Chapter 67 - The Sealed Room

"...."

After careful deliberation, I reached a simple conclusion: I was screwed.

Leaving behind Stardus, who was still dazed and out of it, I quickly scanned our surroundings.

A professional Villain analyzes the situation coolly without panicking, even in a crisis.

What's different from before? Is there a loophole somewhere?

As I surveyed the four walls, I soon noticed a change.

A clock hanging on the wall.

The electronic clock, which had been turned off, was now lit up and showing the time.

[2 : 58.42]

[2 : 58.41]

[2 : 58.40]

...

The time on the clock was ticking down.

Yes, the mystery is solved!

"Hu-huh?"

Stardus was still stammering.

Honestly, why is she panicking so much?

A competent Hero should observe the situation as quickly, coolly, and objectively as I am.

The Stardus I knew wasn't like this.

She didn't freeze up like this!

....Right, come to think of it, that Stardus was the one from the latter half of the Original Work, seasoned by experience.

Perhaps because the current Stardus hasn't been through enough yet, she's showing this clumsy side.

Sigh. Still, she shouldn't be like this.

"Stardus!"

"Y-yes?"

I turned my head and pointed to the clock as she looked at me with a bewildered expression.

"Do you see that? Since the time is counting down, we can probably leave when it's over. So, please calm down."

"Oh? Ah, I see."

Only then did Stardus look up.

She looked at the clock, frowned, and muttered.

"Three hours...?"

"Yes, we only need to wait three hours. It's not that long, so let's wait. Hup."

I said that and sat down on the spot.

I can't stay standing if I'm going to be trapped here for three hours.

My legs would hurt.

Just as I sat down and was about to tell Stardus to sit and wait as well—

Boom—.

Stardus struck the wall again.

"Excuse me, what are you doing?"

"How do you know if the door will open or a bomb will go off in three hours? How can you just wait?"

She kept thumping her fists against the door as she spoke. The place is going to collapse!

But no matter how much she struggled, the door didn't budge.

In the end, she was the first to give up.

"Tsk..."

She rubbed her own hand.

What?

Looking closer, blood was dripping from her knuckles.

Seriously, what is she doing?

"Listen, why are you being so reckless? Your powers are being suppressed right now."

"....."

"Sigh, here. Use this to stop the bleeding at least."

I took a roll of bandages out of my bundle and tossed it to her.

I had packed it in case Seo-eun or Subin got hurt, but it ended up being used like this.

"...."

Stardus caught the bandages, hesitated for a moment, and then began wrapping a length around her arm.

"....I won't say thank you."

"Isn't that basically saying thank you?"

"......"

She flinched slightly, as if I had hit a sore spot.

Honestly, I hadn't expected a thank you at all, but I didn't think she'd react that way either.

...She wasn't usually the type to talk to a Villain like that. I had actually expected her to throw the bandage back in my face. I was surprised she accepted it so readily.

What's going on? Is she feeling a bit softer at this point in time?

That shouldn't be it. Then is she giving me special treatment?

Why? There's no particular reason for her to do that.

Just as I was thinking that, the leftover bandage roll came flying at my face.

Of course it did.

"Ack! Hey, I gave that to you out of consideration. What did I do so wrong? Would it kill you to just roll it back gently?"

"...."

As I grumbled and glared at her, she slightly averted her eyes. Does she actually feel a bit guilty?

...Then again, there's no reason for her to feel guilty toward a Villain.

"Tsk, let's just sit and wait. It seems pretty clear the door will open in three hours. Do you feel anything with your 'Intuition'?"

"...Intuition."

She muttered after hearing my words.

Yeah, Intuition. I'm talking about your Super Sense. The one that's almost like precognition.

Honestly, I don't know what will happen in three hours either, so you should check it out.

Her brow furrowed for a moment before her expression relaxed.

She must have intuitively felt that the door would open in three hours.

Phew, that's a relief. Stardus's Super Sense probably hasn't fully developed yet... but it should be enough for this.

So, we just sat there.

Still.

Without moving.

Just the two of us in a cramped room.

In total silence, without saying a single word.

"...."

Wait.

This is hell.

***

An hour passed in that silence.

The only thing audible was the faint sound of each other's breathing.

Of course, I wasn't just sitting still.

I took some snacks out of my bundle and ate them. They were delicious.

Stardus flinched for a moment when I reached into the bundle, then let out a sigh of relief when I just pulled out snacks.

Why? Was she nervous that I might pull out a gun?

...At least I won't do that, so she can relax.

Or is it the opposite? If she's relaxed, does that mean she lacks a sense of crisis as a Hero?

"Want some snacks?"

"...Don't be ridiculous."

I asked because she looked hungry, but fine, suit yourself.

After that, we continued to stay quiet and still. This is deathly awkward.

And aside from the awkwardness, I started to notice something after an hour... the oxygen here is a bit low. My breathing is getting heavy. Is this the sorrow of a sealed room?

Lack of oxygen is a serious problem. If oxygen is low, the brain doesn't function well, so there's a high chance of making irrational decisions. In other words, words might slip out without passing through the brain first.

...And of course, it would be a disaster if that happened to me. I have quite a few secrets to hide.

So I decided it was better to keep my mouth shut. They say if you just stay still, you'll at least avoid making things worse.

