[The workload assigned to Ruhwolf by the magitech city of Aetheropolis has been removed!]
[Ruhwolf Sargier's citizenship has been restored!]
[You have recruited Ruhwolf as a guide!]
[Myth Tower Floor 20 cleared!]
A smile spread across his face as the explosion shot upward.
Ruhwolf, who had agreed to accompany him, had mentioned one problem.
He couldn't enter the city unless all that waste was moved.
So Jinhyuk had blown it all away.
So there was nothing left to move.
Gulp.
Ruhwolf, standing beside him, looked up at Jinhyuk.
He'd thought "a way" meant they'd move it together.
It didn't.
---
*Should we head to Aetheropolis now, Ruhwolf? It'll all be handled by the time we arrive.*
---
Jinhyuk had tugged Ruhwolf's arm, saying let's go first.
Ruhwolf had come along, but he'd worn a question mark the whole way down.
The distance from the processing plant to the city was barely an hour.
There was no way that much could be cleaned up in that time.
---
*Beep.*
---
When the scanner turned red, he'd thought *of course* and accepted reality, about to turn back.
Then that thing exploded.
"That old gun you said was outdated, Ruhwolf? I used that."
"What...? Those were regular bullets."
"The stuff inside the bullets was special. Anyway, your citizenship is restored."
Jinhyuk looked at the air.
[Remaining tickets exist!]
[Myth Tower Floor 21 continues!]
[Entering Myth Tower Floor 21: Magitech City 'Aetheropolis']
[Remaining Myth Tower tickets: 1]
[Floor 21 clear condition: ???]
He bit his lip.
Another question mark.
It was never friendly, but lately it felt worse.
Had he done something to piss it off?
"We can go in, right?"
Ruhwolf checked the scanner's color and spoke.
The gatekeepers, stunned by the sudden explosion, stared at each other.
One of them glared at Ruhwolf and Jinhyuk like he wanted to eat them.
"Nonsense! Explain yourself. What did you do? It was you, wasn't it? This old geezer doesn't have the ability to cause an explosion like that!"
Ruhwolf was one of the top magitech engineers in Aetheropolis.
But even he needed equipment for magitech engineering.
Since he'd been sent out without any equipment, it was hard to believe he'd invented something at the waste plant.
"Yeah. That's right. But I'm not telling you. I have no obligation to explain."
"What did you say!?"
Ruhwolf furrowed his brow.
"You should step aside. My citizenship being restored means I'm entitled to fair treatment as a citizen of Aetheropolis. The moment you block entry, you're breaking this city's law."
"Save that ancient crap for the courtroom! And that bastard isn't even a citizen!"
"Even without citizenship, a single companion vouched for by an existing citizen is permitted entry. Unless the city's law has changed, that's what it says."
The gatekeeper's face flushed red.
Ruhwolf wasn't wrong, which only made him angrier.
"A washed-up reject the city threw away, yapping away...! Get lost now!!"
Light burst from the gatekeeper's magitech gauntlet.
The gauntlet shot forward, spewing steam.
Ruhwolf closed his eyes reflexively.
A blow that hard to the face would be too much.
But why?
Even after enough time passed, he felt no pain.
Instead.
*Whoooooosh!!*
An unknown blast of air swept past.
Surprise filled Ruhwolf's face as he opened his eyes.
The magitech gauntlet had stopped barely fifty centimeters from his face.
The gatekeeper hadn't stopped it.
It had been blocked.
By Jinhyuk's outstretched finger.
"Th-this...!"
*Pssshhhh!!*
He tried to increase output by venting steam, but it was useless.
The gauntlet didn't budge, as if stopped by a massive mountain.
A gauntlet that multiplied strength several times—stopped by a bare hand, and by a finger at that.
As a brilliant magitech engineer, he found it even more unbelievable.
"Ruhwolf."
Jinhyuk spoke casually, and Ruhwolf barely managed to nod.
"Is there something like that in the city's laws? Like, you can beat the crap out of someone who violates a citizen's rights or tries to harm them?"
"Th-there is. Violence used to protect oneself is recognized as self-defense."
"Oh, really?"
"What the hell is this bastard talking about...?"
The gatekeeper's words never finished.
Jinhyuk's hand swung lightly.
*CRACK!*
With a loud splitting sound, the gatekeeper slammed into the wall.
Whether knocked out or not, he went limp on the spot.
"If something like that exists, you should've told me earlier. We could've gotten through faster."
Jinhyuk smiled and stared at the remaining gatekeeper.
"Are you going to stop me?"
"Y-you crazy...! Do you have any idea what you've done, attacking a gatekeeper of Aetheropolis!?"
"Yeah. Self-defense. I'll be going now. Let's go, Rudol... I mean, Ruhwolf."
He quickly corrected the name.
Momo kept singing "Rudolph, Rudolph" so much it almost slipped out.
Ruhwolf nodded and followed Jinhyuk's steps.
"S-stop right there!?"
