Chapter 133
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 133
The first thing Lucian felt upon entering the shack was a stifling oppression.
A suffocatingly heavy mana pressed down on his entire body.
‘I felt it from the outside, but it’s even more intense in here.’
Lucian took a deep breath, as if breathing underwater, and then looked up.
Because the interior was cramped, he found what he was looking for almost immediately.
A red stone sat in the center, connected to a bizarre device beneath it.
Based on what he had been told, it was unmistakably the Dragon’s Heart and the artifact.
‘Well, they called it a heart, so I expected it to be throbbing, but it looks surprisingly normal.’
The Dragon’s Heart looked more like a smooth stone than a biological organ. It resembled an ore, yet it brimmed with a vitality that could never be found in a pure mineral.
If a stone could harbor life and breathe, it would feel exactly like this.
‘I’d like to observe it a bit more if possible, but I’m short on time. I’ll save that for later.’
For now, the priority was absorbing the power dwelling within the Dragon’s Heart.
Recalling Marius’s words, Lucian shifted his gaze to the base of the pedestal. He had to adjust the artifact as instructed to make the absorption possible.
As he leaned down to manipulate the device, Lucian flinched.
“...It’s identical to the defense device of the White Castle.”
The appearance was slightly different, but the spherical shape and the way various patterns were fitted together like puzzle pieces were the same. Even the patterns themselves only had minor variations; it seemed he could even match the corresponding symbols.
This meant that this artifact functioned similarly to the defense device of the White Castle.
‘If I play my cards right, couldn't I take this Dragon’s Heart and use it elsewhere?’
No matter how great an artifact it was, keeping the Dragon’s Heart attached to it when not in use was nothing short of a waste. The only reason it was left like this was likely because they didn't know any other way to use it or how to detach it.
But what if Lucian could detach the Dragon’s Heart and attach it to other necessary devices?
If successful, it might not just end at being a powerful weapon; it could be utilized for a much wider variety of purposes.
‘After I take control of this tribe, I’ll have to bring Colin over to do some research.’
Lucian calmed his rising excitement and began to tinker with the artifact’s controls.
As he moved the mechanisms in the order Marius had taught him, a faint light flickered from the artifact. Simultaneously, the Dragon’s Heart began to rotate slowly above the connected device.
Taking one deep breath, Lucian grasped the Dragon’s Heart with both hands.
Whoosh!
“...!”
His eyes flew open at the sensation of a torrent unlike anything he had ever experienced.
*
“Why on earth did they build the holy land in a place like this and make this old man suffer?”
Marius followed toward the holy land a beat late, patting his lower back.
He had intentionally moved later because going together from the start would have drawn Chieftain Ivar’s suspicion. Once Lucian succeeded and emerged, Marius needed to be there to set the mood with talk of prophecies and such.
“Whew. Climbing a hill at my age makes every bone in my body ache.”
Despite his constant grumbling, a thick smile never left Marius’s lips.
Now that Lucian had decided to absorb the Dragon’s Heart, everything would go according to his plan.
‘For a moment, I wondered what would happen, but I’m glad things are working out. From now on, whether he likes it or not, he’ll have no choice but to follow my lead.’
He knew the aftermath wouldn't be easy. Once Lucian realized he had been deceived, he would be furious and desperate to kill Marius.
But to Marius, who was facing his own end, Lucian’s anger was a trivial matter. The important thing was to achieve his dream before he died and witness that sight with his own eyes.
‘I only need to establish it once. It might be my coercion at first, but once he realizes its utility, he will never be able to tear it down again. Above all, to survive, he will have no choice but to appoint future mages to high positions...’
“You seem to be in a good mood, old man.”
Marius, who had been lost in his imagination, flinched.
Looking up, he saw Raymond, one of Lucian’s confidants, looking down at him from the top of the hill.
Raymond spoke with a smirk, as if mocking him.
“Were you having a pleasant dream? I was staring right at you, and you didn't even notice. Or is it that mages are dull to presence even at high levels because they aren't knights?”
“Watch your tongue, brat. I am not in a position to be called ‘old man’ by the likes of you.”
Marius’s eyes flashed coldly.
If he chose to use magic, Marius was capable of turning a knight of Raymond’s caliber into ash in an instant. He might tolerate Lucian, his partner in the deal, but being treated as an equal by a mere knight wounded his pride.
However, Raymond merely snorted despite Marius’s murderous intent.
“An old geezer who aimed for the Prince’s life sure expects a lot. You’d better just shut up and nod while I’m still being somewhat civil. If you keep acting like that, I’ll start calling you an old son of a bitch.”
“What are you talking about?! Why would I target his life?!”
“Ah, I misspoke. To be precise, you weren't after his life, but rather trying to seize the power over his life and death. I wonder if there’s any point in correcting myself, since that’s even more of a dog-like thing to do.”
Marius froze, struck right at the heart of his scheme.
A true conspirator would have continued to plead innocence, but Marius was not that seasoned.
Gaining confirmation, Raymond continued with a chilling smile.
“What were you planning to do after shoving a massive amount of mana—Dragon’s mana, no less—into His Highness’s body? Were you going to tell the suffering Prince that only you could stabilize the mana, so he had to obey you?”
“It’s a misunderstanding!”
“Well, whatever. Regardless of your intent, thanks to you, His Highness will be able to wield the Dragon’s mana to his heart’s content.”
“...?”
Marius stared blankly at Raymond.
He had roughly guessed what would happen if the Dragon’s mana was put into the body, yet he wasn't rejecting it but planned to use it? The sudden shift in the conversation made Marius’s head spin.
“What on earth have you been talking about? Do you believe me or not?”
“There’s no need to hide it anymore. His Highness was born with a unique constitution. From birth, his paths of magic were wide open. He never suffered side effects from any elixir, and he could consume quantities that would have torn an ordinary person apart long ago.”
