Not All That Glitters Is Unstealable

Damn.

We almost emptied the sanctum.

Not gonna lie, I felt a tiny pinch of guilt. Like robbing a cathedral and leaving behind a "Thank you" note with a smiley face. But hey, not my fault the ancient designers didn't update their anti-theft measures.

"Young master," Clara said, eyeing the storage cube in my hand. "The size did not even grow an inch after putting all those artifacts inside."

Right. That weird cube.

Even Inspect had to give me a migraine of an explanation when I first checked it.

According to inspect, this cube could transform any three-dimensional object into a four- or five-dimensional form. Something about folding space on itself to create infinite storage planes.

Yeah, no thanks. I dropped physics the moment I realized it wasn't just throwing apples and counting the fall.

So I looked at her, nodded solemnly, and said,

"Fascinating."

Yeah. That's my expert opinion.

"Are there no artifacts with this function outside?" I asked.

"There are several pouch-type artifacts like this one," Clara replied, tapping her belt and pulling out a tiny brown pouch with an insignia stitched in gold thread. "This can store multiple objects as well, but its capacity is nowhere near this cube."

Huh. I peeked at the pouch with Inspect, just for fun.

The description popped up like always:

Object: Spatial Pouch.

Type: Virtual Space Artifact.

Capacity: 1,180 cubic feet.

Feature: Easy retrieval system.

Alright. Still cool. But way more limited than our reality-breaking cube.

Also, the description didn't even try to pretend it knew quantum theory. Thank the heavens.

Still, damn. This world is convenient.

I thought about the pouch's price.

It could probably pay for rent, food, and some decent silk for every family in the slums for a whole month. Yeah. Maybe two, if they bargain well.

"Let's head to the next chamber, my lord," Clara said, her eyes sparkling like she'd just seen the treasure room of a dragon with bad security.

I raised an eyebrow.

Was that... greed? Or lust for artifacts?

Either way, if I ever needed to buy an artifact in the future, she's not coming with me. That's the same spark children get when you take them to a candy store and say, "Pick one."

Besides.. the fact that some of the chambers were already looted.. bugged me a little. None of the possibilities were making sense, except one. And if that's true.. we might have found ourselves a golden goose.

We made our way back toward the rocky maze. The part of the sanctum that looked like nature gave up halfway and said, "You know what? Just toss some boulders and throw in a few monsters."

The contrast was jarring.

From a divine, glowing chamber filled with sacred ambiance to a jagged stone corridor that practically screamed, You will die here, slowly and in pain.

When I opened my eyes, a warm golden glow greeted me.

The chamber I was in felt divine, bathed in light that shimmered gently off the artifacts embedded in high-reaching stone pillars.

The air carried a faint hum, as if the very walls were alive with magic.

But I was alone.

I quickly scanned the room, hoping to find someone, anyone, but the silence answered back. My eyes caught the empty sockets on the upper edges of the pillars, some artifacts clearly missing. Boxes on the ground lay opened, their contents taken.

"Was the sanctum already cleared?" I muttered under my breath.

No. If it had been cleared, the entry itself wouldn't have appeared in the dungeon. That realization calmed me a little. I activated my perception skill, and faintly, movement flickered in the maize just beyond the walls. One nearby chamber had some residual presence. That was my best bet.

A ripple of unease passed through me. The weight of solitude suddenly hit harder. I was alone, and the dungeon wasn't kind to the lonely.

I steadied my breathing. Calm down, Sylvia. Step by step. I'll move from one chamber to the next... until I reach the boss room. With luck, I'll find Lord Hugo and Clara there. Or at least... I'll wait for them.

Keeping my perception active, I slipped past roaming ogres, keeping to the outer perimeter. Monsters were less dense there, and chambers were always located along the fringes. I avoided the center of the maize entirely.

Eventually, I reached the chamber nearest to mine. It was already looted, just like the last. Everything of value was gone, and again... no humans.

Then, I felt a presence behind me.

My body tensed. That shouldn't be possible. Monsters can't enter the sanctum chambers.

I drew my sword.

"Ah... hello," a familiar voice said.

A steady Elvian man stepped inside the chamber, followed by the girl who had spoken to me earlier.

Relief mixed with confusion.

"You're from Crescent Bloom," I said.

The man gave a courteous nod. "Darren, leader of the party," he introduced himself. "And this is Lyra," he gestured to the young woman beside him.

"I'm glad we caught up to you. I've been walking for an hour, dodging monsters."

I lowered my sword, relieved. "Sylvia. Nice to see you again. The feeling is mutual."

But something about his words caught my attention. Caught up, not found?

