I've Inherited the Summoning Skill, So I'm Going to Try to Master It! - Episode 22: In Other Words, a Hidden Door

Episode 22: In Other Words, a Hidden Door  

With Brother Leonard leading the way, we proceeded down the corridor. The Lightmoth’s glow illuminated the path, which was made of stacked bricks. Unlike the deteriorated entrance door, these bricks showed no signs of wear.  

That’s strange. Do indestructible bricks exist in this world? Curious, I reached out to touch them. But aside from their cool, smooth texture, I couldn’t gather any other information. They were probably stone.  

“Strange, isn’t it? These bricks have remained unchanged for as long as anyone can remember.”  

“How long exactly?”  

“According to what I’ve heard, since before this castle was built.”  

Wait… What did they build the castle on top of?! If what Brother Leonard said was true, then this place must be some kind of ancient ruin. Is this really safe?  

As we continued forward, we arrived at a circular chamber. In the center stood a pedestal. But nothing was placed on top of it.  

It felt strangely empty. What was this room meant for? It also seemed like this was a dead end. Could there be a hidden chamber? I had a strong feeling there was.  

“Brother Leonard, what is this room?”  

“As you can see, it appears to be an empty room… but it holds a little secret.”  

Saying that, Brother Leonard walked toward the pedestal at the center. I followed closely behind him. I was still carrying Lagios in my arms.  

Brother Leonard took out a knife, cut his finger, and let a single drop of bl00d fall onto the pedestal.  

“Brother?”  

“It’s fine. I can use healing magic. Heal! See? Good as new.”  

The wound had completely closed. Magic is amazing. Even though I know I can’t use it, I still can’t help but admire it.  

As I was thinking that, the room suddenly changed. A new entrance appeared out of nowhere.  

“This is a special door that only appears when royal bl00d is placed on the pedestal. Basically, only the royal family can enter.”  

“What’s inside?”  

“Fufufu, you’ll see when we go in.”  

With my heart pounding, I followed Brother Leonard inside.  

It was a treasure vault.  

Weapons and armor were displayed on the walls and shelves. While colorful gemstones, gold coins, and chests filled with treasure were scattered across tables and the floor.  

Incredible. The treasure vault was real.  

“This is amazing! So this was hidden down here all along!”  

“The underground structure is built to be extremely sturdy. It serves as an emergency reserve.”  

“Does everyone know about this?”  

“I think all our family members do. And now, so do you, Rufus.”  

It seemed they had kept it a secret from me until I inherited my skill. Only after undergoing the Skill Inheritance Ceremony was I considered a full-fledged member of the royal family. I guess this meant I was officially one of them now… That’s a lot of pressure.  

“Lagios, what’s wrong? You’ve been staring at the same spot for a while now.”  

Lagios had been fixated on a particular section of the wall. Not just Lagios—Cayenne and Beartolt were also staring at the same place.  

This is starting to feel creepy. If this turns into a horror situation, I’m out.  

“Master, I sense the presence of a companion beyond that wall.”  

“A companion? You mean there’s another magical creature like you beyond the wall?”  

“Most likely.”  

“Hmm? What’s going on, Rufus?”  

Brother Leonard must have noticed our unease and walked over. What should I do? Should I tell him? I probably should. If there’s something behind that wall, it might be important to me.  

“Brother Leonard, is there something beyond that wall?”  

“No, I don’t think so. This room should be the end of the passage.”  

Saying that, he walked fearlessly toward the wall. Brother Leonard sure was brave. No way I’d have the guts to do that.  

He knocked on the wall to check. It didn’t sound hollow—it seemed completely solid.  

We moved closer to inspect it ourselves. No matter how I looked at it, it was just an ordinary brick wall.  

Could it be one of those cliché situations where pressing the right brick opens a hidden door?  

“Lagios, did you figure anything out?”  

“The presence has grown stronger. There is definitely something beyond this wall.”  

“That’s terrifying! I wanna go home!”

“Master, could you place your hand on the wall?”  

“No way, that’s too scary…”  

“Rufus, since we’re already here, why not give it a try? It doesn’t seem to react to me at all. It’s probably something that only works when touched by someone with a Summoning Skill.”  

Why does Brother Leonard look so excited about this? If something goes wrong, *he’s* the one who’ll get in trouble!  

But……… since he went out of his way to bring me here, I can’t exactly refuse. Reluctantly, I reached out and touched the wall.  

The moment I did, faint lines of light began to creep across its surface. Startled, I quickly pulled my hand back. But the glow continued spreading until it eventually faded.  

What was that? Did I just imagine it?  

“The wall is moving!”  

“Hyah!”  

I instinctively clung to Brother Leonard. Even if I have the mind of an adult, scary things are still scary! Lagios was caught between us. It let out a muffled grunt. But I needed it to endure for now.  

Because, seriously—the wall was silently and smoothly sliding open! That’s creepy, right?!  

The wall finally stopped moving. It revealed a small hidden chamber.  

Inside, there was only one thing: a single, *highly* suspicious-looking treasure chest sitting alone in the middle of the room.  

That’s it, isn’t it? That’s what Lagios and the others sensed—a magical creature.  

Could it be… a trap box?  

No matter how I looked at it, it was just an ordinary treasure chest.