The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 271

187. Ice Spring (1)

“Congratulations.”

At Caryl’s call, Liliana, Patun of the Red Moon, and Kuntai of the Hopyo tribe bowed their heads and spoke.

“The Duchy will finally stabilize now.”

“It was a country that needed a change. Is the Empire all that’s left now?”

“Before that, we need to deal with the elders in the north. If we combine the strength of the northern barbarians, the Empire is nothing….”

The three spoke as if they were already certain of victory. After all, Caryl’s might shown at the White Bunker had already far surpassed the limits of humanity.

Caryl looked at them and chuckled.

“That’s right. The reason I called you here is to prepare for the north.”

“Finally…! Are you going to unite the north?”

Liliana, always calm, asked with an uncharacteristically excited voice.

“I have to. It’s the least I can do for Kaliak, the leader of the Black Eyes clan and a great warrior.”

She questioned his words.

“Hashir once said when he came to the Imperial capital to lead the barbarians that Caryl-nim had deep ties with the barbarians.”

“That’s right. I had some connection with a northern teacher in the past.”

“A teacher… perhaps.”

Liliana’s eyes trembled slightly.

Numerous barbarians lived in the north, each building their own forces, large and small.

Including the Black Eyes, as well as the Fox Woman, Jannabi, Red Moon, Hopyo, and so on, there were many children born as there were tribes.

Barbarian children are all raised to become hunters and warriors. In the process, children are trained by their tribe’s instructors.

However, no tribe calls those in charge of discipline teachers.

Teacher of the North.

Only one person could have that title, so no warrior or hunter, even in a position to teach someone, called themselves a teacher.

“Yes. It’s that person.”

Everyone couldn’t help but be surprised at Caryl’s words.

‘How on earth….’

‘I admit he’s amazing, but he hasn’t even had his coming-of-age ceremony yet. He had a connection with the teacher when he was even younger than that…?’

They thought it didn’t make sense in terms of timing.

‘The teacher disappeared five years ago. Does that mean he came to the north before the Edict of Heresy Extermination, even though he’s an Imperial?’

As if understanding the confusion shown in their expressions, Caryl looked at them and chuckled.

“You’ll find out the details when you go to the north. I’ve already told Hashir in advance.”

At those words, the three finally realized that he was not at Caryl’s summons.

“What are you going to do?”

“I will stay. There is still work to be done.”

Ziggrah’s voice was heard from inside the room. The three looked in the direction he was in.

‘It’s amazing every time I see it… How can he hide his presence so perfectly? The Fox Women are great, but they can’t compare to them.’

‘Why were they defeated by the Empire guys with this much skill? If they had been hiding like the Fox Women, they wouldn’t have been able to find them at all….’

They knew very well that he was the one who crossed the walls of the Moon Aether [a mystical barrier] and held a sword to Tuli’s neck at the White Bunker.

Frankly speaking, if you were to discuss it in terms of skill, no one could argue with him being ranked next to Caryl.

Even Hashir himself took a step back the moment he saw Ziggrah of the Black Eyes.

“…….”

Certainly, as their doubts suggested, it was strange that the Black Eyes clan was defeated by Kwell in the Edict of Heresy Extermination.

After the first Edict of Heresy Extermination, Kwell led the Blue Knights northward again for the second Edict of Heresy Extermination.

The barbarians who clashed head-on suffered great damage from the power of the Blue Knights, but the stealth tribes such as the Fox Women and Jannabi tribes suffered virtually no damage.

‘It’s also strange that the Black Eyes clan waged a frontal war against the knights.’

Whether he knew of their suspicions or not, Caryl answered Ziggrah’s words without hesitation.

“Do so. But I’ll ask you just one thing. How many Black Eyes clan members are left now?”

“Ten, including me.”

“Hmm.”

Caryl nodded at his answer.

His expression seemed indifferent, but his insides were different. The Black Eyes clan was the most powerful clan in the north. It was said that their number alone exceeded 1,000, but even that was uncertain because they were such a secretive clan.

“Te… Ten people?”

“Does that mean the Empire’s knights are that strong…?”

The fact that there were only ten survivors was shocking to the other barbarians.

“Is there a Wolya (月夜) [Moonlit Night] among the survivors?”

“Yes. Ten, including me.”

At Ziggrah’s answer, Caryl made a strange smile with a knowing expression.

“Tell them too. To stay here with you. There will probably be a lot to do.”

“I understand.”

Ziggrah finished answering and hid himself.

“I didn’t know Wolya was still alive. Well… If they are the survivors of the Black Eyes clan, it would be strange if it wasn’t them.”

“Yes. We were surprised when they came to us after hearing the news of Caryl-nim. We didn’t think that all of Wolya would be alive at the time of Kaliak’s death.”

Caryl nodded at Liliana’s answer.

Wolya (月夜) [Moonlit Night].

The Black Eyes clan leader’s direct unit.

From the beginning, the Black Eyes themselves were a mysterious clan with not much known about them, but Wolya was even more so. All that was known was that their number was ten.

Perhaps if the Black Eyes clan had not been wiped out by the Empire, Ziggrah would never have shown his face to the barbarians in his life.

