The 9th Class Swordmaster: Blade of Truth-Chapter 329: The Ambush of Vestal (1)

“Hmm...”

Karyl was poring over the map. The hall was filled with many people gathered in one place.

“There’s a report that the empire’s army of 100,000 is currently heading south.”

The first to speak was none other than Anthem Howard. He had departed from the principality and was one of the first forces to join Karyl in Tatur, aboard Karl Mack’s ship.

“The transportation of the golem units from the principality is nearly complete. Aside from a few forces crossing the Fonein River, most of the remaining troops are heading south.”

Anthem placed his hand on the map, causing a red line to form from Tatur, branching out in several directions.

“For a rapid strike, the wyvern unit would be ideal, but currently, the entire Wyvern Squadron is dedicated to transporting Revol, so we can’t use them.”

He shifted one of the glowing lines on the map.

“However, using the swift small golem units, we could arrive around the same time as the imperial forces.”

“The empress’s rebellion has conveniently provided us with a battlefield.”

“The empire sees her as an immediate threat, so it seems they plan to use this war to clean things up.”

“Indeed. They would probably prefer her dead than captured by us. The emperor likely wants to erase all traces of the previous dynasty.”

“The purpose of using the golem units is to minimize casualties, but if we want to be faster, we could deploy the troops from the Ranion Alliance to take Vestal’s territory first.”

“Expected casualties?”

“Not much, to be honest. But we chose a path that would allow us to shift any blame on the empire. We’re aiming to strike after the empire and the empress’s forces engage.”

Karyl nodded at Anthem’s explanation.

“Who’s commanding them?”

“A man named Bran Gamunt. I looked into him, but there’s no significant track record. It seems strange to entrust such a large force to an inexperienced commander.”

“Bran Gamunt...” Karyl repeated the name and frowned slightly. “So, he’s joined Olivurn’s side after all.”

Bran Gamunt was one of the empire’s Seven Strong from his previous life and the most brilliant strategist Karyl knew.

This development was unfortunate yet unsurprising. Since that time, there had been no further connection with the imperial palace, making it difficult to bring Bran over to his side.

Just as I expected, I wasn’t able to win him over with just a first impression.

Of course, it would’ve been ideal to have every talent on the continent under his command, but that was woefully unrealistic. Karyl also knew that when he had first met Bran in his past life, the man had been deeply interested in strategy but lacked the courage for direct combat.

Bran was young back then, and now, he had to have changed.

Well, I should be happy I got to bring Anthem Howard to my side. Back then, he didn’t get the chance to fully bloom.

Karyl smiled bitterly. From the principality’s civil war to Fran’s death, securing even one person like Anthem Howard had taken tremendous effort. Perhaps hoping to win over Bran Gamunt as well was too ambitious.

He’s a genius of war with a natural talent for strategy. While that makes him a difficult adversary, it also means that if I can pull off a perfect battle, I might be able to leave a lasting impression on him.

Karyl hadn’t given up on him yet. If anything, he was even more determined. Recruiting him would be challenging, but not impossible. He knew how to approach this challenge.

Anthem Howard and Bran Gamunt—Karyl believed he needed the strength of these two geniuses to win the impending Oracle War.

“Don’t underestimate him. This battle may be much more difficult than we expect.”

***

“Yes?”

“Anthem, I’ll leave the battle in Vestal’s territory to you. Keep in mind that your opponent is no weakling and will fight with full force.”

“I won’t forget that.” Anthem nodded.

“This is our first major battle against the empire,” Karyl went on. “The outcome of this battle will determine the momentum moving forward.”

“I will do my best to meet your expectations,” Anthem reassured him.

They were about to fight a battle of the century. Bran Gamunt, a genius in warfare, had been defeated only once in his past life, by Anthem Howard himself. Karyl was eager to see the contest between the two.

“Kinu Mukari, Kayla Spear, Beikan,” Karyl called out to the three who stood behind Anthem.

“Yes, my lord.”

All three knelt down in unison.

“I will give you 50,000 troops of the Free Army. Each of you will join forces with different tribes and provide support for Anthem.”

“Understood.”

With that, the three stood up. Then, Viola came forward, having been waiting in the center of the hall.

“And what should the Ranion Alliance do? As Sir Anthem has said, we could use our alliance to capture the empress first,” she proposed, standing tall with her back straight.

Karyl chuckled slightly as he looked at her.

