Author Of Worlds: I Reincarnated Into My Novel As A Random Character
Chapter 17: Sneaking Out Of The Dormitory... Caught?

Chapter 17: Sneaking Out Of The Dormitory... Caught?

Matthew’s face held a hint of strange emotion as a thought surfaced in his mind.

’Now, let’s plan on how to break into the academy treasury...’

Since he had no way to tell what the time was, Matthew sat by the corner, clenching his fists so he wouldn’t touch anything and decay it again.

After that, he began counting in his mind while also replaying the information about the academy treasure which he had written... ’1, 10...’ Soon, one minute had passed.

After one minute, in the blink of an eye, about thirty minutes went by.

’One hour...’

After one hour, a few more passed in a blink.

Soon, the sun had dipped beneath the horizon, and darkness descended on the Origin skies, which were now filled with an ethereal emerald hue.

The moment Matthew reached this point, his eyes snapped open. His gaze was solemn, and it looked as though stars flickered within his pupils, scanning the world around him.

Matthew glanced at the slightly opened door and then walked out of the room slowly.

His footsteps were light, each step carefully placed as he tried his best not to alert anyone.

Upon exiting, Matthew noticed that everywhere was dark.

’It seems my dormmates are asleep, thankfully...’

At least he didn’t need to explain anything yet.

Matthew breathed out a sigh of relief and soon reached the main dorm door.

His eyes flickered with thought, and after a slight hesitation, he reached out and held the doorknob.

Immediately, his origin energy flowed out the moment he made contact.

A wave of decay began spreading along the door, causing everything to disintegrate rapidly.

The process lasted for a few seconds. Upon sensing that he had completely decayed the door handle and lock, Matthew used his leg to push open the now-loose door, which no longer had anything keeping it in place.

Stepping outside, Matthew studied his surroundings carefully, then quickly made his way out of the dormitory.

Within a few strides, he reached the courtyard outside.

He paused there briefly, scanning the area.

’At this moment, there should be guards patrolling the surroundings...’

’I can’t afford to be careless and get caught. That would be detrimental to my plan...’

Matthew thought carefully. Some of the guards were dragon worshipers as well, which made them doubly dangerous. If caught, he would likely have no choice but to kill them.

’Since I haven’t trained before, even though I’m now a Rank 9 Esper, I’m barely certain I could handle someone of the same level...’

Matthew knew his limits and wasn’t the type to act impulsively.

Thankfully, the main dorm door was slightly ajar. The guards frequently passed through it while checking on the students, so he didn’t need to use his ability again.

Just as Matthew ducked into a shadowed corner and waited patiently, he heard footsteps approaching from not far away.

’The guards...’ Matthew’s expression turned serious as he quickly held his breath. Remembering the criteria for becoming a guard at the academy, he concentrated on concealing his presence.

Thankfully, the guards didn’t sense anything and soon walked past him, muttering to each other while patrolling the perimeter.

Matthew released a quiet sigh of relief. He waited for a few more minutes, listening closely for the fading sound of their footsteps. Once he was sure the coast was clear, he swiftly stepped out of the dark corner and continued his journey.

Following the blueprint in his mind, he moved toward the location of the academy treasury.

’Hidden on the southern outskirts... beneath the monolith. The mechanism to trigger the entrance is hidden not too far away from the monolith...’

The description resurfaced vividly in his thoughts as Matthew increased his pace.

He passed by several class buildings, each casting eerie shadows in the emerald-tinted moonlight. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed toward him from a side corridor.

Matthew immediately ducked behind a nearby wall and listened.

Two guards were talking as they walked in his direction.

"Wait, let’s head over there. I can sense something..." a male guard’s voice cut through the quiet night.

"Man, we’ve been watching over the academy for years. Do you really think there’s going to be any danger?" the other one said, shrugging casually.

The first guard paused, then frowned. "That’s true, but we can’t be too relaxed. What if something did happen? You know how these dragon worshipers are. It wouldn’t take much time."

The second guard hesitated before nodding. "Alright... let’s take a look."

Matthew’s frown deepened.

’Is this how I get caught...?’

He scanned the area. There was nowhere to run. His eyes darted across the space, calculating, analyzing. His expression shifted repeatedly as panic crept in.

He was trapped.

He started weighing his chances of escaping two Rank 9 Espers.

Just then, a loud thud echoed in the distance, right as the first guard was about to look around the corner.

"What was that?" they both tensed immediately. Whatever had made that kind of noise this late at night had to be something unusual.

"It seems you’ll finally get the excitement you were looking for," the second guard chuckled, no longer concerned with what lay behind the wall.

Matthew felt his heart pound as the guards stepped away. He could see one of their boots only a few feet from where he crouched.

They had been that close to spotting him.

’Fortunately... that noise distracted them. It seems even the Origin World supports me in hiding my ability...’

Matthew allowed himself a brief internal joke, something he had picked up from Axel. Thinking of his friend filled him with mixed emotions.

He let out a long, calming breath, then turned his attention back to the situation at hand.

Just as he was about to sneak out of his hiding spot, a hand suddenly touched his shoulder.

Matthew’s body froze, and his heart skipped a beat.

’So... I was caught in the end...’

He closed his eyes briefly, then turned, ready to plead for mercy if needed.

A familiar, playful voice cut through the tension.

"What’s with that puppy-eyed expression? Besides, do you really think you can pull this off without me?"

Matthew was stunned. He looked up quickly, and to his shock, it was... Axel.

"Shhh. Lower your voice... what if the guards hear us?" Matthew whispered nervously, quickly hushing him.

...

Elsewhere, a young man was resting quietly in his room after a long and stressful day of classes. His eyes suddenly snapped open.

A mechanical voice echoed in his mind.

[Ding! You have received a new mission!]

[Mission: Infiltrate the academy treasury before dawn and retrieve the upgrade crystal!]

[Rewards... Penalty!]

Leo, who had been peacefully lying on his bed, stared at the floating message in complete shock.

"System... are you trying to kill me???"