The gatekeeper shouted harshly but didn't dare block Jinhyuk and Ruhwolf.
He pressed himself against the wall, sweating bullets.
Then he brought his wristwatch to his lips.
*Beeeeeeeeep---!!!*
A sharp siren blared as red light spread through the city.
The magic circuits enveloping the city changed color, dyeing all of Aetheropolis red.
"Prepare yourselves! The crime of attacking a gatekeeper will carry heavy consequences!"
Ruhwolf sighed.
"They'll swarm us."
"It's fine. It was self-defense. But Ruhwolf."
"Hm?"
"You're not wrong about the city's laws, are you?"
"I'm old, but not that old. Trust me."
"Phew. That's a relief. Means I can beat the crap out of anyone who touches us."
Cold sweat ran down Ruhwolf's forehead.
What the hell is this kid?
---
*After getting rid of the waste, I'm roasting sweet potatoes.*
---
He hadn't brought any of his companions.
Even at top speed, it would take at least forty minutes from the processing plant to here.
If Aetheropolis went all out, they could've killed him dozens of times over.
So why was this kid so calm?
Like he could take on the whole city and win.
"What's going on!"
How long had it been since the siren rang?
A middle-aged woman appeared, leading dozens of soldiers.
An orange-haired woman with an eyepatch over one eye.
Ruhwolf let out a low breath.
"Good. Someone reasonable showed up."
As the distance closed, Ruhwolf spoke first.
"Long time no see, Rossana."
"Ruhwolf...?"
Rossana's face showed disbelief.
She alternated her gaze between the gatekeeper embedded in the wall and Ruhwolf.
"You don't have citizenship, do you? Don't tell me you forced your way through with a mercenary...?"
"Of course not. This kid is an acquaintance, not a mercenary. Run the scanner."
Thinking it'd be faster, Ruhwolf extended his arm.
*Beep!*
Magitech Engineer Ruhwolf Sargier. Citizenship confirmed normal.
Rossana frowned at the scanner's voice.
How was this possible?
He'd been given a task he could never finish.
"The gatekeeper confirmed my citizenship but still attacked physically. This kid protected me in the process."
"Is that true?"
"G-General Rossana, that's..."
Rossana's face twisted.
"Answer properly. Before I collect the gate's magic and run it back."
Only then did the gatekeeper lower his head and admit Ruhwolf was right.
"You foolish bastard! Gatekeepers breaking Aetheropolis's laws? Take him away. You two guard the gate until the next shift arrives."
"Yes!"
Rossana's soldiers struggled to pull the gatekeeper out of the wall.
Rossana turned her gaze to Jinhyuk.
"Embedding him in the wall. I'd say that was excessively violent."
"I didn't know the wall was that weak. I'll be more careful next time."
"Playing word games..."
Rossana trailed off, looked at Ruhwolf, and shook her head.
"Ruhwolf. Heading to your place?"
"That's the plan for now."
"I'll escort you there. There might be unnecessary noise on the way."
"I appreciate it."
He decided not to refuse.
Anyone connected to the Administration Bureau would react the same way as that gatekeeper the moment they saw Ruhwolf.
Jinhyuk and Ruhwolf followed Rossana.
"R-Ruhwolf?"
"Huh...? Is that Ruhwolf?"
"Ruhwolf is back."
"Shh. Quiet. Don't stare."
Jinhyuk observed the whispering crowd.
As expected, a renowned magitech engineer of the city.
Everyone—adults and children alike—recognized Ruhwolf.
But no one approached him first.
They seemed afraid of something.
"Why have you returned?"
Rossana spoke quietly as they walked in silence.
"As a general of the Administration Bureau, you don't seem pleased. An old man who inevitably stirs up trouble has returned."
"You know that's not it."
"Just a joke."
Ruhwolf let out a hearty laugh.
Was that frivolous attitude the trigger?
Rossana gritted her teeth, turned into a deserted alley, and stopped.
Then she faced Ruhwolf.
"It's not too late even now. I'll handle the gatekeeper. Go back to the processing plant."
"You want me to rot away in a place with nothing, not even magitech engineering?"
"You know that's the only way to survive. Someone who knows that—why would you...!"
Rossana pressed her forehead.
"Now, of all times... When everything's already over, what are you planning to do? Vaela, our only hope, has stopped moving. Those who shared your cause are living like the dead under the Administration Bureau's watch. There's nothing they can do."
"You're still here, aren't you?"
"You know why the Administration Bureau hasn't cut me loose!"
"Because there are still many in this city who respect and follow you. And you cherish them too. You haven't changed. That vicious method of holding each other hostage so neither can do anything."
Ruhwolf took a breath.
Then he glanced at Jinhyuk and continued.
"I'm going to reclaim Vaela with this kid."
"What...?"
"And wake her up again."
*Ding!*
[Myth Tower Floor 21's clear condition has been updated! 'Wake up Aetheropolis's war hero, Vaela!']
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