Chapter 118
Chapter 118
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 118
Chapter Title: The Useless Traitor Has His Uses
-----------------------------------------------------------------
'That's my family's crest. It's broken, but it's definitely it!'
The "Hydra Crest" visible among the debris the laborers were heaving out with grunts. It's a creature most noble houses avoid as a symbol, typically considered ominous or evil.
Unless it's a place like the Neumel family, which called itself "the serpent" and whose successive family heads were a bunch of lunatics.
Parts of it were shattered, leaving only traces of about two snake heads now, but Beonald, who had seen the family crest countless times, couldn't possibly mistake it.
'We've come to exactly the right place. If I hadn't known, I'd have been in big trouble.'
Knowing he had indeed found the right place, Beonald decided to first make his presence known to the Kremel family's excavation team and formally join them.
He made a wide detour, spoke to the guards first, then headed towards the largest and most ostentatious tent.
There, a giant wearing armor adorned with green and brown decorations bearing the Kremel family crest seemed to be in charge, so Beonald promptly presented his documents.
"Hmm... This is indeed a letter from our family. So... you're an academy student with an interest in archaeology, please look after him? ...Still a student? And alone at that? I don't see what help you could possibly be. We already have scholars specializing in history and archaeology from the academy here, and six mages to boot. Adding one mere student shouldn't make any difference......"
'...Wouldn't it be different since the person who built this ruin is here?'
"Ahem, anyway, it's a family order, so I have no choice. I'm Althus Kremel, the person in charge here. Beonald Callermain, was it? Our family's people are handling the main work anyway, so as an outsider, you can wander around as you please as long as you don't interfere with operations. However, you must procure your own meals and drinking water!"
"Understood. I've already brought my own provisions."
After that, Althus didn't even glance at Beonald anymore.
An attitude of openly not caring. Well, there were endless things demanding his attention at this ruin site.
Managing the laborers, interpreting and reporting on unearthed artifacts, monster threats, spies and prying eyes from the Emperor's faction who wouldn't just sit back after handing over excavation rights, and so on. With so much to think about, there was no room in his mental capacity to allocate to someone named Beonald.
"You seem incredibly busy."
"Well, it's a ruin from the Unified Empire era. Even mediocre magical tools would be exciting, but if a real jackpot item comes out, it could change the national landscape. Look at the Dyna Kingdom to the west... it rose to become a major power thanks to artifacts from a magic tower and ruins...... Anyway, I'll inform the others about your presence."
"Thank you."
After some casual chatter with the friendly guard, Beonald immediately placed Alterio in a secluded spot where the horses wouldn't get spooked, set up his tent there, and then headed to the site.
The excavation site had been cleared of earth to the point where the outlines of collapsed buildings were somewhat visible. Numerous laborers were heaving and hauling to remove soil, while stones or decorative pieces with important markings were being transferred to mages and scholars for interpretation.
'I have nothing to interpret, but......'
"Most of these patterns and letters are of northern style."
"The old Unified Empire was likely located further north than present-day Calem anyway......"
The language of 500 years ago differed from that of this era, but Beonald was, after all, a person from 500 years ago.
The languages the scholars and mages were struggling to decipher were just everyday languages to Beonald.
'...Let's see. What was this place used for?'
He looked around, glancing at the materials that had come out to uncover the ruin's identity.
'Thinking about it... I built so many things here and there, I can't remember them all.'
As the de facto ruler of the Unified Empire, while also managing his own territory, Benofis, and the Neumel family's original lands... Duke Beonald was a man who wouldn't have had enough hours even with ten bodies.
On top of that, he was also the Emperor's personal physician and had to constantly move to cater to the Emperor's whims and pleasures.
'Duke Beonald! Duke Beonald! I just thought of something fun!'
'Ah... Remembering that nonchalant face suddenly makes me angry.'
The Emperor's face, who, despite mostly being bedridden with an incurable illness, would suddenly summon him and whine for this and that, came to mind.
Since his own political legitimacy stemmed from the Emperor, Beonald could never refuse his demands, so he recalled using every means and method to entertain him and carrying out various schemes.
'...Well, that hardship also provided a good excuse for embezzlement, so it wasn't all bad.'
Embezzlement wasn't easy without major construction projects or something similar, and while the Emperor's demands were often outrageous and troublesome, they also allowed for substantial embezzlement, so it wasn't entirely negative.
Though he didn't know the exact purpose, this ruin was likely built either to fulfill one of the Emperor's requests, to store embezzled goods, or using embezzled funds.
'...Anyway, what did I build here?'
"Ancient script is truly difficult to decipher."
"Well, it's writing from 500 years ago. Especially since it was all overturned by the demon invasion and the Separation War. There are many characters and expressions from 500 years ago that aren't used now, making interpretation tough."
'It's good they pay no attention to me.'
The mages and scholars noticed Beonald's presence but, knowing he was just a student from the academy, only considered him a curiosity and never imagined he could decipher this 500-year-old script.
500 years. A period that could be considered both long and short. While linguistic changes might not be immense, major wars, chaos, destruction and re-recording of records, some expressions and words falling out of use, mixing with other nations' languages, etc... there were plenty of opportunities for transformation.
'Besides, the Unified Empire's language... wasn't unified to begin with.'
Even 500 years ago, the Unified Empire's world didn't have a unified language.