‘I didn’t even know about the survival of the Black Eyes clan in my previous life. It’s surprising that they’re alive, but I need to check how effective each member of Wolya is.’

Caryl is also a member of the Black Eyes clan, but he only lived with them when he was a child.

Even Caryl, the son of Kaliak, only had a relationship with Ziggrah as the clan’s leader and just a swordsmanship instructor, so he didn’t know about all the members of Wolya.

‘Looking at Ziggrah’s skills, he’s comparable to a knight-class Sword Expert.’

Even more than that.

If he was a high-level Sword Expert, he wouldn’t die in one blow even if he fought a Sword Master one-on-one, so Caryl’s mind was busily moving on how to use the ten new assets he would get in the future.

“Good. I’ve ordered Anthem to prepare the supplies, so leave for the north as soon as it’s finished. I will head to the north across the strait.”

“Weren’t you going with us?”

“Yeah. I have something else to take care of before that.”

“Then we will join you.”

“Not only the Black Eyes clan, but we also want to participate.”

As soon as Caryl finished speaking, they raised their voices and answered.

It was then.

“How foolish. At best, only five tribes follow Caryl. One of them is already in the north, and the other is only ten people. The war with the Empire will be a great war in which hundreds of thousands will clash. What are you going to do with just you guys?”

A harsh answer was heard.

“…What?”

People turned their heads.

“If Caryl said that, I would have gone up to the north and united it first, instead of following him around like a dog. Anyway, you guys have as little flexibility as the frozen eyes of the north.”

Milyana, who was leaning against the window frame without anyone noticing her arrival, spoke to the three as if she was tired of waiting any longer.

“Looks like you’re planning to take care of Heim’s work?”

Because she knew about the work with Randal in the south, Milyana asked as if she had expected it.

“That’s right.”

“Then it’s none of your business. I’m not going to tell you anything. You’ll only be a hindrance if you’re there, so go up to the north without saying anything.”

She waved her hand at the same time as Caryl’s answer.

“Then what about you? Are you going with him?”

Liliana asked her, as if dissatisfied with her.

“What do you want to know for?”

At that stiff question, Milyana walked over to Liliana as if she had been waiting for it, and twisted her red hair like a mane with her fingers.

“…What?”

“It’s not something you need to be curious about. I heard you’re the leader of the Jannabi tribe. If this was the south, you would have to kneel right now, since you’re the only one among these people who isn’t the leader of a clan.”

At Milyana’s words, the rest of the people swallowed dry saliva without realizing it.

“I came as the representative of the tribe. There’s no reason to be treated differently from them, and if you’re talking about experience, I’m the one who’s above. They haven’t been leaders for long.”

“That’s not important. What I’m asking is the difference in class. Only people of the right class can talk to me.”

‘Their names are similar, but their personalities are not ordinary.’

‘…Suffocating.’

Kuntai and Patun held their breath at the momentum they were exuding, not befitting their size.

“Yes. This is not the south. But it’s not the north either? So you better watch your mouth. Don’t ask me presumptuously if I can be next to Caryl.”

Milyana let go of Liliana’s hair that she had been pulling and lightly tapped her shoulder as if to dust it off.

“If you don’t want your head to be cut off.”

Crack—

As she grabbed Liliana’s collarbone, a dull sound like bones breaking was heard.

“Kuk!!”

It must have been painful, but Liliana only frowned slightly and soon returned to her expressionless face.

“…….”

Patun and Kuntai touched their shoulders as if their bones had been broken.

“What’s going on? I only called these guys.”

“There’s a guy who came to find you at the White Bunker, so I just came to tell you.”

“Who?”

“His name was Cal Mc, I think?”

At her words, Caryl spoke with a delighted expression.

“Looks like he found me well.”

“Do you know him?”

“Of course. Of course. Maybe he brought the news I’ve been waiting for. Milyana, you’ll have to prepare to cross the strait. Is that okay?”

“Okay.”

The rest of the people couldn’t help but be surprised once again at her appearance, which was completely different from how she treated Liliana.

“But what are you doing so much for? It won’t take long, will it? Your problem is that you try to do everything yourself. If it’s not a big deal, order your subordinates to do it.”

Milyana pointed at the three people with her chin as if it was nothing.

“If you want to be on the throne, it’s important to handle your subordinates.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Milyana shrugged at his answer and left the room with a wink.

“In the future… Will it be okay?”

At Kuntai’s question, which contained many meanings, the rest of the people nodded, and Caryl just chuckled.

* * *

“It’s been a while.”

“It’s nice to see you again, Master.”

Caryl looked at him, who had come to the White Bunker, and nodded.

“Wow… It’s amazing. Are those the barbarians from the north?”

Cal Mc, who had grown up so much that he was unrecognizable, bowed to him and greeted him.

Cal, who had traveled back and forth between Wooden Cloud and the Gnome Kingdom alone, seemed to have gone through quite a lot of hardships, and now he looked like the Cal Meister of his previous life, who moved the commercial power of the continent.

“I heard from Camma. You got in touch with Redios of Wooden Cloud and went to the Gnome Kingdom from there?”

