Chapter 191: Another Visitor

“Master!”

As soon as Princess Viola and her entourage left, the office door burst open, revealing none other than Suan Hazer.

“What's all the fuss about?” Karyl asked with a faint smile.

“Are you really going to the Antihum Grand Library?”

“Who are you planning to take with you?”

“Oh, just in time,” Karyl replied. “I was about to call for you. Is everyone here?”

The others had also gathered in the office. Suan quickly took a seat, his eyes filled with anticipation.

“As you know, the Antihum Grand Library is one of the strongholds of the Immortal Council, one of the twin peaks of the continent’s magic societies. I have personal business there, but there are certain people I want to accompany me.”

Karyl slowly turned his head, everyone following his gaze.

“Mikhail, you’ve had a hard time being away from us in a foreign land, haven’t you? I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to put up with some more traveling.”

“Me? There’s no question about it. In fact, it would be an honor to accompany you, Master. Oh, I mean,

My Lord

.”

Mikhail’s voice brimmed with enthusiasm, understandably so. Unlike the others, he had been stuck in a small village for several months.

“You haven’t neglected your practice, have you?”

“No. I recently broke through to the 4th Class. Though I haven’t officially registered yet, I’ve now joined the ranks of the sorcerers.”

“...Oh?”

Everyone looked at Mikhail in surprise; Aidan, being the first one to teach him how to use mana, seemed the most astonished.

His mana now surpasses mine... Mikhail’s magical transformation ability would certainly give him an edge over sorcerers of the same rank.

Aidan felt a mix of pride and bitterness; the one he had once seen as his inferior had now narrowed the gap between them.

“Serica Lauren, you’re coming too. I haven’t been attentive to you, have I?”

“Since when were we so close that you could say that? You didn’t give me a proper answer after you returned from the Mana Battleship,” Serica replied flatly.

In fact, she was genuinely baffled by how Karyl had been ignoring her after coming from the Lurein Principality with Karyl. Despite the efforts to bring her to Tatur, Karyl had hardly acknowledged her presence once she had arrived.

“I didn’t want to drag you into the empire’s affairs. Besides, I’m bringing you along to Antihum also because we might find answers to the note I gave you back then."

“I’m not interested in black magic.”

“But you are interested in magic,” Karyl objected. “The reason I chose you two for this expedition is that you can elevate Tatur’s magic to the next level. I’m not telling you to learn black magic. It’s actually quite the opposite.”

“Are you planning to start a fight with the Immortal Council?”

“If necessary.”

Dushala looked at Karyl in disbelief. How many people could casually declare they would confront one of the most influential magic societies on the continent, one that even the empire hesitated to challenge?

“Don’t worry. Battles between sorcerers aren’t large-scale wars,” Karyl replied with a chuckle, as if reading her thoughts.

Serica Lauren, the first combat sorcerer and creator of the Supreme lineage, paired with Mikhail, who was comparably skilled in magic—together, they made the perfect team for visiting the magic society.

“Lord, what about me? Suan finally spoke up, unable to wait any longer.

“Ah, yes. And Suan...”

“Yes?”

“Wait here until Kamma contacts you again, then return to the principality and bring back those two.”

“...Again?!”

“You're the only one who can cross the strait quickly. No one else can do it. You’ll be playing the most crucial role.”

Suan looked dejected, gazing down at Kalduan’s gauntlets, which he hadn’t taken off even once since returning from the Ghost Castle.

“In return, I’ll let you meet the King of Martial Arts.”

“Wha...Th-The King of Martial Arts?!”

“You mean the Great Valvont, one of the Five Sword Masters?"

Everyone was shocked at the unexpected name.

“He probably doesn’t like being called ‘the Great,’ but yes, it’s him.”

“You know the King of Martial Arts, My Lord?”

By now, everyone was aware of Karyl’s true identity. As the adopted son of the continent’s greatest swordsman, Kuwell MacGovern, and having handled Gordon Fabian with remarkable confidence, it wasn’t surprising that he knew who the remaining three Sword Masters were.

Of course, among them, only Hashir knew of Karyl’s connection to the immigrants—Thomson, the head of the Ulkas Guild, had hinted at it when he met Hashir on Karyl’s orders. However, not even Hashir knew that Karyl himself was an immigrant.

“No,” Karyl replied calmly to Suan’s question. “But I intend to make his acquaintance. In fact, you know more about him than I do. You’ve learned some of the King of Martial Arts’s eight stances, haven’t you?"

“...!”

“What? Suan, you too were a disciple of the King of Martial Arts?”

