Chapter 485 — Peeling layer after layer (2)
12 min read ·
Translator: miraclerifle
Editor: Borderline Masochist
Cale looked back and started to speak before walking any farther.
“Wait for me outside the door.”
Choi Han quietly nodded his head and started to close the door.
- Human! I’ll be waiting with Choi Han!
Raon said goodbye to him without coming inside as well.
Screeeech-
The door slowly closed, until...
Boom!
It closed completely and Cale could not see outside.
"Why are you just blankly standing there?”
Cale turned away from the door and faced forward after hearing Alberu's voice.
"Are you not coming?”
Cale shrugged his shoulders and started to walk after hearing Alberu’s jovial voice.
Tap. Tap.
The two of them were the only ones in here, so Cale’s steps echoed loudly.
“Did you get rid of everybody else on purpose?”
“Yes. They all have the day off today.”
“Is that okay?”
Cale stood in front of Alberu and Alberu took a document out of his pocket and waved it around.
"Do you see his majesty’s crest?”
Cale chuckled after looking at the document with the king’s crest.
“It’s more of a do not approach warning than a day off.”
“Yes. Even the guards are 10 meters away from the building.”
Cale quietly listened before asking a question.
“I guess it is a big secret?”
“...I'm not sure.”
Cale could see that Alberu was still smiling but that his eyes were stiff. His eyes were not normal and seemed to hold anguish.
Alberu turned away after seeing Cale staring at him and started to walk.
“...The people of the royal family seem to think it is a big secret.”
"Does that mean you don't think it is a big secret, your highness?”
Cale walked while looking at Alberu's back and soon heard Alberu’s quiet whisper.
“You can decide that after looking at it.”
Alberu was passing the decision of whether it was a secret or not to Cale.
“Sure. But your highness, it looks like we are going somewhere odd?”
The Roan Kingdom’s Palace's Grand Library.
That was the library with the most books in the entire kingdom, as well as the location with the most precious books.
The Grand Library of the oldest kingdom on the continent lived up to its name by being multiple stories high, and although the surface level itself was larger than any other building in the kingdom, it also had three large underground levels as well.
“Just follow me.”
Cale thought that they were heading to a hidden room in the library, however, Alberu headed toward the center of the Grand Library's first floor.
“Cale Henituse. There is a rule we must follow whenever we extend the library.”
“What is it?”
Alberu stopped walking.
Cale looked toward the crown prince who was enveloped in the moonlight coming through the large window on the first floor. The crown prince started to speak at the center of the moonlight.
“Make sure the gaze of the sun is always by your side.”
Cale recalled the layout of the Grand Library that had a lot of large windows.
“And this place I am standing at right now...”
Alberu looked down at his feet. He was at the center of the moonlight right now, but this was the spot for the sun when it was at its highest point.
“Do not cover it with anything.”
Alberu took a small wooden box out of his pocket.
Click.
The box opened easily. There was a small seal in the box. It was an iron seal that looked very old.
"This is something that only the head of the Crossman household can possess.”
Cale flinched at Alberu’s explanation.
Alberu who realized the reason behind it smiled as he asked.
"What’s wrong? Are you shocked I said the Crossman ‘household,’ and not the Crossman Royal family? Anyway, this is something only the head can have.”
Alberu looked at the old seal in his hand with an odd expression.
Cale had a similar expression on his face as he opened his mouth to speak.
“...Did you borrow it from his majesty?”
“Borrow?”
Alberu’s expression turned cold as he looked at the seal.
“It is mine.”
The Roan Kingdom's throne still belonged to Zed Crossman. Cale had heard that crown prince Alberu still went to the king to get permission on important decisions.
Although crown prince took care of most things inside and outside of the kingdom... There was a lot of chatter about why he had not yet taken the throne.
Cale had thought that Alberu was waiting to turn the Roan Kingdom into a stronger kingdom or into an Empire before ascending the throne.
He also thought it might be because the continent was quite chaotic right now.
‘But that wasn’t it.’
The corners of Cale’s lips twisted up.
“Your highness, you were already the head.”
“Well... I won't disagree with your statement.”
