1-Second Invincible Player in the Game

156. The Prison Stairs (2)

“Let’s get out of here for now.”

I led Dorothian away from the spot.

I needed to inform the faculty to seal off the stairs immediately.

Just then, I ran into Professor Gomont. He seemed to be heading to the next class, his briefcase in hand.

“Hmm? You lot have class soon, where are you off to?”

“Professor, the stairs are acting strange.”

“What? The stairs?”

“The landings keep increasing. Is some bizarre phenomenon occurring?”

In a typical academy, they would have looked at us like we were mad, but this was Frost Heart.

Any anomaly was a cause for alarm.

“Uh, right. We need to check this out. Which staircase are you talking about?”

I guided Professor Gomont to the problematic stairs.

Upon arriving, he pulled out his cane with a serious expression.

“Hmm, it looks perfectly ordinary on the surface, doesn’t it?”

“Just count them again, and you’ll see.”

Dorothian replied, attempting to step onto the stairs.

As far as I remembered, if the number of landings reached 200, a trap would activate.

The stairs, which had appeared to be a ticking time bomb, made me reach out to stop her.

“Wait a moment—”

As my foot crossed the threshold of the corridor, a man’s voice echoed down from above.

“Damn it…”

I hastily grabbed Dorothian’s arm and pulled back.

Dorothian whipped her head around.

A hint of displeasure flickered across her face.

“I don’t like being touched without permission.”

But that was fleeting. Perhaps she had seen something she shouldn’t have; her eyes widened in alarm.

“…Hussel.”

When I turned my head as well, Professor Gomon was nowhere to be seen in the corridor.

Only the pitch-black darkness remained, save for the stairs.

“What in the world is this?”

Dorothian asked, her voice laced with confusion, but I felt the same.

The prison stairs were not supposed to open for another two years.

Why had they opened now? Why had we heard a man’s voice from above? Questions swirled in my mind.

But those were matters to be set aside for later.

This was a place I had never dared to tread, even in my stagnant existence.

“I can’t say I know either.”

The only thing I was certain of was that the scenario titled ‘Prison Stairs’ heralded the beginning of the last Felderian, the “Wrath of Felderia.”

Here lay a tome of magic once wielded by the late Felderia, hidden away, and the villain would trigger the traps of the long-concealed prison stairs to collect it.

After that incident, the playable character’s monologue went like this:

[An explosion echoed from the stairs. There lay a necklace stained with flesh and blood. The owner of this item was some female student from the Burger Academy.]

This would later be revealed through the villain’s dialogue, but to escape this place, one must find the tome.

Yet, the student who had found the tome, as if to flaunt her luck, was caught in the explosion and perished.

Because of this, the villain had no intention of searching himself; instead, he awaited a sacrificial pawn.

“Dorothian, did you hear the man’s voice from above too?”

“Yeah? He said ‘Damn it,’ didn’t he?”

He didn’t strike me as the type of villain who would say such things.

Given his nature, he was not one to express himself in that manner.

And now, a sacrificial pawn had appeared, yet he muttered ‘Damn it.’

The reason for his negative reaction was likely this.

“Was it because of Professor Gomon…?”

The female student had vanished while wandering the stairs alone, without a witness, prompting the faculty to conduct a wide search.

Yet, Professor Gomon had seen the two of us disappear.

This was certainly an unwelcome situation from the perspective of the instigator.

It was clear that the faculty would only investigate the stairs.

“Who could it be?”

Dorothian asked, pointing upwards.

Without hesitation, she ascended to the landing, turning her direction and lifting her gaze.

I stared at Dorothian and asked, “Is someone up there?”

“No, no one is there.”

“Seems like someone slipped away just fine.”

Who could it have been?

I thought it might be the villain orchestrating this whole affair, but he was still in the special wing.

Then… hmm, one person does come to mind.

But I would think about that later.

For now, investigating this place was the priority.

I climbed to the landing where Dorothian stood and surveyed the area above.

It was a vast expanse.

Enormous pillars supported the ceiling, and a faint mist spread, creating a chilling atmosphere.

“It’s not as dark as below.”

I drew the staff from its holster and offered it to Dorothian.

“Light up the interior a bit.”

“Aren’t you a wizard too?”

