episode_0021

Brigitta, the middle-aged lady… No, she joined as a guide for me in the tower.

First, let’s not go far and start from the square right in front of the Tower of Wonders.

“Right where we stand is the center of the tower. When we say ‘Let’s go to the tower today,’ chances are we’ll end up here.”

“This is Nolunja Land, how come they built buildings in such a place?”

“We have a bit of money, you see. As you know, we also have power. Since we all decided to build a symbol together, who would dare to stop us?”

“Exactly. There shouldn’t be many bastards among the 6 major guilds.”

The Tower of Wonders was erected in such a place.

Next, heading towards the shops near the square.

“The Cartographer Guild is also here. Do you remember the petite girl who was at the meeting earlier?”

“There were two people.”

“Oh, one of them is a guy. The one the lady is talking about is the one with round glasses and a backpack. Remember now?”

I remember.

“With my wonderful friends who enjoyed being cartographers with me, and to reclaim my life taken by the tower~♪”

She was a smiling girl alone in a solemn atmosphere.

Her round glasses reminiscent of Harry Potter were striking, so I couldn’t recall her other features due to the situation.

“That guy is Bae Gabond. He’s Korean like you. His map-drawing skills are top-notch. He sells tower information not only here but in other countries too, so many kids come here on expeditions just to buy maps. Auntie’s guild members also owe a lot to him!”

Bae Gabond.

It must mean something like a wanderer.

Currently ranked 5th….

“Auntie’s subordinates also sell equipment nearby. The main store is over there, in the area where the guilds gather, but you can buy what you need here immediately.”

“It must be expensive….”

“Because it’s top quality. But you get a special discount. I’ll inform the subordinates, so just mention your name when buying things. If you need something urgently, I’ll arrange for you to borrow it for free, so don’t feel burdened!”

Tap! Tap!

She chuckled heartily while patting my back.

“It feels even more burdensome now. It’s like you’re forcing me to climb the tower.”

“I have no intention of doing that~! If you listen to Auntie’s words with a grudge, I’ll get mad, okay~?”

“Ugh!”

She squeezed my head under her armpit and pressed against my side chest.

Oh, this is embarrassing.

I wanted to have at least one straightforward older sister like her in my life.

I never thought someone rich enough to call me “nun” would appear at this age….

“Come on, follow me. Let’s go to the next area.”

“Ughhh~.”

I was dragged along in that state.

Soft. Fluffy.

There was a faint scent of my mother.

-Oh, isn’t that Brigitta?

-Master Tool?

-Our Guild Leader… Who’s that kid?

-I don’t know.

-A newbie?

-Probably just out for a stroll again. Is that a daily routine for him?

-Seems like it.

As I followed her in that awkward manner, all eyes were on us, but Brigitta didn’t care at all about such things.

Indeed, as befitting the Golden Tower, there were few people marveling at the Rankers. There were some, but it wasn’t noisy.

“Where are we now?”

“Emji.”

This time, we arrived at a dimly lit town near the beach.

While the beach in front was bustling with people enjoying the tower like a resort, this side had a rather dull atmosphere, with almost naked women walking along the street. Even Brigitta’s attire seemed modest in this neighborhood.

“This is the headquarters of OP led by the 6th-ranked 【Puttanesca(puttana)】 Madam.”

Guild ranking is also 6th.

She was the dark woman who wore formal attire at the gathering.

“Just a moment. Is this OP the one I’m thinking of?”

“Bingo. There are many lewd women here due to the nature of this tower. Well, should I say they’ve become lewd… There aren’t many women who willingly come here. Our Chimmie is like a janitor who picks up those pitiful women. He takes care of the tower’s logistics, finances, and women-related matters, so remember that.”

“Chimmie?”

“A nickname for Madam. She looks gloomy, so we call her that. Always damp and melancholic, even said to have a lack of affection?”

Harsh assessment.

Anyway, let’s sum it up as ‘Changgwan.’

It’s right by the beach, and it feels like a place where the official opening ceremony is taking place?

“I don’t think I’ll encounter the woman you mentioned often. Is that correct?”

“…? Ah! Oh, the old lady misunderstood. It’s not like that. We’re not asking you to flirt with anyone here; it’s because of Chimmie’s skill. If you want to survive, make sure to visit her every time you climb the tower.”

