Chapter 12

    Those who don’t receive permission from the Tower can’t even enter the Tower.

    It’s like a mirage; the closer you get, the further it recedes. It’s clearly there, yet forever unreachable. Despite that, it continuously enters one’s sight.

    Physical distance wasn’t important to the Tower.

    If I had to compare, it’s similar to bookworms. It’s closer to a mental realm. One can enter just by thinking about entering the Tower.

    To begin with, there isn’t even an entrance. This means physical entry is impossible.

    Players who have been granted the qualification to climb can enter freely, but NPCs need permission to enter.

    However, that doesn’t mean NPCs can enter the same places as players.

    They aren’t transported to “floors” where players are attacking, but to “rooms” like offices.

    The interior of the Tower isn’t simple.

    It’s not structured as one space, one dimension assigned to each floor.

    It’s not so well-organized.

    It’s a form that’s tangled haphazardly like rags.

    It was flimsy and amateurish, as if it hadn’t even been properly designed.

    It’s not made up of planar floors but is complexly and compositionally mixed.

    The “floors” accessible only to players and the “rooms” accessible only to NPCs are strictly separated.

    “Rooms” can influence “floors,” but “floors” cannot influence “rooms.”

    They can’t inherently lower the difficulty, nor can they strengthen players without any conditions.

    Within a set difficulty, they can design trials within the Tower. But while they can increase the difficulty, they can’t decrease it.

    Because as the word trial implies, it shouldn’t be easy.

    If there are conditions, they can strengthen players.

    In the form of sponsorship, they can enhance the player’s abilities if the sponsor side bears the burden. Or they can share the burden with the player in the form of quests.

    But the person currently managing the Tower is quite an old-fashioned person who dislikes such things.

    She was reluctant to touch even the smallest part of the Tower. She disliked change.

    Should power be obtained by oneself? She claimed there’s something to be gained by overcoming trials on one’s own.

    In the end, that claim was proven wrong.

    The trials were too immense to overcome with just one’s own strength.

    Well, there seems to be another reason too.

    “That’s why I regret. Why was I so confident back then?”

    The ‘Tower’ said so, looking up at the empty sky.

    Though we clearly entered the interior of the Tower, an endlessly wide sky was spread out.

    Under that sky, there were only ruins that had collapsed to the point where it was hard to recognize their original form.

    What was originally white retained a desolate gray as dust accumulated.

    Broken statues and remains located here and there indicated that the original purpose of this place was a temple.

    “At first, I was stubborn because of that arrogant confidence. From the middle, I was obstinately stubborn even knowing I was wrong. By the time I wanted to correct everything, it was already too late.”

    With each exhale, the cold white breath seemed to embody her regret.

    “Or maybe it was just to remember someone. I was afraid that if I touched what that person left behind, the longing embedded there would fly away. Why am I so stupid? Why am I so inadequate?”

    Like the ruins she was sitting on, her heart seemed to have half-collapsed already.

    “I’m sorry. You didn’t come to hear such things.”

    “No, it’s fine. I came to hear such things.”

    “… You have bad taste.”

    I waved my arms in embarrassment. That’s not what I meant.

    The ‘Tower’ glances at me with a mischievous smile.

    Only then did I realize it was a joke.

    So she knows how to joke. I suddenly realized that she too was a person.

    “So what’s the real reason you came to see me?”

    “I just wanted to hear your story. There were many things I wanted to ask.”

    “Why didn’t you come earlier? I was always ready to answer.”

    “Haha.”

    I let out an awkward laugh and avoided the answer.

    The truth is, I resented the ‘Tower’ a lot.

    I resented her for throwing me into an unfamiliar place without any guidance. I couldn’t like the Tower that caused so many players to die.

    I didn’t know what meaning there was in climbing without any discernible purpose.

    Is it just entertainment? Or is there some noble purpose?

    I had questions, but I deliberately didn’t try to find out.

    Maybe I just needed someone to blame.

    Because the emotion of resentment was lighter than the emotion of sadness.

    Because resentment towards you hurt less than sadness directed at myself.

    Because resentment, which burns everything around and makes it dry, was more comfortable than sadness that settles heavily like rising moisture.

    I avoided hearing that answer.

    Now I want to hear it.

    “First, I’d like to know what the Tower is.”

    “Ah, starting from there?”

    “The Tower is a sword that pierced a god’s heart.”

    “Eh?”

    From the beginning, an extraordinary story flowed out.

    She continues calmly, as if telling only facts.

    “The Tower was covered in the god’s blood, and that’s why transcendental acts can be performed in the Tower. Because even a part of a god possesses strong power.”

    She rested her head against a pillar and placed her hand on her forehead.

    A careless gaze is directed at the moon rising in the night sky.

    “We are beings created that way. Beings born by killing our parent.”

    When I looked at her with worried eyes, she said as if there was no need.

    “Don’t worry. Still, I know how I was created, what intentions there were, and such things. I know exactly about myself.”

    She’s deliberately trying to speak stiffly, but a slight trembling is felt.

    There’s no need to point out what she’s trying to hide.

    Pretending not to have heard, I continued to ask.

    “Who do you mean by god? The game developer? The originally existing god?”

    “Both. They are the same person.”

    I had expected this to some extent.

    Because it was using the system of that game as is.

