Chapter 49: Clothes, Potions, and Danger

The three of them stood before an old wooden door, half-buried in snow. A carved symbol—simple, unmistakable—decorated the center.

A chest.

Princess Charlie had been the one to find it, tapping her bony finger against the carving like a dog pointing out prey.

Luke’s heartbeat picked up. “You’ve got to be kidding me…”

A loot room?

Allison was already making his way down the half-frozen stone steps. “Only one way to find out.”

He grabbed the iron handle—

Click.

Nothing.

Locked.

Luke grinned. “That’s not a problem.”

Charlie agreed without a word. Her skeletal fist started to glow with that now-familiar metallic sheen—ready to reduce the door to splinters.

“Wait!” Allison raised his hands, alarmed. “No need to get violent. Just hand me two of those throwing knives.”

Luke blinked, then tossed them over with a shrug.

Allison knelt at the base of the door, sliding the knife tips into the old lock with practiced care. His fingers moved with surprising delicacy, eyes closed as he listened to every subtle shift in the mechanism.

A few tense seconds passed.

Click.

The lock gave way.

Allison stood up smoothly, arms crossed, smug. “Used to sneak out of the house a lot when I was a kid.”

Luke raised an eyebrow. “Couldn’t just climb out your window?”

Allison sighed. “I lived on the fifteenth floor.”

Luke stared at him. “…Fair.”

They stepped inside cautiously, weapons still drawn. The room was small,just a carved- but it was quiet. Too quiet. The kind of silence that made your instincts twitch.

A glowing crystal sat embedded in the ceiling, casting a soft bluish glow. The light pulsed gently, and the shadows seemed to shift with it—subtle, almost like they were breathing.

But no one cared about the stonework. Not really.

Because all that mattered now were the six chests. Perfectly aligned along the far wall. Identical. Untouched. Waiting.

“Finally, something good in this godforsaken wasteland!” Allison blurted, rushing forward like a kid seeing presents under a tree.

Luke didn’t move. He gave Charlie a short nod. “Top of the stairs. Keep watch. If anything moves, you warn us immediately.”

Charlie turned and obeyed, footsteps clattering up the stone. Luke’s eyes lingered on the entrance for a moment.

Even after days of watching the orc village, even after counting every patrol, every gap in their defenses—there were still too many unknowns.

The tunnels. The forest. Whatever else might be watching them.

Luke turned toward the nearest chest. Every step forward brought more tension, more anticipation. A weapon? Rare gear? A stat item? A hidden artifact that might change everything?

He grabbed the lid.

Lifted it.

Silence.

Luke blinked.

“…Bras?”

The chest was filled—no, stuffed—with women’s underwear. Bras. Lingerie. Dresses. Stockings. Lacy things he couldn’t even name, let alone describe.

Silence again.

Allison didn’t move.

“M-maybe don’t touch that one…” he muttered, gaze glued anywhere but the chest.

Luke slowly, carefully, lowered the lid.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Took a breath. Tried again.

Second chest.

“Men’s clothes?”

Allison crouched beside the next one. “Hey, clothes are useful. If your system outfit gets burned or shredded, you’ll be glad to have spares. Repair timers aren’t instant.”

Luke shrugged. “Sure. But how are we supposed to carry all this crap? In our arms?”

Allison laughed and tossed something to him.

A leather pouch.

“I found something useful in these chests. There are a few of these around.”

Luke caught the pouch mid-air and tossed some clothes inside, still frustrated.

They opened more chests.

Shirts. Shoes. Nothing special.

But when they lifted the lid of the last one…

Luke stopped. “Bread?”