Kayland handed Nier the old wooden box, and man, it felt way heavier than it looked, like it was carrying some kind of dense material within it.

"Damn this thing at the very least weighs no less than 3 lbs."

Nier said holding up the small box in the air.

His fingers brushed the weird carvings...on the box, multiple carving where present, creepy, arcane symbols that seemed to hum under his touch. He tried not to flinch, but something about it gave him the chills.

But at the same time, he felt someone watching him.

It was the young woman.

His eyes flicked to her, as he peered into her with her freaky two-colored eyes, one blue, one green, watching him like she was trying to memorize every move he made. It was intense, and not in a good way.

Kayland slapped Nier's shoulder, snapping him out of it.

"Yo, you good, man? You're lookin like you just saw a ghost or somethin."

He was trying to keep it light, but it was hard, no doubt his curse took affect.

Nier forced a grin, clutching the box a bit tighter.

"Yeah, just… taking it all in, you know?"

He nodded at the room, those fancy high-tech safes glowing faintly against the grimy, falling-apart factory walls. It was like stepping into a sci-fi flick stuck inside a haunted house, private office.

Bella moved closer, smooth as a cat, her lips curling into a little smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"So, you're Nier."

She said, her voice soft but sharp.

"Kayland has told me a lot about you."

Nier's gut twisted.

That tone, that look...it was starting it would seem. He knew that feeling too well, his curse was messing with women's head, turning her interest into something… obsessive.

Bella's mismatched eyes locked onto him, and it was like she was staring straight through him. He kept his cool, though, and shot back,

"Yup, that's me. And you're?!...

Her smile got a little wider, like she thought his question was cute.

"Bella. I work with Kayland. I handle… special acquisitions."

She waved a hand at the safes, her nails catching the dim light.

"Rare stuff, valuable stuff. Like that box you've got there."

Nier glanced at the box, its creepy symbols practically daring him to mess with it. He didn't trust it, and he definitely didn't trust her. Still, he played it off.

"Acquisitions? So, what, you're out here collecting fancy old junk?"

Bella laughed, a soft little sound that sound cute.

"Oh no! I collect all kinds of things. The rarer, the better." Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs novel⸺fire.net

Her eyes roamed over him, lingering way too long. She stepped closer, close enough that he caught a whiff of her perfume.

"And you, Nier? You seem… pretty valuable."

She teased, but right on time it would seem, a sound echoed.

It was Kayland who coughed, clearly picking up on the weirdness.

Cough! Cough!

"Alright, Bella, chill. My dude is just here for his inheritance, not to be your new hobby."

Nier jumped on the chance to change the subject.

"So, this box."

He said, holding it up a bit.

"What's the deal? Why is it locked up in this creepy-ass place?"

Bella's eyes stayed on him a second too long before she answered, her voice almost too casual.

"Some woman gave our boss it to watch over... I know it's valuable as it is dangerous, too, if it falls into the wrong hands, then that could be bad news."

"How so?!"

Nier asked, his tone more serious now.

"Your family… they were good at keeping secrets. Stuff people would do anything to get their hands on."

Her gaze dropped to the box, then back to Nier, and her smile turned sharp.

"I"ve been dying to meet the guy it belongs to."

"Cool, well, you've met me now. Guess that's checked off your list."

He said, keeping his tone light, maybe a little cocky, as he set the box on a beat-up old table. He didn't look at her, focusing on the box instead, his fingers tracing the symbols.

"Any tips on how to crack this thing open?"

Kayland stepped in this time.

"She didn't gave us a key, and besides she specifically instructed me to not even try to open or destroy it, as it indestructible, as such only you can open it, so I would say take it home with you, and play around with it, till you find something that works."

"Damn, I guess I will carry it home then."

Nier said to Kayland, but at the same time, Kayland stopped, as he took something from his pockets and toss it to him.

He manage to catch it, with his free hand.

And when Nier looked at it, he looked up at Kayland and said.

"Why are you giving me the keys to your car for?!"

Nier asked Kayland who stretch a bit, as he replied.

"Well for one, I am not going back with you, so you got to drive yourself back home, also the car yours."

"Say what now?!"

Nier looked at Kayland with a blank expression.