“Still trying to claim the glory for yourself?”

“Of course not. I only mean that using the golem units may not be the only way to minimize losses,” Viola explained, her hand resting on the silver rapier at her side.

“Give the order,” Greys said beside her, driving his sword into the floor.

Just like Miliana said, Karyl thought, looking at Greys with a bemused smile.

He remembered when he met Miliana and Greys while organizing the Three Kingdoms of Istria during their campaign in the Kingdom of Istan. Miliana had spoken about Greys during their flight south on the wyvern from the northern lands.

He’s just like Aidan. He’s already crossed the threshold into becoming a Sword Master.

The mana Greys was emanating was much more refined than before. Even among high-ranking Sword Experts, there was a clear difference between those who had stepped into the realm of the Sword Master and those who hadn’t. It was the gap between those who could become Sword Masters and those who would remain Sword Experts forever.

Karyl knew from his previous life that Greys would eventually rise to the rank of Sword Master, but his progress was much quicker in this life. He realized that Greys had now become an undeniable asset to Tatur’s military strength.

It wasn’t just Greys and Viola; everyone in the hall was armed and ready.

Bringing weapons into the imperial palace was something unimaginable. It was a display of absolute confidence, a statement that no one within those walls posed a threat to them. If anyone else had done the same, it might have been seen as arrogance, but no one gathered here would think that way.

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This was the kind of confidence that drew people in.

“Do nothing.”

“...What?”

Unlike Viola and Greys’s eager expressions, Karyl casually dismissed them with a calm expression.

“The Ranion Alliance will gather at the empire’s frontlines and wait. The situation in the south will be handled by the Free forces I’ve just mentioned.”

“But...”

“Don’t be in such a rush. Your troops will be needed for something much more important,” Karyl explained.

Viola seemed slightly disappointed, but soon accepted his words and nodded.

“Viola, don’t think of what happened during the Three Kingdoms War as a debt you owe me. Helping you was only natural, and even without me, you would have unified the Three Kingdoms on your own. The alliance was not built with my strength but through your leadership.”

“I am humbled,” Viola said, bowing slightly.

Sensing what was on her mind, Karyl had spoken before she could express her thoughts.

[There are many here who are eager to prove themselves. I suppose that could be considered good fortune in its own way.]

Allen, with a glint in his eye, gestured to the people who looked at Karyl with admiration.

[None of them fear the battlefield. Instead, they’re all eager to join it.]

Karyl gave a faint smile at his words.

“Hashir.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Gather the northern forces and prepare to march south. As soon as the battle in the Vestal Marquisate begins, we will press from both the north and south, with the Twin Armor forces and the Digon tribe leading the way.”

“Understood.”

“I’ll say it again: the battle that starts this war rests on your shoulders, Anthem. Are you confident?” Karyl asked for confirmation.

“We have around two hundred small golems ready to cross the strait. Their strength is equivalent to an army of 150,000. Combined with the Free forces you’ve provided, we’re more than prepared.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, I am perfectly confident now,” Anthem declared, his expression betraying excitement as though he were a child holding a secret.

“Your plan, my lord.”

“...?”

“...?”

Everyone looked at Anthem with confusion after hearing his cryptic statement, except for Karyl, who responded with a faint smile.

“Magnificent.”

“Is that a golem? They say there’s a person inside? Fascinating.”

Kinu and Beikan muttered as they gazed at the golem army orderly gathered below the hill, along with the 50,000 troops.

This was the Vestal Marquisate, a southern border region where the imperial knights were stationed. Though it had never seen significant battles, the sudden arrival of tens of thousands of soldiers cast a heavy shadow of impending war over the once-peaceful land.

“The imperial army is beyond that hill, right?” Kayla Spear asked in a trembling voice, clearly tense, unlike the others. While she had experience leading raids on demon lairs across the southern region, her experience with full-scale warfare was nearly nonexistent.

And this wasn’t just any conflict; this was no mere skirmish between clans. With the Vestal Marquisate at the center, the 20,000 troops of the Free Army stood on one side, while on the other, the imperial army loomed in the north.

Despite expectations that the empire would move to eliminate the marquis’ forces before the Free Army arrived, they had not advanced. Facing the massive enemy, the empress had no option but to hold his position.

Observing the situation, Anthem Howard realized the enemy commander, Bran Gamunt, was no ordinary foe.

“I hadn’t expected anyone in the enemy’s ranks to think this far ahead.”

