Chapter 17
Traces (1)
The Black Dragon Society incident ended without major problems.
All the dragons had departed, and Lucis was allowed to remain by Seymour’s side.
However, the atmosphere within the family froze over like ice for some time.
This was because Richard Mausoleum, who had rashly convened the Black Dragon Society, took full responsibility and was exiled.
“He’s as good as dead.”
In a secluded room of the Mausoleum estate—
One of the cadet branches, gathered secretly away from Seymour’s eyes, muttered those words.
“……”
“……”
No one refuted it.
The Mausoleum family, descended from the lineage of the Light Dragon, was infamous for its ruthless hand.
The word forgiveness did not exist in their dictionary, and exile was essentially the same as an untimely, miserable death.
In fact, even those gathered here had exiled countless siblings, cousins, and retainers in order to obtain what they wanted.
“At least, if it was Butler Alfred who escorted him, he probably went without pain.”
“That’s the only comfort.”
Alfred, the head butler—
A faithful hound who, at the late Count’s order, would escort even direct blood relatives to their exile without hesitation. He had contributed plenty to the family’s bloody history.
For a while, the cadets said nothing. But they were all thinking the same thing.
One of the younger ones finally voiced it.
“It feels like we’ve tugged at the whiskers of a peacefully sleeping lion.”
“It wasn’t us—it was Richard who woke him.”
“That bastard Richard. I expected him to cause trouble ever since he was young.”
None of them spoke of avenging Richard, nor did they resent Seymour.
Although lumped together under the word “cadets,” they were always wary of each other, constantly competing.
After some grumbling for the deceased, the topic shifted back to the present and future.
“From now on, let’s live quietly. Seymour can rampage just as much as, if not more than, the former Count.”
“Agreed. Not that we could even touch someone favored by Elder in the first place.”
“On the contrary, this may benefit us greatly. If word spreads to the capital, our family name will only grow more renowned. Besides…”
The cadet smirked faintly.
“You all saw it too, didn’t you? How he stood unbending even before dragons.”
A silence spread among them.
They were recalling Seymour’s responsible figure stepping forward for Lucis. His unyielding stance as he endured the direct brunt of Dragon Fear.
“That’s worthy of being served as head of the family.”
The eldest among them chuckled softly—he was the very one who had offended Lucis during that Dragon Fear incident.
“In terms of guts, he surpasses even the late Count.”
“Not only guts. To borrow the crude words of commoners: if a mad dog is on your side, it’s reassuring.”
Some even smiled in relief.
They were the ones who, not out of greed for business, but for the future of the family, had sought to drive Seymour out.
“Lately, he seems to be getting along well with Simon and Sia too.”
“I hear he no longer harms the servants either.”
“Other than spending time with Lord Lucis, he spends nearly the whole day in his study with books and documents.”
“At this point, I wonder if the late Count cursed Seymour while alive. Something like a curse of violence. A curse that lifted upon the Count’s death.”
Before they knew it, the cadets were chatting in a warm, even hopeful atmosphere.
No longer did they see him as a violent madman who could harm them at any time, but as a reliable head who would share greater wealth and glory.
Through the family’s bulletin, they had even secured a promise: If you bow and yield, your past sins will be forgotten.
Richard had been exiled because, despite that promise, he still pushed ahead with the Black Dragon Society. But that had been entirely his own doing.
“So, how much increase in revenue are we expecting? Is it truly threefold?”
“Well, it varies by enterprise, but at least 50% each…”
And so the cadets began chatting merrily about money.
All dragonkind had their tombs.
When a dragon’s lifespan ended, they lay down in their burial grounds, places infused with the bodies and souls of their ancestors. Thus, dragons defended their tombs with their very lives.
But there was one dragon’s tomb that humans maintained.
The Mausoleum Crypt.
Mausoleum himself had been unable to die in a dragon’s tomb. His sins were far too great—so much so that the Black Dragons couldn’t even reclaim his body or soul.
Yet legend says someone, evading the eyes of the gods, recovered only Mausoleum’s soul and enshrined it deep within his descendants’ territory.
Thus, a crypt for the spirit alone.
It was a tomb that held only Mausoleum’s soul.
Though no one knew Lucis too was sealed there.
Two days before setting out for the capital—
I went to the Mausoleum Crypt.
— What kind of contract did you make? Don’t tell me you offered your family as sacrifice or something?
That was Sia’s concern.
— So, what contract did you make with my son’s soul? …You don’t remember? My son, yet still up to such tricks.
That was Infinium’s question.
Of course, I was curious too. More than curious—I felt an obligation. Since Lucis was bound by that contract.
I had to know what contract was made, and at what cost.
The ones heading to the crypt were myself, Simon, and Alfred.
I hadn’t wanted to take Lucis—after all, it was his father’s tomb, sealed for a thousand years—so I left him at the estate with Sia.
“The defenses are as tight as ever.”
