Chapter 382

Seated across the table, Yoo Sehee asked,

"Did you check the houses?"

"Yes. They’ve already built hundreds."

"At this rate, we’ll surpass three thousand within the month. That means more than ten thousand people will get new homes."

"That’s amazing."

"This is the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. I’ve never felt so proud of myself. That’s why I’m grateful to you. I got the chance to save so many thanks to you."

"It was all possible because everyone came together."

"Which is why, like I said before, I’d like to repay you."

"Now I’m curious."

Zeon answered with a smile.

Though he said that, Zeon didn’t expect much.

He hadn’t done any of it expecting a reward, and it was rare for any reward to truly meet his standards.

Yoo Sehee stood up and said,

"You won’t be disappointed. I’m opening the secret vault for you today. You can take anything you want, just one thing."

"The secret vault?"

"Yeah. It was created in the early days of the Goblin Market. It’s where we keep everything from unsellable junk to things too dangerous to put on the market. Normally it’s closed to everyone, but Grandpa and I agreed to open it just for you."

"I’m honored."

Zeon’s eyes lit up.

After all, he’d gotten the hourglass containing Exion, his secret weapon, from Old Man Kleksi’s shop.

There was no reason something like that wouldn’t also be lying in the secret vault.

Unlike earlier, Zeon now held a glimmer of anticipation.

Noticing the change, Yoo Sehee gave a small chuckle and placed her hand on the floor of the office.

In an instant, lines appeared across the floor, forming a magic circle.

The entrance to the secret vault had been right beneath her office all along.

The entrance only appeared when Yoo Sehee activated the magic circle.

Only she had the authority to open it, no one else could.

Rumble...

With a deep, grinding sound, the floor split open, revealing a staircase.

Yoo Sehee pointed at it and said,

"You can only take one item. So choose carefully. You might end up walking out with trash if you’re not careful."

"Understood."

Zeon nodded and stepped into the vault.

The secret vault was massive.

At a glance, it looked about a hundred meters wide and ten meters high.

Mountains of items were piled up inside the enormous space.

Covered in dust and left untouched, it resembled a landfill more than a treasure room.

Zeon looked at the heaps with an incredulous expression.

"She wants me to pick something from all this?"

He had no idea where to start.

Even with ten days, he doubted he could inspect everything thoroughly.

"Well, I’ll just skim through. If it’s fate, something good will show up. If not, I’ll just grab something random."

Zeon lowered his expectations and began sifting through the items. But once he started, he actually found it fun.

It felt like a treasure hunt.

Some items were so pathetic, he couldn’t imagine why they were here at all. Others were impressive enough to make him wonder why they’d ever been discarded.

Like the dagger he was holding now.

A crimson blade curved like a crescent moon.

The handle was inlaid with a gem imbued with enchantment.

Just holding it made his body feel lighter and his vision sharper.

Swoosh!

He gave it a test swing at a nearby chunk of metal, it sliced through like paper.

Clearly a dungeon artifact.

Based on the design and enchantments, it was undoubtedly made for assassins.

In the hands of an assassin, it would likely boost their power several times over. That’s probably why Yoo Sehee, though reluctant, had stashed it away instead of putting it up for sale.

"Smart move."

Zeon swung it a few more times, then tossed it into a pile of junk.

It was a good weapon, but it didn’t suit him.

Swords, sabers, and spears never matched well with him, so Zeon excluded melee weapons from his list entirely.

"Not this either. This one’s no good too."

He tossed aside another item he had just examined.

Zeon’s hair and shoulders were now coated in dust from his efforts.

Still, he had a smile on his face.

The treasure hunt had put him in a good mood.

He lost track of time as he continued digging through the vault.

"This is endless."

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Zeon clicked his tongue.

Despite his efforts, there was still a mountain of items left untouched.

He was about to give up and just grab something random when,

"What’s this?"

Among the junk, an item caught his eye.

It was a necklace.

It had clearly been left there for ages, its surface rusted over.

It didn’t give off any particular energy, nor did it seem to resonate with him. Yet Zeon picked it up because of the pattern barely visible beneath the rust.

"It’s the exact same emblem that was on Brielle’s brazier."

The brazier of Siela he had obtained at the Magic Stone mine's gambling den.

The sacred treasure of the High Elves, Siela’s Brazier, bore the exact same emblem as the one on the necklace.

"Could this be related to the High Elves?"

Zeon glanced around the vault.

It didn’t seem like anything else here would be of use to him. In that case, this necklace was the better choice.

Decision made, Zeon walked out of the vault.

"What? You’re done already?"

Yoo Sehee looked puzzled as she saw him emerge.

She had expected him to take at least five or six more hours.

"You picked something?"

"Yes. I’ll take this."

Zeon held up the necklace he found.

