Chapter 85
XAr“What is this?!”IZ0h
B31The retainers, startled, drew their swords all at once. However, the beams of light only flashed without causing any harm.duig
X2MAfter a short while, when the brightness dimmed and their eyes adjusted, Lucian’s group could see where the light was coming from.Fy6PW2
IFE“My lord, there are lines of light drawn on the floor!”qnDJL
QXO“I see them too. But…”CxZd1
Gm9Lucian observed the now-illuminated floor and looked over the drawings of the supposed puzzle.RVm
ssQ6Absurdly, the light was traced without any order, bearing no relation to the puzzle. It looked as if someone had scribbled over the drawings.CWhU
bmmG9A“…There was no secret in the puzzle. This was just a distraction.”Gpjuxf
23p9ACw“It’s a method that was used a lot in the past. They’d make false locks on doors that didn’t need a key and hide the real mechanism elsewhere.”jvnw
sVMp3F0“In the end, past or present, people don’t change the way they think.”wC7
q7RL“Well, it’s effective. For some reason, we avoided the trap, but it looks like the fools who came before fell right into it.”e5nOj
Xv28yx7At Hugo’s words, Lucian gave a bitter smile and nodded.Q5OgW
aT2iAlthough the drawings were painted in similar colors, no matter how hard someone tried to solve the puzzle, it would never complete a coherent image.oZxSOl
T1YrP2It was nothing more than a cover designed to fool intruders. Even if someone miraculously solved it, the only reward would be a pretty picture—and nothing more.z5hwOo
3YB86P“My lord, look at that.”xkfWT
4RGJtAt that moment, Raymond pointed to the opposite wall.yOid
AcxhAt the far end of the wide underground space, which had been hidden in darkness before, chisels, punches, and hammers were piled up.RTws3Qg
BVRThey weren’t tools for carving, but clearly meant for destruction.XsSgrLH
FXtbMx“Looks like they were planning to smash the floor tiles of this cavern if necessary.”YQYlwCI
wwhp“Then the people before were buying time to get in here?”JsBmDS6
JgY“Could be.”mJK2RjA
PJ4ZAt first, Lucian had thought they were trying to steal seals or documents needed to prove legitimacy.N3uzLX
eTABThose who managed the mansion still didn’t know that Lucian had acquired Asagrim, so it wouldn’t have been strange for them to try and undermine his legitimacy for their lord’s sake.XNoyQ
LhYOY6But thinking about it now, it seemed more like they had been stalling to come down here and destroy this floor.mVP
kcA“Anyway, it’s ridiculous. These tiles are nothing but decoration.”FGDJ3f
Kt8c9“Now that you mention it, why did the real mechanism activate all of a sudden? We didn’t do anything.”eR5h7v
BOH“I have no idea. All I did was run my hand over the floor, and that can’t possibly be the real key.”z7OK
aoR7SEClack.4iq3nxC
sqMAs they talked, the sound of a mechanism activating was heard to the side.NdA
OHpWhen the group turned their heads, they saw a part of the wall opening outward.lDNr7
E3HotdOnce again, it had nothing to do with the puzzle—it was in a corner under the underground stairs.Bl3ZbW
mBj6VmLucian clicked his tongue, impressed by the creator’s meticulousness.kWR
KGKb“In a location like that, they wouldn’t dare destroy anything by force. If something went wrong, the stairs might have collapsed. I don’t know why, but they were determined to hide it.”lydHf
6aR“My lord, what should we do?”dOMX
JtM“We go in.”nlX
ufzpWQA“We don’t know what could be inside. Are you sure?”MsC9
7nt“If it were a trap, something would’ve already happened to us. Besides, even though the House of Count Calix was rummaging around here carelessly, nothing happened.”ODfj76
uZZU6DEThey had torn out the lighting by force, messed with the fake puzzle recklessly, and even prepared tools to destroy it—and yet there wasn’t a single trace of old blood.Hn3LGX
AouEverything indicated there were no traps.6T0
QMmW“If they didn’t want anyone to find the entrance, that’d be one thing, but setting traps only inside makes no sense. Let’s go in quickly and get out before Glenn finds out.”xxpKB
iv4“That’s true. And they hid the entrance so carefully but left the rest so exposed… hmm.”Pip
KXjI0kHugo trailed off and looked away as if it were nothing. Though he didn’t say it out loud, Lucian understood what he meant.pja
