1-Second Invincible Player in the Game

121. The Fugitive (1)

Bellen leaned against his sword in the corner of the training ground, barely managing to rise.

“Ugh. My back…”

The injuries he had sustained from fighting the Bondragon had yet to heal.

On top of that, he was exhausted from constantly slashing through the undead.

But then Peldira grasped the sparrow statue in her hand, and a barrier sprang into existence.

It was fortunate that he managed to muster the last of his strength to swing his sword multiple times and shatter the barrier.

The problem arose the moment he plunged his sword into her thigh.

The instant Peldira held the grimoire, a massive black hand snatched her away, bringing her here.

“That wretched girl…”

Fortunately, she seemed unable to walk, crawling slowly instead.

Bellen dragged his aching knee, trudging forward to finish the job.

* * *

There was a fountain atop the stairs leading to the citadel.

Peldira, clutching the crimson grimoire to her side, crawled along the ground.

Her right leg, pierced by the sword, lay completely still.

It wasn’t just because of the wound.

The part corresponding to the leg of her essence had burned away entirely, severing her sense of feeling.

‘If I keep getting cut by that sword, I’ll just vanish.’

With all her might, Peldira quickened her pace.

The sparrow statue had been shattered, and the mana left in the grimoire was dwindling.

The moment that old man approached, she would die without even being able to resist this time.

“Augh.”

Tears welled in Peldira’s eyes.

Her nails were broken from clawing at the ground, and her knees stung from scraping against it.

Yet, she was so close to the fountain.

If only she could reach that place…

In a moment of overwhelming regret, Peldira halted her outstretched hand.

Luon is nowhere to be seen.

As the realization dawned that the wish had transformed into something unattainable, a weight settled upon her.

‘So, Luon is…’

Peldira pressed her forehead against the cold ground, lost in thought.

‘Perhaps this is for the best after all.’

If she were to erase her memories and forge a new body, she would surely forget the feelings that now consumed her.

That had been the goal from the start, merely a return to the beginning.

Yet, why did her outstretched arms feel so heavy, so devoid of strength?

Peldira closed her eyes, sensing the chill creeping through her.

‘…It’s absurd. I never imagined I would come to understand the feelings of that hypocritical woman.’

In the end, she was no different from Peldira, the essence of her being.

That woman, too, had succumbed to despair after being trapped in the special quarters, surrendering everything to the void of loss, unable to meet her master.

Thud.

The sound of footsteps drew near.

It seemed the old woman had already arrived.

Peldira resigned herself, releasing the tension from her entire body.

Thud.

In that moment, her ears perked up.

The sound was coming from the front, echoing as if someone were treading upon the stairs.

If it were the old woman, she should have been heard from the far end of the training ground, so why…?

‘Why is it coming from the front?’

At that moment, a droplet grazed her cheek.

When she brushed it away, her fingers came away stained red, like blood.

Peldira lifted her head, her eyes widening in disbelief.

Luon al Banus.

He was looking down at her, his face nearly lifeless.

“Peldira. What are you doing here?”

“Luon…”

His condition was beyond words.

Had his arm been broken? It seemed to mend before her eyes, yet blood continued to flow from the area near his heart.

“My state is hardly dignified. It feels as if I’m trapped in a situation where I can’t even descend the stairs in peace.”

With labored breaths, Luon lifted Peldira into his arms.

Peldira’s eyes widened in shock as she asked him, “You didn’t… fall from the twelfth floor, did you?”

Luon nodded, his body trembling.

He moved his quaking legs, his lips a pale blue, and murmured, “The fountain… the place you said you would wait for me was the fountain.”

With Peldira still in his arms, he staggered up the stairs, barely managing to keep his balance.

When they had climbed about halfway, he asked, “Is there still medicine left? Speak if you need it.”

“…For now, you keep it.”

Peldira replied curtly, curling herself tighter against him.

She pressed her face against his chest, feeling the faint thrum of his weakening heartbeat, a sensation that seemed to float her away.

