The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 45

42. Magic City

“Wow… This is Azor…!!”

Mikhail’s excited voice cut through the forest.

Although he was part of the formidable Kyodo Mercenary Corps that roamed the continent, he was still a rookie with less than a year of experience.

Moreover, Carryl’s request was his first real mission.

Born and raised in a rural area far from any city,

and having lived only within fortresses until now, he was thrilled, as if seeing a new world.

Magic City Azor.

Historically, before the Ivory Tower’s Dawn Society and the Anti-Hum Grand Library’s Immortal Society split, they shared a common origin.

The Council of Seven Elders, believed to have existed since the beginning and to have spread magic throughout the continent, founded the city of Azor.

‘It’s been a while.’

Carryl looked up at the city.

The seven towering spires seemed to pierce the sky, each symbolizing one of the Council of Elders.

Among them, the tallest main tower emitted a radiant, pure white light.

The tower of Aln Zavius, the Elder of the Council of Seven and the master of the Fountain of Secrets.

‘A place said to have existed since the beginning, even before the era of Kaie Essir, who was called the Archmage, more than 250 years ago.’

Carryl thought, imagining the firmly closed doors of that tower.

‘Well… humanity hasn’t existed since the beginning, so that’s just a rumor… The Council of Seven Elders, whom even Nar Di Maug hadn’t reportedly met.’

Looking at the buildings that didn’t seem outdated at all and were instead overwhelming in their grandeur, Carryl nodded.

‘The prestige as the headquarters of magic has been taken by the magic societies, but it’s certainly a place that has had a stronger bond with the Majong (魔種族) [Demon Race] Elves than any other nation since the past.’

In his previous life, he had no connection to magic, so he had little interest in Azor.

Instead, he spent his time in places like the Tatur Arena or the southern desert arena, where he could compete in martial arts.

‘That I would come to Azor myself.’

Carryl smiled bitterly.

“As soon as we pass through the city gates, we’ll split up. Aidan, find lodging first and meet me in the plaza in an hour.”

“What about me?”

“Don’t worry. You have a separate task. You’ll apply for the competition on my behalf.”

The reason Carryl came to Azor.

In the magic city, many competitions are held every year, like the Tatur Arena.

Not only mages from the Dawn Society and the Immortal Society but also free mages working as mercenaries and mages belonging to the Empire, Duchy, and the Three Kingdoms could freely test and compete with their magic.

“Ah, it seems Carryl-nim is planning to participate in the magic competition?”

Mikhail clapped his hands as if he understood.

“No. Not just me, but you too.”

“…Yes?”

“And this is an invitation. Take it with you to prove your identity.”

Carryl took out the certificate he had received from Dushala before leaving Tatur and handed it to Mikhail.

“It cost him quite a bit to get it.”

‘That seal is….’

Aidan immediately recognized that the red seal melted on top of the recommendation was Baron Beryl’s.

‘When did he prepare something like this?’

Then, he shook his head in dismay and inwardly exclaimed lightly.

“But, I….”

“Don’t worry. No one will pay attention to you. Besides, this is Baron Beryl’s invitation. He’s an old, washed-up mage now.”

Carryl smiled lightly.

“But those with invitations can use Azor’s shops cheaply. That’s why it’s hard to get. First, register for the competition, and then buy some of the things I’ve written down.”

He handed Mikhail the invitation along with a small note.

‘When did he prepare all this?’

Aidan couldn’t help but stick out his tongue at Carryl’s thoroughness.

“In the meantime, I have some business to take care of. Let’s meet again in the plaza in an hour.”

Carryl took out an old robe from the bag he was carrying and put it on.

The musty-smelling old robe somehow didn’t seem to suit him.

It was the robe of the goblin shaman Baker he had killed a few months ago.

“See you later.”

Watching Carryl’s back as he disappeared into the crowd without hesitation, the two stared blankly at each other.

But soon.

They nodded to each other and parted ways.

Because he had already told them everything they needed to do.

* * *

-A magic book? The Anti-Hum Grand Library would be the best. It has the most magic books on the continent.

-Unless I become the head of the Immortal Society. I have no intention of going under the magic societies. Exclude methods with low possibilities and tell me what I can do in the current situation.

-I thought you would easily take over the magic societies.

-It’s not that I don’t have the thought, but that’s a matter for later.

Dushala looked at him blankly for a moment at Carryl’s words.

-…I can’t tell if you’re serious or joking when you say that.

Shaking her head, she said.

-If the magic societies are impossible, the only way to get high-level magic books is to win the Azor competition.

-Competition….

-But frankly, that’s almost impossible. The magic societies sponsor the magic competition anyway. In fact, the finals of the Dawn Society and the Immortal Society are fixed. Instead….

-Instead?

-There are people like us there too. They can’t touch the winning prize, but there are brokers who steal the magic books provided for the competition. If you’re lucky, you might be able to get up to 4th class [Tier 4 magic].

-Hmm….

-I know a few people, should I contact them?

Carryl recalled his conversation with Dushala and slowly raised his head.

