Episode 35. How long will we lament being sixth?
“Damn it…!”
Crash!
A vase fell, making a loud noise.
Kaien Agustas couldn’t control his anger and swung his arm.
“Father, please calm down.”
The inexperienced Parriel tried to restrain his father.
Parriel, who had recently visited the Albrym family, was recruiting troops in various parts of the southeast.
But upon hearing the news, he hurried to his father.
“Getting angry like this won’t solve the problem.”
“I know that much!”
Kaien raised his voice.
I could have endured if they had spread rumors in the northeast! We could have quickly suppressed the northeast and announced that everything was a lie! But spreading rumors all over the continent…!”
The Entravil Council of Six is indiscriminately spreading false documents throughout the continent along the main rivers.
This is a fatal blow to the Agustas family, who are trying to be incorporated into the five major families of the continent on behalf of the Rigel family.
“We planned to make a name for ourselves across the entire continent by subduing the east! But before that, this scandal has spread!”
“Father…”
“Now, whenever people hear the name Agustas, they will think of the youngest daughter of the Rigel family being kidnapped! Damn it…!”
If the rumors have spread to nearby families, Kaien can explain it directly.
But how can he explain it to families in various parts of the continent with whom they have no interaction?
Even if the Agustas family destroys the Rigel family and takes control of the east, these rumors will not easily disappear.
“Father, let’s start by capturing the Entravil Council of Six.”
Parriel sighed and spoke.
“We’ll capture them, make them write a statement that everything was a lie, and spread it.”
“…”
At Kaien’s son’s suggestion, Kaien frowned.
“There’s no way it can be resolved like that. They’ll think we forced them to write it.”
“But isn’t it better than doing nothing?”
“….”
“We can’t just leave them alone. They’ll keep spreading the false documents, so we need to catch them quickly.”
Parriel continued.
“And by presenting their testimonies, we’ll be attacking Sirius. Blaming us.”
“Hmm….”
Certainly… at this moment, there’s no choice but to act like this.
Listening to his son’s words, Kaien slowly regained his composure.
“So, Parriel… who should we entrust with capturing the Entroville 6 Council?”
“It has to be Shrade.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Shrade, who was the vice-chairman of the Kalstein Sword Sect, is also an intermediary who has directly contacted the Entroville 6 Council.
It would be best to entrust Shrade with direct responsibility.
“We can’t entrust this task to someone from our family. If they fail and get captured, it will be even more troublesome.”
“Yes, we should utilize the Black Society.”
“Such tasks are better handled by the Black Society.”
Saying so, Kaien sighed.
“Thinking about it, this situation arose because the Black Society failed to handle things properly.”
“That’s true.”
“Once this matter is settled… we’ll have to clean up.”
Neither Shrade nor the Entroville 6 Council… there is no longer a need to keep them alive.
Reaching this conclusion, Kaien called for Shrade.
***
“Things have completely gone awry.”
Walking through the darkness, Shrade sighed.
Currently, Shrade was heading to Entroville with subordinates in a similar predicament.
“Kaien… blaming everything on me.”
Shrade had only acted under Kaien’s orders.
Although Shrade had devised and executed specific plans, it was all because of Kaien’s instructions.
Yet Kaien completely blamed Shrade as if it were all his fault.
“Getting angry as if I’ve been wronged… The contents of the document are mostly true.”
The contents of the documents spread by the Entroville 6 Council were mostly true.
There were some parts that could be considered false, particularly the section that implied direct contact between the Agtas family and the Entroville 6 Council.
In reality, Shrade had acted as an intermediary, and the Agtas family’s name was never directly mentioned.
“Darn, if things go this way, the future looks bleak.”
Even if things were resolved well, the Agtas family would not treat Shrade favorably.
There’s a high possibility of being in a precarious position.
“It can’t be helped. I’ll stay with the Agtas family until Sirius is dead, and then I’ll have to find another path.”
Shurade’s goal is to kill Sirius.
