CHAPTER 177: VYAVAN DUKEDOM’S POTENTIAL [3]

Akamir’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"...An untamed dungeon?" he repeated, leaning back into his chair.

Raden nodded.

"It was hidden beneath the estate of Baron Kellin. After his... accident, we began clearing the underground cellars."

He took out another document that he passed to him.

"That’s when our men discovered a passage that leads to the dungeon."

Akamir took the document as he began to read it.

The first information about the Baron made him raise his brows.

"A wealth six times more than a Dukedom?"

He mumbled, looking up at the mimicker.

"Is this a mistake?"

Raden shook his head in response.

"There is none, my lord." He replied. "Since long before, Baron Kellin has been using the dungeon to make a fortune."

Akamir frowned as he kept on reading the document.

The more he read, the weirder his face would turn.

’How the fuck is he this rich?’

Most of the lands that Baron Kellin had were in different kingdoms.

His children and most of his concubines have lands in their name that are larger than towns.

Akamir flipped through the pages slowly, eyes narrowing with each line.

The numbers didn’t make sense. For a man who held a baron’s title, Kellin had moved like a king behind the curtains.

Dozens of trade routes. Mining operations in three regions. Merchant fleets.

Warehouses stuffed with rare goods and even a few black-market dealings cleverly hidden under fake aliases.

Akamir placed the papers down, tapping the table.

"How long has this been going on?"

"Decades," Raden replied calmly. "Possibly longer. He was smart. He never let his real wealth show inside the capital. Everything was moved through intermediaries."

Akamir leaned forward, brows furrowed.

"And no one found out?"

"Only a few suspected," Raden said. "But Kellin was careful. He kept his title low and didn’t get involved in politics. That way, he stayed off the radar."

Akamir nodded slowly. It made sense.

Greedy nobles often sought power, but Kellin had chosen secrecy instead.

And now, with him gone, all of it was falling into someone else’s hands.

His eyes went back to the paper.

"Who controls the estate now?"

"His eldest son, Roland Kellin, but we took his title and sealed the place as soon as we found out about this."

Akamir scoffed. "How old is Roland?"

"Twenty-four."

He tapped his finger on the table again.

"And the dungeon?"

"We sealed the entrance for now," Raden said. "But before we did, our scouts reported unusual mana pulses."

"Apart from the seven Core Dungeons...this is the only dungeon out there, right?"

Akamir asked, as he looked up at them.

Veres nodded in response. "And it’s precisely why we are in a problem."

Akamir raised his brow. "Who is making a problem?"

"Your fiancée, my lord." Raden replied with a small smile. "Queen Inara asked us to ’donate’ the dungeon to the royal family."

Akamir stared at Raden, his fingers pausing mid-tap.

"...She wants us to hand it over?" he asked flatly.

Raden nodded. "That’s what her messenger implied."

Akamir let out a breath through his nose, leaning back in his chair again.

His gaze shifted to Veres, who simply crossed his arms and looked away, clearly irritated.

’...Hmm, if used correctly then the dungeon can be used as a training ground.’

It also provides items and minerals that, if monopolised, can bring a lot of profits.

’I still don’t understand why the otherworlders decided to close all the dungeons.’

"What’s the official reason she gave for it?" Akamir asked, looking back at Veres.

"The royal family sees it as a state asset," Veres said, tone dry. "Because technically, the Baron’s land falls under the crown’s domain."

Akamir ran a hand through his hair, silent for a moment.

"...If it’s a state asset, then why didn’t the crown investigate this sooner?" he said, voice low. "Why wait until now...until it’s already been exposed and cleaned up by us?"

Neither Raden nor Veres answered immediately.

Because they already knew the answer.

’Hmm, I love how she is suppressing the nobles to keep herself on the throne...but why do it with my dukedom?’

Akamir rubbed his temples as he couldn’t help but smile.

’A troublesome woman indeed.’

Still, he doesn’t have any plans to pass it to her without making a profit himself.

’Maybe, I should talk with her before doing anything.’

But....

"We sent a team inside the dungeon," Akamir said. "I want a full report on what’s down there. Maps. Cores. Relics. Anything."

