Help! My Moms Are Overpowered Tyrants, and I’m Stuck as Their Baby! - Chapter 38

Chapter 38: The Grand Treasure Hunt

I stood in the middle of the imperial treasury, surrounded by glittering artifacts, enchanted relics, and absurdly expensive nonsense.

The air smelled faintly of polished silver and ancient magic, crackling softly in the background like static electricity.

“Anything I want?” I asked again, just to be sure.

Saelira smiled indulgently. “Anything, little one.”

“Anything at all?”

“Yes,” Ilythia confirmed. “Choose wisely.”

Eryndor crossed his arms. “Or just pick the most dangerous thing.”

Veylen tilted his head slightly. “Or the most practical.”

Four grandparents. Four conflicting opinions.

I rubbed the back of my neck and scanned the shelves.

They were filled with every kind of magical item imaginable:

• Glowing crystals pulsing with faint blue light.

• Ancient rings inscribed with glowing runes.

• Blades that seemed to hum softly, like they were impatient to be held.

• Amulets crackling with captured lightning.

And, in one corner, what I was pretty sure was a cursed vase with a very judgmental aura.

“System,” I called mentally. “Help me out here.”

[ System Analysis Activated. ]

[ Welcome to the Imperial Treasury. Population: Too Much Magic and Questionable Taste. ]

“I hate you already.”

[ Love you too. Let’s get started. ]

[ Scanning items… ]

I blinked as small, glowing windows appeared over various objects, visible only to me.

“Show me the good stuff.”

[ Top Picks for the Budding Tyrant-in-Training: ]

1. Infernal Gauntlet: Grants the wearer the ability to control flames with precision. Also gives the user an overwhelming desire to punch things. (Risk Level: Moderate. Cool Factor: 9/10)

2. Whispering Amulet: Enhances magical communication and lets you eavesdrop on nearby conversations. Downside: The amulet will occasionally whisper random gossip about people you don’t care about. (Risk Level: Low. Annoyance Level: High)

3. Obsidian Fang Dagger: A cursed blade that drains magical energy from enemies. Also insults its wielder constantly. (Risk Level: High. Sass Level: 10/10)

4. Prismcore Pendant: Enhances elemental magic. Can amplify spells tenfold—but drains the user’s energy if overused. (Risk Level: Moderate. Power Level: Extremely Cool)

I squinted at the glowing text. “Wait. The dagger insults people?”

[ Yes. You’d get along perfectly. ]

“Rude.”

I wandered toward the Obsidian Fang Dagger, resting on a velvet cushion beneath a glass case. The blade was sleek, dark, and curved, its edge glinting like a predator’s tooth.

It pulsed faintly with an eerie, dark glow.

“What’s its deal?” I whispered.

[ The dagger is sentient, magically forged by a warlock who believed ‘weapons should be motivational.’ ]

[ Unfortunately, it motivates via relentless verbal abuse. ]

I snorted. “Yeah, no thanks. One annoying voice in my head is enough.”

[ I’m delightful. ]

“Sure you are, champ.”

I turned toward the Prismcore Pendant, hanging from a twisted silver stand. The crystal in the center shifted colors like liquid rainbows, and when I reached toward it, the air tingled against my palm.

It was powerful. I could feel it without touching it.

“Okay, System. Thoughts?”

[ Prismcore Pendant: Amplifies elemental spells, helps with control, and looks aesthetically badass. Downsides: Energy drain after prolonged use, and it makes your magic more noticeable. ]

[ TL;DR: Big spells, big target. ]

I hesitated. “Would it help with my control?”

[ Yes. Especially after today’s ‘water tornado’ incident. ]

“That was one time.”

[ And yet, here we are. ]

I sighed and glanced back toward my grandparents, who were watching me with varying degrees of amusement.

“Have you chosen, little one?” Saelira asked, voice warm but curious.

I ran my thumb along the chain of the pendant and nodded. “This one.”

Her eyes sparkled. “Excellent choice.”

Veylen inclined his head in approval. “It will serve you well.”

Eryndor smirked. “That pendant once belonged to a warlord who incinerated half a battlefield with a single spell.”

“…Cool,” I said, voice slightly higher than usual.

Ilythia laughed softly. “You’ll grow into it.”

Saelira gestured, and the glass case surrounding the pendant vanished with a faint shimmer. The pendant floated toward me, its silver chain slithering coolly into my palm.

The moment I touched it, I felt the pendant’s magic hum beneath my skin.

