Turning

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Chapter 333

The underground passage, where they had brought in the valuables, was located in the exact opposite direction from where they had entered. As Yuder descended along stairs that resembled an emergency exit, he realized that he couldn’t see the workers from the first floor from this angle.

'They've strategically placed it to avoid any human gaze. I bet they're also controlling access.'

As expected, a few men were loitering near the dark entrance of the basement, guarding the way. They had been idly stretched out, but at the sudden appearance of Graham and the strangers, they swiftly adjusted their postures. Yuder discreetly observed them. Most who worked in such places were mercenaries hired on a temporary basis. However, judging from the weapons they held and their saluting stance, they didn't seem like your average mercenaries.

“You've arrived.”

“Is anyone inside right now?”

“No one.”

Graham, glancing disdainfully at the men, turned his head. His gaze passed over Kishiar and landed on Yuder's face with evident distaste.

“What if I do?”

“The inside isn’t dangerous, so it might be better if the others wait here. It will be more comfortable for you to look around.”

It was a gentle way of saying he didn't want to let in not just the duke, but even his male lover. Kishiar, however, wasn't about to take that at face value. Crossing his arms, he expertly shielded Yuder from Graham’s view and playfully asked, “Hmm. What do you think is best, Yuder? Should I go alone?”

“I’m fine either way.”

“No, no. In a situation like this, you should be jealous and tell me not to leave you alone. Aren't you worried about me being alone with another man?”

The expressions of both Graham and the guards changed dramatically. Yuder hesitated for a moment before saying, "...Of course, I'm worried."

For a moment, Kishiar looked genuinely surprised, as if he hadn't expected Yuder to say that. Graham, unable to object to Yuder anymore, hastily gestured for the door to be opened.

“Open the door, now!”

He was trying to let the duke enter without the lover, but it nearly dragged him into a scandal. As he quickly stepped inside, an eerie chill followed him.

Without any hindrance, Yuder entered the interior alongside Kishiar. At first glance, the basement seemed dim and old. However, upon closer inspection, it was evident that it was thoroughly prepared to protect valuable items. The floor was designed to amplify even the softest sound, and the walls, when lightly grazed by Yuder's fingers, were incomparably solid to the floors above. There were surely hidden security spells, making this space undeniably the true heart of the building.

“All the items brought in yesterday are in one place. We'll go there directly.”

“There seem to be many rooms. Aren't we going to check the others?”

When Kishiar, looking around at the closed doors lining the corridor, asked, Graham shook his head.

“The other rooms are just backup storage. Given the limited number of valuables to store here, most remain empty.”

Graham's voice was calm, but after speaking, the subtle throat-clearing and his swallowing, coupled with his dry lips compressing, emitted a hint of suspicion.

'There's a high chance it was a lie.'

"This is the place."

Graham stood in front of a door, pulling out a necklace he had tucked inside his clothes. When he brought one hand with the deer-antler pendant from the necklace to the door, a blue magic circle began to shine and spread from that point. Moments later, the door opened silently and effortlessly.

Illuminated by moonstones, the interior was filled with transparent shelves. Graham briefly introduced the items on the shelves after warning not to touch anything carelessly, as they were all protected by magic.

"Among the recent arrivals, many are from Aeril and Nelarn. As you might already know, Aeril has a deep history in gem crafting, and Nelarn once had many magic stone mines. Even if the magical tools made during those times are not usable now, they are valuable as collectibles due to their beautiful appearance."

Various luxury items made from all sorts of gems and dozens of magic tools claimed to be from a long time ago were on display, each showcasing their unique beauty. They indeed were worth the immense effort to protect.

"Beautiful indeed. But just being beautiful isn't intriguing. At the last store I visited, they showed me a jade snuffbox with a hidden compartment. Do you have something like that?"

"Recent crafts from Aeril often incorporate such hidden compartments. Many items here have those features. For instance, this brooch can hold two portraits. Normally, you'll see just the first picture, but if you turn the tiny protrusion, it changes to the second."

Those who needed such items probably had secret lovers or affairs they couldn't reveal to others. Graham's attempt to subtly criticize came across as him expressing his discomfort towards Kishiar, who blatantly brought his male lover.

"That's interesting. If it were me, I'd put two pictures of the same person."

With an unfazed smile, Kishiar examined the brooch. Graham realized that indirect criticisms simply didn't work on the man before him.

"So, when do you plan to send these items to other stores?"

"Once all appraisal processes are completed, we will call the merchants we have contracts with. These items took a while to come in due to the trade route of Great Sarain Forest not functioning properly for some time. Distribution might be delayed, but we intend to send everything out within a week."

"I see. Good to know. I've enjoyed the viewing. I've decided on a gift, so I should probably return in about a week."

Kishiar seemed truly contented with just looking around and then stepped back. Seeing Kishiar's compliant demeanor, Graham slightly relaxed the tension between his brows.

As they exited the basement, the guards at the door looked at them with curious eyes. Yuder felt a bit pleased, realizing that this time, the gaze wasn't just focused on Kishiar but also on him.

"Your Majesty, are you planning to return to your mansion now?"

"That's the plan."

"When the items are released, I'll inform you through my brother."

His kindness was filled with a plea not to come back here again if possible.

They ascended to the second floor and retraced their steps. Nathan Zuckerman, who had returned in their absence, was seated quietly in the parlor. He rose when he saw Kishiar.

"...A Southerner?"

"Ah, he's my officer. He had some urgent matters to attend to earlier and I completely forgot to mention it."

Graham, who belatedly noticed Nathan Zuckerman's presence, looked taken aback. Kishiar casually explained with a smile.

"Nathan, did you manage to get your task done?"

"Yes, I got a bit lost along the way, which made my return delayed. Did you find the item you were looking for?"

"Well, nothing particularly caught my fancy, but there were quite a few decent things. It was good to come."

Graham couldn't guess the profound implications hidden within this casual conversation. He tried to conceal his astonishment as he saw the three off. Yuder suspected what kind of message he would convey to his brother, Baron Willhem.

"There was a spell in the basement that distorts perception. It made the vast space appear much smaller than it actually is. I'm rather curious about what else might be behind those closed doors."

As soon as Kishiar got into the carriage, he voiced suspicions similar to what Yuder had felt underground. Yuder cautiously added his assumption, mentioning that those guarding the basement didn't seem like ordinary mercenaries.

"Their posture and the fact that all of them used identical weapons lead me to believe they might be regular guards trained in Tainu."

"With Baron Willhem in charge, that's highly probable."

Kishiar nodded in agreement, a sardonic smile on his lips.

"Externally, they claim it's all part of a well-intentioned policy, acting as if they are a fair and just group. But every sign shows their utter pettiness. It seems the Tain Duke has monopolized the verification process of trade goods in Tainu for a long time and made a good profit."

Given that everyone knew the Duke of Tain was now even delving into more dangerous trades, the words of Graham Willhem, claiming that the Duke only had Tainu's best interests in mind when making policies, seemed utterly laughable.

"Nathan, what did you see?"

"I examined the structure of the first and second floors. There weren't any hidden spaces, but in the innermost room, which I assume is the master's, there was a safe."

"Did you check what's inside?"

"There was a spell on it that seemed hard to break in such a short time. I tried, but failed when someone working approached the room."

"That's a pity."

Kishiar clicked his tongue briefly.

"Also... I observed the workers on the first floor, and there was something peculiar."

"Peculiar in what way?"

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