Chapter 122: Duke Vault [2]

Hans smirked, sensing my hesitation,

“Relax. The guardian for this floor isn’t stationed here.”

Relief washed over me.

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding and picked up my pace to follow him again. As we walked, Hans continued with his usual lecture tone.

“I’ve already unlocked the door to the second floor. All you need to do is head down, look around, and choose. Don’t let appearances fool you—some of the strongest relics look completely ordinary. Take your time. Don’t rush.”

His words were relaxed, like someone casually passing down trade secrets. But suddenly, mid-sentence, he froze.

Not just his words—his footsteps came to a sharp stop.

Naturally, I halted behind him, confused. Then I saw why.

“…What brings the Lady here?”

Hans’s voice dropped, both surprised and slightly wary.

Standing just ahead near the first-floor entrance was Alice.

Gone was the bloodied battle gear. She now wore a simple blouse tucked into fitted riding pants, her long hair loosely tied behind her shoulders. In one hand, she held her sword, sheathed. In the other, her polished armor.

“Oh, Hans. Nothing too important,” she replied casually. “Just returning my equipment.”

“You could’ve sent Julies for that,” Hans replied, his tone firm, tinged with disappointment.

His eyes flicked sharply toward me, like a silent reprimand. It was the kind of glare that said: You had one job.

But before he could say more, Alice spoke again with a soft chuckle.

“Don’t be so hard on him, Butler. I didn’t give him a chance to retrieve it.”

“…Is that so?”

She glanced in my direction and gave me a quick wink—sly and perfectly timed so only I could see it.

Thanks to that little save, I was spared what would’ve been another lecture on proper servant duties. I made a mental note to thank her later. Not that she’d accept it. Knowing Alice, she’d probably just smirk and say we were even.

“Oh, and while I’m here,” she added smoothly, “I figured I might as well give him a quick tour.”

Hans’s brow furrowed slightly. “A tour?”

“Well, he did win the martial tournament,” she said, tone still light. “It’d be a shame to let him stumble into something underwhelming.”

Her voice was calm, but beneath the surface I sensed something else—curiosity, maybe even a quiet challenge. She wasn’t just here to help. She wanted to see what I would choose. Or maybe what I’d become.

Hans looked unconvinced. “Have you obtained Lord Alstein’s approval for this?”

Without missing a beat, Alice pulled a folded parchment from her pocket.

“Here,” she said, handing it over. “My father’s signature.”

Hans accepted it with both hands, carefully unfolding it. His eyes skimmed the lines of neat handwriting.

A moment passed in silence. Then another.

Finally, Hans gave a slow nod.

“Understood. The Lady is knowledgeable in relics. I’m sure she’ll be of assistance.”

He stepped aside, gesturing toward the winding stairway that led into the depths of the vault.

“I’ll leave him in your care, then. Julies—be cautious.”

His voice was softer now, still laced with that ever-present tone of duty and concern.

I gave him a brief bow. “Yes, sir.”

Once Hans disappeared from view, his footsteps fading behind us, Alice turned toward the stairs and smirked.

“Well, shall we go treasure hunting?”

“…That sounds a little ominous coming from you.”

“Would you prefer ’raiding an ancient deathtrap riddled with cursed junk’?”

“Wow. Somehow that’s worse.”

She laughed quietly, the kind of laugh that said she enjoyed this.

Together, we descended the stairs—into the vault where House Draken kept its most powerful relics.

As Alice and I stepped onto the second floor, the change in atmosphere was almost immediate. The air was colder—cleaner. The ceiling arched high above us in ancient stonework, dimly lit by hanging mana-lanterns that flickered like fireflies in the gloom.

And then I saw them.

Relics.

Dozens of them. Maybe more.

Displayed across long marble pedestals and within sealed glass casings were relics from across eras—some glowing faintly, others dull and unassuming, almost forgotten.

Weapons, tomes, enchanted artifacts, even a few cursed objects sealed in obsidian. The entire room radiated a kind of reverent stillness, as if time itself held its breath here.

I couldn’t help but mutter under my breath.

“…This place puts Count Valstein’s vault to shame.”

That old, damp basement where I had stolen the Enhancement Orb felt like a glorified broom closet compared to this.

I wandered between the relics in silent awe, my eyes drinking in the craftsmanship, the age, the quiet power humming beneath each one. And just as I was reaching toward a dagger that pulsed faintly with blue light—

Alice tapped my shoulder.

I turned, and in her hand was a relic.

A glove.

“This,” she said, holding it out to me with a confident smirk, “is one I personally recommend.”

That’s what she said—but knowing Alice, there was always more to it.

The glove was sleek, made from an unknown black material that shimmered faintly when it caught the light, like oil on water. Intricate golden runes were etched across the knuckles and wrist, forming elegant, curling patterns.

Despite its aged appearance, it looked well-maintained—almost like it had been waiting for someone.

[Relic: Gauntlet of the Bound Wolf]

[ Type: Glove]

Effect:

– Increases Strength by +2 while worn.

– Attunes to its wielder’s combat rhythm, subtly enhancing physical precision and grip under pressure.

– When worn by someone with high agility or dexterity, the glove grants a passive increase to reaction speed.

I slipped it on, feeling the snug fit conform instantly to my hand. There was a faint hum, like the relic was recognizing me—testing me, even.

“…It fits perfectly,” I murmured.

Alice folded her arms. “Of course it does. I don’t recommend things lightly.”

I understood why Alice recommended this relic to me.

It was perfect for inflating my chronic lack of stamina and strength.

—.

Author Note:

Thank you for the reading a Chapter. I hope you liked it.

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