Lord of Caldera - Chapter 227

Chapter 227: Chapter 227

“…I suppose I should see him.”

After a brief moment of consideration, Sylas decided. He hadn’t been able to discern the Grand Duke’s true intentions, so it might be faster to ask directly.

The others left the guest room, leaving Sylas alone. A few moments later, he heard footsteps approaching, and soon the Elf Grand Duke entered.

“Your Grace.”

“It’s been a while.”

The Elf Grand Duke, Arathion, known as the Grand Duke of the Sword, ruler of the Western Elves, still had the youthful face and cool smile he was known for.

“I wanted to meet you as well… I have something to discuss…”

Arathion faltered, a look of surprise and disbelief crossing his face as he gazed at Sylas.

“Are you… a descendant of Larkesk, the Half-Dragon?”

“Half-Dragon Larkesk?” Sylas repeated, puzzled. He’d never heard of any ancestor by that name in the Corleone lineage.

“Do you not know of him, the tyrant-slayer, Half-Dragon Larkesk?”

“This is my first time hearing the name.”

“Perhaps it’s because he bore the name of an ancient dragon… I believe he went by another name…”

After a moment of thought, the Grand Duke said a name that made Sylas’s eyes widen.

“Leonik. The one you call Leonik.”

“…!”

Sylas’s expression shifted instantly at the unexpected revelation.

A few moments later, the Grand Duke, now calmer, sipped his tea. Yet a trace of amazement remained in his eyes.

“To think you were a descendant of Larkesk.”

“My bloodline hasn’t changed since we first met.”

“True. However, I sensed no trace of dragon energy in you back then.”

“Well, a lot happened since then.”

It was likely the awakening of his bloodline with the dragon heart in the North that had let the elven senses detect it. Still, Sylas was more surprised that Arathion knew of Leonik.

“Was my ancestor really that well-known among the elves?”

“Indeed. His fame as the dragon-slayer lives on, though the records are vague.”

What the elves knew of Leonik was mainly oral history, and even that was sometimes contradictory.

“The one thing all stories agree on is that he nearly wiped out ancient dragons—the most powerful beings of his time.”

“….”

Sylas recalled Leonik’s memories of mountains of dragon corpses and rivers of blood. Just how monstrous was this ancestor of his?

“All that is passed down are tales of his feats. Though his actions against dragons indirectly benefited the elves, his motives and character remain unknown.”

“That’s rather ambiguous.”

“Ambiguous indeed. But all elves revere him. Just knowing that someone so powerful existed gives us chills. Who wouldn’t feel the same?”

The dragons were known for their immense arrogance, viewing all of creation as beneath them. For a single human to decimate such beings would indeed be worthy of reverence.

“But this revelation is timely. Since you carry the blood of Larkesk, I believe this could work well.”

“Work well? What do you mean?”

“Would you consider a union with my daughter? With the blood of a half-dragon, there would be less opposition.”

“…!”

Sylas’s face hardened immediately. Max’s hints had prepared him somewhat, but he hadn’t expected the Grand Duke to ask so directly.

“But a marriage between an elf and a human… isn’t that difficult to achieve?”

“It is quite possible. Such unions happened frequently in ancient times.”

“Most of them faced strong opposition and ended in tragic escapes for love.”

“That was because they acted on impulse. Those who married with the approval of elders faced no issues.”

Each attempt by Sylas to deflect was met with a counter from Arathion. It was clear the Grand Duke was determined from the start.

Finally, running out of excuses, Sylas sighed.

“What are you really thinking?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not a fool. I know how elves view humans. I know that marriage between elves and humans is generally looked down upon.”

While it might be an exaggeration to say elves saw humans as monkeys, they did regard them as inferior—a species that was shortsighted, lacked the sophistication of civilized beings, and struggled even with the basics of learning. Even if they didn’t hold humans in contempt or disgust, they viewed them as pitiable and amusingly simple. Marriage with a human?

“Even if I carry Leonik’s blood, that’s the accomplishment of an ancestor, not my own. There’s bound to be resistance among the elves.”

After all, Leonik was only admired for his strength and his feats against dragons. He hadn’t saved the elven race or become indebted to them. As it stood, many elves would still see Sylas as nothing more than a human. And yet, the Grand Duke seemed willing to take on all the disadvantages and forge a marriage alliance with Sylas.

“Please, tell me honestly. Is there a reason you’re so intent on this marriage, even at the risk of inciting opposition among the elves?”

“Hmm.”

At Sylas’s question, Arathion’s lips curled into a faint smile, as if satisfied with the exchange.

“Yes, you’re right. I do have a reason for wanting you to wed my daughter. Would you like to hear it?”

“If you’d be so kind.”

“Before that, let me ask you something. What do you think of elves?”

The sudden question made Sylas scratch his cheek, caught off guard. What did he think of elves? As he was about to mix honesty with a few diplomatic words, Arathion spoke first.

“Elves are proud and cunning but possess immense power and mysterious magic. They’re an ancient race, inheritors of magic long lost to humans, and reclusive enough that most people never encounter them in a lifetime. Isn’t that about right?”

“…If you were going to answer for me, why ask?”

“I wanted an honest answer, but you were choosing your words. Was anything I said inaccurate?”

No, Arathion’s summary encapsulated Sylas’s feelings about elves perfectly—and likely, it matched the view of most humans as well.

Arathion’s gaze dropped as he continued.

“Thanks to the trade arrangement you proposed, the elves have seen a period of revitalization. We’ve moved past the threat of resource depletion, and there’s no longer a need to fight for territory with humans. However, trade has brought new concerns.”