LC4‘This place feels like it was left unfinished.’o7ROzhH
zOxThe interior was massive, but the only things inside were a giant puzzle to mislead and a hidden door. No traps or flashy decorations.KIdxNr8
Vj16hA space that big and empty was usually a sign of a construction abandoned for lack of funds.ruWJHm
32xJ‘Maybe this place symbolizes the fall of Grimaldi.’QZrlGad
toQRXIWith a bitter smile, Lucian headed toward the open door under the stairs. Perhaps there he would find the answer to this place’s purpose.Qe2M3NO
c9MnvW***gbrQOAD
A4cH89lWhen Lucian’s group passed through the hidden door, they were left speechless. Beyond it was a fairly spacious room, but its contents were pitiful.sdPe
lxN‘A bookshelf, a few coverless books, ink, paper, and a key?’Nfa3LNT
W10TLThe bookshelf was an old piece of furniture with nothing special, and the books seemed crudely made, with pages bound by string.cw9b
cFmThe ink and paper were cheap and common materials. The only remotely eye-catching thing was a key stored in an elegant glass case, though it was unclear what it opened.oywmppH
bZei1“My lord, allow me to check… gh!?”VxohcMH
W2kwkZap.SjFnX
n1eTuOyRaymond reached for the display case and immediately recoiled as a jolt of electricity surged out.XIQD7v
uBJHe managed to pull back in time, but the force was strong enough to have burned his palm.p16JxD
kXdfB“Magic? This is a magical artifact!”XpNH6g
sir“Wow. No decent furniture, but top-tier security.”VtG
VtaLucian clicked his tongue and picked up one of the books from the shelf.mA9Vt
40Rz27Apparently, the display case was the only magical artifact, since reading the books posed no issue.zKqeQ
Z07dwb— …I was rejected again. It was the same with the previous one, and now this emperor too. Asagrim—how long will I have to wait?T5p2vV
u0RThe glory of the past has already crumbled. How long…? I’m tired.9hOP
LJ6‘Asagrim?’qu9S
CKu3KMost of the letters on the faded paper were erased and unreadable.DEv
3OuIt didn’t look like someone had erased them on purpose—just poorly preserved.LRGvT8C
UHhGmLucian turned the pages carefully, as if the paper might fall apart at any moment.fi4irpE
zSD4vQa‘The older books are practically impossible to read, but the more recent writings are still in decent condition.’N3kktMM
FZ4rvAfter reviewing the contents, Lucian immediately understood what the books were.H33O
2OCdThey were personal writings left by successive heads of the ducal house of Grimaldi.QbHy
5Z2However, since writing them wasn’t mandatory, there were often gaps of a hundred to two hundred years between entries, depending on the ruling head.SQPW
1OBmWmLTired of trying to decipher the older texts, Lucian opened the most recently written notebook.S7S
qP41P8g‘At least this one should be easier to read—what? It’s all smudged?’dQnyIt
5NzLucian was baffled to see the pages blackened, as if someone had deliberately spilled ink on them.QMajJ
3TH79epThe letters had run in all directions, making everything unreadable.egBkY1R
M0s2l4Fortunately, the last page seemed to have been added after the manuscript was ruined, as it was perfectly legible.RcSzh
ygSSF6— Grimaldi is finished. Since my daughter left the family, there are no blood relatives left to inherit after me. The Empire has survived a thousand years and, in the end, it has defeated Grimaldi. The ancestors’ dream will vanish along with the extinction of the family. It’s bitter, but at the same time, I feel relieved.CWD
5fz8D3qReading the word “extinction,” Lucian shivered.Ttd
OcdqAccording to his prior research, the ducal house of Grimaldi had always been inherited through the direct line, without adoptions.keej
zixToThe only time the bloodline broke was with his maternal grandfather, who had only one daughter.HGgxSA
vhwYsG4If the text said there were no blood heirs left, then those words could only have been written by his grandfather.QCvMeBj
QvdKSFg— The legacy of the ancestors now exists only in words, and even those descriptions have nearly vanished. I long ago lost the motivation to cling to relics of the past. I’m tired of carrying the weight of generations with no hope or reward. How could a declining Grimaldi ever reclaim Asagrim? Even if the Empire were to fall, another great power would take it first and drive us out.jx9Tm
