Ugh…!”

“Sa, save me!”

Unable to breach the second wall, they were trapped between the gates, easy targets for the archers.

“Pour the oil!”

The soldiers on the wall poured boiling oil, and the tribesmen below screamed, clutching their faces.

“Aaaagh…!”

With agonizing struggles, the warriors of the Red Moon tribe collapsed, no longer daring to approach the wall.

“Prepare to fire!”

Even amidst the screams, Moon Ether’s offensive continued.

Wooowoong…!

As the mages focused their mana into the artillery, the cannons glowed red.

Kaboom…! Kaboom!! Boom…!

The magic artillery, which had initially faltered, fired continuously. With deafening roars, the ground exploded in all directions, like a deadly fireworks display.

“Kuaaagh!”

“Aagh!”

Clods of dirt rained down on the fallen tribesmen.

It was an overwhelming victory.

Truly a spectacle.

Guiltian believed everything was proceeding according to plan. Opening the first gate was a mistake, but after regrouping and counterattacking, the tribes, lacking mana, were no match.

“Hu… Retreat!”

A large man shouted fearfully amidst the artillery fire.

‘That’s him.’

Guiltian knew instantly he was the leader of the offensive.

“I must capture him. Open the gate.”

“Are you sure, sir?”

His adjutant asked, his voice trembling slightly. But Guiltian felt certain he could take the man’s head.

A feeling of elation washed over him.

Guiltian spoke with a strangely excited voice.

“Those pathetic fools! Look at them! They fall before us without resistance!”

Kugugugu….

As soon as the gate opened, Guiltian spurred his horse forward and shouted.

“Show them our power! Let’s drive all the foreign tribes from Moon Ether!”

“Waaaaaaaah!”

“Waaaah!”

Guiltian, fueled by the fervent cheers, drew his sword and charged.

“Hmph…!”

Kuntai, attempting to flee, swung his axe. Guiltian ducked under the blow, spun, and maintained his speed.

Swish!

He stepped forward with his left foot, slashing Kuntai’s waist before he could recover, then slashed his ankles.

“Kuaagh!”

With both Achilles tendons severed, Kuntai’s massive body lost balance and collapsed with a scream.

“It’s over!”

Guiltian brought his sword down on Kuntai’s neck.

With a sickening crack, Kuntai’s thick neck snapped, and his head rolled across the ground.

“Haa, haa….”

His body felt light.

The enemy’s attacks were telegraphed, and his body moved with effortless precision.

Guiltian unconsciously smiled.

“Kuh… Kuhahaha!”

He grabbed Kuntai’s head.

“Look well, you foreign tribes!”

He raised the severed head high.

“I, Guiltian of Moon Ether, have beheaded the leader of you filthy bastards and secured the Duchy’s prestige!”

“Waaaaaaaah!”

“Waaaah!”

Cheers erupted.

“……”

The warriors of the Tiger Stripe tribe stared at Kuntai’s head, terror etched on their faces, speechless.

“Ru, run away!”

“Retreat!”

With their chief dead, they scattered.

How long had it been since he felt such fulfillment?

No, it was the first time.

He, too, was born and raised in Moon Ether, like Viscount Giles. After becoming a knight, he had spent his life as the captain of the garrison, but there had been no significant attacks.

A desire for recognition.

He was full of ambition, but lacked opportunity.

But now, everything had changed.

“Come at me! This wall is impenetrable!”

Giles worried about not reporting to Tulip, but it was irrelevant.

Couldn’t he see the situation?

A perfect victory.

If he proved his worth, the glory would eclipse any minor punishment.

“Hahahahaha!”

Guiltian gripped his sword and plunged into the fleeing Tiger Stripe tribe, trampling them.

The enemies offered no resistance, falling like leaves in the wind.

How many had he killed?

Turning, he saw dozens of corpses.

“It’s our victory!”

Guiltian smiled, satisfied with his achievement.

“Did you have a good dream?”

The enemies had vanished, but he heard a voice behind him.

Guiltian whirled around.

Suddenly, his vision blurred, and the world twisted, as if caught in a vortex.

“……?!”

Staggering, his knees buckled, and he collapsed.

“Huk… Huk….”

Had he pushed himself too hard?

Guiltian frowned, feeling a stabbing pain in his lungs with each breath.

“Is it hard to breathe? Of course. It’s the smoke. Take a good look around.”

“……What?”

With the voice, his vision slowly returned.

“……!!!”

It was a sea of fire.

Guiltian’s mind snapped back as he felt the burning heat on his face.

“Uaaagh!!!”

Startled, he scrambled backward.

“Wh, what is this….”

He muttered, dazed. Thousands of soldiers stood blankly in the flames, seemingly oblivious to the heat.

Everywhere was fire.

Thud…!! Thump…!!

The glorious victory had vanished, replaced by a smoky landscape.

“The gate….”

He saw the wide-open second gate.

“You opened it. I don’t know who you were chasing. Were you so happy beheading the tribesmen? You swung your sword while drinking poison.”

A cold voice.

Guiltian stared blankly.

“Thanks to you, we opened the second gate easily.”

Crackle… Crackle….

Buildings burned.

The soldiers of Moon Ether stood with blank expressions, and one by one, they burned or collapsed from the smoke.

The fallen soldiers no longer moved.

“How….”

Guiltian looked at Liliana, seeking an explanation.

“It’s a plant called Flue. Fresh, it boosts immunity, but burned, it becomes a terrible poison. The smoke induces hallucinations.”

Liliana swept back her hair, like a red mane, and smelled the slender leaves.

“Po… Poisonous herb?”

Guiltian realized what was happening.

The victory was a mirage.

“Since when….”

Was he dreaming?

When reporting to Giles? When fighting the tribesmen?

He clutched his head.

“You didn’t know you were poisoned. The reaction magic is useless. Our poison can’t be blocked by magic.”

“Th, that’s….”

Knights collapsed.

“Even without mana, the tribes can fight.”

The Zannabi tribe’s specialty.

Poisons that only they could handle.

Amidst the offensive of the Tiger Stripe, Red Moon, Wolf Fox, and Black Eye tribes, the Zannabi tribe had waited.

After the first gate opened, they advanced.

“…….”

Guiltian looked around, bewildered.

He saw Kuntai, whom he had killed, cutting down soldiers.

The warriors of the Red Moon tribe, who had suffered from the boiling oil, were killing the archers, and the Wolf Foxes were trampling the artillery soldiers.

“Ah… Aah….”

He could only open and close his mouth.

“You need to wake up, right?”

Liliana pulled out a dagger and pressed it against Guiltian’s neck.

Thud—

The blade pierced his neck, and Guiltian fell forward.

Shudder… Shudder…!

His body twitched, then stilled.

“If you don’t like that, then sleep forever.”

Stepping over Guiltian’s corpse, she moved into the castle.