The Cunning Treasure Hunter

Chapter 3 The Price of Freedom

Vera asked no further questions. The answer Aiden had given her was enough—just as he hadn't asked more of her.

"...A clear reason, indeed," she said, her tone flat.

"That's one way to put it," Aiden replied with a slight shrug, spreading his hand lightly to withdraw the barrier of energy he had placed. The ambient sounds of the surroundings returned, filling the room once more.

"So... what do you plan to do now, my lord?" Vera asked.

"Hm, I suppose the first thing would be to have you pack your belongings."

"I only have one belonging."

"Then fetch it."

Without another word, Vera turned and left the room. As she walked past the wash area, the other maidservants cast curious glances her way, whispering about why she was removing her makeup so early. Vera didn't bother to answer. Her focus was elsewhere.

She entered the small, shared room where she slept. The older maids inside glanced at her questioningly, but Vera ignored them as well. Her attention was fixed solely on what lay beneath her bedding: a single, carefully wrapped object.

It was the Falling Blossom Sword—her father's relic and the sacred artifact of the Bloomspire Sect.

The time had come for her to abandon her life as a maid. No more scrubbing floors or fetching water. From this moment on, she would live as a martial artist, even if it meant stepping into a world where death by the blade was as common as the setting sun.

She grasped the sword, her fingers pressing firmly against the thick cloth wrapping it. The hard texture of the scabbard was unmistakable. Vera straightened her back and stepped out of the room, carrying the sword with quiet determination.

In the corridor, her path was blocked by none other than Darius Storm, the head of the Storm Clan.

"You've barely worked two hours today. What are you doing here? And why have you washed off your makeup? Where's your hair ornament?" Darius demanded, his eyes narrowing.

"...Ah," Vera murmured, her response devoid of emotion.

Without answering further, she began to unwrap the cloth around the sword. A long, slender blade, nearly as tall as she was, gleamed faintly even within its scabbard. The Falling Blossom Sword, infamous as the blade that could not be drawn, stood revealed.

"A sword? Where did you get that?" Darius asked, his tone laced with suspicion.

"I've had it all along," Vera replied calmly.

"Bring it here!" Darius ordered, his eyes glinting with greed.

"If it's about her, I intend to take her with me," Aiden said, his words calm yet decisive.

"What?" Darius's eyes widened in shock.

Aiden smirked and untied the white poplar insignia of Suncrest Sect from his waist. With a casual toss, he handed it to Vera.

"Look here. I am a disciple of Suncrest Sect, am I not?" Aiden said, his tone playful yet firm.

"Wh-what sort of nonsense is this..." Darius mumbled, his voice trailing off.

The reputation of Suncrest Sect, the sect of Eternal Blossoms, was unshakable, even in a world dominated by the Overlord of Unity. A minor family like the Storm Clan could not afford to defy its authority.

"I am thirty years old. Well past the age to play the fool. Do you know what that means?" Aiden asked.

"...No?" Darius replied hesitantly.

"It means I am free to choose my own disciples. This girl is now my disciple. I will take her to the main sect."

For a moment, Darius hesitated. Then, calculating his losses, he made a decision. "Then, will the Harmony master compensate me for her value?"

"Her value?" Aiden asked.

"Her body price, of course," Darius clarified, crossing his arms.

Aiden tilted his head, pulled two taels of silver from his sleeve, and tossed them at Darius. "Will this suffice?"

Darius scoffed and returned the silver. "Ha. Harmony master, with all due respect... let me ask you this."

"What is it?" Aiden asked, his expression neutral.

"Do you know what she will be like at nineteen?"

"How would I know?" Aiden replied.

"If I were to gift her to a powerful figure, I could reap enormous benefits. My eye for such things is rarely wrong. And now, you ask me to simply hand her over?"

Aiden glanced at Vera. He couldn't argue—predicting what she would become in five years wasn't difficult.