This is because Sirius killed Kalstein and took possession of the Kalstein Sword.
Although the senior disciple was Palace, the one Kalstein trusted the most was Shurade, the junior disciple.
Unlike Palace, who had no talent other than swordsmanship, Shurade also had the talent for strategy.
Kalstein had sent Shurade on a mission because he acknowledged Shurade’s abilities.
Receiving Kalstein’s trust, Shurade planned to seize the organization’s power and eliminate Palace once Kalstein grew old and died, becoming the leader of the organization… But everything went awry because of Sirius.
“If only Sirius weren’t there… “
Gritting his teeth, Shurade ignited his hatred towards Sirius.
However, Shurade couldn’t deal with Sirius alone.
If even the master Kalstein fell victim to Sirius, there was no way the junior disciple Shurade could handle him.
That’s why… he had no choice but to seek the power of the Agtas family.
“If I get rid of Sirius, the Agtas family will leave on its own.”
With that determination, Shurade approached Entroville.
The first person he had to capture was undoubtedly Rodyus, the leader of the Entroville Council of Six.
Rodyus was likely the one behind spreading the ominous letters everywhere.
“Rodyus’s mansion should be on the western outskirts of Entroville… “
The wealthy Rodyus had built a luxurious mansion in the west of Entroville.
There would be guards, but with Shurade’s skills, he could easily sneak in.
“Wait here.”
Upon reaching the mansion, Shurade gestured to his subordinates.
Then, he crossed the wall and infiltrated the mansion.
“It’s much more lax than last time.”
Having visited to deliver sleeping pills before, Shurade was already familiar with the mansion’s layout.
Shurade climbed the walls and headed towards Rodyus’s bedroom on the third floor.
“He’s sound asleep as if nothing in the world matters.”
Rodyus was sleeping soundly, snoring.
Silently approaching, Shurade put a gag in Rodyus’s mouth.
“Ugh…!?”
Rodyus momentarily woke up, but Shurade quickly knocked him out with a punch.
Carrying the limp Rodyus, Shurade returned outside through the window.
“That was easy.”
While he still had to deal with the others, capturing Rodyus, the leader of the Council of Six, meant he had achieved half of his goal.
Shurade descended from the building feeling light-hearted and leaped over the wall once more.
However…
“What’s this?”
“…!”
All his subordinates who were hiding next to the wall had collapsed.
And in front of them was…
“Alleon?”
“Shurade facing execution? Why here….”
Kalstein’s Sword Master, Alreion.
He gazed at Shurade with a surprised expression.
“Yeah, you… mentioned sticking with Sirius.”
“…!”
“You were guarding Rodyus’s mansion under Sirius’s orders, right.”
Shurade quickly grasped the situation.
Then, after gently setting down Rodyus he had been holding, he drew his sword from his waist.
“Traitor, I’ve wanted to kill you with my own hands.”
“Execution…!”
In this situation, it’s better to kill Alreion.
It’s not easy to escape while carrying Rodyus.
After swiftly dealing with Alreion, he could leave with Rodyus for Entroville.
“Ugh…!”
Shurade swiftly charged at Alreion.
It was a movement like the wind. Even among Kalstein’s disciples, Shurade was the fastest.
Alreion, a Sword Master, had never blocked Shurade’s attacks.
The gap between 6th and 2nd seat was significant.
However.
“…!”
Clang!
Alreion blocked Shurade’s attack.
It was a flawless defense, with no room for error.
And it was a technique unfamiliar to Shurade.
“Alreion, you…!”
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“Execution!”
Alreion counterattacked.
His movement targeting Shurade’s vital points was sharp and precise.
After exchanging a few more attacks, Shurade finally realized.
This was not a swordsmanship learned from Kalstein.
“Alreion, where did you learn this swordsmanship…!”
“Ugh…!”
Thud!
The clash of swords echoed loudly. The hand holding the sword felt a dull pain.
Shurade could sense Alreion’s strength had greatly improved from before.
“This guy, even as a 2nd seat…!”
