It didn't take long for them to arrive at the towering gates of the Royal Armory. With a royal decree in hand, entry posed no issue. Inside, they were greeted by a slightly hunched old man who eyed them with a sharp glint.
"Welcome, young heroes. Let's not waste time—come to me one by one and I'll choose your gear personally. No questions asked!" he barked, waving at Vota to step forward.
"You guys are lucky. That's Grandmaster Visio—best appraiser in the entire Kingdom!" Vota beamed with pride as he hurried over, his thick legs practically stomping with excitement.
"Tall, full of vitality and strength. Good, good." Visio nodded with approval, examining every inch of Vota. He even gave Vota's stout body a few experimental squeezes.
Vota puffed his chest, completely unbothered. If anything, he was proud.
"Hurry! Get this young man the Titan's Armor, the Earth Shield, and the Mace of the Berserker!" Visio shouted to his apprentices.
As they scrambled, he gave Vota a rundown of each item:
– Titan's Armor: Wrought from the heart of ancient mountains, this armor hums with quiet strength, fortifying the wearer's body and spirit against the harshest trials.– Earth Shield: Born from the petrified roots of a forgotten forest, this shield absorbs blows as if the very earth itself defends its bearer.– Mace of the Berserker: Forged in the fires of war and etched with the marks of fallen warriors, this mace channels inner fury into devastating strikes.
"Worthy of a man of my stature!" Vota bellowed with laughter, proudly taking the gear.
"You. Next!" the Grandmaster pointed at Crystal.
He circled her, muttering as he evaluated. "Tall. Flexible. Agile. Decent strength. Inquisitor training… ice cold. Good. Good."
"Get her the Frostwind Cloak and the Sword of the Pegasus."
– Frostwind Cloak: A frost-laced garment that grants speed and grace, allowing the wearer to move like a gust of icy wind—slowing enemies in her wake.– Sword of the Pegasus: A sleek blade infused with mythical essence, striking with blinding speed and perfect precision.
"Next!" Visio barked, pointing at Decus.
"Interesting… a Jack of All Trades." For the first time, Visio raised an eyebrow in intrigue, pausing to think.
"Get him the Shapeshifting Ring."
– Shapeshifting Ring: A magical ring that allows its wearer to conjure and transform into any weapon needed—blade, axe, bow—making them a master of all forms of combat.
Visio stretched his back with a crack before finally pointing to the last member.
"You," he said, with a frown. "Boring…"
"Just wander. If something catches your eye, I'll explain it." He barely glanced at Spes before turning away.
Decus instinctively stepped forward, thinking Spes was being slighted for his commoner background—but stopped. He, too, was a commoner. This wasn't prejudice. Visio simply… found Spes unremarkable.
Spes, trying to mask his disappointment, began to wander the armory. But with each item he approached, came a barked critique.
"That's too heavy for you!""No mana! You'll explode trying to use that!""Your aptitude is too low!"
Each rejection wore him down. Eventually, he stopped looking entirely, walking aimlessly—face down, filled with quiet shame.
Just as he was ready to give up, something pulled at him. A strange sensation. Like a whisper in his soul. He followed it, and the feeling grew stronger, leading him to a lone door.
"What in the world…?" Visio muttered, noticing. "I've never seen anything like this!"
Spes didn't hear. He was glowing again—soft blue, like before.
"Open that door. Now!" Visio ordered.
The apprentices flung the door open. Spes stepped in slowly.
The room was small—walls etched in runes, glowing magic circles spinning faintly. At its center floated a sealed black grimoire, radiating an ominous energy.
The moment Spes entered, the book lit up in blue and hovered higher.
"Impossible!" Visio gasped, the apprentices behind him frozen.
"That grimoire was sealed by the Kingdom's greatest enchanters!"
One by one, the seals crumbled into nothingness. The grimoire floated gently into Spes's hands, the glow fading as it touched his skin.
"Is this a Hero's artifact?" Spes asked, still stunned.
"That?!" Visio's voice cracked. "That's not a Hero's artifact! That's the Devil's Book! The Necronomicon! Everyone who's tried to study it has gone mad!"
He trembled. "The last Appraiser died just after learning its name…"
The moment Visio spoke it aloud, the book pulsed again in Spes's hands.
"Is… is this safe?" Spes asked, suddenly nervous.
"Absolutely not! It corrupts everything! We resealed it every month, and even then, it twisted the magic meant to contain it!"
Visio backed away. "How… how have you not gone mad?"
Spes blinked. "I feel normal. I don't feel anything, actually."
"You… feel nothing?" Visio squinted at him in disbelief.
"Yeah, nothing at all."
Visio fell to his knees. "The gods be praised! I thought that cursed thing would doom us all!"
Cheers erupted from the apprentices. For years, the Necronomicon's sealed presence had cursed their lives. With it gone, peace might finally return.
"You… what is your name?" Visio asked, still keeping distance.
"Spes."
"The Royal Armory thanks you, Spes!"
The Grandmaster and all his apprentices bowed deeply.
"As a token of our gratitude…" Visio carefully placed a silver circlet on Spes's head.
– Crest of Safeguard: A divine charm that shields its wearer from physical, magical, and spiritual harm—capable of deflecting a single mortal blow.
Meanwhile, the rest of the party stood watching like stunned audience members.
"His items are kind of cool… but still not as good as mine," Vota muttered, slightly jealous.
Decus smiled, relieved. He'd worried Spes would feel left out. Now it seemed he'd drawn the strangest lot of all.
Crystal remained still—silent, unreadable, her icy stare locked on Spes.