CHAPTER 39: THE THING BENEATH THE FLOOR

After returning to my room, I wasted no time. I grabbed the nearest book, flipped it open, and carefully slipped the metallic bookmark between its pages.

The moment the Sage’s Bookmark touched the paper, a faint hum filled the air. Then—

Fwoom.

A soft, radiant glow spread from the bookmark, its runes pulsing faintly like a heartbeat.

Good. It’s working properly.

I took a slow breath, steadying my excitement before asking, "Are there any items within the Academy that can increase magical power?"

For a few seconds, silence.

Then, glowing letters began to rise from the page—one by one—until they formed a single line of text.

—North. Abandoned building. Basement.

"...Just as I thought."

Short and simple. The Sage’s Bookmark was always precise with its answers.

But what intrigued me more was what it revealed.

In the original webtoon, there had been no mention—none whatsoever—of any artifact within the Academy that could enhance magical power. The story never touched on anything like that. Which could only mean one thing...

’The author must’ve left behind some hidden settings.’

I leaned back, grinning faintly.

If this was true—if there were things in this world that even the original story hadn’t covered—then this place was practically a treasure map waiting to be explored.

’If there’s one hidden item, there might be others too...’

Just the thought of it sent a small thrill through me.

Without wasting another second, I grabbed my jacket, pocketed the bookmark, and slipped out of the dormitory.

◇◇◇

"Is this... the place?"

The night air was cold as I stood before the old northern building.

Even from a distance, the place radiated a sense of abandonment. The windows were broken in several spots, the doors half-hanging from their hinges. Vines had begun crawling up the cracked stone walls, and the faint creaking of loose wood echoed every time the wind blew.

It looked like it hadn’t seen life in decades.

A chill ran down my spine as I stepped closer.

No lights. No movement. Just silence.

I could see why they’d stopped using it after the Academy expanded. The whole place felt... wrong. Like it was holding its breath.

Still, none of that mattered.

According to the Sage’s Bookmark, something valuable was hidden in the basement.

And if I wanted to grow stronger—to survive whatever unpredictable turns this world had in store for me—I needed that item.

Taking one last look around to make sure no one was watching, I pushed open the creaking door and stepped inside.

Dust swirled in the air, catching faint streaks of moonlight through the shattered windows. My footsteps echoed softly against the cracked floor as I made my way deeper into the darkness.

Every instinct told me to turn back.

But curiosity—and maybe a hint of greed—kept my legs moving.

"...Alright," I muttered under my breath, tightening my grip on the small flashlight I’d brought. "Basement first. Then we’ll see what’s waiting."

The faint light illuminated a stairway leading down. The air grew colder with each step I took, the silence thick enough to make even my heartbeat sound loud.

Whatever was hidden here... I was about to find out.

----

Creeeak...!

The rusted door groaned painfully as I pushed it open, the sound slicing through the dead silence of the night.

Inside, the air was thick with dust and decay. Broken furniture, shattered glass, and forgotten scraps of wood were strewn across the floor, leaving no clue as to what this place had once been.

Thud... thud...

My footsteps echoed faintly against the cracked tiles. Each step sounded too loud in the heavy stillness. Even the usual hum of insects outside had vanished—as if nature itself wanted nothing to do with this place.

"...Maybe I should’ve brought Berno along."

The thought slipped out before I could stop it.

Of course, if I had told him, he’d have immediately grabbed me by the collar and lectured me for an hour before dragging me back to the dorm. He’d say things like, ’It’s dangerous!’ or ’Don’t go wandering off at night!’

He’d be right, too.

But somehow, walking into this place alone had felt necessary.

Now, though, standing in the middle of this eerie silence, I wasn’t so sure.

The air was damp and cold, the faint smell of mold clinging to every breath. The moonlight leaking through the broken windows stretched across the floor in thin, pale lines, casting long, crooked shadows that almost looked like they were moving.

I swallowed, trying to shake off the unease creeping up my spine.

"Alright... no turning back now," I muttered under my breath.

Each step deeper into the building felt heavier than the last.

And then—

Splash.

"Eek—!"

A cold sensation suddenly wrapped around my ankle. My heart lurched as I stumbled back, hastily lowering my magic lamp toward the floor.

A shallow puddle glistened beneath the faint light, the water dark and still.

"...Just water," I muttered, forcing out a shaky laugh. "Get a grip, Louis."

Still, the sound of that splash echoed unnaturally long in the quiet building, as if the walls themselves were whispering it back to me.

Cold sweat trickled down my temple, and I quickly wiped it away with the back of my hand.

"...Damn. It’s nothing," I muttered, trying to convince myself more than anyone else.

Feeling both tense and embarrassed at my own nerves, I stomped my foot against the dusty floor in irritation.

Thump!

The dull echo of the sound calmed me a little, grounding me back in reality. I exhaled slowly and began to look around with a clearer head.

The place was silent—eerily so. Shadows clung to every corner, and the faint scent of mold and rust filled the air.

Now that the initial rush of excitement had worn off, the situation finally hit me.

I’d walked straight into an abandoned building in the middle of the night because a glowing piece of metal told me there was treasure hidden inside.

"...Yeah," I muttered under my breath. "That was smart."

In hindsight, maybe I’d been a little too reckless.

If the Sage’s Bookmark said there was an artifact here, then there was definitely something valuable—but in this world, valuable things never came easy.

Items with special power always had trials attached to them. Traps, guardians, curses... take your pick.

Even if this world was originally a webtoon, the logic of adventure stories still applied.

And right now, I had no idea what kind of danger might be lurking beneath my feet.

"...Right. I’ll come back later," I said firmly, nodding to myself. "This isn’t running away. It’s a strategic retreat."

Yes. Exactly. Perfectly rational.

I’d regroup, gather better equipment, maybe even bring someone who knew purification magic—

Rumble.

"...Huh?"

The floor beneath me trembled faintly.

At first, I thought I imagined it. But then—

Rumble... Rumble...!

The vibrations grew stronger, dust raining down from the ceiling as the floorboards groaned underfoot.

My breath caught in my throat.

"...You’ve got to be kidding me."

The entire building began to shake, and a low, grinding noise echoed from somewhere below.

It felt like the ground itself was coming alive.

Whatever I had just triggered—

It was too late to retreat now.