REAPER SCANS
Swordmaster’s Youngest Son
[Translator – Junseo]
[Proofreader – Valirius]
Volume 10 Chapter 361 - Traces (1)
It had been ten days since Jin had obtained the new Bradamante.
Yet he hadn’t gotten to properly use it. As a warrior, he wanted to test it out right away, but Jin had a more pressing concern.
‘So people went to the Anz Plains where Temar’s first tomb was located, and to the Schucheron Kingdom where Jogubby and Olmango are…’
Ever since Kinzelo told him that other forces were also looking for Temar’s tomb…
It had been on Jin’s mind constantly. So, before he went to capture Ozdok, he asked his companions in Tikan to search the tombs he had already been to.
And today, Kashimir brought news.
People presumed to be from Zipfel and Vermont had been spotted at the Anz Plains and the beach of the Schucheron Kingdom.
Jin learned that Temar’s tombs were in those areas through the arrangements left by Solderet for his contractor.
In other words, it was virtually impossible to track the tombs unless you were his contractor.
‘They probably went to the Anz Plains and the beach because they were following my tracks.’
Even after becoming a flag-bearer, Jin had always moved in disguise whenever he was dealing with personal matters or matters related to Temar.
When he went to the Anz Plains, although only Joshua was aware of it at the time, Jin intentionally went through the mountains to confuse any possible pursuers. In the Schucheron Kingdom, he simply pretended to be on vacation, playing around for a few days.
The secret domain of the Cat Tribe where the third tomb was located had such a mysterious characteristic that it should’ve been impossible to enter without their guidance, and yet the Wraith Corps still tracked him down.
‘My movements are being exposed.’
It wasn’t that there was someone tracking him.
Because if that had been the case, there was no way he wouldn’t have noticed it. Unless the person was someone like Yona, or the Nameless leader.
‘Though Margiela did say that my movements were exposed to the Vermont royal family. Perhaps they traced and extrapolated the aliases I used and my whereabouts to work out the places that were significant. That must be why they sent people to the Anz Plains and Schucheron.’
Of course, just because they had sent people there, didn’t mean they’d immediately uncover anything important.
Jin had already investigated the tombs there and he’d taken the recording devices with him.
The important thing was that there were people following his tracks.
He’d anticipated that it would happen eventually, because the great powers weren’t idiots.
It was just a shame that they were on his trail faster than he had expected.
The ‘12th flag-bearer of Runcandel’ couldn’t act in secret at all. It was natural for a Runcandel flag-bearer to be observed not only by his allies, the Garden of Swords, but also his enemies, who were trying to watch his every move.
On top of that, his enemies were looking for Temar’s tomb just like him.
It was nothing short of a miracle that he had discovered the three tombs on his own without anything major happening.
‘It just goes to show how well I’ve been doing, but it’s only a matter of time. I was lucky when I encountered the Wraith Corps in the third tomb. It could’ve ended up real bad.’
If it weren’t for Kinzelo’s sudden intrusion and the help of Dipus and Mary, he would’ve suffered significant losses.
‘I need more allies.’
Jin alone, no… Jin and his companions in Tikan alone were no match for Vermont and Zipfel.
Even within Runcandel, countless enemies lurked, and Kinzelo would eventually join the ‘tomb race’.
While he was thinking, someone tapped Jin on the shoulder.
“Hey, Youngest!”
It was Mary.
“Sister.”
“What are you thinking about? Ahah, were you thinking about something worthwhile, like when you’re going to have a rematch with me?”
Mary sat next to him.
Jin stared blankly at her.
‘If Mary becomes a true ally, that would be reassuring.’
Mary already considered Jin as someone on her side.
Jin also felt fond of her, as well as a feeling that could be called brotherly love.
Yet still, Jin didn’t inform her of the existence of Vin Branche and Picon Minche.
This was because he judged that there was a high probability that as the 7th flag-bearer, she would use them as the clan blacksmiths.
But there was another real reason why she couldn’t be trusted.
‘As long as my second eldest brother is around, Mary will never be truly on my side.’
Dipus Runcandel, the fourth flag-bearer of the clan.
To make Mary an ally, he first had to recruit Dipus.
However, neither Dipus nor Mary had given up on the throne.
‘Me, Dipus, Mary, and Joshua. We four definitely haven’t given up on the position of the head of the clan.’
And there was one person whose intentions were completely unreadable, Luntia Runcandel.
If she was also aiming for the position of clan head, there would be a total of five people competing.
So, approaching Dipus to get him to help out with an immediate problem was too much of a gamble.
It was entirely possible that upon trying to recruit Dipus to get Mary by feeding him information, he would be betrayed.
‘It’s impossible to recruit Dipus and Mary right now, but it is possible to make use of them.’
As flag-bearers, Dipus and Mary always put the clan first, no matter what the circumstances were.
