Chapter 261

Chapter 261
Chapter 261: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

“……Anyway, stay safe.”

Lion wrapped up his words, doing his absolute best to block out the sea of staring eyes.

Although he knew his critique had hit the core of the issue, he figured he had managed a rather graceful exit as he watched Nature leave.

“Shall we head out as well?”

-I’ve got no objections. By the way, Lion, I have a quick question.

Lion glanced toward Tiamatrak before pushing the door open to step outside.

“What is it?”

-Why on earth did you send that whiny ghost away?

-Even if you were intimidated by me, surely you could have just paired him up with that Spirit King instead.

Tiamatrak rubbed his chin thoughtfully before snapping his fingers as a light bulb went off in his head.

-You did that on purpose, didn’t you?

-There was something you wanted hidden from that little crybaby, am I right?

As expected of a dragon, his mind moved quickly when deductive reasoning was required.

“Spot on.”

-Just as I thought!

-……But why? What’s the hidden motive?

Naturally, his primary concern had been sparing the Grand Duke’s feelings—or rather, the crybaby’s pride…

Yet, that wasn’t the sole driving factor.

“It just doesn’t add up.”

Lion muttered after a brief pause for thought.

“He’s certainly more perceptive and clever than the average child, but that alone shouldn’t be enough to sustain an existence for fifty years.”

The Grand Duke was undoubtedly sharp.

That was likely how he had managed to survive and endure for half a century.

Still, if intellect alone sufficed, how many wandering spirits would haunt the world?

‘Of course, undead monsters are a different story.’

Those leaned closer to malicious fiends than ordinary ghosts, so he mentally set them aside.

“Your case makes sense because you’re a dragon.”

-That is true.

“And while you didn’t explicitly mention it, you likely chose to anchor your own soul as a ghost.”

-Wh-What?

Tiamatrak looked away, his eyes darting evasively.

Well, Lion had no desire to pry unnecessarily into someone else’s personal history.

Besides, the dragon didn’t seem like a bad sort.

At any rate, this was where Lion’s focus lay.

“You’ve been maintaining your spectral state using your own bones and lair as your anchor, haven’t you?”

-That’s correct. I was a magnificent being, so handling that scale of magic was—oh!

Tiamatrak, who had been playing dumb, suddenly connected the dots and stepped closer to Lion again.

-Are you implying there’s a medium hidden somewhere in this very castle keeping him tethered?

“Precisely.”

-And that means there might be additional items left behind that could serve as clues?

He certainly hoped so.

-Hmm, that logic holds up!

-It’s entirely possible the ambient mana of the Great Barrier has been masking it from my perception.

That had to be it.

Otherwise, that chatterbox of a dragon would have already been shouting about finding a suspicious anomaly.

‘Which means.’

The location he needed to track down had to meet two specific criteria.

First, a spot that spirits instinctively avoided or simply couldn’t access.

And second, a place where a relic belonging to the Dragnas family remained hidden within the castle walls.

-Did you give that crybaby free rein earlier specifically to set this up?

“Not at all. I genuinely just gave him a break.”

-Really? Hehe. Well, it certainly felt nice to catch a breath of the outside air, even if it is a gloomy atmosphere.

-Regardless, let’s get moving. Even if I don’t know the exact spot yet, I can at least filter out the irrelevant areas.

“Lead the way.”

With their discussion concluded, Lion finally pulled the door open to survey the corridor outside.

And that brief nocturnal stroll of Lion’s inevitably stirred up ripples.

—

Meanwhile.

“Ugh……”

A mage from the Magic Tower, recently assigned to monitor the Great Barrier, vigorously rubbed his arms to warm up.

“It never fails to be freezing cold every time I’m on duty here.”

The mage muttered to himself while glancing nervously around the corridor.

He was certainly old enough to have outgrown ghost stories, yet a deep sense of dread crept over him every single time he stepped foot in this sector.

It could have been the sheer pressure radiating from the Great Barrier just beyond the castle walls.

‘Or perhaps it’s simply because I know the tragic history of Grand Duke Dragnas.’

*Gulp*

The mage swallowed hard, his shoulders hunching defensively.

