The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 66

58. A New Journey

“A message from Kadihum. They say a sample has been collected from the mana mine and sent.”

“Oh?”

Dooshalla received the note from his subordinate and opened a small box that came with it.

Clack-

Inside the box was a rough, unprocessed attribute stone.

‘This is about a 2-carat stone. To think there really was a mana mine in the wastelands,’ Dooshalla thought, feeling a chill as Carryl’s half-joking words became reality.

“Whoa, is that an attribute stone? And the colors are all different, meaning it’s a mine with multiple attributes? It seems much better than the mana mines the Empire has! Haha, are we going to be richer than our Emperor?”

Kamma smirked from behind Dooshalla.

“Don’t get too excited. We can’t sell them yet. Think of how much investment went into developing the mana mine. We poured Tatar’s three-year budget into it.”

“Ha, haha… That’s true.”

Kamma twitched his lips at Dooshalla’s words.

“And this is from Suan of the Lawless Port. All the damaged buildings have been repaired, and the settlement of the immigrants from the north seems to be stabilizing to some extent.”

Tatar had undergone many changes during the months Carryl was away.

Along with the development of the mana mine, Suan Hazar had been actively helping immigrants and slaves escape to Tatar.

The Slave King’s reputation had spread throughout the continent, and there were even secret messengers contacting him.

Unintentionally, Carryl’s planned invisible empire was beginning in the shadows.

“That Suan, he’s been treating the Lawless Port like his own home these days since Kyuran’s been gone.”

Kamma said in a sarcastic tone while sorting through the piles of documents.

“So what?”

But he flinched at Dooshalla’s cold gaze.

“Ah, no, well, it’s a good thing. It’s more stable than when Kyuran was around. Isn’t it? It’s a great place to live now. Hahahaha.”

Quick-witted Kamma awkwardly laughed and nudged the subordinates standing nearby.

‘Damn it, looking at me like that… I can’t even do this anymore. No, why am I always doing the grunt work when we’re both managers?’

Among the managers of the free city, Kamma’s position was inevitably lower than the other three.

In the past, Tatar had no owner, so they didn’t infringe on each other’s territory.

But now there was a clear owner.

The three managers were ultimately under Carryl McGovern, and for some reason, two of the most influential were supporting a young kid, so Kamma had no answer.

‘I should have seduced that kid before Dooshalla made her move. Suan is always out and about anyway… It’s like Tatar belongs to that woman.’

Unable to express the bubbling anger inside, Kamma began to move the remaining documents that Dooshalla had processed.

“Kamma.”

It was then.

“Huh? Haha, what do you… No, do you need any help?”

He quickly turned his head at the sound of Dooshalla calling him.

In that moment, he barely swallowed the words ‘is there something you need me to do?’ that were about to come out of his mouth. He wanted to protect at least the last bit of his pride.

“I have something for you to do.”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“If you do well, it’s something that can properly earn Carryl’s trust, which you desperately want. And maybe you can return to politics.”

“Politics? Are you talking about the Principality? Hahahaha… You’re funny. What would an old man like me do back there?”

Dooshalla was the only one in Tatar who knew about Kamma’s past.

He was a nobleman of the Principality in his youth, but due to a series of events, he lost his family and fled here.

The reason why Dooshalla and his positions were so different was that when he heard that Carryl had made a deal with Baron Berill, he hid first because of his past history.

“Why? You always said it: that you would take revenge as soon as you returned to Lurein.”

“…”

“It seems that opportunity has come.”

“What are you talking about…”

“It’s a letter from Baron Berill of the Kadihum mana mine. To be exact, it’s a report on the work Carryl ordered him to do.”

Dooshalla handed him the note he had received earlier. Kamma read the note with a look of not understanding what he was saying.

“…!!”

His expression hardened as soon as he unfolded the note.

Dooshalla wore a cold, snake-like smile, as if amused by his reaction.

“How is it? Isn’t it surprising? It’s amazing that he developed the mana mine, but it seems our Master already had a bigger plan.”

“Is this… really true?”

“Yes. He said that when attribute stones are mined from the mana mine, he told you to create a merchant group different from Suan’s. You may not be able to return as a nobleman, but isn’t this a way to return to the exiled kingdom with dignity?”

The only job among ordinary people who can influence the country is a merchant who holds economic power.

Kamma stared at Dooshalla, speechless at Carryl’s command, which instructed him as if he knew his past.

“No, I mean, is this really true? Is the Principality making magical weapons in preparation for war with the Empire?”

“You’ll know if it’s true or not if you go and check.”

“Even if it’s true, this is top secret. How can someone far away, who doesn’t even know where it’s hidden, know that?”

“Our Master is a strange person. I don’t know either. He said the route has already been told to Baron Berill… The people of the Lawless Port should be filled to some extent. He told us to use them as workers for the merchant group. It’s like we’re kids, and he wrote down everything from A to Z.”

Even though he said that, Dooshalla didn’t look too bad.

That’s how much he had to admit about Carryl’s abilities. Kamma frowned slightly at her reaction.

“Why are you making that face like you’re happy? What is she doing while leaving us to do all the work?”

“Want to know?”

She shook a note she had taken out before giving it to Kamma.

“Kamma, how many barbarians live in the Southern Continent?”

“Well… I don’t know exactly, but if you combine the 10 most powerful tribes, there would be at least tens of thousands.”

“Yes. That’s the number of soldiers who can fight, excluding ordinary people. Then how many are in Master’s party?”

“Wasn’t it a strange guy named Aidan and a mercenary?”

“He got one more subordinate from Azor.”

“Then there are four. What? Did you know and ask me?”

Dooshalla said with a strange smile.

“Do you think you can win against tens of thousands with four people?”

“What nonsense are you talking about…”

“He’s going to do it now.”

