The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 267

185. Tulli’s Execution (2)

“How much do you trust him?”

Caryl lightly shook the bottle he was holding at the low voice of the woman that cut through the dark night air.

“I’m out of liquor.”

“Don’t change the subject. And why do you drink so much like an old man when you haven’t even had your coming-of-age ceremony yet?”

Miliana doubted his age every time she looked at him, even though he was only fifteen.

It wasn’t just because of his appearance, which was believable enough for him to pass as an adult. There were many children who were much bigger than adults before their coming-of-age ceremony.

However, it was a strange feeling every time she saw Caryl, whose every action seemed more adult than her own, and it wasn’t just physically.

“I’ve said it before. The tribes drink even stronger liquor than this from long ago. Isn’t it the same with the barbarians?”

“Most of those kids frown when they drink. They don’t make faces that know the taste of alcohol like you do.”

Miliana said as she emptied her remaining glass.

“Anthem Howard. I heard that he decided to serve you after Fran fell, but he was thinking of using the same tricks as Tulli. In my eyes, he looks like a bat that clings to the strong rather than an excellent soldier.”

“It’s something I allowed.”

However, Miliana shrugged her shoulders as if dissatisfied with Caryl’s words.

Her assessment of Anthem was understandable enough. In her eyes, he was just a disloyal servant who changed masters.

“Anthem Howard, Ganes Abelant, and Wingel Hart. These are the three people I didn’t want to miss when I wanted to gain the duchy. As you said, there may be poison among them.”

Caryl said, looking at her.

“But I need all that poison now because it’s all useful. At least, I’m not a person who would be harmed by that level of poison.”

At his confident words, Miliana smiled with a look that said she couldn’t help but agree.

“It’s new to me, but the goblin bastards’ poison is really strong. It’s enough to make even a Sword Master drunk.”

Caryl gave a bitter smile at her words.

“It’s not just because of the poison. As you know, the realm of Sword Master is not something to be taken lightly. With his magic power, he can drive out the poison of the goblin tribe.”

“Then?”

“Ganes, it’s something he chose himself.”

When Yoman’s castle walls collapsed and Caryl captured him, he made one suggestion.

“There are many vassals in the duchy who are unhappy with the existence of Wooden Cloud. That’s why another Sword Master called the Spear King abandoned his position and stepped down.”

“Hmm…….”

“The poison I used on him is not like Fran’s, which causes hallucinations or damages the brain. It’s just a drug that makes you a little more faithful to your instincts. Sometimes the tribes eat it right before battle.”

“Hmm. Even so, it’s not like you. Sword Master is definitely a coveted talent, but… to bring him to your side by using drugs.”

Caryl said with a stiff face at her words.

“What’s like me?”

“……Huh?”

“I never said I would make him my man. I don’t evaluate people only by their skills. It’s also why I trust Anthem and don’t trust Ganes, like your question. I just changed his future a little.”

However, Miliana had an expression that she didn’t understand what he meant.

It couldn’t be helped.

The meaning of what he said a little while ago, that he changed the future, was because he knew him in his previous life, not in this life.

‘Stigma [a mark of disgrace or infamy].’

Ganes Abelant in his previous life gained a nickname that would follow him for the rest of his life after the civil war.

‘Someday he will betray.’

However, Caryl was the only one who knew who he was betraying.

The target that he, a member of Tulli’s faction, would betray even to gain the nickname of Stigma.

‘His betrayal was not caused by this civil war, but gained through the civil war.’

What did Ganes Abelant learn from the civil war?

It was none other than Wooden Cloud.

‘Those disgusting bastards tricked Fran and made Tulli kill him. But the end of the civil war doesn’t end there. They abandon even Tulli, whom they used once again. Ganes Abelant. He is the one who kills Tulli.’

Caryl had a lot of thoughts.

The reason he fought Ganes in his previous life was because of the battle that took place in the process of eradicating Wooden Cloud.

In other words, Ganes Abelant is a person who has a future to fight for Wooden Cloud.

Even after the duchy’s civil war ended, Caryl had to choose whether to keep Ganes, who had the possibility of betrayal, alive as long as Wooden Cloud did not disappear.

“I know that using drugs is not right. But it might be a little better to have a kind of insurance called drugs than to leave a traitor who might wield a sword at me.”

“……Traitor?”

At Miliana’s question, Caryl took out a new bottle of liquor from the table and poured it, thinking.

‘It’s a waste to kill Ganes’ skills. What a Sword Master can do in the Holy War is more than imaginable.’

Caryl has to make a choice.

For him, who always repeats that he can’t save everyone, it was natural that he was always thinking about giving up someone.

Win Ganes’ heart and make him a true loyalist?

Certainly, there might be such an option.

But even if he is from the same duchy, he is different from Anthem Howard.

He didn’t know when he would decide to betray and for what reason he would kill Tulli.

In addition, Anthem can hold the people of the Howard family and the people of the system as hostages, but Ganes doesn’t even have those connected to him.

‘I’m not sure if he’s someone I can trust yet. But it’s a waste to kill his skills.’

This time again, he didn’t know whether accepting his proposal was a betrayal for the future of the duchy like Anthem or for his own safety.

However, instead of using drugs, Caryl at least erased the stigma he would get in the future.

Instead, he had to find another alternative to kill Tulli because it was a nickname he would get after killing Tulli.

Right,

Louise Lorein.

‘To put it coldly, she’s a card that can be thrown away. From a realistic point of view, she has nothing to do.’

Ganes and Louise.

When weighing the scales between the two, it was obvious which way it would lean without seeing it with your eyes.

“But it’s amazing.”

Miliana said, looking at Caryl.

“Ganes is like that because of the drugs, but Louise, that girl, is trying to kill her sister with a clear mind without taking any drugs. Did you know? That she has Fran in her heart?”