Thud.

When they finally came to a halt, Luon spoke, “We’ve arrived.”

But then, he let her go.

Thump! Peldira landed hard, tears brimming in her eyes as she huffed indignantly, “Ouch! My backside hurts. How can you treat a lady like this?”

“I don’t have the luxury for niceties,” Luon replied, his gaze fixed on the fountain.

Turning her head, Peldira felt a tremor in her eyes.

“Indeed, waiting here was the right choice.”

An old woman perched on the edge of the fountain glared at them with a chilling gaze.

Rising from her seat, she addressed Luon, “Did you say your name was Luon Al Banus? Choose. Will you rot in the punishment chamber for your misdeeds, or will you die right here?”

Luon answered with a blank expression, “Do I look like I have a choice?”

The old woman blinked slowly, her eyes narrowing.

“Hmm, it’s too dark to see clearly.”

—

It seemed he realized he was about to die as he looked at Luon’s chest.

“Is it not because of old age?”

Luon spoke thus, approaching the old woman with weary steps.

Thud, thud.

Peldira clung to Luon’s pant leg with a face etched in despair, weeping softly.

“…Wait a moment. I’ll reflect on my actions. You can punish me if you want, just listen to me for a bit. Woe is me.”

Bellen frowned.

“Now you want to reflect? Get out of that woman’s body this instant!”

“I understand. I understand… I’ll truly come out, just wait a little longer. I have things to say.”

As Peldira sobbed and pleaded, Bellen paused to think.

He didn’t want to inflict any more harm on that body.

Luon was nearly at death’s door, and the magic that had been pouring out of that woman had weakened significantly.

‘She probably doesn’t even have the strength for foolish thoughts.’

Bellen extended his index finger and spoke in a menacing tone.

“Exactly one minute. If you break your promise to come out willingly from that body, I’ll make sure that mouth begs for death.”

Peldira swallowed hard and looked at Luon.

“Hey, Luon. Could you sit me by the fountain? I’ve been wanting to cool off with some cold water because of the burns.”

Luon let out a deep sigh and lifted Peldira once more.

As they neared the fountain, Peldira expressed her gratitude to Bellen.

“Thank you for your consideration. So, what I wanted to say is…”

Peldira opened her lips, which she had cautiously closed, with a shy expression.

But then, her face transformed into one of mischief, and she stuck out her tongue playfully.

Bellen’s eyes widened in disbelief, only to be blinded by the intense white light erupting from the fountain.

“Ugh! Wh-what is this!!”

All he could hear was Peldira’s mocking laughter ringing in his ears.

“You’ve been fooled, you old fool. And reflection? I don’t do that. The world is survival of the fittest. The weak are used by the strong in this brutal dance of life. At your age, you still didn’t know that? Hahaha!!”

“Y-you little b*tch?”

Bellen drew his sword in an instant, swinging it toward the source of the sound.

But all he felt was the sensation of slicing through empty air.

“Let’s go, Luon.”

“Am I really to go, when death is so near?”

“Ugh, fool. I am a woman who can shape flesh. Do you think I cannot conjure a mere heart?”

With those words, the voice faded into silence.

As Belen slowly regained her sight, she seethed with anger at the vanished couple, lashing out at the hapless fountain.

“Damn it all!!”

* * *

Frost Heart buzzed with the throngs of people from the night before into the next day, a cacophony of life and chaos.

The students in the dormitory did not appear much better off.

Dark circles hung beneath their eyes, a testament to sleepless nights spent in fear of death.

The rest had likely been battling the undead or standing guard within the barriers, so their plight was hardly worth mentioning.

Our incompetent professors sighed as they surveyed the black ash that outnumbered the snow.

Especially Rockefeller, whose expression was a sight to behold.

The cracked parade ground and the scattered debris of broken buildings must have been quite the headache.

Before the neatly severed fountain, he even trembled, asking Belen with wide eyes.

