Chapter 281: Unlocking The Seal
Seraphina furrowed her brows, extending her mana perception as far as she could, but no matter how much she searched, she couldn't sense anything resembling a sealed object.
"There's nothing here, Adrian." Her voice was firm, but there was a hint of unease in her tone.
Adrian didn't doubt her abilities. If a Royal Mage specializing in spatial magic couldn't detect the seal, then it wasn't just well hidden—it was completely invisible to conventional methods.
But his system had never been wrong before.
He stepped toward the mutilated corpse, his boots squelching against the blood-stained stone floor. The oppressive presence in the air only grew heavier as he approached.
He reached out, his hand hovering just behind the remains, searching for something—anything—that he could feel. But there was nothing. No shift in mana, no fluctuations in the air.
Yet, he trusted his system.
Gritting his teeth, Adrian drew his enchanted blade. If he couldn't see or feel the seal, then the only option left was to break it by force.
With a sharp inhale, he gripped his sword and swung it in a wide arc, slashing at the empty air behind the corpse.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then, as he prepared to swing again, a sudden system prompt flickered before his eyes.[Host has not selected a secondary occupational class.][Would Host like to become a Sealbreaker Adept?]
Adrian froze. His grip on his sword tightened as his mind reeled.
The system had never done this before. It had always been passive, only responding when he actively sought its functions. Yet now, it was taking the initiative.
He narrowed his eyes. If the system was actively recommending a class related to seals at this exact moment, then did that mean the sealed object was more precious than he initially thought?
His thoughts raced, but before he could ask, another notification appeared.
[After Host advanced to a Second-Class profession, the system has upgraded. It can now provide suggestions based on Host's current situation without Host needing to take the initiative.]
Adrian's lips pressed into a thin line.
So that was all it was?
He had thought—just for a moment—that this sealed object was so significant that even the system couldn't remain passive. But in reality, this was simply an update to the system's functionality.
Disappointment flickered in his eyes.
He dismissed the class selection prompt without hesitation. Choosing a secondary class wasn't something he was willing to rush.
However, as soon as he rejected the class, another message appeared.
[Would Host like to purchase a one-time Sealbreaker Talisman from the System Shop?]
Adrian arched a brow. "Show me the price."
A new window materialized in his mind.
Item: Sealbreaker Talisman (One-Time Use)Effect: Instantly dispels a single seal, regardless of its complexity or strength.Price: 300,000 Seduction Points (SP)
Adrian's expression darkened.
"Three hundred thousand?" he muttered under his breath.
That was no small amount. Even with his massive reserve of Seduction Points, it was a hefty price to pay for a single-use item.
But… considering how well-hidden this seal was, it might be his only option.
His gaze flickered back to the corpse. If something was sealed behind this, then someone had gone through extreme lengths to ensure it was never found.
The weight of the air, the whispers pressing against his mind—it all pointed to this thing being dangerous or valuable.
With a quiet sigh, Adrian made his decision.
"Buy it."
The moment he confirmed the purchase, a shimmering golden talisman materialized in his palm, its surface etched with intricate symbols that pulsed faintly with power.
Without hesitation, he crushed it.
A wave of unseen energy burst outward, sweeping through the chamber like an invisible shockwave.
The air crackled, and for a split second, a faint golden barrier shimmered behind the corpse—before shattering like glass.
And then, it appeared.
The object that materialized was a small, golden capsule lying flat on the cold stone floor. It was rectangular in shape.
Its surface was smooth but bore faint grooves running along its length, almost as if they were meant to guide some sort of mechanism.
However, there were no visible seams, hinges, or latches—just an unbroken metallic shell.
The golden exterior was dull, as though the metal had been exposed to time and wear, yet it wasn’t rusted or corroded.
It lacked the reflective sheen of polished gold, absorbing the dim light of the chamber rather than shining under it.
Adrian took a step closer, his sharp eyes scanning every inch of the capsule.
He ran his fingers along its surface, searching for any kind of opening mechanism, but there was nothing—no lock, no handle, no indication that it could be opened at all.
Seraphina, who had been silent up until now, furrowed her brows as she studied the strange structure. After a few moments, she let out a soft hum of recognition.
"This looks like a containment device that is generally used by nobles to hide items they don't want other people to see. But this looks far from the normal ones that most nobles use," she murmured, kneeling beside Adrian.
She ran her fingertips along the surface, pausing when she noticed the faint, almost imperceptible symbols engraved near the edges. "These runes… I feel like I've seen something similar before."
Adrian turned his attention to the inscriptions. Though faded, they still carried an undeniable weight, as though they were holding something powerful at bay.
Seraphina exhaled slowly. "If I'm not mistaken, this isn't something that opens through physical means. It’s not locked—it’s sealed. These runes are likely tied to a mana-based activation system. It might require a specific signature, or…"
She hesitated, her gaze flickering toward Adrian.
"Should we even open it?" she asked, her voice quieter now. "Someone went through a lot of trouble to seal this away. What if it's dangerous? We still don’t know if this was meant to be protected… or if it was meant to be kept hidden from the world for a reason."
Adrian's jaw tightened. It was a valid concern. The lengths taken to conceal this capsule—the barrier, the hidden seal, the lifeless body outside—everything pointed to something of extreme importance.
But at the same time, the fact that his system had guided him here, even offering him a class related to seals, meant that whatever lay inside was significant to him in some way.
"We won’t find answers by hesitating," he said firmly. "If it's dangerous, we'll deal with it. If it’s something valuable, then we need to know why it was hidden."
Seraphina studied him for a moment before nodding. "Alright. But we proceed carefully."
Adrian placed his palm against the cool surface of the capsule, feeling nothing at first. Then, with a deep breath, he let his mana flow into the structure, pushing it toward the runes.
The moment his energy touched the object, the inscriptions flickered faintly.
A soft click resonated through the chamber, followed by a low, mechanical hiss.
The capsule's surface trembled. Then, with a slow, deliberate motion, the top panel slid backward, revealing the interior.
Inside, nestled within a thin, padded lining, was a child.