“Anthem told me about her. He was next to Fran, so he knew better than others. The secrets of the Duke’s family.”

At his words, Miliana shook her head.

“I still don’t understand the world of nobles even after time passes. Is it because they are too rich and have unnecessary feelings?”

“Well, even if it’s not, there are many other ways. I just thought it was a win-win.”

Caryl gave a bitter smile at her words.

Certainly, is it because the higher the position one stands, the more intense the greed becomes?

As she said, the three countries of the continent, the Empire, the Duchy, and Istria, which can be said to be the three strongest, were never quiet.

“It’s truly an era of war.”

The Empire was fighting not only between brothers but also the Emperor for the throne, and as a result, the 3rd Prince was sacrificed.

The Duchy was fighting each other with swords, and the three countries of Istria were already at war.

If Viola hadn’t been there, the three countries of Istria would have already been destroyed and swallowed by the Empire.

“War? War without a cause is just for personal gain. How many of the seven brothers of the Duchy are still alive? At least we don’t point a knife at our brother’s neck.”

North and South of the continent.

Except for the tribes and barbarians, war was happening everywhere on the continent now.

‘If I had to make an exception, it would be the Eastern Country.’

Caryl recalled that several months had passed since he parted ways with Aidan in Azor.

‘By now, he’s probably meeting Simon Coden, the owner of the Eastern Country, and taking the test.’

He was a little curious about how far he would reach.

‘Don’t disappoint me, Aidan.’

When the Duchy’s civil war ended and he returned to Tatur, Caryl had no doubt that he would be waiting for him.

Toc- toc- toc-

It was then.

The sound of the door made Caryl, who was lost in thought, open his eyes.

‘He’s here.’

Caryl turned around.

The person standing in front of him was Tulli Lorein, who was bowing her head with a haggard face and her arms tied, even though it hadn’t even been a day.

“I’ll talk.”

She said to Caryl with trembling lips.

She had only been there for half a day, but she had become quite docile.

‘She was born in the Duchy, grew up in the Duchy, and thought she knew everything about the Duchy, but what she saw and grew up with was just the good things. It’s the first time [she’s experiencing the harsh realities].’

She realized how different it was to look at the outside from behind bars and to look at the outside from inside the bars.

Of course, just as Caryl had to make a choice, she also had to make a decision.

What was the most likely thing for her to survive?

“I’ll tell you everything I know about Wooden Cloud. Instead… can you protect me from them?”

Caryl raised the corners of his lips at those words.

“Of course. To tell you the truth, I will protect you from Wooden Cloud no matter what.”

Tulli’s pupils trembled.

“Rael. I don’t know why you’re looking for that child, but… she’s probably in the Order now, the one you’re looking for.”

“……The Order?”

“Yes. Heim, the sanctuary of the Order. I don’t know the details, but she’s definitely there.”

‘Is this a trick of fate?’

Caryl gave a bitter smile.

To think that Rael, whom he had tried so hard to find but couldn’t even know her face, would be in the Order now.

Jake, the fifth of the McGovern family, is being held hostage in Heim, the sanctuary of the Order, and Landol and Mart, whom Caryl sent, will be there as well.

‘I had to go to Heim anyway.’

Not just to save Jake, but to investigate the Order using him as an excuse.

But if Rael, whom he had been looking for so much, was there, it would be a win-win situation.

“Okay. Then what is that guy’s identity? I heard he’s not human. What is Wooden Cloud trying to do with that child?”

Caryl heard from Nine Darhon in Antihum that Rael was a hybrid of Nephilim and Elf.

Nephilim and Elf.

These two races were called the descendants of God.

Naturally, Caryl had expected that they would have a close relationship with the Order, and he was now able to be sure that she was in the Order through Tulli this time.

Tulli’s eyes widened slightly at Caryl’s words.

“……Do you even know that? I can’t see the end at all. Our plan would have failed even if it wasn’t for Fran.”

“You’re saying the obvious. As long as I’m involved, the result of the civil war was already decided.”

Tulli smiled weakly.

“I don’t know much about her either. I don’t know what her origin is or where she was found. But I know she was raised in the Order.”

“Hmm…….”

Caryl seemed to know how Rael was able to revive Wooden Cloud in the form of a fanatical cult called Blue Lore after Wooden Cloud disappeared in his previous life.

‘She already knew the Order’s methods, so it was possible to create fanatics.’

Caryl’s eyes lit up.

“However, one thing I know is that the first person to discover her was Tyran Stean.”

“……Tyran? Are you talking about the Emperor of the Empire?”

“That’s right.”

At her words, Caryl felt as if he had been hit on the head with a blunt weapon. He jumped up from his seat at the mention of an unexpected person.

“Don’t tell me… is the Emperor also related to Wooden Cloud?”

Tulli shook her head at his question.

“No. He’s just one of the believers of the Order. It’s just that the Order is deeply related to Wooden Cloud. The Emperor believes in the Order, but from Wooden Cloud’s point of view, he’s a stumbling block.”

“I see.”

‘Tyran Stean is only related to the Order, not Wooden Cloud, huh…….’

Creak—

Caryl gritted his teeth without realizing it.

‘And the fact that his assassination was done by Wooden Cloud means…….’

As his face hardened, Tulli and Miliana inside looked at him with tense faces.

‘The person who poisoned the Emperor is related to Wooden Cloud.’

The murderous intent emanating from him filled the room so much that he couldn’t breathe.

‘Since when? Seriously……. Even though I’ve seen you twice, I can’t help but be surprised by your mask.’

Kwaddeuk—!!!

Caryl clenched his fist so hard that he didn’t realize it because of the shocking fact.

He was the only one who knew the culprit of the poisoning.