"Soooo yep, seems like I'm rich now... "

In his previous life, Maximilian has never been rich. He wasn't poor, at least he had an apartment to live in and food to eat. The life before was a simple one, he had to keep money so sometimes he could buy a game, but nothing more.

Of course he sometimes had wished of winning at the lottery or something like that, but not anymore.

Of course he had sometimes envied the wealthier ones, born of rich parents and would not have to work a single day, but not anymore.

Of course he had been down when the end of the month was tied and food hard to get, but not anymore.

Now, standing in the third treasures room, he faced a dozen big wooden chest, all open by Maximilian, filled to the brim with copper, silver and golden coins. Mixed with the coins were jewels and gemstone of different colors. He recognized diamond, ruby, emerald and sapphire. Some of the gemstone were kinda big, half the size of his hand. Others, smaller, were encrusted in rings, necklaces, straps, Maximilian even saw a crown or two.

"More like... Filthy rich."

There was something Maximilian has wanted to do since he opened the first chest. He looked around himself, as if to be sure he was alone.

"I know it's childish as hell but..."

He came in front of the first chest and plunged his hands inside. Took two hands full of coins and threw them in the air.

"I'M RICH MOUAHAHAHAHA!!! "

He turned on himself as the coins felt on the ground in metallic sounds. When he stopped, he looked down, as if ashamed of himself.

"In time like this, I'm kinda glad to be alone...oh hell, what's life without a bit of childish enjoyment. Let's call my new partner."

Following Asterife explanation, Maximilian infused a bit of mana in the summoner ring, calling the imp clan.

Once again, a small whirlwind appeared for a few seconds. After he disappeared, Asterife was there and bowed to Maximilian.

"Hello again master. You didn't lie when you said you would need my clan soon. How may we be of service? "

"Those chests are too big to fit in the Havenbag, could you handle that? "

"Simple task master, let me call my people. "

Asterife clapped his hands together three times. 30 imps appeared. 20 were the same kind as before, while the other ten were visibly older, glasses before their eyes, the color of their skin more grayish than the others, and a Grey beard going down to their knees.

All of them bowed to him as Asterife spoke.

"Master, let me introduce to you the elders. They will examine and judge the value of the different precious ornaments the carrier will find. "

One of the elder advanced, supporting himself with a cane. He spoke in a voice who, all by herself, testified of his old age.

"It is with honor that we will put our knowledge to your service master. Me and my peers will make sure everything you take from here will be identified and classified correctly. No magic Artifact will escape our stare. "

Waiting until the end of the old imp, Maximilian then bowed in return.

"The honor is mine. Thank you, to all of you, for your hard work. Take all the time you need, I will wait patiently. "

Maximilian once again made a stone table get out of the ground, using it to create more coins. Asterife had told him that the elders's price was three times the one of the carriers.

Same as the last time, making the coins was easy. With a bit of practice, Maximilian could now make them appeared ten by ten with each hand. Assured he would be more than ready for the payment, he let his attention get on the elders.

Each one of them was standing before one of the chest, looking upon what the two carrier with them were taking out. The different coins passed before their eyes in an instant before being put in the Havenbag. All the coins had soon disappeared inside the bag with the precious gemstone. All were authentic and very valuable, but none of them were magic or enchanted. Some of the jewels were similar, well-made and very valuable, but nothing more.

Others, on the other hand.

"Master... "

One of the elder called Maximilian while turning away from the chest. Master or not, Maximilian's education made him stand and go near him rather than waiting for him to come.

"You needed me elder? "

The elders had in common their slow pace when talking, it was... kinda relaxing actually. The elder showed him a ring in his hand. In gold, without any decoration.

"That is a ring."

The elder laughed a bit.

"Very observant of you master. But this ring is special, look on his inside."

Doing as told, Maximilian looked inside the ring to see a single rune graved in silver. The meaning was...

"Masquerade... "

The elder seemed chocked an instant, as were his peers.

"Master, you understand the runes, very impressive. "

"Thank you elder. But it doesn't tell me what this ring does."

"I think in this case, a demonstration will be more efficient. "

Before Maximilian had time to asked what the elder meant, the old imp took the hand of one of the carriers and put the ring on one of his finger.

The carrier in question took a few steps back and faced Maximilian, showing to him the effect.

Before the wide opened eyes of the man, the imp started to change. His skin became paler, pinkish white, he grew to a meter sixty. His all yellow eyes changed so yellow was only the iris color. His hears and nose lost volume and became rounder (for the hears) and straighter (for the nose).

All in all, even if not gorgeous, the lmp now looked like a human man.

While Maximilian was observing the imp 's new look, the elder was explaining what it was exactly about.

"The ring of masquerade allow the one who wears it to take the form he or she would have as a human. "

Walking around the human imp, Maximilian was impressed but still he asked.

"That's very impressive, but how is it useful?"

