* * *
“But it really felt like a confession. Why would he talk about kissing like that? And when I said I didn’t like him, why did he ask if I had changed? He even said I smelled good…”
As Henry muttered each detail, he eventually grabbed his hair in frustration.
“Ugh, this is so confusing.”
This trip was a disaster.
Not only had he failed to completely break ties with Edwin, but he also almost got caught revealing his mark to him.
On top of that, after a sudden seizure, he ended up kissing Edwin.
Even though he grumbled a lot, every time he turned his head, Edwin was always nearby.
“Maybe I should just stop thinking about it.”
Trying to figure out why Edwin acted that way wouldn’t lead to any answers.
It was better to focus on the task at hand.
“Let’s just get back quickly.”
Henry flipped over from where he was lying, pressed his hands on the ground, and stood up.
After dusting himself off, he rummaged through his bag and pulled out a torch.
“Edwin, wait for me. This big brother is going to find the treasure for you.”
‘I’ll make you happy with that treasure.’
Taking a different path from the exit led Henry to a dark, ominous area.
He lit his torch and carefully marked his way by tossing small beads to prepare for any potential danger.
As the pouch full of beads dwindled, Henry ventured deeper into the cave.
With only a few beads left, Henry grabbed them all at once, rolling them like walnuts in his hand.
He tried to estimate how much further he had to go.
Though he didn’t need to go back to collect the beads, the longer the tunnel stretched, the more time it would take to go back.
After tossing the last bead and watching it illuminate the path ahead, Henry noticed something odd.
Up until now, the beads had always hit the ground and lit up, but this time, the light appeared midair, as if blocked by something.
Seeing the flat surface of the wall, Henry realized he had reached the end.
Approaching the wall, he ran his hands over it.
It was solid, too strong for him to break through.
However, when he tapped it, the hollow sound told him the wall wasn’t too thick.
He also checked the ceiling to make sure the cave wouldn’t collapse if he broke through.
“It should be fine.”
Satisfied with his assessment, Henry reached into his bag, searching for something. His hand grasped a small sphere.
“There you are.”
Without even looking, Henry knew he had found what he was looking for.
It was a much larger version of the beads he’d been throwing, though it looked plain enough that its purpose might not be immediately obvious.
Knowing what it was meant for, Henry took a few steps back, knelt on one knee, and gently rolled the sphere toward the wall.
The orb wobbled slightly on the uneven ground, but it steadily approached the wall.
Just as it bounced off the wall, a crackling sound filled the air, followed by a small explosion.
The noise was quieter than Henry expected. He had been covering his ears but quickly realized he hadn’t needed to.
He brought the torch closer to where the orb had exploded.
The orb had left a small hole in the wall, just big enough for a person to crawl through.
The orb had done its job perfectly and vanished.
Smiling in satisfaction, Henry pushed the torch into the opening.
It was a small, empty chamber. Henry retrieved his torch and squeezed through the hole.
“Maybe I should have asked for a bigger orb?”
Henry briefly regretted not being more ambitious when he commissioned the orb.
But those thoughts quickly faded as he raised his torch to survey the room.
His eyes gleamed with curiosity.
This was the room where the great sorcerer had once lived.
They say if you go to the library, you can still find copies of the great sorcerer’s books.
No one knows where the originals are, but even the copies are enough to leave scholars in awe of the sorcerer’s genius.
“But why did he end up dying alone like this?”
Surely many people would have wanted to be by his side.
Pondering this, Henry continued to thoroughly inspect the room.
In the center, there was a small pedestal with an old box on top, but he ignored it.
He already knew from the original story that the box was a trap.
The true treasure hidden by the great sorcerer. Henry walked along the wall, torch in hand, when his eyes lit up.
“This is it.”
At first glance, the wall seemed unremarkable, but whenever the light came close, a faint glow would flicker and vanish.
Henry placed his hand on the wall and felt around until he was sure.
He pulled a carving knife from his bag and inserted it into the wall.
The blade slid in easily, requiring little effort.
Kayla had dug through the wall with her bare hands, but Henry had no intention of ruining his nails.
