Ch. 15 Proof of Value (3)
by AfuhfuihgsChapter 15 – Proof of Value (3)
‘Yes, you’ve always been desperate since the moment I first met you. As if you had a goal you absolutely had to chase and catch.’
A thousand silver blades, the constellation Serpina.
Serpina sat quietly, her eyes glued to the screen only she could see.
And on that screen was the person she cherished the most right now.
In a vast underground training ground, a woman with long silver hair flowing down to her waist was moving vigorously, swinging a large single-edged sword.
“Hah, another failure?”
She stopped mid-swing, a drop of sweat rolling down her chin.
It wasn’t just her face. Her outstretched arms, the clearly defined abs under her black sports bra—everything was drenched in sweat, showing how intense and prolonged Reina’s training had been.
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[It’s been a while since we’ve had such a feast!]
[Even though it’s just a common training outfit, look at everyone going crazy.]
[The only time she loosens up is during training, when she usually hates even wearing skirts lol.]
[If you have any conscience, show up, Selfie King.]
.
.
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The gallery’s reactions, which Serpina glanced at, were also heating up over the photos and videos shared by some users.
As they said, Reina only wore lighter attire when training alone, something she usually avoided.
It was a rare sight, so their excitement was understandable. Serpina felt the same.
But today was different.
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[Slicing falling water droplets simultaneously… she’s finally found the optimal training method for herself.]
ㄴ“How did she figure it out? She never did this before.”
ㄴ“Don’t you know Reina’s intuition is insane? Ordinary people can’t understand geniuses lol.”
ㄴ“She probably tried a few things and instinctively realized this was the best.”
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Some users focused on the training Reina was currently doing.
Magic bottles floated in the air, releasing water droplets at regular intervals.
Reina was pouring all her energy into slicing them simultaneously, honing her speed and senses.
Amazingly, it was the exact training method the gallery users had been discussing as the most efficient for her new abilities and style.
‘Overflowing talent? A genius?’
The gallery users praised and marveled at Reina for instantly finding the most efficient training method.
But Serpina scoffed at such reactions.
Unlike the gallery users, who only saw Reina through fragmented photos and videos, Serpina had watched her in real-time all this time. Reina was no genius.
“Why is it that when I teach you one thing, you can barely grasp even that?”
In the past, Serpina had often scolded Reina for failing to master the sword techniques she taught.
Though deeply infatuated with Reina, Serpina never compromised when it came to her mastery of the sword.
-“You have no talent.”
-“…I know.”
Serpina’s declaration that Reina had no talent for the sword was sincere. Reina didn’t deny it either.
-“But you have a strong heart. And I’ll admit you have a talent for climbing the Tower.”
However, Serpina acknowledged two other talents in Reina.
Her unyielding heart and the intuition the gallery users spoke of.
Reina’s ability to choose the most efficient and correct path in climbing the Tower was real.
‘And the reason your heart doesn’t break is…’
Everyone’s heart wavers. Especially in the Tower, where limits are constantly tested, it’s inevitable to feel doubt and hesitation.
In Serpina’s eyes, those who remained unshaken fell into two categories.
Those being chased and those chasing something.
Those who could only run forward.
To Serpina, Reina clearly belonged to the latter.
She had such a firm goal that she never wavered, running straight toward it.
‘And now, she’s found and created the training method she needs on her own.’
It wasn’t certain, but it was natural to question it.
「Donation goal achieved.」
Meanwhile, another notification appeared before Serpina’s eyes.
Thanks to Reina’s passionate training, the donation goal had been met.
‘Right, her armor was destroyed.’
This donation would likely be used to craft a new S-grade armor for Reina.
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[Vote for Reina’s new armor.]
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Serpina smirked and created a new post.
Since the users’ donations were funding the gift, their opinions were needed to decide what to give.
“You’ve worked hard.”
“It’s not fitting for a vice-master to do such things.”
“It’s just the two of us, and I enjoy doing it.”
When the time came, Kim Ji-eun carefully approached me, handing me water and wiping my body with a towel.
Though it was just sweat, my body purified all waste, making it more like water.
Still, having someone else wipe my sweaty body felt awkward and uncomfortable.
Moreover, Kim Ji-eun’s comment about enjoying it made me uneasy. Simple gestures like hugs or hand-holding were fine, but direct skin contact was a bit much.
“Just wipe it roughly. I’ll wash properly later.”
“Any progress?”
“Not sure.”
Kim Ji-eun tactfully changed the subject.
When asked about my training progress, I smiled bitterly.
Though the constellations recommended the optimal training method, it seemed I needed more time to master it.