At first, I was so awkward that I kept fidgeting, but as time passed, I got used to even this. I felt a momentary urge to pull out my phone from the bundle, but I held back because my identity might be exposed. I can't even use Teleportation here to escape.

By the time her rhythmic breathing became familiar, I was zoning out, thinking I only had to stay like this for one more hour.

Also, as time passed, being trapped in a narrow room with two people made it feel like I couldn't breathe properly. Did those bastards at Haneun Group not even install an oxygen generator in this sealed room? What the hell are they thinking?

Thanks to them, my head is getting dazier. It's like being drugged. No, to be more precise, is it like being drunk? Everyone, this is how important oxygen is.

Just as I was thinking it was a relief we were only trapped for three hours and that things would have been really bad if it had gone on any longer.

Suddenly, she opened her mouth.

"....Mapo Bridge."

"Pardon?"

I had been staring at the ceiling while zoning out, but after hearing her words, I looked back down.

Sitting with her knees pulled up and her arms wrapped around her legs, she murmured while looking down, not even looking at me.

"At Mapo Bridge, did you stop the cars from falling?"

She asked in a slightly mumbling voice.

Wait, she's suddenly asking this here?

Looking closely at her, her eyes were already half-closed.

What, is she sleeping? It doesn't seem like it, though?

Ah, is it because she's also feeling a bit lightheaded right now?

....Would someone with a physical Paranormal Ability get this woozy just from a little lack of oxygen?

Ah, her abilities are currently being suppressed, right?

While I was making a fuss in my own head with a brain that wouldn't work, she pressed me once more.

"..The cars, did you stop them?"

Cars? Why would I stop cars? If an automatic car stops, does it become a manual?

Oh, is she talking about Mapo Bridge? That time I barely stopped the ones that looked like they were going to fall?

...Does she mean she actually saw that?

I never stopped anything like that. At any rate, I didn't.

"I didn't stop anything. That's because I'm a person who always runs forward."

"What kind of nonsense is that..."

After replying with a mumble, she threw out another question.

"Then that airplane, why did you tell me to save it?"

"Didn't I tell you then? In order for me to become a Villain, I naturally need an enemy, a Hero, to oppose me. A Villain isn't a Villain simply because they commit acts of terror. A Villain only truly becomes a Villain when there is an opponent to block them. That is why I did it."

"....."

She fell silent again at my answer.

Well, actually, I just reversed the saying that a Hero is made by a Villain. Whatever, my head is dizzy, so I'll just give a rough answer.

Just as I was thinking that my head was starting to ache and I wished she would be quiet.

She opened her mouth once again.

"Then, destroying Mapo Bridge... did you destroy it knowing beforehand that the monster would emerge this time?"

No, is even she going to ask me this?

I feel like I've heard this from almost everyone at least once. Geez.

Anyway, as usual, just as I was about to look at her to answer that it was just a coincidence.

I made eye contact with her.

As soon as our eyes met, she lowered her head again.

However, I saw it clearly just now.

Her eyes looking at me with a sharp gaze, as if she were determined to uncover all my secrets.

"......"

I snapped wide awake.

Wait, does that mean all the mumbling and slurred speech until now was an act? To make me let my guard down?

Shin Haru, she's a truly terrifying woman. She's just like a viper.

As my head cleared a bit, I swallowed hard.

Right. Thinking about it now, something was definitely off.

Why did she agree to an alliance with me so readily in the first place?

Looking at it now, wasn't it to find out more about me, to extract information?

I got goosebumps for a moment.

Stardus, Shin Haru! Just how far ahead have you planned this grand scheme...?

Wait, what were the questions she asked until now?

Asking if it was me who stopped the car from falling.

Asking why I told her to save the airplane.

Asking if I destroyed Mapo Bridge knowing the black monster incident would happen...

As my thoughts reached that point, my face stiffened.

If I piece together the questions she threw at me.

Isn't she doubting whether I'm actually a Villain?

Maybe not. It might just be my delusions and paranoia.

Intuitively it feels that way, but I don't have a Super Sense like Stardus that can intuitively pinpoint the truth.

Even so, this is a crisis.

I'm someone who's always had an inferiority complex regarding the essence of being a Villain, as a fake who only mimics one.

My true identity must not be revealed.

The fact that even the terrorism was all for her sake, and that I just want to save this world...!

Then what should I do?

Right, this is actually an opportunity.

While the two of us are alone like this, I just need to completely clear up the misunderstanding.

I'll make her discard her doubts and perceive me as a pure, absolute Villain!

To do that, I'll go for a direct approach instead.

I giggled, covering the part of my face not hidden by the mask with my hand.

"Haha... Hahahaha!!!"

As I suddenly burst into laughter, she looked at me with confusion.

Oh Stardus, Stardus.

A true Villain knows how to rattle their opponent's mind and take control of the situation.

In that sense, acting recklessly can be a tactic too.

Now then, let's shake things up.

"I'll tell this only to you... but yes. You're right."

I smiled, looked straight into her eyes, and spoke.

"I knew beforehand that the disaster would occur."

"Knowing that, I deliberately destroyed that bridge."

She looked flustered by my sudden admission.

Right. You probably didn't expect me to confess so readily.

Then let's keep running my mouth.

"So what?"

"What are you going to do about it?"

What of it?