Lord of Caldera - Chapter 64

Chapter 64: Chapter 64
In a dimly lit room, Ulrich retrieved a small box from the corner. The box was dull and covered in dust, so much so that no one would suspect anything of value was inside.

“Who would have thought I’d pull this thing out again?” Ulrich muttered to himself as he unlocked the box. With a click, the lid lifted, revealing its hidden contents—a sword. Its blade gleamed like it was made of pure silver, while the handle sparkled with a sapphire-like shine.

The appearance could easily fool someone into thinking this was a holy sword, Ulrich thought to himself, clicking his tongue as he ran his fingers along the blade. As he did, a soft light emanated from the sword, and it began to tremble.

—Who awakens me…?

“It’s me,” Ulrich replied, his eyes narrowing at the eerie voice. He had no idea who had crafted this sword, but they must have been incredibly twisted. If the sword had a will, shouldn’t its voice at least be more pleasant? Instead, it sounded like a corpse freshly risen from the grave.

—Ah, so it’s you… the child of dragon’s blood…

With a chilling laugh, the sword began to glow.

—Are your fingers still intact…? The burns must have hurt…

“As you can see, not a single scratch. The flames of the cursed sword were nothing special.”

—Amusing, as always… watching the little dragon child boast…

Unintentionally, Ulrich’s grip tightened. This sword annoyed him deeply. It spoke as if it were some demon, yet it couldn’t even fulfill its basic purpose as a weapon.

—So, what is it this time…? Have you come to be my master again…?

“No, I’ve come to introduce you to a new master, someone who suits you better.”

—A master suited to me…?

The sword’s voice deepened, clearly displeased. It seemed to think that no one could be a fitting master.

“Yes, someone with great potential. He’s a descendant of dragons, like me, and also my younger brother. I’m sure you’ll recognize him the moment he grabs you.”

—That will never happen…

“Well then, perhaps you’ll submit. You might even tremble with joy at finally finding a master worthy of you. Who knows, I might get to witness the arrogant sword serve someone in delight.”

—Shut up…!

Flames erupted from the sword as it lashed out. Ulrich quickly withdrew his hand, and where his fingers had touched moments earlier, blue fire blazed. Smirking, Ulrich spoke.

“Calm down. It’s only my prediction.”

—I serve no one…!

“Well, we’ll see if that holds true this time.”

—You wretched little…! Dragon’s remnant…!

The sword’s voice faltered, and its light faded once more. Ulrich closed the box and turned away.

“Still as nasty-tempered as ever,” he remarked.

“It wouldn’t be called a cursed sword for nothing,” replied Oscar, who had been waiting nearby. Bowing his head, he carefully took the box from Ulrich.

Ulrich chuckled as he glanced at the box containing the sword. “I’ve riled it up enough. Whoever wakes it next will probably get scorched. I’m curious to see what happens to my brother.”

“Is it alright to speak so openly about it? The sword might hear you.”

“Don’t worry. Unless someone worthy picks it up, it’s just going to sleep,” Ulrich said with a smirk.

But he knew the moment someone with the right qualifications touched the sword, it would wake up and cause chaos. He was looking forward to that moment, for it wouldn’t be his hand getting burned this time—it would be his half-brother’s.

A few weeks later, the new year had arrived. Normally, it would be a time to exchange blessings and reflect on the past year. But this year, the Corleone family was unusually busy. Two of its members were coming of age.

“Wow, my lord, you look radiant!”

“You look much better dressed up like this,” commented Toby and Max as they admired Sylas. He was dressed in formal attire, embroidered with gold thread, and his hair was neatly swept up. The clothes suited him well.

Looking in the mirror, Sylas clicked his tongue as he turned to his two companions.

“You two should try dressing up, too. Why do you look exactly the same as usual?”

“A knight has no need to care about appearances. If I did, I’d just get criticized,” Toby said.

“I’d get beaten up if I cared about how I look right now,” Max added. Neither of them was wrong. In the macho knightly culture, grooming one’s appearance was not well-regarded. And in Max’s case, given his circumstances, if he started looking in the mirror too much, he’d probably get reminded of his sins with fists.

“Tch, I’m the only one suffering, then,” Sylas muttered.

“You don’t seem to mind too much though. You look like you’re enjoying this,” Toby quipped, glancing at Sylas, who was adjusting his stiff formal attire.

“Well, I am. Today’s rewards will be quite generous.”

The gifts from the Count were predictable. The gifts Corleone children received on their coming-of-age ceremonies were always the same. But Sylas was particularly curious about what he’d get from Ulrich.

“Don’t forget to step in when I receive Ulrich’s gift,” Sylas warned.

“Do you really think Lord Ulrich will give you the cursed sword? That thing’s pretty dangerous,” Max asked.

“He absolutely would. That’s the kind of person he is,” Sylas replied with certainty. Before his return, Ulrich had once proposed, “Become my subordinate,” and Sylas had shown him his middle finger. After embarrassing Ulrich so thoroughly now, it was even more certain.

It wasn’t every day that an opportunity to mess with someone under the guise of giving a gift came along.

“So, make sure you’re ready and don’t forget your lines,” Sylas reminded them.

“Don’t worry. Max and I practiced several times yesterday,” Toby reassured him.

“But isn’t my part a little too long? Sir Toby only has to throw in a few comments,” Max complained.

“A mysterious assassin from the East sounds more convincing than a southern knight,” Sylas replied, smirking. Max couldn’t argue with that. When you add the word “Eastern,” things always seemed more mysterious—even if it was a fabricated background.

At that moment, a maid’s voice came from outside.

“My lord, the ceremony preparations are complete.”

“Understood. I’ll be there shortly,” Sylas replied. He did one final check of his attire before stepping outside. It was time for the three of them to put on a show.

“You both look so well-dressed, I barely recognized you,” the Count smiled as he looked at his two sons, standing among the knights. Sylas bowed politely, and Dani offered a silent nod in greeting.