Knowledge Is Power: The Last Reader

Aria reached down and picked up the artifact.

The mask was surprisingly light in her hands—almost weightless, like holding a shadow that had decided to take physical form. It was black, impossibly black, the kind of black that seemed to drink in light rather than reflect it. The surface was smooth, almost liquid, with faint patterns that seemed to shift when she looked at them directly but disappeared when she tried to focus.

It was a thief’s mask. The kind that covered the upper half of the face, leaving the mouth and jaw exposed. The edges were curved and elegant, designed to fit comfortably against skin. Two small holes marked where the eyes would be, and when she held it up to her face, she could see through them perfectly, as if they weren’t there at all.

The material was cool against her fingers, soft and pliable yet somehow impossibly durable. It felt ancient. It felt alive.

And then—

It bound itself to her.

---

Aria gasped as the mask seemed to melt against her skin. It conformed to her face, settling into place like it had always been there. She could feel it—a faint tingle, a warmth that spread across her cheeks and forehead and then faded.

When she reached up to pull it off, it wouldn’t budge.

"What—" she started, panic rising in her throat. "What’s happening? Why won’t it come off?"

Kelly rushed forward, his face pale. "Let me see."

He reached for the mask, but the moment his fingers touched it, a shock ran through him. He jerked back, shaking his hand.

"Ow! What was that?"

"Wait," Kelme said, stepping closer. "I think I’ve seen something like this before. Soul binding. It’s a rare enchantment. The artifact has chosen you as its owner."

"Chosen me? I didn’t choose it!"

"That’s not how soul binding works. It’s not about what you want. It’s about—" He paused, searching for the right word. "—compatibility. The mask sensed something in you. Something it recognized."

Aria stared at him, her heart sinking. "So I’m stuck with it?"

"Until you die. Or until you find someone who can break the bond, which is almost impossible."

"Great. Fantastic. Wonderful."

She reached up and touched the mask again. It felt like her own skin now. Like it had always been part of her.

---

The team gathered around her, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and concern.

"So what does it do?" Mira asked. "What’s the point of a mask that won’t come off?"

Aria closed her eyes, trying to sense the artifact’s abilities. It was like reaching for a new muscle, something that had always been there but never used.

"I can see three abilities," she said slowly. "Three distinct functions."

"Which are?"

"The first is a disguise. I can change my face and shape to something close to my body. Not drastic—I can’t turn into a tree or a horse—but I can look like someone else. Different hair, different features, different build within a certain range."

"That’s actually useful," Kelly admitted.

"Very useful," Aria agreed. "Perfect for hiding. I could walk right past someone and they’d never recognize me."

She paused, a small smile playing at her lips. "I could even avoid paying my debts."

"You’re thinking about that right now?"

"I’m always thinking about it. The mask just made it easier."

---

"The second ability," she continued, "is invisibility. Complete invisibility. I can disappear completely for short periods of time."

Kelme’s eyebrows shot up. "Invisibility? That’s rare. That’s incredibly rare."

"I know. I could have used this as a kid. Would have made picking pockets a lot easier."

Kelly frowned. "And the third?"

Aria closed her eyes again, focusing. "Sub-space. A small pocket dimension. I can store things in it and retrieve them later."

"Like a bag of holding?"

"Better. It’s attached to me. No one can steal it. No one can find it. It’s just... there."

The team exchanged glances. The mask was powerful. More powerful than any of them had expected.

---

But there was a problem.

"The mask was supposed to belong to everyone who participated in the fight," Kelly said slowly. "It was a shared drop. A reward for everyone who helped defeat the Shiny."

"I know."

"But now it’s soul-bound to you. No one else can use it. No one else can even touch it."

"I know."

"Which means everyone who fought—everyone who risked their lives—they’re not going to get their share."

Aria sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I know. I’ve been thinking about that."

"Can you afford to pay them off?"

"Of course not. I’m a Bronze rank adventurer. I barely have enough money to eat."

"Then what are you going to do?"

