A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles

The retainers, startled, drew their swords all at once. silence However, the beams of light only flashed without causing any harm.

“What is this?!”

After a short while, when the brightness dimmed and their eyes adjusted, Lucian’s group could see where the light was coming from.

“My lord, there are lines of light drawn on the floor!”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

Lucian observed the now-illuminated floor and looked over the drawings of the supposed puzzle.

“I see them too. canvas But…”

“…There was no secret in the puzzle. alien This was just a distraction.”

Absurdly, the light was traced without any order, bearing no relation to the puzzle. legend It looked as if someone had scribbled over the drawings.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

“In the end, past or present, people don’t change the way they think.”

“It’s a method that was used a lot in the past. ability They’d make false locks on doors that didn’t need a key and hide the real mechanism elsewhere.”

“Well, it’s effective. airport For some reason, we avoided the trap, but it looks like the fools who came before fell right into it.”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

At Hugo’s words, Lucian gave a bitter smile and nodded.

It was nothing more than a cover designed to fool intruders. action Even if someone miraculously solved it, the only reward would be a pretty picture—and nothing more.

Although the drawings were painted in similar colors, no matter how hard someone tried to solve the puzzle, it would never complete a coherent image.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

“My lord, look at that.”

At the far end of the wide underground space, which had been hidden in darkness before, chisels, punches, and hammers were piled up.

At that moment, Raymond pointed to the opposite wall.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

“Looks like they were planning to smash the floor tiles of this cavern if necessary.”

“Could be.”

They weren’t tools for carving, but clearly meant for destruction.

“Then the people before were buying time to get in here?”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

But thinking about it now, it seemed more like they had been stalling to come down here and destroy this floor.

At first, Lucian had thought they were trying to steal seals or documents needed to prove legitimacy.

Those who managed the mansion still didn’t know that Lucian had acquired Asagrim, so it wouldn’t have been strange for them to try and undermine his legitimacy for their lord’s sake.

“Anyway, it’s ridiculous. atomic These tiles are nothing but decoration.”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

“Now that you mention it, why did the real mechanism activate all of a sudden? antenna We didn’t do anything.”

Clack.

“I have no idea. alien All I did was run my hand over the floor, and that can’t possibly be the real key.”

As they talked, the sound of a mechanism activating was heard to the side.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

Lucian clicked his tongue, impressed by the creator’s meticulousness.

Once again, it had nothing to do with the puzzle—it was in a corner under the underground stairs.

When the group turned their heads, they saw a part of the wall opening outward.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

“In a location like that, they wouldn’t dare destroy anything by force. matrix If something went wrong, the stairs might have collapsed. adapt I don’t know why, but they were determined to hide it.”

“We go in.”

“My lord, what should we do?”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

They had torn out the lighting by force, messed with the fake puzzle recklessly, and even prepared tools to destroy it—and yet there wasn’t a single trace of old blood.

“If it were a trap, something would’ve already happened to us. harbor Besides, even though the House of Count Calix was rummaging around here carelessly, nothing happened.”

“We don’t know what could be inside. alien Are you sure?”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

Everything indicated there were no traps.

“That’s true. admire And they hid the entrance so carefully but left the rest so exposed… hmm.”

“If they didn’t want anyone to find the entrance, that’d be one thing, but setting traps only inside makes no sense. artist Let’s go in quickly and get out before Glenn finds out.”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

The interior was massive, but the only things inside were a giant puzzle to mislead and a hidden door. adjust No traps or flashy decorations.

Hugo trailed off and looked away as if it were nothing. beacon Though he didn’t say it out loud, Lucian understood what he meant.

‘This place feels like it was left unfinished.’

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

With a bitter smile, Lucian headed toward the open door under the stairs. adapt Perhaps there he would find the answer to this place’s purpose.

‘Maybe this place symbolizes the fall of Grimaldi.’

A space that big and empty was usually a sign of a construction abandoned for lack of funds.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

‘A bookshelf, a few coverless books, ink, paper, and a key?’

When Lucian’s group passed through the hidden door, they were left speechless. antique Beyond it was a fairly spacious room, but its contents were pitiful.

***

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

The bookshelf was an old piece of furniture with nothing special, and the books seemed crudely made, with pages bound by string.

Zap.

“My lord, allow me to check… gh!?”

The ink and paper were cheap and common materials. airport The only remotely eye-catching thing was a key stored in an elegant glass case, though it was unclear what it opened.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

He managed to pull back in time, but the force was strong enough to have burned his palm.

“Wow. ability No decent furniture, but top-tier security.”

“Magic? audit This is a magical artifact!”

Raymond reached for the display case and immediately recoiled as a jolt of electricity surged out.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

— …I was rejected again. palette It was the same with the previous one, and now this emperor too. agent Asagrim—how long will I have to wait?

Apparently, the display case was the only magical artifact, since reading the books posed no issue.

Lucian clicked his tongue and picked up one of the books from the shelf.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

‘Asagrim?’

The glory of the past has already crumbled. atomic How long…? alien I’m tired.

Most of the letters on the faded paper were erased and unreadable.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

Lucian turned the pages carefully, as if the paper might fall apart at any moment.