Her voice dripped with mockery, and I proudly displayed a glow.

The orb of light at the tip of the staff resembled a small bulb that might be found in a science kit.

Dorothian let out a faint sigh and snatched the staff from me.

“…Fine, I’ll do it.”

“Wise decision.”

In truth, I could increase the output further, but I chose not to.

I wanted to conserve my mana as much as possible.

“This is a bit better.”

“Indeed, it shines brighter than my light orb.”

Dorothian shrugged her shoulders and stepped forward.

The sound of the chains of the cursed armor clinked loudly, echoing in the stillness.

It cut through the fog that enveloped the interior, and I scanned the surroundings.

Then, I spotted a pitch-black entrance.

“Dorothian, there’s a passage ahead.”

We still had a little distance to cover.

Perhaps the only sounds were our footsteps and the clinking chains, which made Dorothian speak up.

“Is this some kind of void? Like another dimension? I wouldn’t mind that.”

“Hmm?”

“Just thinking. If such a thing exists, it wouldn’t be so bad.”

Dorothian halted and spun around sharply.

“What if this place were suitable for human habitation?”

At her question, I glanced around. It was just pillars, walls, and a stone floor.

“It doesn’t look that way.”

“That’s why I said ‘what if.’ Just think about it.”

“Um, if I don’t want to starve, I guess I’d have to leave.”

“What if we solved the food problem?”

“Still, wouldn’t the outside be better? Compared to this cramped place?”

It was like a child’s game; Dorothian kept countering the advantages of the outside world with her ‘what ifs.’

“What if there’s an outside here too?”

“…Familiarity has its comforts. I’d choose reality.”

But why was she suddenly acting like this?

“Really? Hmm.”

Dorothian let out a thoughtful hum, as if waiting for the right moment to reveal her thoughts.

“Then what if the reality you spoke of vanished?”

It seemed she had entertained the notion that this place might be a dimension severed from the outside.

If that were the case, then whether the outside world perished or not, this place would remain safe.

It was a question steeped in the shadows of impending doom.

I answered, meeting the expectant gaze of Dorothian.

“To survive, I suppose I must choose this path.”

“Indeed, that seems so.”

“But. That’s only true when all else has failed.”

I stepped closer to Dorothian.

“Then, may I ask you something?”

Perhaps it was the absence of a smile.

Dorothian stared at my lips with a blank expression.

With a hint of concern, I posed my question to her.

“What if, just what if, the world does not end? What then will you do?”

Dorothian blinked, her gaze drifting into the void.

It seemed a moment of deep contemplation had seized her.

After a brief pause, she finally spoke, “Well, who knows?” and began to walk.

Before long, we arrived at the darkened corridor.

As Dorothian illuminated the space with her staff, a chilling voice echoed.

“Someone is coming. Who could it be?”

“If it’s not the enemy, then what else could it be? Prepare your weapons!”

They were soldiers clad in tattered armor.

* * *

“Did you hear? Hursel and Dorothian.”

“Professor Gomon said he saw them? They vanished suddenly from the stairs.”

The hallways buzzed with the news of the two missing students.

“Hey? Ecok. Where are you off to now?”

Ecok halted, turning to the classmate who had spoken.

He was a member of the student council, destined to be the next president.

With a playful smile, he replied smoothly.

“It’s time for confession, you see.”

“Oh, that special agreement, right?”

“Ha, I do hope you can maintain a positive outlook, even if you don’t join.”

“Off to do good deeds again today, are we? Truly, you are fitting for the next student council president.”

Ekok attempted to pass by her classmate.

Yet, her curiosity seemed insatiable, her feet firmly planted.

“So, how have you been lately?”

“How have I been?”

“No, I mean that guy. The one named Luon or something. Ever since that incident, you’ve been quite interested in the Special Wing. If you’ve spent enough time with him, you must know what kind of person he is.”

“Oh, well… I suppose he just lost his way for a moment, but his heart is as sincere as they come. He’s a person of great depth.”

With that, Ekok concluded her words and moved her feet.

‘That damn x. I’m already swamped, why are you holding me up with this nonsense?’

Though she longed to run, she couldn’t afford to appear suspicious.

Even now, professors occasionally appeared as they approached the stairs.

