Shaken but resolute, Magnus continued his search through the manor. He needed valuables—jewels, currency: Valoriums, anything that could help him on his journey. He started in the Adams' private chambers, rummaging through drawers and cabinets. He found a few trinkets—golden watches, silver candlesticks, and a handful of coins—but nothing substantial.
Next, he moved to the study, where Arnold had spent countless hours poring over ancient texts and maps. The room was cluttered with books and scrolls, but Magnus's attention was drawn to a large, ornate desk. He began searching through its drawers, finding stacks of documents and ledgers. Among them, he discovered a small, locked box. Using a bit of the crystal's energy, he melted the lock and opened it to reveal a collection of jewels—rubies, emeralds, and diamonds, each one gleaming in the dim light.
Magnus pocketed the jewels and continued his search. He moved through the manor methodically, room by room, gathering anything of value. He found more coins in the dining room, hidden in a false compartment beneath the table. In the parlor, he discovered a painting with a hidden compartment behind it, filled with gold bars. Each discovery added to his growing hoard, but he still felt like he was missing something.
Finally, he made his way to the library—a vast, dimly lit room filled with towering shelves of ancient tomes. The air was thick with the scent of old parchment, and the faint hum of the crystal's energy seemed to resonate even here. Magnus began searching through the shelves, looking for anything that might be of use.
As he moved behind the large, ornate desk in the center of the room, his hand brushed against a hidden mechanism. There was a soft click, and a section of the wall slid open, revealing a hidden room. Magnus's eyes widened as he stepped inside.
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The hidden room was filled with treasures beyond Magnus's wildest imagination. Jewels of every color sparkled in the dim light; their brilliance almost blinding. Stacks of gold and silver coins were piled high, and intricate artifacts—statues, goblets, and weapons—were arranged on shelves. The room was a testament to the Adams family's wealth and power, and Magnus couldn't help but feel a pang of disgust at the thought of how they had acquired it.
But he pushed the thought aside and began gathering the valuables. He filled his pockets with jewels and coins, but he quickly realized that he couldn't carry everything. He needed a way to transport it all, but he had nothing to use.
As he sifted through the pile of treasures, his hand brushed against something small and metallic. He pulled it out and held it up to the light—a ring, simple in design but with a faint, almost imperceptible glow. Magnus frowned, turning it over in his hands. It didn't look particularly valuable, but something about it caught his attention.
He slipped the ring onto his finger and continued searching. As he reached for a handful of coins, the ring suddenly flared with light, and the coins disappeared. Magnus froze, his heart pounding. He looked at his hand, then at the spot where the coins had been. They were gone.
"What the—" he muttered, his mind racing. He reached for another handful of coins, and again, they disappeared as soon as he touched them. Magnus's eyes widened as he realized what was happening. The ring wasn't just a piece of jewelry—it was a storage ring, capable of holding items within it.
Excited, Magnus began experimenting with the ring. He found that he could store and retrieve items at will, simply by focusing on the ring and willing the items to appear or disappear. The capacity of the ring was staggering—he estimated it could hold at least 100 cubic meters of items.
But that wasn't all. As he continued searching through the pile of treasures, he found more rings—five in total, each one glowing faintly. He tested each one and discovered that they were all storage rings, each with the same immense capacity.
Magnus's mind raced with the possibilities. With these rings, he could carry everything he needed for his journey—food, clothing, weapons, and valuables. He quickly set to work, filling the rings with the treasures from the hidden room. He stored jewels, coins, and artifacts in one ring, clothing and supplies in another, and food and water in a third. The remaining rings he kept empty, knowing they would come in handy later.
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