Recalling that, Jin smiled inwardly.
“A rematch you say? I think it’ll be best to say you won this one.”
“Huh? Why’s that? Since that old man Tuven got in the way, we need to call that one invalid and have a rematch!”
“Even before Sir Tuven intervened, the match was already decided. After all, the Secret Technique you used caused Ozdok to transform.”
“No, do you really think that?”
“I do.”
Mary assumed that Jin would obviously accept the match as invalid.
So she had been thinking about fighting again, but Jin meekly admitted defeat, so it was completely different to what she had expected.
‘This isn’t good, is it? I have to wait another three months until I can fight him again!’
Mary groaned as she thought about it.
She expected that the youngest would readily accept a rematch, as he also had a strong competitive spirit just like her.
“Well, I don’t. We need a rematch.”
“You shouldn’t be so harsh on an opponent who has already admitted defeat.”
“Then I’ll order you as the winner. My order is a rematch. There’s no problem now, right?”
“…When we first agreed to the competition, didn’t you read the contract I sent you properly?”
—Every time we fight, the winner is determined by whether or not the opponent is conscious. The first one to fall is the loser, and the loser must carry out one command from the winner. Of course we’ll write a contract to ensure that the order is carried out.
—I like it. The contract is a bit annoying though.
The conversation they had during their first match. At that time, Jin actually created a contract and got Mary to sign it.
Mary tilted her head as she recalled that fact.
“Uh… I think I read it.”
“There’s a clause in the contract regarding the limits of what the winner is allowed to order. Things along the lines of not being able to order suicide, expulsion from the clan, deprivation of assets, and so on. There’s also a clause stating that a rematch cannot be ordered.”
“Suicide and getting expelled from the clan makes sense. But what about a rematch?!”
“…You don’t genuinely think an explanation is necessary, do you?”
“Th-then let’s forget the fact that I won then. Let’s go back to the start and invalidate the match with that monster. Let’s start talking about how we should carry out our next match.”
“It seems to me that the winner was decided from the moment you tried to order me using your right as the winner.”
Mary was speechless.
“You damned loach!”
“That feels nice to hear.”
“Haah, fine. Fine. I give up, whatever. Let’s say that I won. I’ll use my real order on you then. Give me the cat.”
“If you mean Nabi Runcandel, do as you wish.”
“Not Nabi, I mean, Sir Murakan. The Crimson Gem, Shurry.”
“If you look at the contract, it states that you can’t order the loser to carry out things that they are incapable of. Shurry’s contracted to me, and I’m not able to break it.”
“Y-You damned…”
“Give me a more reasonable order. It’s not that difficult, is it?”
Mary almost started hitting Jin’s head.
It wasn’t Jin’s fault, though. After all, it was important to read contracts before signing them…
And she was the one trying to get a bonus fight with the youngest. In truth, there was nothing for her to feel wronged about. Still though, there was nothing she could do about the anger building up inside her.
Jin glanced at the grumbling Mary.
“For instance… Asking me to buy you some good alcohol?”
“I don’t need that!”
“Maybe asking me to steal a few of the limited edition manhwa Murakan has?”
“Last time I checked, mine were better… Haah, no. Just because I was going easy on you, do you think I’m an idiot?”
“If you don’t want that as well, then you could ask me what information Kinzelo gave me when they came to visit me. Look, there’s so many reasonable orders you can give, aren’t there?”
Mary’s eyes widened.
Her expression seemed to be one of wondering how she could have forgotten such a thing. After all, it was her who stopped Gilly from making a mistake when Kinzelo visited.
‘It feels like I’ve been manipulated by the youngest, but… It’s not bad information to have, I suppose. Dipus did seem to be curious about what Mother, Jin, and Kinzelo were discussing.’
Since Kinzelo’s visit, Rosa hadn’t told the flag-bearers about what occurred.
“Tsk, fine. What information did Kinzelo give you then?”
“Something to do with each power, including Zipfel and Vermont, being after the legacy of the first patriarch.”
“What? The legacy of the first patriarch?”
“Temar Runcandel’s tomb.”
“…What do they want with the first patriarch's tomb?”
“His tomb contains the ancient power and secrets of the old Runcandel. I was searching for them independently from the clan and Kinzelo noticed.”
Mary glared.
“You were looking for the tomb of the first patriarch, independently from the clan? And you’re telling me Mother knew this and did nothing about it?”
Mary’s anger wasn’t directed at Jin.
Rosa Runcandel.
Her anger was at the fact that her own mother hadn’t informed the flag-bearers of such an important matter even at this point.
‘I’m sure you didn’t expect me to tell the other flag-bearers about Temar’s tomb, Mother.’
Jin nodded, hiding his smile.
Reaper Scans
Translator – Junseo
Proofreader – Valirius
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Read the webtoon on https://reaperscans.com/comics/4050-swordmasters-youngest-son/
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