The light from the two paraffin lamps was enough to illuminate the inside of the box.
Partially covered in shadow lay a stone slab with a mottled surface. The professor pulled on a pair of gloves and reached out to touch it, and the corner he touched imdiately crumbled into dust. Even without the slightest breeze, a millennium had weathered the stone to the verge of crumbling.
Without hesitation, the professor reached into his pocket, pulled out a small box, and removed a gold piece embedded in the lining.
He held the gold piece in his hand, tilted his palm slightly, and let it fall onto the stone slab.
Ding!
A crisp chi, like that of a tiny bell, seed to ring out from above. When they looked down again, the stone slab had transford into solid gold.
"It really worked!"
The professor was ecstatic, reaching in to carefully lift out the golden slab. It was a feat only he could accomplish; Jenkins couldn't even imagine how heavy the thing was.
They didn't forget to inspect the box itself. After wiping away a layer of black paint that had been deliberately applied to its surface, they discovered it was also made of gold. Though not entirely pure, its size alone ant the box was worth over two hundred pounds!
Brimming with excitent, the pair opened the second box. It, too, was gold, and inside was another stone slab of the sa size.
"Here."
Without a word, Jenkins tore off a small pocket sewn into his undergarnts and handed his own gold piece to the professor.
"I'll compensate you for this!"
The professor didn't refuse.
"There's no need, but I hope you'll share the research findings on these two slabs with . Professor, I'm actually very interested in the mystery of the Epoch's end myself."
"I knew I wasn't wrong about you, Jenkins. You truly are a devout believer and an exceptional student. I heard from Oliver that your skills in mathematics and literature are also quite impressive. The Sage truly favors you."
The professor mused aloud as he used Jenkins's gold piece to transform the last slab into gold, then carefully lifted it out of the box.
"The script is completely unrecognizable. This is wonderful!"
The professor's face lit up like a child who'd just been given candy, his expression absolutely priceless.
"This is truly... I thank the Sage. May Your brilliance light my path forward!"
He began to pray aloud, repeatedly making the holy sign across his chest.
Having struck it rich, Jenkins stopped stroking the golden box. He summoned the golden ring from his spirit, kissed it, and then activated his Eye of Reality to scan the surrounding rock walls.
Within the stone behind the boxes, a round object glowed with a faint red light.
"Of course. The kind of person who builds a treasure room would definitely not forget to hide sothing within the treasure room itself."
Jenkins chuckled. The chests themselves were gold, and there was sothing else buried in the walls. It seed the gentleman who'd set up this chamber a thousand years ago had a peculiar sense of humor.
Once the professor had finished his prayers, Jenkins patted him on the shoulder.
"Professor, could I trouble you to dig here?"
As he spoke, he drew the ceremonial silver dagger he carried from an inside pocket of his coat and carved a small cross into the rock.
"No problem."
The professor didn't ask why. He stood up, activated his ability again, and shaped his hands like claws to dig into the rock. After just a few scrapes, he seed to hit sothing. ŘἈꞐ𝖔𝖇Ε𝐒
Worried about damaging whatever was inside, or that there might be an intricate chanism within the wall, they used small brushes and a screwdriver to clear away the rock fragnts little by little. Eventually, they uncovered a round shield embedded in the stone.
The shield didn't appear to be made of tal. Instead, it looked more like a wooden shield covered in a layer of leather. At its center, a richly colored emblem of a flying griffin reflected a dim light.
In the flickering light of the paraffin lamps, the shield, embedded in the rock, looked exceptionally mystical.
"Do you recognize it?"
Jenkins was certain it was a Series B Extraordinary item, but he hadn't read enough to identify it. The professor was another story. After becoming a Scribe, his professional specialty led him to beco one of the Church's researchers of special items—the very experts who tested the properties of confiscated objects.
They handled a vast amount of information daily and had a thorough knowledge of all docunted items, so he was much more likely than Jenkins to know what this was.
"B-09-4-2912, the Arrogant Shield?"
The professor's voice was uncertain. He moved closer to the wall with a paraffin lamp, but didn't dare touch the object.
"I think it really is."
"What does it do?"
Jenkins asked softly from behind the old man. This was the first ti he had encountered a defensive special item.
"Besides functioning as a normal shield, anyone who touches it will beco arrogant. And the longer they're in contact with it, the more arrogant they beco. A classified record states that if soone holds it for more than twenty-four hours, they'll gain the courage to charge a Saint, stark naked, with only the shield for protection."
"That's it?"
Jenkins asked, incredulous. That's a pretty nasty side effect, isn't it?
"No, the most important thing is that all nine items from B-09-4-2911 to B-09-4-2919 have the 'Arrogant' attribute. If all nine are brought together, they form a special Bestowal: C-09-3-0099, the Courage Armor. There's no data on that item, only its na, but one can imagine it's incredibly powerful."
He looked at the shield with a grave expression, his eyes filled with disbelief.
"The more individual pieces of the armor you possess, the stronger the arrogance becos. But all nine together..."
"Many of the armor pieces must be lost, right? How many have been found so far?"
Jenkins asked. According to the tropes in knight novels, collecting a set like this was supposed to be incredibly difficult.
"This is the ninth piece. The other eight are in the possession of the Church of Sun and Justice."
The professor turned back, his face heavy. Jenkins was stunned.
The shield was of imnse importance, but neither Jenkins nor the professor knew how to handle it. Leaving it in anyone's hands could lead to disaster.
They conferred briefly, then decided to take nothing. After sealing the entrance, they hurried back the way they ca, returning to the city and waking Papa Oliver in the dead of night at four in the morning.
Papa Oliver, dressed in his sleepwear, was initially furious at being woken up in the middle of the night. But when he heard about the shield, he understood the gravity of the situation.
In the end, Papa Oliver and the professor dressed and returned to the underground chamber to deal with the shield, while Jenkins went ho to sleep.
After all, when it ca to knowledge, he couldn't compare to Papa Oliver and the professor. And when it ca to strength, he still couldn't compare to Papa Oliver and the professor.
He might as well get so rest. The trip he had planned to take with Papa Oliver at dawn would have to be postponed.
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