As she stared into the vault, the cold air wrapped around her like a quiet warning.
Old enchantments humming under the stone floor.
This place wasn't just for storing power.
It was for sealing it.
Rows and rows of weapons. Potions. Cursed scrolls. Relics humming with forgotten gods' whispers.
Some glowed faintly. Others pulsed with a faint heartbeat-like rhythm.
Every one of them locked behind transparent glass covered in ancient runes—protection wards, identification scripts, containment circles.
And yet, none of it made her pause.
Rie walked slowly. No rush. No hesitation.
Reading.
Studying.
Not because she was undecided—no, she already knew what she came here to take.
But that didn't mean she was gonna skip the tour.
'There's something satisfying about knowing just how many world-ending weapons are collecting dust in one room…'
She grumble inwardly, after all that old man really like collecting item.
Every item had a plaque beneath it, glowing softly with auto-generated descriptions. Most were written in the standard tongue, others in dead languages.
She could read them all.
[Soul-Linked Fang Blade – A-rank]
A blade forged from the bones of a lycan cursed by the Moon Goddess herself. The more it cuts, the faster the user heals. Also attracts wild beasts if unsheathed under moonlight.
Status: Unstable. Recommended use: Night Combat.
[Curse Jar – S-rank]
Contains a living curse that feeds on emotional trauma. Once released, binds to target's soul and rots them from within. Uncontrollable after deployment.
Status: DO NOT OPEN. (Seriously.)
[Elixir of Stagnant Time – A-rank]
Freezes the body in its current state for 7 minutes. Can halt bleeding or nullify poison. Does not prevent mental or magical interference.
Side effects: Vomiting, migraines, and hallucinations. Possibly insanity.
She didn't take any of those.
Just kept walking. Slow steps. Eyes half-lidded, reading everything like she was in a cursed museum.
Which she was.
The old man standing at the vault's entrance didn't say a single word.
It was surpassing he didn't ask her to hurry.
He Just stared at her.
Looking at his face she can tell
'He was probably regretting unlocking this place for her.'
She smirked at the thought, and it deepened when she passed a sealed coffin in the far corner, marked with red wax and holy chains.
[Living Relic – Classified]
Note - Not for sale.
'Here it was'
She knew what inside it was but now is not the time to take it.
Through even if she wanted to, she was sure he's not going to give it to her.
So, she walks past it.
She went through everything.
Twice.
Just to make sure.
And after the third walk-through, after the last shelf of soul-bound rings and phoenix-etched gauntlets, she finally turned to the old man.
Looked him dead in the eye.
Voice calm. Firm. Final.
"I'll take the Dragon Blood, the Vampire Magic Orb… and those Gloves."