Near the platform in the square.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Yodelranger Vice-Captain Kancho looked around.
A heavy silence had settled over the square as the head of the Administration Bureau, Forkan Beldor, collapsed.
But in this situation, who was clapping?
'Huh?!'
Kancho's eyes shook violently.
The source of the clapping was Battalion Commander Seira Kincaiton.
"Impressive. Identifying the enemy's disposition the moment battle began and using it against them with psychological warfare."
Kancho's mouth fell open even wider.
Seira was famous for having the least reaction of anyone, even less than Renya.
And now she was not only clapping but muttering to herself like that?
And look at that face.
As if she had exceeded her capacity for pride, she wore an absurdly satisfied and warm smile.
That was how brilliant the Commander-in-Chief's performance had been.
If Battalion Commander Seira was acting like that, the Vice-Captain couldn't just stand still.
Clapclapclapclapclapclapclapclap!!
Kancho sent out a round of applause more vigorous than ever.
"What's going on! Why are you suddenly clapping!!"
"Just nod and clap! It's a long story!"
"Got it!!"
Clapclapclapclapclapclapclapclap!!!
Even Momo, who didn't understand what was happening, joined in.
Of course, the applause from the Kancho-Momo duo didn't affect the square's atmosphere at all.
No matter how hard they clapped with their chubby hands and pudgy paws, the sound was relatively quiet.
"Huff...! Huff...!"
Was it because of the commotion?
Ruvollf came running out of the hiding place into the square.
He collapsed, his breath caught in his throat.
He barely managed to steady his breathing and lifted his head.
And then he saw it.
A sight too surreal to be real.
"This... can't be."
The head of the Administration Bureau, Forkan Beldor, had fallen.
The Overlord, who was said to have no equal in Aetheropolis.
He was frozen, staring at the unbelievable scene.
"The ground is cold."
A familiar voice reached him.
"You are my father's disciple."
Following the voice, he saw Baila's outstretched hand.
On impulse, he took her hand and pulled himself up.
Baila was a doll, so she had no body heat.
And yet, why?
He felt a warm sensation in her hand.
"It's been a while."
"A while? I saw you just a few days ago."
It was only natural.
Her memories from the time her heart was removed until now would be blank.
Ruvollf smiled.
It was better this way.
Those blanks were things that didn't need to be remembered.
"Your friend woke me up again."
"Friend?"
Ruvollf followed Baila's gaze.
Jinhyeok was cleaning his sword beside the fallen Forkan.
He was the one who had brought about all this change.
"Lord Ruvollf!"
Rosanna appeared, leading a group of people.
Arriving at the square, Rosanna's mouth fell open, just as Ruvollf's had moments ago.
She had been planning to go to the Administration Bureau to drive out Forkan's forces.
She had even been prepared to die. But what was this?
Even seeing it with her own eyes, it didn't feel real.
"F-Forkan... is dead."
"That Forkan...!"
Forkan wasn't the only one who had fallen.
The soldiers caught in the middle, unable to act one way or the other, also laid down their weapons and knelt in unison.
The weapons Aetheropolis had hidden had been shattered, and Forkan had fallen.
Doing anything more was meaningless and reckless.
Ding!
At the cheerful sound, Jinhyeok looked up.
[Myth Tower Floor 21 Clear Condition 'Awaken Baila, the War Hero of Aetheropolis!' has been met!]
[You have cleared Myth Tower Floor 21!]
Ding!
[You have defeated Forkan Beldor, head of the Administration Bureau, and cut away the rotten part of the magitech city Aetheropolis!]
[You didn't just defeat Forkan to reclaim freedom; you revived the dying embers of the city and gave the people a chance! A perfect liberation!]
[As a reward, Myth Tower Floor 22 will change to 'Aetheropolis Magitech Engineering Laboratory'!]
You can obtain the clear reward for Floor 21 at the laboratory!
Floor 22 does not consume a ticket upon re-entry after the first entry!
You may freely use the laboratory's research equipment!
He roughly rubbed his chin.
A whole floor as a reward?
This was another form he had never seen before.
[Myth Tower Floor 22 Entry Condition: Occupation of the Administration Bureau by General Rosanna's faction]
She protected and helped the magitech engineers who were persecuted even under Forkan's rule.
Rosanna and her faction will end Forkan's dictatorship and rebuild Aetheropolis.
He turned his head.
It didn't seem like he would have to wait long.
White flags were rising to the top of the Administration Bureau, as if they had heard the news from the square.
Seeing that, the corner of his mouth curled up wickedly.
A magitech engineering laboratory... What kind of items would be there?
* * *
As expected, the remaining procedures went smoothly.
Jinhyeok and his party rode the elevator up to the Administration Bureau, following Rosanna and Ruvollf.
"Everything's shiny!"
"We gotta take it all!"
Kancho and Momo snorted roughly.
Momo's eyes especially sparkled fiercely; if left alone, she looked ready to pack up the entire Administration Bureau.
Ding!
When the elevator, which had been climbing for a while, stopped, Rosanna stepped aside.
"We've arrived. The most important facility in Aetheropolis, the Magitech Engineering Laboratory."
Ding!
[The entry condition for Myth Tower Floor 22 has been met!]
[You have remaining tickets. Would you like to enter immediately?]
Open it now!