To others, I might seem like a talented genius, but I was just an ordinary person struggling to keep up.
With less than a week left, I wasn’t sure if I could achieve results in time.
“The new armor is also an issue. I checked the auction house, but there’s nothing suitable for you right now.”
“The armor… I’ll handle it.”
I brushed off her mention of armor.
From what I knew, Serpina was planning to use the gallery’s donations to craft new armor.
There was no need to waste resources. The only problem was that my new abilities and style didn’t suit the full-body heavy armor I used to wear.
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‘She’ll handle it… right?’
I thought they’d take care of it, but just in case, I needed to visit the sanctuary and talk to Serpina.
She would surely bring it up.
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[For now, we should go with modular armor, Hermetica.]
ㄴ“Its defense is only 60% of the holy armor. What nonsense is this?”
ㄴ“Are those advocating for Hermetica just fans of the Gale Sword style?”
ㄴ“If you remove the lower half, it’s a high-leg design that shows the thighs. Do you really think Reina would wear that?”
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[Forget all that and go for the improved heavy armor, Mithril Requiem.]
ㄴ“If you’re just going for a slightly lighter version of heavy armor, why bother going through the trouble of reaching the 30th floor?”
ㄴ“Let’s stop with the heavy armor. It doesn’t suit Reina.”
ㄴ“This one has a skirt for the lower half. Do you think Reina would wear that? Lol.”
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As expected, the gallery was in chaos again, debating which armor to choose.
With the donation goal met, they were deciding what armor to gift me.
After reading through the posts, it seemed the countless suggestions had been narrowed down to two.
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[Why Hermetica is the right choice.]
- MannersPlease
-Reina’s style is changing, and Mithril Requiem is too heavy. We need versatile armor that allows for modular assembly and selection. Hermetica’s built-in propulsion and ether shields suit Reina well.
Most importantly, it looks damn good on Reina;
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One of the top candidates, Hermetica, resembled a sleek black suit straight out of sci-fi.
Composed of small, modular parts, it was easy to modify and came with many built-in functions.
In its default state, it transformed into a small bracelet, with nanomachines quickly covering the body to form the armor.
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[We need to consider the transition period. Familiarity is key now.]
- SwordKid
-Reina is aiming for a style change, but it’s still in its early stages. Overreacting now is unnecessary. Reina has always fought in heavy armor. Her defense is already weak; pushing too hard could lead to fatal injuries.
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On the other hand, Mithril Requiem was a massive heavy armor similar to what I used to wear.
The user advocating for it pointed out that it was too early for a change and criticized Hermetica’s lower defense.
This argument also had merit. I was more familiar with this type of armor.
I hadn’t even fully mastered the abilities and synergies I gained on the 30th floor. Could I really fight in a completely different style now?
‘This is helpful.’
As expected of the constellations, they were discussing even the smallest details I hadn’t considered.
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ㄴ“I prefer the lighter-looking Hermetica, but Reina’s identity is tied to heavy armor.”
ㄴ“She’d never wear bikini armor… though Hermetica could theoretically allow it.”
ㄴ“Heavy armor suits Reina better. Those screaming for exposure have no taste lol.”
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Meanwhile, some users were firmly expressing their aesthetic preferences.
They were solely focused on which armor suited Reina’s appearance better, venting their desires without restraint.
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ㄴ“The problem is that Reina might discard both.”
ㄴ“Seriously… she stored the last gift we sent because it wasn’t to her taste.”
ㄴ“This girl is stubborn as hell. What do we do?”
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Others were worried that I might not use their gifts well.
Seeing those reactions, I felt a pang of guilt and averted my eyes.
Back when I didn’t know about the fan gallery, I thought the random reward boxes sent through Serpina were genuinely random.
If I had known they were gifts from the gallery constellations, I wouldn’t have treated them so carelessly.
‘Now, I’ll have to accept anything with gratitude.’
As they said, I was stubborn and set in my ways, but I was ready to change.
At least I had realized that what I knew wasn’t everything.
Even if it didn’t suit my taste… for the sake of something more important, I’d have to endure it.
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[Hey everyone.]
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And unrelated to that, I began writing a post.
‘I have to do what I need to do.’
As I started writing to ask them questions, the corners of my lips curled up.
The Continuous Bloodbath was approaching, and I had a lot to ask them to achieve the best results.
Of course, I also included some selfies I had sneakily taken.
Author Note
A/N (Author’s note):
Thank you.
Translator Note
T/N (Translator’s note):
Speaking of which… what happens to those who climbs to the top of the tower and find out that they have constellation a fan club?…You know, I really should have questioned that sooner.
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