Crackle, crackle, crackle.
We sat in a circle in the garden, watching the bonfire blazing in the center.
Originally, there was only a barbecue machine, but I had just ambitiously set this up.
All for the sake of charcoal-grilled Teharam skewers.
"Is it ready now?!"
"No. That's raw meat."
"Is that so? How about now?"
"You'll get a stomachache right away."
"Got it."
Was it because of the appetizing oil sizzling over the meat?
Kancho's legs were trembling impatiently, eager to eat as soon as possible.
"Kancho! Wait a little! The more you endure, the better it tastes!"
"Wipe the drool dripping down your chin before you speak."
"Ah."
Momo wiped the drool from her sleeve.
"I'm hungry."
Everyone's gaze shifted toward the voice.
Perhaps because she had finished digesting the special meal, Azriel.
After finishing her shower, Nia was standing.
"Hey, Sleepyhead! Open your eyes properly! Why are you only half-opening them? I can only see half."
"This is fully open."
"Huh?!"
"Boo, you're trash."
"Tsk, tsk. Since ancient times, it's been said you shouldn't criticize someone's appearance. Truly a demon."
At the barrage of criticism, Kancho's ears twitched uneasily.
Momo suddenly stood up and walked behind Nia.
She reached forward and lifted Nia's eyelids.
"How's Momo helping you open your eyes wide! Can you see better now?!"
"It's the same."
"What?!"
"Child, you chubby one. Stop teasing her and sit down. You'll get punished, you know?"
"Got it! Nia! If you want to open your eyes wide, just say the word! Momo will hold them open for you!"
"Uh-huh."
Returning to her original spot, Momo resumed her staring contest with the Teharam skewers.
I spoke to Nia, who had regained her peace.
"Not sleepy anymore?"
"I am. But I'm hungry."
"You don't sleep all the time except when you're eating, do you?"
Nia slowly turned her head and stared at me blankly.
Was she about to get angry, asking if I thought she was some kind of sleep addict?!
"Master is really smart. How did you know?"
"Master is naturally smart!"
"That's right! A thousand times smarter than Momo-...!"
"Roundhouse kick!"
I wasn't sure why a roundhouse kick involved a chubby fist swinging, but Kancho was knocked flat on his back.
Not satisfied with that, the Wind Fighter Momo climbed on top and started pounding him.
While the Kanmo duo had disengaged for battle, I continued the conversation.
"Nia, how did you end up falling into that distant abyss?"
The abyss where Nia had been sleeping, which I had easily summoned using the Mythical Tower, was a place almost impossible to reach under normal circumstances.
It was common sense that Azriel, who was nothing more than prey, couldn't have sent Nia there.
The vile beings Bellia mentioned were ultimately divine beings of the holy alignment, so I couldn't picture Nia losing to them.
"Abyss?"
After thinking intently, Nia snapped her tiny fingers.
"I went in myself."
"Huh?"
"I was tired from using up all my power, and I wanted to sleep, but they kept attacking and waking me up, so it was hard. Then a kid I'd never seen before made a door for me. They said if I went in there, I could keep sleeping."
"And you don't know who that was?"
"Nope. I didn't bother thinking about it."
I swallowed dryly.
I guess that's the sin of sloth for you.
If she could sleep peacefully, she would have walked into a fire pit.
'Now I'm starting to get a clearer picture.'
No matter how advantageous the matchup was, fighting multiple divine beings must have taken a toll.
Someone must have taken advantage of that opening and tricked her.
It was hard to say whether it was deception or a win-win situation, but regardless.
"Normally, sleeping recovers my power, but strangely, after going through that door, I just kept getting emptier. So I just kept sleeping."
According to Nia, her memories resumed during the shamanistic ritual on this 90th floor.
When she opened her eyes, Carmela was there, drenched in blood.
She said it left her confused for a while.
"Let's find the bastards who tricked you later and beat them up."
"Okay. Tricking is bad. We need to punish them."
Whether she had seen me do it or not, Nia slowly extended her thumb.
I smiled and gave her a thumbs-up.
I didn't know exactly who those bastards were.
But I had a few places worth checking.
The groups that suddenly popped up and threw a fit, telling me not to climb.
They clearly seemed to know what Azriel was.
'Just wait for me.'
As I was looking forward to the day I'd give them a thorough beating.
Ding.
A message arrived.
It was from Japanese Prime Minister Sato Tsubasa.
# I figured you just came down from the tower, so I'm leaving a message instead of calling. I don't know how to express my gratitude. Thank you so much. I'll repay you.
I smiled.
I had received a similar message from Sophia of the British Royal Family.
-[Player Eugene Hyeok, who defeated Azriel, is given a choice!]
The system had asked me to select the countries where the changes for that section would apply.
If I were a righteous hero worried about Earth's peace?
I would have naturally chosen the Tower of Despair for all countries.
But unfortunately, I'm not a hero with such a big heart.
I'm just a young man named Eugene, in his twenties, with a grudge so deep that I never forget anything, no matter what.
Before climbing the tower, I had read through various news articles and posts on tower sites, knowing exactly who believed in me and who viciously tore me down.
So without hesitation, I chose only three places.
Japan and the United Kingdom, who believed in and supported me, and the Vatican City, home to the Papal See.