Aria was quiet for a moment. Then her eyes lit up.

"The lair. The Shiny’s lair. It was filled with treasure. Gold, jewels, artifacts—everything we could ever want."

"That was probably an illusion," Kelly said. "You saw it yourself. Everything he owned was an illusion."

"Maybe. But there might be real things there too. Things he collected over the centuries. Things he hid."

"It’s worth a shot," Kelme admitted. "At worst, we find nothing. At best, we find enough to pay everyone off."

---

They made their way back to the tomb, through the winding corridors and familiar chambers, until they reached the Shiny’s lair.

The door was still open. The treasure was still—

Empty.

Aria stared at the chamber, her heart sinking. The treasure was gone. The gold, the jewels, the artifacts—all of it. The room was almost bare, save for a few scattered weapons and pieces of equipment.

"Where is it all?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. "Where did it go?"

Kelly stepped forward, examining the room with a critical eye. "It was never there. Not really. It was all an illusion. He used his mana to create the illusion of wealth because he was so desperate to feel like he owned something."

"That’s pathetic," Kelme said.

"It is. But it also makes sense. He was a mimic. Monsters don’t get drops. He couldn’t accumulate real wealth. So he created the illusion of it to comfort himself."

"But he had to have something. He lived here for centuries. He killed dozens of adventurers. They must have had equipment, weapons, something."

Kelly pointed to a corner of the room, where a pile of rusted weapons and tattered armor sat. "That’s what he collected. The belongings of those he killed. But there’s no treasure here. No gold. No jewels. Just the remnants of his victims."

---

Aria walked through the empty chamber, her footsteps echoing in the silence. She felt a strange sense of pity for Don. He’d spent centuries creating an illusion of wealth, an illusion of power, an illusion of control. And in the end, he’d had nothing.

"He wasted all that mana," she said quietly. "Just to feel like he owned something."

"That’s what you meant, wasn’t it?" Kelly asked. "When you said he was lying to himself. That he kept fighting because he didn’t want to admit he truly had nothing."

Aria nodded. "He was pathetic. But I almost feel sorry for him."

"Don’t," Kelme said. "He was a monster. He killed people. He killed Bunny."

"I know. But there was something human in him too. Something that wanted to be more than what he was."

---

They gathered the few weapons and pieces of equipment that remained. It wasn’t much. A rusted sword. A cracked shield. A handful of coins that had fallen from the pockets of the dead.

"This isn’t enough," Kelly said. "This won’t pay off even one person."

"I know."

"What are you going to do?"

Aria sighed, holding up the mask. "I’m going to have to find a way. Somehow."

"You could just run," Kelme suggested. "Take the mask and disappear. No one would ever find you."

"I can’t do that. I owe them. They risked their lives, and I have to make it right."

"Even if it takes the rest of your life?"

"Even then."

---

Aria looked down at the mask in her hands. It was beautiful. Powerful. Perfect for someone who needed to hide.

At least now, she thought, I can hide my face so I don’t have to pay my debt.

She laughed at the thought, a bitter, self-deprecating sound.

"At least I have something," she said. "Something that can help me survive."

Kelme looked at her, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Yeah. Let’s just run with the artifact. Honestly, I give up on the tomb. And truth be told, that mask is the perfect thing to have if you ever end up with a too-large debt."

Aria laughed. She would feel less bad now that he was okay with the plan she’d thought of.

"I’ll miss the guild though," she said. "Kinda."

"You’ll miss the guild?"

"Not the guild itself. The people. The quests. The feeling of being part of something."

"You’re still part of something. You’re part of this. Whatever this is."

"Does this have a name?"

"No."

"Then it’s not a very good part of something."

---

They walked out of the tomb, leaving the empty chamber behind. The forest was quiet, the sounds of battle long faded.

Aria reached up and touched the mask again. It was warm against her skin.

At least now I can hide, she thought. At least now I can disappear.

She smiled, a small, sad smile.

I’ll pay my debts. Somehow. Someday.

But not today.

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