Becoming a Swordmaster by Reading

Chapter 146. Once Again (8)

Subjugating the Imperial Army, who had lost their will to fight, was not a difficult task.

For that reason, even though Paul rushed in hurriedly leading the Vanguard Battalion, he couldn't get a chance to fight.

Rather, a strange situation unfolded where the Main Battalion and the Vanguard Battalion seemed to confront each other.

“…….”

However, Paul didn't care about this situation.

He stopped his troops, got off his horse immediately, and focused only on walking to where Roden was.

Then he asked.

“What was that?”

Roden, covered in blood from annihilating the Hellfire Brigade alone, wanted to take a shower right away, but he answered Paul's question.

“Glockner's secret techniques. You should know well.”

“I mean, where did you learn Glockner's secret techniques? As far as I know, you…….”

“I didn't have the chance to learn Glockner's secret techniques. Since you can only learn them when your aura level reaches a certain stage. And war broke out in the meantime.”

“That's right. But how…….”

“I taught him.”

Someone else's voice intervened from behind.

It was Michael.

Paul turned his head back and frowned.

“I thought you were somewhat smart, but this is disappointing. Did you really not know that not teaching Glockner's secret techniques was to your advantage?”

“I also had circumstances where I had to teach him that. I'm the one disappointed. I thought the person called my older brother couldn't frown anymore.”

Michael's words meant why he couldn't speak with a smile on his lips like usual.

It was sarcasm, and certainly, the leisure from before could not be felt from Paul.

“…….”

The proof was that he couldn't immediately refute Michael's words.

Paul, who remained silent for a long time like that, sighed with a phew and opened his mouth.

“Fine. Glockner's secret techniques. I understood this part. Then how did you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Why everyone couldn't say a word and just stood there looking only at you?”

“That's because I used secret techniques. There was no other way to catch the Hellfire Brigade running around like grasshoppers. Didn't you also prepare a similar method, Vanguard Battalion Commander?”

It was true.

Paul also had a secret technique prepared to catch the Hellfire Brigade.

To be precise, it wasn't prepared separately.

It was something he accidentally obtained while wandering the world in his youth.

The secret technique of Lanas Swordsmanship, ‘Silent Sword’.

This secret technique, which was not very useful at the time and was forgotten for a while, was a technique that silenced the surroundings and cut the enemy at a single point.

However, the number of enemies that could be silenced using this secret technique was quite limited.

At best, silencing five or six people was the limit.

For that reason, Paul was formulating an operation to steadily chase the Hellfire Brigade and reduce the enemy's numbers step by step.

Or to deal with the leader and induce the disintegration of the Hellfire Brigade.

But to think he silenced not only the Hellfire Brigade but also the regular units and friendly forces.

The part Paul was surprised by was the wide range over which the secret technique's effect was exerted.

At the same time, it was also shocking that even Michael, a 6-star knight, was not free within it.

‘It wasn't even just silencing. He made them unable to move their bodies at all.’

So for Paul, the shock was bound to be even greater.

However, Roden, the person responsible for creating this situation, reacted as if it was no big deal, just using secret techniques.

For that reason, Paul was inwardly fearful.

Because it felt like he was hiding something great besides this.

‘Should I ask what else he is hiding? Or, should I rather ask if the effects of silence and bind can be exerted on me?’

Like that, Paul's mind was complicated.

It was so complicated that it was difficult to judge what to say.

It was then.

“You don't need to be so wary. Whatever ability I possess, I won't have a reason to use it on you, Vanguard Battalion Commander.”

“……Yes? What do you mean by that?”

“Exactly as I said. Right now, I'm busy crushing the enemy in front of me. And even after this, this ability won't be directed at my siblings.”

Roden looked at Paul with clear eyes and answered like this.

Paul, who was quick-witted even if not smart, easily grasped the meaning contained in those eyes.

“Don't tell me that means you intend to deny the succession war?”

Roden slowly nodded his head and opened his mouth.

“If denying it means winning, then by all means.”

Hearing Roden's shocking answer, Paul's gaze naturally turned to Michael.

“…….”

Michael chose silence instead of saying anything.

***

Roden led the Main Battalion and left Duren immediately.

Since they wouldn't be welcomed even if they stayed in Duren anyway, it was better to go to Baliran, where they had set up camp, and rest.

