Sebastian reached into his desk and pulled out a long, dark cloak.
The fabric shimred subtly under the dim light, shifting as if adjusting itself.
With a flick of his wrist, he handed it to Nero.
"Put this on." he instructed.
Nero draped the cloak over his shoulders.
Almost instantly, it conford to his fra, the fabric tightening just enough for a perfect fit.
He ran his fingers over the material. It was sturdy, yet surprisingly light, woven with subtle enchantnts.
He pulled the hood over his head, noting how it cast a shadow over his face without obstructing his vision.
Sebastian smirked at his reaction. "Curse breakers don't just deal with dangerous artifacts, lad. We also deal with people. Jealous people. Powerful people. Many of whom don't take kindly to us handling their precious little secrets. That's why most of us work under assud nas and keep our real identities hidden. The ones you see working openly? They're just the front. The real work happens behind closed doors."
Nero nodded, absorbing the weight of his words. "So, secrecy isn't just a precaution. It's survival."
"Exactly." Sebastian leaned back, resting his elbows on the chair's armrests. "Curse breaking is more than just cracking runes and dispelling enchantnts. Our work rotates between three main tasks."
"First," he held up a finger, "we deal with the cursed artifacts stored in Gringotts. Anything that's too dangerous for the average wizard ends up here. So have been locked away for centuries, waiting for soone foolish enough to try their hand at undoing them. The bank can't risk these objects wreaking havoc, so we study, contain, and sotis neutralize them."
He raised a second finger. "Then, there are private cases. People who can't, or won't go through the Ministry. So are just afraid of exposure. Others... well, let's just say they don't want official eyes on their business." His lips curled into sothing between amusent and warning.
"And the third?" Nero prompted.
Sebastian grinned. "Explorations. Ruins, tombs, long-lost magical sites, places where magic lingers and traps are set for the greedy and the unprepared. You'd be surprised how many fools still think they can plunder ancient wizarding sites and walk away unscathed. Sotis, the artifacts inside are valuable, sotis they're downright cursed beyond repair. And then, there are cases where sothing is waiting, watching... We've had curse-breakers disappear in so places. Just gone."
Nero's fingers twitched slightly. "Sounds fascinating."
Sebastien barked out a laugh. "That's one word for it. We sotis even get requests from foreign Ministries of Magic when they co across sothing particularly nasty. Ancient magic exists everywhere, and not all of it plays by modern rules."
Nero crossed his arms, thoughtful. "With all this work, is there a place where everything is recorded? Like a compendium of past cases, cursed objects, and how they were solved?"
Sebastien let out a short laugh. "Now that would be convenient, wouldn't it?" His grin faded into sothing more asured. "The truth is, such knowledge is worth its weight in gold. It's a curse breaker's bread and butter. Most keep their findings to themselves or within small, trusted circles. If you knew how to break every curse, you wouldn't need to hire experts, would you?"
Nero exhaled through his nose. "That's a sha. It could help so many people... And above all, make my learning much more efficient."
Sebastien's expression darkened for a mont before he gave a casual shrug. "There are rumors though, secret groups that collect and trade knowledge like that. But take my advice, kid. Stay away from them. At least until you're older. You don't want to owe favors to the wrong people."
Nero stored that bit of information away for later.
Sebastien stood and motioned for him to follow. "Co on, let show you where the real work happens."
They walked through the corridors of Gringotts, passing through several layers of security wards.
Wards that crackled faintly when Sebastien moved past them but flared slightly as Nero stepped through, as if testing him.
"Gringotts has so of the strongest protective magic in the world," Sebastien comnted, watching how Nero interacted with the wards. "These barriers don't just keep things out. They also keep things in."
"Fascinating," Nero said with a grin. "You see, I'm quite the barrier enthusiast myself."
Eventually, they reached a reinforced door made of dark tal, covered in intricate goblin-wrought carvings.
Sebastien placed his palm against the surface, muttered sothing under his breath, and the door slowly creaked open, revealing a vast chamber.
The mont they crossed the threshold, the temperature plumted, the air thickening into a tangible weight against their skin.
It wasn't just cold, it was a chill that seed to seep into their very bones, like the breath of ancient, slumbering magic stirring to attention.
The walls of the chamber stretched upward into shadows, shelves upon shelves cramd with artifacts that thrumd with suppressed power.
Runes etched into glass cases pulsed like slow, predatory heartbeats, while chains forged from enchanted tals wrapped around darker objects, their links faintly sizzling with warding spells.
Nero's breath caught as he gazed around.
Magic saturated the air, thick and oppressive.
Whispers slithered through the stillness, so sharp and spiteful, others pleading with hollow desperation.
One case held a dagger that seed to drip shadows, its obsidian surface etched with curses that pulsed in a slow, malicious rhythm.
Another displayed a tattered book, its pages fluttering despite the absence of wind, faint echoes of forgotten incantations leaking into the room.
"Incredible," Nero whispered, his eyes gleaming with fascination.
Sebastien chuckled, though his expression remained guarded. "Welco to the vault of cursed objects," he said, voice low. "This room doesn't just house artifacts; it holds the mistakes of history, the remnants of ambition gone too far. And just so we're clear..."
He turned, eting Nero's gaze with steely seriousness. "You only co here with . No exceptions."
"Understood."
Sebastien watched him for a mont before nodding. "Alright, since you're officially in, I expect you to put in the ti. We'll start with two days a month, but if you want more hands-on experience, we can arrange it."
"Two days a month works," Nero agreed.
Sebastien studied him again, this ti more closely, as if weighing sothing. "I've got a case today. Want to co along? You'll only be observing while I work."
Nero didn't hesitate. "Of course."
"Good." Sebastien turned, leading the way. "Let's see if you can handle seeing real magic at work."
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75 Chapters ahead on Patreon (Suiijin): Chapter 148: Roots of Despair
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