chapter 69 phantom flower
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Kaelith Reaches the Treasury
The heavy door to the treasury groaned as Kaelith slowly pushed it open, his eyes immediately taking in the vast wealth stored within. Gold coins, scattered across the floor like breadcrumbs, glinted in the flickering torchlight. The air was thick with the smell of musty old wealth, a testament to the bandits' greed and carelessness.
> This is too easy...
Kaelith moved swiftly, navigating through the treasure room with the precision of a trained thief. He didn't waste time admiring the riches. His focus was sharp, his mind already calculating the best way to extract everything valuable without leaving a trace.
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The Loot
At the far end of the room, Kaelith spotted a large, ornately decorated chest, sitting among piles of treasure like a prize waiting to be claimed. With a quick glance around, he approached the chest, fingers already brushing the surface. The lock was simple to pick, and within moments, the chest was open.
Inside, a wealth of treasures awaited him. First, he grabbed a handful of gold coins, their weight comforting in his palms.
> 20 gold... enough to make a difference.
But the gold was just the beginning. He shifted the coins aside, revealing a collection of skill stones. These glowing stones, pulsating with arcane power, were a rare commodity in the world of thieves. Kaelith's fingers lingered over them, the potential to enhance his abilities with these stones too great to pass up.
> 10 skill stones... these will serve me well. Perhaps a few will even allow me to perfect my stealth.
He carefully slipped the skill stones into his pouch, savoring the value they would add to his skillset. But as he dug deeper into the chest, something far more intriguing caught his eye.
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The Phantom Flower
Nestled among the valuables was an unusual flower, its petals glowing with an ethereal light. It was a Phantom Flower, a delicate and rare item known to have powerful magical properties. However, Kaelith knew its true value wasn't in its mystical aura but in its rarity as a quest item. Such flowers were often given to nobles as tokens of high regard or used in political exchanges. The flower was rumored to grant favor to those who presented it, often as a diplomatic gesture.
> A Phantom Flower... This is a noble's quest . It could bring me favor with someone important.If i gave to the noble she will make me second rate citizen in town which is very useful.
He carefully placed the flower into his pouch, knowing it would fetch a high price, but also understanding that it .
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The Goblin Kingdom Letter
As Kaelith shifted the remaining valuables around, his hand brushed against something unexpected: a letter, sealed with a wax emblem depicting a goblin holding a dagger. The letter was formal, written with an elegant hand, and though the language was strange, Kaelith's years of reading between the lines allowed him to understand its meaning.
He broke the seal carefully, the parchment inside thick and of high quality. As he read through it, the purpose of the letter became clear.
The letter was not a request for aid or alliance but an instruction. The Goblin Kingdom had written to the bandits, demanding the immediate kidnapping of the Goblin Prince. The letter outlined the importance of capturing the prince alive, to be delivered to the goblin nobles for political reasons. The bandits were to use the chaos of the region to create an opportunity to snatch the prince away, leveraging his capture for power and wealth.
> So, the prince is the key to a much larger game...
Kaelith's mind raced as he absorbed the details. The letter was clear: the kidnapping of the prince wasn't just a random act of violence—it was a carefully planned political move. The Goblin Kingdom wanted the prince out of the way, perhaps to pave the path for a new ruler, or maybe to use his capture as a means of bargaining with rival factions. It was evident that the bandits were just pawns in a much larger scheme, and the stakes were higher than Kaelith had initially realized.
He tucked the letter into his pouch, his thoughts already spinning with possibilities. If he delivered this letter to the right people, it could be a game-changer. But if the wrong people found out about it, it could easily lead to his own downfall.
I must not break the alliance with prince
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The Rare Loot Box
Lastly, Kaelith's eyes fell on a small, ornate box tucked away in the corner of the room. It was cleverly hidden beneath some discarded armor and other items, almost as if the bandits didn't want it found. The box was decorated with intricate carvings, its craftsmanship far more refined than anything else in the treasury.
> A rare loot box?
Kaelith's pulse quickened. Rare loot boxes often contained powerful items—things that couldn't be found anywhere else. He approached it cautiously, checking for any traps. With a careful twist of the lid, the box opened, revealing a Shadowcloak, woven from the finest materials and enchanted to blend seamlessly into the shadows.
The cloak seemed to absorb the light around it, and Kaelith immediately recognized its potential. This was a rare artifact, a tool that would make him nearly invisible in any environment.
> A Shadowcloak... Perfect for my work.
The cloak would give him the edge in his missions, allowing him to remain unseen even in the most well-guarded places. Kaelith felt a rush of excitement. With this item, his ability to infiltrate and gather intel would reach new heights.
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Kaelith's Choice
As Kaelith collected the gold, skill stones, Phantom Flower, Goblin Kingdom letter, and the Shadowcloak, he felt a sense of accomplishment. The treasures were bountiful, and the knowledge he had gained from the letter was invaluable. But he knew the true danger was just beginning.
> The Goblin Kingdom's plan... I need to decide how to play this. I could use it to my advantage—or I could end up a pawn in their game.
Kaelith carefully packed the treasures into his pouch, glancing once more at the room. The bandits were still reeling from their failed defenses, unaware that their treasure—and their plans—had just been altered forever.
> Time to go. The prince will be the key to everything.I must help him so I can favours he already useful now .
With his loot secured and his mind set on the next steps, Kaelith made his way to the exit. The future was uncertain, but one thing was clear: he was now a player in a much larger game than he had originally thought.