The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 57

50. Soul Contract

[What…? What kind of bullshit is this…?!]

Aln was startled and covered his mouth, but he couldn’t take back the words he had already uttered.

Moreover, even though the words of the dead were echoes in the brain, not spoken aloud, he was so dumbfounded that he acted as he had when he was human.

“…….”

Karril, seeing his reaction, sneered once more.

[How dare you…]

“It’s not like I’m trying to humiliate you. And seeing you like this, I’m even more convinced. Just like the saying that even rolling in a pile of shit is better than the afterlife, there’s no need for me, a living person, to risk a contract with the dead. Don’t you think? What if I end up like that too?”

Aln Xavier felt that something was wrong as he looked at Karril, who spoke so boldly before him.

“Well… if you tell me where the Ice Claw is, I might consider your offer. Why did you hide something you can’t even use after death so well?”

[Huh…]

His behavior was becoming more and more absurd.

Aln seemed speechless, looked at him for a moment, and then shook his head.

[How long has it been since I was buried here? Has it been ten thousand years, not just a thousand? I suppose even among the ignorant, there might be an oddball, but I’ve never seen anyone like this…]

“It probably hasn’t been that long.”

He never expected to meet such a human.

However, Karril couldn’t help but scoff at the mention of countless time.

He was the one who had experienced eons.

Just a thousand years?

Karril crossed his arms and said,

“Shall I guess what you want? No, why you’re so desperate for me.”

[…….]

“You’re trapped, aren’t you?”

At that moment,

The spirit that maintained Aln Xavier’s body seemed to waver.

Even for a dead man, emotions seemed to exist.

“No matter how great the Council of Seven is, they’re still human. Unlike the others, there must be two reasons why you’ve remained a soul for so long without dying.”

Karril looked at him.

“Disputes always exist in gatherings. I don’t know why, but the same must have been true for you. And you were the one who survived. But in the end, you couldn’t escape the Gray Wasteland and were trapped.”

[Hmph.]

Aln Xavier gave a cold laugh after hearing Karril’s guess.

But Karril didn’t care.

“Or the opposite.”

[What?]

“Maybe you were trapped by them.”

At that moment,

Karril felt the surrounding air grow cold. It was the chill emanating from the vengeful spirit.

“The Six Heroes. To Sir Gustav.”

Kwagagagagang…!!!

Kwagagang…!!

The surrounding stone walls exploded as if they were bursting.

As intense magic swirled within the hall, Karril hurriedly covered his face and stepped back.

[Don’t utter that bastard’s name in front of me!!!]

Unlike before, Aln Xavier’s magic, filled with rage, swirled and made even Karril falter.

[Hero? Don’t make me laugh!! That bastard is the ringleader of the traitors!]

‘I didn’t expect it… but is it really true?’

Karril thought at Aln’s reaction.

The Council of Seven itself was a name that appeared like a myth in history.

But Aln Xavier was unique among them.

The basis for Karril’s probing.

Besides being the Chief Elder of the Council, the Archmage, there was another title attached to him.

‘Aln the Betrayer.’

Of course,

Azor, the city of magic, did not acknowledge it.

Although very few, there were other views within the Magic Society looking at him, who was revered as a great mage.

‘But it was just treated as a legend, so people weren’t very interested because the Council of Seven itself was known to have descended like gods in the beginning and passed on magic to humanity.’

Or perhaps they didn’t want to admit that there was a traitor among the great mages.

Maybe that’s why they hid it.

[To attach the title of Sir to that bastard. Are all those who remain in later generations fools!]

“I don’t think you’re in a position to say that, considering you were defeated by such a person. Besides, some of your descendants call you a traitor.”

[Keuk…!!]

“So calm down. If the Han family hadn’t become the leader of the magic city, there would have been six towers in Azor, not seven.”

‘Of course, I don’t like Pasio Han, unlike his ancestors.’

[The Han family…? Could it be… are Celine Han’s descendants still alive?]

“Not only are they alive, but her descendant is now the lord of Azor.”

[Huh…]

His hand trembled.

Celine Han.

One of the Council of Seven and the only female mage.

He seemed very surprised, but I don’t know what happened between her and Aln Xavier.

‘And I don’t care.’

Karril stared at him blankly.

“Are you lovers? Even a great man who is speculated to be a dragon seems to have a heart.”

[It’s not like that. And a dragon? Who said that?]

“Just a passing remark. I have some connection with the Platinum Dragon.”

[That bastard…]

Aln Xavier gritted his teeth.

Seeing his reaction, Karril said in a low voice,

“There are many people to be angry at. Did only resentment accumulate while being trapped for a thousand years?”

[You know nothing. What Gustav and Narr Di Maugh did. And even Celine, that bitch!]

‘At least they’re not lovers.’

Karril scratched his head and replied with a calm expression.

“That’s none of my business, but do you know what they call you in the world? They call you Aln the Betrayer. Traces of battles have been found in the excavated ruins, and the goal is one person. And from the point of view that Archmage is seen inside.”

[To interpret it that way. Are you all fools? Anyone who can read magic would know how that fight went!!]

“Now I see. They didn’t build your tower to deny the traitor. I don’t know if Celine, that bitch, used some trick as you said. Since you’re already dead. They must have covered up their past by honoring you.”

[Damn it…]

“What happened? Here.”