[You are entering Myth Tower Floor 22, 'Aetheropolis Magitech Engineering Laboratory'!]
The elevator doors opened, revealing the laboratory.
"Whoaaaa!"
Truly magitech engineering.
Even someone unfamiliar with it could see it was full of cutting-edge tools and equipment.
Jinhyeok grabbed Momo, who was about to dart off before even starting to look around.
"Momo. You can't take the research equipment or facilities."
"Why not!"
He glanced at Ruvollf and Rosanna behind him, then spoke quietly.
"You know the goose that lays golden eggs, right?"
"Mm! Momo totally knows!"
That was the response she gave when she had no idea.
"In simple terms, this is a place where high-quality items are constantly being made."
"Really?! That's awesome!"
"Right? But what happens if a place like that stops working? In the long run, the items we can take will decrease. If we get greedy now and take ten, we'll lose a hundred items we could have taken in the future."
"That can't happen!!"
Now she seemed to fully understand.
He gave a thumbs up and set Momo down.
"Momo! Come here! This magitech claw looks good for grilling meat! Take it off right now!"
"Yaaaaaah!!!"
Momo shot over like a bullet and dropkicked Kancho.
"Guhack! Why all of a sudden! Le-let go of my ear! Aack! My ear's falling off!"
"You idiot Kancho! Don't you even know about the chick that lays golden geese?!"
"What is that! Since when does a goose lay chicks?! Ow ow ow!"
Jinhyeok slowly turned his head, pretending not to see.
Either way, the laboratory would be safe.
"It's been a long time."
Ruvollf smiled as he looked around the laboratory.
"This is where I made Baila with my master."
"Now that you're back, you can make dolls again."
Ruvollf shook his head.
"I don't plan to make dolls ever again. I'm not qualified. I did too terrible a thing to the children who fought and gave their lives for us. Instead, I plan to research things I've never made before. Learning new fields is also a magitech engineer's duty and pleasure."
Ruvollf's eyes sparkled.
Good.
When he first met him at the disposal site, his eyes were completely dead, but now the light had returned.
"So, I have one favor to ask."
"Yes?"
"Would you take Baila out of here? Aetheropolis not only turned a child who was a hero into a murder weapon but also made her tear out her own heart. Even if Forkan orchestrated it, and even if Baila doesn't remember what happened, the fact that Aetheropolis did that doesn't change. Besides, even aside from that..."
Ruvollf paused for a moment before continuing.
"I want her to live in a world without magitech engineering. As she lives and blends in naturally, won't she come to realize it? That even though she was created with a specific purpose, she can now just live as an ordinary member of this world."
Jinhyeok nodded.
"If Baila wants that too, there's no problem. But I don't know if it's possible to take her out."
Whether it was the Myth Tower or the Tower of Despair, one absolute impossibility was taking residents—living beings—belonging to the tower out with you.
Even Momo's Right of Seizure couldn't do it.
When he had tried to kidnap Konu to go out and play before, it had failed without exception.
The reason he could take friends like Seira, Dark, and Renya from each floor was entirely thanks to his Collector ability.
'But it might work.'
Baila thought and judged like a person, but she was a doll.
- The Philosopher's Stone supplies infinite energy, but it doesn't grant life, you know?
Elia, who made the stone, had said that too.
Creating life was absolutely impossible.
The Philosopher's Stone was just an energy source.
"I'll try."
"Thanks. That's enough."
He gave a thumbs up and walked deeper into the laboratory.
First, let's grab some items.
"Kancho! What do you think of this gun?!"
Momo lifted a long rifle.
From the muzzle to the grip, magic circuits were engraved on it, giving it an incredible cool factor.
"I can't use it. I need to be able to load clay."
The laser particles flew at an incredible speed, but it was a bit disappointing.
Ruvollf approached Kancho, who was waving his hand dismissively.
"Little friend, how about letting me see the gun you have?"
"You want to confiscate my staff again?! I told you I can't give my precious gun to just anyone!"
"I'll engrave magic circuits on your gun. To amplify its speed and power. Dolls are my specialty, so I'm a bit rusty, but I can do this much."
"Here you go."
As Kancho handed over the gun, Jinhyeok swallowed dryly.
What a massive shift in attitude.
"Lord Ruvollf. Can you engrave magic circuits on other weapons too?"
"If it's not a weapon imbued with its own inherent power, then yes. Those weapons have strong egos and reject magic circuits. For example, that knight friend's swords would be like that."
Seira laid out four Noble Phantasms.
The Demon Sword Tarkan, the Thunder Sword Raven, the Cursed Blade Muramasa, and the Blood Demon Sword Bloodrain.
"All four of them."
Seira nodded.
She didn't seem particularly disappointed.
She probably hadn't planned on it anyway.
Just as he was about to pull out his own swords to show them, he saw the Aetheropolis soldiers gathered below the window.
They were the ones who had surrendered after Forkan's death.
Seeing them, a thought suddenly crossed his mind.
"Lady Rosanna."
"Yes."
"The generals and soldiers of the former Administration Bureau all had their own weapons, didn't they?"
"That's correct."
"And now they have no further use for them."
"Th-that's right."
Clench!
Momo, who had been bickering with Kancho, stopped moving.
Then, almost simultaneously with her master, Eugene Jinhyeok.
Slowly.
She curled the corners of her mouth.
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T/N:
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