Lu stayed deathly still and didn't make a noise as Miva walked across the room. He could only hope Baryt was smart enough to do the same. It would be a damn shame if they got caught before they could even enter the treasure room.
Lu started getting ready to subdue the Count's two younger children. If it had been the older two, they would have already been discovered. But Minyt and Miva were too young to have even gone through their Blessing Ceremony. Lu could handle them.
But as it turned out, the Count didn't keep his favorite wine in the main liquor cabinet. He stored it in a secret compartment in a desk at the corner of the room, not too far from Lu's hiding spot.
Miva grabbed a bottle.
"Brother, do you know why Dad wanted a bottle of this stuff? He doesn't even bring it out for his own birthday."
Minyt shrugged.
"Apparently, the father of one of Victor's classmates, who's attending this birthday banquet, is dear father's old army buddy."
Miva and Minyt headed toward the door.
"That's cool. I wonder if I'll get any army buddies in the future. I only have tea buddies."
"I don't think dear father will let you fight in the army."
"Then I'll have to ask Mother…"
Lu could no longer hear their conversation after they left the room and the doors closed behind them. He waited for a few moments to make sure there wouldn't be any more intruders before he jumped down. Upon seeing Lu move, Baryt also crawled out from his hiding spot. He looked disgruntled.
"Something wrong?"
Baryt glanced at Lu.
"I don't think Count Lito's servants would bother cleaning below the liquor cabinet. My hiding spot was spotless."
"Huh."
That wasn't what Lu had expected, but he also wasn't sure what he had expected. So, he ignored Baryt and headed toward the door on the opposite side of the Count's reception room. Behind it was the Count's quarters. And inside those quarters was the treasure room.
Lu knelt and carefully pushed down the handle. He exhaled in relief. It was unlocked.
Lu and Baryt entered the Count's personal quarters. From now on, they didn't have a detailed map. They only knew that the treasure room was somewhere here.
They looked through the doors that led to the Count's wife's bedroom, a bathroom, a walk-in closet, a study, and a library before finally finding a locked door behind the Count's bed.
Lu took a deep breath. He didn't sense any world essence around the lock, so it most likely wasn't boobytrapped with something he didn't know how to deal with. But just in case, he and Baryt moved the bed in front of the door to give them more time should they need it.
What they would do in case they did need it since they had just blocked one of the ways out was a matter for the future them.
Lu began picking the lock. As the door leading to the Count's treasures and valuables, it certainly wasn't cheap. It looked expensive. But to a trained eye, expensive didn't necessarily mean secure.
The door and lock were robust, sure. Force wouldn't be enough to break them open unless there was enough force to tear down the entire wall.
However, the mechanical aspect was relatively simple. Lu stuffed his lockpicks inside the keyhole and fuddled around a little before a gratifying click escaped the lock, and Lu tugged the door open.
Baryt looked at Lu in surprise. That looked way too easy. Lu opening the door snapped Baryt out of his daze.
Together, they entered the treasure room. It wasn't a vault. But the walls were fortified, and it had a bunch of treasure lined up on pedestals, racks, and shelves.
Lu pointed at the shelves.
"Your condensation art should be over there."
Lu scanned the treasure room quickly before getting started. He knew better than to look at everything with starry eyes before they were in the clear. Admiring the bounty before securing it was a surefire way to get caught.
Baryt started rifling through the shelves in search of the condensation art while Lu went around the room, picking up everything small enough that he could carry it with him with ease. It was mostly jewelry, but he also found a set of daggers that he strapped to his belt.
After that, he went over to Baryt and started stuffing his shirt with essence arts.
Lu knew he was a quick learner when it came to world essence-related things. The Prince had almost laughed himself silly when he discovered Lu learned Chameleon's Hiding Technique in one night. He would be a fool if he didn't take advantage of that talent, especially with how rich his world essence was.
"Find it?"
Lu was having the time of his life. Baryt wasn't. Lu didn't forget his mission for coming here, so he asked.
"No!"
"What's it called?"
"I'm not—"
"Does that matter now?"
Baryt stiffened before sighing.
"Fine. It should be a dark green leather book called 'Herald of Storms' Manifest.'"
"Ooh. Sounds fancy."
Lu started looking through the shelves before conveniently finding it.
"Here ya go. See, it was a good thing you told me."
Lu grinned and handed over the essence condensation art to the attendant of its rightful owner.
"Thank you."
Baryt looked at Lu with sincere gratitude.
"We should get out of here."
Baryt turned toward the door. There was a lot of treasure left. Lu had barely made a dent. But Baryt was only interested in the Manifest.
"One moment."
Lu wasn't. He also had yet to find what the Prince had asked for.
Lu started rifling through a bunch of treasure lumped together in a corner before eventually retrieving a skull with red jewels for eyes. He stuffed it in a designated bag Feltor had given him.
"Now, we can leave."
Lu looked significantly bigger than when they entered due to everything he carried. But his steps were still as quiet as a mouse's. Baryt did his best, but he stopped walking entirely when he realized that it wasn't his own footsteps making noise.
Baryt looked at Lu with alarm.
Someone was right outside the bedroom.