Lord of Caldera - Chapter 60
Chapter 60: Chapter 60
‘The bloodlines of mystery.’
Toby had never encountered anyone with a different ancient bloodline besides his own. But his father had warned him time and time again.
“Toby, we are not the only ones who carry the blood of ancient lineages. As you wander the world, you may come across others with a similar heritage.”
“Other bloodlines?” Toby had asked.
“Yes, descendants of dragons, those blessed by spirits, or even those with the blood of demons. You won’t come across them often, but they do exist.”
Toby’s father, who usually spoke with a playful tone, had been deadly serious when he gave this advice. Toby could still remember the sharp focus in his father’s eyes from that day.
“If you ever face one of them, you’ll have to fight with everything you’ve got. Relying on brute strength alone could get you killed.”
“Have you ever faced one before, Father?”
“I fought a half-mad demon-blooded bastard once. I won, but I paid a heavy price for it.”
As he said this, Toby’s father had touched his left eye, a reminder of the battle. The eye had been slashed by something sharp, leaving it blind. The scar was so deep that, if it had been any worse, it might have cost him his life.
“Remember, it’s easy to lose your edge in a world full of weaklings, but if you let your guard down against one of these people, you could lose everything. If you’re unlucky, you won’t just lose an eye like me,” his father had said, laughing in his usual way. But even in that moment, Toby hadn’t been able to laugh with him.
His father had been the strongest man he knew, with masterful skills and a body in its prime. Toby wasn’t sure if he could win even now if he had to fight his father. And yet, it was one of these ancient bloodlines that had pushed his father to the brink of death.
“…Should I use my spear?” Toby asked, swallowing nervously. It wasn’t that he lacked confidence in his sword skills, but the true strength of the Baston family lay in spear combat. If he was facing an opponent he couldn’t easily defeat, he would need to use every advantage he had.
Sylas chuckled at Toby’s unease. “No need. Your sword will be enough.”
“Didn’t you just tell me to fight at full strength?” Toby asked, confused.
“I meant you should take it seriously. No one’s asking you to fight to the death in a friendly match,” Sylas said, smiling.
Toby felt a bit embarrassed. After all, this wasn’t like his father’s battle where his life was on the line. It was merely a friendly duel to test each other’s skills. No one was supposed to die, and if someone did, that would be the real problem.
“Ulrich probably suggested the duel thinking you’re still fighting under the curse’s effects. He figures he’ll win easily enough at that level,” Sylas added.
“Wait, does that mean Ulrich picked me for this duel just to show off by having his knight beat the strongest one here?” Toby said, frowning.
“Of course. He wants to make his new knight look good by defeating the most powerful knight we have, and in the process, he’ll also flaunt his own insight and judgment in picking him,” Sylas explained.
Toby’s expression soured further. He realized he had been chosen to make Ulrich’s knight look impressive—a stepping stone for their glory.
“I guess I have to win, then.”
“Just don’t humiliate him too much. Unlike their lords, knights don’t enjoy these things when they get too one-sided,” Sylas warned.
“What do you mean? Weren’t they working together on this?” Toby asked, surprised.
“Not quite. Sir Ray doesn’t serve Ulrich out of loyalty,” Sylas explained.
Ulrich had three core subordinates: one was a strategist, another a shadow operative, and the last was Ray Winslow, the knight responsible for combat. But Ray was different from the others. While the strategist and operative served Ulrich out of genuine devotion, Ray was bound to serve him out of necessity rather than choice.
“He follows orders, but that doesn’t mean he agrees with them. This duel probably doesn’t mean much to him—it’s just something he was told to do,” Sylas continued.
“Where do you get all this information?” Toby asked, amazed.
Sylas shrugged casually. “I have my ways.”
Naturally, he couldn’t explain that his knowledge came from his memories of a past life.
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“Don’t worry about politics. Just focus on the fight. It’s your first time fighting someone from a different ancient bloodline, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, it is,” Toby admitted.
“Then this will be the first real challenge you’ve had.”
“…”
Toby realized Sylas was right. Up until now, none of the duels he had fought had been serious. Even when he held back, the fights were easy, and when he decided to fight properly, his opponents didn’t last long.
But now, for the first time, he was about to face a real challenge—someone who could truly test him.
‘I like it,’ Toby thought, his grip tightening on his sword as a gleam of excitement lit up his eyes.
Before the duel even began, a crowd of spectators had gathered to watch Ray and Toby face off. Many of them were servants who should have been working, but the count had allowed everyone to watch.
In a world with little entertainment, such events were rare, and they were seen as a good way to boost morale.
“Another duel? It hasn’t been long since Sir Dani’s knight was beaten senseless.””This time, it’s a knight Ulrich brought back from the capital.””I wonder how long he’ll last. And what’s with the helmet in a friendly match?”
Hearing the murmurs from the onlookers, Oscar, the young man standing beside Ulrich, frowned.
“The servants are far too unruly.”
“Haha, it’s just the atmosphere in our family. Don’t you think it’s lively?” Ulrich replied, smiling.
“I think the count is a bit too lenient with them. In other noble households in the capital, they wouldn’t survive such insolence,” Oscar remarked. In the capital, where political intrigue was rampant, everything was tightly controlled. A servant speaking out of turn could be disastrous for a noble’s reputation.
“In time, those types of people beg for death. I’d love to show them firsthand,” Oscar added.
“Calm down. Even though they seem undisciplined, this kind of environment has its advantages,” Ulrich said, taking a sip of fruit juice.
“Advantages?”
“For one thing, rumors spread faster,” Ulrich explained.
“Rumors?” Oscar asked.
“Whether good or bad, rumors tend to be exaggerated. I’ve used that to my advantage many times,” Ulrich said, his tone smug.
“So, this duel will likely work in your favor as well,” Oscar concluded.
“Exactly. For me, it’ll fuel good rumors. For my poor younger brother, it’ll be the opposite,” Ulrich said, glancing toward Sylas.
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