The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 291

196. The Imperial War (2)

“Kwell……!!!!”

Kwell shouted, his hands trembling with rage.

“Stop.”

But Olivon intervened, his voice calm and measured.

“Please see to His Majesty’s body, Lord Kwell. Today is a day of mourning… Before we speak of war, the Empire must observe a period of mourning.”

Olivon’s somber tone carried a strange resonance, as if gently calming the seething emotions in the room.

[Strange.]

Aln Zabiuz remarked to Khalil telepathically, his gaze fixed on Olivon.

‘Why?’

[He’s using spirit speech. It’s a subtle, almost imperceptible intonation that goes beyond normal human speech. Some are born with the ability… I need to determine if he’s one of them.]

Khalil glanced at Olivon, intrigued.

‘What’s spirit speech? Does it have some effect I’m not aware of?’

[On its own, it’s not particularly threatening. It’s somewhere between magic and sorcery…]

Aln Zabiuz elaborated.

[There’s no immediate, dramatic effect. The unique sound waves create a feeling of comfort in the listener, perhaps even a sense of favor. It subtly inclines them to trust you more.]

As he pointed out, the effect was minor compared to more direct methods like charm magic or illusions.

[Dragons have refined it into a form of magic. That’s why their words carry power – Dragon Words. Dragon Word magic builds upon this foundation. But even Dragon magic, at its core, isn’t fundamentally different from human magic. The difference lies in its potency.]

‘Are you sure?’

Khalil’s question implied: Could he trust those words if the White Gold Dragon spoke them?

Aln smirked slightly.

[If dragons developed Dragon Word magic, then I am the architect of the human magic system. If you fully accessed my repository of knowledge, you’d be on par with dragons, at least in terms of magical theory.]

The reason humans couldn’t defeat dragons was the sheer difference in magical power. Khalil, however, had overcome evolutionary limits thanks to the Dragon Heart, giving Aln Zabiuz a glimmer of hope that he could become a Dragon Slayer.

[Spirit speech manifests differently in individuals, and its effects vary. Consequently, it has many different names.]

‘Another name?’

[Yes. During the Magic Era, magic flourished, and the Order held immense power. If you were to name a magician as strong as the Council of Seven Elders who dominated the era, it would be the priests of the Order. They are also magicians when viewed in a larger context.]

Khalil nodded slowly, absorbing the information.

[In the distant past, before magic power was fully understood, spirit speech could have been deified. That’s why humanity sometimes referred to it as the power of God, divine power.]

“……”

Khalil’s expression hardened.

Was it just a simple worry?

The moment he heard the word “God,” Khalil instinctively glanced at Olivon.

Magic power and divine power.

The two seemed like opposing forces, yet their origins were intertwined.

Furthermore, if Dragon Magic stemmed from Spirit Power, the antithesis of divine power, then perhaps they too were destined to be God Slayers.

Of course,

The Dragon sided with God, and the Divine Spirit War ended in a crushing defeat.

“……I understand.”

Kwell’s rage, which had been burning fiercely moments before, subsided almost instantly. He sheathed his sword and nodded.

His disciples and the priests began to collect Tylan Stefan’s body.

No one objected to the Emperor’s death, or rather, his murder, even though the Prince was responsible.

“There are many things to do. Some will resent me, I know. But I will bear the pain and criticism for the greater good, if it allows the people of the Imperial Capital and the entire Empire to live in peace.”

Each time Olivon spoke, Khalil felt a strange tingling sensation in his heart. Along with the discomfort, he also felt a pang of sorrow, as if resonating with Olivon’s emotions.

‘Is this the power of spirit speech…?’

Perhaps his lack of magic power in his previous life prevented him from sensing it before.

‘No, if he possessed such power, he would have used it when we met at the Imperial Palace. Can he control when he uses it?’

[Perhaps he refrained from using it then because he sensed your Spirit Power.]

Khalil nodded at Lamine’s words.

Spirit Power was the only force that could effectively counter divine power, making Olivon cautious.

[Now that he considers you an enemy, he might be openly displaying his power.]

“……”

Khalil slowly channeled his Spirit Power, meeting Olivon’s provocation with one of his own.

As the black power of Duat enveloped him, he shattered the influence of Olivon’s spirit speech as easily as breaking a glass window.

“Let’s go back.”

Israel and Kay nodded in agreement.

“King of Tatur.”

A bishop of the Order called out as Khalil turned to leave.

“I will not forget today’s events. Remember that you are now at odds with the Order.”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

Khalil scoffed, turning to face the bishop.

“You’re nothing but that guy’s dog. I can practically hear you scheming to justify helping him.”

He pointed two fingers at Olivon and then at the bishop.

“A period of mourning? How convenient. Then you can go first. Anyone who wants to fight is welcome to try.”

“Wh-What!!”

The bishop’s face flushed crimson, his fists clenched as he trembled with anger.

But that was all he could do.

Having witnessed Khalil’s battle with Kwell, he lacked the courage to attack.

“Hmph.”

Khalil sneered once more before turning away. The priests, unsure of what to do, looked to the bishop, but his scowling face made it clear that there was nothing more they could do.

“……”

Mart McGovern watched Khalil’s retreating figure, then looked down at his own hand, the one that had blocked his father’s sword. It was still trembling.

Was it tension or excitement?

He clenched his outstretched hand, a strange look in his eyes, and let out a low sigh.

* * *

“As you said, this is quite a mess. To behead the Emperor in the Order’s sanctuary…”

“Well, his son essentially ordered him to do it himself. What we did is hardly surprising.”

Khalil replied with an indifferent expression, as if he had simply arrived back in Heim. However, the plumes of black smoke rising in the distance were evidence of the battle that had just taken place.

