I blankly watch Ustos’s head fall onto the ground, his throat having a wound that probably won't be able to be treated by the bandages and alcohol I use for most injuries.

But before long, Ustos’s choking and gurgling noises quickly snap me out of my daze, and I immediately start pondering what I should do.

For a second, I contemplate simply running away, but nothing would come of it. I wouldn’t be able to make it to the exit before Ustos bled out, which would then lose me the necklace and lead the academy straight to me. And simply running out or hiding wouldn't accomplish much. I doubt the wizards wouldn't be able to chase me down or find me; after all, they have magic on their side.

Considering the horrible condition of Ustos’s body, he probably has around a minute left to make a great mess on the dorm floor. After he dies, the academy wizards will probably immediately appear here.

Being as smart as I am, I made a plan for this scenario. The problem is that I was just putting it together. Damn it, Ustos, couldn’t you have had your stupid temper tantrum in about one to two months, the damned neet? The urge to kick Ustos’s pathetic form emerges, but unfortunately, I think that would make his demise faster, so I begrudgingly restrain my urges.

I sigh and analyze my escape plan for getting caught. I would make an artificial bit of tissue, under which I would hide my spatial ring, which would contain a digging tool for escape.

Unfortunately, I currently lack such artificial tissue. I can think of no other way to conceal the ring, well, unless I can swallow the damn thing, which… hmm, I suppose isn’t that bad of an idea. Well, I doubt it’s totally safe, shoving something containing spatial elements into my gullet. A lot could go wrong.

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For one, everyone’s stomach naturally corrodes away elemental mana, so it doesn’t cause damage to the body. I don’t want to know what removing special elements from a spatial ring does, in my stomach no less. Maybe everything contained in the ring will suddenly appear in my digestive tract and I will be forced to poop out a bunch of badges, or maybe my soul would be damaged, creating mana breaches and possibly making eating too dangerous because of the elemental mana contained in some foods, or even still it could just explode inside of me.

Well, I suppose it’s either risking it or being tortured and killed for all the silly shenanigans I’ve pulled over the time I’ve been in this barbaric world.

So with a smidge of hesitation, I pull the ring up to my mouth and swallow it down. Without water, it’s kind of rough and leaves a lump in my throat, but I don’t really have the liberty to complain.

With some time left over, I contemplate what else should be done. Hmm… I look at Keswick. Should I kill her? I suppose I should, shouldn’t I? Considering here youngness and stupidity, she may pull something annoying while I’m imprisoned, with her marquess influence, like speeding up my execution or asking to make my rations worse. Plus, she’s seen what has happened here; this would make the academy’s job easier.

Deciding on my next move, I begin to rush over to Keswick. Unfortunately for me, in the midst of my movement, the necklace around my neck starts to glow and flash red and give off a nerve-splitting shriek.

Confused, I look back at Ustos and find him to have stopped moving. What, is the man made of, toothpicks!? It couldn’t have been more than thirty seconds after he stabbed himself.

While glaring at Ustos, my peripheral vision spots a sudden burst of blue appear out of nowhere.

Before I have a chance to do anything, the academy wizard quickly points one of their hands at me and shoots a spell. It soars so fast that I don’t even have the chance to react.

It lands on me, my awareness blurs and my perception spins. Just as fast as it starts, it ends, and when I finally get back to my senses, I realize that I find myself in a completely different place.

More specifically, a brick dungeon with suspiciously dangerous instruments hung up on the walls and placed on the floor.

I try to get up from the apparently sitting position I am in, but I cannot. I am suspended in my state by metal chains forcing my legs and the chair I am sitting on together to a very uncomfortable degree.

Snapping out of my confusion, I quickly start pondering what happened. Did I get teleported? Can people force teleport others? That sounds quite neat, though looking down, while teleporting me, the weirdo apparently switched out my expensive clothes with this cheap cloth and tied me down to a chair in what could only be called an interrogation room.