Chapter 82
Chapter 82
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: The Lost Civilization of Hadiyat
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“I did not realize I was in the presence of one so noble. Please, I beg you, forgive my rudeness.”
Having come to his senses, Borodin treated Carlyle with even greater reverence and caution.
*Heh.*
Carlyle, frankly, found the situation a bit absurd.
Maranello was the one who had defeated the Gorgon, and the Hatchling was the one the dwarves feared.
Yet here he was, receiving all the praise. He wondered if this was what it felt like to ride on someone else's coattails.
“Forgiveness? You've done nothing rude.”
“But…”
“I'm fine, so don't worry about it. You, tone it down.”
Carlyle said to the Hatchling.
“I know dragons and dwarves are natural enemies, but you can't just bully them like that. I have a reputation to maintain.”
“What did I do?”
“I said tone it down. Just a little.”
“Anyone watching would think I'd captured them and forced them to build me a nest.”
“You're tiny. What the hell do you need a nest for?”
“What? Are you done talking, Butler?”
The Hatchling growled.
“Dragons, by nature, need large, magnificent nests, you know?”
“Then build one when you're bigger. Who knows how long that'll take.”
“I will build one when I'm big! I will!”
“Then build it then. Why are you already going on about a nest?”
Watching Carlyle and the Hatchling bicker, Borodin felt like he was dying inside.
Still, it was a relief that Carlyle, as the Hatchling's master, gave it a slight scolding and a talking-to. Otherwise, the Firehammer Tribe might have been dragged away to spend the rest of their lives building nests until they died of old age.
*I must serve Young Master Carlyle with the utmost devotion. The only way for our tribe to survive is to be under his protection.*
Hadn't it always been said that you need to pick the right side?
For Borodin and the Firehammer Tribe, getting on Carlyle's good side was an absolute must.
Why?
Because no matter how terrifying the Hatchling was, Carlyle was ultimately its master.
“For now, please get some rest. Relief supplies and personnel from Decaron should arrive by tomorrow.”
“We are deeply grateful for your consideration, Young Master.”
Borodin bowed a full ninety degrees to express his gratitude to Carlyle.
That night.
*Crack, crackle!*
Carlyle's group sat around a blazing campfire, making a simple meal of snacks and refreshments.
“Young Master, you are truly remarkable.”
“How so?”
“You discovered the mines in the Merel Mountains and freed the dwarves. Thanks to you, Decaron will grow even more prosperous. His Grace, the Grand Duke, will be greatly pleased.”
“Well, I suppose so.”
Carlyle nodded agreeably.
“But it wasn't that remarkable. She's the one who found the ore vein, and Maranello was the one who defeated the ancient demon.”
“Young Master.”
Maranello said with a smile.
“You were the one who commanded us to do so.”
“Commanded…?”
“Look here.”
Maranello picked up a twig.
“If we assume this tip is the point of a spear, what would it be?”
“In a war?”
“Yes.”
“Well… it would be like the strongest knight fighting on the front lines.”
“Correct.”
Maranello nodded.
“Then what would this be?”
Maranello asked, pointing to the hand holding the twig.
“The command headquarters?”
“You grasp it quickly.”
Maranello smiled.
“No matter how legendary a sword may be, without someone to wield it, it is nothing more than a piece of metal. The key is who wields it, and how.”
“Hmm.”
“You wished to investigate the Merel Mountains and instructed Evangeline to find the ore vein. You also ordered me to eliminate the ancient demon. Without your command, today's victory would not have been possible. That is the role of a commander. To lead the group down the right path as its head, and to utilize their abilities in the right places to achieve a good outcome.”
“Now that you mention it, that makes sense.”
“That is why a commander's responsibilities and duties are so heavy. You, Young Master, are destined to become a commander soon, so I hope you will not dismiss this as an old man's nagging, but rather take a moment to reflect on it.”
“I understand what you're saying.”
Carlyle nodded.
It was not a half-hearted reply.
Helen, Grand Duke Guntram, and now Maranello.
Lately, he had been hearing so much about the responsibilities and duties of a commander that he was beginning to understand.
He himself had seen, heard, and felt much during the war.
“But tell me.”
“Please, ask.”
“How strong are the barbarians?”
“They are very strong.”
Maranello shook his head as if the mere thought was dreadful.
“The martial prowess of the great chieftains who lead the massive tribes, and the great generals who follow them, is strong beyond imagination.”
“Yeah, I figured.”
“But why do you ask?”
“Because it feels like I have a long way to go.”
“Hoho.”
“Watching you take down that ancient demon earlier made me think. If I ever met someone who could take you on, I'd die without being able to do a thing.”
“Oh?”
Maranello's face broke into a wide smile, as if this was welcome news.
“Are you finally thinking about getting stronger?”
“Not really.”
Carlyle shook his head.
“How long would it take to get that strong? I'd die of old age first.”
“You have talent, Young Master.”
“Talent? Don't be ridiculous. Someone like me?”
“This old man may be aged, but my eyes are still sharp. You possess talent, Young Master. If you train diligently, you will grow stronger at an exponential rate.”
“Forget it. I'll just be moderately strong and live a moderate life. I don't want to fight monsters like that. That's just a dog's death.”
