The 9th Class Swordmaster: Blade of Truth

Chapter 8: Opening the Door

The next day, after Kuwell's departure, Karyl quietly made his way to the library as if he had been waiting for this moment.

I’ve waited for a while. The only real obstacle in this mansion was Father. If he had been here when I consumed the dragon's heart, he would've noticed my transformation right away.

Karyl knew he couldn't deceive Kuwell in his current state. That's why he had waited for him to leave.

Well, I needed the time to prepare my body as well.

The door creaked open, seemingly unused for a long time. The musty smell from the neglected books tickled his nose, yet Karyl smiled softly, finding even that scent oddly pleasant. His heart fluttered with excitement. Hadn't he endured an eternity for this moment? Yet, these last few days of waiting had been unbearably hard for him.

I will be a different person when I step out of here.

***

"That lunatic," Elliott muttered.

"Elliott, you're a noble now. Mind your manners," Tiren, the second-born, sternly admonished.

"But you saw it too. How he behaved in the presence of Father. And as soon as Father left for the palace, he holed himself up in the library."

Tiren, known for his cold, expressionless demeanor, listened quietly. He might be less talented in martial arts, but he was the most intelligent and resourceful among the brothers despite having joined the MacGovern family five years ago.

At the age of twelve, he had already mastered The Prince, and by thirteen, it was no exaggeration to say he had learned every existing art of war and theory of warfare on the continent. He was a prodigy without equal. There were even rumors that if he had been just ten years old, his family might not have faced ruin. But that was all in the past—digging up events from his childhood was of no use.

"Both of you, enough," Martte, the eldest, intervened.

"Even though he's a barbarian, he wants to study magic? Is that even possible?" Elliot complained.

"Tiren, your thoughts?" Martte inquired.

"Magic essentially involves condensing the energy present both within one's body and the surrounding atmosphere. To accumulate it, one must inherently possess something called mana blood within the body. As you all know, every citizen of the Empire naturally has them while the barbarians are born without them," Tiren stated. “It's not about being able or unable to learn magic.”

Understanding of magic was necessary.

"It's about understanding magic. If one can't even sense magic, no amount of learning will help them grasp the structure of it."

Elliot nodded in agreement with Tiren's words. It was a well-known fact among them. However, Martte deliberately reminded his brothers of this once more through Tiren’s explanation.

Even for citizens of the Empire, comprehending all of magic is impossible.

Magic consisted of five main elements: Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, and Lightning.

One is born with affinity for a single element.

Each element was only compatible with itself, making it impossible to learn magic of a different element.

He's just a child of a defeated tribe, acting out of childish defiance. He'll give up and come out of the library soon enough, everyone thought so, even the unmatched prodigy.

No matter how much they thought about it, the situation was beyond anyone's understanding, something beyond the grasp of the entire continent.

***

Cough, cough...

Karyl encountered a thick layer of dust as he pulled a book from the shelf. He waved his hand to clear the air and tilted his head slightly. "Kaye Aesir would be appalled at this sight," he mused. The neglected, dusty library clearly hadn't been visited in a long time.

Or perhaps, this neglect is intentional, a result of some protective magic. That's impressive in its own way, Karyl thought as he scanned the area.

Books titled The Light of the World, The Study of Essence Magic, and The Witchcraft of Barbaric Tribes caught his attention.

Karyl gazed at the books scattered about the floor. Although not vast, the library's collection was densely packed with books, which impressed him. A chill ran down his spine; the books were related to the oracles, all written by Kaye Aesir himself.

A library of low-level magic books? These alone make this place incredibly valuable, though he knew that the true worth of these books would only be recognized after a few more years.

For now, they're dismissed as mere fiction.

As Karyl picked up a book and turned the pages, familiar words caught his eye. His hand stopped at a full-page illustration of a sinister, colossal tower.

Karyl looked at the drawing, lips sealed in silence. It was as if Kaye Aesir, who lived 250 years ago, had left these books knowing the future.

[Kaye Aesir? A remarkable human indeed. He is the only one acknowledged as extraordinary by the dragons,] Narh Di Maug said.

"That impressive?" Karyl asked.

[Do you know what humans consider the criteria for a Grand Sorcerer?] Narh Di Maug questioned.

“Of course. A grand sorcerer is someone who can condense the magic present in their mana blood into at least eight out of the twelve special channels that flow throughout the body.”

Mana could be accumulated in what's known as magic veins. The circulation of magic occurs through channels in the body.

There are three categories in the world:

Those who can send mana to at least five meridians. These individuals are honored with the title of magician and are exceedingly rare in the empire.

Those who have fewer channels capable of transmitting mana, use it to enhance their physique or swordsmanship. Most of these individuals are trained as knights.

Lastly, there are people like Karyl, barbarians lacking both channels and mana blood.

[Kaye Aesir managed to open not only eight but nine out of the twelve channels.] Narh Di Maug remarked.

"That's impressive."

[You, without any mana blood, might not grasp how remarkable that is, but there’s probably never been a sorcerer superior to Kaye Aesir.]

"And compared to you?" Karyl probed.

The dragon smirked. [Comparing dragons to humans? Nonsense. Even the greatest human can only master one element.]

"Here it is," Karyl's eyes widened with excitement as he discovered a small wheel hidden under the bookshelf. It was a device that couldn't be found unless one carefully looked for it. With a heavy thud, the bookshelf slid aside, revealing a rusted lever hidden behind it. Karyl exerted all his strength to turn the lever hidden in the crack of the stone wall.

The sound of the lock being released echoed. Karyl swallowed nervously, his face tense, worried that the noise might escape the room.

In that moment, Narh Di Maug's final words unexpectedly flashed through his mind.

[In essence, dragons and humans are fundamentally different in their elemental systems. If I were to define it... We are. Hmm.] He paused, tilting his head as if pondering. [Colorless.]

After a moment, Narh Di Maug snapped his fingers and said, [Yes, that seems fitting.] He nodded, seemingly satisfied with his conclusion.