Chapter 69
THUD.
Another book hit the floor.
Dust exploded upward across the Lord's chamber.
Marco jumped slightly.
Marco: "…Can you stop throwing them like that?!"
Esabell ignored him completely.
Her hands moved rapidly across another old book.
Pages flipped.
Nothing.
She threw it aside again.
THUMP.
Marco rubbed his face tiredly before pulling another record from the giant shelf.
Marco: "…We don't even know if the book is actually here."
Esabell dragged another stack closer.
Opened it.
Nothing again.
Esabell: "…Then we keep searching."
Golden flames flickered quietly across the chamber walls.
Books covered the floor.
Half-open scrolls hung from the shelf.
Marco sighed.
Marco: "…At this point we're going to get caught before finding anything."
Esabell suddenly climbed onto the lower part of the shelf and started checking higher sections.
Marco blinked.
Marco: "…You're getting desperate."
Esabell pulled another thick book outward—
SLIP.
The book dropped from her hands.
THUD.
Silence.
Both froze instantly.
Then—
footsteps echoed outside the chamber.
Guard: "…Who's inside?"
Marco's soul nearly left his body.
Marco: "…Oh no."
The footsteps grew closer.
Esabell quickly jumped down from the shelf.
Marco looked around frantically.
Table.
Curtains.
Under the bed.
Nothing.
Marco: "Where do we hide?!"
The chamber door slowly creaked open.
Esabell backed against the bookshelf accidentally—
CLICK.
Both froze.
RUMMMMMBLE—
Part of the bookshelf slowly moved sideways.
A dark opening appeared behind it.
Marco stared for half a second.
Then immediately grabbed Esabell's wrist.
Marco: "…MOVE MOVE MOVE—"
Both rushed inside.
The shelf closed shut behind them just as—
the guard entered the chamber.
Marco and Esabell awkwardly peeked through a tiny crack between the shelves.
The guard slowly walked across the room.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Guard: "…Strange…"
Meanwhile—
inside the hidden passage—
Marco's face was smashed directly against stone.
Esabell's knee was somehow pressing into his stomach.
Marco whispered painfully.
Marco: "…Why are we folded like this?!"
Esabell whispered back.
Esabell: "…Because YOU pushed me!"
The guard outside slowly approached the shelf.
Closer.
Closer.
Marco immediately stopped breathing.
The guard placed a hand against the bookshelf.
Silence.
Marco's eyes widened.
Then—
the guard slowly stepped away.
Footsteps faded into the distance.
Silence returned.
Marco collapsed backward dramatically.
Esabell immediately pushed against the hidden shelf.
Nothing happened.
She shoved harder.
Still nothing.
Marco slowly looked at her.
Marco: "…Please tell me you know how to reopen it."
Esabell stared silently at the wall.
Marco: "…Fantastic."
Torchlight flickered faintly deeper underground.
Both slowly turned toward it.
Silence.
Marco pointed into the darkness.
Marco: "…No matter what happens next…"
He swallowed nervously.
Marco: "…This is definitely a terrible idea."
---
Step.
Step.
Step.
Their footsteps echoed throughout the underground passage.
Cold air brushed past them.
Water dripped somewhere far away.
Then suddenly—
the tunnel opened.
Marco stopped walking.
Esabell slowly stepped beside him—
and both froze.
Weapons covered the underground chamber from wall to wall.
Rows of swords.
Spears taller than humans.
Heavy shields stacked together.
Massive axes hanging from chains.
Marco walked forward slowly.
His fingers brushed against one of the blades.
Marco: "…This isn't storage…"
Esabell looked around silently.
Marco: "…This is preparation."
At the far end—
three massive doors stood side by side.
Ancient symbols glowed faintly across them.
Marco immediately pointed toward the first one.
Marco: "…Okay. Emergency exit. Treasure room. Horrible death chamber."
Esabell looked at him.
Marco pointed again.
Marco: "…One of those is absolutely correct."
Esabell grabbed the first door handle.
CREEEEAK—
Cold wind instantly rushed outward.
A narrow tunnel stretched upward toward faint moonlight.
Marco peeked inside.
Marco: "…Emergency exit."
He immediately pointed toward the second door excitedly.
Marco: "…Now THIS one is either treasure…"
He slowly reached toward it.
Marco: "…Or the horrible death chamber."
---
CLANG—
Steel crashed violently underground.
Captain Bochy blocked an incoming strike before smashing his fist directly into a guard's jaw.
THUD.
The guard flew backward into another soldier.
Nearby—
two soldiers fought side by side against hooded guards inside the narrow corridor.
One blocked high.
The other attacked low.
Fast.
Precise.
No wasted movement.
Another guard rushed forward suddenly—
SLASH—
A soldier barely blocked the blade in time.
Sparks exploded across the hallway.
Then—
one soldier stepped backward onto blood across the floor.
SLIP.
His balance broke instantly.
Soldier: "…Ah—!"
The hooded guard's eyes widened.
Opportunity.
Dark red symbols ignited across his sword.
FWOOOOOSH—
Flames exploded along the blade.
Heat distorted the air instantly.
Nearby soldiers froze.
Captain Bochy's expression changed immediately.
Captain Bochy: "…MOVE—!"
The burning sword came crashing downward toward the fallen soldier—
...CHAPTER 69 ENDS...