Last time, he had been able to distract the guards before entering and exiting the office. This time, however, with Azora in tow and his depleting charms, he didn't waste any more time than he had to.
The room was lavish but practical, filled with old wooden furniture, scrolls stacked in messy towers, and a large desk cluttered with maps.
Making sure that everything was fine, Vael urged Azora inside before locking the door shut behind them.
"Alright, Princess, start sniffing. Look for any hidden magical mechanisms or doorways."
With no other choice, Azora gave a solemn nod. Even now, Vael hadn't removed his invisibility, ensuring that she couldn't even tell where he was.
Taking in a deep breath, she concentrated. Her spiritual sense reached out, enveloping the entire room as she looked for any traces of mana.
"The painting behind the table. The one depicting the campaign against the Orcs. Go and check it," Vael ordered once again, causing her to move forward with her fists clenched.
She reached the painting and concentrated again, eventually pressing down on a hidden, imperceptible switch located on one of the bannermen's swords.
At once, the brick wall behind the painting began to shift, eventually making way for a small door leading to some stairs descending downward.
"Move," Vael ordered again, lightly shoving Azora inside.
Azora walked inside, using her senses to trace any signs of traps while walking down the stairs. Vael followed behind as well, making sure he only stepped on the places Azora had stepped on.
It didn't take long for the two of them to reach the end of the stairs, revealing a scene that could only be described as Vael's wet dream.
Several giant chests filled with mana stones and gemstones lay on one side of the wall, right beside several magical artifacts and charms set up on their respective shelves. On the other side of the room stood cabinets made of mana-induced wood, all carrying bottles upon bottles of potions, neatly arranged in crystal glass vials.
Not to mention several species of magical plants and alchemy resources lying on a different shelf.
In the center of the room stood a single wooden table with rows of ledgers lying on top of it.
Looking at the treasures in front of him, Vael couldn't help but a creepy laugh escape his lips, startling even the princess standing right beside him.
"How are you even going to take all of this with you without being spotted?" Azora asked, curious. She was still not convinced that Vael had come here just for the treasure.
"You don't have to worry about that," Vael answered, still invisible, as he walked forward and began separating the mana stones and the gemstones.
He had no interest in gold and gemstones, considering they were seen as nothing more than rocks in his home world.
Mana stones, however, even if they belonged to a mid-tier world, were enough to make him a hefty sum of money.
One by one, he began filling his storage rings with mana stones, magical artifacts, and anything else magical that he could lay his eyes on.
Not familiar with a storage ring, Azora watched in shock as items began disappearing into thin air in front of her, one after another.
Once Vael was finished plundering the place, he took in a deep breath. He had gotten what he came for. Now it was time to lay some foundational bricks for his future plans, something that will resonate with Azora, someone who had always been ostracized in the royal family.
"Since you're done stealing, be honest and tell me, are you going to stay true to your word, or are you going to sell the information about my talent to my siblings?"
It was going to be hard to sell this complete one-eighty shift in his personality, so he had no choice but to go all in.
His invisibility broke as he looked her in the eyes, a flash of anger burning behind them.
"You know what, that's enough of you playing the victim when, for once, it's your head that's on the chopping block."
He stepped forward and grabbed the ledger lying on the table in the center.
"I know you think that I'm not here to simply rob the place. And you know what screw it, you're right. It's not as if there's anything you can do about it, you Elyndor scum. Go and tell your father that I've gotten my hands on these... documents containing the proof of every single atrocity committed by the Lord of Sionia in cahoots with that disgusting royal family of yours toward the citizens of Vaelveria."
He placed the ledgers in his storage ring, having no idea what they actually contained.
"So to answer your question, no, I will not inform those despicable bastards the truth about you or do any of you a favor."
Listening to the righteous anger hiding behind Vael's voice, Azora couldn't help but take a step back.
What atrocities was he talking about? Was he lying to her? This whole thing felt like it had been thrust upon her out of the blue.
"I will not take these gemstones since they belong to the people of Sionia. But I will take all these mana treasures that belong to the lord and his family."
He took a step forward.
"I'm going to leave you in this room just to make sure you don't alert anyone during my escape. As for "
BOOOOM!!!
He was just about to give her a soapy and justifiable explanation when suddenly the castle above their heads shook with an explosion.
"INTRUDER!"
"EVERYONE GET TO YOUR STATIONS!"
"PROTECT THE PRINCESS!!!"