Chapter 151: Heaps
Imee, for once, was speechless, her jaw slightly agape as she stared at the glittering panorama. She knelt, almost reverently, touching a cascading pile of raw, uncut emeralds, their facets catching the light. "It’s real," she breathed, her voice trembling. "All of it. Our ancestors... they truly were masters of this world."
Imelda, her eyes shining with a profound realization, turned to Richard, a slow, knowing smile gracing her lips. "What do you plan on doing with this treasury, your Highness?" The title, "your Highness," slipped out naturally, a recognition of his royal lineage that transcended mere politeness.
Richard, caught off guard by the formal address, chuckled, a faint flush rising to his cheeks. "Please, don’t call me that, Madam Imelda," he said, waving a hand dismissively. "We know that the world has evolved; the people may or may not need a monarchy anymore and to be honest I wouldn’t want to be one." He chuckled again, a genuine, slightly embarrassed sound.
Imelda’s smile softened. "You’re right, Mr. Santamo," she acknowledged, a twinkle in her eye. "But what will you do with all of this? This... immense legacy?" She gestured around the glittering vault.
Richard’s gaze swept over the gold and gems, then settled on the rows of jade tablets and the glowing Knowledge Crystals. He clutched one of the Knowledge Crystals in his hand, its warmth reassuring.
"To be honest, I don’t really know yet," he admitted. "I think this isn’t a treasure owned by the royal family alone. I think it belongs to the people, to the world, in fact. All of this material wealth..." He held up a coin, its ancient craftsmanship still pristine.
"This is tangible currency. A paper bill will burn, a digital wallet will just go away. This," he ran his thumb over the coin, "has been here for thousands of years. In the future, if the world is truly free, perhaps we can give all of this to the world."
He then gestured towards the rows of jade tablets and the Knowledge Crystals beside the stasis pod. "But, all of this," he said, indicating the physical wealth, "is just a sign of monetary value. The real treasures here, are those." He pointed to the Jade tablets and his voice deepened, filled with conviction. "The real treasure is the truth. Our real, unfabricated, unfiltered history. Knowledge from the ancient Earth—that’s the real treasure."
Bongbong and Imee looked at each other, then back at Richard, a new layer of understanding dawning on their faces. "You couldn’t be more, Mr. Santamo," Imelda said, her eyes fixed on Richard, a profound admiration in her gaze. "You spoke like my late husband. He also spoke about what a real treasure is like: it’s not the gold, it’s the truth, the knowledge." She smiled, a rare, genuine warmth in her expression.
Richard felt a surge of validation. He then looked at the Knowledge Crystals. "I hate to break it to you, but I’ll be taking these crystals and other handheld crystals for study."
Imelda nodded without hesitation, her gaze still on the stasis pod. "You’re free to take what you like, Mr. Santamo. They are yours by right of lineage, and by discovery. We have guarded them for millennia; it is time for their secrets to be fully revealed."