Ekok thought herself truly unfortunate.

‘Damn it. Of all people, it had to be Hessel and Dorothy…’

They were already figures of attention.

And to make matters worse, there was Professor Gomon as well.

The anxiety of possibly being discovered for having trapped those two on the stairs gnawed at her.

Ekok arrived at the floor designated for religious activities.

Half of it was for ordinary students, but the other half was a space set aside for the clergy.

As she passed the chapel and reached the confessional door, she greeted a figure clad in black robes.

“You’ve come, Ekok. Limahl is inside.”

He was the professor responsible for overseeing the students of the Special Wing.

Ekok responded as naturally as ever.

“Ahaha, thank you for your hard work today, Professor.”

“I hope we can wrap this up quickly. It seems I might be called in due to some sudden developments.”

The “developments” were clearly related to the investigation of the missing persons case.

“I will do my best to make that happen. Well then.”

Ekok opened the door to the confessional.

She directed her voice, barely above a whisper, toward the tightly spaced slits in the wooden panel.

“You b*stard… Because of you, I’m the one in trouble. How are you going to take responsibility for this?”

As she scowled and huffed, a voice from beyond the slits replied.

“I merely aided you, Ekok.”

“Aided? What help? If I get caught, I won’t be alone. I’ll spill everything, including your involvement. Do you understand?”

“How strange. Why are you angry with me?”

Ekok clenched his teeth, his eyes wide with fury.

“If you had just kept your mouth shut about the grimoire being there, none of this would have happened.”

“You were the one who said it was troublesome that the grimoire of the Red Jewel was stolen. I merely taught you the substitute. If we’re to assign blame, it lies with you for acting without caution.”

Ekok fell silent at the man’s words.

In truth, he bore no fault.

If there was blame, it belonged to that b*stard who had stolen the ‘Grimoire of the Red Jewel’ and fled.

‘It’s all that b*stard Luon’s fault. He was planning to raid the Forbidden Library once he became student council president, damn it…’

Ekok let out a sigh.

Expressing his anger wouldn’t change a thing.

What mattered was to act discreetly and to withdraw while he still could.

Had the man sensed his unease?

His words struck a nerve in Ekok’s chest.

“I can sense your agitation. Are you now thinking of giving up? To abandon all that you’ve achieved?”

“…”

“Recall the scars on your body, Ekok. Skin torn by the teeth of wild dogs. Burn marks. You intend to live your life buried under the indelible traces of abuse?”

Ekok tugged at his collar, wrapping himself tighter.

Then, with a voice full of doubt, he questioned, “Hey, Rimahl. Honestly, I can’t believe what you’re saying. You really think you can make me a sovereign? Is that even possible?”

“In the past six months, you’ve grown strong enough. You know that better than anyone.”

He had indeed grown stronger.

His magical prowess had improved significantly, and the time he should have spent training had been invested solely in academic studies, resulting in a notable rise in his overall grades.

It was precisely these factors that had led to whispers of him becoming the next student council president.

“Still, being a sovereign is on a different level, a different standard.”

At his sarcastic remark, Rimahl fell momentarily silent.

“Whether you believe it or not is your choice. If you’re thinking of quitting, then there’s no need for you to be here any longer. But, Ekok.”

“What?”

“The more anxious you are about getting caught, the more you should hurry. If you possess the power of a sovereign, then at least in the transfer, there will be no one who can stand against you.”

Ekok furrowed his brow.

“Are you really threatening me right now? You can’t possibly think this is all just a game, can you? If that’s the case, just know—I will surely expose your name.”

“How foolish. I fear no punishment. What do you say we confess to the professor beyond that door right now?”

His confident demeanor made Ekok reconsider.

‘This guy, now that I think about it, isn’t quite right in the head.’

No matter how many times the professors cast their ‘Curse of Control,’ he stubbornly clung to his defiance.

A foe who wouldn’t flinch even under intimidation.

Reluctantly, Ekok decided to trust him a bit more.

“Haah… Having come this far, there’s no turning back. So, what is it that I must do now?”

“The final ingredient—the Grimoire of Black Blood. Just get your hands on that.”

“Alright, alright. Let’s keep believing as we have been.”

Ekok rose from his seat.

