Despite being abandoned, Lieberde's mansion still appeared well-maintained. It seemed as though the royal family, or perhaps another party, had sent people to clean up the place every once in a while.
"The door is locked," his father remarked as he tried to push and pull the main door open.
"Let me try." Lucas stepped forward and took out his lockpicking tools.
"You know how to pick a lock?" His father questioned him with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, I have been studying it," Lucas replied. He felt that since his quest to find the stones might involve a treasure chest, learning to pick locks would be useful. With the guidance of EO, it was easy for him to manage the task.
"Just as long as you don't use it for bad intentions. I don't want my son to be branded a thief." And Lucas had no intention of that either.
After some effort, the door clicked open, and they were able to get in. They explored the mansion, eventually discovering the staircase leading down to the basement.
"It is around here?" His father inquired.
"No, it is somewhere below. The second basement floor," Lucas clarified.
"Hmm…. There don't seem to be any stairs in sight, but they could be hidden."
Lucas nodded and surveyed the basement. His gaze settled on a unique crack in the wall, which got an interesting description.
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Description: What appears merely as a crack in the wall is, in truth, a keyhole, allowing one to unlock something hidden.>
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Lucas approached the crack and gave it a closer examination. The hole within was quite deep, and he was uncertain as to what kind of key would be long enough to reach the end.
'The key must be in here as well,' Lucas thought.
Fortunately, it didn't take long to find the key. It turned out to be a long rod with a uniquely shaped top. Lucas inserted the rod into the crack, and when he felt it reach the end of the hole, he rotated it. The sound of the mechanism engaging filled the air. At the same time, a section of the wall beside him swung open, revealing a staircase leading down to the second basement.
"How did you know that?" His father inquired.
"Intuition?" He replied with a grin.
"Hmm…." His father appeared skeptical but chose not to question him further.
Both of them went downstairs, and his father used light magic to illuminate the surroundings.
"To think nobody knows Lierbede has this kind of place," Lucas' father murmured as he observed the purpose of the second basement. It wasn't just a place to store the Lightstone, but it was also a place to keep various artifacts and treasures. The basement was quite spacious. It had a table in the middle of it, which stored jewelry. Along the walls, there were bookshelves and cupboards.
"They might not know because this place is sealed with magic. It's undetectable," Lucas commented as he saw various descriptions of unfamiliar spells inscribed in the second basement.
"What should we do with all of this? Take them?"
"Yes," his father replied simply. It would be foolish to leave these things untouched here. He added, "And don't forget the stone."
Lucas quickly and swiftly approached the drawer where the stone was nestled. Carefully lifting it, he noticed a folded letter tucked beneath it. Unfolding it, he began to read it.
{"If you are reading this, then you must have possessed his bracer, the only means by which this letter can be revealed. My name is Jillian Lieberde, a friend of Poldansius. He entrusted me to safeguard the Lightstone for reasons unknown to me. He arrived at my doorstep in a state of disarray and injury, placing the stone in my care before vanishing. I knew that something bad was happening, but then the next thing I heard was his disappearance. Nobody knew where he had gone, and many presumed he was dead. I tried to find him, but I couldn't find any trace of him.
"His sudden disappearance and the bestowal of the Lightstone upon me led me to believe that someone was targeting him and his possessions, a belief that proved true. An individual approached me with unkind inquiries about Poldansius, and though I managed to fend them off, I was not unscathed. They placed a curse upon me. I don't know what kind of curse it was. This curse doesn't deliver a swift end but instead slowly erodes my health, consuming my mana and disrupting my magic circuits. And it wasn't just me. Regrettably, my entire family has fallen under its malevolent influence. The perpetrator behind these dark deeds, they are dangerous, and I fear I lack the strength to overcome them. As much as I hate it, I have already resigned myself to death, yet I cannot bear the thought of my family suffering the same fate. Therefore, I have resorted to delving into forbidden magic, and God, please forgive me for that. If I can't dispel the curse by normal means, then I must resort to any means necessary to dispel it.
"I have both succeeded and failed. Tragically, my entire family has perished except my son, and I managed to get him away with another identity. He carries the key to the truth, yet I pray that he won't do anything since his priority is to survive. I am sharing this with you, the bearer of his bracer, because I want you to uncover the truth. I hold a deep grudge against Poldansius for the curse he inflicted on my family, despite knowing they would come to me either way. Nevertheless, only Poldansius' successor can assist me in this matter. Uncover the truth and seek justice for us."}
"What are you reading?" His father inquired as he walked next to him. "A blank piece of paper?"
"No." Lucas shook his head. "Only I can read it."
".... If you are not my son, I'd say you are crazy."
Lucas chuckled at the remark, folded the letter, and placed it in his pocket. He then attached the Lightstone to his bracer, unlocking the seventh ability of the bracer. This enhancement boosted his light elemental magic, allowing him to create a light-based elemental arm construct.
"It is working fine," Lucas muttered. He turned around to gaze at the treasures in the room. "How are we going to carry all of this?"
"Don't worry," his father reassured him as he took out a pouch from his jacket. "I brought this."
".... Father, why did you have it in your jacket in the first place?"
".... For precaution," his father replied stoically, his eyes avoiding his son's gaze.
".... Is that so?" Lucas frowned suspiciously.
"It is so."
Both father and son then proceeded to store everything in the basement in the pouch.
"Hm?" Lucas' attention shifted from transferring the treasure to his father's pouch to a wall.
"Another secret mechanism?" he muttered loud enough for his father to hear. Lucas inspected the wall and tapped the necessary bricks. Then, the sound of the mechanism was heard, prompting Lucas to turn around and see the table in the middle of the room moved away.