The 9th Class Swordmaster: Blade of Truth

Chapter 189: In Tatur

“What do you plan to do now? The empire seems to be in chaos.”

Despite Dushala’s question, Karyl kept staring out the window, lost in thought. He was taking in the scenery of Tatur, a place he hadn’t seen in a long time.

Thinking back, he realized he had never truly had a home in his previous life—not just a place for basic needs but somewhere he could return to, a place where companions would welcome him back.

If Karyl were to consider anyone as companions from his previous life, it would be the Ten of the Oracle. However, up until he ascended the Pharel Tower, the only place they had shared was the blood-soaked battlefield.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. It’s nothing.”

Dushala cast Karyl a curious glance as he hadn’t answered her question.

“I just like it.”

At his response, Dushala instantly blushed.

“Wh-What do you mean?”

She instinctively took a step back, accidentally hitting her foot on the table.

“...Ouch!”

“Haha, how clumsy. Where’s your mind at?” Suan chuckled at the sight.

Aidan lightly patted Suan on the shoulder and told him in a low voice, “I think you’re bound to die alone...”

“Huh? Why?”

“Never mind.”

Suan looked around, puzzled by Aidan’s comment, but no one else in the room said anything. They just nodded in agreement.

“How are things in the Three Kingdoms of Istria?”

“Are you really not concerned about the empire anymore?”

Dushala handed over the documents she had organized to Karyl.

“It’s not that I'm uninterested. From now on, the empire will rot on its own from within.”

“So the internal strife has begun, huh?”

Karyl gave a faint smile at her words.

I’ve set the stage, so now I won’t be the one moving the pieces anymore. They will. What can I say? Never let yourself be swayed...

He then thought of someone as he reflected.

***

Boom...! Crash...!

For the past few days, the usually quiet main palace had been awfully noisy, filled with the clatter of things breaking.

The servants and maids outside in the corridor, all of them ghastly pale, exchanged worried glances as the crashes rang out around them.

“Step aside. I’m going in.”

“Chancellor... Chancellor!”

The head servant, who was among the staff, quickly bowed at the voice that came from the end of the corridor.

“Clear everyone out. This is not your fault.”

“We... We apologize.”

The head servant hastily gestured for the other servants to leave.

“Phew...”

Once the hallway was quiet, Chancellor Bryn Ennik let out a low sigh. His face was marked with deep wrinkles due to the several sleepless nights.

Everything had fallen apart in an instant; the first prince, whom he supported, was now powerless, and the nobles who had once backed him were now exiled, cut off like a kite with its string severed.

Get a grip! I need to be the anchor, especially in times like these!

Indeed, the prince’s affair was just that, an affair of the prince. As long as the emperor was alive, disputes between the princes were merely a matter for the future, and those future fights would only take place if the empire itself was stable.

First, I need to bring stability to the empire.

Clenching his fist tightly, Bryn Ennik repeatedly told himself that, but he could not bring himself to turn the doorknob.

I will not forgive...

The thought of Karyl, who had just shown up and overturned everything, made him want to throw everything within reach, just like the emperor.

“Your Majesty.”

He gritted his teeth as he entered the main palace.

“...!”

As soon as he opened the door, Bryn Ennik flinched under the emperor’s fierce glare.

“Ah... Sir Bryn, you’ve come at the right time.”

“...Pardon me?”

Despite his earlier resolve, Bryn felt a chill down his spine.

“Kuwell MacGovern... You said his mansion is in the lands of Aesir, right?”

The emperor’s lips were chapped and bloodied from having bitten them so hard in his fits of rage.

“Y-Yes... That is correct.”

Seeing the dried blood on the emperor’s mouth, Bryn quickly averted his eyes, feeling as though he were face to face with a vampire.

“How many adopted sons does Kuwell have?”

"Aside from his biological son Martte, he has five. The second son, Tiren MacGovern, is currently a trainee at the Academy, and the fourth son, Randol, is a member of the Ryeo Knights but is currently missing.”

“Is that so? That’s unfortunate. Even as an adopted father, now knowing about your son must be awful.”

The emperor wiped his lips with the back of his hand.

“Bryn Ennik, you know it too. The princes are aiming for my throne. You must be having a hard time as well, seeing what I did to Luon.”

“I am grateful for your concern...”

“But that’s the nature of the emperor’s seat. From the moment they draw their first breath, my children will inevitably become my rivals.”

“....”

“My father must have thought the same. I realized this once I sat on this throne. I was the same way, after all.”

Everyone knew that the emperor, not the First Prince, had ascended the throne by stepping over his brothers. He had even beheaded the former emperor with his own hands.

“But is there a finger among the ten that doesn’t hurt when you bite it? It’s unfortunate... Those children of mine, who have their eyes fixed on the throne, wouldn’t understand that... Hah...”

A bitter, self-deprecating laugh escaped the emperor’s lips.

Bryn Ennik looked at him with trembling eyes, wondering why he would say such things in this situation.

“I don’t entirely mind watching my children compete with each other.”

“I am honored by your words...”

“But you know, while there’s no finger that doesn’t hurt when bitten, if one festers and rots, you have to cut it off entirely, not just bite it.”

