Will found himself perplexed when a teenager expressed interest in purchasing the antique he had sent to be auctioned. To his surprise, other teenagers also showed interest in the antique box. This sudden influx of attention left Will wondering about the significance of the item and why it seemed to attract the curiosity of these young individuals.
He could understand if they were antiquarians, but these individuals were clearly students whose studies seems to had no connection to archaeology. He knew this because he could easily recognize people with the same background as him, especially in York.
As Will's curiosity was piqued, he couldn't help but wonder if these students knew something about the antique that could potentially increase its value beyond his initial assessment. However, his complex expression didn't go unnoticed by his assistant, who grew concerned but understood the reason behind his change in emotion.
Setting aside his complicated feelings, Will began to devise plans on how to leverage this opportunity to his advantage. He saw it as a chance to establish stronger connections with the families associated with the teenagers mentioned in the report he was holding. By doing so, he hoped to gain further insights into the significance of the antique and potentially unlock its hidden value.
Will chuckled to himself, convinced that these teenagers were up to something secretive right under everyone's noses. He instructed the pale man standing beside him to delve deeper into investigating the motives and activities of these young individuals. It was clear to Will that there was more to this situation than met the eye, and he was determined to uncover the truth behind their interest in the antique.
Will contemplated the situation, thinking to himself, "Even if their assistance is not necessary, I wouldn't mind lending a hand to save these naughty children and having their families owe me a favor." He believed that by offering his help, even if it wasn't explicitly needed, he could find a way to manipulate the circumstances to achieve his desired outcome. Will was confident in his ability to navigate the situation and use any opportunity to his advantage.
Will's intuition proved to be correct as the investigation revealed that the teenagers had no connection to the study of antiques or any individuals who might have a legitimate interest in the item. This discovery only heightened Will's curiosity, especially considering their recent actions of restricting access to an old building. These actions would have seemed ordinary if it weren't for their subsequent attempt to locate his relic. This peculiar sequence of events left Will even more intrigued and eager to uncover the true intentions behind their actions.
"Sir, is it truly necessary for you to get involved?" The pale individual asked, their voice tinged with concern and curiosity. However, all he received in response was a reassuring smile.
Returning to the unfortunate event that occurred four days ago, which involved Ranaya.
Amelia and the others successfully purchased an arcane puzzle box to contain the Antikythera mechanism. They immediately retrieved the relic and used the back entrance of the school near the old building to avoid prying eyes. They had made preparations to transport it to a safe place, but before reaching their vehicle, they encountered Will waiting for them outside. This was the scene witnessed by Ranaya at the tea house.
"The world is small, but it sure felt even smaller at that moment," Ranaya thought about situations like this. These coincidences could happen anywhere in the world, but it unfortunately occurred near Ranaya.
Too close for comfort. Ranaya couldn't help but lament this fact.
"I'm interested if you're selling what's in that box." Will's intention was clearly conveyed to the five people in front of him but they have no plan of being robbed of their possession.
All five of them bacame more vigilant seeing the companion brought by Will.
"Oh, them?" Will asked, feigning ignorance about their concern.
"There's no need to worry. I didn't bring them here to harm you, and they certainly aren't here to protect me from you," Will continued, a grin spreading across his face as he delivered his next line.
"I brought them here to protect 'us', just in case you guys find yourselves out of your depth."
That statement unsettled all five of them. They couldn't gauge the extent of danger they were potentially stepping into.
"I doubt any of you would be capable of saving us if things take a turn for the worse, so it's better if you remain in the dark, Mr. Davis," Jake retorted revealing that he knew the man and his background. However, his response only fueled Will's curiosity about what was inside the box.
They exchanged a few more words, neither willing to yield to the other. However, after some time, the relic, which had been unresponsive for several days, including an hour ago when they attempted to encase it in the arcane puzzle box, suddenly reacted.
From an outsider's perspective, Amelia, who was holding the box, might have appeared to tremble due to intense emotion. But those within close proximity knew their argument was not heated enough to elicit such a reaction, especially not from Amelia.
Will and the others were not naive enough to dismiss this observation.
"Discard that box!" Will's booming voice jolted the rest out of their confusion. Sensing impending danger, Will instructed his men to escort the children to a safe distance to observe the ensuing events.
Unexpectedly, the children resisted, despite their palpable apprehension.
The urgency of the situation forced Will's bodyguards to be somewhat forceful. Their struggle made bystanders, like Rayana, believe that the situation had rapidly escalated from friendly to severe.
In a matter of seconds, due to the tussle, the box inadvertently hurtled towards Rayana.
Their remote location meant the commotion went largely unnoticed.
Strangely, no one seemed to perceive the subsequent events, much like the small animals outside the old school building that remained oblivious to the looming danger.
Animals possess a heightened sense of danger for survival in the wild, unlike humans. Amelia and the others would have been equally oblivious had they not been in close proximity and witnessed the entire ordeal.
The surroundings quaked violently, reminiscent of previous occurrences. The sky begun to crack like broken glass, and while everyone wanted to swear out loud, the shock left them mute as the box flew towards Rayana.
Luckily for them, Rayana, who seemed to have forgotten to filter her thoughts, cursed loudly.
"To hell with these idiots.."
All eleven of them wanted to contest Rayana's words but found themselves begrudgingly agreeing deep down.
These few seconds, filled with boundless fear, seemed to stretch into an eternity.