Minutes later, I was summoned to the Duke’s office. Lucas’ father, Duke Asturias Belmont, looked at me with a grim face. He was known for looking down on the weak and those of common blood. A pro-aristocrat to the core. However, he valued power, status, and knowledge above all. There’s a low chance that he would permit me to leave to see the ruins. It’s a gamble.

"Father." I said, bowing slightly in deference.

"Lucas, Emma tells me that you wish to visit the ruins near the eastern border. Care to explain?" he replied, his voice cold and authoritative.

"Yes, Father. I believe there are valuable artifacts and knowledge to be gained there. I am sure that it would greatly enhance our understanding of our empire's history." I calmly responded.

He then narrowed his eyes, studying me. "You think a child like you can uncover anything of worth? Do not waste my time with your childish whims, Lucas."

Despite the intimidation imposed upon me, I kept my gaze steady. "I assure you, Father, I am serious about this. Knowledge from the past can hold power, and I seek to strengthen our family with what I can find."

He leaned back in his chair, considering my words. The silence was thick and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. Finally, he spoke.

"Very well. I will allow this excursion of yours." he said. "But on one condition. You must bring back a valuable report. If you fail to deliver something of worth, there will be consequences. Do you understand?"

I nodded quickly. "Yes, Father. I understand. I won’t disappoint you."

"You had better not." he sternly said.

"You will leave tomorrow. Make the necessary preparations and take a small escort. Dismissed." Asturias proclaimed.

"Thank you, Father." I responded, bowing again before leaving the office.

As soon as the door closed behind me, I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. This was it. I had the chance I needed. But the stakes were high. If I didn’t find that skill book or something else of value, I’d face Asturias’ wrath. I couldn't afford to fail.

The next day, we set off for the ruins. The Belmont territory was conveniently close to the eastern border of the Empire, so it would only take a few hours to get there. I rode in a carriage, flanked by a small escort of guards, with Emma attending to me.

As the landscape blurred by, my thoughts drifted. Eleven years from now, I was destined to meet my end at the hands of the hero. It was a chilling thought, one that made my skin crawl. My demise was written and was set in stone by the author.

I had to admit, the prospect of dying a meaningless death scared me. But what scared me more was the thought of spending the next eleven years being unable to do anything about it.

As we got closer to the ruins, I could see the outline of the ancient stone structures peeking through the trees. This was my chance to change everything. If I could find the Soul Siphon skill book, I’d have the power to alter my fate. I’d prove to everyone, including my father, that I wasn’t weak, that I wasn’t just a pawn in someone else’s story.

When we arrived, I jumped out of the carriage and immediately began searching the ground for the trigger to open the trap door to the dungeon. Emma and the soldiers trailed behind me, looking confused.

I continuously stomped around the ground, until finally, I hit the trigger. The trap door to the dungeon creaked open, revealing a hidden entrance. Emma and the soldiers jumped back in shock.

Emma looked at me, worried. "Master Lucas, what is this place?"

"It's a dungeon." I said, exasperated. "Now, you fools, come and guard me. Emma, stay in the carriage."

"But Master Lucas—" she protested.

"Shut up and stay put!" I sharply cut her off.

“And you!” I impatiently pointed at the soldiers. “No questions when we're down there."

They nodded, lighting their torches as we descended into the dungeon. I then recalled one of the chapters from the story. This place was infested with low-level undead—zombies and skeletons lurking in the shadows. The adventurer party that stumbled upon this dungeon eight years later had no idea what they'd found. They were ignorant fools who sold the unique skill book to Lucas for a mere five silvers, not knowing its true value. They had no idea what a unique skill book looked like, let alone the immense power it contained. That ignorance might had been Lucas’ gain, but now, I’m here to claim it before anyone else.

"Stay close and keep your eyes open." I ordered my soldiers as their torches flickered, casting eerie shadows around us.

We had barely ventured further into the dungeon when the first wave of zombies and skeletons attacked. Their rotting flesh and clattering bones echoed through the narrow corridor with an unbearable stench. I watched as my soldiers fought valiantly, cutting down the undead with swift, brutal efficiency.

"Keep going!" I impatiently barked, my voice echoing off the stone walls. The soldiers pressed forward, dispatching the last of the enemies.

I remembered from the story that there was another trap door hidden somewhere in these walls, leading to the unique skill book. I began running my hands over the damp, cold stones, searching for the trigger.

When suddenly, a second wave of undead surged toward us, more numerous and ferocious than before. Zombies moaned and skeletons clattered, their sheer numbers overwhelmed my soldiers. Blood and screams filled the air as my men fought desperately, but it was clear we were losing ground.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Hold them off!" I shouted in panic.

Frantically, I continued searching the walls, my fingers scraping against the rough stone. A skeleton lunged at me, and I barely dodged its bony claws. One hit from its attack and I’m dead. Desperation fueled my movements until finally, I felt a hidden mechanism click beneath my fingers. The trap door swung open with a grinding noise.

