Lord of Caldera - Chapter 295

Chapter 295: Chapter 295

Using Isaac as a scapegoat was already heinous, but Christoph’s exploitation of the hybrid’s lineage for personal gain was even more reprehensible.

“This must be reported to the church immediately!” Lydia declared.

“Wait,” Sylas interjected. “What about him?” He gestured toward Isaac.

“If he’s a demon hybrid, then of course…” Lydia trailed off, faltering when Isaac clung to the bars, tears streaming down his face.

“Please, spare me, Saint! I’ve never even met the ancestor who passed down this cursed blood! It’s unfair to die for something I had no choice in!” Isaac pleaded, his desperation genuine.

“Well…” Lydia hesitated.

“I agree with him,” Sylas said. “His bloodline has diluted over centuries. He reacts only mildly to holy water—he could probably bathe in it if he wanted. Doesn’t that make him more human than demon?”

Lydia bit her lip, unable to refute the logic. If Sylas’s claims were true, Isaac was far removed from any true demonic nature. His role as an executioner, too, had been forced upon him under threat of death.

“I wish I could let this go unnoticed, but there’s one problem,” Lydia admitted. “I’m not here alone. Sir Matthias is with me.”

“…You mean that Sir Matthias?” Sylas asked, his tone shifting.

“Yes. He really was a theology tutor, as it turns out,” Lydia confirmed.

Sylas fell silent, deep in thought. Matthias was notorious for his unrelenting zeal, particularly against heretics and anything remotely related to demons. Regardless of Isaac’s innocence, his hybrid nature alone would likely seal his fate if Matthias found out.

‘This is going to be tricky. Unless I can neutralize the issue of his lineage entirely… Wait.’

An idea flashed through Sylas’s mind—a plan so audacious it made him smirk. Combining Lydia’s abilities, Matthias’s reputation, and Isaac’s unique situation, he envisioned a solution far better than he had initially imagined.

‘This might actually work,’ he thought, his smirk widening slightly.

Matthias stood silently, his gaze fixed on the far end of the prison. It had been quite some time since Lydia had gone to investigate, and yet there was no sign of her return—no sound, no shadow.

The prison’s peculiar layout didn’t help. Instead of a straightforward design, it featured a winding corridor that concealed the farthest cells. Why had they gone to such lengths to hide the end of the prison? Matthias frowned at the oddity.

‘Surely nothing has happened to her,’ he thought uneasily. Although Lydia was formidable, even she wasn’t infallible. The thought of her falling prey to the demon’s offspring gnawed at him. Once the possibility entered his mind, it spiraled into mounting dread.

“This won’t do. I should—”

The faint sound of footsteps interrupted Matthias just as he was about to move. He turned sharply to see Lydia emerging from around the corner, unharmed.

“Saint Lydia, are you all right? I was beginning to worry,” Matthias said, relief evident in his voice.

“I’m fine,” Lydia replied with a warm smile. “I must apologize for making you wait. The conversation turned out to be longer than I expected.”

Matthias let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “I’m glad to hear that. Now then…”

His expression shifted, his sharp eyes glinting with the intensity that had earned him the moniker “The Red Hammer.” “What did you find? Was it truly a demonic offspring?”

“I believe you should see for yourself,” Lydia said cryptically.

“Even you couldn’t determine it?” Matthias asked, his brow furrowed.

“No, but you’ll find a familiar face,” she said, her tone lighthearted.

“A familiar face?” Matthias echoed, puzzled. Could another paladin or church official have arrived ahead of them?

“You’ll understand when you see it,” Lydia said with a smile, leading him further into the prison. As they rounded the corner, Matthias froze in his tracks at the sight before him.

“…Sir Sylas?”

“Good to see you again, teacher,” Sylas said with a faint smile, standing calmly inside the cell.

For a moment, Matthias was speechless. It took him several seconds to collect himself. “What… Why are you here, Sir Sylas?” he finally managed to ask.

Sylas sighed. “The lord of this land seems to think I’m in league with demons.”

“That’s absurd!” Matthias exclaimed, laughing incredulously. Of all people, Sylas—one of the brightest minds who had embraced the teachings of the goddess—being accused of conspiring with demons? It was preposterous.

Matthias gripped the iron bars tightly. “Is it a false accusation?”

“To put it plainly, it’s political,” Sylas said with a bitter smile before recounting the situation. He left out the details about Isaac, focusing solely on the conflict surrounding Drakenfels.

The sound of grinding teeth filled the cell as Matthias’s face turned crimson with fury. “That greedy swine!”

Lydia flinched at his uncharacteristic outburst, and Isaac retreated into a corner. Sylas, however, chuckled.

“Calm yourself, teacher.”

“Calm? How can I remain calm? To think someone would stoop this low, exploiting the church’s name for their own gain!”

“What’s done is done,” Sylas said soothingly. “What matters now is what comes next.”

Taking a deep breath, Matthias composed himself, though his fists still trembled. “Fine. I understand that you’ve been falsely accused. But what of the supposed demon’s offspring? Is that accusation false as well?”

“Isaac, come here,” Sylas called.

Hesitantly, Isaac stepped forward. His gaze flicked nervously to Matthias, whose eyes narrowed as he studied the man.

‘So, this is the infamous Red Hammer,’ Isaac thought, terror evident in his trembling. Matthias’s reputation as an unrelenting inquisitor who spared no one—even innocents—was legendary.

Matthias regarded Isaac silently before murmuring, “It’s hard to tell just by looking.”

“I-I’m…”

“Quiet,” Matthias commanded, his sharp tone cutting Isaac off. Turning back to Sylas, Matthias asked, “What do you think? You’ve spent days with him, after all.”

“Well,” Sylas began, “he certainly possesses abnormal strength—enough that his family’s enemies mistook it for demonic power.”

“Then he—”

“—But it’s not unprecedented,” Sylas interjected, gripping the cell bars. With a swift tug, the iron bent like taffy, eliciting a gasp from Matthias.

“This strength…” Matthias muttered, wide-eyed.