Chapter 6: Escape from the Cell! And Then Return!

“I’m back~”

Though in reality, not even a second has passed.

For now, let’s try out the ability I set.

With “slit — Slit” equipped, the ability I can use is, of course, “slipping into gaps.”

“Well, I couldn’t make it exactly the same as in the game, though.”

To use it like in the game, I didn’t have enough output.

Maybe if I play Slit more, that’ll change.

But don’t worry.

If I lack output, I can just apply one of my specialty restrictions.

By doing that, I managed to shape the “slipping into gaps” ability into a usable minimum form.

“Now then, first public test! Let’s see if there’s a good spot~”

I look around the room.

Unlike in the game, there aren’t designated “entry points” for gaps.

I have to decide what counts as a gap myself.

“Oh, this looks like a good gap!”

It’s the space between the bookshelf and the wall near the iron bars dividing the room.

I place my hand there and activate the ability.

A clock-like magic circle effect appears.

Stylish, right!

Tick tock, tick tock…

The clock hands move.

Once the hand completes a full rotation, I’ll be able to slip into this gap.

This is the restriction.

In the game, I could enter instantly, but here I sacrifice time as a limitation.

Of course, once I’ve done it once, I can enter and exit that same gap instantly afterward, just like in the game.

Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to hide quickly when needed.

As long as I act carefully, this should be fine.

Even with this restriction, the output was barely enough.

Tick tock, tick tock… ding!

“Alright, in we go.”

My body smoothly slips into the gap.

Right now, my perspective feels like I’m peeking out from within the gap.

Then I pop back out.

Slip… pop!

Slip… pop!

“Nice!”

After testing it a few times, I feel confident.

It’s exactly like the ability in the game!

Now then, next step.

At this rate, I’d just be playing hide-and-seek inside the cell.

The real goal is to make it possible to escape anytime.

I grab the iron bars.

“Hmm… the gaps between the bars are pretty narrow.”

I try putting my head between them.

Yeah, not even my head fits through.

Even with a child’s body, there’s no way I can pass through a gap of about ten centimeters.

If my head could fit, my body probably could too, but…

If that worked, this prison would be way too poorly designed.

And here’s the bad news.

I can’t recognize the gaps between the bars as “gaps.”

In other words, I can’t use my ability on them.

Because of how my ability works, if I can clearly see the other side—like with iron bars—it doesn’t feel like I’m entering a “gap.”

“But there are plenty of ways around that. Maybe they were trying to respect human rights, but leaving furniture in here was their mistake.”

I curl the corner of my mouth into a grin.

That’s right.

This cell isn’t empty—it’s just a normal room blocked off with bars.

It has a bed, a bookshelf, and other furniture.

And the same applies to the other side of the bars.

I walk over to the wall and reach my hand through the bars.

Ahead of me is a small floor lamp attached to the wall.

It looks like a downward-facing flower bud, currently unlit, like a wilted lily.

I place my fingers on the petals of the wilted flower and activate my ability.

Tick tock, tick tock…

Heh, I’ll consider the inside of this unlit shape as a gap.

Ding!

And slip.

My body enters the small lamp.

As long as my hand can reach it, I can activate the ability even through the bars.

Then I pop out—and I’m on the other side of the bars.

“Alright, prison break successful. But… I found a flaw in this ability.”

Reality is different from games.

The flaw is that “gaps” are not permanent.

For example, this lamp.

When it’s off, I can recognize its interior as a gap.

But if it’s turned on, I can’t.

If I’m inside the gap when it turns on, I’d probably be forcibly pushed out like squeezed jelly.

The same applies to other gaps.

Even the space between the bookshelf and the wall would become unusable if it shifts slightly.

Basically, once I can no longer perceive something as a gap, it’s over.

Still, that’s more stable than the lamp.

No one would casually move a bookshelf.

“I should prioritize gaps that won’t change. And I absolutely can’t let anyone figure out how this ability works.”

It’s way too easy to counter.

Now, here’s the real problem.

I place my hand on the door.

Hey, the doorknob is too high!

I manage to reach it, but as expected, it’s locked.

Don’t make doors that can’t be opened from the inside!

Well, it is a prison after all.

Hmm… what should I do?

The gap under the door… about 3 millimeters, huh…

Maybe that’s just barely enough.

“Can I do this…?”

I activate the ability.

Tick tock, tick tock… can I?

Tick tock, tick tock…

Tick tock, tick tock………

Tick tock, tick tock…………

This is taking forever…

I do recognize it as a gap, but I’m not fully convinced, and that hesitation shows in the time it takes.

If the door were completely sealed with no gap, I wouldn’t even be able to activate it.

Maybe if I wait long enough, it’ll work.

Tick tock, tick tock… ding!

After about ten minutes, it finally worked.

I slip into the gap…

Oh, this is a new sensation.

I can choose whether to exit inside the room or outside.

Outside leads to a corridor.

I stay within the gap and observe.

I can’t afford to be seen.

The basic strategy is to gather information from within gaps.

Wait until no one is looking, then move straight to the next gap.

That’s the rule.

I learned that from the game.

“Hmm… people pass by occasionally.”

My heart races every time someone walks past.

If they open the door, the gap disappears, and I’ll be forced out.

The moment I sense someone approaching, I pop back inside, reach through the bars, slip into the bookshelf gap, and return to the cell.

Most of the time, people just pass by without opening the door.

But once, someone brought food, so I can’t let my guard down.

It’s probably still daytime.

That’s why people are moving around.

If I act, it should be at night.

There’s no window, so I can’t tell the exact time.

Well, nothing I can do.

I’ll kill some time for now.