Of course, when the Player Hunter Agency subtly inquired, I answered like this:
I said I had no choice because I could only select three countries.
No one else knows what options were given to me, so why would I need to be honest and get cursed out?
"They're all done."
Vayla quickly distributed the beautifully grilled skewers.
After replying to Sato Tsubasa, I quickly took a skewer.
A small repayment for believing in me.
I hope it helps, even just a little.
* * *
British Royal Palace.
"Pfft!"
Queen Sophia Marcia Windsor burst into laughter.
Elisia, the former queen and her grandmother, who was drinking tea beside her, also smiled.
"Is it that funny?"
Perhaps thinking she had laughed too lightly, Sophia cleared her throat a couple of times and composed her voice.
"Yes. A little... a lot."
How could she not laugh?
The temperature difference was so stark starting from the system announcement of the tower clear.
Before the announcement, the British Royal Family had to endure considerable criticism from both inside and outside.
Internally, members of the British Parliament, and externally, various religious groups, had thrown stones, saying it was too rash a show of support.
The Prime Minister had even called and cautiously requested that the Royal Family consider making their support a bit more neutral, though they understood what the Runner meant to them.
Of course, it didn't work at all.
-It's not an emotional decision. It's an entirely rational one. Just watch. If it goes wrong, I will personally step forward and apologize.
The Prime Minister had given up on further persuasion and hung up when she was too stubborn.
Now, that same Prime Minister and the parliament members were not just supporting but praising the British Royal Family and the Runner, going out of their way.
"This time, at least, the Prime Minister and the parliament will sweat a bit."
It wasn't that the Prime Minister and parliament's original calculations were wrong.
Even if the Runner cleared the tower safely, they could just say they expressed concern just in case.
But no one could have known.
That the Runner, who cleared the tower, would extend that benefit to England as well.
In the current world, clearing the Tower of Despair is directly linked to a nation's security.
Therefore, the Prime Minister and parliament became the entities that had distrusted and slandered the Runner, who had greatly contributed to England's security without any compensation, and even after belatedly changing their stance to praise, they were being heavily cursed as ungrateful bastards.
"They say the clear rate for England's 81st-floor section has already skyrocketed."
"That makes sense. That section was a barrier from the very step of obtaining dark-attribute weapons."
"I really don't know how to repay this kindness."
As much as the Prime Minister and parliament were being cursed, the British Royal Family's reputation was skyrocketing.
Everyone was tirelessly praising Queen Sophia's character and wisdom.
"On a separate note, I am a bit curious."
Elisia took a sip of tea, her expression意味深长.
"Whether the given options were really just three, as the Korean Hunter Agency announced."
Sophia nodded a couple of times and curled her lips.
"I have a feeling they weren't."
"Is there a reason?"
"No. I don't know anything, but it just feels that way."
"If that's the case, I'd like to recruit them later. As a political advisor to the Royal Family."
Whether the Runner intended it or not.
This incident sent a message to all countries around the world.
A very firm message: if you want to enjoy the benefits, if you don't want to be excluded from what other countries are enjoying, don't go against him.
Moreover, even after receiving this message, countries couldn't express even a hint of doubt, let alone complaints.
The Runner had also granted benefits to the Vatican.
And due to the nature of the Vatican City State, even the smaller countries they were helping got to enjoy those benefits.
As a result, the Runner was elevated to a hero who even looked after countries that couldn't afford to climb the tower themselves.
Who would dare to express dissatisfaction or suspicion towards such a Runner?
"A person whom even the goddess of fortune favors. They become more and more desirable. By the way, what on earth are these people? They seem to have no shred of conscience or self-respect."
Elisia sighed and stared at the monitor.
The religious groups that had suddenly appeared and viciously attacked the Runner as if to kill him.
Those same groups were now exalting the Runner as the Messiah of the current world.
They showed no concern for the fierce criticism around them.
A level of shamelessness from another world.
Sophia let out a deep sigh and shrugged her shoulders.
"Well, shall we just keep raising our glasses?"
"Let's do that."
Sophia and Elisia lightly clinked their teacups.
As she tilted her teacup, Elisia turned her gaze out the window.
'The Runner... Eugene Hyeok.'
At least as far as she knew, there was no one.
An individual who exerted such unilateral influence over the world.
A smile crept onto her lips.
What kind of upheaval would this world experience next because of this one person, the Runner?
Her heart was already starting to race.
* * *
Sniff sniff.
"Ugh."
My nose wrinkled involuntarily.
Having eaten right next to the bonfire, I was thoroughly soaked in the smell of charcoal and Teharam meat oil.
"I'm ready."
Vayla walked over with a bundle of luggage.
I thought about putting it in the inventory but decided against it.
A bundle containing various dishes.
It seemed better for Vayla to deliver it in person.
Kuuuuul.
Momo, Kancho, and Nia were sleeping side by side, their bellies pointing up at the sky.
Smiling, I pressed the entrance button for the Mythical Tower.
The reinforcement blueprint for the ticket storage I had received as a special reward last time.
I planned to entrust it to Grandpa Rubolf, who resembled a red nose.
[Entering the 22nd floor of the Mythical Tower, 'Etheropolis Magic Engineering Research Institute'!]
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T/N:
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