rlin and Luna walked side by side toward the library.
Luna's expression showed both fear and curiosity.
"Hey…" she called out hesitantly. "If that really is the Grail of Ti, what should we do?"
rlin thought for a mont before replying casually, "If it really is the real Grail, then we have to tell your parents. After all, it's your family heirloom."
Luna sighed in relief and nodded slightly. It would be a lie to say she wasn't afraid that rlin might do sothing unexpected, like run away with it.
It might sound exaggerated, but the possibility was still there. The Grail was an imnsely powerful mystical artifact.
If the powerful figures on this continent knew of its existence, they would surely fight to obtain it.
"[Ding! The affection of the heroine Luna Tharot has increased by 3 points! Current affection: 40 points (30)]"
rlin's eyebrows twitched slightly when he saw the notification panel, but he didn't bother asking the system why her affection had increased.
When they arrived at the library, rlin quietly closed the door, startling Luna.
"What are you doing?" she asked warily.
rlin looked at her calmly and said, "To make sure no one cos in while we're checking it. If Tina or another servant saw us, it could be dangerous, don't you think?"
"Dangerous?" Luna repeated, confused.
"Think about it this way," rlin said as he stepped forward and turned on the library lights. "The Grail is an incredibly valuable artifact—its worth is beyond asure. People could lose their minds once they learn of its existence, even the servants in this mansion. You understand what I an, right?"
The human mind is deep and unpredictable. Those who seem good are not always truly good.
Sotis, they're the very ones who hurt the people who trust them the most.
rlin couldn't be sure whether the servants truly worked here or were actually spies sent to uncover the Tharot family's Grail of Ti.
If the worst happened, things would beco difficult for him and Luna.
After all, Frederin and Jas were not ho, and without them, there would be no protection if danger struck.
Luna thought over his words and realized they made sense.
"You're right, rlin. I'm sorry for doubting you," she said with a shy look.
This ti, rlin didn't scold her or speak harshly. During their walk to the library, he had begun to feel that he might have been too hard on Luna.
No matter what might happen in the future, none of it has happened yet.
So, he decided to soften his attitude a little.
Luna was surprised by his casual expression. If this had happened before, rlin would've worn a cold look, as if she'd just insulted his family.
"Could he be interested in ? Or… in love?"
The thought crossed her mind, and before she knew it, a faint smile appeared on her face.
"What are you thinking about?" rlin's flat voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "Don't daydream—show where it is."
Luna rolled her eyes and brushed the thought aside, then led him to the bookshelf at the far end.
The Tharot family library was enormous, spanning two floors. The first floor alone had over fifty bookshelves.
For a family of three, it was definitely large.
They reached the shelf at the far end, which looked neglected. Unlike the other shelves that were still well-kept, this one appeared worn and shabby.
The fra was wooden, but many parts were rotting—so even broken.
"Is that the book you an?" rlin asked, pointing at a dull, dust-covered book in the corner of the shelf.
"Mm!" Luna nodded slightly. "That's the lever. Just pull it, and the room will appear."
rlin stepped closer and tugged the book.
Drrk!
The right side of the bookshelf suddenly trembled. Monts later, an invisible door slid open, revealing a dark passage with stairs leading downward.
rlin imdiately went on guard.
'It actually exists,' he muttered, narrowing his eyes.
At first, he had been a little skeptical of Luna's words, but after seeing it himself, all his doubts vanished.
"When you went in earlier, did you only see the Golden Grail, or were there any monsters or traps?"
It was hard to believe that the Grail of Ti had been placed there without any kind of guardian or obstacle by whoever found it in the past.
"I don't know," Luna replied, shaking her head. "I only went halfway down the stairs and peeked inside. I saw a Golden Grail there, and then I imdiately ran to your room."
She had been too frightened to take a closer look. For so reason, her instincts told her that if she went any further, she might die.
"In that case, stay behind . I'll go in first," rlin said firmly.
If anything happened to Luna, he wouldn't be able to explain it to Frederin and Iris later.
The relationship between their families could also be ruined—and that would bring trouble to both him and his family.
Luna was about to protest but held back when she saw rlin's indifferent expression.
"All right, I'll stay behind."
rlin gave a small nod, glanced at the room, and stepped inside.
He began descending the stairs slowly. They were made of marble, sturdy and safe to walk on.
Even so, there was a thick layer of dust on the surface, so he had to move carefully to avoid slipping.
"The floor's quite slippery. Hold on to ."
rlin reached his hand back. Luna gulped, unsure whether to take it or not.
But she quickly reminded herself that it was only for safety—nothing more.
"[Ding! The affection of the heroine Luna has increased by 2 points! Current affection: 42 points (30)]"
The two of them descended slowly, and soon, a foul stench from below assaulted their noses.
rlin quickly held his breath, while Luna covered her nose with her left arm.
"This room stinks! I almost threw up from the sll," she complained irritably.
rlin just chuckled without answering. As they continued down the stairs, the wall on their left gradually disappeared.
Before them lay a dark room, dimly lit by several torches burning at intervals.
But it wasn't the torchlight that caught rlin's attention—it was the golden grail resting on a blue wooden table.
The Grail was quite large, about fifty centiters tall, with ancient white patterns engraved all over its surface.
Just by looking at it, rlin could tell—it was definitely the real Grail.
"That's the Grail!" Luna exclaid, pointing at it. "I'm not sure if it's real or fake. What do you think, rlin?"
"I don't know either," he lied. "We need to take a closer look. Only then can I tell if it's genuine."
Luna nodded, trusting his words. But as they moved further down, the hair on the back of rlin's neck suddenly stood up.
"Watch out—danger!"
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