Chapter 283 - Remuneration
A sharp, impressed whistle pierced the air beside Scarlett, prompting her to turn her head slightly.
“Now that’s what I’d call a dragon’s hoard worth its salt,” Rosa said in approval. “Well, a small dragon’s hoard, maybe, but it still counts.”
Before them, in the center of the room, lit by the soft glow of green crystals embedded in the walls, lay an impressive display of wealth and magical artifice. Tables were laden with chests, exotic reagents in colorful vials, and an assortment of artifacts that shimmered in the gentle light.
“Dragons usually don’t have real hoards,” Fynn noted, arms crossed as he stood to their right.
Rosa shot him a sharp look. “Well, maybe not the boring dragons you’ve encountered.”
The white-haired young man simply nodded. “Exactly.”
“…Fine, then let’s call it a veritable treasure trove,” Rosa huffed, rolling her eyes. “Better?”
“Doesn’t ‘treasure trove’ kind of imply we stumbled upon this by chance?” Allyssa asked, head tilted. This earned her a light scowl from the bard.
Rosa turned to Scarlett, an exaggerated look of indignation on her face. “Hey, boss lady, they’re belittling your new acquisitions. Are you really just going to stand there and let them get away with it?”
Scarlett’s expression remained impassive as she eyed the woman for a moment before returning her gaze to the extravagant collection. “I do not particularly mind.”
Rosa clicked her tongue in disappointment at failing to rally an ally, but Scarlett wasn’t sure what she expected, honestly. Allyssa’s chuckle rang out while Fynn and Shin stepped closer to inspect the treasures. A trio of wizards clad in rich brown robes stood off to the side of the chamber, having been responsible for assembling and presenting this generous offering.
Fynn lifted a peculiar, teardrop-shaped crystal that pulsed with a faint inner light, studying it with a look of curiosity. Shin ran his fingers over the spine of an old tome, its cover adorned with intricate silver filigree, while Scarlett approached an ornate chest at the edge of the display.