THE GENERAL'S DISGRACED HEIR Chapter 173 THE DE GORS TREASURY

As they moved away from the bustling hall, David followed the Earl down a narrow staircase concealed behind the throne. With a re touch of the Earl's hand, a hidden panel in the stone wall clicked, sliding open with a soft groan to reveal a shadowed corridor.

The heavy, secret door closed behind them, leaving the faint echo of laughter and clinking glassware from the grand hall fading into the distance. Nobles and commoners alike, unaware of their absence, were now being served by the castle's maids, their attention entirely focused on the sumptuous platters of delicacies and refreshnts that decorated the long banquet table.

David took a deep breath, attempting to ground himself. His mind still reeled from the eerie encounter with the mysterious entity—a being of terror that seed to exist outside the bounds of reality. But he couldn't let himself dwell on it now. Whatever that entity was, whatever "Chronomancer of the Tapestry" truly ant, it would have to wait. Right now, he had to focus on the Earl and the unexpected turn his role coronation had taken.

They descended deeper into the dimly lit passageway, the air thick with the scent of aged stone and sothing faintly tallic. Only the soft echo of their footsteps broke the silence. The Earl strode ahead, his figure tall and commanding, the military uniform a stark white against the darkness.

At last, they erged from the corridor into a spacious chamber. The Earl's private office. David had only ever seen this room a couple of tis before, but it felt as if its atmosphere had transford entirely. Thick, velvet curtains draped over grand windows, and tapestries depicting the family lineage adorned the walls, capturing the proud history of the De Gor bloodline.

The Earl crossed the room with practiced ease, making his way to an ornate wooden desk situated near the back. David's gaze was drawn to the intricately carved details on the desk—images of soaring eagles, and an ancient tree with roots that seed to extend endlessly.

Once at the desk, the Earl turned to face David, his expression softened, though his gaze remained intent. "David," he began, his voice steady yet laced with an unmistakable weight. "There are things within these castle walls that only the head of the family knows. After my passing, you, along with your brothers, will be entrusted with these secrets—passages, histories, and alliances that have safeguarded our lineage for centuries."

The Earl's hand slipped into a hidden compartnt beneath the desk. With a quiet click, he drew out a key—a golden key with wings crafted at the hilt, so delicately etched that they almost seed to flutter in the dim light. He held it out to David, its polished surface gleaming faintly.

"This," he said, "is the key to the family vault. It will grant you access to the treasures and relics that hold the power and history of our ancestors. Only a De Gor may wield this key, and only when they have proven themselves worthy, as you have today."

David's fingers closed around the key, feeling its surprising warmth as though it pulsed with its own life force. The weight of it felt both reassuring and daunting—a reminder of the responsibilities now resting upon his shoulders.

The Earl's eyes softened further as he looked upon his son, a rare tenderness in his expression. "This is more than just a family heirloom, David. It is a symbol of trust and faith."

David nodded, absorbing the mont, his earlier apprehensions over the strange encounter now quietly fading into the background. This was his world, his legacy to uphold.

The Earl gave David a nod, his eyes glinting with a sense of pride and anticipation. "Very well," he murmured, "for now, use the key to open a chanism hidden behind the wall of books."

David looked around, sowhat bewildered by the seemingly ordinary rows of ancient tos lining the walls. Each book looked centuries old, worn but ticulously maintained, their spines embossed with gold lettering that detailed the rich history of the De Gor family. The Earl approached one section of the shelf with purpose, his fingers gliding over the edges of the books before stopping abruptly.

"Look closely here," he instructed, pointing to a nearly invisible slot embedded between two thick volus. David leaned in, finally spotting a small keyhole, cleverly camouflaged among the dusty bindings. His heart raced slightly as he brought the golden key with the winged end closer, aligning it with the hidden chanism.

With a soft click, the key slid into place. The mont David turned it, the entire wall of books groaned and trembled, shifting with a chanical hum. The shelves split in two, parting to reveal sothing far more imposing—a massive, ornate vault door.

David stared, taken aback by the intricacy and majesty of the door now in front of him. It was a circular masterpiece of engineering and craftsmanship, towering and srizing. Gilded with lavish, intricate designs, the door was adorned with golden embellishnts that intertwined in complex, almost hypnotic patterns. These patterns glimred in the dim light, reflecting like a myriad of stars against the dark steel base of the vault. A dense network of polished tal rods, almost resembling spokes in a wheel, circled the core of the door, each engraved with delicate filigree and symbols David could barely make out.

Around the edge of the vault, thick tal bolts glead, each one precisely fitted, adding to the door's foreboding grandeur. They looked immovable, and yet their sheer presence conveyed a sense of latent power—an unspoken warning that this vault was not to be opened lightly. The center featured a smaller, circular hatch, secured with even more elaborate locking chanisms, as though protecting sothing precious beyond asure.