“…M-Milady Belen. Do you know what has happened to the fountain?”

“It was their doing. I am ashamed. I tried to stop it, but the distance was too great.”

These were the things I learned on the way back to the dormitory after leaving the stronghold.

Then I was caught by Belen, and I received the shocking news.

“Pardon?”

“They vanished without a trace from the fountain. How many times must I say it for you to understand?”

Could it be? That the fountain held such a secret?

It was built during the time of war, perhaps equipped for some kind of shelter.

Peldira, who knew the academy inside and out, must have utilized it.

“I still can’t believe it. I never thought Auntie would let them slip away…”

“And what of you? You should have come to help instead of wandering off. Where were you, anyway?”

…I had gone to retrieve Peldira’s staff.

“Ah, yes… I understand. You’ve had quite the ordeal. Well then, I shall take my leave and rest.”

As I turned sharply, Belen grasped my shoulder.

“More importantly, I almost forgot. That power you wielded when you defeated the Bondragon. When did you come by it?”

“Please, let go. My head truly aches this time.”

In an instant, Bellen furrowed his brow.

“That sly little b*stard. Trying to slip away again, is he?”

“I’ll tell you next time. Grandmother must have had a hard time, so let her rest well for now.”

For the moment, I’d have to either rest or concoct some plausible words.

* * *

As a day passed, quite a few tidings reached my ears.

Akandrik, trapped in a steel box, was discovered by a professor rummaging through the training grounds and was in the process of being freed.

By the day after tomorrow, the professors would lift the spell, and Akandrik would finally breathe the outside air.

And then, an announcement came down regarding the extent of the damages.

It detailed which floors and buildings would be off-limits for the time being.

Once the repairs on the building’s cracks and the parade ground were completed, they would reopen.

But even so, the historical artifacts were beyond repair, and Rockefeller would surely be in a world of pain.

“Ah, that poor soul has hit a rough patch, yet there’s no time to revel in it.”

It was no wonder; the first act boss, who could kill you with a mere casual play, had survived and successfully escaped.

I tried to think positively, that perhaps if we met again after graduation, he might be of help to me, but with Pheldira involved, that thought was impossible.

If he was going to leave, he could at least do so quietly; what was he thinking, running off with the ‘Grimoire of Crimson’?

Even if it played a minor role in the upcoming boss battle, it was still considered an essential item.

“Ah, thinking about it again makes my head…”

In my heart, I fervently prayed that the professors who had gone searching would catch those two.

At the very least, I hoped they’d bring back the grimoire, but that was likely just a cruel hope.

Catching Pheldira, who knew the fortress’s layout better than I did, was nearly impossible.

“Phew.”

There was no point in dwelling on it right now.

I stepped into the lobby of Shulafe Hall, hoping for a change of mood.

I needed to check on their condition, after all.

Fortunately, the lobby of Shulafe Hall was peaceful.

I had been anxious that they might be chattering about having defeated the Bondragon, but the Rix gang sat slumped in their chairs, murmuring with downcast faces.

“I didn’t even get a sip of alcohol.”

“If I had known it would be like this, I should have drunk as soon as we got there, right?”

“Ah, I only managed to eat one plate at the buffet.”

As the gloom of their conversation thickened, Klave turned to Rix.

“Rix. Why have you been so quiet since earlier?”

“…Sorry, Klave. I want to lighten the mood, but I just can’t muster the energy.”

Beside him, the small figure of Limberton, previously unnoticed, was also present.

Tears streamed down his cheeks.

“I had a woman talk to me, you know… The atmosphere was nice, but, sniff.”

He muffled his mouth with a fist and sobbed quietly.

Seeing him find some relief in this moment, it was clear he had made the right choice in coming.

Limberton should be focused on his studies, but it seemed romance was a distant dream for him, while Rix’s gang had fallen silent, as usual, not spouting their usual nonsense.

As I savored their suffering with a sense of satisfaction, a whisper from Atra reached my ears.

