Chapter 113
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 113
Lucian, who had been about to smack the back of Colin’s head, stopped himself and sighed.
“I suppose we should consider it impossible to recreate this.”
“Pardon? What do you mean by… Ah.”
Only then did Colin remember the fact he had momentarily forgotten.
Dragons were creatures that had gone extinct on the continent a long time ago. While many records remained in literature, and a few pieces of equipment made from their bones and scales had been passed down, the last sighting of a living dragon was over a thousand years ago. For all intents and purposes, they were long gone.
‘The other materials are even worse. What? Giants and mermaids?’
Giants were creatures that thrived even before the age of dragons. Even in texts from when dragons were still rampant, the phrase ‘the already vanished giants’ appeared. It would have been difficult to find a giant even when this book was originally written.
Mermaids were on another level entirely. While dragons and giants at least appeared in history books, mermaids were strictly confined to fairy tales. In a way, this manual served as the only proof that mermaids had ever existed.
‘The only one with even a slight possibility is a fairy, but there’s no way to find one.’
A sigh escaped Lucian’s lips. He thought he had finally found a way to craft artifacts, but not a single one of the required materials was obtainable.
“I-I’m sorry. I got ahead of myself without checking properly…”
“Forget it. It’s an artifact, after all; it’s only natural to get excited. More importantly, what about the other books? Surely they aren’t all artifact manuals?”
Not all artifacts had the same effects, so their materials would differ. However, considering the sheer power of an artifact, the difficulty of crafting them would likely be similar regardless of the type. If the other books were also nothing but artifact manuals, they would be useless.
Fortunately, Colin gave the answer Lucian was hoping for.
“I haven’t looked through all the contents yet, but judging by the covers, they seem to be manuals for standard magical artifacts. There appears to be a wide variety, ranging from weaponry to everyday tools.”
“That’s a relief. Well, I’ll know for sure if it’s a relief or not once I check the materials.”
Having been burned so badly by the artifact manual, Lucian was now skeptical of the others. What if the materials for these standard tools are also full of things that could only be found a thousand years ago?
Seeing Lucian’s expression, Colin quickly bowed his head.
“It is only the difficulty of crafting artifacts that is absurdly high; most magical artifacts are not that difficult to make. Furthermore, the required materials can be substituted relatively easily, so please do not worry.”
“Is it really that simple?”
“It isn’t difficult as long as one understands the required function. The instructions in these books are more detailed than I expected, so there won’t be a need for repeated trial and error with different materials.”
Lucian nodded at Colin’s answer. If an expert was that confident, he must have a reason.
Lucian was about to step back and let Colin finish skimming the books when a question suddenly occurred to him.
“By the way, what kind of function does that artifact have that it requires such ridiculous materials?”
Lucian had only heard that it was an artifact manual; he hadn't heard what the artifact actually was. Colin, who had also been too entranced by the word ‘artifact’ to check, hurriedly flipped to the back pages.
“Let’s see… this artifact is called a Weather Control Device.”
“A Weather Control Device?”
“Yes. It says it can manipulate the climate over a considerably vast area. However, its function is limited to lowering the temperature, calling forth heavy snowfall and blizzards to turn the area into a land where humans cannot live…”
Colin, who had been reading the description aloud, suddenly faltered. He stopped mid-sentence and looked at Lucian with a pale face.
Lucian had reached the same conclusion, so he simply nodded in silence.
‘Unnaturally low temperatures, a winter that lasts all year round, and constant heavy snowfall and blizzards.’
As far as Lucian knew, there was only one such place in the Empire.
‘The North.’
The unnatural cold was so severe that people called it a curse. The suspicion that the cold might actually be an artificial phenomenon began to take root in his mind.
The retainers who emerged from the treasury were swept up in excitement. Those who had known of its existence were thrilled that the treasury was finally open, while those who hadn't were struck by the realization that with such treasures, nothing was impossible.
However, among them, Sword Saint Eisen remained composed.
“First, we must gather people,” Eisen said to Lucian, his face reflecting his years of experience. He was advising Lucian to decide who would be assigned to research the legacy before making it public.
“Unless your goal is to lure someone in, there is no need to reveal the legacy yet. If you reveal it too early, flies will start swarming for no reason.”
Lucian nodded at Eisen’s advice. Whether in business or research, those who provided help were bound to claim a certain share. If Lucian revealed the legacy now, lords looking to get a piece of the pie would come rushing in. If he finalized the distribution of shares beforehand, they would be left with nothing but their own envy.
It was sound advice, but Lucian had circumstances that prevented him from following it.
“You are right, but I have no choice because I am at a point where I need that ‘lure.’”
“Do you have a specific talent in mind?”
“Not exactly, but mages will only flock here if there is bait right in front of them.”
The retainers’ gazes turned toward Colin. They had hired Colin to handle magic research, yet Lucian was talking about bringing in more mages. Colin sighed under the weight of their stares.