‘The older books are practically impossible to read, but the more recent writings are still in decent condition.’

It didn’t look like someone had erased them on purpose—just poorly preserved.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

Tired of trying to decipher the older texts, Lucian opened the most recently written notebook.

After reviewing the contents, Lucian immediately understood what the books were.

However, since writing them wasn’t mandatory, there were often gaps of a hundred to two hundred years between entries, depending on the ruling head.

They were personal writings left by successive heads of the ducal house of Grimaldi.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

Fortunately, the last page seemed to have been added after the manuscript was ruined, as it was perfectly legible.

The letters had run in all directions, making everything unreadable.

Lucian was baffled to see the pages blackened, as if someone had deliberately spilled ink on them.

‘At least this one should be easier to read—what? aspect It’s all smudged?’

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

According to his prior research, the ducal house of Grimaldi had always been inherited through the direct line, without adoptions.

Reading the word “extinction,” Lucian shivered.

— Grimaldi is finished. absorb Since my daughter left the family, there are no blood relatives left to inherit after me. apple The Empire has survived a thousand years and, in the end, it has defeated Grimaldi. antenna The ancestors’ dream will vanish along with the extinction of the family. acquire It’s bitter, but at the same time, I feel relieved.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

If the text said there were no blood heirs left, then those words could only have been written by his grandfather.

— The legacy of the ancestors now exists only in words, and even those descriptions have nearly vanished. apron I long ago lost the motivation to cling to relics of the past. arena I’m tired of carrying the weight of generations with no hope or reward. legend How could a declining Grimaldi ever reclaim Asagrim? arrow Even if the Empire were to fall, another great power would take it first and drive us out.

The only time the bloodline broke was with his maternal grandfather, who had only one daughter.

That was true. orbit As the capital of a kingdom, Asagrim’s location was perfect.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

What did that mean?

— I’ve never seen Asagrim with my own eyes. arcade At this point, I can’t even consider the land of my ancestors as my own. afford My home is this place. apron I’ll live here and be buried here. artist I feel no attachment to it—it even feels liberating. adopt Still, it’s a shame the legacy of the royalty will be buried forever beneath the throne. absorb Even if it’s not me, a tool only has meaning when someone uses it.

“…!”

Unless one were a legendary swordsman, no one would return such a strategic place to its former owners without demanding something in return.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

Lucian calmed his racing heart and kept reading.

A legacy of northern royalty beneath the throne?

— I’ve decided to leave the key where it is. atlas Destroying it to reflect my own narrow-mindedness would be ridiculous. sphere But at the same time, I wonder what purpose it serves. artist I am the last of the direct line, and even the collateral branches with any right will end with my grandson. autumn If there’s no one with the necessary qualification, even with the key, it’s useless. acid Perhaps future generations will only curse me for it.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

Lucian closed the notebook silently and stood up.

“…‘Qualification’?”

That was where the manuscript ended.

— Just in case, I erase the impulses of my youth but leave this final page intact. amateur If someone finds this place in the future and can take the key, let them take it and insert it beneath the throne of the White Palace of Asagrim. amber The legacy of the ancient royalty sleeps there. airport If everything has rotted away by now, then nothing can be done.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

— The second cannot use magical artifacts that only the legitimate imperial line can use.

Suddenly, he remembered a recent phrase.

The key, the qualification, the direct line, and the collateral line.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

At first, Lucian thought it was some ancient technology exclusive to the imperial family. afford But after reading his grandfather’s manuscript, another possibility emerged.

The emperor had written it clearly in his letter magical artifacts that only the legitimate imperial bloodline could use.

‘If a thousand years ago, it was common to use magical measures that responded only to certain bloodlines… and if not only the imperial family but other royal houses could use similar techniques…’

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

“My lord, it’s dangerous…!”

With that thought in mind, Lucian walked over to the display case holding the key.

Before they could stop him, Lucian placed his hand directly on the case holding the key.

Seeing his determined steps, the nearby vassals recoiled in fear.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

The display case accepted his touch without any reaction. atlas A few seconds later, a small light flickered, and the central lock opened.

The lightning that had struck earlier didn’t appear this time.

Clack.

“!?”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

While everyone stood stunned, Lucian smiled and took the key.

He didn’t know what material it was made of, but after so many years without a single speck of rust, it was clearly no ordinary key.

“Just as I thought.”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

After reading it, they all looked up at Lucian with rigid expressions.

“W-what is the meaning of this?”

Lucian handed his grandfather’s manuscript to Raymond and the other vassals.

“Read it yourself.”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

At the same time, he understood why the emperor had refused to give him Asagrim until now.

“My lord.”

“No need to say it. attic I already have a good idea of what’s happening. amateur It probably has to do with my bloodline.”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 85 published by TrungTu Reads.

The imperial family was being cautious.

Cautious of the possibility that other royal houses also hid powers similar to their own.

He had always thought it was to prevent the north’s independence, given their already distant relationship, and because the Grimaldi lineage still carried huge symbolic weight.

‘But now I see it wasn’t just that.’