“Hey, Magdal. Rix’s gang hasn’t stirred up trouble even once these past couple of days, right?”

“Yeah. I’m fine with it, but it doesn’t sit well with me. They must have been looking forward to the consolation feast.”

“Ugh, those poor souls must be cursed. Just look at the string of misfortunes they’ve had. It’s painful to watch.”

“Shouldn’t we suggest something to the professors? Ask them to arrange a separate consolation feast.”

The professors would eventually take care of it.

For now, there was no time for that, and we’d have to wait a few weeks.

By the way, my stomach was starting to grumble.

I remembered the dining hall of the Adele Pavilion being decent; perhaps it was time to go there for a meal after a long while.

Just then, Atra flinched and approached me.

“Oh, Hursel. I was just about to call you, how fortuitous!”

“Why?”

“Emmerich wanted me to tell you to come see him. He’s throwing a big feast at the dining hall. You can get in, right?”

Emmerich, the representative of the Burger Pavilion.

I heard he made quite a bit of coin thanks to me.

Then it was only right to go and feast heartily.

Saving a meal ticket was a stroke of luck.

* * *

In his office, Rockefeller slumped in his chair, rubbing his face with his hand.

The scale of the damage was no small matter.

While broken things could be restored, the artifacts had lost their value entirely.

Among them, there was one very special artifact, which had vanished without a trace.

“I can manage to stave off financial troubles. But to think the grimoire of the Red Gem has been stolen…”

The grimoire of the Red Gem was indeed one of the core relics of the Frost Heart.

A national treasure, compiled by the Grand Sorcerer himself, infused with the essence of life, ground into the magic stone.

It must be retrieved, yet news is as dark as a moonless night.

“…These b*stards, what a waste of my salary.”

Just as he was about to slam his fist on the desk in anger, a knock echoed through the room.

Rockefeller, with a flicker of hope, narrowed his eyes at the door.

“Ah, Rockefeller. Are you in there?”

It was the voice of Professor Laudin, who had been in charge of Henderson.

As the former occupant of the position Rockefeller now held, he had to show proper respect.

“Yes, please come in, Lord Laudin.”

“Then I shall not intrude.”

As soon as Lord Laudin entered, he sought understanding.

“I know the grimoire of the Red Gem must weigh heavily on your mind, but I wonder if I might speak of something else.”

“You need not worry about discomfort. What is it?”

As Rockefeller inquired, Lord Laudin waved his staff.

Floating handcuffs drifted into the office.

“Ah, it’s about these cursed cuffs. Oddly enough, they seem to have accumulated quite a few scratches.”

Rockefeller replied in a flat tone.

“Truth be told, Henderson put up a fight just before he died, so I had to handle him rather roughly.”

“Ah, why didn’t you take better care? These are supposed to be returned to the royal family, tsk tsk.”

The cursed cuffs were made of a rare metal, not easily obtained.

Having marred something that belonged to the Empire, it was no wonder Lord Laudin looked troubled.

“I sincerely apologize for that. I shall send a letter to the royal family myself.”

“Well, that would be good, but do not worry too much. They likely won’t make a fuss about it.”

After finishing his business, Lord Laudin turned to leave the office.

Then he paused, turning his head back.

“Oh, by the way. You scattered Henderson’s remains on the mountain, I trust?”

“That was all taken care of by me. However, may I ask why you made such a request?”

Lord Raudin smiled bitterly.

“You see, the truth is, that fellow wanted to gaze upon the foliage, didn’t he? Well, soon enough, the season of verdant splendor will arrive, and he’ll have his fill of it.”

“Heh, but he won’t be able to appreciate it, will he? The poor soul is dead.”

“Oh, come now, you’re being quite cruel. One shouldn’t speak of a person that way.”

As Lord Raudin grumbled and took his leave, Rockefeller stared out the window with a stoic expression.

Outside, a flurry of activity surrounded the repair work, with figures bustling about.

Yet his gaze was fixed solely on the underground revealed through the cracks.

—