The language used by the capital and high nobles, the commoners' language, severe regional dialects, languages of other ethnicities or races mixed up during wars, and then splitting into six countries... it was no wonder the languages became a mess.
'Let's see. What on earth... was this place for? Ah! Found it. This is......'
"We've found it! The dungeon entrance has been discovered!"
'I wish they wouldn't treat my perfectly good work as a dungeon...'
A loud voice echoed from behind. It seemed the laborers had finally discovered the entrance leading into the ruin.
The mages and scholars who had been investigating all rushed over excitedly, and knights also ran out from the tent where the expedition leaders were.
Simultaneously, only Alterio, who was quietly pretending to sleep, noticed a single pigeon flying towards the capital from a spot unnoticed by everyone.
Half a day later, in the Calem Imperial Palace.
The Emperor, whose head ached from continuous persuasion and the task of finding a new bride due to the still-unresolved anger of Baron Vanilo over the missing Princess, received another report from the intelligence department.
He desperately hoped the news would be the joyous report of finding the Princess, but reality was not so kind. The news was that the dungeon entrance had been discovered in the Heldion ruin he had handed over.
"So it's... this matter. Hoo~ So, what's the situation?"
"The Kremel family plans to dispatch a search party immediately. And according to the scholars and mages, it's confirmed to be a ruin from the Unified Empire era."
"Grrrrrrr!"
He wished that fact hadn't come to light, but reality was reality. Emperor Zerado of Calem seethed inwardly.
Artifacts and magical tools from the "Unified Empire" era. Technologies that couldn't be replicated now, magical tech monopolized only by magic towers and the Dyna Kingdom—artifacts that could instantly shift the balance of power in these troubled times might emerge.
"As planned... we must send a force."
"Are you sure that's wise? The Kremel family is still a faction supporting Your Majesty, aren't they?"
"Loyalty given isn't eternal."
Whether they offered loyalty or not, nobles were all liars, and it was easier to think they could flip their stance like turning a palm whenever circumstances changed.
Even though he had granted the excavation rights, the Emperor couldn't possibly welcome the Kremel family obtaining Unified Empire-era artifacts like this.
"People often think the Kremel family is a prestigious knight family and therefore foolish, but that's a huge misconception. That family has depth, and numerous talents and noble houses follow them. The only reason they're under me now is the Valderian family. Since they border the Vollea Kingdom and the Holy Nation, following me is practically their only choice."
"Well... the Vollea Kingdom is full of barbarians, and the Holy Nation goes mad talking about holy wars whenever they get a chance, so there aren't many alternatives."
"Exactly. Sincere loyalty is extremely rare to begin with, hence it's praised. Anyway, from that ruin... we don't know what might come out, but if any extraordinary artifact emerges, our empire might have to change its name to the Kremel Empire."
"We won't let that happen."
"Of course not. It'll be too late to act after seeing what comes out, so speak with Sir Legion. Have all personnel deployed for the Princess search return, and under the pretext of rotating with personnel on standby in the capital, secretly send them to the Heldion region."
At this point, the search for the Princess was as good as abandoned. Personnel who could rest were to rest, and they had no choice but to rotate forces.
The best scenario would be if nothing came out of the Heldion ruin he had handed over so cheaply, but he had to consider the possibility of something emerging.
"Please let nothing come out... O Goddess......"
For the Emperor, increasing headaches were undesirable, so he even prayed to the Goddess, whom he usually didn't seek, clasping his hands together, hoping nothing would emerge from the Heldion ruin.
Unfortunately, his wish could never be granted, and he would never know that his seemingly rational judgment would ultimately plunge him into a chaotic abyss.
A few days later, Heldion Ruin.
Although the entrance had been found, the area was tightly controlled by the Kremel family's knights, so Beonald couldn't even get near the entrance, let alone enter. He could only watch while sucking his thumb.
It was especially frustrating because he had an idea of what was inside but couldn't enter, and the thought that these thieves might steal his legacy (?) was infuriating.
'...Did I set up traps and security properly inside? I'm not entirely sure. Of course, I did for important facilities... but whether they'd still function perfectly after 500 years is also questionable......'
He didn't know if they could breach his ruin's security, but not knowing what might happen made him want to get inside quickly.
As if determined not to show the inside of the entrance, there were eight knights, not soldiers, standing side by side in that narrow space. Wanting to find some clue, Beonald wandered around the perimeter, but no opportunity arose.
'Are those knight bastards some kind of guardian stones?! Really! They don't rest at all.'
"Aaaaaaaaah!"
"Move! Move! Quickly!"
"Get out! Hurry!"
"Priest! Call a prieeeest!"
Then, screams and the chaotic footsteps of people came from inside.
The knights blocking the entrance moved aside, and soldiers, mages, and knights who had gone in to explore came rushing out in a panic, along with screams.
They brought out the injured, all with wounds as if parts of their bodies had melted or been sliced by something sharp.
"Aaaaaaaaah!"
"Calm down! Potions! Apply potions first!"
"Vicious."
'...It seems the traps inside are still working well after 500 years.'
Though the soldiers and knights emerged in a horrific state, conversely, Beonald smiled with pleasure that the thieves coveting his legacy had paid the price.
However, since there was still no opening to enter, he decided not to stay idle and began moving to find another entrance himself.