Lord of Caldera - Chapter 191

Chapter 191: Chapter 191

If anyone was at the peak of the “man’s man” pyramid, it was Ragnar. He would find the mere thought of an assassination shameful.

“…If anything dangerous happens, please call for help.”

“Relax.”

With that, Sylas reassured the persistent Rei and stepped outside. He saw Ragnar standing a short distance away with his arms crossed. As Sylas approached, Ragnar muttered, his expression a mixture of tension and frustration.

“You came.”

“You called me, didn’t you?”

“Hmm.”

Ragnar’s face reddened slightly as he cleared his throat, evidently nervous. Seeing him stumble over his words, Sylas raised an eyebrow.

“Get to the point. It doesn’t look good for two candidates to be huddled together in secret.”

“It’s simple. I wanted to ask you something.”

“About what?”

“What you plan to do as king of the North.”

Of course, that made sense. Sylas was already halfway recognized as a king in the eyes of those around him.

“Answer honestly. I only came to hear that,” Ragnar said, his eyes blazing with a fierce determination that seemed to promise no forgiveness for lies. Sylas chuckled.

Ragnar’s devotion to the North was commendable, but he was making a significant assumption. Sylas’s goal was never the throne.

“I haven’t really thought about it, to be honest. I have no intention of becoming king of the North.”

“What?”

“My aim is far higher than that.”

Sylas gestured toward the sky. Ragnar’s face turned confused as he struggled to understand. Sylas, growing impatient, pointed elsewhere.

“There. Over there.”

“There…?”

Ragnar turned his head to look, following Sylas’s finger to where Marquess Serge’s castle was visible in the distance. The northern trade network led there and connected to the imperial capital. At that moment, a realization struck Ragnar like a bolt of lightning.

There was only one position higher than that of king. It wasn’t just the North—this was the seat of absolute power over the entire continent. The ruler to whom all subjects of the Empire gave their allegiance.

“Emperor.”

The man standing before him sought to become emperor.

“…Is he out of his mind?” Ragnar muttered to himself, unable to contain his shock. His gaze at Sylas was filled with disbelief and astonishment. Sylas simply shrugged nonchalantly.

“Is it so strange?”

“To be blunt, it’s laughable.”

Though he said that, Ragnar didn’t laugh at all. In fact, his expression was one of anger.

“Do you really believe you can become emperor?”

“Well, your goal is to become the king of the North. I’ve simply raised my sights by one step.”

“Stop with the nonsense.”

There was an audible grinding sound as Ragnar clenched his teeth. Just one step. But did Sylas truly understand how vast that single step was?

“A ruler is nothing without those who recognize him. Do you understand the significance of this trial?”

The king of the North ruled over all the lords of the region, and thus, each of the northern lords would need to kneel and bow, even if just symbolically.

That single bow—how difficult it is to attain.

It was merely a bow with no real respect or reverence, just a show of submission. And yet, everyone loathed the thought of it. And every person was willing to throw themselves into the fire just to receive that bow once. Such was the complexity of human pride.

“The lords are kings in their own domains. Getting even reluctant obedience from them is painstaking. The stronger the lord’s power or the more distant their territory, the harder it becomes.”

No matter how much military or economic power you wield, there are limits. No matter how much influence you project, this vast land will always have its gaps.

Thus, for someone to be a king, let alone an emperor, they must have those who willingly serve them. Wasn’t this trial a life-risking journey simply to earn even that reluctant service?

“With the consent of every lord, you gain the Hero’s Legacy, slay a dragon, and win a duel. Even with all this chaos, it’s uncertain whether one can become king of just the North. And yet an emperor? You think you can be an emperor?”

Ragnar despised the Empire, but he also understood the terrifying power of the imperial family. It wasn’t merely military or economic strength.

The true power of the imperial family lay in the legitimacy that everyone in this vast Empire accepted them as rulers, and the common assumption that this was simply natural.

“You are gravely arrogant. Know your place!” Ragnar’s voice was full of frustration, like an adult scolding a naive child who didn’t understand reality. Sylas met his gaze calmly.

“It must have been frustrating, right?” Sylas said suddenly.

“…What?”

“You must have looked far ahead. You had your ideals. Perhaps you saw potential. But those around you laughed at you.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Wasn’t it infuriating? You knew you could reach it if you stretched out your hand, knew you were capable, yet those around you just shook their heads?”

Ragnar frowned, clearly baffled, but Sylas continued without pause.

“Then at some point, you realized it, didn’t you? That unless you put it right in front of their eyes, they would never believe in you. So you decided to prove it yourself.”

“Stop speaking nonsense…”

“You became chieftain before you pursued your dream of uniting the North. When you glimpsed that shard of possibility, what did those who laughed at you say?”

Sylas looked directly into Ragnar’s eyes. Ragnar’s expression shifted multiple times—shock, anger, and finally, a look of deep frustration.

But Sylas didn’t stop.

“At some point, you understood as well, didn’t you?”

“…”

“Oh, I am different from these people. There is an unbridgeable gap in our abilities. If I don’t lead…”

“Silence!”

Ragnar’s hand trembled as though he wanted to tear Sylas apart. Sylas simply gave a wry smile at his reaction.

“Can’t you see the vision I hold?”

“I told you to shut up…!”

“Just as those around you failed to understand when you dreamed of uniting the North?”

“You bastard!”

Ragnar swung his fist. There was no special technique, but the sheer force was enough to rip through the air as it approached Sylas. Sylas raised his hand to meet the punch.

Boom!

The air seemed to explode as their hands collided. The loud sound made Rei rush outside.

“My lord!”

“Stay back.”

Sylas raised his free hand to stop Rei from approaching. Ragnar’s eyes were wide and furious as he stared at Sylas, who had stopped his punch.