“Yes. At first, they were trying to use our Labat Guild. But as soon as I heard the news that the Master was participating in the civil war, the situation was reversed.”

“You’ve worked hard. You managed to get out.”

“It was a big help that I was able to meet Calipson-nim of the Gnome Kingdom before the Master came to the Duchy. Thanks to that, I was able to escape. Besides, I’m still keeping track of Redios’s location.”

Caryl nodded at his words.

‘In the meantime, he didn’t miss Wooden Cloud….’

It was a satisfactory report worthy of him, who was called Mc Meister and made a name for himself under the name of the Empire’s 7 Strongest in his previous life.

“Good. It was an excellent decision to entrust the Duchy to you.”

“It’s a ridiculous thing compared to what the Master has done. I couldn’t have imagined that you would become the owner of the Duchy.”

“Then what about Wooden Cloud? Didn’t they notice our relationship with the Gnome Kingdom?”

“They won’t know. When I first met Calipson-nim, he immediately recognized the Master’s name. He said he had received help before. He told Wooden Cloud to keep our relationship a secret first.”

Certainly, it was an action that showed the years of experience of the Gnome who had lived in the human world for a long time.

“You handled it wisely. It’s as he said. Wooden Cloud was also watching them, so it’s right to act like you’re seeing each other for the first time so that you don’t get into a dangerous situation. Where are they now?”

“It’s a cave a little away from the White Bunker. I’ll guide you.”

Cal Mc took out a small map with the location written on it from his pocket and showed it to Caryl. He knew the topography of the Duchy well, so he immediately recognized the location of the Gnome Kingdom as soon as he saw the map.

“Hmm… The surrounding environment doesn’t look very good. Why did they settle here?”

The Gnomes were a race as skilled in terrain and geography as the Dwarves.

“Are they trying to be careful about attacks, unlike before?”

“Well… I don’t know if that’s the case, but when I saw it, there was a huge spring in the cave.”

“Spring?”

“Yes. I think that’s why they settled there. Calipson-nim said that the water in the spring has a strong magic power.”

“A spring with magic power….”

Caryl stroked his chin slightly and rummaged through his memories.

‘Judging from the fact that the Gnomes have settled there, it’s unlikely to be a demon cave. It’s an unknown location in my previous life….’

That’s because after destroying the Duchy, Oliven only used most of the cities outside the strait as a front line to deal with corruption.

‘The main cities of the Duchy were only used as battlefields using the alarm system created by Wingel Hart, and there was no significant development.’

I thought it was to concentrate the battlefield in one place to reduce the damage to the people.

But from the point of view that Oliven may have a relationship with Wooden Cloud, everything was suspicious.

“Yes. But even though there’s no wind in the cave, the surface of the spring is strangely undulating like a wave. And it freezes solid at night.”

At that moment,

Caryl’s eyes flashed.

‘Ice and waves… Lamine. I think there’s only one being that fits that power. Could it be that the Queen of the Tides is sleeping there?’

[Well, I don’t know. The box I got from the Gray School only had a blue snake, not a clue to the Queen of the Tides. It would be better to ask him.]

[Just a snake? How dare you, a Spirit King….]

As soon as Lamine finished speaking, the snake tattoo engraved on Caryl’s opposite wrist trembled.

‘Both of you answer the questions I ask. Don’t make a fuss while freeloading on someone else’s body.’

As Caryl gave strength, the two forces on each arm flinched as if they were intimidated by his momentum.

[I don’t know where the Water Spirit King is sealed. But everyone knows that the power that sealed the scabbard at the very bottom of the box is the power of the Queen of the Tides, so the ice-freezing spring is definitely suspicious.]

‘Right?’

He nodded at Mael’s answer.

‘I need to check it out.’

Even Mael didn’t know why Agnel’s scabbard was in the box.

But if he finds the Queen of the Tides, Etheral, who sealed the scabbard, he will be able to know the secret.

Swish—

Caryl took Agnel out of his arms.

The scabbard that wraps around the blade is old, but it is made of a special leather that gives off a strange luster.

‘You guys know it too. The fact that this scabbard was sealed in a box means that it’s a relic from the mythical era. And that means that Agnel, who came down to the barbarians, has also existed for thousands of years.’

Caryl chuckled.

‘It means that the Blade’s weapon that I was trying to find so hard was with me from the beginning.’

He hid this fact even from Aln.

It was a secret known only to those who saw the seal in the box. There was only one reason.

‘Thousand-Year Ice Cave (千年氷洞).’ [A cave frozen for a millennium]

A person sealed in the ice pillar inside. The truth that Kwell McGovern of his previous life told to the dying person, and the proof that the barbarians are descendants of the Blader.

[If the seal of the scabbard is due to the power of the Queen of the Tides, she may have been involved in his seal as well.]

Mael said to Caryl as if tempting him.

‘That’s right. If I get her power, it will be a great help to me in the north.’

[…….]

At that moment, for some reason, the flames in Lamine’s Ein Trigger on the back of his hand trembled uneasily.

‘Maybe I can wake up a living witness from the mythical era.’