“Ah, this really is a bizarre place……”

He never would have set foot here if he hadn’t managed a brief stint assisting Marquis Petrik, the Archmage.

‘I, I need to get back to my quarters as fast as possible.’

Making up his mind, the mage hurried down the corridor, carefully sticking to the well-lit paths.

Because of that persistent, bone-chilling dread, he had swallowed his pride as a mage and requested a room as close to the quarters of the resident priests as possible.

Thanks to that precaution, nothing untoward had happened to him yet.

Ssssh…….

*Jolt*

“W-What was that?”

The mage spun around, his eyes wide and trembling.

No, the noise hadn’t originated right beside him.

It had come from somewhere further off.

It sounded as though it echoed from the upper levels of the old estate… though surely no one had been assigned rooms up there?

‘No, no. It’s just the wind.’

Even though the fortress was solidly constructed, decades of neglect meant drafts found their way through crevices, creating eerie acoustic illusions.

As he desperately reassured himself with that thought.

Ssssk.

Another sound scraped against the silence, akin to fabric brushing along a stone floor.

Ordinarily, the smartest course of action in such moments was to keep walking briskly without looking back.

Unfortunately, those who dedicate their lives to the pursuit of magic are cursed with an incurable affliction: curiosity.

Against his better judgment, the mage instinctively raised his gaze and—

“……!”

He saw it.

A silhouette shifting through the shadows.

Or rather, a shape barely illuminated by the faint glow of the torches flickering on the lower floor.

A bare foot.

That foot stepped silently through the pitch-black darkness.

Not a single sound accompanied its movement.

Before he could process it further, the figure melted back into the shadows.

The mage’s panicked mind frantically pieced the fragments together.

The owner of those footsteps couldn’t possibly be anyone other than Grand Duke Dragnas, could it?

Was his restless spirit still roaming these halls?

If the phantom perceived him as a threat, what fate awaited him?

After a whirlwind of terrifying realizations—

“…….”

Srrrk.

Thud.

He collapsed unconscious right where he stood.

From that day onward, whispers concerning the roaming specter of Grand Duke Dragnas solidified into absolute truth among the staff.

As for the mage who had fainted, upon waking he reportedly proclaimed:

“I, I must appease the lingering resentment of the Grand Duke’s bloodline!”

……or so the stories went.

—

Lion pressed his back flat against the ornate railing of the terrace, scanning his surroundings.

‘Zero security.’

Well, considering this was the vicinity of the Great Barrier, external threats were practically nonexistent.

After all, who would dare breach a sanctuary guarded by the most formidable figures in the realm?

Moreover, no matter how stealthy an intruder might be, slipping past the vigilance of the Archbishop and his grandfather was an impossible feat.

‘I really feel like I don’t belong in a place like this.’

*Inhale* If this mission goes south, am I looking at another round of job hunting?

Still, duty called, and he needed the necessary intelligence, so Lion adopted as casual a gait as possible.

Even though the ancient castle received only minimal upkeep—likely preserved as a monument to the Grand Duke’s former glory—thick carpeting lined most of the interior floors.

Thanks to that fortunate detail, he didn’t have to stress about his footsteps echoing through the silence.

And besides…….

‘I’m not taking the conventional routes anyway.’

Any room visible from the main halls or listed on the structural maps had already been commandeered as quarters for the dignitaries gathered for the Great Barrier.

Furthermore, considering fifty years had passed, it was safe to assume every standard chamber had been occupied at least once.

Consequently, the obvious rooms held none of the answers he sought.

Which left only one alternative.

“That leaves this way.”

-Oh, it’s pitch black down there. Will you be alright?

Lion headed toward a descending corridor, devoid even of wall torches, clearly built as a service passage for domestic staff in bygone eras.

It was narrow, draped with uncollected cobwebs, yet offered an unobstructed path forward.

-Lion, taking this route was a brilliant call.

-A mage who just finished his late-night shift outside wandered past earlier…… Huh? Is he already asleep?

He felt no trace of apprehension.

First, because Tiamatrak kept up a steady stream of chatter right beside him, and second, because Pus—tucked securely into his pouch because leaving him unattended felt too risky—was frantically sniffing the air.