The three beside him turned toward Anthem Howard, who was standing to their left.

“Why do you say that, Commander?” asked Kinu Mukari.

Having been present during the civil war in the principality, Kinu trusted Anthem’s military acumen without question. Even as an enemy at the time, Anthem had proven his strategic brilliance.

And thus, hearing him express surprise meant their opponent was formidable.

“Look at their formation. The empire's army is positioned behind the marquisate.”

“Hmm...”

The three nodded in agreement with Anthem’s words.

“The empire will stop at nothing to seize the empress. If their goal was to protect her, the battle would be much simpler. But if her life means nothing to them, this war will become much more difficult.”

The adjutant standing beside Anthem nodded. He was the same adjutant who had assisted Serica during the Yoman campaign.

“They don’t care if the marquisate becomes a wasteland. Protecting the empress would force them to defend the territory, complicating matters.”

“Exactly. But there’s something else.”

Anthem placed three markers on the map.

“On the other hand, if our goal is to capture the empress, things will become more challenging. But if we don’t care about her survival, the battle becomes easier. So, what’s the easiest scenario here?”

The adjutant pondered the question, looking at the front lines.

“Commander, are you seriously trying to play twenty questions on the battlefield?” Kayla Spear shook her head, clearly perplexed.

“If the empire is trying to protect the empress while we don’t care about her life, the situation is clear.”

“Exactly.”

Anthem nodded at the adjutant’s response.

“By using the marquisate as a shield, the empire makes it seem as if they’re protecting her. But in reality, they are still trying to negotiate. That’s what fulfills the first scenario.”

Anthem gestured toward the marquisate with his index finger, addressing the others.

“They’re putting on a show, as if to say, we’ll protect her, so come and get her. There’s likely a trap for us within the marquisate.”

“...!!”

“But if the enemy commander is clever, our lord is a genius. He has already anticipated their moves.”

“What do you mean?”

“The empire isn’t the only one putting on a show. The real actors here are us. The lord has given us an army of 50,000, and a golem unit to boot—far more than we need. Why do you think that is?”

“Uh... so we can win decisively?"

“Close enough. The point is, with this much force, it will look like we’re treating the empress as a crucial piece.”

Anthem chuckled softly.

“But do you think our lord actually cares about her life? He doesn’t,” Beikan added.

“He’d rather win the battle with sheer force than through political maneuvering,” Anthem affirmed.

“But the empire doesn’t know that. They’re going to use the empress to try and capture us.”

“So, what should we do?”

“Nothing. We don’t have to fight at all.”

“What...?”

“Coming here has made it clear to me. I now understand why the lord gave us such a large force. All we need to do is look like we’re here to defend the empress and the marquisate.”

The three looked at him in confusion, not fully grasping his meaning.

How extraordinary. The lord has already seen through his enemies. Now I understand why he left the Ranion Alliance in Tatur. He had a use for them after all.

But Anthem continued to smile, seemingly lost in his own thoughts.

“The empire is focused on the empress, but our lord has already moved on to the bigger game,” he muttered softly.

“Who could have imagined? The 100,000 imperial troops were nothing more than bait.”

“...!!”

“...!!”

***

The faint glow of dawn stretched across the sky.

Dark figures drifted through the grass, their footsteps silent as they advanced. At the head of the group was a young boy.

“Is everything ready?”

“Yes, everything is prepared. As expected, there has been no reinforcement of troops. It seems the enemy didn’t anticipate us coming this way.”

The boy nodded in response.

“That fortress over there? The one built after the battle at the Twin Armor to keep the Water King of the Fonein in check?"

“That’s correct.”

A low growl rumbled nearby.

“Grrr...”

“Shh, quiet. You’re getting bloodthirsty after all this time, aren't you? But wait just a little longer.”

The river stretched before them, its usual fierce currents now eerily still. Beneath the surface, a pair of enormous eyes blinked.

The growl of the beast would terrify most people, but to the boy, it was different. He gently patted the giant sea serpent on its forehead, as though it were his beloved pet.

The boy was none other than Karyl, and behind him gleamed countless weapons of war.

“I’ll give you time to run wild soon enough.”

Karyl sat atop the Water King's head, arms crossed, staring at the fortress in the distance.

“The empress? You can take her head or bring her back alive. Whatever you want, Olivurn,” he muttered to himself.

“But the battlefield is mine to choose.”