The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 73

62. Aedan’s Troubles

Eastern Country.

A small island reachable only by sailing east for dozens of days from the continent, home to various kingdoms and tribes such as the Empire, the Duchy, and the Three Kingdoms.

It’s known for unique magical techniques unseen on the continent.

Especially, the group called the master of the island.

Amyeon (黯然) [lit. “Darkness” or “Obscurity”, referring to a lineage of powerful mages].

Even though the Eastern Island has no ruling family or lord, the title of “owner of the island” is bestowed only upon the one who inherits Amyeon.

The tradition of one-person inheritance (一人傳承) [Ichi-nin Denshou, a Japanese term for a secret or skill passed down to only one person] was the honor and pride of the Eastern Island.

It was commonly believed that the master of Amyeon is proficient in all kinds of magic and is comparable to a Sword Master and a Great Mage, but no one has seen the master of the Eastern Island for decades.

Aedan Hamill received a single order and left the island to come to the continent.

‘Help the Second Prince, Olivon, get recommended as Emperor.’

When he first received the order, Aedan couldn’t understand how he could recommend Olivon as Emperor, especially since the First Prince was already being backed by the Prime Minister and Olivon lacked a proper power base.

However, upon his secret arrival in the Empire from the Eastern Island, a surprising incident occurred: Sword Master Kwell McGovern, known as the strongest sword on the continent, announced his support for the Second Prince, Olivon.

He still doesn’t know the reason.

But what is clear is that the contract between the island and the prince has already been fulfilled, and he only needs to assist Olivon Shutean according to the order.

He has no connection with the Second Prince.

No acquaintances.

No loyalty either.

‘Those from Amyeon do not have any doubts and must only follow the master’s orders.’

Aedan Hamill never doubted it, not even once.

Until he met a certain boy.

“……”

It may seem absurd, but the biggest concern he feels regarding Karrel is, ridiculously, Karrel himself.

‘The Eastern Island has nothing to do with the Empire, but it has decided to support Olivon Shutean. That means the master thinks he is worthy enough.’

Aedan stared blankly at Karrel, who was leaning against the severed head of the two-headed eagle in the carriage, his eyes closed.

‘He sleeps so calmly on top of a head that hasn’t even dried with blood yet.’

Whether he should call it bold or indifferent…

Aedan sometimes forgot Karrel’s age because of his actions, which were unimaginable for a 12-year-old boy.

‘I… Why do I keep making mistakes?’

He rubbed his forehead.

“Haa……”

Was it because he saw blood after a long time?

After cutting off the head of the two-headed eagle in the Demon Nest, he forgot his identity and spoke to Karrel as if he were scolding him, like someone who had lost his memory.

‘I’ve been turning a blind eye so far, but if it turns out like this, even that will be gone.’

Karrel already knows that he is from the Eastern Island, and he told Mikhail to teach him magic transformation.

‘Juke… Does he even know her identity?’

Although he doesn’t know for sure, he couldn’t guarantee it when he thought about the murderous intent he felt for a brief moment at the Tatur Inn.

‘I’m going crazy…’

He hasn’t sent her any news since leaving Tatur.

By now, she will no longer be waiting for his report and will be acting independently.

‘Maybe even a report about me has been submitted.’

“Why? You don’t look good since you came out of the Demon Nest.”

Mikhail, as if he didn’t like the silence in the carriage, spoke to him, sitting with him in the coachman’s seat.

“Mikhail.”

“Yes?”

“What do you think of me?”

“What do you mean…?”

“Just. I was wondering what you’ve seen of me so far in the Gyodo Mercenary Corps. Was I ordinary?”

Aedan himself thought it was a ridiculous question. But surprisingly, Mikhail seemed to be seriously thinking about it.

“You’re not ordinary. To be honest, Karrel is amazing, but the person who can be called my magic teacher is Aedan.”

“What? Why me?”

“You taught me magic transformation… You also helped me with difficult formulas to learn wind magic.”

‘…That’s because you were so outstanding that you figured out and learned even the parts I didn’t teach you. Besides, you would have understood the magic formula in a few days.’

Aedan wanted to tell the truth, but he held back.

“But when I saw you fighting in the Demon Nest this time, I realized that you are not only good at magic but also swordsmanship.”

Mikhail said in a calm voice.

“Besides, I had a feeling that someone who is with Karrel couldn’t be ordinary. To be honest, when I saw you fighting in the Demon Nest, I thought, ‘I knew it’.”

“…Is that so.”

Aedan thought it was ridiculous that he had been trying to hide it until now, seeing Mikhail speaking so naturally.

“Oh well.”

He handed the reins to Mikhail and leaned against the back of the coachman’s seat.

“I don’t know either.”

“Yes?”

“No. Nothing.”

Now, he felt it was ridiculous to even look for the reason why he was having these concerns.

Sreureuk-

It was then.

The curtain behind the coachman’s seat was lifted, and Aedan looked back in surprise.

“D, did you wake up?”

Karrel, rubbing his eyes and stretching tiredly, nodded and looked around.

“We’ve arrived.”

The tents visible in the distance.

“Yes?”

Even Aedan, who had good eyes, could only see the wide horizon.

“I’m not seeing it. I just know the location.”

“I see.”

Aedan nodded as if he had given up.

[Persistent guy… Where else is there a guy who creates a phantom space and trains even in a carriage?]

Karrel smiled lightly at Alun’s voice in his ear.

‘Seeing the two of them in the Demon Nest made my blood boil without me realizing it. I have a long way to go.’

