Karnak, Monarch of Death-Chapter 147: Maleficus Dungeon (2)

When Leven had just turned sixteen, he was deeply immersed in training at the Strauss family estate alongside his older brother, Emil. Emil often left the estate to train alone, and during one of his excursions, he stumbled upon an ancient ruin partially revealed within the forest.

The Strauss family’s influence extended not only over their territory but across the entire Delphiad region. Given the vastness of this territory, discovering ancient ruins wasn't particularly uncommon. Typically, such discoveries were handed off to the adventurers' guild.

However, this particular ruin was unusually close to the family estate, within a half-day's walk at most. Thus, the Strauss Duchy decided to handle the matter personally. Renowned treasure hunters were recruited and an exploration team was formed with knights and soldiers from the family’s ranks. The discovered ruins were named the Keliante Dungeon.

But Emil, the original discoverer, had no interest in the dungeon exploration. He was dedicated solely to the path of the sword, and more annoyed by the commotion that disrupted his usual training in the forest.

Leven, on the other hand, often joined the exploration efforts. Initially, his interest was purely driven by curiosity. The dungeon was so close to home that it felt almost like a place he could casually visit. Whenever he found time during his training, he would tag along with the exploration team.

As a member of the Strauss family, Leven had been trained in swordsmanship from a young age. Even at sixteen, his skills surpassed those of most knights. He frequently ventured into the dungeon and participated in battles. Gellard didn’t stop him. After all, Emil was the heir to the Strauss family. Leven, the second son, was given a bit more freedom.

Of course, if Leven had spent his time idly wandering, he would have faced reprimands. But dungeon exploration was seen as a form of practical training and thus allowed. During these excursions, Leven became deeply fascinated by treasure hunting and dungeon exploration.

The treasure hunters hired by the Strauss family weren't particularly strong. Compared to the family's knights—and even to Leven himself—they were weak. In a one-on-one duel, Leven was confident he could defeat any of them ten times out of ten. And yet, it was always the treasure hunters who saved his life in the dungeon.

This opened Leven's eyes to a new perspective, one he hadn't encountered on the path of the sword. Swordsmanship wasn't everything. Sometimes, wisdom and knowledge could surpass raw strength.

—With this... maybe I can surpass Emil.

No matter how hard he trained, he knew he could never catch up to Emil on the path of the sword. So perhaps he could walk a different path, a path that belonged to him alone.

And so, a year passed. Leven's fascination with treasure hunting only deepened. By the time he turned seventeen, he formally approached his father with a request. He wanted to become an adventurer, a treasure hunter. Gellard's response was unexpected.

—Do as you wish.

The Martial King showed little reaction to his second son's declaration of wanting to live the nomadic life of an adventurer. Gellard's entire focus was on Emil. The family's future revolved around the eldest son, leaving Leven's pursuits to barely register on his radar. He was content with letting his second son do whatever he wanted.

—Just don't become a burden to Emil later.

Having witnessed his father's favoritism toward Emil his entire life, Leven wasn't particularly hurt by the remark. He was simply glad to receive approval without resistance. For the next two years, Leven roamed the world as an adventurer. He followed senior treasure hunters, exploring dungeons across the Seven Kingdoms and steadily building his experience.

In the process, he earned a bit of fame. While he might pale in comparison to Emil, Leven's skills were far too advanced for a mere treasure hunter. His reputation grew naturally.

When Leven turned nineteen, the world changed. The goddess's prophecy about the Shadow of Doom was officially revealed, and cultists and necromancers began appearing everywhere. It was no longer a time for exploring ruins or leisurely treasure hunting.

Leven put his treasure-hunting pursuits on hold and began working as a shadow hunter, cooperating with the church of the goddesses to combat the rising evil.

"Somehow, I ended up gaining quite a reputation as a shadow hunter," Leven said, scratching his head awkwardly. "One of the priests I worked with recommended me to the central order, and... well, that's how I came to work for the Kings' Order."

***

After listening to his story, Varos sent a telepathic message to Karnak.

—So the past has changed.

Originally, Leven would have stayed at the Strauss estate training diligently until Emil's death.

—It’s not that surprising anymore, given how much has changed since we turned back time.

—No, this one seems worth paying attention to.

Karnak’s expression turned serious.

—Why?

—This feels oddly familiar.

—What do you mean?

—The fact that Leven discovered a dungeon when he was sixteen, about four years ago.

It was closely aligned with the discovery of the copper mine in Zestrad territory.

—Even the circumstances are similar.

Emil stumbled upon the ancient ruin while training in the forest? It mirrored how Karnak's second brother, Paralt, had supposedly discovered the copper mine while training in the mountains near their estate.

—I didn't think much of it back then, but in hindsight, that story was odd too.

—What part of it?

—Varos, put yourself in Paralt’s shoes. Imagine you're training in the mountains and stumble upon a random cave.

Karnak let out a bitter laugh.

—Would you be able to tell it was a copper mine?

—Now that you mention it...

Even if Zestrad's copper mine was more of an open-pit site, identifying it as a significant vein just by looking at the exposed areas would require considerable geological knowledge.

—And Paralt wasn't exactly a scholar, was he?

Karnak scoffed.

—He could barely read. No way he figured that out himself.

Varos' expression hardened slightly.