The history of the empire was written in blood. Conqueror Titan Shutean, though old, was not a man to easily relinquish his throne like the previous emperor.

“I can tolerate childish antics, but I cannot allow those who threaten my life to live, whether they are my children or someone else’s,” he said coldly.” “So the third and fifth sons are at Kuwell’s mansion?”

“Yes, they most likely are, Your Majesty...”

“I see. Well, the third and fifth fingers would hurt just as much as the rest.”

“You are absolutely right,” Bryn Ennik responded in a quavering voice, knowing what the emperor was about to say.

“A loyal knight of the empire should share the pain of the king he serves.”

“...”

“He must be given a choice. Which one will hurt the most? The third, the fifth, or the other fingers?” the emperor mused in a low voice.

“Bring me Kuwell MacGovern.”

***

“Hah, is this report accurate?” Karyl asked sarcastically as he read the report Dushala had handed him.

"Don’t even start. We’ve just started extracting hexagonal stones from the Mana Mine. Calypso could easily craft them if he were here, but since he’s not, we had to halt sales for a while.”

“Yeah.”

Karyl thought of Calypson, the gnome craftsman who had left to find the last lineage of the gnome nation. It had been over two years since his departure from Tatur.

If nothing has happened, I should have met him by now...

Karyl wondered if he should have provided an escort for Calypson, but there were some things that had to be done alone. Calypson’s skills were excellent, but what Karyl needed wasn’t just one gnome, but the strength of the gnome nation.

He knew well that a country built with the help of others would once again walk the path of destruction.

That old man Calypson wouldn’t die so easily... I’ll wait a bit longer.

Remembering how Calypson had been in his previous life, Karyl decided to stop worrying.

“When the supply stopped, they realized there wouldn’t be any high-grade elemental stones available for a while. Those dim-witted people are quick to notice such things...”

“So they think now is the time, when everyone’s strength is most balanced."

“Exactly.”

Unbelievable... To think a war would break out over the Mana Mine. Humans never change.

Karyl smirked bitterly at Dushala’s words.

It’s the same as before. They’re on the verge of self-destruction over the Mana Mine.

“Are all three kingdoms at war?”

“Not exactly. Istan and Tevanel have engaged in a territorial conflict. It’s not a full-blown war yet, but there are signs of friction among the nobles at the borders.”

“Hmm...”

"Maybe they want to test their strength with the elemental stones they’ve acquired, but it’s a wonder they haven’t ruined themselves already.”

“They’re doing something foolish... But Istan and Tevanel, huh... The old folks will be furious.”

Ultimately, this internal chaos had rendered the efforts of the Twin Tower to fend off the empire’s invasion meaningless.

“Well, it would be nice if the Shield of Istan could come over to our side.”

“That stubborn old man? I’m not sure about that.”

Speaking as if he knew Marze well, Dushala cocked her head curiously.

“Isn’t it better to die in battle than from frustration?”

“Haha.” Aidan chuckled at her remark.

“Well, you have a point. The only valuable forces in Istan and Tevanel are those two. We can leave the Three Kingdoms alone for now.”

“There’s no immediate threat of an imperial attack,” Dushala quickly added, reading Karyl’s mind.

“Exactly.”

Indeed, it won’t be easy. In the other life, those two perished along with the Three Kingdoms of Istria.

Getting those two to turn would be difficult, but if Karyl could somehow bring them over, it would be a significant gain.

Those two could not only strengthen the disorganized Istrian military but also recruit enlightened young talents who abandoned politics to avoid serving foolish kings.

Karyl looked at the two kingdoms on the map spread out before him, licking his lips.

“And Fenria?”

“They’re in chaos too. As you know, Fenria has no princes, only three princesses.”

“Right.”

"Not long ago, the third princess, Viola, declared independence. She decided to take an independent path, using the territory of the Fanpinel family as her base.”

At that, Karyl raised an eyebrow.

“Independence? Does that mean Princess Viola has established a principality within Fanpinel”s lands”

Among the royal bloodline, those not in line for the throne were customarily granted princely power. Occasionally, princes or princesses who didn't inherit the throne were given princely titles to help govern the kingdom.

Of course, such instances were rare, and once the succession battle ended, they were usually killed to prevent any potential threats.

“On the surface, yes. She commands less than a thousand private soldiers, despite calling it a principality.”

By declaring a principality, Viola had effectively severed ties with the Kingdom of Fenria.

“Hmm... Do you think she has a chance?”

Thud...!

At that moment, a carrier pigeon flew into the office, a note tied with a blue string attached to its leg. It was a report from the lawless port.

Dushala made a peculiar face after finishing reading the note.

“Speaking of the devil, it might be better to hear from her directly whether she has a chance.”

“Hmm?”

She handed the note to Karyl.

“Princess Viola of the Fanpinel Principality wishes to meet with you at the lawless port.”

“Now? She must have been waiting for my return,” Karyl said with a smirk.

“There are plenty of people waiting for you here. Just make sure you don’t get distracted and do your job properly.”

“When have I ever been distracted?”

At that, Dushala snorted and gave Karyl a shove on the back.

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