“As long as I can take it with me, that’s all that matters.”
With the enthusiasm of a child drawing on a wall, Henry carved a circular outline.
Then, tilting the blade slightly, he removed the carved section.
The wall piece fell away, but he paid it no mind. Instead, he reached into the hole.
His hand brushed against something.
He reached further and carefully pulled it out. It was an old, weathered box.
Henry examined it from every angle, biting his lip to stop himself from grinning.
Otherwise, he might burst out laughing.
“Now the treasure is mine.”
He gently placed the treasure in his bag, making sure to secure it tightly so it wouldn’t fall out.
As he turned to leave, he felt his shoulders start to shake.
“Oh, hahah!”
He couldn’t hold back his laughter anymore.
Thinking about all the hardships he’d gone through to get this treasure, it was impossible not to laugh. Henry laughed heartily, feeling lighter inside.
Now, he no longer had to worry about being discovered by Edwin or having another seizure.
This was good for Edwin, and it was good for him.
It felt like a step toward a happy future. His steps grew lighter, and a hum escaped his lips.
Even though he knew he had to go back, Henry twirled in circles, basking in his joy.
And then it happened.
“Are we almost there?”
“I told you we are.”
Henry froze at the sound of voices coming from beyond the wall.
Turning his head slowly, he realized that someone was approaching from the other side of the wall.
“What? It’s blocked.”
“That can’t be. Is this the end? Wait, the wall feels hollow.”
Someone, like Henry, tapped the wall to confirm it was empty. Then a heavy-set individual approached with slow, deliberate steps.
“Move aside.”
They were about to break through the wall. It wasn’t thick, so a few strong hits would bring it down. Henry, heart pounding, took a step back, unsure of what to do next.
“If they catch me, there’s no way I’ll make it out alive.”
Forcing himself to move despite his frozen body, Henry shoved himself back into the hole he had entered through.
But in his haste, he forgot the backpack slung over his shoulders, and it got stuck in the opening.
He had no choice but to pull himself back, grab the bag, and hold it tightly against his chest.
Just then, Henry saw an axe burst through the wall.
His hand shot to his mouth to stifle the scream that almost escaped him.
The wall was moments from collapsing, and Henry was seconds from being discovered.
Through the small hole left by the axe, an eye peered in. Henry, still covering his mouth, quickly shoved his legs into the hole, trying to back out.
“There’s someone in there.”
A voice rang out, and the axe strikes grew fiercer.
Any caution about collapsing the cave was gone, replaced by relentless force.
The axe seemed like it would plunge straight into Henry’s heart, so he hurriedly wriggled out of the hole.
Barely escaping, Henry rummaged through his bag, frantically scattered something across the ground, and bolted without looking back.
“He’s running! Catch him!”
A man bent down to peer through the hole Henry had crawled through and yelled.
He even squeezed his body into the hole, reaching forward to grab him.
But with a sudden cry, the man clutched his hand, blood dripping from a small thorn embedded in his palm.
Though the wound wasn’t deep, the sharp pain stunned him, delaying his pursuit.
Meanwhile, the man with the axe smashed through the wall entirely.
With the wall shattered, the man kicked aside the scattered thorns on the ground, his eyes narrowing sharply as he vowed to find the fleeing Henry.
“That rat.”
“Wait a minute.”
Just as the man was about to chase after Henry, one of his comrades, who had been examining the cave, called him over.
Both the man with the bleeding hand and the one with the axe reluctantly turned around.
The other man pointed to a box.
“Look at this. It’s untouched. Not even a scratch.”
“So, what? He didn’t have time to take it because of us?”
“Maybe. Either way, this is more important right now. Let’s focus.”
“Right. We’re here for the treasure.”
They soon turned their attention to the box, grinning among themselves, convinced they were the victors who had finally claimed the long-awaited treasure.
* * *
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Excited
😅🤣🤣
Im crying lmao.
Henry it would have been smooth sailing if you didnt do that early celebration…
Lol 😆
This is why U celebrate in a safe place AFTER bestie 😤😤😤
You should just go straight home sweetheart