Warm, vibrant, chaotic but not uncontrollable.

The crystal shifted from blue to silver as if it were mirroring my emotions.

I slipped it over my head, the pendant settling against my chest with a faint, reassuring weight.

[ System Update: New Artifact Acquired → Prismcore Pendant ]

[ Magic Control Bonus: +5%. Current Magic Control: 10% → 15%. ]

[ Passive Effect: Elemental Amplification. Fireballs now 70% more dramatic. ]

“70% more dramatic?” I asked. “Why does that sound dangerous?”

[ Because it absolutely is. Enjoy! ]

I resisted the urge to groan.

“Now what?” I asked aloud.

Eryndor grinned. “Now, we test it.”

The next hour was absolute chaos.

The Prismcore Pendant worked… incredibly well.

Too well, actually.

When I tried a simple flame spell, it ignited half the training dummy and sent a fireball shooting into the sky.

The ground-shaping spell I practiced cracked the entire courtyard in half, requiring Saelira to fix it with an exasperated sigh.

By the time we called it quits, I was exhausted, dizzy, and slightly singed.

But my magic felt different now. More solid. More responsive.

More mine.

As I sat on the steps to catch my breath, the pendant cool against my chest, the system’s voice drifted into my thoughts again.

[ Congratulations. You’re now 15% less likely to explode yourself. ]

“Gee, thanks.”

The pendant warmed slightly against my chest, the crystal glimmering like a captured star. My muscles ached, my brain was fried, and I was pretty sure my hair was now slightly singed from that last fire spell.

But I’d done it.

I’d finally cast spells without causing a magical apocalypse.

I tilted my head back, breathing in the cool evening air. The training grounds were a mess. Charred grass, shattered stone, and a training dummy that was still smoking faintly.

“Not bad,” Eryndor said, stepping beside me. “For a beginner.”

“Gee, thanks,” I muttered again, earning a chuckle from him.

Saelira approached, her elegant features glowing faintly in the moonlight. Her eyes landed on the pendant resting against my chest, and she gave a satisfied nod.

“You are progressing faster than we anticipated,” she said softly.

“Which is good,” Veylen added from behind her, his voice measured and thoughtful. “Because the world won’t wait for you to grow up.”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

Saelira knelt in front of me, cupping my face with both hands. Her touch was cool and comforting, like moonlit silk.

“You have power, Elyzara,” she said. “More than you realize.”

I shifted uncomfortably. “I just broke a couple of rocks and almost set Mara’s hair on fire.”

“Inexperienced power,” Ilythia said from the bench across the courtyard, “is still power.”

“Raw potential,” Veylen said. “Untamed now. But soon? Refined.”

Eryndor crossed his arms and grinned. “And then?” He leaned forward. “Then you’ll conquer the world.”

I froze. “Wait. What?”

Ilythia smiled like she’d just offered me tea and not a plan for global domination. “You heard him, dear. You are destined for greatness.”

“But conquer the world? That sounds… excessive.”

Saelira laughed softly. “That depends on perspective.”

Eryndor clapped a hand on my shoulder, nearly knocking me over. “We don’t mean war and bloodshed. Not unless necessary.”

“Unless necessary?” I echoed weakly.

Ilythia sighed fondly. “He does love his battles.”

“The world,” Saelira said gently, drawing my attention back to her, “needs a guiding hand. And who better than you? Raised by us. Trained by us. Shaped by power and knowledge.”

I blinked. “You make it sound like I’m a villain in a bad play.”

Eryndor laughed. “If you were a villain, you wouldn’t feel bad about setting that training dummy on fire.”

“Plus,” Veylen added, adjusting his sleeves, “you’ll have us.”

Saelira smiled, her violet eyes glowing faintly. “We will help you become strong enough to shape this empire. And perhaps beyond.”

I stared at them.

They were serious.

Deadly serious.

My four terrifyingly powerful grandparents were standing here, casually suggesting that I would one day conquer the world and they were fully prepared to help me do it.

I wanted to say something witty, something clever, maybe crack a joke about world domination being bad for stress levels.

But instead, I just whispered:

“…Why me?”

Saelira’s smile softened. “Because you are ours. And because the world won’t know what hit it once you’ve grown into your power.”

A cold shiver ran down my spine.

Not out of fear.

But because, for a split second, I could feel it the raw potential coiled beneath my skin.

The magic. The influence. The weight of the empire.

All of it waiting for me.

And gods help me…

some part of me wanted it.