CHAPTER 69……………………………..

“Bi-go…?”

I blinked in surprise and echoed his words dumbly.

Grandma Mago must have thought I didn’t know what “bigo” meant, so she added a brief explanation from beside him.

“It means the treasure vault.”

“Gasp.”

I already knew, so she didn’t have to explain — but hearing it put that way made it feel somehow… heavier?

‘For me? To open the big vault for me?’

Is it really okay to open it like that?

Of course it should be fine. If the Emperor says, “Open it!” then you open it.

But—doing it for me?

“You strutted in here full of confidence for some reason…”

Grandma Mago muttered with a small frown.

I stared at her, mouth hanging open, shocked on top of shocked.

Is this a dream after all?

‘This whole sequence feels like something that could only happen in a dream.’

Grandma throwing me a surprise birthday party, Grandfather offering to open the imperial vault for me, and me frowning boldly and speaking so freely in front of him…

I secretly pinched the back of my other hand.

It hurt, so it’s real.

‘If someone is a powerful duke-level figure, is it really okay to act like that in front of the Emperor?’

Kyle’s father did behave rather freely for someone of his rank, but still—Grandfather was tolerating it just because he liked me.

Somehow it felt like Grandfather took Grandma Mago’s rudeness as easily as breathing…

“No matter how valuable a treasure is, if you just lock it away and keep it quiet, eventually it’ll become useless clutter.”

While my thoughts wandered, Grandfather spoke in a calm voice.

“So give one of those pieces of clutter value — give it meaning by assigning it to you.”

“….”

“This will be my gift to you.”

I swallowed for no good reason.

Hearing it put that way made the burden feel doubled.

“Still, what would a little girl know? Better if she’s at least not frightened.”

Grandma Mago clicked her tongue while patting my head.

“A child should get a child’s gift.”

Grandfather raised one eyebrow and asked,

“What do you think a child’s gift should be?”

“Obviously—”

Grandma Mago continued confidently,

“A sword and a shield, and—”

“Enough.”

Grandfather immediately raised a hand to stop her.

“I don’t need to hear more. I can tell without listening. I can’t believe I’d ever treat this woman’s words as ‘advice’.”

“Is there a problem with that?”

“Plenty. Still, at least I can say I’m better than you in some respects.”

I nodded quietly in agreement with his words.

I thought so too.

“Anyway.”

Grandfather sighed deeply and looked at me.

“Does it feel burdensome to have the vault’s treasure given to you?”

Gulp.

That tone, that expression, that look — I could feel an enormous will to persuade me!

“But you have already accomplished so much.”

As expected, Grandfather began to persuade me earnestly.

“Those who achieve great deeds ought to be given fitting rewards.”

“….”

“I made a similar offer to your parents, too. They refused, of course.”

As soon as I heard that, the scene from before came to mind.

Grandfather had said to Mom and Dad, who had defeated the Demon King:

“Say what you want. I will grant you anything of mine.”

And my parents had answered together:

Give us the freedom to live together.

When Sion’s father accepted the imperial favor, that promise was essentially broken… but

‘Seeing as Mom and Dad still let me go willingly, there must have been reasons.’

Anyway.

“It’s the same reason I let the bearer of Verbiem keep it.”

While I was lost in thought, Grandfather continued.

“Well, if you really hate it, we can think of something else…”

“N-no!”

I hurriedly shook my head.

“I like Grandfather’s gift.”

Of course I was still a little uneasy, but anyway — it’s true I helped Dad catch Bertolt, and more importantly—

‘Maybe I can get something that helps protect Mom.’

After all, I’m not in a position to pick and choose right now. Even if things are calm for the moment, the Scroll Window could act up again anytime.

So I should take what I can while preparing for what comes next!

“I want the vault!”

I clenched my fist and shouted at Grandfather.

He turned toward Grandma Mago with a triumphant smile, as if to show off.

“That’s my granddaughter.”

Really? Arguing again here?

“…It’s not over until it’s over.”

At Grandfather’s provocation, Grandma Mago snorted and addressed me.

“Wait, little one. I’ll bring you a gift that’ll make you happiest.”

It felt like the two of them had turned gift-giving into a contest.

Couldn’t they just do it when I wasn’t around…?

Anyway, after that whole commotion, word that I would be going to the vault — no, that I would be rifling through it — reached Mom and Dad’s ears.

A few days later, on the day the vault’s gates were to be opened—

“Wow, ♬♪.”

Kyle’s father, who had come along with me, whispered in admiration as he stared at the vault’s main gate.

“Hiding it like this means nobody could find it no matter how they searched.”

“No one would.”

“Exactly. How would you even find this place? There were several magic seals just to get this far.”

You can’t enter just because you know the location.

Kyle’s father put his hand to the gate and then took it away, muttering.

Harzen’s father poked the magic seals around the vault carefully and said,

“All of these are ancient magics. Worth studying.”

“Haven’t you ever been in here, Harzen?”

“No. Only those with the Emperor’s permission may enter.”

In short, Dad and Grandfather weren’t on good terms, so he’d never been granted permission.

“This is our chance, Cici.”

At that moment Kyle’s father gripped both my shoulders and spoke seriously.

“Bring out anything that looks good.”

“Huh?”

“The skills you used to clean out my lab — those haven’t gone anywhere, right? You can do it, can’t you?”

“Uh—?”

Wait, Dad. Your eyes look a little crazy right now…

“Kyle.”

Mom couldn’t hold back and scolded him.

“The Emperor only allowed one thing. Don’t make our child steal.”

“You don’t think he literally meant ‘take only one thing’? He probably meant, ‘Don’t overwhelm her; let her take at least one thing she wants.’”

Grandfather might indeed be thinking what Kyle’s father said, but still—

“Enough, enough!”

I shook my head vigorously and dismissed Dad’s urging.

“I’ll only take one thing.”

“Good girl. My daughter.”

Mom immediately smiled in satisfaction.

“Greed brings trouble. Pick the one thing you want most.”

“Okay.”

“Not what your dads tell you to take — something you, Cici, actually want.”

“Okay!”

Of course, Mom. I already had a rough idea of what I’d take.

Something that would help Mom!

“But are you sure you can go in alone?”

While I nodded enthusiastically, Mom’s worried face reappeared.

“Even if only one person can enter the vault at once, you’re still a child…”

“Dangerous items are isolated behind separate wards, so you’ll be fine.”

Harzen’s father put his hand on my head and answered for me.

“If anything happens, contact us through the comm link.”

“Okay, Dad.”

“If that happens, I’ll break the seal and come in if I have to.”

“…Okay!”

I’d better be very careful.

I clenched my fist resolutely one last time and stepped cautiously into the vault.