S62That was true. As the capital of a kingdom, Asagrim’s location was perfect.vgKxW
AyFUnless one were a legendary swordsman, no one would return such a strategic place to its former owners without demanding something in return.8lH9q
cWpl6— I’ve never seen Asagrim with my own eyes. At this point, I can’t even consider the land of my ancestors as my own. My home is this place. I’ll live here and be buried here. I feel no attachment to it—it even feels liberating. Still, it’s a shame the legacy of the royalty will be buried forever beneath the throne. Even if it’s not me, a tool only has meaning when someone uses it.cOK
kxxB“…!”qofLB0
e3UWhat did that mean?06Nsp
M3lR2A legacy of northern royalty beneath the throne?s7Cqi
zvt6Lucian calmed his racing heart and kept reading.SaNrWU
72qTJQ— I’ve decided to leave the key where it is. Destroying it to reflect my own narrow-mindedness would be ridiculous. But at the same time, I wonder what purpose it serves. I am the last of the direct line, and even the collateral branches with any right will end with my grandson. If there’s no one with the necessary qualification, even with the key, it’s useless. Perhaps future generations will only curse me for it.Q8g
rfg5vID“…‘Qualification’?”QmCR
mKjq1P— Just in case, I erase the impulses of my youth but leave this final page intact. If someone finds this place in the future and can take the key, let them take it and insert it beneath the throne of the White Palace of Asagrim. The legacy of the ancient royalty sleeps there. If everything has rotted away by now, then nothing can be done.M4wrq8
feAcThat was where the manuscript ended.GWTi1JY
vbpewDaLucian closed the notebook silently and stood up.y2UT
TFLnThe key, the qualification, the direct line, and the collateral line.KKfMK
EBTSuddenly, he remembered a recent phrase.3pb
9nvYfKh— The second cannot use magical artifacts that only the legitimate imperial line can use.WNtgezH
q1fqdZBThe emperor had written it clearly in his letter magical artifacts that only the legitimate imperial bloodline could use.SmhCPYi
BTGHfAt first, Lucian thought it was some ancient technology exclusive to the imperial family. But after reading his grandfather’s manuscript, another possibility emerged.ZZbRF
4464‘If a thousand years ago, it was common to use magical measures that responded only to certain bloodlines… and if not only the imperial family but other royal houses could use similar techniques…’R7r0Kn
HvGB1HZWith that thought in mind, Lucian walked over to the display case holding the key.04Lh5SK
gkYFSeeing his determined steps, the nearby vassals recoiled in fear.YioEn
YNCX“My lord, it’s dangerous…!”VxX
abLHBefore they could stop him, Lucian placed his hand directly on the case holding the key.kF7u
bSDKCRNThe lightning that had struck earlier didn’t appear this time.njOeeo
BAHYFGWThe display case accepted his touch without any reaction. A few seconds later, a small light flickered, and the central lock opened.EfZc5
cae9hClack.3kb
4BBi5Nl“!?”hxPJm
QZ5ZNt“Just as I thought.”dwZ394Y
4nYv5FuWhile everyone stood stunned, Lucian smiled and took the key.fNu
ooixQHJHe didn’t know what material it was made of, but after so many years without a single speck of rust, it was clearly no ordinary key.7IER
p5ScX4Z“W-what is the meaning of this?”LMFAhB
LRdkz2“Read it yourself.”dXWN58K
aUYvdLucian handed his grandfather’s manuscript to Raymond and the other vassals.YVTyDLE
wLPQSR4After reading it, they all looked up at Lucian with rigid expressions.bEMkl76
WdpSEK“My lord.”zqneBPe
p2L77TG“No need to say it. I already have a good idea of what’s happening. It probably has to do with my bloodline.”5GR
wJLZ1mAt the same time, he understood why the emperor had refused to give him Asagrim until now.Ep15
1SfIMbHe had always thought it was to prevent the north’s independence, given their already distant relationship, and because the Grimaldi lineage still carried huge symbolic weight.1Uy8
L95ZX‘But now I see it wasn’t just that.’wnZo9X
VD7vyThe imperial family was being cautious.gHjzeQ
r13FNCautious of the possibility that other royal houses also hid powers similar to their own.wTcH
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