Raden bowed down immediately. "It shall be done, my lord."

Veres quickly interjected. "But if the Queen finds out—"

"Don’t worry about the Queen." Akamir said, shaking his head. "She would understand."

The old Steward nodded his head in response.

"Anyway, you guys can go now." Akamir said, stretching his body. "I would see all the other documents later on."

"Are you going somewhere, my Lord?" Veres asked, looking at him.

"Yeah, can you please ready the teleportation portal to the capital city?" Akamir asked with a soft smile. "I would like to visit my fiancée."

He bowed deeply. "It would be done, my lord."

Akamir gave him a quick nod as they walked out of the room.

Then, his gaze finally moved back to the woman floating in the air.

"Why did you guys close all the dungeons?" Akamir asked, rubbing his chin. "I don’t understand, weren’t they profitable for everyone?"

"Not all dungeons are just random magical holes full of monsters and loot," she said. "Some of them... were prisons."

"Prisons?"

"For things that should never wake up."

"And who made these prisons?"

Akamir asked, looking at her.

"The goddess of desire, Alista." Nayomi replied. "She made it as a way to imprison all those who were close to the Golden Sun."

Akamir frowned, his confusion even growing further. "Why would she do that?" He asked. "Can’t she just kill them?"

"She can’t." She replied. "Not all the things in this world can be killed."

"So, she sealed them in the dungeon." Akamir replied. "And you guys collapsed the dungeon to free them."

"More or less." She replied, appearing a little too unconcerned about it.

"Wait...what about the first elf?" He asked, looking at her. "Wasn’t she one of Golden Sun’s devotees?"

"What are you trying to ask?" Nayomi said, narrowing her eyes.

"Is she alive?" He replied, his tone flat.

Nayomi didn’t say for a while before she looked away.

"....It’s complicated."

’....What?’

Akamir stared at Nayomi for a moment.

Her gaze was suddenly distant—avoiding his.

He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. "Complicated how?"

Nayomi floated down, resting cross-legged mid-air above the chair opposite him.

"She wasn’t just a follower of the Golden Sun," she said slowly. "She was the last chosen."

Akamir frowned. "I know that much."

"You know what made Ieril special?" Nayomi asked, with a smile.

"What?"

"Her blind trust in Golden Sun itself." She replied. "She was such a devotee that the outer god gave her the blessing of immortality."

"...."

Akamir finally got what she was trying to say.

Even though in a roundabout manner, her words were simple.

"She is alive even now." Akamir mumbled. "Sealed somewhere away from everyone’s sight?"

Nayomi shook her head in response.

"Not away." She replied, smiling. "She is right in front of everyone, yet no one can see her."

"...."

Akamir leaned back on his chair, falling deep into his thoughts.

’...In front of everyone, huh?’

Akamir stayed silent for a long while, fingers gently tapping the table as the weight of Nayomi’s words settled over him.

"She’s hidden in plain sight..." he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

Nayomi stretched her arms over her head, floating lazily again like nothing she just said had been important.

"You shouldn’t worry about her." She replied. "She is none of your concern."

Akamir let out a sigh as he nodded his head in response.

"Yeah, you are right." He mumbled, standing up. "I should work on myself first."

The fight that he had with the Servants of Skinless made him realise he wasn’t that strong.

Sure, he was one of the strongest humans right now but it still isn’t enough.

’...They really mean it when they say humans are the weakest race out there.’

Nayomi watched him quietly, her expression unreadable.

"You’ve grown stronger," she said after a moment. "But you’re still relying on talent and luck."

Akamir turned his head toward her. "I thought I was doing pretty well for someone who’s technically still a teenager."

She scoffed. "And yet, the world doesn’t care about your age. The Skinless ones didn’t go easy on you, did they?"

He remembered the pressure of their presence.

One mistake and he would’ve died. No amount of clever words or noble blood would’ve saved him then.

"I need to get stronger," he said simply.

Nayomi floated down until she was eye-level with him.

"I would like to mentor you on this." She said, looking into his eyes. "The way to use the spirit energy."

Akamir gave her a nod before pushing her face aside. "But first I need to see Inara."