The corners of Alberu’s lips twisted up as well. He then quickly continued to speak.
"There were no ancient texts in the Roan Kingdom's Grand Library that discussed the Gate to the Demon World. I investigated because I thought there might be something similar, but there was nothing.”
Alberu had looked for the name, ‘Gate to the Demon World,’ as well as the Eastern continent's Three Restricted Areas.
However, there was nothing in the ancient texts and only a few records about it in recent documents about the Gate to the Demon World that is one of the Three Restricted Areas.
“However, there were some ancient texts on the Demon World and the Demonic race that I organized for you so take it with you later. Take the recent information on the Gate to the Demon World as well.”
“Thank you very much.”
“No need to thank me for just that.”
“...Your highness, what are you doing?”
Cale started to frown.
“...That profane expression remains quite terrible no matter how many times I see it.”
Alberu commented before closing his eyes.
He then knelt to the floor. His hands were touching the tiles on the floor.
“It’s around here somewhere...”
“Are you looking for a place to put the seal?”
“Yeah.”
“Should I help you?”
“You make every situation bigger, so just stand there and watch.”
Cale looked upset. How could he make finding a place to put the seal bigger?
However, Alberu who had his eyes closed could not see Cale's expression as he focused on touching the floor.
“I found it.”
He then opened his eyes.
He immediately started to speak.
“...You scared me.”
“How?”
Alberu frowned while looking at Cale who was crouched right in front of him, before moving the hand holding the seal with an expression that seemed to be saying that there was no point in talking to Cale.
“Cale.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I'll tell you about this library's final rule.”
He closed his eyes again and put the seal in his right hand in the small gap under his left hand.
“This spot where all of the sun's gaze strikes down...”
The old seal touched the gap that would be hard to see with the naked eye.
Alberu turned his right hand.
“Close your eyes.”
Click.
Cale turned around after hearing a small click.
“...This.”
Cale realized why others could not come in here today.
The bookshelves started to move.
Every bookshelf on the first floor slowly started to move. Cale turned back after hearing Alberu’s voice.
Alberu had his eyes open and focused on one location as he started to speak.
This spot where all of the sun's gaze strikes down. Close your eyes.
“Then you’ll reach the place where you can avoid the curse.”
Cale looked toward the same direction as well.
He saw a space created by the moving bookshelves.
“It's darkness.”
A spot where no light could reach was created.
The sunlight would not reach this place during the day either.
Alberu walked toward it and Cale followed behind him.
“Alright, let’s go down.”
The spot covered by the bookshelves had a staircase heading down.
“It’s a path to the second floor of the basement.”
That was all Alberu said before he started to head down without any hesitation. Cale silently followed behind him.
Tap. Tap.
An old stone staircase heading underground...
Chhhh- Chhhh-
The magic torches on the walls of the dark staircase lit up as Cale and Alberu walked down.
“Why are you not saying anything?”
Cale who was walking behind Alberu heard Alberu’s voice.
“I'm sure you will tell me everything, your highness.”
“My goodness.”
Alberu shook his head from side to side.
“Are you not curious even though I used the word, ‘curse?’”
“Not really.”
“...You’re such... a cute dongsaeng.”
He let out a sigh and continued to speak.
There was still some time before they reached their destination.
“There are many records about the Crossman Royal family since the creation of the Roan Kingdom.”
“Of course.”
As the oldest royal family on the continent, both the Roan Kingdom and the rest of the continent had lots of records about the Roan Kingdom.
“However, there are not many records related to the Crossman household itself.”
Cale could tell that Alberu was differentiating the Crossman Royal family and the Crossman household since earlier.
“The records of the Crossman household are mainly passed down verbally. Furthermore, those records are only passed down to the descendants and nobody else. That’s the rule.”
Cale was thinking there were so many rules.
“To be honest with you...”
Tap.
Alberu stopped walking.
There was a stone door in front of him.
“Nobody knows the start of the Crossman household.”
“...The start?”
“Yes. There’s no record of the first head of the family. There are just records that have been passed down orally through generations.”
Alberu turned around and faced Cale.
