Lord of Caldera - Chapter 91

Chapter 91: Chapter 91
At first, Ray thought Sylas was joking. But no matter how she looked at it, the elixir in the glass vial was genuine. The deep blue color, the subtle radiance, even the glass bottle itself—all exactly as she had seen the day before.

“Why…?”

Following her shock came a flood of questions. Why was he giving this to her? How did he know she wanted it? And why now, without any price attached? Ray’s thoughts were a whirlwind, but Sylas only chuckled slightly before answering.

“If you’re wondering how I knew you wanted that,” he began, “it’s simple. Just take a look around at the current situation in this house.”

Ray stared at him, confused.

“No one’s coming to see me, not even Ulrich. It’s only natural. After all that commotion, who would dare approach any of us involved?” he explained.

The heir to the family had poisoned the beloved illegitimate son—not with any ordinary poison, but one notorious for enslaving its victims. It wasn’t merely an internal matter. If word of this reached the outside world, the entire family’s reputation would suffer. Naturally, everyone was on edge.

In such a situation, anyone who approached the parties involved risked becoming entangled in misunderstandings or accusations. “But you came to see me,” Sylas continued.

This either meant that she was so desperate that the consequences didn’t matter, or that there was something she valued enough to make the risk worthwhile.

“So, what could you possibly want from me?” he asked, watching her carefully. “Officially, all I have to offer are my sword and Toby’s strength. But you aren’t someone who would want either of those.”

Ray remained silent, unable to respond. He was right. She had seen Max discreetly slip the vial into his sleeve that day. It was a skillful move, one that would have gone unnoticed by most, but Ray, with her exceptional vision, had spotted it. That was why she’d come to see Sylas, intending to ask—no, beg—for a share of the elixir.

“But I couldn’t bring myself to say it,” she thought, frustrated.

To ask him meant first admitting she’d noticed him hiding the elixir, which could be taken as an insult. Even if he acknowledged it, the chances of him giving it up were slim. But here he was, offering it freely as a “gift.”

“I-I…” she stammered.

“No need to say anything,” Sylas interrupted just as she was about to speak.

“To be honest, my brother and I have never been on friendly terms,” he explained. “It’s been that way for quite some time, and I’m sure you’ve noticed, haven’t you?”

Ray nodded slightly. She’d often been kept out of the family’s more unsavory matters due to her personality, but that didn’t mean she was oblivious. Take, for example, the incident with the demon sword—Ulrich had presented Sylas with a sword, claiming it was holy, when in reality it burned its victims alive. That alone told her most of what she needed to know about his character.

“My brother has often tried to play tricks on me, and I’ve paid him back in kind,” Sylas continued. “I didn’t hide the elixir because I needed it—I did it to spite him. So, go ahead and take it.”

“But why wouldn’t you ask for anything in return?” Ray asked, struggling to comprehend his motives.

“It looked urgent. And I’m guessing it’s to save someone, isn’t it? I can’t think of any other reason,” he replied.

He was right. She had come to ask for it to save her mother. But that wasn’t the whole answer. It wasn’t just any potion; it was an elixir, a precious medicine that essentially granted the user an extra life. If he gave it as a bribe to the emperor, Sylas could be elevated to a rank higher than a count and gain land. Why would he give it up?

“Do you still not understand?” Sylas asked, seeing her hesitation.

“To be honest… no,” Ray admitted.

“Then think of it this way. Rather than letting this treasure waste away in a storage room ‘just in case,’ I’d rather it be used to save someone’s life. And if it can save a noble knight in the process, all the better.”

Ray’s vision blurred as she listened, a wave of emotion rising within her. She remembered the words of the one who had knighted her.

“A knight must always be dignified, never incite fear, and sing of hope, even in the depths of despair.”

Since becoming a knight, Ray had never shown a moment of weakness. But right now, she could not hold back her tears. Trying to suppress her trembling shoulders, Ray spoke.

“A lowly being whose only use is to wield a sword and take lives speaks to you now,” she said, kneeling with her head bowed, her long hair brushing the floor.

It was the highest form of respect a knight could offer, reserved for when a knight sought forgiveness for a grave offense or pledged absolute loyalty beyond any contractual obligation.

“I have met someone I wish to follow and would gladly die by their hand,” she declared.

It was her first oath of loyalty, and Ray, unskilled in rhetoric, made it plainly. But precisely because of that, there was no artifice or formality in her words—only pure sincerity.

“I wish to remain by your side forever. Please grant me this,” she said.

Sylas regarded her quietly. It was the first time, in both his current and previous lives, that he had received such a pledge from a knight. Closing his eyes briefly, he considered her words, then finally spoke.

“Stand.”

“I’ll rise if you’ll accept me.”

“Go and save your loved one first.”

Ray looked up at him, a tear trailing down her cheek. Sylas gave her a warm smile.

“Free yourself from your last worry before standing by my side. That’s my first command to you.”

Ray immediately left the Corleone estate on horseback. No one attempted to stop her, as the news had spread after that day that she was not in any lifelong contract with Ulrich. The prevailing opinion among the Corleones was that Ray was a knight who had become deeply disillusioned after seeing the true nature of the one she served.

“That’s a relief. It would’ve been troublesome if I were hated for being associated with Ulrich,” she thought.

Her reputation remained intact, likely because of her exemplary conduct, which was convenient for Sylas, who intended to make use of her skills. It would have been difficult to manage if she’d been labeled something like “traitorous knight.” Watching her fade into the distance, Toby murmured to Sylas.

“So, that precious elixir has flown off.”

“Are you feeling regretful?” Sylas asked.

“It was never mine to begin with, so no,” Toby replied. “But don’t you regret it, my lord?”

“Not at all.”

To receive the loyalty of a knight like Ray was worth more than any elixir. Sylas found it almost amusing that Ulrich had hoarded it so carefully. Even if a common knight had pledged the oath Ray had just sworn, his heart would have been moved. Yet Ulrich had tossed away such an opportunity for the sake of preserving one elixir.

“That guy only ever thinks about efficiency,” Sylas thought with a shake of his head.

There are times when efficiency should be valued, and times when it shouldn’t. Turning to Max, he asked, “Speaking of Ulrich, how is he these days? Still locked away?”

Max looked grim. “The situation is more serious than expected. It’s far worse than anticipated.”

“How bad is it?” Sylas asked, his curiosity piqued.

Max hesitated a moment before answering, “It’s just speculation, but… it looks like there’s talk of replacing the heir altogether.”

“What? Seriously?” Sylas was taken aback. Despite everything, Ulrich was leagues more competent than Dani.