‘Frankly, even at that time, I only asked her for her name for the purpose of obtaining magic books….’

Carryl fiddled with the goblin shaman Baker’s robe he was wearing.

‘That one of them would be related to Wooden Cloud. Lucky.’

After killing Ardin.

There wasn’t much to salvage from the confession of the remaining prisoner, Baker.

‘Redios, Bargo, Douglas.’

The people he knows in Wooden Cloud are these three.

Common names, and they may be aliases.

‘Bargo Sira.’

Carryl recalled the name Dushala had told him.

Intuition, or perhaps the instinct he had honed on the battlefield.

He had to check, but somehow he thought he might be the man Baker had mentioned.

‘Baker said that before working as a branch, he was a free mage belonging to the mercenary guild. The name of the guild he belonged to was the Ulkas Guild.’

He hadn’t paid much attention to it because it was a small guild he had never heard of before.

But the moment Dushala uttered the name of the guild.

Carryl changed his mind.

Ulkas Guild’s Guild Master, Bargo Sira.

‘Two members among the guild members. Even the guild master is Wooden Cloud….’

It could mean that the Ulkas Guild is one of the bases of Wooden Cloud’s branches.

Not only him but also others may have been involved with the Duchy.

‘I have to check.’

Thud- Thud- Thud-

Carryl continued to move his feet.

Azor, called the magic city, had magic lamps lit in every alley, creating a city that never sleeps, unlike the Empire.

Even in such a place, darkness exists like any other place.

Unlike the glamorous appearance of the city, as he walked along the street, he came to a slum, and further inside, the appearance of those squatting on the street was the same, but the look in their eyes as they looked at Carryl was sharp, unlike those in the slum.

“Can you move out of the way?”

Carryl, who was walking along the alley, stopped in one place.

A door with a tattered doorknob that made him doubt whether it could be pulled open.

A group of people was sitting in front of it.

“I need to go in.”

As soon as Carryl spoke, the man sitting in front of the door slowly reached out his hand.

“If you’re going to beg, go to the plaza.”

Despite Carryl’s words, the man only flicked his fingers.

Swoosh….

At that moment.

A presence moving in the darkness was felt.

A gleaming silver blade.

‘They’re not ordinary guys.’

But no matter what their identity is.

Carryl didn’t even think it was worth his time to listen to the man’s words in this predictable situation, and grabbed and twisted his wrist as it was.

Crack-

Without even having time to scream, his arm dislocated in a strange direction.

Thwack…!! Thwack…!!

As he punched the guy’s face repeatedly, the sharp look that had been looking at him until just now was obscured by his swollen eyelids and could no longer be seen.

“Cough… cough… cough!”

As if it was hard to breathe properly.

Without even giving him a chance to resist, Carryl’s leg kicked the man’s abdomen with all his might.

Swoosh–!!

Thud…!!

The unconscious man slid across the floor as if sweeping it with Carryl’s kick and crashed into a pile of boxes.

Carryl kicked the fallen man.

“If there’s someone who ordered you, come out, and if you attacked the wrong person, take him and get lost.”

“……”

At the sight, the rest of the people didn’t even dare to resist and hurriedly left.

‘It’s the same everywhere.’

Looking at them, Carryl shook his head with a low sigh.

Hyenas preying on the weak.

‘Just by coming here on your own, shouldn’t you have suspected it at least once? If you’re stupid, your body suffers.’

Carryl confirmed that there were no more people around and opened the door in front of him.

Squeak.

The sound from the rusty door wasn’t very pleasant.

The scenery behind him had a rather cozy feeling, unlike the dark alley.

Things piled up everywhere.

It was similar to Calipson’s shop in the Tatur black market, but it was different.

‘Judging from this, they’re not just beggars, but guys hired by the owner here.’

“Hmm? A customer? I don’t usually take customers when I’m busy with the competition… How did you get in?”

A frivolous voice.

Carryl thought that his prediction was correct at those words heard from inside the building.

“I see. The guys in front were quite rough.”

‘Is that him?’

Carryl looked at the man walking out to the counter.

A man with a hunched back and hollow eyes as if he hadn’t slept, with a frail physique that seemed to have nothing but bones left.

No.

According to the information he heard from Dushala, these are smugglers.

If he is the guild master, he wouldn’t trust such trash in front of the door.

Thinking so, Carryl said to the man.

“I came to see Bargo Sira on the recommendation of Dushala of Tatur.”

At his words, the owner paused for a moment.

“Of course, I’m also planning to take the magic book.”

But soon, at Carryl’s words, the man seemed to lower his guard and said.

“A guest from Tatur… That’s not common… Do you have a letter of introduction?”

“Of course.”

Carryl showed an old seal from his chest.

“It’s real. It’s surprising, but well, take a look around. It’s not usually allowed, but if you’re a customer of Dushala, we have to meet your needs here.”

“Good.”

At the owner’s words, Carryl nodded as if satisfied.

‘Then I’ll take your necks as a bonus.’