“There’s something like this in one of those records. ‘Go around the world over and over. Keep doing that until I give you the revelation to go to the Land of Boulder.’ ”
The land called the Land of Boulder and had the legend of the Guardian of Boulder.
The Roan Kingdom that was built on that land...
“Go to that land, create a kingdom, and rule over it.”
Alberu put the seal on the hole on the stone door's surface.
Click.
The stone door opened by itself with a quiet noise.
Alberu stepped aside and Cale looked toward the opening door as he heard Alberu's voice.
“The head of the Crossman household ruled over the Roan Kingdom. He remembered this one thing as he did that.”
“Ah.”
Cale let out a gasp.
Screeech- boom!
Inside the open door...
A small stone chamber appeared.
It was as desolate and cold like a prison cell.
And on one wall of that stone chamber...
There was a large boulder instead of a wall. There were words written on the boulder.
< Descendants of the cursed blood. >
‘What? Cursed blood? Not the household blessed by the Sun God?’
Cale’s gaze quickly turned toward Alberu.
Alberu pointed toward the boulder.
“Read the rest.”
Cale turned his head.
He saw the rest of the statements written on the boulder.
< The touch of the Sun God will always be by your side. >
< Never set your eyes on taking over the sky. >
< The Sun will always rise. >
< The moment darkness is planted in your bodies... >
< The moment a person with that darkness becomes the head of the household, the sky will be destroyed and the ground will tremble. >
Click.
Cale turned his head after hearing a noise.
Quarter Dark Elf Alberu Crossman was standing there with his dye magic removed.
“The Crossman household always found the head’s appearance to be important. It was because they were worried about a different attribute that might be mixed in.”
He pointed to himself.
“They couldn't be mixed with the darkness attribute like me. That was why I hid myself.”
He had a twisted smile on his face.
“Now then. This is the unbelievable secret of the Crossman royal family.”
That twisted smile had both sorrow and shame for himself. At the same time, it had his unwavering self-pride as well.
“...Ah.”
Alberu gasped after seeing Cale blankly staring at the ceiling.
Was this punk also thinking that he should not be king?
Alberu did not trust such records. That was why he had whipped himself to strive to do his best.
“Excuse me. Hyung-nim, no, your highness?”
"What’s wrong? Are you shocked?”
Seeing Cale Henituse looking so shocked...
Alberu could not hide his bitterness.
However, Cale had no time to focus on Alberu’s bitterness.
He heard a voice in his mind.
- Now that I think about it...
The Super Rock nonchalantly added on.
- This crown prince kid looks more similar to the White Star every time I see him.
‘Hmm?’
- The ancient White Star. I was the only one on our side who saw his face. He looked like that. His eyes were a different color though. Ah, I don't know about his hair color either. We were both covered in blood as we fought.
- Oh. You saw his face? I never saw it because he was always wearing a white mask.
- I was the last one in the fight. I saw his face as the ancient White Star and I both died.
- Oh, amazing!
The cheapskate of the Fire of Destruction and the Scary Giant Cobblestone calmly chatted with each other.
Cale’s mind was quickly moving as that happened.
Descendants of the cursed blood.
Never set your eyes on taking over the sky.
And a person with darkness inside.
This could easily be thought of as someone having the darkness attribute. For example, people like Dark Elves and black mages. However, something else could be considered if he thought about it a bit differently.
‘Darkness. What if I consider that to be the Demon World?’
Cale was already thinking that the sky attribute ancient power in the White Star’s possession was from the Demon World.
Furthermore, the Sun God tried to tie the Crossman household down where his gaze could reach. He wanted to keep his eyes on the descendants of the cursed blood.
‘This, this-’
Shocking thoughts continued to fill Cale’s mind.
The Super Rock started to speak again.
- The more I see this crown prince, he really looks similar to the ancient White Star. Of course, this crown prince is more handsome. Why did I not notice until now?
‘You son of a... Why are you telling me that now?’
Cale subconsciously started to speak.
“Your highness.”
“Yes. What is it? Do you think I should not be king?”
Alberu had a self-mocking smile on his face as he heard Cale’s voice.
“I think your ancestor was a criminal?”
“Hmm?”
“Huh?”
The two of them just stared at each other with stupid expressions on their faces.