    Still, it was surprising. A game created by a god.

    “Why create it in the form of a game? There are various forms like novels, dramas, anime.”

    “Because games were the easiest to integrate. It would also be easier for people to adapt.”

    “Is that so?”

    “We always pursue fairness. In that sense, games were perfect.”

    I tilted my head, not understanding.

    Seeing my reaction, the ‘Tower’ continued with additional explanation.

    “The game system is intuitive. One trial, and the reward provided when it’s completed.”

    That’s certainly true. Growth is objectively visible, and in many ways, it’s a system that fits well with the Tower.

    “The ranking system of the game was also convenient. We could provide rewards according to the ranking order.”

    “The invitation order was determined by the game’s ranking?”

    “That’s right. That’s also why you were the first to enter the Tower.”

    Was it because I was ranked first that I entered faster than anyone else?

    “But can that be called fair?”

    “It’s fair. You get rewarded according to the time and effort invested.”

    “I didn’t expect to hear grand words like effort and investment regarding a game.”

    “Luck is also one of the necessary elements.”

    “What about those who never played the game and didn’t even receive an invitation?”

    “It was issued in the form of invitation cards. If you ever downloaded or executed the game, you’d be invited to the Tower.”

    “Isn’t that too much luck?”

    “Luck is also an essential element.”

    Hmm, let’s say that’s the case for now.

    “Was the Tower’s purpose to create a god?”

    “That’s right. The Tower was built to create a god. To create a new god to succeed the dead god. The act of climbing is the process of becoming a god. Do you know about the Tower of Babel?”

    I know.

    A tower built by humans long ago to challenge God.

    Was the tall building reaching for the sky so threatening that God divided human races and languages? So they couldn’t easily cooperate.

    That’s why it’s Babel. It has the meaning of mixing.

    “You know well. The motif was taken from there.”

    I had wondered why so much meaning was placed on the act of climbing, but there was a reason for it all.

    It seems to make sense now.

    But why Korea of all places?

    “Of all the many countries, why Korea?”

    “It was simply a mistake.”

    “A mistake?”

    “Originally, we tried to establish it in the neighboring country with a larger population, but just then a sneeze came out.”

    “For such an important matter?”

    A laugh involuntarily escapes.

    The more I know, the more haphazard corners there are. It’s miraculous that it’s been maintained until now.

    “It wasn’t you, was it?”

    “…”

    She quietly avoids my gaze.

    “It was you, not that scatterbrained Sun?”

    “Yes.”

    When I raised my head at the sudden informal speech, many things had changed.

    The surroundings, the person standing in front of me.

    Instead of a woman surrounded by all white light, there was a woman with red hair tied back, smiling confidently.

    She wears a black t-shirt and smiles casually.

    Many things are different, but she is also the ‘Tower’.

    Instead of a white temple, it’s a barren desert in the middle of nowhere.

    Instead of the dark night sky, there was a sky with bright sunlight shining down.

    “She’s surprisingly scatterbrained.”

    “I’m dumbfounded. Just because of a simple mistake?”

    “As I keep saying, luck is also one of the important elements.”

    She muttered that, swaggering.

    Then she places her arm on my shoulder and says,

    “So why are you suddenly curious about this? Didn’t you hate us?”

    “I did hate you.”

    “And now?”

    “…Not now.”

    With the passage of time, hatred also faded. Because I understood them.

    And the moment understanding touches, hatred loses its power.

    “That’s good. I thought you hated us.”

    She laughs boisterously and vigorously pats my back.

    “Ack! I think I might hate you again.”

    “Just from this? Aren’t you too weak? Build some muscle, not just brain.”

    “You’re the strange one.”

    I grumbled, refuting her words.

    This is why I didn’t want to face this person.

    We’re not on good terms. It’s hard to push back when someone approaches recklessly without a sense of distance.

    “But it’s not your time to appear yet, is it?”

    “What? Did you deliberately come at this time to avoid me?”

    “…”

    “This guy.”

    I was immediately put in a headlock.

    “Keck keck.”

    “Actually, I have a favor to ask.”

    “What favor?”

    “You’re going to turn back time, right? That’s why you came here.”

    This is why I dislike her.

    While pretending to have no thoughts, she pierces into one’s core more sharply than anyone.

    “To turn back time, many things will be needed.”

    “So?”

    “Use me as a sacrifice. Then many things will be resolved. You can properly utilize me as a weight to put on the scale.”

    “Did the Moon agree to this too?”

    “No, for the first time, our opinions diverged. But no matter how I think about it, I have no use in this Tower.”

    What words should I say?

    Comforting people seems too difficult. emotions are so diverse that it’s hard to grasp how to handle them.

    “I’ve pondered this over a long period. So please, use me as a sacrifice?”

    Please.

    Her last words, her desperate plea, keeps echoing in my ears.

    But I can’t grant that request.

    Because the price has already been paid long ago.

    I didn’t understand it at the time, but after hearing what she said today, it wasn’t incomprehensible.

    Why such immense authority was given to me.

    I didn’t speak words of denial to her, who was biting her lip with a determined expression.

    I wanted to hear what she had to say. I wanted to hear why she reached such a conclusion.

    I can’t deny that there was a thought of wanting to tease her a bit. It was a minor, if petty, revenge.

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