paranoianovel Chapter 85 85: Was Nadia really related to Moonstone House?
Chapter 85 85: Was Nadia really related to Moonstone House?
In one swift motion, he lifted the chest, its weight heavier than expected. His movements remained controlled, careful not to disturb anything else.
He swore himself not to pocket anything inside no matter what. Just a little peek inside and he will return it to its exact spot.
After taking another glance at the sleeping woman, Kael vanished into the night.
Kael stood in the moonlit clearing, the wooden chest resting on a flat rock before him. The residential areas were far away, and only the rustling of wild plants and the occasional chirp of nocturnal creatures accompanied him.
He exhaled slowly, stretching his fingers before placing them on the chest. A faint glow of mana spread from his hands, sensing the enchantment woven into the wood.
It wasn't particularly strong.
With precise control, Kael manipulated his mana to unravel the spell, carefully dismantling its structure. The resistance was minimal, and within moments, the magic crumbled like sand slipping through fingers.
Click.
The chest unlocked.
But the moment he lifted the lid—
Fwoosh!
A stream of thick, green liquid shot out.
Kael's instincts kicked in. With a sharp twist of his body, he dodged effortlessly. The liquid missed him by inches, splattering onto the nearby rocks.
Sssssssss!
The rocks sizzled and melted instantly, dissolving into nothingness.
Kael narrowed his eyes.
"A super-corrosive liquid… Definitely the work of an alchemist. As expected of a grandmaster." His lips curled into a smirk. An ordinary thief would've died the moment they opened it. But he wasn't ordinary.
He turned his attention back to the now-open chest, his curiosity deepening. Just what was so important that it needed a trap like this?
When he did, he found three objects lying within.
The first—a human heart, still beating. Faint golden energy chains wrapped around it, as if sealing it.
"A heart? Is it her own heart or someone else?" He couldn't help but wonder for a moment before his eyes shifted to the second item lying around.
It was a crimson stone, crystalline and glass-like, emanating an otherworldly aura.
And the last—a scarlet wool cloak.
Cleodore, perched on his shoulder, broke the silence. "It's the cloak. That's what smells like you."
He narrowed his eyes. Carefully, he inspected the fabric from above the chest, ensuring no more hidden traps lay in wait. Sensing no danger, he reached forward and picked it up.
The material felt old yet well-preserved, nothing too extravagant—likely worth a few hundred gold coins at most.
But it wasn't the quality that stunned him. It was the crest embroidered on the cloak. "This…" Kael's breath hitched.
A five-clawed black and gold dragon.
It was the ancient crest of House Moonstone, used for centuries before it was altered to a five-clawed gold dragon.
His grip on the cloak tightened. No wonder the spirit sensed familiarity. It was the scent of his bloodline.
"An ancestor's cloak…?"
Kael's mind raced. He glanced at the chest again, his gaze drifting between the heart, the crimson stone, and the cloak.
His eyes darkened. "Just who exactly is Nadia…? Why did she have this cloak? Was she really connected to the Moonstone House?" His mind was filled with questions, and only Nadia could give him answers to them. But, how should he get them? That's the next challenge.
After a while;
Kael carefully placed the chest back inside the wardrobe, ensuring everything looked as close to its original state as possible. Nadia remained undisturbed, still deep in sleep. With a silent breath, he slipped out of the residence unnoticed.
From start to the end, Nadia didn't even notice a little thing.
The next morning, as sunlight filtered through her window, Nadia stirred awake. Going about her usual routine, she freshened up before heading to her wardrobe.
As she opened it, her sharp eyes immediately caught something unusual.
The wooden chest was slightly off—just a few inches deeper into the compartment than before.
Alchemists are re
Kael exhaled slowly, forcing himself to let go of the thought. Perhaps, in time, he would uncover the truth. But today wasn't that day.
He leaned back in his chair, schooling his features into a relaxed expression.
"I see," he said casually, offering a small, charming smile, as if the momentary tension had never existed. "Well, anyway, let's talk about the alchemy market, Miss Nadia."
For a moment, Nadia's eyes lingered on him before the elderly alchemist smiled and reached for the teapot beside her, gracefully pouring him a cup of tea. "Very well, let's talk about the business, Moonstone," she said, her tone returning to its usual composed warmth.