Huh?

“What do you mean?”

“She gives you a buff. It lasts shortly, from a day to a week. It’s not free, but you’re an exception. If you’re going up the tower, lend a hand to Madam.”

Wow, what an amazing welfare system is this?

A day? A week?

So, you receive it before climbing the tower?

Compared to the tower’s standards, damn, that’s something.

“Did you catch a glimpse of someone at the meeting today? Even if you didn’t speak, she must have remembered your face. Despite being reserved, she’s actually quite reliable. If she thinks it will help conquer the tower, she’ll support you generously, so be a companion to her occasionally.”

“Is she a lonely person?”

She also seems to have many lingering wounds like Madam. I feel sorry for her and want to take care of her without realizing it.

I remembered.

『I am the owner of this 【OP】, and for the benefactor who picked me up….』

The declaration made by the 6th place at the meeting.

Is there a story behind this too?

“Equipment is provided by the old lady, buffs by Madam, and other support or mercenaries are provided by each guild. Got it, cutie?”

I nodded in understanding.

“Is there anything else besides this?”

“The old lady has something she really wants to show you. It’s not as dangerous as reversing the tower, but it’s good to know. You might regret it if you don’t.”

“Regret? Are there pickpockets or murderers here?”

“It’s not that extreme, but this place is more dangerous than it appears. Even now, there are people walking around with dangerous intentions, and you haven’t noticed.”

What does that mean?

Outwardly, it’s just a resort. Hunters are actively moving around, and although it’s not as safe as outside the tower, the security is good.

“Are there any issues other than Rankers being captured?”

“If you want to know, follow me~.”

Naturally, I followed.

As soon as we arrived at the beach, we stopped at a street vendor.

“It’s the beach.”

“Enough talking, drink first. Look around discreetly without drawing attention, and you’ll understand what the old lady is saying, right away.”

He handed me mango juice. It was much sweeter than having it outside.

But feeling like this was sudden, I scanned my surroundings without understanding the command.

‘Hunters are coming… People from outside are enjoying their vacation…’

The beach was literally a resort, seeming like a place enjoyed by dignitaries and wealthy individuals from various countries. Although there were occasional hunters mixed in, they were residents of this place, so it wasn’t a strange sight. Initially, I didn’t notice any discomfort, and it took about three minutes wasted.

‘It seems a bit crowded…’

After four minutes, I felt uncomfortable.

It’s not that there are many people.

-There are many women.

-The gender ratio is imbalanced.

-The exposure level of equipment is excessive.

Among the hunters, there are quite a few who excessively adorn themselves like in an RPG game. Therefore, cosplay specialty shops are openly available within the tower area.

‘But this is the first time for such a situation.’

Eight out of ten passing hunters were women.

Most of them were dressed provocatively, and due to the hot weather, they mingled without any discomfort.

‘It was the same in front of the building earlier.’

I didn’t realize it then.

“When she said, ‘The weather is hot,’ she was scratching her chest.

‘Why is the equipment like this? Does it make your back feel better when you put it on?’

‘It’s totally usable. Thanks to this, the ladies in our guild are having a hard time.’

‘?’

‘You can’t judge a book by its cover, right? Ugh… Didn’t we think the same at first?’

To make it easier to understand, he activated a skill towards a female hunter who had just passed by us.

‘[Quality Control Inspection].’

‘Oh!’

A small system window popped up in front of us.

It was equipment information.

[Lustful Bikini Armor (Female)]

[Acquisition: Tower of Lust]

[Effect: All resistances increase by 40%.]

‘…What!’

‘Shh. Keep quiet.’

‘No, is this for real…!?’

Such unbelievable options on that light attire!

Damn, this is practically a skill level item!

‘So… this comes from the lower levels where even strategies don’t work because it’s sealed off in the tower?’

‘This isn’t the end of it. There’s one more reason why our guild is struggling.’

He lowered the window.

Written there was the content that troubled the authorities here.

[※You become obsessed with the equipment. While equipped, you cannot wear other gear. Libido increases significantly.]

A curse!

‘Is this a cursed item?’

‘Yeah. But look again. Doesn’t the curse seem really weak?’

