Treasure room

"That's it?!!" Alex exclaimed, his eyes reflecting deep disappointment.

He had stepped inside the treasure room, expecting it to shine golden from mountains of stacked gold coins. Instead, what he saw caused him to feel a profound disappointment he hadn't felt in a long time.

Is this what he had risked his life for, facing a monster way above him in terms of level?

Before the group, the treasure room stretched as far as the eye could see. However, instead of the expected golden hue, the chamber was bathed in a soft purple light.

This purple light came from crystals that emitted a soft, enchanting glow. Their luminescence bathed the entire space in a mystical, ethereal light, casting delicate shadows and creating an otherworldly ambiance. The crystals seemed to pulse gently, as if alive, filling the room with a serene and magical atmosphere.

They littered the entirety of the treasure room. Be it on the ground, on the walls, or even on the ceiling, they were everywhere.

However, besides those crystals, there was nothing more. No mountains of gold, no enchanted weapons, no supernatural potions.

"What are those? They don't look like mana crystals," Alex said as he approached a crystal on the ground.

Mana crystals, as the name indicated, contained pure mana and were very similar to monster cores as they allowed one to increase their level by absorbing the pure mana inside.

The difference between the two was that a monster core came from a slain monster, while a mana crystal formed from the condensation of ambient mana.

Mana crystals were expensive—hella expensive. That was simply because they didn't come with limitations like beast cores.

Until one attained level 5, it was impossible to absorb mana from the core of a monster with a higher level than theirs.

This limitation didn't exist for mana crystals. One could absorb the mana inside a mana crystal regardless of its grade.

However, the true reason why mana crystals were so expensive was that those at or above level 5 hoarded them.

As it was explained earlier, the higher level monsters attained, the more intelligent they became, and the harder it was to stumble upon them.

High-level monsters were effectively hard to find and kill. As a result, higher-level human progression would often stall due to the lack of quality monster cores.

Their only options were to absorb mana from lower-level beast cores, which provided minimal strength, or to absorb mana from mana crystals.

Most high-level humans did absorb mana from both sources, but since many of these powerful individuals had descendants, they couldn't hoard everything. They left monster cores for others and concentrated on absorbing mana from mana crystals, which provided slightly more mana than most monster cores.

Alex crouched down and placed his hand on the glowing crystal. He could feel mana coursing through it, so he attempted to draw it toward himself. However, nothing happened; the crystal's glow dimmed for just an instant before returning to its previous brilliance. He tried again, but the result remained the same, making him realize that, even though there was mana inside the crystal, he couldn't absorb it.

By now, after resting for hours, though his body was still exhausted, his mana reserves were already replenished. So, since he couldn't absorb the mana inside the crystal, Alex did the opposite and injected his own mana into the crystal.

The crystal's glow intensified, but besides that, nothing happened.

However, Alex didn't stop and injected even more mana into the crystal, causing its glow to continue intensifying.

Seconds later, he finally noticed a change in the crystal.

"It grew an inch longer," Alex observed, a hint of excitement in his voice.

To confirm it, Alex applied pressure on the crystal and broke off a piece. Then he poured more of his mana into the piece in his hand. Under his and the girls' astonished eyes, the piece began to grow more prominent until it was the same size as the crystal it was taken from.

"It increases in size the more mana it absorbs. I have never heard of such a mineral," Maya said as she practically snatched the crystal from Alex's hands, her breasts jiggling under her towel as she did so.

"You're knowledgeable about minerals?" Amelia inquired, curiosity evident in her tone.

"I'm knowledgeable about many things," Maya replied with a boastful smile.

"Tsk, show off," Alex clicked his tongue, shaking his head in mild amusement.

However, he understood that with the ability she held, her claim couldn't be more true. Even if Maya herself wasn't someone who wanted to spend all her time in a library, there was a good chance that her family elders would have forced her to spend a considerable amount of time there.

In their line of work, in any line of work actually, having someone who could remember anything was extremely precious. Whether it was evaluating the quality of rare treasures, deducing the value of unique artifacts, or recalling the intricate histories of ancient items, Maya's eidetic memory was invaluable. She could effortlessly authenticate items, recall bidding patterns, and even strategize on the best way to present items to fetch the highest prices.

"This mineral is not listed among the known ones in Imperion," Maya observed, "so if you were to document and report your findings to the Magi community, you would obtain a hefty amount of recognition and potentially significant financial rewards."

"The Magi community? Since when have they taken an interest in minerals?" Alex wondered.

The Magi community is a group of people entirely devoted to research on mana and its various applications. They spend all their time secluded in their tower, known as the Magi Tower. These towers are spread all over the continent, present in the majority of the kingdoms and empires. They never meddled with the politics of the territories they resided in, and in return for allowing them to stay in their territory, they shared the results of their research with the rulers of those territories.

In sum, they are a group of hermits whose only interest lies in mana. That's actually why Alex couldn't understand why they would be interested in minerals.

"They are a group of people who are interested in every aspect of mana. A mineral that grows when in contact with mana would obviously pique their interest," Maya explained.

"I see," Alex nodded.

He thought about what she said for a moment before shaking his head, "I don't think I will report this finding."

Alex's reasons for this decision were simple. For now, he didn't know if this new mineral had other characteristics or even how to perfectly use it. Instead of giving it to others, he would conduct his own research to determine if this mineral was worth something or not.

Of course, he wouldn't be the one doing the research.

'I will give it to Scarlett to study and make it seem like a reward. That way, I will both obtain information about this mineral while making Scarlett feel grateful,' Alex smiled inwardly.

"Your call," Maya nodded as she dropped the crystal she was holding into her hands.

"I'm still wondering," Amelia suddenly spoke, "why are you in a towel?"

"Oh, I forgot," Maya turned and began to walk further inside the treasure room, "follow me," she said a moment later, glancing at the siblings.

Alex and Amelia looked at one another before shrugging and following behind Maya.

It wasn't long before a frown appeared on Alex's face. He glanced at Amelia walking beside him and asked, "Are you also feeling it?"

"Mm," Amelia nodded, "the further we advance, the hotter it gets."

"Hey, Maya, where are you tak..." Alex's words trailed off as he took in the breathtaking sight before him.

Before the group of three, there, in what was supposed to be the treasury of a dungeon, lay a small lake, its surface sparkling with an almost unnatural clarity. The water was so clean it seemed to glow with purity.

Wisps of steam rose steadily from the lake, hinting at its surprising warmth. This vapor created an ethereal mist that enveloped the entire area, giving the scene an otherworldly, almost magical ambiance.Coupled with the violet light of the crystals all over the room, the atmosphere was even more fantastical.

Around the lake, a small vegetation of grass with a purple hue added to the surreal and enchanting environment.

"It's... beautiful," Amelia murmured, feeling the sudden need to take a bath in the lake.

"It's not only beautiful," Maya replied, her voice edged with excitement. "I don't know how, but the water in this lake can invigorate your body and wash away your exhaustion!"

***

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