Part IV – The Value of Secrets The office fell into silence once again.
Drake remained seated, his eyes fixed upon the flawless crystal resting between them.
A few moments ago, he had entered this room believing he possessed nothing more than an unusually valuable Mana Crystal.
Now…
He wasn’t even sure if it could still be called a Mana Crystal.
It was a relic.
A fragment of a civilization that history itself had forgotten.
Aldren Kael slowly closed the ancient manuscript before carefully returning it to its shelf.
Unlike before, every movement carried a strange reverence, as though he feared disturbing something that had remained asleep for centuries.
When he returned to his chair, the old appraiser looked at Drake with an expression that no longer belonged to a merchant evaluating a customer’s goods.
It was the look of a teacher deciding whether to tell his student the truth.
“You remind me of someone.” Drake looked up.
“My teacher.” A faint smile appeared upon Aldren’s weathered face.
“He spent his entire life searching for ruins that everyone else believed were myths.” “People mocked him.” “They called him a dreamer.” “A fool.” “They said history belonged to books, not buried stones.” The old man lowered his gaze toward the crystal.
“Then one day…” “He disappeared.” Drake frowned.
“He never came back?” Aldren slowly shook his head.
“No body.” “No records.” “No explanation.” “Only an unfinished journal.” Silence settled between them.
“The last sentence he ever wrote…” The old man’s voice softened.
“‘If I disappear, then history was never truly dead.'” Drake felt an uneasy chill crawl along his spine.
The relic remained silent.
Almost…
Too silent.
— Aldren gently pushed the crystal back across the table.
“I won’t buy it.” Drake blinked.
“…Because it’s too valuable?” The old man smiled.
“No.” “Because I don’t believe it belongs to me.” The answer surprised Drake.
“Then…” “What should I do?” The elderly appraiser leaned back in his chair.
“For now?” “Hide it.” “Never show it to anyone again.” “Especially not the Hunter Association.” Drake frowned.
“Aren’t they supposed to protect discoveries like this?” A bitter laugh escaped Aldren.
“They protect discoveries…” “…that benefit them.” His emerald eyes became unusually sharp.
“The Hunter Association.” “The Guilds.” “The Noble Families.” “They may fight each other every day.” “But the moment something capable of changing the balance of power appears…” “They become remarkably cooperative.” Drake slowly understood.
If they discovered an ancient civilization beneath the Dead Ruins…
They wouldn’t hesitate.
Entire armies would descend upon those ruins.
The Bonefang colony.
The Alpha’s grave.
Everything would disappear beneath excavation teams and military expeditions.
He quietly clenched his fists.
“…I can’t let that happen.” — Aldren noticed the determination in the young man’s eyes.
He smiled to himself.
“So…” “You really did find something.” Drake immediately realized his mistake.
The old appraiser had been testing him.
Instead of pressing further, Aldren simply nodded.
“Don’t worry.” “I have no intention of asking.” “There are some secrets…” “…that deserve to remain secrets.” The old man carefully wrapped the crystal once more before handing it back.
“You came here hoping to save someone.” Drake looked up in surprise.
“…How did you know?” Aldren chuckled.
“A young man carrying a treasure beyond price doesn’t walk into the Hunter Exchange for curiosity.” “Either he’s desperate…” “…or someone he loves is dying.” Drake remained silent.
The old man’s eyes softened.
“Which is it?” “My sister.” The answer came almost instantly.
“She suffers from Mana Decay Disease.” Aldren’s smile slowly disappeared.
“I see…” For several moments, he simply looked out the window.
When he finally spoke again, his voice had become considerably quieter.
“My daughter died from the same illness.” Drake’s breathing stopped.
The old man smiled sadly.
“Twenty-three years ago.” “I searched every kingdom.” “Every Guild.” “Every famous healer.” “I collected more artifacts than I care to remember.” “In the end…” “It wasn’t enough.” Silence filled the room.
Neither man spoke.
Sometimes…
Shared grief required no explanation.
Finally, Aldren reached into one of his drawers.
Instead of money…
He removed a small silver card.
Simple.
Elegant.
An intricate tree—the same symbol from the ancient manuscript—had been engraved into its surface.
He placed it before Drake.
“Take this.” Drake frowned.
“What is it?” “A favor.” “I only have three of these.” “If one day you need my help…” “Bring me this card.” “I will ask no questions.” Drake looked at the card.
“…Why?” Aldren smiled faintly.
“Because someone once did the same for me.” — Drake carefully placed both the card and the Mana Crystal inside his jacket.
He slowly stood before bowing respectfully.
“Thank you.” The old man nodded.
“One more thing.” Drake stopped before the door.
“If anyone asks…” “You were never here.” Drake looked back.
“…Why?” Aldren sighed quietly.
“Because the moment word spreads that I examined something impossible…” “They’ll stop asking you.” “They’ll begin asking me.” The old scholar smiled.
“And I’m far too old to enjoy endless political meetings.” For the first time since entering the office…
Drake genuinely laughed.
It wasn’t loud.
Nor long.
But it was real.
He bowed once again before quietly leaving the room.
The wooden door closed behind him.
— The laughter disappeared the moment Drake stepped into the corridor.
Something felt…
Wrong.
The hallway had become unnaturally quiet.
The few visitors from earlier had vanished.
Only the distant ticking of an old clock echoed through the fourth floor.
Drake’s instincts stirred.
Not the instincts of a human.
The instincts of the Bonefang Alpha.
Someone…
Was watching him.
He didn’t stop walking.
Didn’t look around.
Instead, he calmly continued toward the staircase exactly as though nothing had changed.
Every sense sharpened.
His heartbeat slowed.
His breathing became controlled.
The relic finally spoke.
**Observation confirmed.** **Three individuals.** **Distance…
twenty-seven meters.** Drake’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Hunters?” **Unknown.** **Mana signatures concealed.** The answer alone told him enough.
Ordinary Hunters never concealed their mana inside the Exchange.
Only professionals did.
Or assassins.
Drake descended the stairs without changing his pace.
One floor.
Then another.
The footsteps behind him remained perfectly synchronized.
Not approaching.
Not falling behind.
Simply…
Following.
By the time he reached the main lobby, the bustling crowds had returned.
Hunters filled the enormous hall once more.
The unknown observers disappeared into the sea of people.
But Drake knew.
They hadn’t left.
They were simply waiting.
Watching.
Learning.
Outside the Hunter Exchange, rain had begun falling softly over Ashhaven.
Drake pulled his hood lower and disappeared into the crowded streets.
High above the city…
Inside the Intelligence Division’s headquarters…
A young officer entered a spacious office before bowing respectfully.
“Director.” The woman standing beside the enormous window never turned around.
She continued watching the rain fall across Ashhaven.
“What did the surveillance team report?” The officer swallowed.
“The unidentified individual has left Master Appraiser Aldren Kael’s office.” A brief silence followed.
“And?” “The appraiser refused to submit an appraisal report.” For the first time…
The woman turned.
Golden eyes.
Silver hair.
A calm expression that revealed almost nothing.
Only the insignia pinned to her uniform betrayed her authority.
Director Seraphina Vale.
Commander of Ashhaven Guild Intelligence.
A faint smile appeared upon her lips.
“Interesting…” She walked toward her desk.
“Prepare two files.” “One on the crystal.” “And one…” She looked toward the rain-covered city.
“…on Drake Ashcroft.” Far away…
Completely unaware that some of the most powerful people in Ashhaven had begun investigating him…
Drake continued walking toward the lower district.
Toward the hospital.
Toward Luna.
The political game had begun.
He simply hadn’t realized…
He was already one of its central pieces.
**End of Chapter 12**