“It is embarrassing to admit, but this is not a field I can produce results in alone. This is the kind of work that would take years even for a large group of mages…”
“Can’t you just bring people from your own school? There’s no need to share the spoils with others,” Hugo asked, his question blunt to the point of being crude.
Colin gave a bitter smile. “It’s not about sharing. It’s because the Celestial School simply doesn’t have enough people.”
“...You call yourselves a school, yet you have so few?”
“This is actually a lot. Most of the schools that have survived until now consist of only two or three people.”
Colin explained that they had to be cautious; recklessly increasing the number of disciples only increased the risk of being caught in an Imperial witch hunt.
Only then did Eisen understand the situation, his brow furrowing. “I see. In that case, we have no choice but to announce the existence of the legacy first.”
“Mages aside, it’s also impossible to go without the support of other lords. The supplies lent to us by the Imperial Family won’t last forever.”
Until recently, Asagrim was a territory under the direct control of the Imperial Family and was considered uninhabitable. Naturally, there were no established trade routes. While the area would become active as the population grew, it would take time for rumors to spread and merchants to gather. To quickly establish a commercial district and ensure smooth trade, they had to rely on other lords in the beginning.
“We must establish a means of self-sufficiency with minimal debt before we become dependent on others. Once trade is active, Asagrim will become the center of commerce.”
“Do you have a partner in mind?” Eisen asked, his voice tinged with concern.
The world was full of fools who would act like masters over a tiny bit of debt. If Lucian chose the wrong person to borrow from, it could lead to endless headaches.
However, Lucian smiled brightly, looking completely unconcerned.
“Of course I do. Friends who will be more than happy to lend a hand.”
The struggle over the Grimaldi name had ended. Lucian had emerged as the absolute victor, while Calix had fallen so far that the destruction of his house was a foregone conclusion.
The Northerners had sided with Lucian following the trend, but there were those who couldn't, even if they wanted to—the lords of the allied factions who had supported Calix with everything they had.
“What should we do now?”
Herman, the head of the House of Glauber, asked the other lords in the same predicament. He hoped that by putting their heads together, they might find a way out of their impossible situation.
However, the lords only glanced at one another, remaining silent. When the silence stretched on, Herman slammed his hand on the table.
“Don’t just sit there like mutes! Say something! We have to find a way to survive!”
“...”
“...”
Despite Herman’s angry shout, no one opened their mouth. Just as Herman was considering calling off the meeting out of sheer frustration—
“Half of you are incompetents who don’t know what to do, and the other half are complacent fools who think staying still will solve everything. Truly impressive.”
The sarcasm coming from the entrance of the meeting room made the tempers of Herman and the other attendees flare. All the important figures were already present, so this had to be some late-arriving nobody using such a tone!
“Who dares—!”
Herman stood up in a rage, only to freeze in place. The person who had delivered the sarcasm was someone who hadn't been sent an invitation.
“Greetings. I see some new faces, and some I’ve met before. I’m not sure if you all know who I am.”
“Of course we do. Aren’t you the degenerate who dragged down his own father, killed his brother, and usurped the position of Family Head?”
“A degenerate, you say.”
Lesta, the head of the House of Beor, chuckled at Herman’s words.
“Aren’t the real degenerates the people gathered here? You’ve managed to throw away the glory your great ancestors built over generations in a single moment.”
“...!”
“It really is impressive. How can you walk around with your heads held so high? If I were you, I’d be too busy worrying about what excuses to give my ancestors in the afterlife.”
“You insolent...!”
Just as Herman, unable to contain his rage, lunged forward to grab Lesta by the collar, an unexpected proposal tumbled from Lesta’s lips, his smile vanishing.
“His Grace, Duke Lucian, wishes to see your sincerity.”
“What? Sincerity?”
“He says he needs donations to restore the ancient glory of Asagrim. He is willing to accept labor or goods in kind, so as long as you show proper sincerity…”
“What kind of nonsense is this!” Herman roared.
Sincerity? It was just a fancy word for extorting their wealth using their past as leverage.
“We cut ties with Calix long ago after the assassination incident! On what grounds does he demand ‘sincerity’ from us?!”
“You know why. It is for the crime of supporting a rebel with all your heart and soul until now.”
“Don’t make me laugh! He’s going to brand us as rebels just because of past ties? Fine, tell him to try! Let’s see just how great this brat of a Duke really is!”
At Herman’s words, the other lords nodded with emboldened faces. The reason they had remained complacent even while watching Calix fall was simple: if they all rose up together, they would form a resistance force that could not be ignored. Unless Lucian wanted to start a new war, he would have to turn a blind eye to their past.
Lesta, reading the confidence in the lords’ eyes, smirked.
“How can you all be so dim-witted? Why do you think His Grace isn't coming here himself? All he has to do is pick out who the rebels are, and it’s over.”
“What?”
“If you refuse, he will simply split this room right down the middle. He will swear to completely forgive one half and never question their crimes. Then, he will declare the other half as rebels and announce that anyone who subjugates them can keep their entire territory. What do you think will happen then?”
“...!”