"Here! This way!" I yelled, turning to see my soldiers falling under the relentless assault.

I jumped down the trap door, expecting them to follow. As we descended, the sounds of the undead echoed ominously above us. Then, I noticed something very alarming. Out of the six soldiers I had brought, only four remained. Two of my men had died and a fiery rage burned inside me. How did I miscalculated so badly?

"Damn it!" I irefully exclaimed, clenching my fists. I forced myself to stay focused and pressed on.

"Keep moving." I coldly commanded. "We couldn’t afford to waste time mourning."

Not long after, we made our way through the narrow, crumbling halls of the ancient ruins. It’s air thick with dust and the scent of rot.

After what felt like an eternity, I finally found it—a chest, ornately decorated and covered in ancient symbols. My heart raced as I sprinted towards it. This had to be it. The Soul Siphon unique skill book.

I carefully opened the chest, and there it was. The book's design was astonishing, intricate patterns of gold and silver inlaid on its cover. I stared at it, feeling a sense of bliss.

But I couldn't absorb it yet. I needed to show it to Asturias as proof that I had found something valuable. The Duke’s approval was crucial. If he saw this book, he would understand its significance.

"We need to find a way out of here. Keep your guard up. We're not safe yet." I announced, taking the book from the chest and securing it in my bag.

As we continued our search for an exit, a thought struck me. My Appraisal Unique Skill. Why hadn’t I thought of it sooner? I then focused on my surroundings and activated the Appraisal unique skill.

To my surprise, a faint glow highlighted a section of the wall, revealing a hidden trap door. I walked over and pressed against the marked spot. With a soft click, the wall shifted, and a trap door opened, leading outside to a cave in the forest.

"This way!" I proclaimed with a mix of relief and amazement in my voice.

We quickly exited through the trap door, emerging into the fresh air outside the cave. I took a moment to catch my breath as the forest breeze surrounded us.

Moments later, the realization hit me hard. The Appraisal skill had worked perfectly. If I had used it earlier, I could have detected traps, found hidden passages, and avoided danger. My heart sank as I thought of the two soldiers we had lost. Their deaths were on me. I had overlooked the usefulness of my own skill, and it had cost lives.

If only I had used Appraisal earlier, they might still be alive. But I had to remember, I am only human. A being capable of errors, capable of learning and growing.

Hours later, we returned to the mansion, and I wasted no time in reporting my findings to the Duke.

"Father." I said, bowing respectfully. "I regret to inform you that I am unable to find any significant historical findings at the ruins."

The disappointment on his face was evident, but I quickly added, "However, I did discover something else of great value."

His interest piqued as he leaned forward. "What is it?"

"I have discovered a dungeon underneath the ruins." I charismatically replied. “Sadly, it’s infested with undead and two of my escorts died. But they did not die in vain.”

I then kept on going, knowing I had his full attention. "If we were to monopolize this dungeon. Whether it be treasure or strategic advantages, it could greatly bolster our position and wealth.

The Duke's eyes lit up at the prospect as he forgotten his disappointment over the lack of historical findings.

"A profitable venture…" he mused, stroking his chin. "Very well, I shall look into it."

“Also,” I added as I reached into my bag and took out the Soul Siphon unique skill book. “As proof, I have found this rare artifact in the depths of the dungeon."

“And I wanted to give this as a gift to you, Father.” I generously acted as the Duke's eyes widened in surprise, tempted to take it away from my hands.

He knew it is a unique skill book, a valuable object that even the imperial family greedily sought. However, Duke Asturias fought off his temptations, wanting to show off his ‘proud and modest figure’ in front of his son.

"A rare artifact indeed..." he remarked in amazement as he paused for a second. "Keep it. It is your discovery."

I fought to keep a smirk off my face. My calculations had been correct! Even if the Duke had interest in the skill book, as long as he saw it as my reward for discovering it, he would never suspect that I had no intention of giving it to him.

"Thank you, Father," I said, bowing again. "I am honored by your generosity."

Once I was back in my room, I finally allowed myself a moment to breathe. With a mixture of anticipation and impatience, I opened the book.

As soon as I did, the book disintegrated into a black-purple essence that swirled around me before being absorbed into my body. I felt a surge of power coursing through my veins, and I quickly checked my status to confirm what I already knew.

Name: Lucas Belmont

Vitality: F- Tier

Strength: F- Tier

Agility: F- Tier

Endurance: F- Tier

Intelligence: E Tier

Wisdom: E Tier

Extra Skills: None

Skills: None

Unique Skills: [Appraisal] [Soul Siphon]

Curses: [Curse of the Weak] [Curse of the Talentless]

There it was—Soul Siphon, now listed among my abilities.

But my elation was short-lived as I remembered the next problem: The Curse of the Talentless. This curse had prevented me from learning any new skills. Even if I have the power to destroy the world, its useless if I don’t even know how to use it.

The real question was: how do I counter this curse?