Chapter 164: Eye of Cauli (2)
"HOW DO YOU HAVE THIS??" Gror roared, his hands grabbing the front of Riku’s battle-mage robes. His face, which had been pale with shock, was now flushed a deep red. His eyes were wide with a manic, obsessive fire.
Hestra smacked her husband’s arm with the back of her hand. "Gror! Get a hold of yourself! What has gotten into you? You’re scaring the girl! Let go of the young man!"
"But Hestra, this eye... this eye!" Gror stammered, his grip not loosening. He stared at the orb in Riku’s palm, a look of pure, unadulterated awe on his face. "The Unblinking Eye! The Heart of the Wilds! It’s not supposed to exist!"
Riku remained calm. He gently peeled the old man’s fingers from his robes. "Elder Gror," he said, his voice steady. "It seems you recognize this artifact."
"Recognize it?" Gror let out a short, hysterical laugh. "Young man, every serious collector of relics in this kingdom knows the legend! The Eye of Cauli! The Beast God of the Primordial Wilds! An artifact of creation itself, lost to the ages!"
He gestured wildly at the orb. "They say it can perceive the truth of all things! That it can see through any illusion, any lie! It is a myth! A fairy tale told to frighten children! And you are holding it in your hand!"
He finally tore his gaze from the orb and looked at Riku, shaking his head vehemently. "No," he said, pushing himself back. "Absolutely not. I cannot accept this. It is too much."
"Grandpa, why not?" Zella asked, confused. "It looks so valuable!"
"Valuable?" Gror repeated, his voice cracking. "Child, this is beyond value! This is a divine relic! To trade this for two simple scrolls... it is not a bargain; it is blasphemy! We cannot take it!"
Riku slowly closed his hand over the Eye, the golden pupil seeming to wink out of existence.
"Elder Gror," he said, his voice calm and steady. "I understand your reverence. But to me, this is simply an object. A fascinating ingredient for my research, nothing more. Its power signature is unique, yes. A fascinating variable. But its legend... that is for storytellers and historians."