"Thank you, big brother. I will treasure it dearly."
Ron carefully placed the storage box into the spatial bag, then took out a crystal ball from his bosom:
"This is a gift I’ve prepared for the family. If the family ever faces danger, input the command into it, and it will eliminate all enemies below the Official Wizard level."
The old Count accepted the crystal ball with both hands, as if holding the most precious treasure in the world, his eyes filled with emotion.
The moment of farewell had finally arrived. Ron took a long look at the castle, a place carrying countless memories for him, then turned and boarded the carriage.
Ailan nimbly leapt onto the driver’s seat, and the stand-in puppet pulled the carriage rapidly away.
Ron’s gaze fell on those figures growing smaller through the window, a sense of melancholy in his heart.
.........
"Are you finally ready to leave the Kingdom?"
In the Royal Palace, Andre felt the familiar sense of pressure approaching and murmured to himself, his eyes flickering with complex emotions.
Once, he was just an inconspicuous Thirteenth Prince in the royal family, without power, without allies, not even a decent fiefdom.
If not for meeting Ron, if not for that decisive bloodline awakening, he might have become Cynthia’s plaything, or died in some dark corner.
But fate’s gears work in mysterious ways; a chance encounter completely changed the trajectory of both their destinies.
The carriage stopped in the front courtyard of the Royal Palace, and Ron stepped down slowly.
He wore a black robe, making his skin appear even paler.
"Andre." He nodded slightly, a rare smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
"Ron!" Andre hurried to meet him, forcibly suppressing the excitement in his heart, maintaining the dignity expected of royalty.
The two exchanged a smile, no words needed, everything was understood without being spoken.
.........
The atmosphere inside the Royal Palace was peaceful.
The news of yesterday’s victory had already spread throughout the city, people cheered, praising Crown Prince Andre’s wisdom and his powerful wizard friend.
Ron, under the guidance of a maid, arrived at the east side of the Royal Palace.
There stood an independent building surrounded by tall gray stone walls.
Only a heavy iron door served as the entrance, intricately carved with complex protective runes.
Andre was already waiting at the door, dressed in formal royal attire, looking solemn and respectful.
"The Guardian of the Treasure Vault is in place." He nodded slightly to Ron: "We can go in now."
Ron’s gaze swept over the guardian runes, silently analyzing the energy composition and protective principles within them.
These runes clearly had a strong ancient characteristic, differing slightly from the rune system he had learned in the Black Mist Jungle, emphasizing more on the connection of bloodline and inheritance.
The iron door slowly opened with a dull clatter.
An ancient and mysterious atmosphere greeted them, mixed with some indescribable energy fluctuation.
An elder with hair and beard as white as snow stood inside, his eyes vigilant and sharp.
"This is Kulun, the Guardian of the Royal Treasure Vault and a Bloodline Knight,"
Andre introduced: "His family has guarded the royal treasury for generations, familiar with every treasure within."
Ron nodded slightly to the elder, who returned with a respectful bow.
"Lord Ron." Kulun’s voice was raspy:
"Prince Andre has already informed us of your purpose. The inheritance items for the ’Crown Breathing Technique’ are ready, please follow me."
The three walked down a narrow corridor, with countless deep-blue crystal lamps hanging on both sides of the wall, emitting a soft and mysterious glow.
This lighting seemed to have been specially treated, capable of suppressing the energy fluctuations emitted by certain treasures, preventing interference among them.
At the end of the corridor was a spacious circular hall, surrounded by dozens of cabinets and display stands, each protected by a specially made energy barrier.
In the center of the hall was a gigantic crystal ball, emitting a faint golden glow, seemingly monitoring the energy balance of the entire treasure vault.
"This is the core area of the Royal Treasure Vault," Kulun explained:
"The extraordinary items collected by the royal family over the ages are stored here, with some even tracing back to the very founding of the royal family."
Ron’s gaze swept over those exhibits, slightly surprised in his heart.
The Farouk Royal Family’s collection was indeed vast, far exceeding his expectations.
Some items emitted obvious extraordinary energy fluctuations, their value already considerable.
"The inheritance of the ’Crown Breathing Technique’ is right here." Kulun led the two to a specially crafted display stand on one side of the hall.
Displayed on the stand were three items:
An ancient parchment book, a golden circular badge, and two small crystal statues.
The statues appeared to be humanoid but had become blurry due to the age.
"This is the original manuscript of the ’Crown Breathing Technique,’"
Kulun pointed to the book: "It’s said to be written by the first-generation Crown Knight himself, detailing all four stages of the cultivation methods."
Ron could sense the weak energy fluctuations emanating from the book, clearly specially treated to resist the erosion of time.
"This badge is the ’Sun Badge,’" Kulun continued to introduce:
"It is said to have the ability to guide and purify Sun Energy, an essential item for the advanced stages of cultivating the ’Crown Breathing Technique.’"
Finally, the elder pointed to the small crystal statue:
"This is the most precious item—the ’Ancestral Puppet,’ which is said to contain the movement memory and energy imprint of the first-generation Crown Knight."
Ron’s eyes were immediately drawn to this unassuming statue.