Isolde’s pale eyes followed Adam as they descended the narrow staircase, her gaze lingering on the back of his head. Her voice, when it came, was quiet, almost reluctant.

"You’re not worried they’ll try something? Croft’s men are dangerous." 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Adam glanced back at her, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

"More dangerous than me?"

Isolde’s lips pressed into a thin line. She said nothing.

The common room was mostly empty now, the few remaining patrons hunched over their drinks, lost in their own troubles.

The innkeeper watched them pass.

The streets of Kaelthar were quieter now, the shadows longer. Lanterns swayed overhead, casting pools of amber light across the cobblestones. A few figures hurried past, faces hidden, steps quick.

Adam found the fountain with the broken angel, a cracked stone figure, its wings chipped, its face worn smooth by weather and neglect. He turned left, following the scent of tannery.

"Smells terrible," Isolde murmured, pulling her hood higher.

Adam’s lips twitched. "Better than blood."

They rounded a corner, and there it was.

Alistair Croft’s establishment was larger than the buildings around it, three stories of dark stone and iron-framed windows. A brass plaque beside the heavy oak door bore his name in elegant script. Two guards stood at the entrance, their armor polished, their faces expressionless.

Adam approached. The guards’ hands moved to their weapons.

"State your business."

"We’re here to see Alistar Croft."

The guard on the left, a square-jawed man with cold grey eyes, studied them for a moment.

"Do you have an appointment?"

Adam’s smile was easy, disarming. "No. But I have an urgent matter to discuss with him. Business. Very profitable business."

The guard’s expression didn’t change. "No appointment, no entry. Those are the rules."

Isolde stepped closer to Adam, her voice low. "Perhaps we could schedule—"

"There’s no schedule." The other guard, younger, with a scar cutting through his left eyebrow, crossed his arms. "Mr. Croft doesn’t see anyone without prior arrangement."

Adam’s jaw tightened slightly. His crimson eyes swept the building facade, counting windows, assessing the layout.

"I see. Then we’ll... come back another time."

He turned and walked away, Isolde falling into step beside him. They rounded a corner, out of sight of the guards.

Isolde’s voice was sharp. "What are you planning?"

Adam glanced at her, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"We’re going in."

Isolde’s eyes widened beneath her hood. "Are you insane? That building is full of guards. If we’re caught—"

"We won’t be caught." Adam’s voice was calm, confident. He reached into his pouch, his fingers brushing against the Null-Sense Ward Orb. "I have ways of staying unseen. And you..." He looked at her. "You can move quietly when you want to."

Isolde’s jaw tightened. "This is reckless."

"Probably." Adam shrugged. "But we don’t have time to wait for an appointment. And I’m not leaving without that compass."

He held out his hand to her.

"Come on."

Isolde stared at his open palm. Her voice was barely a whisper.

"What are you doing?"

Adam’s lips curved. "I’m going to carry you. It’ll be easier to move together if I’m the one navigating. My camouflage can cover both of us, but we need to stay close."

Isolde’s pale cheeks flushed. "C-Carry me? Like a child?"

"Like a partner." Adam’s voice was patient. "Unless you’d rather hold hands and trip over each other when we need to move fast."

Isolde’s eye twitched. Her internal voice was a chaotic jumble.

’This man... he wants to carry me. Like I’m some kind of... of...’

She took a breath, forcing herself to focus.

"...Fine. But don’t drop me."

Adam’s smile widened. "Don’t worry, I’m a skilled carrier."

He stepped closer, and before Isolde could change her mind, his arms slid around her. One arm hooked beneath her knees, the other supporting her back. He lifted her easily, cradling her against his chest.

Isolde’s breath caught. Her hands flew to his shoulders, gripping the fabric of his shirt.

"This is... this is so embarrassing," she muttered, her face burning beneath her hood.

Adam’s internal voice was amused, but he kept his expression neutral.

’She’s light. And warm. And... her heart is beating very fast. Cute~’

He adjusted his grip, settling her more comfortably against him.

"Ready?"

Isolde’s voice was muffled against his chest.

"Just... just go. Before I change my mind."

[Deep Camouflage Activated.]

The world around them shimmered. The air rippled, and their forms blurred, fading into the shadows of the alley.

Adam moved.

He ran toward the building, his footsteps silent, his breathing controlled. The camouflage held, wrapping around them both like a second skin. He reached the wall and placed his palms against the stone.

[Gecko’s Grip].

His hands and feet adhered to the surface as if glued. He climbed, pulling them upward with smooth, silent efficiency. Isolde clung to him, her face pressed against his neck, her eyes squeezed shut.

She thought, her internal voice a frantic whisper, ’This is insane. I’ve lived for centuries, and this is the first time a man has hugged me.’

She risked opening her eyes. The ground was far below. The sky was above. Adam’s arms were steady around her, his breathing even.