For him, the only path to survival was to hasten his ascension to the Overlord before the professors tightened their grip.

‘I must acquire the Grimoire of Black Blood by any means necessary.’

It was time to be a little bolder.

* * *

Dorothian and I found ourselves trapped in a bizarre space.

At first glance, it appeared to be the interior of an ancient structure.

As we stepped into the dimly lit corridor, a swarm of armored soldiers began to rush in.

“Are they ghosts? Their bodies are translucent?”

Dorothian’s voice carried a hint of surprise, yet there was no trace of fear.

Rather, it seemed he took a peculiar delight in observing them.

“That star pattern. It’s the flag of the Bellam Kingdom.”

“Looks like they were soldiers of the Bellam Kingdom.”

“Why are they here? Did they die here or something?”

I nodded in response to Dorothian’s question.

Long ago, the Bellam Kingdom had invaded Frostheart.

This prison was built to ensnare enemies ascending to the upper floors, designed for a war that had been anticipated from the very start.

And with the ‘Grimoire of Black Blood’ crafted by Pheldira herself, it wouldn’t be strange if the spirits of the fallen lingered here.

“Reveal your identities!”

A ghost, appearing as a soldier, bellowed.

I replied in a dull voice.

“I am a student of Frost Heart.”

“What, what did you say? So you are the enemy after all! Cut off their heads at once!!”

The phantoms of soldiers surged forward, thrusting their swords into my body.

I felt nothing.

The phantoms of Peldira possess some special skill, perhaps to take their targets as hosts, but these are merely soldiers, ignorant of magic.

To me, they appeared as nothing more than holograms.

“The war is over, so shall we not cease?”

“What did you say?”

“I said it’s over. It has been thousands of years since your ancestors fought against us.”

Though the relations between Belham and the Empire remained poor after the war, there was some degree of exchange.

But was my statement truly so shocking?

Starting with the soldier, everyone’s faces turned blank.

“Is it… is it really over…?”

“But what of the reinforcements? Has no one come to save us?”

“No, the man has already said it. It has been thousands of years!”

“What do you mean! Are you saying we have lived that long?”

Their conversation grew loud enough to catch the attention of Dorothian, who narrowed his eyes.

“Shall I just erase them all with purification magic?”

Ah, if it’s purification magic, then it’s certain.

Dorothian’s staff glimmered with a white light.

Yet the soldiers’ reactions varied, but ultimately converged.

“We must be dead. We couldn’t even strike down the man’s body.”

“No wonder it felt like time dragged on endlessly. Are we some kind of ghosts? But wait, purification? If you do that, wouldn’t it be good for us?”

“Oh, each day felt like a torment, but perhaps this is for the best. Hey, you there, girl. Quickly grant us our rest.”

One might say they were of olden times.

To call a lady “girl” so casually, without a hint of shame.

As expected, Dorothian showed signs of discomfort.

“Girl, you say?”

“Ah, who else is there but you? If it were up to me, I’d have you pour me a drink, but in this state, I can’t expect to be served.”

Dorothian smiled faintly and lowered her staff.

“Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad to let these gentlemen rot here for a lifetime?”

“That’s your freedom, but why not grant me at least one chance?”

“A chance?”

This place is unfamiliar. The information is woefully lacking.

Then it’s simple enough to make a local my tour guide.

“You’ve been here a while, haven’t you? You must know well. If there’s anything of value, lead me to it. Depending on your sincerity, this lovely lady beside me may grant you salvation.”

The soldiers frowned.

“Such a young brat, how audacious.”

“It’s all in the bloodline. We should have wiped out the seed of those imperial b*stards!”

I tore my gaze from them and walked ahead.

“Dorothian, let’s just ignore them and move on.”

As expected, the voices of the spirits tried to cling to my feet.

“Ah, such a young lad, overflowing with bravado.”

“Ah, it was a lady, was it? No wonder the noble air surrounds you. I beg your pardon.”

“Treasure, you say? Well, I shall guide you. I’ve been quite bored, wandering here and there. Allow me to lead you right away.”

I grinned and glanced at Dorothian.

She seemed amused as well, the corners of her mouth lifting.

I whispered softly in her ear.

“You won’t grant him salvation, will you?”

“Of course not. I’ll play with him and then leave.”