Wait… That choice of words... Elves' perception skills are far superior to humans'. Could they actually sense me?

"Sir Darren," I asked, trying to sound composed, "can you sense where the boss room is? And where the others might be?"

"Of course, Miss Sylvia," he said easily. "That's how we tracked you. There are two people ahead of us and two already near the boss room. I can't identify them exactly, but I can distinguish monsters from intelligent beings based on movement."

I stared at him. It was like finding a Pandora's box I never knew I needed.

"Right," I said. "Then let's not waste time. Let's go meet up with the rest."

Darren glanced at Lyra, then at me. "We've been walking for an hour... If it's alright, may we rest a bit before heading back into the maize?"

"Oh! Of course," I said quickly. "My apologies. I didn't consider that."

"No, not at all," he said politely.

The three of us stayed in the chamber a while longer. The divine glow overhead hummed quietly. Darren, breaking the silence, finally asked, "It's rare to see humans active in our dungeons. Did you come here for a specific reason?"

"Yes," I replied, keeping my tone light. "We're here for trade, but thought we'd do a bit of dungeon diving to keep from getting rusty."

"Oh?" he said, tilting his head. "Are you people big-name merchants?"

"We have ties," I said, then added, "but we hold noble titles. I'm the daughter of a viscount."

His eyes widened. "Ah.. my apologies, Lady Sylvia. I didn't realize you were of noble blood."

I shook my head. "It's alright. In the Elvian lands, we're simply merchants."

Darren seemed to think for a moment. "Is the one who was with you a noble as well?"

"If you mean Lord Hugo, yes. He's our benefactor and the heir to a duchy. The one with him is his maid, Clara."

Darren blinked. "The duke.." Darren's tone trailed off. "Wait, A maid? A maid fought like that?"

I smiled. "Well... she's a trained combatant first, and a maid second."

"I'm thankful to all of you," Darren said sincerely. "If we hadn't crossed paths, we might've been killed by that ogre."

"It's nothing," I said. "Because of you, we'll be able to navigate the maze without getting lost."

"I'm glad to be of help."

Lyra spoke next. "It was my first time seeing the heir to a duchy in a dungeon. I thought nobles didn't do such things."

"True," Darren nodded. "In our kingdom, dukes have personal armies. They don't need to train at all."

I smiled faintly, as if listening to children fantasizing. "Dukes have personal armies in every kingdom," I said. Darren flushed red in embarrassment.

I continued, "Besides, the Falcon Duchy is known worldwide for its military strength."

Darren nodded. "Ohh... is that why Lord Hugo's training?"

"I don't know," I said honestly.

But inside, I remembered.

When our engagement was first announced, I met him only a few times. Each time, he seemed... uninterested in anything.

I agreed to the arrangement not for love or hope, but because having Duke Everard's support would give my father a fighting chance against my uncle.

Even at the cost of my fate, tied to a man who saw no meaning in life.

But when I visited Falcon Castle with my father that last time... everything had changed.

The maids who once barely acknowledged his awkward calls now watched his every movement, poised to act the moment he needed them.

The soldiers, who once viewed him as little more than a noble-shaped shadow lingering in the halls, now stood in perfect posture whenever he passed.

He wore the crest of his house with ease, as though it were a mere ornament, when not long ago, I had questioned whether he'd even been entrusted with it.

The finance minister of the duchy now worked under his direction, when once his only support had been Clara. And he had done all this… in such an astoundingly short span of time.

"I should thank Lord Hugo when I meet him," Darren said. "He saved me from the ogre earlier."

Lyra added, "And thank you too, Lady Sylvia. Both of you protected us from the ogre's projectiles the whole time."

"It was nothing," I said. "Thanks to your support, dealing damage became easier for Clara."

"Lord Hugo's spontaneity is top-notch," Darren said, a note of admiration in his voice. "He coordinated with us perfectly."

I recalled it clearly. Lord Hugo had barked orders for a full twenty minutes, never missing a beat. He grasped Clara's intent instantly and synced the patterns of these four Elvian adventurers to support her strategy.

It was... mesmerizing to watch.

"Were your families partners from the beginning?" Lyra asked. "Or did you meet in the Elvian Kingdom through trade?"

I gave her a soft smile. "I'm his fiancée. We're both here for the same purpose."

Lyra blinked. "Ohh... you two make a great pair."

"Thank you," I said and stood up.

Darren, taking the hint, stood as well and looked around. "The two ahead of us are still in their chamber... What are they doing this long? Let's move quickly."

I nodded, stepping forward with them. But a stray thought lingered in my mind.

You two make a great pair...

Before I realized it, I smiled.