The 9th Class Swordmaster: Blade of Truth

Chapter 299: Proof (2)

“Just as I expected... I can’t deceive Your Majesty.”

Viola shook her head.

“It’s because there can’t be a decisive outcome.”

“Why is that?”

“The empire already knows that the principality is in Your Majesty’s hands,” Viola went on. “Though they claim to be the continent’s strongest, they must realize by now that the tide is turning against them.”

“Hmm.”

“If the Three Kingdoms of Istria fall under Your Majesty’s command, the empire will be able to focus on a single enemy. But if the war remains unresolved, their attention will be divided, and the empire will have to keep both sides in check.”

Karyl nodded at her words.

“We intended to settle the Three Kingdoms the moment Your Majesty declared war against the empire. In doing so, the spark of war would spread rapidly, and the empire would be completely isolated. Olivurn would then have no choice but to eat up the poisonous weed he was left with to strengthen his position.”

“Poisonous weed...?”

“Luon, the First Prince.”

At that, Karyl smirked.

“Though Luon has fallen from grace, there are still forces loyal to him. Or rather, loyal to the empress... Olivurn is in a position where even those two are precious to him.”

Her eyes gleamed as she continued, “But for the empire, the two princes joining forces would be the worst case scenario.”

“I see. So after you heard from Beikan that I would head to the Three Kingdoms, you deduced that I’d declared war on them in Heim.”

Karyl gestured to Beryl’s severed head.

“And you brought this to show that you still had the power to deal with the Three Kingdoms at any time?”

Viola shrugged and answered, “I did not foresee the emperor’s death, though.”

“Hah... Hahaha.”

Karyl couldn’t suppress his laughter.

“You tried to divert the empire’s attention for my sake... So I received help from you, is that it? You thought that without the war in the Three Kingdoms, the empire might have acted more quickly...”

At that moment, his expression changed.

“...”

Viola instinctively took a step back, as Karyl’s gaze was sharp as a blade.

“This is like a fox worrying about a lion.”

“My lord... Lady Viola is...”

Karyl raised his hand, stopping Beikan from defending her.

“In war, unexpected variables always arise. But no matter how many streams feed into it, a mountain stream can never overcome the waves of the ocean. It will either be buried or swept away.”

“Are you saying that Your Majesty’s Free Army is the wave of the ocean?”

Karyl only gave a faint smile in response to her words.

A few thousand soldiers—in truth, compared to the empire and other kingdoms, that number was woefully small. But after witnessing the miracle at the Twin Armor, no one in the Three Kingdoms dared to look down on the Free Army as a mere brook.

“No matter how sweet your words are, in the end, you failed to accomplish the task I gave you.”

Karyl locked eyes with her.

“Viola, do you remember what I said when we first met?”

“...”

“The Three Kingdoms, unlike other kingdoms, have maintained an alliance for many years. However, their flawed system has led them to constantly keep each other in check, ultimately resulting in this current war. The fault lies not with the people but with those who rule.”

Karyl’s voice carried a frosty edge.

“Under the pretense of being one of the continent’s three great powers, you have deluded yourselves into thinking that your insignificant forces stand on par with the empire and the principality.”

At that, Viola’s face flushed.

“You came to me to save your people. You raised an army so that the people of the Three Kingdoms could live stable lives and not starve. So why are you still prolonging this war?”

“Th-That’s because—!!”

“You have neglected your people, left your lands in ruin, all to gain my favor.”

At that, Viola was promptly silenced.

“And what have you achieved?”

Karyl’s tone grew harsher and harder.

“Nothing.”

When had it started? Had she become intoxicated by her victories, thinking that all her successes were due to her own abilities, with the Free Army backing her? Perhaps she had been enthralled by the extraordinary strategies Karyl had shown at the Twin Armor and wanted to create her own grand stage.

“If you want to save your people, take the throne first. There’s only one throne. Fortunately, there’s still one person left to blame for everything.”

As if understanding her thoughts, Karyl gestured toward Istan.

“In order to save your people, you promised to offer me the Three Kingdoms. If you’re going to offer them, kneel properly and lay them down. But before that, you must create a stage where you can proudly maintain the dignity of a king. Just like how that man has created a stage to prove himself.”

Karyl slowly stood up.

I can’t even fathom the extent of his ambition. I’ve truly done something foolish... Viola reflected. Ironically, at this moment, she felt genuine loyalty to Karyl.

Karyl ceased reprimanding her. This situation was a failure, but not a complete one. He knew well that war was the best environment for cultivating talent. He had seen that clearly with Greys.

And now, because of this, Viola would take another step forward.

“Remember, the current of a mountain stream cannot overcome the waves of the ocean. Your task is to create a floodgate that connects the stream to the ocean.”

As Viola watched Karyl’s retreating figure, she realized that all her previous convictions had been mere delusions. Even something as unimaginable as a war with the empire seemed to have been meticulously calculated in Karyl’s mind.

“Hah...”

Beikan was slightly puzzled by her smile.

“How long do you think it will take to bring the Three Kingdoms under control?”

Viola lifted her head and confidently said, “Just as Aidan is proving himself, I will present the Three Kingdoms to Your Majesty by the time that sword dance ends.”

“...!!”