The imps around him stopped their work a moment to looked at him. At the last question, it was Asterife who gave an answer.

"Master, you seem to be a kindhearted person, but you have to understand it is not the generality. In human towns, few are the races truly accepted. Elves, dwarfs and orcs are some of those few, but even for them it's not easy. "

"Okay, I can understand some of them are a bit racist, but don't tell me some race have to hide from them..."

He was answered by an awkward silence.

"So it is to that point... Thank you for those informations, I'll be sure to be careful. "

"It's a pleasure to help, master. Everybody, back to work. "

The elder took the ring of the imp who slowly took back his normal appearance. Giving it to Maximilian, the old imp continued the explanation.

"While the ring is put on, you maintain the human form. The enchantment is strong, it would take some powerful spell to see through this magic. "

"But is it just an illusion or do the one putting the ring on really transform? "

"I think... A bit of both would be a good answer. Imagine a lamia put it on..."

Maximilian raised his hand quickly.

"Question. When you say lamia, you mean half snake people? "

The elder seemed surprised by the question.

"Well, yes. I don't think there's another being having that name. "

"Alright, sorry for the interruption. Please, proceed. "

"Very well master. As I was saying, imagine a lamia putting the ring on. She would have two legs, but the way she moves would remember you the way a snake move. Even if the appearance change, the one putting the ring on stay the same. But on the other hand, you can touch the new body, it is here. Your five senses are persuaded this body is the true one. I hope my explanation made the usefulness of this Artifact clear to you master. "

Maximilian took the ring between his thumb and index, making it rolled a bit.

"Yes, it is a fine piece you found. Thank you for your work. "

"Your satisfaction is our satisfaction master. I'll get back to work. "

"Please do, I'll continue making mana coins. "

"To each his work. "

The imps continued to empty the different chest while Maximilian was making mana coins.

Sometime, he would be called by one of the elder when they happened to find a special Artifact. At the end they had found several rings and necklaces used to amplified the magic of the user. Apparently, the element amelioration depended on the gemstone used in the process. Emerald for earth, ruby for fire,

sapphir for water and diamond for the wind.

*to be frank I don't think I'll need one of those. But still, I could meet someone for whom those kinds of help is a bless. *

Talking about money, Maximilian was almost sure of the value, but confirmed his idea with Asterife. As he thought, 100 copper coins value one silver, and 100 silver value one gold.

The last thing of interest was another ring. This one consists of three interweave silver rings, with each of them having a different rune inside. One with the "distance "rune, one with the "Hearing "rune, and the last one with the "speaking "rune. As Maximilian was observing it, the elder explained the usefulness of the thing.

"This one is the ring of the free talkers. While wearing it, any of the one you allow doing so will be able to communicate with you, even from another country, or even another continent. "

"That is marvelous. And anyone can do so?"

"Well... No. That's the downside of this kind of Artifact, you must have at least another one Artifact with the same runes for it to work. "

"And I suppose this kind of Artifact isn't sell on every market... How about asking someone to make it?"

"That's going to be very difficult master, runes magic is a very rare skill. Few are those who... "

Maximilian kinda stopped listening.

*The elder was talking about rune magic, could it be...*

Quickly, Maximilian looked through his skills list. He stopped on the one he was looking for, the secret skill he obtained by maximizing his first rune skill, runes magic.

Not hesitating more than a second, he maximized it, and a smile appeared on his face has new knowledge came to his mind.

"Is everything alright master? "

The smile on his face seemed to have caught the attention of the elder in front of him. He decided to not tell him about his new skill, at least not before he had the chance to try it.

"You're right elder, it seems this is going to be difficult to find someone to help me in that mater. But it's alright, I'll think about it later. "

"As you wish master. "

And like that the chests were emptied by the imps. At the end, Maximilian had hundreds of golden coins, thousands of silver and copper coins, enough ring, bracelets and other ornaments to open his own jewelry, and a lot of different kinds of gemstone, different in sizes and colors.

"Are you sure you don't want a part of the treasure?"

Maximilian was feeling kinda bad to keep all those precious things to himself when it was the imps who get them for him. Asterife smiled at him while shaking his head left to right.

"It's alright master. Us imps don't have any use for those kinds of things."

"Alright then....but I'm sure as hell giving you a bonus in mana coins, and that's not negotiable. "

Maximilian 's reaction was amusing the elder and the others imps.

"You were right Asterife. He is an interesting one. "

"Isn't he elder."

The imps laughed a bit between them while Maximilian passed his hand through his hair.

"I don't know how to take that. Ho well..."

Once the imps were paid, they bowed once again before disappearing. As he was exiting the room, Maximilian was wondering.

"I've got potions and ingredients, I've got weapons and armors, and a lot of money. I wonder what's next... "

Remembering the explanation of Emy about the last room, he scratched his chin.

"What could she have mean by catchall? "