The capital city of the Holy Kingdom, Saint-Étienne.
I tucked myself into a corner and opened my status window.
From floors 74 to 80, I'd earned SSS+ ratings, filling the achievement gauge to the brim.
I rubbed my hands together a couple of times and pressed the button.
[ Achievement gauge fully charged! A bonus box appears!! ]
Normally it spun around like a roulette wheel, but today a square box I'd never seen before appeared.
It was so old and worn that just looking at its exterior, I didn't have high expectations.
Was the effect just different? Or was the contents related somehow?
Whatever it was, I hoped something useful would come out.
*Clatter clatter clatter!!*
It rattled for a long time as if it was about to open any second.
Then the lid flew off like a bomb exploding.
It was unusually loud today.
[ A very old item has appeared! ]
Oh?
My heart pounded at the reaction that was different from usual.
Seems like the commotion wasn't for nothing.
A small something rose into the air, wrapped in a shimmering glow.
Before the light even fully faded, a message appeared.
*Ding!*
[ You have acquired the Sculpting Knife of the Master, Jorvan Rucelof! ]
Level Requirement: 100.
Grade: Legendary.
A sculpting knife made of Mithril, a rare ore only spoken of in legends!
The sharpness of Mithril is truly top-notch! Combined with the unique ability of the master Jorvan Rucelof, cutting power is amplified to the maximum!
A dream item for those in the sculpting arts class!
"Oooh!"
The glow still hadn't faded.
But a gasp escaped me anyway.
Setting everything else aside, it was Legendary.
That alone was already excellent.
And on top of that, Mithril — something that only appeared in fantasy movies.
As a fantasy nerd, I couldn't help but snort with satisfaction.
The light slowly faded, revealing the sculpting knife's form clearly.
My first impression of the knife I was finally facing was...
"Ehh."
I squinted hard and glared at the tip of the blade.
I had to look this closely just to see it.
The Mithril at the very end.
It was *that* small.
'Was a sculpting knife always like this?'
I briefly recalled the clay knives I used in elementary school.
No.
Those were several times longer than this.
"Hmm."
I rubbed my chin.
It was nice that it was Legendary, but where and how was I supposed to use this stubby thing?
For now, since I probably couldn't use it properly, I'd give it to the Great-Grandmaster Teacher.
With her nimble hands, she might find some way to utilize it.
Half doubtful, half hopeful, I was putting the knife away when...
*Patter patter.*
The sound of utterly lifeless footsteps reached me.
It was Kancho, the Yodel Ranger vice-captain, her fluffy fur all disheveled.
She came up beside me and plopped down, collapsing.
With a slightly spaced-out expression, she pressed down on her fur that was sticking out in all directions.
"I've become a mangy mutt."
I sat down next to her and placed a hand on the vice-captain who'd had a particularly rough day.
"Just hold on a little longer. When we get home, I'll take care of it. I'll use all the conditioner and hair tonic."
"Will the mangy mutt go away?"
"Won't it become soft and fluffy?"
Honestly, I didn't really know.
I'd never used them properly before.
I'd have to ask Su-yeon or Seo-hee.
"I'll give you the Kancho machine gun later, secretly, without Momo knowing."
Kancho weakly stuck out her thumb.
"As expected of the Great Leader. It was a high-level deception operation to put Momo off guard."
It wasn't high-level, nor was it deception, but I'd let it slide.
"Great Leader."
"Yeah?"
"Momo's fists are getting sharper by the day. In the old days, they were just chubby Doraemon fists that didn't hurt at all, but not anymore."
I swallowed dryly.
Did the Nimble Hands trait make fists sharper too?
"I think we need some kind of special countermeasure."
Kancho stood up abruptly and clenched her fluffy fist.
Her face was more determined than I'd ever seen it.
"From now on, I'm going to train with you, Great Leader! I'll learn straight punches from Renya and beat Momo up!"
"Oh, that's good. It's good exercise too. But isn't training usually during your *Neoman Solo* time? Are you okay with that? It's your favorite show, isn't it?"
Kancho was silent for a moment, then unclenched her fist.
"Beating up Momo doesn't seem like a good idea. Instead of training, I think I'll look for a peaceful solution. From today, I'm a pacifist."
She threw away her revenge blade in one go, and even made Kancho declare herself a pacifist.
What kind of show *is* Neoman Solo?
"Oh, you were here! His Majesty the King and Roberto-nim are looking for the Hero... *Guk!*"
When had she even run over?
In an instant, Kancho leaped and grabbed Konu by the scruff of his neck.
What happened to the pacifist declaration she just made?!
"Where were you hiding that you only show up after everything's over?! You weren't sleeping in your sleeping bag again, were you?!"
"N-no! I was watching from the city walls the whole time!"
"Is that so?"
*Click!*
Kancho nodded, then aimed her gun.
"Great Leader. He says he just watched while everyone else was fighting. This is treason. I will execute him."
"Eeek!!"
She looked ready to beat him with the gun, so I quickly grabbed Kancho.
Konu was a lazybones, but he was a good badger guide.
"Let's go. To the royal castle."
We walked side by side as I spoke.
"Konu. What happens to the Unique Floor after you leave?"
*Click!*
"If you say you don't know again..."
"Eeek! It... it will disappear since it's been cleared. Unlike other floors, it's a place that doesn't get reset. Mortarion won't be resurrected either."
"Is that so?"
