The Failed Swordmaster - Chapter 149

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 149 58. Lumian Calard vs Kingdom of Cairo (1)

In the middle of the city street, a man was kneeling on his knees.

That wasn’t all.

His forehead was covered with dirt from banging his head on the ground multiple times, and there was even some blood seeping out.

He was even completely naked, not wearing even underwear.

Passersby stopped in their tracks and began murmuring.

“Wait, isn’t that person Count Aaron?”

“What kind of state is that? Why is he doing that?”

“What about those guards next to Count Aaron? Do you happen to know anything about this?”

A bald man asked the person next to him.

The red-haired man who was questioned looked around cautiously, then began explaining in a whispered, low voice.

“Someone came from the Kingdom of Cairo.”

“What? Kingdom of Cairo? Ah… to inquire about the Third Prince’s well-being? But why…”

“They say Count Aaron’s carriage blocked the road. It wasn’t intentional, but the Kingdom of Cairo’s carriage was so large that there was no way to move aside…”

“Don’t tell me he didn’t quickly back away?”

“That’s right.”

“Really? They’re humiliating him like this over just that much?”

The excited bald man’s voice grew louder.

It wasn’t because he liked Count Aaron. It was quite the opposite.

He was someone who acted so arrogantly whenever he came to see his son at the Academy that it made one frown. He had even thought it would be good if the man got humiliated someday.

‘But to suffer such humiliation over just this much.’

And not even by a noble from his own country, but by a foreign noble with no real connection.

The bald man felt something surge up from within his chest.

“Shh! Hey, look ahead! Ahead!”

“Ugh!”

The red-haired man stopped him with a suppressed voice. The bald man reflexively looked forward.

The guards standing next to Count Aaron were glaring at him.

Terrified, he covered his mouth with his hand and bowed his head.

Then he slowly, slowly backed away before quickly running off.

The guards from the Kingdom of Cairo chuckled at the sight.

“How scared he got.”

“Hahaha.”

Though they were merely common guards, their behavior was no different from nobles.

After all, wasn’t Count Aaron, an actual noble of Tarasan, kneeling at their feet? The guards enjoyed the fear, anxiety, and terror in people’s gazes as they strutted about proudly.

And their superior, a foreigner with power incomparable to anyone else in this city, Cairo’s Sword Master Adolf Anner.

He had just arrived in front of the Third Prince’s residence.

With an expression as cold as ice, he spoke in a low voice.

“You mean to tell me His Highness is staying in a place like this?”

“Th-that is… even so, this is the finest mansion in this place…”

“These Tarasan bastards have no fear. If there wasn’t a good mansion, they should have built one to prepare.”

He didn’t emit any particular aura, nor did his voice reveal emotion.

Nevertheless, the people around him trembled. Everyone here knew his temperament, so they had no choice.

“Hmm?”

However, among them were some whose complexions looked particularly poor.

The subordinates guarding the Third Prince. Also the subordinates serving the Third Prince.

All of them were sweating profusely without exception.

‘Did something happen?’

Adolf Anner felt suspicious but let it pass for now.

Following the King’s orders was the top priority. He entered the building to convey the King’s regards and assess the Third Prince’s condition.

And he was shocked once again.

Because the Third Prince’s face was half swollen.

“Have you come, Sir Adolf…”

“Your Highness? What is this… Did something happen while you were staying here? Perhaps some unpleasant incident at the Academy?”

“N-no, nothing happened. Nothing at all.”

The Third Prince answered while turning his head away.

However, Adolf didn’t believe him. His eyes narrowed.

An extremely anxious psychological state. And the weight he had lost over the past few months.

Something had definitely happened.

“You seem unwell. I’ll call the Physician who accompanied us to attend to Your Highness. I’ll take my leave now.”

“Do so.”

Adolf Anner bowed and left the Prince’s room.

Then he had his subordinates gather all those who had shown strange reactions earlier.

“Speak if you don’t want to die. What happened while you were here?”

“Uh, uuh…”

“Nothing… happened…”

However, they too said nothing.

No, it was more accurate to say they couldn’t. Even when directly exposed to the aura of Adolf Anner, a Sword Master, they couldn’t reveal anything.

Even after he made an example by cutting off one person’s head, it was the same.

It was hard to understand.

“…”

Adolf Anner ultimately had no choice but to return to his room without gaining anything.