“Is it wise to enter the Order’s building like this…”

“Don’t worry. They won’t kill us here. We have value.”

“…Value?”

Khalil’s lips curled into a smile.

“Olivon will do the obvious thing now. He’ll paint me as Tylan Stefan’s murderer, and the Order will lend him their strength. He’ll sway the people with the righteous cause of avenging his father, fueled by sorrow and anger. To do that, he’ll need a scapegoat to deflect suspicion from himself.”

“……”

Israel felt a chill run down his spine at the thought of the Empire’s might combined with the Order’s power.

“But why did you do as the Prince wanted? Wouldn’t it have been better to expose his true colors to the Emperor, save him, and depose the Prince?”

Khalil shook his head.

“Now that Olivon and the Order are aligned, most of the Empire’s nobles will have no choice but to support him rather than the Emperor. The only ones who could potentially keep him in check are the Empress and Prince Ruon… It’s better to give Olivon strength than to rely on them.”

“Give him… strength?”

“I’ve already played the villain. It’s not hard to continue the act. The more he fights under the banner of justice…”

Bang—

Khalil clenched his fist, then opened it, a small flame flickering and disappearing between his fingers.

“The greater the impact when I shatter his mask.”

“To be the villain to the entire Empire… The criticism and resentment will be unimaginable.”

“It’s alright. Even if I’m a villain, you’ll follow me. Look at the war on a grander scale. The Empire isn’t the whole world. Think of it as a continent, not just a single country.”

Khalil smiled faintly.

“The barbarians and savages, the Immortal Society, and the Duchy – I wonder who will follow him more readily, and who will follow me.”

Israel’s heart pounded at his words.

“I was able to end the war in the Duchy and bring them under my control by becoming a hero. But unlike the centralized system of the Empire, that was possible because the Duchy was in a civil war. The knights of the Empire are loyal to a single family.”

Khalil continued.

“Even if I kill the Prince here, will the nobles of the Empire follow me? They’ll blame me for the Emperor’s death and ignite an even greater war.”

A loyal subject who has lost their lord will not hesitate to die, causing even greater damage.

Khalil wanted to create a situation where the talents of the Empire would have no choice but to follow him.

The betrayal of the Stefan family, whom they had trusted, would eliminate any lingering resistance to his rule as a foreigner, even among the Imperials.

“If Olivon kills the Emperor and simultaneously reveals his connection to Wooden Cloud and the death of Kroman…”

Khalil laughed sharply.

But it was by no means an easy task, to bring the Empire, the largest power on the continent, under his control with minimal bloodshed.

But it wasn’t impossible either.

“If more than half of humanity follows me, who defines justice? Of course, I don’t intend to win through sheer numbers.”

“What are you planning to do now?”

“We need to prepare for war. We don’t need to stay here long. Let’s get ready to return. Just as he has the Order on his side, we’ll have forces they can’t even imagine.”

“Who is that?”

Israel tilted his head, curious.

“A capable supporter.”

Khalil gave him a knowing smile.

* * *

“Haa… Haa…!! Damn it!! I’m going to die!! Ptooey…!!”

A rough, ragged breath echoed through the darkness.

Clots of blood mixed with the spit he expelled.

“That was close. I almost died.”

A man, exhausted, sat down, unconcerned about the pool of blood, and shouted into the invisible darkness, looking up at the distant ceiling.

“I can’t believe it… Did he really break through the 20th floor?”

“It’s the highest achievement among those who haven’t received a rank. Even the instructors struggle on the 20th floor.”

“Doesn’t that mean he’s at least a 3rd Circle mage? I don’t know what happened after he was sent to the continent… His skills have improved beyond recognition.”

“That child has always had talent.”

The eyes looking down surveyed the shredded remains of monsters, as if in disbelief.

They belonged to the elders of the Dark Shadow [a secretive assassin organization].

“What are we going to do now? If he goes any further, he’ll actually meet the master…”

“Don’t be ridiculous! The pride of the Eastern Kingdom [a region known for its martial arts and magic] is at stake. We’re here to punish the traitor, not welcome him to the master.”

“But isn’t that the rule? Regardless of friend or foe, only those who reach the end of the tower can see the master of the island.”

“But who would have thought this was possible…”

A sighing conversation continued.

“Don’t worry.”

A voice, dismissing everyone’s concerns, cut through the air.

“He won’t be able to go any further anyway. He’s just a rat in a trap. No matter how much hope the rat has, all that awaits him is despair.”

The voice spoke with unwavering confidence.

“Hoo…”

How much time had passed?

Aidan Hamill, who had been leaning against a monster’s corpse, slowly opened his eyes.

He plunged his sword into the side of a massive, wolf-like creature among the corpses.

Ein Wolf [a magical wolf with three eyes].

The corpse resembled a normal wolf, except for the three eyes embedded in its face.

“This is the only one that’s not poisonous.”

Aidan Hamill skillfully cut off a chunk of the wolf’s meat and began to chew. The sight of him tearing apart raw meat didn’t seem out of place.

“They say I can meet Simon Coden if I go up here…”

Aidan Hamill muttered, staring at the firmly sealed iron door in front of him.

This door, made of special steel found only in the Eastern Kingdom – not Blue Iron [a rare and incredibly strong metal], but still formidable – could not be broken by anyone below a 2nd Circle mage who had mastered Elementary Afterlife Technique [a powerful magic technique].

‘Originally, those who reach this point are recognized as 3rd Circle and the tower’s trials end. That door cannot be opened without a key.’

But this wasn’t a test to become the head of the Dark Shadow, so the elders watching him from somewhere wouldn’t easily open the door for him.

“Hmm…”

Aidan Hamill pondered before the door blocking his path.

Tuk—

As if reaching a decision, he nodded, clapped his hands together, and said in a low voice.

“Let’s break it.”