Everyone was shocked, especially Aidan, who sighed in frustration—first Mikhail, and now Suan. When the three of them had first left Tatur with Karyl, Aidan had never imagined that the other two had such remarkable backgrounds.

You seem impatient, Aidan. Among all of them, you’re the most remarkable. You’ve earned recognition for your abilities and received missions from the Burning Darkness through your own efforts.

While Karyl’s interference in history had accelerated the individual growth of others, Aidan remained the only one whose progress was untouched, advancing purely on his own.

Just wait a little longer. When we go to meet the Platinum Dragon, we’ll need the power of the Eastern Land. Your time to be at the center of our efforts will come.

From this point on, his journey was no longer solely for his own power. Having established Tatur as an independent state, Karyl now intended to focus on increasing his authority and influence.

Even though a Sword Master, the strongest kind of warrior on the continent, could rival the strength of ten thousand soldiers, they still only had one body. One individual could not resolve simultaneous wars waged from the east to the west and from the north to the south.

“Are you planning to make us take the Library’s test?” Serica Lauren finally spoke up, frowning. “I’m not interested in magic. I just want to find the method you told me about.”

“Hmm, so you know about the Library’s test?”

“...I’ve heard rumors. I used to run an inn, after all.”

“In that case, you probably know the conditions of the test,” Karyl remarked. “Since you’re asking about taking the test, I assume you think you meet those conditions, right?”

Serica turned her head, realizing she had inadvertently given herself away.

“To even enter the Antihum Grand Library, you must prove you’re a sorcerer with your mana.”

A murmur spread through the room. Naturally, one had to reach the rank of sorcerer to pass that test.

That little girl reached the 4th Class?

A kid from a remote village with no formal training?

Karyl wore a satisfied smile, knowing well why everyone was so surprised.

“Alright, but unless you explain what this means, I won’t come with you.”

Serica Lauren pulled out a crumpled note from her pocket.

[The spear of the Spear King is stronger than the mana-infused spear of Halgard.]

“Are you trying to get on my nerves? You know that Halgard spear techniques are taught to third-rate mercenaries, right?”

“Yes, and it’s also the spear technique you learned, isn’t it?”

“...Yes, so I know how weak it is.” Serica glared at Karyl. “My father was killed by a bunch of filthy thieves who used mana.”

“So, you only know rumors about the Grand Library and none of its secrets?”

“...What?”

“Do you know where the Spear King’s spear technique originated from?”

Serica Lauren looked at him in disbelief.

“It came from the Immortal Council. The dark energy used in the Black Slash Seven Forms can only be wielded by their sorcerers.”

“Is that true?”

“If you don’t believe me, come with us and find out. If you want to become stronger, study magic. I don’t need to explain any further, do I?”

Karyl’s words made Serica’s expression harden.

“Are you afraid of fighting dark sorcerers? For someone who claims to hate sorcerers, you seem reluctant to confront them.”

Then, as if remembering something, Karyl snapped his fingers and pointed at Mikhail.

“By the way, I heard Mikhail helped you during the battle in Cove. You know he’s a sorcerer, right?”

Serica’s face stiffened at his provocative remark.

“Who says I’m scared?”

With that, Serica angrily snatched the note from the table and crumpled it up.

“And I don’t acknowledge anyone weaker than me.”

Mikhail looked at her, baffled.

“But didn’t I shield you with protective mana when the explosion happened?”

“I’ve also broken through the barrier of the 4h Class.”

“You’ve never learned any formal magic. Do you have anything beyond basic everyday spells you can use?”

“...”

Serica glared around as if searching for something long to hit Mikhail with.

“You see the necessity of going to the Grand Library now, don’t you?” Karyl said wryly.

“My Lord.”

At that moment, Dushala approached Karyl, holding a messenger bird that had flown in through the window, wearing an odd expression.

“You’re quite popular. It seems there are many visitors looking for you before you leave.”

“What is it?”

“There is a report from the lawless port. Martte McGovern has requested to meet you.”

At that moment, Karyl’s eyes gleamed sharply.

Martte...

He was the only one who had doubts about Kromen’s poisoning, but he had ultimately remained quiet during the trial.

Although the result led to Prince Luon losing power and Tatur gaining its independence, Karyl felt a twinge of regret. If Martte had acted, the course of events would likely have been very different.

He’s come all the way from the empire to see me...

Karyl gazed out the window.

Let’s see if you’ve come as the first son of the MacGovern family or as a knight fulfilling your duty.

Gazing at the port where the fierce waters of the Fonein River flowed, Karyl said, “Let him in.”