Desperately, Shurade unfolded his magic sword.
Though Alreion’s blade grazed his shoulder in that moment, Shurade gritted his teeth and endured.
“Ugh…!”
Oof!
A powerful magic sword sliced through the air.
Although it didn’t make physical contact, if it had hit, it could have been a fatal blow to Alayon.
Alayon might have learned new swordsmanship somewhere, but as a magic swordsman, Shurade’s skills were likely superior even now.
“Know your place, 6th seat…!”
One shouldn’t drag out the fight.
Shurade moved to settle the match in one strike.
Alayon took a step back. Shurade needed to close the distance swiftly and aim for a vital spot.
Concentrating the magic sword’s power at the tip, Shurade would unleash the strongest thrust.
Shurade’s charge, filled with determination, streaked towards Alayon like a beam of light. In that moment.
“…!?”
Alayon vanished from sight.
Shurade’s full-force attack only pierced through the air.
Where is he? Where did he escape to?
Shurade’s eyes moved belatedly.
Then, at the edge of vision, Shurade spotted Alayon’s cloak.
Like a wolf tearing at its prey’s throat, the blade plunged into Shurade’s body.
“Argh…!”
Shurade tried to counter, but it was too late.
The magic sword, filled with all his power, fell to the ground.
Spurting blood like a fountain, Shurade dropped to his knees, powerless.
“Oh, Alayon, what kind of swordsmanship is this…?”
“Heukyeongtalmyeonggeombup Jeilsik, Nanggyoin.”
Alayon’s voice rang out.
“It’s a swordsmanship taught at Cheonranggeomdan, Sahoeng.”
“This kid, in Kalshutain Sword School, was just a 6th seat…”
The bleeding didn’t stop.
Feeling his consciousness fading, Shurade collapsed to the ground.
“The 1st to the 5th seats all died, how long will you keep boasting about being the 6th, you damn brat…?”
As Shurade heard Alayon mutter, he lost consciousness.
* * *
After felling Shurade, Alayon caught his breath for a while.
Just now, Alayon had used the first technique of Heukyeongtalmyeonggeombup, ‘Nanggyoin.’
It was a technique Sirius had personally taught to skilled examiners at Cheonranggeomdan.
Unlike Kalshutain, where there was hardly any time for direct guidance of disciples, Sirius thoroughly instructed his subordinates until they mastered the technique.
Although it was a swordsmanship with a completely different philosophy from what he learned at Kalshutain Sword School, thanks to Sirius’s meticulous guidance, Alayon could grasp it properly.
“I brought down Shurade.”
Shurade, who was a second seat at Kalshutain Sword School, had looked down on Alayon.
And Alayon had brought him down.
Alayon felt his chest swell with pride.
‘This is all because of Sirius-nim, Danju-nim!’
If it hadn’t been for Sirius, Alleon would have ended up being used and killed in the Kalstein Sword Trial.
But thanks to Sirius, he opened his eyes and even personally taught him swordsmanship.
The only reason Alleon, who was nothing more than a 6th rank unnoticed by anyone, could defeat Shurade was solely thanks to Sirius.
“Alleon.”
“…!”
In the midst of Alleon’s emotional state, a cool voice was heard above his head.
When he raised his head, he saw Sirius sitting on the wall.
“It’s good to catch your breath, but look around you.”
“Ah…!”
Some of the Shurade thugs who had been knocked out earlier were waking up and running away.
Alleon tried to chase after them in a hurry, but Sirius stopped him.
“Enough.”
“What?”
“Let them run.”
Confused, Alleon was told calmly by Sirius.
“The news must reach the Agtas family.”
“Ah….”
Sirius was painting a bigger picture again.
Realizing this fact, Alleon nodded.
“Understood. I won’t pursue them.”
“Good, then….”
Sirius nodded.
“Take care of Rodius lying there.”
“Ah…!”
Realizing that Rodius, who had been thrown by Shurade, was groaning, Alleon moved quickly.