Nothing.
Then, by accident, he pressed the exact center of the circular pattern while turning it slightly.
A sharp metallic click echoed through the room.
The object didn’t open, but it changed.
A thin seam that was previously invisible now became slightly visible around the edge, like a hidden section had loosened after decades of being stuck.
He froze.
Whatever this was, it wasn’t just a random antique piece anymore — it was a sealed mechanical device, intentionally designed to hide something inside or protect a mechanism that had been dormant for years.
And for the first time, it felt less like an old tool… and more like something that was meant not to be easily found.