Lord of Caldera - Chapter 293

Chapter 293: Chapter 293

Matthias Merino was an unwaveringly devout man who had never missed a dawn prayer, even in his old age. Yet his fanaticism was unsettling, even to someone as devout as Lydia. Stories of his unyielding ruthlessness in dealing with heretics lingered in her mind.

‘Why him, of all people?’ she wondered, suppressing her anxiety. As she approached the meeting point, she couldn’t help but hope he might have been called away on another duty. But fate rarely aligned with such hopes.

“Ah, Saint Lydia! It has been far too long,” Matthias greeted her warmly. “You seem even more radiant with divine grace.”

“You seem as vigorous as ever, Sir Matthias,” Lydia replied, forcing a smile.

“By the Goddess’s grace, no less!” Matthias said, his laughter booming.

Far from being absent, Matthias appeared healthier and more energetic than ever. He seemed in better condition than when Lydia had last seen him years ago.

‘This journey will be exhausting,’ Lydia thought with a quiet sigh as she climbed into the carriage. She braced herself for the barrage of fervent sermons Matthias was known for delivering during travel.

But to her surprise, Matthias began with a different topic.

“By the way, Saint Lydia, may I ask you something?” he inquired.

“Of course. What is it?” she replied.

“When the demon appeared in Baltor, I heard you received assistance from a man named Sylas. Is that true?”

“You know Sir Sylas?” Lydia asked, startled.

Matthias, whose zeal for rooting out heresy was legendary, nodded with an unexpectedly gentle expression. “We share a small connection. I once served as a tutor for the Corleone family and taught theology to him.”

Lydia blinked in astonishment. The fiery Matthias spoke of Sylas with genuine fondness, his gaze distant as he reminisced. “He’s grown into such an exceptional person. I was but a humble teacher, yet I’m so proud of him.”

For a moment, the infamous Red Hammer wore a smile so warm it was almost unrecognizable.

Sylas found himself sharing an unusual period of imprisonment with Isaac, though describing it as “imprisonment” seemed almost absurd. Despite being confined, their treatment was anything but harsh.

“This is barely a prison anymore,” Sylas muttered as he cut into a steaming steak. The knife slid through the meat effortlessly—proof of both the steak’s quality and the chef’s skill.

“Guard, is there any seasoning available?” Sylas asked.

“Right away, sir!” The guard outside their cell dashed off, returning minutes later with an assortment of spices.

“Here you are!” the guard said, presenting the selection.

“Thanks. I might need some wine as well,” Sylas added casually.

“There’s already some in the cell, isn’t there?”

“So, you don’t want to bring it?” Sylas raised an eyebrow.

“N-not at all!” The guard hurried off again. Chuckling, Sylas placed a piece of steak in his mouth, savoring how it melted on his tongue.

“They might as well just move me to a guest suite,” Sylas mused. For days now, the guards had bent over backward to fulfill his every request, from exquisite meals and fine linens to rare books and premium liquor. Sylas had no doubt they would even arrange for female company if he asked.

“The lord of this land—Christoph, was it? He must be scared out of his wits,” Sylas remarked. There was no way the guard could afford such indulgence without orders from above. Clearly, Christoph wanted Sylas kept pacified.

Isaac, however, wasn’t sharing in Sylas’s lighthearted mood. His expression remained tense.

“What’s wrong? It’s mealtime. You should eat something,” Sylas said, gesturing to the food.

“This feels off,” Isaac muttered, his brow furrowed. Sylas raised an eyebrow and motioned for him to explain.

“First, they cleared out all the other prisoners a few days ago. They gave various excuses, claiming new inmates would be brought in, but nothing’s happened,” Isaac began, his gaze sweeping over the now-empty cells. It felt as though witnesses were being removed.

“Second, there’s no news from outside. Before, we’d at least hear occasional gossip, but now—nothing.”

“Maybe the world’s just quiet for a change,” Sylas suggested with a smirk.

“Quiet? This is the South. That’s impossible,” Isaac snapped. The South was infamous for its relentless scheming and constant infighting. Even in just a few days, news of skirmishes, betrayals, or assassination attempts should have trickled in.

“There’s no way this silence isn’t deliberate,” Isaac insisted.

Sylas shrugged. “You’re probably right.”

“Why would they deliberately block information?” Isaac asked, his voice rising with unease.

“Because by now, word of your lineage has likely reached the church. Christoph wouldn’t want you catching wind of that,” Sylas replied matter-of-factly.

Isaac paled. “How do you even come to that conclusion?” he asked, his voice trembling.

Sylas set his utensils down and leaned back. “Remember what I told you? As the newly appointed count, I’m a thorn in Christoph’s side.”

“You did say that.”

“He can’t attack me openly—assassination or military action would be too late. I’m already inside his castle. If he makes a move now, I’ll tear down the bars and march straight to his office,” Sylas explained.

If Christoph had attacked while Sylas was outside, he might have relied on the castle walls for defense. Instead, Christoph foolishly allowed Sylas to enter his domain, putting himself at risk.

“But now, he has a perfect excuse. Sacrificing you, a so-called demonic creature, to eliminate a threat to his own life? That’s a bargain he’s willing to make,” Sylas said.

“That’s insane!” Isaac shouted, leaping to his feet. The worst-case scenario was unfolding before his eyes.

“We need to escape—now!” he cried.

“Calm down.”

“Calm down? How can I—ugh!” Isaac’s outburst was cut short by Sylas’s fist. Crumpling to the floor, he groaned, clutching his jaw as Sylas clicked his tongue.

“Relax. This is actually good for us,” Sylas said, standing over him.

“Good? How is this good?” Isaac demanded, still sprawled on the ground.

“We needed to prove your innocence to the church anyway. Now they’re coming to us, saving us the trouble,” Sylas explained.