’His heart is beating so calmly,’ she thought, pressing her ear against his chest. ’He’s not even winded.’

Adam reached the roof. He pulled them over the edge, landing in a crouch. He set Isolde down gently, then closed his eyes, extending his senses.

[Hunter’s Tri-Sense Activated.]

The world sharpened.

Heartbeats. Breathing. The faint rustle of clothing. He mapped the building in his mind, the guards on the ground floor, the servants in the kitchen, the three strong presences he had detected earlier.

Then he pushed deeper.

Patterns.

Patrol routes. Guard rotations. Areas where footsteps clustered where the security was tightest.

His eyes opened.

"There’s something below us," he murmured. "Basement level. Maybe sub-basement." He glanced at Isolde. "The patrols are thickest down there. More guards than anywhere else in the building."

Isolde’s brow furrowed. "You can tell that from just listening?"

Adam tapped his ear. "Footsteps. Heartbeats. The way sound echoes off stone." He tilted his head. "The floor beneath us is thicker than it should be. And I can feel the air shifting, there’s a draft coming from somewhere down there. A large space."

He looked at her.

"Wherever Croft keeps his most valuable possessions, it’s not in his office. It’s underground."

Isolde nodded slowly. "That makes sense. A vault. Hidden from sight, protected by layers of security."

Adam’s lips curved. "Then let’s go find it."

They moved through the corridors, silent as shadows. Adam navigated by the rhythms of the guards’ patrols, pressing into alcoves when footsteps approached, slipping between gaps in their coverage.

Twice they had to double back, blocked by unscheduled rotations. Once, Adam held Isolde still against the wall as a guard passed so close she could smell the oil on his armor.

Finally, they reached a stairwell leading down.

"The guards are thickest here," Adam whispered. "This is the way."

They descended.

The stairs were stone, worn smooth by countless feet. The air grew cooler, damper. Sconces became fewer, the shadows deeper.

At the bottom, a heavy iron door blocked their path. Two guards stood before it, their postures alert, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords.

Adam’s mental voice brushed against Isolde’s mind.

’Wait here.’

He slipped forward, his camouflage rendering him nearly invisible. The guards didn’t see him.

His hands moved.

A quick, precise strike to the base of one guard’s skull. The man crumpled without a sound. The second guard’s eyes went wide, his mouth opening—

Adam’s palm covered his lips. His other hand pressed against the man’s temple. Dark energy pulsed.

The guard’s eyes rolled back. He slumped, unconscious.

Adam caught him, lowering him silently to the floor.

’Done.’

Isolde emerged from the shadows, her blue eyes sweeping the fallen guards. Her voice was barely a whisper.

"You didn’t kill them."

Adam shrugged. "No need. They’re just doing their job."

He turned his attention to the iron door. The lock was heavy, old, but not magical. His claws extended briefly, thin as needles, and he probed the mechanism. A soft click. The door swung open.

Beyond was a room. Not large, but crowded. Wooden chests lined the walls, their lids carved with protective runes. Shelves held artifacts wrapped in silk, some glowing faintly, others dark and still. A few paintings leaned against the far wall, their frames gilded, their subjects obscured by cloth.

Isolde’s breath caught.

"This is... his treasure room."

Adam’s crimson eyes swept the space. He spotted it immediately, a pedestal in the center of the room. Upon it, a small, wooden box, ornately carved with winding patterns that seemed to shift in the lamplight.

[Compass of Desire (Legendary)]

[Effect: A mystical compass that does not point north. Instead, it guides the wielder toward whatever their heart desires most at the moment of activation. The destination must be something the user genuinely craves a person, a place, an object, or even an abstract concept like "safety" or "revenge." The compass will then provide a directional path, updating as the user progresses or as their desires shift.]

"That must be it."

He approached. Isolde’s hand caught his wrist.

"Wait." Her voice was tight. "There’s a ward. Look."

She pointed. Faint silver lines traced the surface of the pedestal, connecting to the floor, to the walls.

"Alarms," Isolde said quietly. "Probably linked directly to Croft’s personal quarters."

Adam withdrew his hand, his expression thoughtful.

"Can you disable it?"

Isolde studied the silver lines, her pale eyes tracking their patterns. Her voice was reluctant.

"...Maybe. But it would take time. And if I make a mistake—"

"It’ll trigger the alarm." Adam finished. He shook his head. "Not worth the risk. We don’t want to cause a commotion and bring the whole building down on us. That would be... troublesome."

He stepped back, his gaze fixed on the box. The Compass was right there.

"We need the key," he said finally. "The physical key. Or something that can bypass the ward without triggering it." He glanced at Isolde. "And the only one who has that is Croft himself."

Isolde’s jaw tightened. "You want to confront him."

"I want to have a conversation." Adam’s smile was sharp. "A very persuasive one."