Dim light from the ceiling faintly illuminated the dark building.
Lisi raised her head and examined the source of the light.
"Is that a magic stone enchanted with permanent magic?"
"Yes."
"It must have cost an enormous amount."
In an age when magic was disappearing, hiring a magician was as difficult as plucking stars from the sky, and the price of magical items had risen beyond imagination.
"Of course the Holy Kingdom supported it. This building was constructed when magic stones were not nearly this expensive."
Inside the building was a vast open space with no separate rooms.
At the center stood several display stands shining with golden light.
Even along the path leading toward them, traps had been installed. Kay walked ahead, disabling them one by one.
When Lisi finally reached the golden displays, she could see the four objects resting upon them.
A goblet.
A sword.
A staff.
A robe.
At first glance, they looked utterly ordinary. In fact, they seemed old and almost useless.
"Never touch them, Lisi."
Even if Kay had not warned her, Lisi had no intention of touching them.
If an ordinary person mishandled a sacred relic, they could die. In some cases, they could end up in a state worse than death. Records even stated that merely being near a relic could cause dangerous incidents.
"There are many records about sacred relics. Long ago, people even worked as professionals who searched for them, calling them treasures. There were even commoners who possessed sacred relics."
The Holy Kingdom judged the relics too dangerous and began collecting them for management.
But during a war that broke out one day, countless relics were destroyed or lost.
The four relics now in Kay’s possession were among those the Holy Kingdom had barely managed to preserve through that chaos.
"Each sacred relic has its own ability. Long ago there were people who could use those abilities…"
"There are none now?"
"None. There might be some, but the relics are so dangerous that people often cannot even attempt it."
"Do people die just from touching them?"
"If they die, that would actually be fortunate… Sometimes people become trapped inside their own bodies."
"Trapped inside their bodies?"
"The mind remains perfectly clear, but the body cannot move at all. Not even the eyes. In other words, the body becomes a prison."
Lisi imagined such a situation.
A mind that remained completely conscious, yet unable to move even the eyes.
"That is horrifying."
"Of course not all relics are that dangerous, and some can be touched safely. But you never know."
Kay explained the four relics.
The Golden Goblet, from which grain endlessly poured.
The Sword of Death, which could perfectly heal someone fatally wounded or gravely ill if stabbed into the heart.
The Wiles Staff, which forced beasts to obey commands.
The Jerius Robe, which made the wearer invisible.
Kay had been explaining in his low, pleasant voice when he suddenly stopped speaking and turned around.
Lisi also turned, but no one was there.
"It seems the guest we were expecting has arrived, Lisi."
"What?"
"Alford of the Huchis family."
"Ah… how did you…?"
Kay tapped his ear.
"Wolves have excellent hearing."
Kay took Lisi’s hand.
"Shall we go together? We could show him how affectionate we are."
"No."
Lisi smiled calmly.
"Go alone, Kay. Though I do not know whether you can take the gold mine from him without my help."
+++
Instead of entering the reception room, Alford stood in the corridor outside it and loudly told the butler and passing maids about how passionately he and Iris had once loved each other.
The younger maids who had not known Iris for long listened with fascination.
"Oh my. Oh my."
Among them was Gillette.
"It was by the lake. That was where we shared our first kiss… I can still vividly remember how our Iris’s eyelashes trembled faintly. That was the moment I decided I would marry Iris. And Iris answered that she felt the same way."
No one tried to stop Alford.
A noblewoman’s hidden past was an entertaining story for maids.
Jamie, who assumed Alford was merely an ordinary visitor, also stood nearby and listened attentively.
Jamie wore a faint smile, yet his sharp eyes were carefully observing the faces of every maid present.
"Gasp… hey, let’s go."
When the maids spotted Kay walking down the corridor from afar, they quickly scattered.
Only Jamie remained beside Alford.
Alford stood proudly, waiting for Kay to approach.
"Not even waiting inside."
When Kay finally arrived, he muttered the words while walking into the reception room first.
The tone sounded oddly curt, but Alford followed him inside anyway.
The moment Alford sat down on the sofa, he began speaking.
"I have something to say about Iris…"
"Sell the Lavent gold mine to me, Viscount Huchis."
Alford frowned as his words were cut off.
He also disliked the fact that Kay, who appeared far younger than him, was speaking informally.
Even though Kay held a higher title, it was considered proper etiquette for nobles to use polite speech toward someone older.
"Listen here, Count Green. I—"
"I will offer a good price."
"Let me speak—"
"I."
Kay crossed his legs elegantly.
"If it is not about the gold mine, I do not wish to discuss it."
"Iris is my woman!"
Kay’s words and Alford’s shout overlapped.
Alford raised his voice angrily, but Kay spoke calmly without even twitching an eyebrow.
"I could offer about ten percent above the market value of the gold mine, Viscount."
"Count! I am speaking about Iris. The poor Iris you stole from me!"
"So it seems. But what can I do? I find the gold mine more interesting."
"I never intended to discuss the gold mine at all!"
"I have only been thinking about the gold mine."
Alford stared at him, wondering if he was joking.
But Kay’s face contained not the slightest hint of a smile.
He simply continued speaking lazily about the gold mine.
Realizing this could continue endlessly, Alford finally said,
"I will not sell the Lavent gold mine. Even if you offer ten million gold."
"I heard you intended to give it to Duke Whitlow."
"That was…!"
He could not add that it had been the price to purchase Iris.
"He will soon become my father in law."
"I see."
"In any case, let us end the discussion about the gold mine and talk about Iris. You may not know this, but Iris and I have been promised to marry for a long time. We first met three years ago…"
Alford began repeating the same story he had told the maids earlier.
This time Kay did not interrupt.
Originally Kay had prepared several plans to obtain the Lavent gold mine from Alford.
He had even investigated the various illegal dealings of the Huchis Grand Merchant Guild. If necessary, he had intended to use them to pressure Alford.
But the moment he heard Alford boasting about Iris in the corridor, he changed his plan.
It would be better to give Alford a harsher lesson.
So that mouth would never speak about Iris again.
"Now you understand, Count Green? Iris can only smile happily when she is with me."
"She smiles quite well in front of me."
"That is only because you forced yourself upon her and frightened her. Iris is timid and delicate."
Timid?
Iris?
This man truly knew nothing about Lisi.
"No matter who you are, Count, you cannot simply take a woman by force. If people learn that the Guardian Relic House used its honor like this, they will condemn you. And if the Holy Kingdom hears about it, you might even lose your status as guardian of the sacred relics!"
When Kay remained silent, Alford grew even more confident and began subtly threatening him.
Kay slowly stood up.
"There is something I would like to show you, Viscount. Follow me."
"First we should settle the matter of Iris—"
"Follow me, Viscount."