It was absurd. To think he had learned nothing despite interrogating them until late at night.

“It must definitely be something related to the Academy…”

That was all there was.

The existing attendants had reacted particularly sensitively to the word ‘Academy,’ and it was also the place where the Third Prince spent most of his time.

‘I’ll have to visit the Academy tomorrow morning.’

Adolf Anner nodded and began his training.

To effectively pressure these country kingdom bastards, he needed to elevate his physical condition.

* * *

“Oh my, you must have had such a hard journey coming all this way! It’s an honor to meet Sir Adolf Anner, one of the Eight Pillars of Cairo!”

The next day. The delegation led by Adolf Anner visited the Academy.

Accordingly, the Knight Department Head came out to greet them with a face full of smiles. Having heard about Count Aaron’s incident yesterday, his actions were deeply tinged with caution.

But such things were of no use.

A rigid voice flowed from Adolf Anner’s mouth.

“What kind of behavior is this?”

“Pardon?”

“A mere Knight Department Head wants to dine at the same table as me? Bring the head honcho.”

“…We sincerely apologize. We failed to inform you properly. Currently, the Academy Director cannot come immediately due to external matters. However, he will arrive here within at least an hour, so please calm your anger.”

“I’ll give you 10 minutes.”

“…”

The Knight Department Head’s face hardened.

No matter how much he was from the powerful Kingdom of Cairo, to show such rude behavior. His face flushed red with shame and anger. He wanted to protest, even if only in a small voice.

But he couldn’t.

The moment the follow-up words flowed from Adolf Anner’s mouth, he had no choice but to snap to attention as if cold water had been poured over him.

“I received a report that the bastard who threatened His Highness the Third Prince’s safety is here.”

“…I’ll, I’ll call him quickly.”

The Knight Department Head had a professor quickly relay this fact. And the Academy Director who heard the news flew to Adolf Anner’s presence.

This meant being rude to a foreign noble, but it couldn’t be helped. Matters related to the Third Prince were matters on which the nation’s fate depended.

The Academy Director bowed in a posture as if prostrating himself and began discussing the unpleasant incident with Adolf Anner.

However, as time passed, his attitude and expression began to change.

From looking like they had committed a mortal sin, to puzzled, and finally to uncomfortable and displeased.

Eventually, the Academy Director, unable to bear it any longer, posed a question to Adolf Anner.

“Excuse me, if I may be so bold… may I ask a question?”

“Go ahead.”

“From what I’ve heard from you, there are aspects I find difficult to understand… that is, it seems Sir Adolf Anner currently has no evidence or witnesses regarding this incident…”

“That’s correct.”

“Even the Crown Prince himself said that there was nothing that threatened his safety… didn’t he?”

“But something definitely happened. Here.”

“…”

“I came here to investigate that. So I ask for your cooperation. First, I need you to gather all the Knight Department students. Since they’re probably the ones who interact with him most, it would be reasonable to start the investigation there.”

Adolf Anner made his request to the Academy Director with the same expressionless face.

However, this wasn’t really a request. His attitude of treating him like a subordinate was enough to offend the Academy Director.

Making such unreasonable demands when there was no evidence or witnesses?

Just as he was about to openly frown and say ‘that’s impossible’.

Adolf spoke up again, one step ahead.

“You seem to be taking this matter too lightly.”

“What do you mean by that…?”

“I am here now on His Majesty the King’s orders. To handle matters related to the Crown Prince, I can do whatever it takes.”

He pulled out a crystal orb from his pocket.

It was a long-distance communication crystal connected to Cairo’s capital. Adolf Anner explained this and continued his explanation calmly.

“Depending on how I report to His Majesty the King, not only the Academy but the entire Kingdom of Tarasan could be wiped off the map. He doesn’t care about neighboring countries’ opinions when it comes to matters involving the Prince.”

“…”

“Do I need to explain further?”

“I’ll immediately call the students to the auditorium.”

“Call the professors too.”

“…”

“If questioning the students yields nothing, we’ll need to investigate the professors as well.”

“…Many professors are away on external duties, so I’ll gather the students first and then call them immediately.”

“Good.”

Adolf nodded. The Knight Department Head looked uncomfortable, as if a stone had been placed in his stomach.

Who held more authority was obvious without saying.

Anger and bitterness swirled across the Knight Department Head’s face.

