?


    Although I was a bit nervous, I believed that As would be able to open it.


    As expected, he reached out without hesitation and pressed the confirm button. With a click, the lock opened.


    I breathed a sigh of relief and looked at As with joy. I didn''t expect him to open it so easily. I didn''t know if he was just too clever or if it was too smooth for him.


    The manager, Tris, and Dn withdrew, leaving only me and As inside. I knew that As wouldn''t hide anything from Dn and Tris.


    A stack of somewhat yellowed documents was visible when As opened the box. After a fleeting perusal through them, As''s hand stopped sharply, and his eyes brightened.


    He handed the documents to me, and I was also surprised. These were some mining approval documents. This meant that Louis and Rory had already made all the preparations for mining. It was a pity that they were just one step away from realizing their dreams.


    He then took a velvet bag from the box containing Louis''s official seal, which explicitly corresponded to these documents.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    His gaze paused again before he reached out and took out an intricately carved iron box from inside. The craftsmanship of the box was quite exquisite. It was clearly not an ordinary item. This box alone should make it pretty valuable.


    I nced at As, and we both understood without saying a word that there must be something we needed inside.


    As decisively packed everything back into the box and instructed the manager to process the withdrawal procedures.


    We left the bank, got in the car, and returned to the estate. Along the way, it was clear that Tris was very cautious, and the car was fast.


    After returning to the estate, As had Dn carefully examine the documents. As then took out the box and carefully examined it again; he gave it a little shake. There were still some solid objects inside making a rattling sound.


    He took out the small key Uncle Kenny gave and tried it, but it didn''t budge.


    It still needed to be opened with a mechanism and a password, and the design of the password buckle was quite clever. As held the key and examined it for a long time, trying various things on the points of the box.


    Dn had been watching As''s every move and offering ideas.


    net


    Finally, As held the small key against the patterns on the box. When he finally appeared to have located the key, he attempted to twist it by turning it in each of the four corners that corresponded to the pattern. The patterns on the box changed.


    A smile appeared on As''s face. His slender fingers skillfully held the small key and turned the patterns to a certain angle. All the patterns on it changed, transforming into a series of hieroglyphic designs that appeared to be a sequence of numerals.


    As looked at the two of us with a charming smile. The numbers turned out to be the dates of my and As''s birthdays.


    After aligning the numbers, he inserted the small key into the lock, gently twisted it, and the box opened with a click. Everybody apuded.


    I was deeply moved. Louis used our birthdays. He was afraid that we wouldn''t be able to open this box.


    After the box was opened, what was inside was presented before our eyes...