Lord of Caldera - Chapter 66

Chapter 66: Chapter 66
In the era when dragon slayers and great mages still emerged among humanity, artifacts born from ancient magic and the blessings of the gods wielded tremendous power. Some of these included cursed swords that could slice through iron as if it were paper or potions that, when consumed, could restore youth. Among them, there were even elixirs that granted immortality or relics that could allow a person to transcend the limits of mortality and ascend to the heavens.

Naturally, everyone coveted these treasures, both in ancient times and now.

—”What does life matter? If we can steal this, it’ll change everything!”

Heroes were constantly plagued by thieves of all kinds. Despite the owners’ strength, human greed often blinded individuals to their own mortality. It might have been easier to entrust these treasures to someone else, but the problem was that there was no one trustworthy enough to safeguard such power.

—”Give me that elixir! I’ll give you half of my kingdom! Refuse, and I’ll bring my entire army down on you!”

Even kings of great nations, driven mad by greed, pursued these treasures. There was no one to whom they could entrust such items without fear. Those without desires were attacked relentlessly, and anyone powerful enough to hold such treasures would likely claim them for themselves.

The owners of these treasures, driven to their limits, came up with an idea.

—”Let’s hide them in a place too dangerous and narrow for an army to enter, and we’ll install every trap and defense we can think of to fend off intruders.”

This is how the concept of dungeons was born. The idea itself was not particularly revolutionary, but the creators of these dungeons were far from ordinary humans. These were the individuals who had faced dragons’ flames with swords and magic. Naturally, the traps they designed in their dungeons were beyond anything typical.

—”Send in more troops! All we need is to get the treasure!”

—”Are you insane? Half the legion has already been wiped out in the dungeon!”

—”But it’s just a human-made trap! I’m a dragon, for heaven’s sake… Aaaagh!”

—”Insanity! A dragon was killed by the dungeon’s traps!”

The terrifying traps inside dungeons claimed not only the lives of greedy thieves and kings but even dragons. Though some managed to succeed, they barely escaped with their lives, and the damage they sustained was far from insignificant. In the end, most of the treasures remained safely hidden. Some of them are still lying there, untouched, because their original owners died before they could retrieve them.

Even the least valuable item in such a vault could be considered a national treasure.

That’s what a dungeon is: a place where countless wonders, no longer replicable today, are sealed away. Whenever one is discovered, it sends shockwaves across the continent, like the eye of a storm. And yet, here, before everyone’s eyes, was a sword that had emerged from such a dungeon!

The Count, his face contorted with shock, exclaimed, “Are you saying this sword is truly a dungeon treasure?”

“Yes, I swear on my name,” Oscar replied, confidently. To swear on one’s name was the same as staking one’s noble status. The audacity of Oscar’s declaration left everyone stunned as they stared at the sword.

Satisfied by their reactions, Oscar continued, “In fact, this weapon came to us by chance. You may know that some dungeons, over time, degrade and collapse.”

“I’ve heard as much. Even the greatest magic weakens after a thousand years.”

Indeed, not even ancient magic was eternal. Without catalysts, pure magic faded over time. This was why some dungeons had collapsed or weakened, despite once being impenetrable. It’s one reason dungeon raids that were impossible in the past were now achievable.

“To share something for the first time here, my lord and I once discovered a dungeon. Not through its main entrance, but because its side had collapsed, exposing the interior.”

“What? Then—”

“It was, unfortunately, already a ruin,” Oscar cut off the knight, who was eagerly about to ask about the treasure.

“The majority of what we found were old magic tomes. However, the magic within them had long disappeared. The pages crumbled at the slightest touch.”

A collective sigh of disappointment came from the onlookers. Each of those books would have been worth their weight in gold. Finding dungeon treasures that had deteriorated beyond use was not uncommon. Still, even if just one item had survived in usable condition, it would cause a commotion across the continent.

And, of course, there were a few items still intact, Oscar mused, though he had no intention of sharing that information. He allowed himself a small smile before continuing.

“However, at the center of the dungeon, this sword remained, shining brightly, its brilliance undiminished. It was truly a beautiful sight.”

“And… so?”

“My lord and I retrieved the sword and left the dungeon. We have told no one of this until today.”

“…Ulrich, is this true?” The Count, who generally trusted people, couldn’t help but ask for confirmation. The story was simply too incredible. It was rare for him to ask a second time, but Ulrich nodded.

“It is undoubtedly the truth.”

“Heh, haha!” The Count staggered slightly, overwhelmed. If this was a dungeon relic, it was a treasure on par with a national artifact. In the entire Corleone family, perhaps only the sword of their founder could compare. The magnitude of the revelation left the Count looking at Ulrich with a mix of amazement and reproach.

“Why on earth didn’t you tell me?”

“My apologies. At the time, we didn’t fully understand the nature of the sword. If it had been a cursed sword rather than a blessed one, revealing it would have only caused trouble.”

“Hmm, that’s true. If it had been a cursed sword, it would have been more of a burden than a blessing,” the Count agreed. Even a treasure from a dungeon would be worthless if it brought ruin to its wielder, stirring up unwanted greed and attention.

“So, you’ve discovered what kind of sword it is now?”

“Yes. This is a holy sword. It chooses its own master.”

“A holy sword…!” The revelation sent murmurs through the audience. A holy sword, capable of vanquishing evil, was an incredibly rare artifact—only five were known to exist on the entire continent.

Before the murmurings could grow too loud, Oscar stepped forward again, silencing the crowd. “However, the issue is that the sword must choose its owner. Without its chosen master, it’s just an ordinary blade.”

“What do you mean?”