The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 42

39. Concerns

The work was handled swiftly.

While Suan Hazar was cleaning up the lawless port, Caryl had given Dushala some instructions before leaving Tatur.

“Winning the favor of Baron Beryl, a forgotten figure even in the kingdom, won’t be difficult. Take some attribute stones from the black market and visit him.”

“You know the price of even a low-grade attribute stone. You’re telling me to just give them away?”

“Think of it as an investment. The black market probably only has triangular stones anyway. You’ll be able to get so many of those later that they’ll be like dirt.”

“…….”

“And give him some gold coins too. If you bring old coins, he might find it strange, so make sure to exchange them beforehand.”

Dushala stared at the heavy pouch on the desk. With the gold coins he had shown her, buying that abandoned land wouldn’t be difficult at all.

“Isn’t it easier to just buy it with money?”

She wondered if it was necessary to go to such lengths to deal with an old mage who was wasting away his remaining fortune.

Caryl chuckled lightly at her question.

“It’s for the future. He may be old now, but he used to be a promising talent who was even called a genius. Even if the nobles have forgotten him, it’s different for mages.”

The old mage’s presence was surprisingly significant in Caryl’s plans.

“Just do as I say for now.”

* * *

Dushala, her face veiled, slowly pushed forward the triangular azure stone, which contained the power of wind, Baron Beryl’s magical attribute, as instructed.

“Heh heh… What do you want?”

Glittering eyes.

The old mage, staring at the gold coins before him, couldn’t hide his drooling the moment he saw the azure stone, as if he no longer had any noble integrity.

“It is an honor to meet you. We are the Lavat Guild. We have come to greet you in the hopes of establishing a friendly relationship with you, Baron.”

“Hahaha. With me?”

The old mage laughed as if Dushala’s words were absurd.

“How can a merchant be so blind? What’s the point of maintaining a good relationship with a has-been like me?”

“A has-been? Your words are too harsh. Our master said that Baron Beryl is the best mage among the three kingdoms.”

Even as she spoke, she felt disgusted.

A mage who had neglected his training due to his fondness for women couldn’t be seen favorably.

“It’s just that you’ve accumulated experience. And our master supports you, Baron Beryl. From the Battle of Melbrun to the defense of the duchy… Our master said that the Kingdom of Istan has been able to survive until now thanks to you.”

“Heh heh… I don’t know who your master is, but he has a good eye. Well, if I hadn’t led that battle to victory, the kingdom would have been destroyed.”

“You are absolutely right.”

She slowly lowered her head.

“This is a token of trust. Please feel free to use it. Furthermore, if you sign a contract with us, we can provide you with even more attribute stones.”

Then, she calmly said.

“What do you say? Would you like to dream of a comeback with us?”

Even a single attribute stone was worth a fortune.

And more than that?

This was something that even the mages of the empire couldn’t enjoy.

At that moment.

Baron Beryl’s eyes wavered.

Dushala had dealt with many nobles so far.

Nine out of ten of those who came to the black market bought something when they had that look in their eyes.

“Ahem… This is too much.”

Swoosh-

At that moment.

The greedy baron’s wrinkled hand grabbed the azure stone.

* * *

‘It should be over by now.’

From the start, Caryl didn’t consider the possibility of the deal with Baron Beryl failing.

‘To start mining the mana mine, we need to deceive not only Baron Beryl’s territory but also the five nobles around it.’

However, they are not a big problem.

‘They are all Beryl’s disciples. Thanks to having a lousy teacher, they might want to erase his name, but they won’t be able to disobey his words anyway. The rest will be taken care of by Baron Beryl.’

But to operate the mana mine, simply acquiring the land is not enough.

To that end, soon.

He will leave this place.

But before that, there was one more thing to finish.

‘He should be moving soon.’

Caryl was the only one in the inn’s hall.

Whether it was because of her words or because the rumors had spread, the fact that all those people had disappeared made him feel strangely desolate.

‘Well, it’s nice and quiet, though.’

It might seem strange that he, who lacked the time to train his body and learn magic, was idling like this, but this moment was more important than anything else to him.

‘Aidan Hamil.’

A subordinate of the Second Prince, Oliven.

It was a bit unexpected.

He thought he would be working together while he was moving, but instead, he disappeared.

‘What is he thinking?’

Creak….

At that moment.

The door of the quiet inn opened.

‘Speak of the devil.’

Turning his head, Caryl lightly smiled as he looked at the person who had opened the door, as if he had been waiting for him.

“So, you found your sister.”

Although his words and thoughts were different, Caryl spoke very naturally.

“Yes, it’s all thanks to you, Caryl-nim [esteemed Caryl]. Say hello, she’s the one who saved me at the port.”

Looking at Aidan, Caryl slowly nodded.

“I’m glad. That nothing happened.”

Caryl looked at the girl bowing her head next to him.

Juke de Hold.

The blue hair looked even younger than the short cut in his memory.

‘But you can’t be fooled by that face.’

From the moment Aidan Hamil said she was his sister, he barely managed to hold back his laughter.

‘Even though she looks like that, she’s at least ten years older than me.’

Body modification.

This technique, which allows one to stretch or shrink the muscles of the face as well as the joints of the entire body, could only be mastered by those with special constitutions, regardless of whether they were imperial or foreign.

Thanks to this ability, her face changed from moment to moment depending on the time and place.

‘I’ve never even seen her real face.’

There was no telling how this face would change next time.

“T, thank you!”

A youthful voice.

