Becoming the Guide of the Mysophobic Villain? Absolutely Not! - Chapter 323

Since that day, even after returning to my original room, I frequently crawled into the ventilation ducts and navigated through them.

Of course, the biological experiments conducted on me continued as usual. The pain was so intense that I felt dizzy even while lying still.

As I dragged parts of my body that no longer felt like my own, I sometimes thought I might die this way. If I died, they would have a hard time finding me unless they tore down the entire ceiling. That is, unless the stench of my rotting corpse filled the ducts…

Despite these horrific thoughts, whenever I caught my breath, I crawled back into the ventilation ducts. It didn’t matter how miserable I would be after death. If I could increase my chances of escaping this place even a little, I had to do something.

The Guides also actively supported me in this endeavor. The reason I could enter the ducts, which were otherwise unreachable alone, was purely due to their cooperation. Even though they were initially anxious, they visibly grew hopeful once I successfully navigated the ducts without getting caught.

Using the pendant Deon had given me to scratch marks for direction, I moved from room to room several times. Gradually, I started to get a sense of the ventilation system’s layout, which initially seemed overwhelming. Gaining confidence in my sense of direction and location, I began to take bolder actions.

I ventured quite far, solely based on someone’s description of the room where the keys were kept. And when I arrived at that place, hoping for the best…

“They’re always doing inspections…”

“It’s because the end of the term is approaching.”

I was about to stick my head out of the duct entrance but quickly pulled back.

Two people had just entered the room, speaking in low voices.

“They’re trying to find even the smallest faults to crack down on institutions. The leader who cleanses corrupt institutions at the end of their term… it makes for a good story, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah, right. This place treats Espers like pets just to please the Guides, yet that person spent hundreds of billions of Berks to become president…”

In the middle of their conversation, I heard the clear sound of metal clinking.

Instinctively, I tilted my head to peek below. It sounded like what I had been desperately searching for.

Sure enough, one of them was putting a bunch of keys into a storage unit.

A door that couldn’t be opened from the inside once closed from the outside. I seemed to have finally found the key to unlock that door and escape.

***

It didn’t take as long as I thought to put the plan into action.

“Hurry up! Move, move!”

Driven like livestock by the shouting Espers in the hallway, we were once again locked in a room I had been to before with the other Guides. It seemed today was the day of the agency inspection I overheard about in the key storage room.

Bang! As the heavy door closed with a loud noise, all the Guides’ eyes immediately focused on me.

“Hey, what…”

“How did it go?”

…What?

Confused and stammering, Helga stepped in to explain.

“Rose, she… managed to reach the key storage room.”

Exclamations erupted from all around. Only then did I understand why all the Guides were looking at me.

After confirming that I could move between rooms through the ducts, the Guides had been curious about any progress in the escape plan. Communication with Guides in other rooms had been impossible until now.

“So, when do you plan to steal the keys?”

One Guide asked cautiously.

I pondered for a moment. Having identified the key’s location, I definitely intended to steal them at some point. However, I was still hesitant to make the final decision.