I Just Wanted to Avoid Death - Chapter 172
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Yeshion’s eyes flashed cold.
He watched the flustered man for a long moment before stepping closer.
“Want me to keep it secret?”
“E-Excuse me…?”
“You put poison… in the Archpriest’s meal.”
‘Yeshion’ reached out and touched the powder.
It was a poison from the polar regions, known to slowly harden the heart and cause death when consumed repeatedly in small amounts.
This particular powder had an even crueler trait. It was especially lethal to those rich in divine power, earning it the nickname Devil’s Dust.
‘That’s not something a low-ranking priest should be able to get.’
The cogs in Yeshion’s mind began to turn. What recent events could have provoked someone to make an enemy of the Archpriest?
As he thought quietly, a memory surfaced, the story of a concubine who had recently become Empress.
“How can someone who doesn’t even value a single life be the mistress of an entire nation?
The Temple will never recognize her.”
The Archpriest had exploded with rage and refused to acknowledge the new Empress.
In retaliation, the temple banned all Imperial Festivals, publicly condemning the Imperial Family.
If that was the case…
‘It’s highly likely someone from the Imperial Family wants him dead.’
A subtle curve appeared at the corner of Yeshion’s lips.
If he could worm his way between them, he might be able to get a grip on a weakness that would bring the Imperial Family crumbling down.
“I’ll keep it a secret.”
“R-Really…?”
“Yeah. But take me with you to whoever you’re following. To your group. Then I’ll act like I don’t know a thing.”
The priest’s expression crumbled at Yeshion’s words, as if he already knew where his fate was headed.
But in the end, he nodded.
And just like that, Yeshion turned a blind eye to the Archpriest’s impending death. Even though he could have prevented it, he chose to let a life slip away for his goal.
“So you wish to join us?”
On the day he first stepped into their domain.
A woman sat at the head seat, one leg crossed, looking down at Yeshion.
Her young face turned slightly as she ran her hand along her jaw, glancing between him and the priest who brought him. Then she suddenly tossed a dagger at Yeshion’s feet.
“You said your name was Yeshion?”
“…That’s right.”
“If you want to be one of us, kill the priest beside you.”
Caught off guard by the unexpected demand, Yeshion could only stare wide-eyed, unable to respond. But the priest only bit his lip and quietly knelt, as if he’d known this would happen.
“We don’t forgive failure. but what we really don’t forgive is being exposed. Still, since you brought a replacement… we won’t go after your family.”
The woman, Baine, said this calmly before speaking to the priest.
“So just go quietly. Got it?”
With a wide grin, Baine nodded toward Yeshion. It meant: go ahead. Kill him.
“W-What is this…”
“What, can’t do it?”
“……”
“If you don’t… you’ll die too.”
Baine bared her teeth as she laughed.
It was only then that Yeshion realized just how wrong things had gone.
He’d been a fool.
Back then, Yeshion had still been young enough to believe the world would bend to his will. That revenge would come, someday. That the opportunity would appear eventually.
That was the story of his life up to now.
“Kill him.”
The order landed coldly. Yeshion clenched his eyes shut. He’d made the wrong choice and ended up here, but he couldn’t die like this.
And so, for the first time, without seeing the face or the eyes of the one he killed, he plunged the blade into the man’s heart.
“Puhahaha! Killed his comrade just to save his own skin… Ah, it’s always funny to see. People like you, messengers of the gods?”
“……”
“Then I guess you’ll be taking over his role from now on, Priest Yeshion.”
Baine looked at him with a smiling gaze,
the innocent delight of a child who’d just gotten a new toy.
“I will give you your first mission.”
She pulled a crystal vial filled with poison from her pocket.
“Next week, the temple is doing a prayer tour for the noble houses, right? You’ll put this in the well of the house I name.”
“……”
“If you get caught or fail… you know what happens, right?”
Her chilling smile was enough to freeze the air around them.