Beikan looked at her in astonishment.

Step, step, step...

Karyl walked slowly to the window, gripping the ledge as he gazed out.

Clang...!! Clang―!!

The relentless clash of swords echoed through the dark night.

“Greys Fanpinel,” Karyl began without turning to look at the kneeling Viola. “He’s not here.”

Viola smiled at his remark.

“Your gift for me isn’t just Beryl’s head, is it? After taking down Beryl, you immediately attacked the Kingdom of Istan with the remaining forces. You sent back Beikan’s Free Army and relied solely on the Fanpinel knights.”

“I promised Your Majesty victory over the Three Kingdoms, but indeed, it seems I was a fox worrying about a lion. The responsibility for that arrogance is mine alone, not something to be shared with the Free Army.”

“Hahaha...!!”

Karyl burst into laughter.

“See that, Beikan? She’s outsmarted us. Now you see that she’s not so fragile as to need your protection, right? She’s already a worthy rival. She excluded you, took the credit for herself, and made herself stand out.”

Beikan gave a bitter smile but didn’t seem upset, merely shrugging instead.

“Very well, Viola. But I’ll give you one more task to redeem your mistakes.”

“What is it?”

“After tonight, gather the assassins of the Eastern Land and bring them to me. We’ll make those who’ve lost their master our own.”

“But...” Viola’s voice faltered as she gazed down from the fortress.

At that moment, even from a distance, the sharp sound of steel carving through flesh rang out clearly.

Shhhk—!

Viola felt a shiver down her spine.

“The outcome will be decided soon.”

Thud!

Karyl leaped up the fortress wall, and the wyverns circling above matched his steps with their wingbeats, almost as if forming a staircase for him.

Damn it! How is this whelp...!

Simon Coden stared at Aidan in disbelief. How could a boy who hadn’t even become a Sword Master stand his ground in a fight against him?

Boooooom―!!!

He swung his fan with all his might, pouring every ounce of his mana into it, but the once mighty weapon was all worn out from the intense battle, its glory long gone.

I, the master of the Eastern Land, made a fool of...!

His plan to quickly end the fight and return with dignity had long since failed. The longer the battle dragged on, the more his reputation was tarnished. Winning this battle would bring Simon Coden no honor, but losing would be disastrous.

As he gritted his teeth and slashed downward with his iron fan, a sword came crashing down on him, faster than the naked eye could follow.

“...!!”

What began as a weak sword strike cascaded like a wave, forming a web of swords that enveloped and trapped him like a net.

“Where do you think you’re going?!”

“Die!!”

As Simon Coden quickly opened his fan to deflect the swords and retreat, the assassins of Burning Darkness all pounced on Aidan.

Crash...!!

Boom...!

The sword web that Aidan had woven was shattered by the assassins’ blades, but the attack didn’t end there. Even the slightest opening would lead to a barrage of strikes at his vital points. Yet, despite the onslaught, Aidan narrowly dodged all the blades.

How is this possible...?

The same question that plagued Simon Coden’s mind echoed in the minds of the assassins.

How is that kid blocking our swords like this?

It doesn’t make any sense...!

It was absurd that Aidan could have grown so much ever since they had lost contact with him during his mission on the continent.

They’re too slow.

Unlike the astonished assassins, Aidan remained composed as he kept weaving through their blades.

An assassin’s most crucial weapon was their eyes. They weren’t knights, after all; their goal wasn’t to clash swords head-on, but to dodge every strike and slit their enemy’s throat.

Aidan Hamill, unlike Suan Hazer, had traveled far and wide with Karyl, witnessing more Sword Master techniques than any of his other subordinates.

It’s almost miraculous.

Aidan had been under the impression that Karyl hadn’t made any special preparations for him, but now he realized that Karyl had given him the opportunity to witness the finest swordsmanship, all in hopes of triggering his awakening.

“You dare...!”

“You think you can break through us?!”

The dozen or so assassins charging at Aidan were the kind of strong opponents he never would’ve dared to face in the past. But now, they all seemed sluggish, almost harmless to him.

“Haha...”

Though his body ached with fatigue, his mind was becoming increasingly sharper and more focused. Unlike when he had been hunting monsters in the Serpent Tower, Aidan now found himself laughing uncontrollably.

As he fought people, the tension that gripped the back of his neck was oddly satisfying. His nervous system was entirely attuned to this battle. It was a form of awakening.

In this moment, his potential shone brighter than ever, and his objective was absolute.

He would have Simon Coden’s head.

“Haa...”

While his opponents were panting with exhaustion, Aidan Hamil instead took a deep breath, concealing his presence. He was, without a doubt, a natural-born assassin.

Swoosh...!!

The red wyvern flying overhead seemed to understand Karyl’s intent, and as soon as Aidan ascended, it spread its massive wings.

“Aidan, you’re coming with me to the north.”

Even amid the relentless clash of blades, Aidan could hear Karyl’s voice clearly.

Flap―!

Whoosh―!!

The dozens of wyverns flapped their wings, snuffing out the torches and plunging the battleground into complete darkness. Even the starlight vanished behind their looming forms. At that moment, both Simon Coden and Aidan were struck by the same thought.

It was the briefest of openings.

Clang—!

Steel clashed once more in the darkness.