Chapter 98
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 97
Chapter Title: Secret of Birth (4)
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"So? What do you plan to do now, Duke Zahav?"
"Huh?"
I paused midway through my fifth plate of steak, wiping my mouth.
Then, with a somewhat sullen expression, I turned to Cornelia, who was sipping her tea.
"I'm thinking one more plate first."
This stuff is insanely good.
It hit me with the same shock as that first feast when I arrived at House Zahav.
In other words, there was just as big a gap between House Zahav's castle and Calypso Territory as there was between Zahav Castle and the imperial kitchens.
It was almost unbelievable. The food at the last banquet had been tasty, but not this good.
"Are they using some special meat? Or is your chef that amazing, Cornelia? Either way, this is the real deal."
"...Thank you for the praise. It would have been perfect if this weren't tea time."
"Niece. That's enough. Bring another plate."
"Sigh. This is all your fault, Aunt! You had to butt in and say steak is the best, and now even Duke Zahav..."
Adriana, devouring her steak with gluttonous gusto, held out her empty plate. Cornelia lightly rang a bell to summon a servant.
As the elderly attendant took Adriana's plate, Cornelia let out another sigh.
"Sigh. Knights are all the same."
"But aren't you basically a knight too, since you can use aura, Princess Cornelia?"
"I'm the exception."
Cornelia scoffed and shook her head at my words.
Having inherited the imperial bloodline ability, she undoubtedly displayed genius-level talent in many areas.
Her aura wasn't clear since it was a composite of her overall abilities, but now that she'd graduated from the academy... she had to be at least an early aura expert, right?
To my curiosity, Cornelia shrugged.
"I do train in aura, but not that diligently. My martial skills are just basic self-defense."
"What a waste..."
"I'm more interested in magic and alchemy. Just because I can do something doesn't mean I have to master everything, does it?"
"Fair enough."
The imperial bloodline's inherited achievements were on an immense scale.
It had been passed down since before the first emperor, and after becoming rulers of the empire, they'd grown their personal powers with vast resources.
They could probably reach expert level in most known fields in no time.
But that's exactly why choosing a path was so crucial.
With talent spanning too many areas, mastering everything perfectly was impossible. And the inheritance power only gained meaning by expanding its limits across generations.
They needed to pioneer uncharted territory in at least one field to evolve the bloodline ability further.
So, choices had to be made. What to pursue, and how far.
Patricius, whom I'd taken down... seemed obsessed with martial might, learning anything that could make him stronger.
He'd even allied with dark sorcerers and lusted after divinity, which got him killed.
Cornelia, on the other hand, showed little interest in combat prowess. Magic and alchemy? That screamed researcher path.
"Mm. Research is a fine choice. Martial power can elevate an individual, but changing the world? Tough. But breakthrough tech sparks innovation and reshapes the world somehow. For a policymaker, that might be the smarter play."
"..."
Despite my praise, Cornelia avoided my gaze without a hint of blush.
Was she embarrassed? Nah.
"Oh my, oh my. Niece. Why not just be honest? You chose magic and alchemy... for the gourmet life."
"Eek."
Cornelia flinched and glared. But Adriana just grinned, unperturbed, and gulped down her hot tea.
It was premium brew from expensive leaves, steeped meticulously... yet Adriana chugged it like cheap barley tea.
"Magic to breed superior livestock, alchemy to concoct special feed, then lavish it with sauce made from ingredients pricier than gold by weight. The pinnacle: your first successful phoenix steak."
"Wait, this is that legendary steak, Lady Adriana?"
"Yup. That sullen look earlier? Probably 'cause it's a pain to make and costs a fortune, and here we are, you and little Zahav, wiping it out."
"Makes sense. At my inheritance ceremony, I remember you alone demolishing southern fruits and dishes nonstop."
"At the banquet, she stuffed desserts till her cheeks bulged."
"I think that was you, Lady Adriana..."
"Oops, caught. But without little Zahav, my niece would've been right there too. We massacred desserts together."
"That's a lethal combo."
As Adriana and I chuckled at each other, Cornelia slumped, speaking in a deflated tone.
"...So? What are your plans going forward, Duke Zahav?"
"Round and round back to square one."
I smirked and shrugged.
"Nothing much. Finish up what I started and head straight back to my territory."
"This soon?"
"I'm Zahav. Can't leave the castle empty too long."
"...The dungeon worries you. But the last surge was months ago, wasn't it?"
"Just a bad feeling."
Now I knew. The southern dungeon. What lay sealed at its depths: the authority of Tragodea.
Sin.
All manner of ugliness. The turning point that dragged people into tragedy.
And before dying, Sharkan said there was a being called "That One" at the dungeon's bottom, the Zahav family's original sin.
Sin. Original sin.
How ominous, yet fitting.
I didn't know exactly who was down there, but if it broke free and ascended...
High chance it meant the god of tragedy's authority, sealed in the south, would be unleashed.
I'd felt bone-deep how absurd divine power was this time.
Wild Hunt had a clear way to defeat it; the problem was how grueling and near-impossible it was.
But a god's authority? No clue where to start.
All I'd done was resist the nightmare god's authority and endure till the end.
Considering the nightmare god held no real malice toward me and couldn't fully wield its power pre-birth...
The sin authority breaking free, backed by its wielder, would be a tough foe even for me now.
I had ample funds and support, ready to rally not just adventurers but mercenaries if needed.
So, maximize resources and do my utmost.
Just like always, regulating monster numbers and blocking periodic surges wasn't enough.
Defense was inherently passive.
Initiative always with the dungeon... with "That One."
It'd invade when it wanted, retreat deep if cornered.
Why fight on its terms?
Past Zahavs thought calamities unbeatable, so they focused on sealing and blocking—human limits against divine power.
But I'm different.
Its true nature unknown, but if my bloodline ability negates aura and magic, resists divine power...
I could surely land meaningful blows.
Maybe like Wild Hunt collapsing without Mortheus as its core.
If I could take down "That One," the dungeon might end too.
For that, I had to enter the dungeon.
Not prep defenses passively, but infiltrate the depths with a small elite team.
Just delving? I could solo, like Sharkan did.
But facing a powerhouse inside? Different story.
To boost win odds, I needed help.
From those on my level.
Like Ignatius, wrapping up urgent matters... or Adriana here, swallowing fresh steak whole, hand on her slightly bulging belly, eyeing me meaningfully.
Stroking her belly suggestively, I grabbed her hand firmly.
"Lady Adriana."
"Eep? Ack, heh?"
She yelped like she'd never held a man's hand before.
I spoke to her seriously.
"Come to Zahav territory with me."
"W-Wait, isn't this moving way too fast?"
Her words said no, but her vibe said yes.
At the same time, Cornelia raised her half-full teacup.
"Well. Not a bad idea."
"You come too, Cornelia."
"...?"
"Gotta swing by Ignatius's duchy on the way."
"..."
"He's booming thanks to me lately. Time to collect some interest."
Her imperial standing skyrocketed just from our friendship.
Time to leverage that, give Igni a pretext to openly intervene in the dungeon.
Me, Igni, Adriana.
Two dukes and a swordmaster rated duke-class.
"Mm. That should do the trick."
"W-What do you mean?!"
"No clapping cheeks...?"
For some reason, Cornelia paled, and Adriana sneakily checked her undergarments.
Some misunderstanding, but nothing important.