Carlyle waved his hand dismissively as if the mere thought was nauseating, then rolled himself up in a blanket and lay down by the fire.
“That's enough. I'm going to sleep.”
“Yes, Young Master. Sleep well.”
A smile remained on Maranello's lips as he watched Carlyle.
*Your perspective has shifted a little, Young Master.*
Maranello did not miss the change of heart Carlyle was experiencing.
***
The next morning.
Carlyle's group, having risen early, headed into a deeper tunnel with Borodin, the chieftain of the Firehammer Tribe, and the dwarven elders.
There, they found a small, temple-like structure. In the very center sat a wide-open sarcophagus.
“This is the temple and coffin our tribe discovered while excavating the ancient ruins buried in this mine.”
“Are you saying that ancient demon came out of there?”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“Hmm.”
“At the time of excavation, we had no idea an ancient demon was sealed inside the coffin.”
“Why are you showing this to me?”
“There is no particular reason. We simply wanted to show you.”
“Hmph.”
“Even we dwarves cannot decipher the ancient language written on the temple and the stone tablet. We have no idea what it says.”
“As if I would know anything about this.”
Carlyle was completely ignorant of ancient languages.
“I have no idea, Young Master.”
“Me neither.”
Even Maranello, who was quite learned, couldn't decipher the ancient script on the tablet, and Evangeline, who was in the midst of studying magic, said she had never seen the characters before in her life.
“As I thought, no one knows.”
Borodin said, as if he hadn't expected much.
“I only asked out of curiosity, wondering how such a temple could be buried within a layer of solid rock. Please don't trouble yourself over it.”
“You're right. That is a bit strange.”
Carlyle agreed with Borodin's question.
According to the Firehammer Tribe, even they had been unaware of the small temple's existence.
They had simply been digging a tunnel to mine minerals, as they always did, when they discovered the temple buried within a layer of solid rock…
“Either someone sealed it here, or perhaps the entire Merel Mountain range is an ancient ruin.”
“Our tribe's thoughts are similar.”
Borodin nodded in agreement.
“If only we could decipher the tablet, it would be wonderful. It is a shame.”
“It’s not that big a deal.”
Carlyle turned away, having lost interest.
He had no interest in this world's history or archaeology, and since he wasn't a treasure hunter, there was no reason for him to care about such ancient ruins.
“And just forget about it. Who knows what other strange things you might awaken if you mess with it. It's not like what popped out of the coffin was a good thing.”
“Now that I hear it, you are right, Young Master.”
“Curiosity kills the cat, as they say.”
The Hatchling chimed in.
“Ugh. So ignorant. This is Hadiyat script.”
“Hadiyat script? What's that?”
“The arcane civilization of Hadiyat, you don't know it?”
“How would I know that?”
“You need to study more, Butler. How can you not know about the Hadiyat civilization?”
“And how do you know? You're just a newborn.”
“I may look like this, but I'm a dragon, you know?”
The Hatchling said, lifting its head stiffly as if to show off.
“You're still just a newborn, aren't you?”
“Butler, you're really ignorant.”
“...?”
“Dragons know about the world the moment they're born. They are born with an immense amount of knowledge, without anyone having to teach them.”
“And I'm supposed to believe that?”
Maranello sided with the Hatchling.
“It is likely true. According to historical texts, there are numerous records stating that dragons are wise beings from birth.”
“R-Really?”
“Yes, Young Master.”
It was hard to believe, but Carlyle decided to just go with it.
This world was full of things that defied common sense, and questioning it all would only tire him out.
“Dragons share and inherit the knowledge of the past. Though not all of it.”
“I see.”
“Hadiyat was an ancient arcane kingdom. From about five thousand years ago?”
“Five thousand years?”
It was an unimaginably distant past.
“I don't know the exact date. Let's just say it was around five thousand years ago.”
“So?”
“Hadiyat was a civilization with highly advanced magic. That is, until it was destroyed by the Dragon God.”
“What does that mean? Speak plainly.”
“Ugh.”
The Hatchling sighed in frustration before speaking.
“You at least know that dragons are divided into various clans, right?”
“I know that much.”
“Each clan is ruled by a Dragon Lord, and the one who rules over the Dragon Lords is the Dragon God.”
“The god of dragons?”
“That being is practically a god, so you could see it that way.”
“And?”
“The king of the Hadiyat civilization stole the dragons' knowledge. The reason they were able to build such a highly advanced arcane civilization was because they stole that knowledge.”
“Don't tell me… they destroyed Hadiyat as punishment for that?”
“As far as I know, yes.”
The Hatchling nodded.
“Hadiyat crossed the line. It wasn't enough for them to steal the dragons' knowledge; they tried to artificially create dragon slayers through research.”
“Haha… hahaha…”
“They paid the price. They dared not only to steal our knowledge but also to create dragon slayers to hunt us.”
“That makes sense.”
“From what I know, this area is where the Hadiyat civilization used to be, so that would explain it.”
“So you're saying there are ruins of the Hadiyat civilization in the Merel Mountains?”
“Probably.”
The Hatchling nodded.
“Then can you read this tablet?”
“Let me see.”
“Here.”
“Hmm.”
The Hatchling's gaze swept over the stone tablet Carlyle held out.