Chapter 50: The Throne Room
Solomon broke into a sprint the moment he was out of their sight. He relied entirely on the memories transferred during his inheritance. He knew every single corner, hidden staircase, and forgotten shortcut within the architecture.
The primary issue involved the centuries of decay. Collapsed ceilings and buried floors completely altered the layout. Taking these specific shortcuts posed a significant risk. Finding a blocked passage meant turning back and losing valuable time.
Solomon accepted the gamble and pushed his legs faster down the dark corridors.
The floating blue screen chimed with new messages.
[GoonLord: WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!]
[LazyCat: why did you just ditch the team?]
[User12: you literally just left the safest spot in the entire dungeon.]
Solomon glanced at the bronze owl keeping pace with him. "I am looking for treasure to sell. Meeting my monthly quota remains my top priority."
[User12: didn’t you already reach it?]
"I did, but what about next month? And the months after that?"
[BloodKnight: You should have stayed with them. They could easily protect you while you loot the surrounding rooms.]
[Skeptic101: classic streamer greed. he wants all the loot for himself.]
"They are on an official mission," Solomon explained while vaulting over a broken stone column. "I am incredibly thankful they stuck with me and kept me alive this long. I simply do not want to invade their privacy or get in their way. People generally hate live streamers, and I prefer not to overstay my welcome."
The chat reacted immediately to his reasoning.
[LazyCat: respectful Solo Man is back.]
[User12: bro actually has basic manners.]
[GoonLord: OKAY THAT IS FAIR BUT PLEASE DO NOT DIE ALONE IN THE DARK!]
[NewbHunter: good luck finding anything in this rubble.]
Solomon navigated a sharp turn and darted down a narrow servant’s stairwell. He needed to outpace Zoro, Miro, and Vlad while completely avoiding any wandering enemies. He kept his grip firm on the hilt of Eden’s Penance and focused entirely on reaching the throne room.
Solomon sprinted down the spiraling servant staircase. The stone steps crumbled beneath his boots, forcing him to leap gracefully across widening gaps.
The inherited memories provided a perfect map of the original layout, allowing him to anticipate every blind corner and hidden trapdoor.
He burst into a grand dining hall. The ceiling had caved in centuries ago, leaving a mountain of rubble blocking the primary exit.
"Looks like a dead end," Solomon said to the floating camera. "We will take the scenic route."
He grabbed a decaying tapestry hanging from the balcony above. Using his momentum, he swung himself over the rubble pile and landed neatly on the second-floor gallery. The stream interface instantly lit up with point donations.
[LazyCat: 10/10 dismount.]
[GoonLord: How do you know exactly where to go? You are running through this place like you own it.]
[User12: bro is literally playing a speedrun simulator.]
Solomon jogged past a row of broken knight statues. "I studied the architectural blueprints of ancient Eden before diving into this dungeon." He fabricated the lie effortlessly to protect his secret. "Preparation is key to survival."
He approached a sealed stone door at the end of the gallery. According to his memories, this specific entrance required a sequence to unlock. Three stone tiles lined the adjacent wall.
Solomon pressed the right tile, then the left, and finally the center. The internal gears groaned, and the door immediately slid open.
[BloodKnight: I have watched dozens of veteran teams get stuck on those archaic locks. You just bypassed it in three seconds.]
[TreasureHunter: Did you really memorize the trap sequences too?]
Solomon stepped into a narrow maintenance shaft. He slid down a slanted, polished stone chute that originally transported laundry to the lower levels. He dropped into a flooded storage room, splashing ankle-deep into stagnant water.
A group of glowing, animated candlesticks floated aggressively toward him, shooting tiny sparks of fire. Solomon casually swatted them aside with the flat of his blade.
He spotted an intact silver goblet resting on a nearby shelf and quickly pocketed it. He stored it in the owl’s inventory. The item would definitely fetch a decent price back on the surface.
"I told you guys I was looking for loot," Solomon said, tapping his pocket with a grin.
He pushed open a rotted wooden door and entered a long corridor adorned with faded murals. He needed to maintain his lead over Zoro, Miro, and Vlad.
Those three were currently fighting their way through the main halls, drawing all the attention and clearing out the bulk of the wandering enemies.
Solomon used their noisy distraction to his complete advantage. He navigated a series of ruined ballrooms and collapsed conservatories, leaping over bottomless pits and ducking under falling debris.
He entirely avoided any unnecessary combat encounters by taking obscure maintenance tunnels and hidden royal escape routes.
The palace layout became increasingly familiar with every step. The intricately carved pillars shifted to a pristine, polished white marble. He sprinted past a destroyed indoor garden and skidded to a halt in front of a pair of golden doors.
The royal throne room sat just beyond the threshold.
Solomon pushed open the golden doors and stepped into the throne room. The hall lay in complete ruins, contrasting completely with the pristine architecture from his inherited memories. Fractured pillars lined the walkway, and the ceiling opened directly to the black sky.
Despite the decay, the space looked incredibly intimidating and captivating, practically calling to him from the shadows.
He glanced around and found the signs of countless battles. Some were old and ancient, while some were recent. There were bloodstains and decaying bodies lying around.
’This is where the undead paladin normally wandered around. If I had initially fought him in an open place like this, I would have died even before he could pull me into his world and train me for fifteen years,’ Solomon thought to himself.
He walked further inside and reached the stone steps leading to the royal seat. He climbed them one by one until he stood at the very top.