“Is the scent starting to feel familiar?”

As they drew closer to the perimeter of the Great Barrier, Pus’s snout grew exceptionally active.

Should I let him track it directly? he mused.

Rustle. Rustle!

“Hang on, Pus. What’s wrong?”

Pus began squirming vigorously, trying to claw his way out of the pouch.

『Pus wants to help!』

He wants to assist?

‘Wait a second. This reminds me……’

Lion recalled the exact conversation he’d had with Pus on the journey toward the Great Barrier.

‘He explicitly agreed to sniff out anything unusual for me.’

In exchange for a steady supply of treats, of course.

If that held true, Pus’s phenomenal sense of smell might have actually locked onto something significant.

‘Could it be connected to corruption?’

Ever since arriving at the estate, Pus had shown a distinct sensitivity toward anomalies tainted by demonic energy.

“Shh. Just hold on a second.”

Had they been anywhere else, like the Asteri estate, he might have let the beast run loose, but this was an ancient fortress situated directly against the Great Barrier.

Besides, the area was isolated with scarce foot traffic, making unmonitored wandering a liability.

It would spell disaster if the little guy got hurt.

“Here. I brought you something special, Pus.”

Reaching into his inventory, Lion produced a luxurious cloth harness and leash set!

『Companion Beast Walking Set (★★★)』

-Equipped with this leash and harness, you maintain total control over your companion beast!

-Provides defensive protection for your companion beast as well!

-An absolute necessity for pets with a habit of bolting.

-Note: Depending on the beast’s temperament, a brief adjustment period may be required.

The adjustment period was a non-issue.

He had already trained the creature intermittently during their downtime play sessions.

Barg’s assistance during those trials had been invaluable.

Though it had admittedly caused Barg’s dignity as a person to plummet quite a bit…….

“There we go. Good boy.”

Fortunately, despite his high excitement levels, Pus calmly allowed the harness and leash to be fitted.

“Kiying!”

“Right then. Ready to check out what you found?”

The moment Lion gave the green light, Pus shot forward like a released bowstring.

Though the leash kept him from bolting too far ahead, he leaned his weight forward eagerly, frantic to reach his target.

‘So that’s why magical beasts always looked like they were leaning forward in stories before I possessed this body…….’

It wasn’t because the leash restricted them uncomfortably, but rather because their enthusiasm drove them to sprint ahead.

Having unlocked this revelation, Lion trotted along behind Pus, navigating a labyrinth of dark corridors.

Before long, they seemed to have traversed multiple flights of stairs up and down.

-No need to worry about losing your way.

-I’m mapping every turn in my head.

Fortunately, thanks to his reliable internal navigation—or rather, Tiamatrak’s memory—he wouldn’t have to backtrack blindly.

After sustaining that brisk pace for quite some time—

“Pant! Pant!”

Pus came to an abrupt halt, clawing frantically at a heavy wooden door ahead.

‘Right here?’

The space beyond resembled less of a residential chamber and more of an auxiliary storage depot for supplies.

-Oh! Without a doubt. I never would have picked up on anything in a place like this.

-And that crying ghost certainly couldn’t have accessed it either.

-It sits as one of the points closest to the Great Barrier within the entire estate.

-Still…….

Tiamatrak furrowed his brow deeply, staring intently at the storeroom door.

“What is it?”

-*Sniff* I’m picking up a very familiar resonance from inside.

-Which is odd. I’ve never crossed paths with these particular entities before.

“We’ll find out the moment we step inside.”

In truth, he already harbored one additional hypothesis.

Either way, opening the door would lay all the answers bare.

Lion reached out and shoved the heavy door of the old storeroom open.

Creeeeeak—

The rusted iron hinges emitted an eerie shriek, stirring up decades of stale dust that billowed into the darkness.

And within the chamber—

“Just as I figured.”

He laid eyes on the salvaged belongings of the Dragnas family that had resisted destruction.

Alongside them—

-Wait, what?

Tiamatrak, too, finally recognized the truth behind the sensation.

The source of that familiar signature.

-……That’s my own mana power??