I slowly looked around the capital city, Solaum.
"Then this is the end for Saint-Étienne too."
"That's not quite right."
"Why? Originally, Saint-Étienne wasn't in the 71st floor section."
Was it because he knew something I didn't?
Konu flicked his finger with a bright expression.
"Aha! You didn't know because you haven't left yet! From now on, you can meet the Holy Kingdom of Saint-Étienne on floors 71 through 80! On all floors in that section, Saint-Étienne's paladins and priests will help players clear! It's all thanks to you, Hero!"
Only then did I remember.
The message that said clearing the Unique Floor would bring changes to the Tower.
'So this is how it changes.'
The fact that the Tower had changed wasn't unfamiliar.
Last time, after the snowfield battle, the Inuit tribe had sung for me.
But I didn't know an entire floor's composition could change completely.
"Hmm."
I rubbed my chin and shrugged.
Well, good things are good.
It wouldn't be bad for other players either, so I figured it was fine.
As long as everyone's happy, right?
Right?
---
* * *
"Team Leader Jin Yunho! Line 3, Canada Player Hunter Agency!"
"Team Leader! Line 17, the Czech government!"
At the center of the newly formed emergency response team's situation room.
Standing there, Jin Yunho tightly shut his eyes.
Line 17 — just how backed up were the calls?
"Ahem. Team Leader Jin, what are you doing? Answer the phone, quickly."
Unlike Jin Yunho, Headquarters Director Lee Changgi sat completely relaxed, sipping his tea.
"Director-nim. I have a question."
"Don't ask."
"Why am I the one in charge? Isn't this clearly the work of the External Cooperation Department?"
"That guy's right there. Team Leader Im Woogang of the External Cooperation Team. Though it seems the department head has run away."
Jin Yunho followed Lee Changgi's gaze.
Im Woogang was answering calls nonstop.
He was even sweating cold, which was almost pitiful.
Lee Changgi leaned back in his chair.
"Originally, the Strategy Headquarters said they'd take responsibility and command. Director Han Jiwon loves results, anytime, anywhere. But I took it away. Why do you think I did that?"
"It's probably not because of results. You're doing well enough without worrying about that, Director-nim."
"That's true, but don't say that anywhere else. Anyway, I was a bit worried. You know this too — the depth at which Director Han Jiwon and I see and judge things is fundamentally different."
"I won't answer that."
Lee Changgi formed a faint smile.
"Han Jiwon isn't the Strategy Headquarters Director for nothing. Formulating and executing strategies for the benefit of the Player Hunter Agency, and further, for the benefit of the nation. She does that more steadily and efficiently than anyone else."
"You're complimenting her too, Director-nim. And you were concerned that because of that unwavering efficiency, Jinhyuk-nim might get hurt."
"Han Jiwon knows how precious a Runner is, so she wouldn't go that far, but I thought she'd be annoying. Asking about this and that, requesting permission for things."
Jin Yunho nodded.
It was already something to be grateful for that she'd shaken up what seemed like a solid board — making things annoying for him was absolutely unacceptable.
"Anyway, this is something else. There was never a reason for these lines to ring unless we made a request first, but now they're flooding in like this. Being in the position of the giver is always a pleasant thing."
Lee Changgi drew a meaningful smile.
"They don't even know that we're in the same position as them — equally clueless. Which makes it even more amusing."
Jin Yunho let out a small laugh.
Countries calling in for information about the necromancer of the century, Mortarion.
They didn't know we genuinely couldn't tell them anything, so they were presenting negotiation proposals, thinking it was a tug-of-war.
"Let's just take the calls and wait leisurely. I'm curious to see how high the negotiation proposals will go."
"Understood. I'll contact Jinhyuk-nim later, slowly. He must be tired right after clearing the Tower."
"Let's do that. But, speaking of which."
Lee Changgi leaned forward and let out a low hum.
"I wonder what the countries that haven't contacted us yet are thinking."
Probably one of two things.
Either they needed the information but were busy in meetings for political gain.
Or they'd already finished climbing the floor where Mortarion was and didn't need the information.
If it was the latter, I was a bit curious.
What exactly, and how much, were those countries hiding?
---
* * *
The next day, after returning home.
Jinhyuk, with his hair a mess like a bird's nest in the back, nodded.
"Mm! Very nice."
He slowly scanned the paintings hanging on the living room wall.
All masterpieces he'd received from the Saint-Étienne royal castle.
How did he know they were masterpieces when he didn't know the first thing about art?
Last night, Teacher Dark, who had a deep knowledge of art, had said so.
That these were painted by an excellent artist.
Even Emperor Mo, with his Golden Eyes, had said they were splendid and stuck out his chubby thumb several times, so it had to be true.
'But man, I feel really bad.'
He picked up the note left on the table.
Remodeling work is complete! You must be tired after climbing the Tower, so Seo-hee and I will go in and check it out first!
He covered his mouth.
The remodeling was so excellent that everywhere he looked, everything was to his liking.
He'd definitely buy them something really delicious and expensive.
Making a firm resolve, he lowered his gaze to his inventory.
Then he opened the ticket storage.
Three tickets for the Tower of Despair, five for the Tower of Myth.
He glanced around the house.
'Looks like everyone's asleep.'
He pulled out a Tower of Myth ticket.
Let his tired friends rest — he'd just pop in and out alone.
[ Entering the 18th floor of the Tower of Myth! ]
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T/N:
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