"What is that? That piece of junk? We had something like that in there?"

"Yes."

"It just looks like trash to me. Want to pick something else?"

"I’m fine with this."

"Tsk! Now it feels like I opened the vault just for show. Then take one more. I’ll make an exception and let you have two."

"No, thank you. This really is all I need."

"Let me guess, none of the items met your standards, huh?"

"Not exactly."

"Tch. That’s a blow to my pride. Just how amazing is your gear that my stuff doesn’t measure up?"

Yoo Sehee pouted.

Zeon didn’t bother answering. He just smiled, prompting her to wave him off.

"Fine! Just go."

"I’ll see you next time. Thanks, I’ll use it well."

Zeon waved the necklace once more and stepped outside.

Behind him, he could hear Yoo Sehee muttering,

"What the heck? Why would he pick something like that over the good stuff? So frustrating... Is there really nothing worthwhile in our secret vault? I’m losing my mind!"

Zeon chuckled as he walked away.

Items were all about fate.

No matter how good something seemed, if it wasn’t what you needed, it wasn’t the right one for you.

Zeon was more than satisfied with the gear he already had.

"Still, I’m curious what this necklace is for. Brielle might know."

---

"I have no idea."

"Really?"

Zeon blinked at Brielle’s unexpected answer.

Her brows were furrowed deeply.

"That emblem definitely represents Lady Siela."

"The elven goddess, right?"

"Yeah. But I’ve never heard of a necklace like this being among her sacred items."

She carefully infused it with mana. After all, Siela’s Brazier had regained its true form by accepting her mana. But the rusted necklace showed no reaction.

"Maybe it’ll change if we place it near the brazier?"

Brielle pulled out Siela’s Brazier from her subspace.

Now restored to its original form, it radiated divine energy.

She placed the necklace atop it. Still, nothing happened.

"Looks like this necklace needs a different trigger to awaken it."

"Seems that way."

"Either way, thanks. If this really is related to Lady Siela, the elders in my village will recognize it."

"So you’ve decided to return to your village?"

"Yeah. Once I’m ready, I’m going back."

"That’s a big decision."

"I feel like Lady Siela led you to that necklace just to tell me to go home. Otherwise, why would it end up in your hands at this exact time?"

"Maybe you're right."

Zeon nodded.

The fact that he entered the Goblin Market’s secret vault, and found this rusted necklace, it might all be part of fate’s flow.

If so, going to Brielle’s village might also be his destined path.

"By the way, where’s Levin?"

"He stopped by and left again. Said he was headed to the Crocodile Den."

"Off to see Jetoya, then."

"Seems like it. He really never slows down."

"That’s just who he is."

"True."

Among the three of them, Levin had the warmest heart and the widest circle.

He always looked after others, checking in whenever he had the time.

Because of that, he was the most well-liked.

To exaggerate a little, half the people in Sinchon knew Levin, and half of those liked him.

That’s how broad his network was.

"He’ll come back when the time’s right. Don’t worry."

"I’m not worried. He’s strong enough to take care of himself, why worry?"

"Ghost form?"

"Exactly. Most Awakened can’t even scratch him, so what’s there to worry about?"

"Tch! I wish I’d awakened a power like that."

"But you’ve got Lili. And Gaia too."

"True!"

Brielle smiled, as if she had never pouted at all.

Unlike Gaia, Lili couldn’t be summoned for long yet.

That was because she was still a low-rank spirit.

As Lili grew, her summon time would gradually increase.

So Brielle made a point of summoning and nurturing her whenever possible.

Looking out the window, she asked,

"Is Gaia still up there?"

"She’s flying around near Neo Seoul."

Far above, where no one could see, Gaia was gliding freely.

Brielle couldn’t see her, but their hearts were connected, Zeon could sense her movements clearly.

Brielle puffed her cheeks slightly.

"She doesn’t come down much anymore. Hmph!"

"The skies here are too narrow for her, it’s understandable."

"Still, tell her to come down sometimes. I feel neglected."

"I will."

Zeon replied with a laugh.

As he looked out the window for Gaia, his gaze shifted.

Vehicles were returning to Neo Seoul in the distance.

They were the same ones he had seen when heading to the Goblin Market.

Now, they were coming back, covered in dust.

As the convoy approached, Brielle spotted Mandy in the lead buggy.

"Huh? Isn’t that Mandy?"

"She rushed out earlier, looks like she’s just getting back."

"What’s going on? Her face looks really serious."

Just as Brielle said, Mandy’s expression was stiff.

For her to look like that, it had to be something serious.

Zeon’s gaze naturally moved to the rear of the convoy.

There was a vehicle he hadn’t seen when they left for the desert.

It was an armored transport bus, typically used for trips to the Magic Stone mine.

"Did someone come from the Magic Stone Mine?"