* * *

-All Knight Department students currently in the Academy are to gather in the auditorium immediately. This includes students currently in class. I repeat. All Knight Department students, please gather in the auditorium within 10 minutes. There will be severe consequences for not attending, so gather quickly and promptly. That is all.

The Knight Department Head made the announcement using the magical device installed in the auditorium. The Academy Director looked at Adolf, and he nodded.

‘Damn it…’

The Academy Director cursed inwardly.

Even while standing among the various Tarasan professors, Adolf Anner was utterly confident. Rather, the professors were completely intimidated by his domineering attitude.

It was unavoidable.

His background, reputation, and skill were incomparably higher than anyone present.

If the others were ordinary rocks, Adolf Anner was a tower rising so high it was difficult to look up at.

Anyone from Tarasan would feel small standing next to him.

It was a sad reality.

‘This situation is too serious. Among the first years, there aren’t just students from our country but many from other nations too. If anything happens to them, we won’t be able to avoid responsibility either. Damn it, does the King of Cairo not even consider diplomatic consequences?’

Cairo’s current behavior was so radical it was hard to accept by common sense. It felt like they weren’t considering the continent’s opinion at all, like watching the ancient empire that once unified half the continent.

It seemed the rumors about the King of Cairo being half-senile were true. Well, that would explain why the princes were preparing for civil war.

‘If only Sir Buckal, Sir Airin, or Sir Morghen were here…’

Then things might have been different. Even the Kingdom of Cairo couldn’t ignore mediation from two major powers.

But luck wasn’t on their side. Unfortunately, the first two were away on their respective national duties, and the latter’s whereabouts were unknown.

The Academy Director sighed secretly.

Despite their outstanding abilities and high honors, he could now truly appreciate how wonderful those people were who never lost their courtesy.

‘Please, please let it be connected to a student from another country, not our own…’

It was a selfish thought. But it couldn’t be helped.

If the culprit who threatened the Crown Prince’s safety was a citizen of their country, the kingdom’s future itself would be uncertain.

Tarasan’s power was far too weak to handle the King of Cairo’s wrath. Miserable emotions appeared on the faces of him and the other Tarasan professors.

Creak.

“Hmm? Already?”

Just then, the auditorium door opened. Adolf’s eyes widened slightly.

It had been less than 10 seconds since the announcement. Yet someone had already arrived.

‘Was this guy coincidentally nearby?’

Adolf’s eyes naturally scanned the student who entered the auditorium.

Hair like a wheat field under the sunset glow, golden with a slight reddish tinge.

It was somewhat common, but his handsome appearance made it seem mysterious. His physique was robust and his steps were well-balanced, making him unconsciously exclaim in admiration.

‘Quite impressive. For a student from a rural kingdom.’

However, his attitude was displeasing.

There were numerous professors present. And among them was himself, a Sword Master from Cairo who had even these professors under his heel.

Of course, that guy wouldn’t know this fact, but still, there was such a thing as reading the atmosphere.

Yet despite this, not only was he holding his head high, but he was staring directly at him with an expressionless face.

‘No, is he glaring at me?’

It was almost like that.

Adolf Anner shook his head and released his aura.

Whooooom!

His already massive presence grew even larger.

If he was a tower before, now he was closer to a mountain. He was becoming a tremendously formidable existence that human power could never hope to reach.

“Kugh.”

“Uuugh…”

Under the widely cast shadow of the tower, groans flowed from the mouths of the Knight Department professors.

Those who hadn’t yet reached Expert level even fell to their knees, and even skilled individuals like Professor Karin frowned deeply as they struggled desperately to resist the pressure.

But.

“…”

The student who arrived at the auditorium was still perfectly fine.

An incomprehensible, impossible phenomenon.

Bewilderment appeared in Sword Master Adolf Anner’s expression.

That’s when it happened.

Whooooooom!

A tremendous aura burst forth from the student’s body.

It was higher than the Krena Mountain Range located in the central part of the continent, and broader than the Druvall Plain, Jenas’s greatest granary region.

Even Adolf Anner’s impressive aura couldn’t compare. His mountain-like presence shrank pathetically, like a hill in a rural village. “Huh,” a deflated voice flowed from his mouth.

Step by step.

Slowly. But heavily.

The handsome young man walking toward Adolf Anner one step at a time, Lumian Calard.

He finally opened his mouth.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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