I Was Told to Drink Poison, So I Drank It - 36 - I’ve already died once
I heard a clattering sound.
When I looked, Luke was touching the lock attached to the iron door.
But when I looked closely, it seemed like there was no keyhole.
Luke, while touching the chains twisted together in a complicated way, spoke as if answering.
“This is a puzzle ring.”
“…I see. Smart.”
If it’s a key, once someone takes it, that’s it.
But if it’s a puzzle ring, unless someone is really good at it, most people would need time to solve it.
It might be more reliable than preparing a key.
I gave a bitter smile. This is just like Aidan Lips—so clever.
Luke removed the puzzle ring and opened the iron door.
From inside came a sound like wind—whoooosh.
…it’s connected to the outside.
Louis and I looked at each other and nodded.
Louis, carrying Noah on his back, went into the hidden passage.
Luke looked at me as if to say, “Go on.” So I told him,
“You go in first.”
“But…”
“It’s okay. I’m just going to do something so they can’t follow us. I’ll close the door once, and when I give the signal, can you open it?”
I pushed the confused Luke into the hidden passage and closed the iron door.
Then—I took out a small gun.
It was Aidan Lips’ belonging.
I found it near where Noah and Luke had collapsed.
I’m glad I borrowed it, just in case.
I stood in front of the door and held up the gun.
I know how to use a gun for self-defense.
But this was the first time I used such a small gun and the first time I would fire it outside of training.
I pulled back the hammer.
Click. A hard sound.
Still holding the gun, I aimed.
My target—the handle of the iron door.
If I could destroy it, they would have trouble opening the door. That would buy us time.
Louis had Noah on his back, and Luke probably didn’t have the strength to shoot. He was already badly hurt.
I had some injuries, but I could still move. My holy power was almost gone, but not completely.
Out of the three of us, I thought I was the best one to do it.
Another loud noise came from behind, and I felt the shock under my feet.
If I didn’t hurry, the priests who cleared the rubble would catch me.
Before that, I had to destroy this.
“─…”
I took a deep breath.
I closed my eyes and calmed my racing heart.
When I picked up the gun, I checked.
There were five bullets left.
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I heard a loud explosion behind me—DAAAN!
“Did we get it!?”
“No, not yet!”
“One more shot and we can pass through!”
“Hurry, bring the gunpowder!”
“The ceiling’s going to fall! Move fast!!”
I heard the voices of the priests.
The number of footsteps increased—probably more than ten people.
Even if I didn’t make it into the hidden passage, I had to at least destroy this handle—no matter what.
(…It’s okay.)
I’ve already died once.
I’m not afraid of anything anymore.
I slowly opened my eyes.
One, two, three.
I counted in my head and pulled the trigger.
I planted my feet firmly, held the gun with both hands, and aimed straight at the handle.
I was afraid of the bullet bouncing back, but I didn’t have the confidence to hit it from far away.
With a deafening sound, the handle bent.
But it wasn’t enough. Not yet.
Another explosion came from behind.
(Don’t panic. You must not panic.)
Staring straight at the handle, I pulled the trigger again.
Twice, three times—I repeated it. Finally.
With a loud crash, the handle broke off and fell.
The moment I saw it, before I could feel relieved, I heard running footsteps from the hallway.
“Hurry!! Protect Lord Aidan!!”
Oh no. They broke through…!
They must’ve blasted the rubble to make a path.
Without looking back, I knocked several times on the iron door—the one that led to the hidden passage.
At that moment.
“Don’t move!!”
The office—this room that used to be one—was suddenly filled with priests and probably armed soldiers.
Right after, the iron door opened and someone grabbed my wrist.
“……!!”
Before I could even be surprised, I was pulled into the hidden passage, and the iron door closed.
“Wait!!”
At almost the same time, gunshots rang out behind me.
─DAAAN! DAAAN!!
They hit the iron door, it seemed.
A loud sound came from the other side of the door.
Leaning against the iron door, I let out a thin breath I didn’t realize I was holding.
(…That was close.)
Now, my hands started to shake.
The one who grabbed my wrist and pulled me into the hidden passage was Luke.
“…Are you alright?”
He asked in a stiff voice.
“Yes. Let’s keep going.”
Even though I broke the handle, they would catch up soon.
Before that—though the ceiling of the office and the hallway connected to it might collapse.
When I answered, I could faintly see Luke nodding in the darkness.