David reached out instinctively, his fingers brushing over the cold, unyielding surface of the vault. He could feel the history and gravity of his lineage in every inch of that door.

The Earl's voice broke his trance. "This vault has been in our family's possession for generations," he said quietly, his tone reverent. "It guards the legacy of the De Gor bloodline… a wealth of knowledge, artifacts, and power that few even know exist."

David turned to him, curiosity burning in his eyes. "What lies inside?"

The Earl smiled faintly, his gaze unreadable. "Treasures beyond what most can imagine. But the true value lies in what those treasures represent—strength, knowledge, and the endurance of our lineage. Only those who are worthy may access what lies beyond this door, and today, you have proven yourself."

David felt a strange sense of awe mingling with a sense of responsibility. He nodded, understanding that this was more than just an inheritance—it was a rite of passage.

Your adventure continues at m v|l-e'-

The Earl placed a firm hand on David's shoulder, his expression unwavering. "Step aside, boy," he instructed. David obeyed, moving to the side as the Earl stepped closer to the massive vault door. A subtle shift occurred around the Earl—an aura unfurling from him like invisible threads, filling the air with an intense pressure.

David watched in awe as the aura seed to weave itself into the intricate patterns on the vault door, causing the golden embellishnts to glimr with renewed life.

With a low rumble, the vault door responded to the Earl's command, each bolt and rod moving as if alive, clicking into place with a satisfying finality. The Earl glanced back at David, a faint smile on his lips. "Not just anyone can open this vault. Only those of De Gor blood may attempt it—but that's not all. To command the vault, one must break through the ranks of a King-ranked swordsman and step into the Monarch-ranked realm."

David's brow furrowed, his mind racing. Monarch-ranked? This was a term he had never encountered before. In his training, he had learned about various stages and ranks, but the Monarch realm was a revelation—a mysterious height of power he hadn't known existed. He wondered how much strength lay in that realm, and what challenges he would need to overco to reach it.

With the door fully opened, the Earl gestured for David to follow. The air within the vault was dense and cool, carrying the faint scent of ancient tals and old magic. As they stepped inside, the first room ca into view—a sight that took David's breath away.

Rows upon rows of chests lined the room, each brimming with glittering gold coins, so spilling over the edges in shining heaps. Soft glows emanated from enchanted crystals embedded in the walls, casting an ethereal light that bathed the gold in hues of erald and sapphire. The coins glead, catching and refracting the light, creating an almost dreamlike atmosphere of wealth and splendor. It was as if they had entered a treasure room straight from legend.

David could hardly contain his astonishnt. "This… this is just one part of the De Gor fortune?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

The Earl chuckled softly, nodding. "Yes, just a portion. We've taken steps to diversify over the years. The De Gor wealth is spread far and wide, not rely hoarded here. But this—this is our family's heartbeat, the core that has sustained us for generations."

After a mont of allowing David to take it in, the Earl guided him to another door at the far end of the room, leading them into a chamber even more intriguing. Here, weapons of all shapes and sizes were displayed with reverence, each placed on a pedestal or neatly organized on shelves. Swords, axes, spears, and maces, all exuded a latent energy, humming faintly with enchantnts that hinted at great power.

"Go ahead," the Earl said, nodding toward the weapons. "Take a look. These are tools and relics of our lineage. So have been wielded by your ancestors in legendary battles."

David moved through the room, admiring each weapon's craftsmanship and the weight of history they bore. But as he examined each one, a peculiar thought tugged at him.

Could the system have weapons even more powerful than these?

It was a curious notion, and he wondered if it was even worth choosing one of these weapons when the system's resources might offer sothing far superior.

Just then, a faint chi echoed in his mind, and the system's familiar interface flashed before him, but this ti with a ssage unlike any he'd seen before.

"[A trace of divinity has been detected.]"

The words made David's heart skip a beat. He looked around, unsure of what to expect, when his gaze landed on a faint golden thread of light, barely visible but pulsing with an undeniable lure. The thread seed to beckon him, guiding him deeper into the room until he reached a pedestal draped in shadows.

There, resting upon it, was a stone unlike any other—a crimson crystal, pulsing with an otherworldly glow, as if alive. It was small, almost unassuming at first glance, but up close, David could feel an intense aura radiating from it. The stone seed to breathe, an ancient heartbeat that resonated with his very soul.

Without realizing it, his hand inched closer, drawn to the mysterious artifact as if by so unseen force.

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A/N: Hey everyone! I hope you're enjoying the novel so far. This shaless author has a small request—if you're loving the story, please recomnd it to yourfiends, it would be the dream if a lot more pple read my book and if my big supports will it, magic castles can do the sa.

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Happy reading mates.