“Of course, I keep it in my closet.”
“If I get a chance someday, I definitely want to see it.”
Owen couldn’t help but laugh at those sincere words. How could such a big, burly, authoritative man express his earnest desire to see his daughter’s childhood doll with such a serious face?
It was quite unexpected, yet cute.
“Originally, it is a treasure that is not shown to anyone, but if we get out of here safely, it will be my special… … .”
The moment Owen said that Calix, who had been limp like a corpse on the back of one of Akkard’s subordinates, suddenly lifted his head.
“Do you feel something?”
Akkard asked when he saw his movements. Calix closed his eyes with a face soaked in cold sweat and immediately pointed his hand at the wall at the end of the passage.
“Over— there, over there. The place where Callistea is imprisoned… … .”
Hearing this, Akkard’s eyes narrowed. Fortunately, in the direction Calix was pointing, there was a pipe large enough to fit one person.
‘Maybe that pipe leads over the wall.’
Supporting his suspicions, Owen spoke behind his back.
“The High Temple is an old building, so the drainage system is rough and sloppy. Especially if she’s locked up in the basement, there’s probably a pipe or two connected to it.”
Then, all that was left was to confirm.
Akkard turned his head and gave a chin to the slimmest of his subordinates. The man took off his shoes without hesitation and crawled into the pipe.
How many minutes did they wait? Soon, the man, who was soaked in sweat and filth from his head to his feet, came back and reported:
“It is connected to the underground passage. Perhaps it was used as a prison, since there are small solitary rooms on either side of the passage. It can be presumed that the Saint is locked up in one of them, but the end of the pipe was blocked by a grate and I could not get out.”
“How long is the pipe?”
“It’s not that long. I estimate it to be about four meters.”
The plumbing system of the Great Shrine built in ancient times could even let an adult male as big as Akkard crawl. Four meters was longer than he thought, but that was enough to crawl through.
But he was a bit concerned about the older Owen and the weary Calix, however… … it was doable if they crawled together by pulling them from the front and pushing them from the back.
“I’ll take care of the steel bars blocking the plumbing exit.”
Fortunately, just in case, he had a strong hydrochloric acid obtained from the alchemist Kurd. If applied to a joint, it would melt, and then they could remove the iron grate silently.
After concluding the plan in his head, Akkard looked around the party.
“I take the lead. Please be careful not to fall behind.”
He could get into the pipe, but it was definitely too narrow for Akkard. It was challenging to crawl 4 meters in such a tight space that it was difficult for him even to bend his elbows and knees properly.
Akkard crawled all the way to the end of the pipe, drenched in sweat, and brushed his wet hair. And he observed the passage of the dungeon seen through the rusty grate.
He held his breath and watched for a few minutes but sensed no presence or movements. Akkard took the bottle of hydrochloric acid from his pocket and carefully poured it into the bottom of the grate.
Ssssssssaaa-
Smoke rose with the sound of rusting metal. Although it was not a large amount, there was toxic, pungent smoke.
Frowning, Akkard pulled out his handkerchief and covered his nose and mouth. He poured hydrochloric acid on all the bars carefully before grabbing it and shaking it.
Fortunately, the grate broke off with a small friction sound. After repeating the process a few times, they finally had space to go out.
“I’m going in. Get ready,”
Akkard, who commanded in a quiet voice, cautiously leaned out.
The operation to rescue the ‘real saint’ was just beginning.
“Of course, I keep it in my closet.”
“If I get a chance someday, I definitely want to see it.”
Owen couldn’t help but laugh at those sincere words. How could such a big, burly, authoritative man express his earnest desire to see his daughter’s childhood doll with such a serious face?
It was quite unexpected, yet cute.
“Originally, it is a treasure that is not shown to anyone, but if we get out of here safely, it will be my special… … .”
The moment Owen said that Calix, who had been limp like a corpse on the back of one of Akkard’s subordinates, suddenly lifted his head.
“Do you feel something?”
Akkard asked when he saw his movements. Calix closed his eyes with a face soaked in cold sweat and immediately pointed his hand at the wall at the end of the passage.
“Over— there, over there. The place where Callistea is imprisoned… … .”
Hearing this, Akkard’s eyes narrowed. Fortunately, in the direction Calix was pointing, there was a pipe large enough to fit one person.
‘Maybe that pipe leads over the wall.’
Supporting his suspicions, Owen spoke behind his back.
“The High Temple is an old building, so the drainage system is rough and sloppy. Especially if she’s locked up in the basement, there’s probably a pipe or two connected to it.”
Then, all that was left was to confirm.
Akkard turned his head and gave a chin to the slimmest of his subordinates. The man took off his shoes without hesitation and crawled into the pipe.
How many minutes did they wait? Soon, the man, who was soaked in sweat and filth from his head to his feet, came back and reported:
“It is connected to the underground passage. Perhaps it was used as a prison, since there are small solitary rooms on either side of the passage. It can be presumed that the Saint is locked up in one of them, but the end of the pipe was blocked by a grate and I could not get out.”
“How long is the pipe?”
“It’s not that long. I estimate it to be about four meters.”
The plumbing system of the Great Shrine built in ancient times could even let an adult male as big as Akkard crawl. Four meters was longer than he thought, but that was enough to crawl through.
But he was a bit concerned about the older Owen and the weary Calix, however… … it was doable if they crawled together by pulling them from the front and pushing them from the back.
“I’ll take care of the steel bars blocking the plumbing exit.”
Fortunately, just in case, he had a strong hydrochloric acid obtained from the alchemist Kurd. If applied to a joint, it would melt, and then they could remove the iron grate silently.
After concluding the plan in his head, Akkard looked around the party.
“I take the lead. Please be careful not to fall behind.”
He could get into the pipe, but it was definitely too narrow for Akkard. It was challenging to crawl 4 meters in such a tight space that it was difficult for him even to bend his elbows and knees properly.
Akkard crawled all the way to the end of the pipe, drenched in sweat, and brushed his wet hair. And he observed the passage of the dungeon seen through the rusty grate.
He held his breath and watched for a few minutes but sensed no presence or movements. Akkard took the bottle of hydrochloric acid from his pocket and carefully poured it into the bottom of the grate.
Ssssssssaaa-
Smoke rose with the sound of rusting metal. Although it was not a large amount, there was toxic, pungent smoke.
Frowning, Akkard pulled out his handkerchief and covered his nose and mouth. He poured hydrochloric acid on all the bars carefully before grabbing it and shaking it.
Fortunately, the grate broke off with a small friction sound. After repeating the process a few times, they finally had space to go out.
“I’m going in. Get ready,”
Akkard, who commanded in a quiet voice, cautiously leaned out.
The operation to rescue the ‘real saint’ was just beginning.
