Chapter 192

Chapter 164: The Basement

The bell tower was made entirely of massive white stone bricks, standing about four or five meters taller than the main building. A large black bell hung from its top, and the tower’s body was covered in age-old scars, making it look out of place compared to all other buildings around it, as if it had been built much earlier than the others.

The tower was located in an inconspicuous corner within the Kataroma courtyard. If you didn’t pay close attention, it could easily be hidden behind the main building. I hadn’t noticed it until now, standing on the rooftop, when it suddenly caught my eye.

It stood there like a withered old man, alone under the night sky.

Hmm… It might be impossible, but let’s go take a look anyway.

Since I’m already here, it won’t take much time to check it out.

I slightly bent down and ran a short distance before abruptly leaping away from the main building, landing steadily on the bell next to the tower’s top with a gust of wind. I landed firmly on the edge of the platform.

A light breeze stirred up fine dust beneath my feet.

I pressed down on the fluttering black skirt and looked around. Behind the bell, I saw a chaotic stone staircase leading downwards, clearly leading to the inside of the bell tower. I immediately stepped forward and followed the stairs down, entering the tower after just a few steps.

Inside the tower, it was pitch black, with no trace of any light.

The stairs were spiral-shaped, hugging the inner wall of the tower. They seemed to lead to the lowest level below. However, there were no railings or handrails, and the stairs were steep and narrow. In some places, the stones were so loose that they felt like they might give way at any moment. Ordinary people would need torches to see their way, which made the whole thing feel very dangerous.

Click, click, click…

The sound of hard leather boots hitting the stones echoed in my ears.

A pungent odor wafted into my nose, and I wrinkled my brow as I sniffed lightly…

“It stinks.”

It was a nauseating smell, like something rotting.

At times like this, I really hated how much more sensitive my sense of smell was compared to ordinary people. I pinched my nose tightly and carefully stepped onto the wooden floor of the bell tower’s upper level in the dark—

Creak!

A sound that made my teeth ache, almost causing me to jump.

What kind of place is this… The wood is completely rotten, covered in grime, and slippery. It feels disgusting, causing physical discomfort.

I still have Captain Gray on my back! Can these boards support his weight? Will I fall through?

Though I wouldn’t die from falling, someone might find me.

It would be embarrassing.

Creak… creak…

I walked cautiously, eyes fixed straight ahead, passing by a pile of randomly stacked boxes. I definitely wouldn’t check them; I wouldn’t even think of touching them!

How filthy. Why did I come to such a place…

Feeling disgusted and frustrated, I finally felt a bit better after stepping onto the stone steps extending downward.

Descending another level, I found it wasn’t much different from the one above—still full of rotten wood… It seemed there was nothing here.

The foul smell grew stronger.

I started to hesitate… But then I thought, since I’m already here, what’s the point of turning back halfway? I stood there for a moment, pondering, and ultimately decided to continue downward.

After all, I can leave from the entrance on the first floor.

With this thought in mind, I quickened my pace, descending another level… and another.

The smell became increasingly strong.

Thump… thump…

At some point, I faintly heard a strange muffled sound, as if something was colliding. After noticing this sound, I immediately stopped and tilted my head, frowning deeply as I listened intently.

…thump… thump-thump……thump!

It was as if someone was continuously slamming their head against the wall. Tired and hurting, they would take a break before continuing to slam… This feeling.

It seemed to come from below my feet… Is someone there?

But who would still be in this dilapidated tower at this hour… It’s really strange, I need to go down and check.

My steps quickened on the stairs.

…Thump.

Thump thump!

As I got closer to the bottom of the tower, that odd muffled sound became clearer… But it was actually just faint noises. If not for my keen senses, a regular person wouldn’t have been able to hear it at all.

That made it even stranger.

I quickly descended the spiral stone staircase, but the sound was still underfoot… It had been there the whole time. Until I reached the end of the stairs and arrived at the first floor of the bell tower, the sound… was still underfoot.

But below me was solid ground, with no more path.

I felt very confused. Quietly walking along the wall, I left the archway at the bottom of the tower. As soon as I took two steps, the sound immediately disappeared. When I quietly returned to the inside of the tower, the muffled noise appeared again… It was indeed coming from below my feet, I wasn’t mistaken.

Realizing something was wrong, I began carefully examining the surroundings.

All around were wooden boards, stones, broken boxes, and other clutter, piled haphazardly in every corner. On the right side of the door, there were several large bundles of firewood stacked up, leaving almost no space except for the area around the archway and the staircase.

But clever as I am, I soon noticed something different in the corner opposite the archway.

This place was also filled with clutter, but it was mostly light wooden pieces, with a large wooden board pressing down underneath, showing clear signs of being moved by human hands.

Could this… be a cellar?

I struggled through the garbage heap to get over there, pushing aside the wooden pieces on top. Upon closer inspection, I found a rusty iron pull lever nailed to the large wooden board below, emitting a faint, strange glow in the dim light.

…Bingo!

I rolled up my sleeves, grabbed the lever with one hand, and lifted the huge wooden board, revealing a dark, gaping hole nearly a meter wide, along with a vertical ladder beside it.

…It is indeed a cellar.

The strange sound is coming from here… let’s go down.

I tightened the Captain Gray coat on my back, crouched down, stuck my foot into the hole, and stepped down the ladder a few steps, then covered the wooden board with my hand — the light was completely cut off, and I couldn’t see anything.

But conversely, no one could find me here either.

In the darkness, faint blue glimmers appeared.

Click click click—

Next moment, seven or eight ice balls the size of fists, emitting a faint, ethereal blue light, circled around me, outlining the objects around.

They weren’t very bright, but they were enough for me to see clearly.

There was no help for it; I wasn’t part of the Flame Order… I could only make do with what I had.

Climbing down the ladder to the bottom.

The muddy ground was soft and stank.

…How dirty.

This place was too dirty. Through the dim light, I could clearly see countless dust particles floating in the air.

“Mm… cough cough.”

I quickly covered my mouth and nose, then looked around.

The brick cellar was empty and somewhat eerie.

Apart from a small, dusty table in the corner and a few equally dirty stools, there was nothing else in sight.

…There really is nothing here?

No, where is that sound coming from?

I strained my ears to listen, and after a moment—

Thump… thump, thump.

Sure enough, the muffled sound came again. This time, I heard it distinctly, seeming to come from… the inside of the right wall.

After a brief pause, I immediately realized: There’s something behind the wall.