Became a stagnant person in a squalid prison cell

Chapter 19 – 

Lessons Begin

I closed my eyes again and let out a small laugh.

“From the 20th floor, prisoners can enter the Tower whenever they want.”

“…”

“It’s not like before, where we entered only once a week.”

The 20th floor is for those who ranked up from the lowest level to “Low Grade 3.”

“We’re going into the Tower tomorrow, so get some rest.”

I thought Helios would say, “What nonsense is this?” after everything that happened today. He must’ve had a rough time.

“You know a lot about the Tower.”

“Of course. I was a guard.”

Zero complaints—100 points.

And for being pretty? Bonus 100 points.

“Since you’re being good, want me to tell you something useful?”

“What part of this is me being good?”

“You’re glaring at me but not complaining—that’s good.”

“…”

“You know what new prisoners need the most?”

Helios stayed quiet.

I asked, and suddenly, a memory came to me. A really old one.

‘When I first entered the 1st floor, I thought I was going to die.’

Even someone like Helios, with an adult’s body, would struggle on the 1st floor. I was just 12 back then.

After somehow surviving and coming back to my cell, I remembered seeing someone—an older woman with a kind smile.

“Mama…”

I lifted my head.

“The answer is ‘backing.’”

“Huh?”

“You’re weak, so you need to attach yourself to someone strong. Fast.”

“…”

“That’s not being cowardly—it’s survival.”

I rolled over and looked at Helios, resting my head on my hand.

“So you’re lucky you got me as your teacher.”

“In the end, this was just you bragging.”

Helios sighed and lay down on the right-side bed.

‘He forgot to turn off the lights.’

I stared at the ceiling, then turned to him.

“Helios! Big problem!”

“…What now?”

“It’s serious! Come over here!”

Even though he frowned, Helios got up and came over. Say what you want, but he listens really well.

With his looks, you’d think he’d boss people around. But he never asks for anything.

A good guy, really. Hard to believe he’ll turn dark someday.

I smiled.

“Turn off the light.”

“…What?”

“Turn it off.”

“…”

“Please turn it off, dear student?”

He cursed at me.

Nothing new.

As he muttered more curses and moved to the switch, I just used Kia (my power) to turn it off.

“Impressed by your master’s power?”

The night ended with Helios grumbling and swearing.

The Next Morning

“Mmm. I feel refreshed.”

It was morning. I stretched. Meanwhile, Helios sat up, looking tired and pale.

Mint’s cheerful voice echoed, but Helios wasn’t in the mood.

‘I didn’t sleep at all.’

Not even a minute. He couldn’t help it.

In his nightmare, he saw his father—the one who framed him and threw him in prison.

Helios clenched his fists.

He could die in here. No—he would die, if not for the self-proclaimed teacher who saved him on the 1st floor.

‘No matter what… I’ll survive. I’ll escape and return home. I’ll get revenge on that man.’

Helios gritted his teeth.

“Good morning.”

Mint was suddenly standing in front of him.

Helios looked at her with annoyance, still holding a grudge from last night.

“…Not really.”

Mint tilted her head.

“Your face looks like it shrank overnight. Did I snore?”

“You know you did.”

“No way. I sleep like the dead.”

“…”

“Someone said I looked like a corpse once. Almost got thrown in a coffin.”

“…”

“Just kidding.”

“Who says stuff like that?”

“My fellow guards.”

Helios frowned again. What kind of guards joke like that?

Though honestly, Mint wasn’t wrong.

Last night, when he couldn’t sleep, he was startled by how silent she was—no sound at all. He even got up to check if she was still breathing.

“It’s a nice morning. Get your mind straight.”

“How can you tell? There’s no window.”

“Just a feeling.”

Right then, the prison’s morning alarm blared.

“It’s morning~!”

This person was really something else.

‘She wasn’t like this when she was a guard.’

Back then, she wore her uniform neatly, acted strict—even if something felt off, she tried to act professional.

Now? Clothes wrinkled, hair messy, and she didn’t care one bit.

Even her way of speaking had changed.

The more he looked at her… the more she seemed unhinged.

“Time to eat! If you miss it, no meat!”

“Why are you so obsessed with meals?”

“Ah. You’ve clearly never starved.”

Mint just smiled.

She didn’t bother explaining how 10 days locked in a bug-filled cell with no food will make anyone obsessed with proper meals.

“Oh right. I told you what new prisoners need most yesterday, right?”

“More bragging?”

“Hey! Don’t talk back to your teacher.”

“…”

Helios didn’t answer. Actually, he couldn’t.

Because right then, Kia flew from Mint’s hand and grabbed his ankle, making him fall.

“What the hell was that?!”

“Teacher.”

“What the hell was that, teacher?!”

“Just saying ‘teacher’ isn’t enough.”

Kia turned into golden ropes and shimmered around them.

“Surprise attack.”

Mint spun in the light, smiling.

“From now on, I’ll attack at any time, without warning.”

There are no rules in this place.

Poison, violence, betrayal, isolation—anything is allowed as long as you win.

“Try defending yourself.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“You think enemies in the Tower will politely say, ‘Here I come!’?”

“…”

“What about outside the Tower?”

Helios grumbled and stood up.

“Can’t you at least give a warning?”

“Where did you grow up? If I warn you, it’s not a surprise.”

“Ugh…”

“Also, there’s one more thing new prisoners need. Can you guess?”

Helios was tense, obviously expecting another attack.

So I gave him what he expected.

CRASH!

“The answer is ‘comrades.’ Oh, and showing you’re on guard just makes your weak spots easier to hit.”

“…I’ll kill you.”

“Ooh, love that fighting spirit!”

Mint casually helped him up with Kia, acting like nothing happened.

Helios was speechless.

“You need teammates—people with similar or stronger skills. You can’t survive alone here.”

“Absolutely?”

Mint nodded lightly.

Everyone needed allies to survive. Even Mint had done the same and become a leader.

“It’s like a school of fish scaring off a predator.”

“Or getting eaten all at once?”

Mint shrugged.

“Anyway, I gave you the tip.”

Helios looked at her suspiciously.

She acted the same way when she gave him a hint before entering the 1st floor.

“Alright, let’s go eat.”

Bang! Bang! Loud knocking echoed from the halls—guards waking up prisoners.

After roll call, they’d go to the dining hall.

“By the way…”

Helios flinched.

Something cold but comforting touched his forehead.

Mint had bent down and was gently placing her hand on his head.