“Ahem.”

He stared into the distance and said quietly.

“The place for the meeting to determine the owner of the Great Plains.”

Atanga, the village of the Tu (鬪) tribe [“Fighting” or “Warrior” tribe].

* * *

쿵-

“……”

People’s eyes were focused on the head of the two-headed eagle. Karrel crossed his arms as if enjoying their murmuring and said.

“Are you Tunan, the chief?”

Unlike his words, Karrel spoke as friendly as if he were calling an old friend.

“This is a gift for visiting the tribe.”

“A presumptuous and rude gift.”

Mikhail and Aedan listened to the conversation between the two with tense faces.

‘It feels like I’m seeing the commander.’

‘The villagers are all masters. Judging by their physical abilities alone, they are comparable to the disciples of Amyeon.’

The sense of oppression felt from the people who were looking at them from the entrance of the tribe to the inside of the camp.

But the aura emanating from the chief was on a different level, enough to easily suppress that sense of oppression.

“Hmm.”

The skin that was tanned black beyond bronze, the bulging muscles, and the glaring eyes seemed as if they would kick off the ground and devour the three people right away.

꿀꺽-

The two swallowed hard at each word of the chief without realizing it.

“I like it.”

However, unlike their worries, he plucked out the eyeballs from the severed head of the two-headed eagle and grinned.

Wadeudeuk.

Mikhail turned his head, retching as if he couldn’t bear to look at the large eyeballs being chewed as they were.

“The owner of the Demon Nest is something that even the tribes of the Great Plains do not touch, who is the warrior who caught this?”

“That guy who is throwing up while looking at you right now.”

“What? Are you kidding me?”

“Surely. Why would I come all the way here and lie like a madman? Or are you upset that the wimpy guy over there did something that even your proud warriors couldn’t do?”

“Ugh… Wimpy.”

The chief looked at Mikhail with dissatisfied eyes.

“The reason we don’t touch the Demon Nest is not because we can’t, but because we don’t.”

“You never know. Because none of the four tribes of the Great Plains have ever cleared the Demon Nest.”

“……”

As if provoking him, Karrel skillfully touched the chief’s nerves.

‘I’m uneasy. He looks like he’s about to fight right away. Even so, this is the middle of enemy territory…’

Aedan carefully put his hand on the dagger in his arms, preparing for the worst.

“I’ve heard rumors. That there are imperials colluding with the Bigung tribe. I see that’s you guys. Did you bring the head of the two-headed eagle to fight with us now?”

At Tunan’s words, Karrel laughed lightly and plucked out the other eye.

Mikhail felt like his stomach was turning upside down again at the sight, but this time he barely held it back.

“No. That’s really a gift.”

Karrel nonchalantly spread out his hand holding the eyeballs of the two-headed eagle in front of the chief.

“I heard that the two-headed eagle is good for stamina. I heard rumors that the chief of the Tu tribe hasn’t been doing well at night lately, even in the north [euphemism for sexual performance].”

“This…!!”

At that moment.

The guard standing behind Tunan frowned and tried to rush forward.

‘He’s not trying to unite the four tribes, he’s planning to kill them all.’

Aedan couldn’t read Karrel’s thoughts at all.

“Don’t move.”

It was then.

Twitch-

As soon as Karrel’s words fell, the guard stopped as if he had frozen.

“Even if you’re uneducated barbarians, a subordinate doesn’t interfere in a conversation between leaders.”

Seueueung—

“……”

He didn’t know when he had drawn it.

Only the blade of the Ice Claw, sharply touching the guard’s Adam’s apple, was trembling.

“If you don’t want your head to fly off.”

He felt a chill all over his body.

At that moment.

Aedan Hamill realized.

From the time he started investigating the culprit who made Suan Hazar escape after receiving the prince’s order.

Even when Karrel became the owner of Tatur.

And despite Juke de Hold’s dissuasion, he took the risk and reappeared in front of him and followed him.

All because of that.

‘I have no choice but to admit it.’

Aedan Hamill looked at him, who was nonchalantly pointing a sword at the tribe’s neck.

“Keuk.”

As the Ice Claw pressed down on the man’s shoulder, he frowned and slowly knelt down, unable to overcome Karrel’s strength.

“Ha…!!”

The question he had while looking at Karrel in the carriage coming towards the tribe.

And the fact that he had become fascinated by the boy Karrel.

The reason…

A life completely opposite to his own, who was born to carry out orders and complete missions.

Karrel’s path of domination.

That figure was always smiling and was his own shackle and dream, hidden behind a free-spirited mask.

“……”

Kkwak-

Aedan clenched his fist without realizing it.

‘Tatur’s four managers, the leader of the Gyodo Mercenary Corps, the lord of Azor… And even the barbarians of the south.’

He, who came from the bottom, not the prince’s status, had never bowed down to himself even once.

The commoners have a life of commoners.

The nobles have a life of nobles, and he, who was born as an assassin of the Eastern Island, only knew how to kill people.

‘When was it?’

Since when has he not killed people?

He had made his own appearance, which he could not even imagine in his dreams, so natural.

Like.

The dignity of rejecting the fate set by God (拒絶) [Kyozetsu, Japanese for “rejection” or “refusal”].

“I see.”

“Yes?”

Mikhail looked at Aedan, who was muttering in a low voice.

‘I….’

Aedan Hamill had a thought for the first and last time that he could never contain.

That is.

A determination to change his destiny.

‘I wanted to choose my master with my own will, not by order.’