Above all, since they succeeded in eliminating the Hellfire Brigade, there was no reason for the Main Battalion to remain on the 2nd Corps front.

So it was better to rest comfortably even for a moment in Baliran and then return to Kroxen Castle.

Like that, after Roden left.

Paul stood on the wooden fence and quietly looked at the end of the field, where the horizon was drawn.

Since the Main Battalion had already disappeared beyond the horizon, only the scenery of the green field was visible to Paul's eyes.

“…….”

Was it because some time had passed?

Paul felt his mind becoming clearer than before.

At the same time, he vaguely got a sense of how to accept Roden's existence.

“You were not my enemy.”

Like this, Paul no longer considered Roden an enemy.

The reason was nothing else.

“Because your ideal is heading towards a place similar to my ideal.”

Independence.

In fact, Paul also hoped for independence.

When he left the family at a young age and started adventuring to somehow catch up with Leon and Malena.

Paul could enjoy freedom for the first time in his life.

Freedom like going out to the field for the first time after being locked in a suffocating solitary cell.

How free it was.

He wanted to run away right now and hide in a place where Glockner's gaze couldn't reach.

But Paul couldn't find it no matter what.

A place where Glockner's gaze couldn't reach.

Paul's return to the family was for this reason.

And since then, Paul had always dreamed of independence.

Whenever the time comes when he can avoid Glockner's gaze.

Or when a place to avoid Glockner's gaze appears.

He intended to leave abruptly alone.

In fact, Paul using polite language to everyone was also because of this.

Since he was someone who would leave abruptly someday, he didn't want to give affection to anyone.

And the reason Paul tried to keep the position of No. 3 was actually due to worry about his immediate safety.

Because if his safety was threatened, he wouldn't be able to leave when he could leave.

“But this was all futile. Since it seems the position of No. 3 was taken a long time ago. Perhaps thanks to you, I might have to advance the timing of independence.”

He could have been troubled by the timing of independence being much earlier than planned, but Paul's expression wasn't bad, contrary to expectations.

Rather, he had a genuine smile on his lips for the first time in a while.

Then he shook his head from side to side as if troubled in a different sense.

“Ah. It seems running away right now would be best, but I can't bring myself to leave. Because I'm so curious about what kind of ending the independence you dream of will have.”

Paul had noticed to some extent.

Unlike himself who wanted to leave alone, Roden intended to achieve independence by growing a force comparable to Glockner.

Paul could notice this because he also dreamed of such independence for a moment.

And because of that, he knew well how reckless this was.

So he also knew it was more valuable.

“Since the situation isn't too dangerous yet, shall I watch a little more?”

Paul muttered and raised his head once again to look towards the horizon.

Then he saw the sun getting closer and closer to the horizon.

“While giving a little help if you face difficulties. Ahahahat.”

Even though there was no one watching, Paul scratched his cheek for a moment as if embarrassed to have spat out the words just now.

In the world starting to be dyed red.

***

When Roden returned to Kroxen Castle after resting sufficiently in Baliran.

One piece of news was delivered.

It was the news that Leon had captured Davia Castle, which could be called the entrance to the Astral Plains.

It was an incredible event that was enough to turn the Allied Forces, not to mention the Imperial Army, upside down.

If the Astral Plains were taken like this, the Empire might really perish due to this war.

It was something that should absolutely not happen, and the Empire's sense of crisis reached its peak.

Especially in the Imperial Court, various stories poured out regarding this.

“Didn't I say it! That there was no need to start a war!”

“The war has already started, what's the use of saying that? Are you trying to cut off the tail or something?”

“I think the situation becoming like this is entirely the price for wasting the nobles' blood taxes carelessly! Let's stop the supply of magic artifacts right now!”

“Don't say nonsensical things! Don't you know that maintaining the current level of the war situation is entirely thanks to magic artifacts?”

“How about entering into peace negotiations even now? We will suffer a little loss, but I think that would be less of a headache.”

“The war situation is so advantageous, would the Allied Forces accept peace negotiations because they are crazy? Think a little, think!”

It was a situation that could not be seen as the atmosphere of a grand hall where the Emperor was present.

That's how great the confusion the Empire was experiencing.

At that time, the Emperor of the Empire, Muzjaphar III, who was quietly listening to the nobles' stories, opened his mouth.

“Silence.”

At that one word, the grand hall became silent as a mouse.