“…What?”

“Our Master is planning to do something ridiculous that can’t even be compared to the work he’s given us.”

Dooshalla said with the most excited expression so far, looking at Kamma’s face, who didn’t understand.

“Southern Conquest.”

* * *

“The magic system should not be thought of only as written in magic books. A standardized concept is poison to magic. The mana transformation you learned from Aidan is also an example.”

A week after leaving Azor.

While riding along the forest path, Carryl practiced Mihail’s magic training from time to time.

“Ahem, I see.”

Mihail nodded, stroking his chin next to Aidan, who was lighting a bonfire.

“After reaching the 3rd class, a new formation of blood vessels is needed. To do that, you must first open the blocked blood vessels.”

“Wait a minute… Master, basic magic says to stabilize the blood vessels first and then adjust the blood vessels of the elevated class, right?”

Mihail raised an objection to Carryl’s words and covered his mouth with a look of realization.

“I’m sorry.”

Because he immediately remembered Carryl’s advice just before.

“No. It doesn’t mean that the newly established basic magic of 500 years is wrong. But as far as I know, opening the blood vessels first in the 3rd class helps to increase mana.”

Carryl paused for a moment and said.

“This method existed long before basic magic. My teacher did it that way and achieved better results.”

“I understand.”

Mihail didn’t ask who the teacher was or why he wasn’t listed in magic, even though he might have been curious.

To Mihail, Carryl’s words, who had cleared the Gray School that even the wizards of Azor couldn’t capture, were absolute.

“You will be moving for a couple of months. Train your mana in the way I tell you.”

“Yes.”

Mihail nodded at Carryl’s words.

[Wow, he’s reading well. He’s saying the information in my memory without missing a single word.]

He laughed lowly at Aln Zabiuss’s joke.

‘I can’t help it. I can’t tell him to learn magic from a ghost who died a thousand years ago.’

[Why? There’s nothing you can’t do. There’s no law that says you can’t learn from the dead. You said it yourself a little while ago. Don’t be trapped in a standardized concept.]

‘Don’t nitpick unnecessarily. Aln Zabiuss’s name will be known again someday.’

At Carryl’s words, Aln crossed his arms and snorted.

[Hmph, I’m not interested in that anymore. I just want to discuss the truth with Nar D. Maugh.]

‘Why did you kill me?’

[…Anyway. You’re good at saying painful things. You’re a heartless guy. To think I gave all my knowledge to a guy like you.]

‘Not all of it. You also put a ban on it. All I can know is the overall concept. In fact, the knowledge of high-level magic has not been unlocked.’

[They’re magic that you can’t use even if you know it. I did it for you.]

‘Isn’t it because of the anxiety that I might trade forgotten magic?’

Carryl smiled.

Including the first magic stored in Azor, Aln Zabiuss’s memory contained many magic that the Council of Seven had learned.

Most of them were magic that had been lost and could not be found now.

From the Dawn Society and the Immortal Society to the Empire and the Principality…

It was magic that even those who received the title of Archmage dreamed of.

Even if only one appeared in the world, they would turn on their eyes and try to trade with Carryl.

‘Especially Kadin Luer, the court wizard of the Empire. That old man would have just handed over one or two territories to get it.’

Of course.

He had no intention of trading magic with the snake-like him, but it meant that new magic had enormous value to wizards.

[Are you going to trade it with that? Keuk, don’t. You have to make a joke properly. Who would believe that a 12-year-old kid knows magic from a thousand years ago? It will only urge your death.]

And the snake-like old man was here too.

Aln Zabiuss knew that what Carryl said was impossible.

He also noticed that it was just a means for him to be in a higher position than himself, even a little.

[Don’t worry. Since you ate the dragon’s heart, I can’t covet your body. No matter how great it is, my magic is lower than the dragon’s magic, so there’s nothing I can do.]

As if.

He said it as if he knew Carryl’s worries.

[In the first place, when I made a contract with you, I shared my knowledge with you on the condition that you take me to the Platinum Dragon. That’s enough. Spend a thousand years alone. It doesn’t matter to me now how the continent is doing.]

The seal of the Gray School was something he couldn’t break, and Carryl was an opportunity to obtain the relics of the Council of Elders.

A good thing for each other.

But what kind of people are the Council of Seven?

Even though Carryl made a contract with thorough preparation, he still had anxiety.

[So don’t be discouraged and do what you’ve been doing. It’s fun to watch what you’re doing.]

‘What? When did I?’

[Keulkeulkeul……]

Aln Zabiuss laughed as if Carryl’s reaction was funny.

Looking at him, Mihail thought.

‘Sometimes he’s quiet without saying anything like that. I wonder what he’s thinking. It seems to be happening more often these days……’

Besides, he was sometimes frowning or laughing alone, so he couldn’t help but wonder.

He didn’t know about the existence of Aln Zabiuss, so he just guessed that Carryl was thinking seriously.

[By the way, are you going to stop by ‘that place’ before going to the Rock of Ruin? I’m still amazed that it’s still there.]

‘Tatar alone is not enough. There are several cities on the continent that are not touched by the kingdoms, but it is difficult to use them as bases. No matter how many times I think about it, that place is the right place.’

[I agree with that… Well. I don’t think you can become the owner of that land with just three people.]

Aln said, looking at Mihail and Aidan, who were following Carryl.

‘If I can’t do that much, I’m destined to die on the Rock of Ruin first, let alone Nar D. Maugh’s lair.’

[……]

‘Besides, I need their power to go to the Rock of Ruin.’

Mihail looked at Carryl.

He could tell from his slowly nodding figure that the long silence was over.

And when the silence ended.

He also knew that unexpected orders always came down.

“The land of the Flying Bow Tribe.”

Carryl said in a low voice.

“We’re going to the Great Plains.”