Simon murmured.
“Well, it’s guarded by our family’s twin elite knight orders.”
Though nestled in a deep valley, the crypt was surrounded by five walls, guarded by the family’s finest.
The three hundred Crypt Knights.
Within the family, the only ones on par with them were the Black Dragon Knights, who served as shadows to the direct lineage.
The reason such elites guarded a remote mountain tomb was simple:
This place was tied directly to the Mausoleum family’s prestige.
The death of Hollow Dragon Mausoleum had involved the gods, and it was even recorded in scripture.
Thus, relations between the church and Mausoleum were abysmal. The church always sought to topple this crypt, which to them was nothing less than a sanctuary of evil.
But conversely, it was something the church had failed to do for centuries.
This being a fantasy world, there was no need to even explain the church’s immense power and influence.
But here, humans worshiped money as fervently as they did the gods—no, even more so.
And so the Mausoleum family, owning countless enterprises, ignored and defied the church yet had thrived for centuries.
This crypt was proof the church had lost to the Mausoleums. As long as it stood, the family’s prestige and glory endured.
We passed through massive checkpoints and moats, akin to fortress gates.
Despite my previous blunder—not quite an accident, not quite intentional—no one dared stop or restrain us.
Pure, absolute loyalty.
These men followed the direct bloodline of Mausoleum more than even emperor or pope.
The carriage halted before the crypt.
The building resembled a temple. At its deepest point stood a stone gate carved with intricate patterns.
“So this is the crypt.”
Simon looked around in awe.
Approaching the crypt required the permission of the head or his representative.
The late Count had permitted no one entry.
This was the place I first awoke in this world.
My possession had begun when I was ejected from that very gate.
I walked deeper into the temple.
The weathered, crumbling stone gave off a desolate atmosphere.
I pushed at the great stone gate. It didn’t budge.
I tried channeling mana, even spoke Mausoleum’s name aloud. Yet the crypt’s doors didn’t move an inch.
I’d hoped perhaps I could converse with Mausoleum…
There was no surer way to know the price of a contract than to ask the very contractor.
The easy path was closed, but other ways remained.
“Simon.”
“Yes, brother.”
At my call, Simon retrieved an artifact from the carriage—a staff with a round ring at its end.
As he brought the staff near the stone gate…
Pahs—
Like a flame snuffed out, a faint sound—and a white fire bloomed within the ring.
Simon and Alfred stared at me, wide-eyed. I gave a small nod.
“As expected, there’s a reaction.”
The artifact detected holy power. To the Mausoleum family, who stood opposed to the church, these artifacts practically piled up in storage.
“What… what does this mean?”
Alfred asked.
The crypt was a place none but direct blood could approach.
That holy power had been unleashed here—so strong that even after nearly ten days, traces remained. There could be only one reason.
“A god has been here.”
I had suspected as much.
The gods of this world—especially those involved in contracts—simply couldn’t resist meddling in anything that looked amusing.
“The god of oaths and contracts, Fromm.”
Conveniently, there was a church in the capital that worshiped Fromm.
If I went there, I could learn about the contract. One more task awaited me in the capital.
Now my work in the domain is done.
I had secured my footing and influence within the family, and repaired my relationship with my siblings.
I had discovered the key to rapid growth, and found a lead on Mausoleum and Seymour’s contract.
Now it’s time to move to the main stage.
The main stage of the original game was the Empire’s capital, Grenium.
There, tasks awaited me—and threats, far greater than anything in the Mausoleum domain.
The succession to the countship, reordering of the underworld, the church’s scrutiny and pressure…
I would have to contend with noble politics and battles over influence as well.
Among them, I especially had to keep an eye on House Ishtar.
Relations with them were already poor, and now that they knew Lucis bore the blood of the White Dragon, they would surely make their move.
“……”
I lifted my head, gazing at the massive stone gate of the crypt.
Enveloped in silence, it looked as though it wished to speak to me.
As if at any moment the doors would open, and Mausoleum would call me.
“…Let’s go back.”
I turned my back.
When I returned to the estate, Lucis was all dressed up in flowers.
A crown and bracelets woven from blossoms, even flowers tucked into his hair like arrangements.
A true flower-dressing.
Out in the garden, Lucis was surrounded—almost attended—by Marco’s younger siblings, Marek and Mari.
“Princess! You’re so pretty!”
“As expected of a princess!”
“You’re too cute, princess!”
“You’re the best, princess!”
“Shall I serve you more tea, princess?”
“Have another cookie!”
It seemed dragons weren’t just popular with animals, but with children too.
Or perhaps it was simply that this noble, adorable child inspired devotion naturally.
And Lucis, receiving such treatment…
“Hmmhm.”
Looked utterly satisfied.
Nestled in Sia’s arms, Lucis kept nodding happily, over and over.
“Mhm. Mhm.”
As though finally humans were giving him the treatment he deserved.
