124. The Bascon Family Heirloom
Viva Bascon looked at Moden with a meaningful tone as he began to speak.
"And now... it's time to reveal the truth about the family's heirloom."
"……!"
At Viva's words, the siblings around them flashed sharp glances. A brief silence followed.
…….
And it was no wonder.
Even the pure-blooded Bascon children found the topic unfamiliar. They, too, knew next to nothing about the family's heirloom.
Silva's eyes widened at the mention of the heirloom.
'So it really exists. But why has Father kept this secret from even us...'
Shock mingled with a sense of betrayal. The truth about an heirloom he knew nothing of—known to Viva, who had wandered outside the castle for years.
'Or did someone tell Viva about it...?'
As Silva eyed Viva suspiciously, Velvet's gaze narrowed at the word "heirloom."
'The Bascon family's heirloom... What kind of power could it possibly hold?'
A treasure passed down through generations. Heirlooms. She'd heard tales of other families' treasures with extraordinary abilities: curing incurable diseases, preserving youth, even mysterious powers to turn back time.
Of course, such potent artifacts often drew the covetous eyes of intelligent monsters.
Just hearing about other families' heirlooms sparked her interest; her curiosity about her own family's grew even stronger.
In contrast, Bin's expression barely changed from that of his siblings. He'd already heard about it in his previous life—long after the fact.
'The Bascon heirloom...'
As Bin recalled memories from the past, Moden tilted his head back to look at Viva.
"Hahaha. The heirloom... I already told you it's long gone."
Viva's eyes narrowed at Moden's words.
"Do you really think I came here knowing nothing?"
Moden stared steadily at him. Through the silver hair, sharp eyes gleamed without a hint of doubt, silently proclaiming that he already knew about the heirloom.
Moden's gaze sharpened in an instant.
"Who told you about the heirloom?"
Something about it unsettled him deeply—the idea that someone had blabbed about Bascon family secrets.
The siblings watched the tense Moden in confusion, while Bin understood why he was on edge.
'With the family's prestige fallen so low, no wonder.'
As Bin dredged up old memories, Viva began pulling something from his pocket: a scrap of black cloth and a rolled-up, weathered parchment.
The cloth was the remnant of a uniform, reaching only to the shoulders, adorned with black epaulets.
Viva spoke as he looked at them.
"While wandering outside the castle, I stumbled upon the corpse of the late Black Wolf Corps Captain. The parchment listed his mission. It clearly mentioned the heirloom."
Viva had tirelessly gathered every scrap of information in his quest to cure his incurable disease—even rifling through corpses. His desperation made it second nature.
Feeling it pointless to hide any longer, Moden let out a hollow chuckle.
"Hah, even a captain who rose that high... left it unfinished."
Moden clicked his tongue, then addressed Viva.
"Very well. I'll tell you what I know."
Moden reached into his uniform and withdrew a round crystal filled with swirling black energy. About a quarter of it was shattered. Notably, the energy inside wasn't stagnant—it circled endlessly within.
Holding up the black crystal, Moden continued.
"This guides the way to the heirloom's location. As you see, it's only a fragment."
Billy and Shirley stared wide-eyed at the black crystal.
"Th-that thing... guides to the heirloom...?"
"It's... kinda mesmerizing..."
The swirling black energy inside felt like peering into a tiny black hole.
Moden's expression turned bitter as he went on.
"The rest of this crystal... is somewhere in the Dragon Temple."
"……!"
The siblings' eyes flashed as Moden finished. Billy and Shirley's faces hardened most of all.
'Dr-Dragon Temple...'
'I'm out...'
Billy and Shirley couldn't even fathom it—and for good reason. The Dragon Temple was home to dragons, the apex monsters there. It teemed with 2nd-grade monsters, and even 1st-grade ones were said to lurk in numbers.
Before long, cold sweat beaded on Silva and Willie's foreheads too.
'Of all places, the Dragon Temple...'
'This is basically suicide...'