Caryl, knowing her identity, could only laugh.

“It’s all thanks to Caryl-nim’s concern.”

“What are you planning to do from now on?”

“We have nowhere to go… We’re just thinking of staying here. The Gold Lion is gone, and… Tatur is full of stories about Caryl-nim.”

“Is that so?”

At Juke’s words, Caryl nodded with an indifferent expression.

‘No one is interested in my movements yet. But soon, what happened in Tatur will be reported to him.’

No.

It may have already happened.

To the Second Prince, Oliven Stian.

Caryl looked at the two of them.

The hands and feet that supported Oliven Stian from the light and shadow.

They will continue to do many things for him.

In particular, Juke de Hold existed only in the darkness without even leaving her name in history, and assassinated countless nobles.

Clearly, Caryl knew that these two would be obstacles in his path.

And yet, those two are now in front of him.

Caryl let out a low sigh as he looked at them.

A different kind of concern than before.

‘Should I kill them here?’

“……!!”

In that moment.

As if sensing his murderous intent, the two instinctively raised their heads and looked at him.

“No.”

“Yes?”

Aidan Hamil asked him back with a stiff face at Caryl’s quiet voice, but instead of answering, he gave a faint smile.

‘What… Damn it.’

However, Aidan was confused because he couldn’t even guess the meaning of that smile.

‘It would be good if I could win them over. Honestly, it’s a waste to kill them because they are valuable talents. They fought for Oliven, but it’s true that they saved many people even after the oracle was given.’

Only.

The problem was that their achievements were after the oracle was given, as Caryl thought.

Until then.

In order to enthrone Oliven as emperor, they may have killed as many people as they saved.

‘It would be good to watch them a little longer. The direction of those two has not been decided until that incident happens.’

Caryl judged coldly.

He doesn’t think that everyone will be with his will just because they have abilities.

‘Discard what should be discarded and take only what can be obtained.’

Even with those who were obtained in that way, wasn’t he defeated in his previous life?

“If you want, I’ll provide you with a place to stay. If you have nowhere to go, it wouldn’t be bad to live here with your sister and watch this place change.”

‘Because even Oliven couldn’t do it.’

He provided Tatur as the only refuge for the remaining foreigners, but he is different.

‘As a place where foreigners can live with dignity.’

Maybe it’s stubbornness.

Allowing those two, who are connected to Oliven, to report what he is doing to him was also Caryl’s will to break free from his shackles.

“Or you can follow me.”

“……Yes?”

It was bait.

Aidan Hamil before the regression is a person related to Tatur, but he shines properly several years later.

That means.

Even though Aidan Hamil is related to Oliven, it may not be a perfect relationship of trust.

Caryl thought that he could do the same for his future as he had advanced Suan Hazar’s future.

But unlike Suan, keeping him by his side might create bad results.

‘What I’m thinking about is his talent.’

Seeing this, Cwell suddenly came to mind, and Caryl smiled bitterly without realizing it.

“The wit at the lawless port, and I think you’re a pretty useful talent. The wound you had at the beginning, did you make it yourself?”

“…….”

Of course.

He avoided the details.

He had to deceive them to some extent to avoid the suspicion of the two quick-witted people.

“Ah, no. What help can I be…?”

“Is that so?”

But Aidan Hamil did not easily bite the bait that Caryl had spread.

His existence must have already been reported to Oliven. Even though he wanted to investigate him further, Aidan Hamil was cautious.

‘Maybe it’s a natural action.’

A situation where each other’s positions are hidden.

Superficially, Aidan Hamil is just an ordinary man who came to find his sister.

“That’s a shame. Talented people are always welcome. I was happy that the relationship I had in Tatur might last, but I can’t help it.”

If he clings to the rejected bait, he may be suspected instead.

“Besides, I’m thinking of going to a pretty interesting place.”

Caryl accepted his answer at once. Then, he said in a passing tone in a low voice.

“The Kyo-do Mercenary Corps.”

“Yes?”

In that moment.

Caryl did not miss the slight shaking in Aidan Hamil’s eyes.

Juke de Hold, who is standing next to him without saying anything, will not let him go for this mistake later.

“Why? Are you interested in the mercenary corps?”

“Ah, no.”

The Kyo-do Mercenary Corps is the strongest mercenary corps on the continent.

When the name was mentioned, Aidan hurriedly changed his expression and said.

“I’m trying to start a small business. I need some security.”

‘What…? He’s going to use the Kyo-do Mercenary Corps as security guards?’

Aidan Hamil was speechless at Caryl’s words.

Because he was saying things that ordinary people couldn’t even imagine without a care.

‘To find them when they don’t even know where they are.’

The Kyo-do Mercenary Corps.

They are known to wander without a fixed base and take on various requests regardless of the danger.

The more dangerous the job, the more welcome they are, which means that they are confident in their skills.

‘If they hadn’t been there after the oracle was given, even the empire would have been in danger.’

Although.

The power of the mercenary corps weakened because the leader of the mercenary corps, Gordon, died of an illness before the oracle, their performance in the oracle was still great.

‘But that’s later.’

There was another reason why Caryl brought up the name of the mercenary corps.

‘After the oracle was given, the Kyo-do Mercenary Corps, whose leader was replaced after Gordon’s death, fought under Oliven.’

What that means was clear.

The reason why Aidan Hamil’s eyes trembled at the name.

‘The power that Oliven wants to obtain.’

Caryl slowly raised his head and looked forward.

That power.

This time, he will obtain it.