The cave wasn't anything spectacular. It was damp, smelling of wet earth and bat guano, with water dripping rhythmically from stalactites, making a distinct sound. Darian walked forward with Confidence into the darkness, like it wasn't his first time here. Reina lagged a few steps behind following Darian, her breathing shallow and rapid.
"Your Highness," she whispered, her voice echoing slightly against the cold stone in the creepy cave. "Where... where are we going?"
"Relax, Reina. You will find out soon enough," Darian replied without looking back.
He could feel that she still didn't trust him completely. Even though his apology in the castle had been sincere. To her, he was still Prince Darian, a man who had spent years being human trash. A single "sorry" didn't erase what Darian had done to her and the other maids. Fair enough, he thought. If she trusted me completely right now, that would be a cliché.
They reached a dead end. The cave narrowed into a blank,moss-covered wall of solid granite. "It's a dead end, Your Highness," Reina said, sounding almost relieved. "We should go back."
"Not yet," Darian murmured.
He stepped up to the rough stone face, closing his eyes for a moment to recall the specific details from Crimson Heart's Folly. It was a minor detail mentioned in a flashback in Chapter 57-a hidden treasure belonging to a fallen kingdom, long perished before the Empire rose.
Darian began to trace his finger along the damp wall, ignoring the slime. He moved in a specific pattern-a spiral, then a sharp line down. Finally, his finger found a small, almost imperceptible indentation. He pressed.
*Click*
*A heavy, mechanical grinding sound filled the cave. Reina gasped and stepped back as the solid rock wall before them suddenly cracked. It didn't just open; it seemed to shatter, the heavy stones folding inward and dissolving into dust and rubble, revealing a smooth, crafted corridor lit by glowing moss.*
Reina stared, her mouth agape. "H-How...?"
"Come with me, Reina," Darian commanded, stepping over the Rubble.
"O-Ok, Your Highness." She followed; her fears had been replaced by overwhelming curiosity. They walked down the short corridor and emerged into a circular chamber. It was a treasury. Piles of gold coins, jeweled goblets, and ancient weaponry lay scattered.
Across the floor, there were piles of gold, precious gems, and various other riches. It was the lost wealth of a forgotten age, enough to buy a small earldom.
Reina's eyes went wide, reflecting the glitter of gold. "My... my lord! This place..."
Darian wasn't interested in the money. As a Prince, even a disgraced one, he had access to funds. Darian was looking for something far more valuable than currency. He began walking around the perimeter of the room.
"Reina," he called out. She jumped, "Y-Yes, my lord?"
Darian gestured vaguely at the piles of wealth. "Take some no, take as much as you want."
Reina froze at what she heard from the Darian.
"Take it, wasn't your family in rags?" Darian said, turning his back to her to give her privacy. "Consider it a cleaning and travel fee.
"Okay... Your Highness." Her voice trembled. The words weren't poetic, and the delivery was characteristically haughty, but the intent hit home.
Reina looked at the prince's back, then at the gold. Tears pricked her eyes. For the first time, she didn't see a monster; she saw a strange, confusing savior. She knelt and began carefully filling her pockets, taking just enough to change her family's life forever.
Meanwhile, Darian's eyes locked onto something in the corner.
'There you are!'
Sitting on top of piles of gold and gems, a small, dull wooden box marked with a faded symbol of a snake.
"BINGO!"
Reina looked up, startled. "What happened, Highness?"
"Nothing. Just found what I came for."
Darian picked up the box. It was heavy for its size. He flipped the latch and opened it.
Inside sat a bracelet. It wasn't jeweled or flashy. It wasn't of gold; however, it had value beyond that of gold and jewels. The design was of a serpent swallowing its own tail. The eyes of the snake were two tiny, pinprick rubies; it would have been called an Ouroboros in min Jun's World.
He didn't hesitate. He lifted the bracelet and pressed it against his right wrist. Instantly, the metal snake seemed to wake up. The jaw unhinged, releasing the tail and the metal coil. Expanded and then snapped shut around his wrist, resizing perfectly to fit him. It felt cool against his skin, humming with a faint, dormant energy.
'Perfect'. Min-jun grinned, twisting his wrist to admire the artifact.
Darian turned back to the maid. Reina stood up. Her apron pockets were bulging slightly, and she clutched a small pouch to her chest. "Yes, my lord," Reina bowed deeply, her face blushing with a small, faint smile of gratitude.
*They turned back toward the shattered wall. As they walked into the sunlight of the forest, leaving the glittering treasury behind, Darian felt a surge of genuine joy.*