Mentioning the Dragon Temple was tantamount to saying it was impossible to retrieve.
Meanwhile, Bin's eyes narrowed as he listened to Moden.
'The Dragon Temple...'
In the past, the Bascon family had raided it. That sparked the whole disaster: the next heir devoured by a dragon—while carrying part of the black crystal. From then on, the heirloom was lost to Bascon.
Word getting out would tarnish the family's reputation and make them a laughingstock. Worse, if someone else claimed it, they might have to yield the fragment. Hence the secrecy.
As the siblings held their tongues at the mention of the Dragon Temple, a hand shot up.
Flash.
"……!"
Viva and Bin had raised their hands in unison. Their eyes burned with unwavering resolve, making their intentions clear: they were going to the Dragon Temple.
Viva swept back his silver bangs covering his eyes and fixed his gaze on Bin.
'Can you even handle it? The Dragon Temple.'
Bin, not one to back down from Viva's bravado, stared right back.
'Mind your own business. Worry about your own body.'
As the two locked eyes, Codic muttered from Bin's belt.
'How dare this whelp stand shoulder-to-shoulder with my lord? What an insolent subordinate. Tak! Tak!'
Codic's indignant grumbling was cut short as Moden addressed Viva and Bin.
"Hahaha."
'Are they bold... or just shortsighted...'
Moden eyed them alternately. Their gazes and expressions screamed sincerity.
He spoke again.
"Well, a true Bascon pureblood wouldn't flinch at this. Then I pray you return alive..."
Viva and Bin nodded.
"Yes, Family Head!"
A short while later.
Near Elle's mansion.
Thud. Thud...
As Viva walked, Silva appeared before him.
Silva spoke up.
"It's been ages since we met. How about a friendly spar, like old times?"
His tone was belligerent. Silva had lost to Viva once before. Since tasting defeat, he'd trained relentlessly and wanted to test the gap—how much he'd closed it.
But Viva, with his pale skin and slouched posture, shot him a dismissive look.
"Don't bother me. Get lost."
His opponent seemed utterly unmotivated. Those eyes said Silva wasn't even worth the effort.
Grinding his teeth at Viva's arrogance, Silva growled.
"Grrgh..."
Viva ignored his expression and kept walking.
"Hey, there's a limit to ignoring people..."
Clenching his jaw, Silva lunged and grabbed Viva with an arm swollen by mana of strength—
Viva's eyes sharpened. Silver smoke rose from his pupils in that instant.
Silva's body froze.
'M-Mana of wisdom...!'
Seizing the opening, Viva shaped a massive arm and snapped Silva's limb.
Crack. Crack.
"Urk!"
'This is... mana shaping...'
As stunned Silva blinked, Viva hoisted his massive frame onto his shoulder and slammed him into the ground.
Boom!!
Crack. Crack.
The earth split like shattered glass. Silva's eyes rolled back halfway.
In that moment, he realized: the gap hadn't narrowed—it had widened.
And he wondered: if he faced Bin, how would Viva fare? The old Bin, maybe. But with Luminare half-destroyed? No chance.
Meanwhile.
In the forge near the inner castle walls of Plentel Castle.
Weapons lined the walls, tiny embers drifting like fireflies. In the corner stood a massive stone furnace.
And as always, the sound of hammering rang out.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Bin, hair damp and face flushed, sweated as he worked. Tongs in his right hand, hammer in his left—he struck with all his might.
'Just a bit more.'
The monster bone softened and shifted, half-forming into a blade. Soon, the shattered Luminare fused with it.
'Patch it up for now. Complete the mission in the Dragon Temple this time...'
Thump. Thump.
Bin's heart raced. All because Luminare would evolve into something even greater.
It had used the fang of Cerberian, a three-headed 2nd-grade dragon. Replacing it with a 1st-grade dragon's fang...?
The power would surpass imagination. Perhaps enough to rival the "Seven Lords" Belatan mentioned.
Bin smiled at the Luminare before him.
'Can't wait.'