The problem was that the paths of magic were too wide.
Since he couldn't contain the mana, the moment the vessel overflowed, it would leak out because he couldn't hold it all.
Of course, the fact that it leaked out meant that an excessive amount, far beyond his current level, had accumulated. Since he only kept the amount appropriate for his stage and discharged the rest, in a way, this was a beneficial function that mitigated side effects.
“But to a knight like me, that seemed like such a waste. Regardless of levels or whatever, if you can accumulate mana without side effects, more is always better. If possible, I wanted to trap that leaking mana inside His Highness’s body.”
Naturally, no such method existed.
To be precise, no one had researched it. Holding mana beyond one’s capacity is essentially a form of self-harm; who would seriously research how to self-harm?
“So both His Highness and I had half-given up... but then you, old man, suggested a truly brilliant method.”
“...!”
“Using an artifact to turn the Dragon’s mana into a mass and store it within the body. You have no idea how surprised I was when I heard that. If such a thing is possible, it means His Highness can draw out and use that enormous power at will.”
Marius felt as if an icicle had been driven down his spine.
A unique constitution? Paths of magic wide open from birth? He even had experience discharging excessive mana without any side effects?
“Did we look so stupid that we’d rush in blindly, blinded by greed?”
“N-Now, listen.”
“Did you think His Highness would suffer from the Dragon’s mana after taking the bait? Did you think he’d come crawling to you, saying he needed your help?”
“Listen to me! Listen!”
“There’s no problem. None at all. Even if the Dragon’s mana bursts out all at once, he will be fine. I’ve seen a similar sight myself, so you can take my word for it.”
Thud.
His legs giving out, Marius collapsed onto the ground.
He had no intention of killing Lucian, and he hadn't taught him the wrong way to operate the artifact. However, with something as potent as Dragon’s mana, it was bound to leak out slightly no matter how thoroughly it was sealed.
He had intended to use the fact that the resulting strain on the paths of magic could only be soothed by the power of magic...
“I... I was...”
KABOOM!
The moment Marius tried to say something with his parched lips, an explosion echoed from the top of the hill.
Simultaneously, a massive surge of mana in the shape of blue flames soared high into the sky.
Watching the incessantly flickering blue flames, Marius was speechless.
‘It was true.’
Even if it wasn't Dragon’s mana, a human body couldn't withstand that much mana going berserk. Usually, the body would be torn to shreds, and the remaining mana would scatter in all directions like an explosion.
But those blue flames were flowing with a constant directionality.
It was proof that the owner of the mana was maintaining his physical form perfectly while continuously releasing it.
‘Ah...’
Despair clouded Marius’s eyes.
Not only had his schemes been completely seen through, but they had also been turned against him. Even his last remaining bit of utility had vanished.
No matter how strong a mage he was, to Lucian, Marius would be nothing more than a sour grape filled with delusions. While he might employ Colin and Helen, he would never keep someone like Marius by his side.
“If you’re done confirming, go back down. As His Highness said, you are now a useless existence.”
Raymond, after his cold dismissal, stood up.
As Raymond prepared to leave, Marius fell to his knees.
“I, the commoner Marius, wish to say a word to you, a noble knight. If you have any pity for this old man, please stop for a moment and listen.”
“...!?”
Surprised to see him acting like an old farmer, Raymond hesitated. Marius pressed his forehead into the snow and spoke.
“Please allow me to have an audience with His esteemed Highness just one more time. I beg of you, Sir Knight.”
*
“....”
“....”
The tribespeople stared blankly at the blue flames flowing from Lucian’s body.
If the two from earlier were heroes chosen by the Dragon, then Lucian now was closer to the reincarnation of the Dragon itself.
While no one could open their mouth in the face of that overwhelming gap, Lucian raised one hand high.
“Behold. This is the Dragon’s Heart.”
“...!”
The tribespeople looked in shock at the Dragon’s Heart Lucian held aloft.
It looked like a stone, yet the vitality it radiated made it clear even from a distance that it was no ordinary object.
Ivar, confirming that what he held was indeed the real Dragon’s Heart, let out a cry like a scream.
“How!”
It was a mystery how he had detached the heart from the artifact, but the fact that Lucian was holding the heart with his bare hands was even more shocking. Without the power of the artifact, one should have exploded upon contact. How on earth?
Into the ears of the shell-shocked Ivar, Lucian’s voice drifted.
“As you can see, the Dragon has chosen me. It said it stayed in these snowfields for so long specifically to meet me, and it rejoiced that it has finally fulfilled its duty. As the rightful owner of the heart, I intend to take it.”
“Ohhh...!”
‘Bullshit! It’s bullshit! It’s all bullshit!’
Ivar barely swallowed the curses rising to his throat.
He knew better than anyone that the Dragon’s Heart had no will, yet to tell such a lie! What infuriated him more were the tribespeople, whose eyes were shining as if they were moved by those words.
He wanted to tell them not to believe such lies, but there was nothing he could do.
It was Ivar himself who had declared that the Dragon’s Heart had a will.
Just as Ivar grit his teeth, thinking he was about to lose the holy relic helplessly...
“However, even if all of this is my rightful due, it is the Chieftain who has protected the heart until now. Therefore, he must be given the same opportunity as I. Especially since he, too, was once chosen by the Dragon.”
“...?”
At Lucian’s words, Ivar felt an inexplicable sense of dread. What was he trying to say?
Then, Lucian turned toward Ivar with a smirk.
“Now, Chieftain! Grasp the Dragon’s Heart here! If the Dragon chooses you as it did in the past, I will yield the position of King to you without any lingering regret!”
“...!?”
At the unexpected declaration, Ivar’s face turned deathly pale.