Karril didn’t urge him.

But he knew that the more he did, the more impatient Aln Xavier would become.

It was nothing to worry about.

From the beginning, their positions were different.

It was certain that the Ice Claw, the original objective, was here.

If I searched thoroughly, I’d find it.

But I’d be trapped here forever if I didn’t help him.

Until the headmaster collapses after several years.

‘The current wizards can’t break through the corruption. It’s not easy to find a way to deal with those guys.’

Aln knows that well, too.

That’s why he won’t be able to let go of the rope called Karril this time.

‘Before that, I should check if there’s anything else I can get besides the Ice Claw.’

Karril also thought that he should seize this opportunity, different from his previous life, as much as possible.

[…….]

An awkward silence settled.

Unlike Karril, who maintained a certain dignity, Aln Xavier became more and more restless as time passed.

[Hoo……. Good. I’ll tell you how to get the Ice Claw out.]

“And what else?”

[What else?]

“So much time has passed. We need to renegotiate the deal. There must be other things left in the Gray Academy besides that, right?”

[…….]

Aln Xavier frowned with a disgusted expression.

[You guys who can’t even use Gustav’s magic are aiming for the treasures of the Gray Academy? Don’t even think about it. You’ll die.]

“Is that his magic? Well, anyway, it’s different from what you think.”

“……!!!”

At that moment.

Aln Xavier couldn’t help but be surprised when he felt the magic flowing inside Karril’s body.

[What, what is this? What is this magic?]

Looking at the endlessly boiling magic power, he stared at Karril with a dumbfounded face.

[Could it be…….]

“Let’s get the Ice Claw first.”

[Are you even a Dragon Slayer?]

At Aln’s question, Karril hardened his expression to avoid revealing his inner thoughts. When limited to humans, no one would be able to beat him in terms of magic power.

Besides, his attribute is colorless.

Aln Xavier saw through the origin of that magic power at once.

But that was it.

There was no need to tell him that he hadn’t properly pierced through the magic blood vessels [Magical pathways in the body].

A deal.

It’s always the one who has the upper hand who wins.

[Good. You’re making me interested. You’re forcing me to present my hand first. Push that stone slab on your left. There’s a small bead inside. Take that and put it in the brazier over there.]

“Hmm.”

Karril pushed the large stone slab next to him as he was told, without doubting him.

He didn’t think that someone who was cornered would play tricks even in this situation.

Krrrrrrrr…….

Then, there really was a small bead in the large space inside. When he threw it into the small brazier where blue flames were rising.

Pajik…… Pajijeuk……!!!

The bead shattered like sparks and began to emit light.

[Now, take out the blue phosphorus-infused charcoal and pour it into the hole under the stone slab where you took out the bead a little while ago.]

Karril, who was listening to him, was startled and asked.

“What? That was blue phosphorus a little while ago?”

[Yes. It’s also top-notch. It’s compressed in a special way, so the effect is 10 times that of ordinary ones.]

“Heo…….”

Karril, who didn’t change his expression no matter what Aln Xavier said, couldn’t hide his surprised face for the first time.

At his appearance, Aln crossed his arms with a triumphant look and said.

[It seems that the status of blue phosphorus remains the same even as time passes. Well, I’m the only one among the elders who handles this to this extent. You might be surprised that I refine blue phosphorus in this way.]

He wanted to show off his skills, but Karril was surprised by something else.

After the oracle was given.

Oliban was desperate to get this blue phosphorus.

But finding a mineral that had already been lost hundreds of years ago was by no means easy.

‘Now it’s hard to get even a small piece of high-purity blue phosphorus ore. That’s why the swords made by mixing it are mostly used by the royal family.’

Karril recalled that the bead he had thrown a little while ago was about the size of a fist.

If it’s 10 times that ore…….

‘This may be an opportunity to change the game.’

The reason why he pays so much attention to blue phosphorus is that the power of this ore is very effective in fighting the monsters of the oracle.

“Where did you get this?”

[Where did I get it? Are you saying that I, Aln Xavier, stole it?]

“No, I’ll correct myself. Can you get more blue phosphorus?”

[It’s not a difficult task.]

Rather, at Karril’s question, Aln said with an indifferent expression.

“Even though the veins have completely changed from the time you lived in?”

[What are you talking about? Do you think blue phosphorus is a mineral buried in the ground? This is not a magic ore.]

“……?!”

‘Blue phosphorus is not a mineral?’

Karril felt like he had been hit in the head with a hammer.

He took it for granted.

No one had ever doubted it until now.

[Blue phosphorus is the solidified moss created from the spring of secrets. You know my alias. I was the one who managed that spring of secrets. It doesn’t matter that the spring is dry. If I’m here, I can summon it again at any time.]

‘The reason why I couldn’t get the mineral was because Aln Xavier died……. I’m so surprised that it’s absurd.’

Karril licked his lips slightly.

Tseuuk…….

When the pure white smoke cleared, surprisingly, a sword emitting a blue blade was placed under the stone wall.

‘So that’s how you take it out. If Narr Di Maugh is related to Aln Xavier, he may know enough about how to find the Ice Claw.’

But he didn’t say more than that.

That he was hiding something at that time.

‘What is it?’

What was he trying to hide?

“…….”

[Will you listen to me now?]

Karril slowly turned his head and looked at him.