—Wait a minute. When was the Keliante Dungeon supposed to be discovered originally? I know it was near the Strauss estate.

The origins and locations of most ancient ruins were often unclear. They were frequently hidden in remote areas, and treasure hunters often deliberately kept such information secret. But the Keliante Dungeon was an exception. Its proximity to the Strauss family estate made it infamous.

An ancient ruin appearing next to a family as prominent as the Strauss, rivaling even a royal family, was bound to attract attention. Even those outside the treasure-hunting world had heard of it. Karnak also remembered exactly when it was supposed to have been discovered.

—It wouldn't have been found for another ten years.

There was a reason Karnak recalled this so precisely. Around that time, numerous dungeons across the Seven Kingdoms, including the Keliante Dungeon, were unearthed in rapid succession.

It all stemmed from the great famine Karnak had caused. The crops most farmers relied on were struck by a devastating blight, leaving the majority of them to wither and die. Desperate for survival, many abandoned their homes in search of a livelihood.

Some even ventured deep into monster-infested mountains and dense forests, unintentionally uncovering hidden ruins in the process. This famine wasn't caused by a natural climate anomaly. It was an engineered disaster, a deliberate pestilence that specifically targeted crops.

In other words, the fruits of the forest and the animals of the mountains remained largely unaffected by the famine. However, these areas were often teeming with monsters, which had previously discouraged people from venturing there. But with their farms devastated, many had no choice but to attempt foraging and hunting in these perilous regions.

Many perished at the hands of monsters during their desperate search, yet in the process, numerous hidden ruins were uncovered.

—The Keliante Dungeon should have been discovered in a similar manner. Not so early.

Listening to their conversation, Serati tilted her head curiously.

—But didn't you say the Zestrad copper mine wasn't discovered even in the future? Isn't this situation different?

Karnak shrugged.

—That's what I thought too, but...

He trailed off, then chuckled wryly.

—The truth is, I don't actually know if the mine was developed later or not.

—How could you not know if a copper mine was found in your own territory?

—Because it wasn't my territory at the time.

By the time a copper mine might have been discovered in the Zestrad territory, there was no Zestrad family left to claim it. Other nobles who had taken over the land might have developed the mine later, but...

—At that point, I was too busy running for my life. I didn’t care much about a homeland I’d long abandoned.

Karnak fell silent, his expression contemplative. A single coincidental discovery of a copper mine could be chalked up to luck, but the recurrence of similar situations suggested something more deliberate.

Could someone be systematically developing mines and ruins ahead of time?

If there were others like him, with knowledge of the future, it wouldn’t be implausible. Karnak turned to Leven, curiosity evident on his face.

"I have a question," he began.

"Yes? What is it?" Leven replied politely.

"In that dungeon you mentioned, did you uncover any ancient treasures?"

"Yes, quite a bit," Leven said with a nod. "It was an untouched ruin, after all."

"And what happened to the treasures?"

"As is customary, they were divided between the treasure hunters and my family. Most of it was sold to the Tecas merchant guild."

"The Tecas merchant guild?"

"Yes. They were the ones who introduced us to the treasure hunters."

Leven's expression turned slightly puzzled, as if to ask why Karnak seemed so interested in such a mundane detail.

Karnak quickly improvised. "I was just wondering what we should do if we find treasures here. Can they be sold for a good price?"

Leven shook his head. "I wouldn't get my hopes up. This is an abandoned site, after all."

The Maleficus Dungeon wasn't an untouched ruin. It had been explored multiple times by treasure hunters in the past and abandoned for so long that monsters had reclaimed it as their home.

"The valuable items were likely taken long ago," Leven added.

"I see. That's disappointing," Karnak said with a light sigh, wrapping up the conversation.

But as soon as Leven turned away, Karnak's brow furrowed.

—Tecas merchant guild again?

Initially, when he had first turned back time, Karnak had thought of the Tecas merchant guild as a convenient group—one that handled mining and other tedious affairs. But for some reason, they were becoming frequently involved in various matters.

—They’re suspicious.

Serati raised an eyebrow, skeptical.

—Would a mere merchant guild dare to meddle with the likes of the Martial King's family?

—This kind of subtle meddling doesn't leave much room for trouble.

Whatever their methods, the discoveries of dungeons and mines always seemed tied to the families themselves, not directly to the Tecas merchant guild. The guild approached legally and conducted business transparently to earn only reasonable profits.

—That's why we never suspected them before.

For now, though, rescuing Edia remained the priority.

—First, we'll handle our immediate business and save our merchant guild. After that, it won't hurt to look into the Tecas guild. They're a competitor, after all.

***

Karnak and his party continued their journey deeper into the dungeon. They steadily dispatched monsters and avoided the roaming wraiths as they progressed. Before long, the surroundings began to change. The frequency of structural damage sharply decreased, and the condition of the ceilings and walls improved significantly. Turning a corner down one of the corridors, they came upon a sizable chamber.

Peering inside, Leven whispered, "This must be the residential area."

Even without his observation, the group could tell this was a living space. Unlike the decrepit paths they had traversed so far, this area had magical lanterns and torches affixed to the walls, casting steady light across the chamber.

Moreover, there were items present that would never exist in a place infested by monsters or wraiths. There was laundry, lots of it, hung out to dry in haphazard lines across the room.