Michael, however, remained indifferent. He remembered who the gods were.
"They both had spouses, didn't they? So, this is just the tragic end of an affair."
The supposedly romantic story left Michael unfazed.
Miaomiao hissed in frustration. [Hiss! You're so... unromantic!]
"Romance doesn't pay the bills. I prefer focusing on reality," Michael replied casually, continuing to examine the earrings.
Exasperated, Miaomiao thumped her chest with her paw. [Poor Princess Astrid, poor her!]
Ignoring her complaints, Michael changed the subject. "So, do you know what these artifacts do?"
Miaomiao regained her composure and answered confidently, [Of course! These are the 'Whisper of Tears' earrings. Whoever wears one can communicate with the other, no matter the distance.]
Michael's eyes widened in excitement. Communication! He had tried to commission something from Leonardo, but even he couldn't create such an artifact. The possibilities for its use were endless. For once, the fallout of an affair seemed useful.
"By the way, if Ines and Castro were buried here together, the intruders who tried to raid the tomb must have been formidable. Your grandfather must've been incredibly strong to guard it," Michael remarked, subtly shifting the topic.
Pleased by the compliment, Miaomiao lifted her chin. [Of course! I come from a distinguished Sphinx lineage. You'd best treat me with respect!]
"Yes, yes, understood," Michael replied, tucking the embarrassingly named earrings into his spatial ring. He then opened the next chest.
"What about this one?" Michael asked, holding a palm-sized stone tablet.
Miaomiao's eyes lit up. [That's great too! It's an essential artifact for war—Eah's Shield.]
"Eah's Shield?" Michael echoed.
[Yes. It was a gift from Eah, the Goddess of Earth, to Ines. Pour your blood into it, and the shield will bind to you. You can then summon an impenetrable barrier twice a day in a designated area. It could protect your new castle and the attached village!]
Michael was awestruck. Such an artifact was almost too good to be true!
"These artifacts must remain a secret. If anyone found out about them, they'd lose their minds," Michael remarked.
Miaomiao nodded seriously. [You're right. Unless it's an absolute emergency, we shouldn't use them. Ancient gods' artifacts always attract bloodshed. When the owner dies, they return to their original location. Only a few remain on the continent.]
"Then why not just find them at their original locations?" Michael asked.
[It's not that simple. We were only able to access this one because of the guardians' cooperation,] Miaomiao explained with a cautious tone.
Michael nodded in understanding. The rarer the artifact, the harder it was to obtain.
Using his sword, Michael pricked his finger and let his blood drip onto the stone tablet. The tablet glowed brightly before transforming into a shield and merging with Michael's palm. Concentrating, Michael summoned the shield again, watching it materialize with satisfaction before storing it.
Next, Michael approached the final chest. Inside was a pair of plain black gloves, devoid of any decoration. Their simple design gave no indication of their purpose.
Miaomiao tilted her head, puzzled. [Hmm... I'm not sure what these are.]
"Guess I'll just have to try them on," Michael said.
As he slipped on the gloves, a sharp pain pricked his fingers. Another artifact that recognizes its owner through blood, he thought.
Moments later, he noticed something strange. Above Miaomiao and Marcus's heads, glowing yellow words appeared: Friendship.
Above Garett and his companions, the word Loyalty appeared in glowing blue, floating like a hologram in the air.
Michael grinned as he understood the gloves' function. This artifact reveals the emotions others feel toward me! The possibilities were endless—distinguishing between those who harbored ill intent and those who were sincere, or even leveraging this in negotiations.
But if it's always active, wouldn't that be exhausting? He imagined his surroundings constantly flashing with words and colors. That wouldn't be sustainable.
Examining the gloves, Michael noticed two small gems on the wrist. Pressing the first gem, the words above everyone's heads vanished instantly. So it's all or nothing? Interesting.
Curious, he pressed the second gem. Nothing happened—until Miaomiao, her curiosity piqued, wrapped her tail around Michael's leg. Above her head, the word Friendship flickered briefly before disappearing.
Michael realized the second gem allowed him to see the emotions of anyone he physically touched.
"Miaomiao, this artifact is incredible. It lets me see what others feel about me," Michael explained excitedly.
Miaomiao's eyes widened in surprise. [Really? That's perfect for someone as clueless as you! So, what does it say about me?]
"You and Marcus both show as Friendship. Thanks, I consider you both my friends too."
Purring contentedly, Miaomiao replied, [If it showed everyone's emotions all day, that would be exhausting.]
"It's adjustable. I've set it so I only see emotions when I make contact. If I suspect someone, I can just offer a handshake," Michael said.
[Smart move,] Miaomiao agreed. [We've scored big with this haul. So, how much are you planning to share with us?]
Marcus perked up at the mention of shares, his ears twitching expectantly.
"Well," Michael began, "we'll sell the grave goods and split 10% of the proceeds into vouchers. The artifacts, since they'll benefit all of us, won't have a price assigned. Does that work?"
[Hmm, it feels a bit light, but we're good-hearted sacred beasts, so I'll accept it,] Miaomiao said with an exaggerated sigh. Marcus nodded, satisfied.
Michael then summoned all twelve Garetts and explained their wages and bonuses. Listening with reverent attention, the gargoyles seemed overjoyed. Their tails wagged enthusiastically when Michael promised each a share of 1% of the haul's proceeds.
Miaomiao approached the gargoyles slyly. [Listen carefully, Garett. In this domain, magical beasts work and earn money. Now that you're contracted with Michael, remember this: investment is how money grows. If you don't invest, you're letting your money rot. Got it?]
She wasn't promoting investment because Michael promised a 3% commission for new clients—definitely not. She was merely sharing wisdom for the benefit of her subordinates. Absolutely.
After Miaomiao's pitch, the gargoyles turned to Michael with eager expressions. [Sir Michael, could we also participate in this voucher investment Lady Nefertari and Sir Marcus are doing?]
Michael's smile radiated benevolence. "Of course, as much as you'd like!"