I looked again.

It’s not just that you can’t take off the equipment once worn.

The libido increase is scary, but the merits are too excessive.

With a 40% resistance boost, the performance is overwhelming compared to that demerit.

‘Any hunter would want to use it, right?’

‘Of course. What kind of performance is that?’

‘You’re absolutely right. Look, for example, even that man over there…’

He was a foreigner.

Though not undressed, he activated a skill.

‘[Quality Control Inspection].’

Another system window appeared.

Whatever he did, I thought information was just bursting out, but now it gave me chills.

[Lustful Erection Guard (Male)]

[Acquisition: Tower of Lust]

[Effect: Aura capacity increases by 15%.]

[※You become obsessed with the equipment. Libido decreases significantly. The erection becomes distorted.]

…Damn.

Freaking hell.

The effects are amazing, but the demerits…!

Wait, does that guy have the Erection Guard under his pants right now…?

‘Ugh!’

‘How does it feel from a man’s perspective?’

‘Fuck no. I’d never use it even if I died.’

Absolutely not.

How could someone do such a terrible thing to my precious one!

‘But what if your life were in danger? If wearing it could save your life?’

‘Isn’t that too extreme…?’

‘But sometimes you have no choice~! It’s your livelihood, so there must be someone who has to wear it no matter what~!’

I began to understand what he meant.

There’s something strange about this tower. From the unraveling equipment to the direct intervention of the tower authorities, everything was dangerous.

‘Are you not regulating it?’

‘Of course we are. Especially our top 6 guilds are strict about it. But the problem lies with the outside expedition teams. Those foreigners who come, saying it helps conquer the tower, wear it without giving a damn?’

‘That’s an issue for other countries. As long as we’re not harmed, it’s not a big problem for us.’

I shook my head.

‘These things pour out from the lower levels. The poured-out items leak outside. The items farmed by the expedition teams circulate back into the country and create a vicious cycle.’

‘I’ve never seen that in all my activities.’

‘Wasn’t it in the Bronze Tower?’

‘Yes.’

‘Maybe the difficulty there is low, that’s why. I heard that those going on expeditions to North Korea use them against our orders~?’

‘Oh, there, outside the influence of the top 6 guilds?’

‘Exactly. Expedition teams can earn from North Korea or foreign towers, so they don’t follow our commands.’

So, external forces.

But what’s the problem with that?

‘They’re not planning to invade us. It’s just the wall changing; it shouldn’t be a big deal, right?’

“That’s not it. Even the ajumma hasn’t been herself lately; there are hidden effects in that equipment.”

Nunim was not one to beat around the bush.

“Let’s say it’s not just used once or twice, but a hunter completely falls into that equipment. Then the relationships between the wearers will be shattered 100%. It’s the same even if you try to maintain a family. There was an emotionless curse attached by the ajumma skill.”

The destruction of relationships between men and women.

That probability, a whopping 100%.

All because of the equipment from this place known as the Tower of Affection?

“Just a moment. What’s the grade of your emotion skill, Nunim?”

“I just used an A-grade one.”

“But still no effect?”

“Emotions aren’t Ajumma’s specialty. It’s information barely uncovered by an overseas S-grade emotion user. The curse is so heavy that the response is delayed, spreading among the top hunters before you know it.”

Phew…

If love is the theme, why does it ruin relationships between men and women?

“So, what is the Tower aiming for with the hunters?”

“Don’t you know yet? That damn Tower Lord is stirring up trouble among the hunters to prevent them from clearing the levels! Such a damn tower! I don’t know how it’s coming out like this!”

Directly by the Tower Lord?

It makes sense.

Given their history of direct intervention, it would be strange if they weren’t involved.

“Despite its peaceful appearance, the inside is chaotic. If we don’t conquer the Tower right away, incidents will surface one after another.”

I closed the window.

After slurping down the mango juice, I warned never to use it.

“If relationships shatter or barriers twist, can’t you break the gimmick?”

“Ha, our newbie catches on fast. At each level—10th, 20th, 30th—there are gimmicks related to relationships or gender blocking the way. The shortage of men here is due to the 10th-floor gimmick.”

“Have they all died?”

“I don’t know. But not a single person has returned. So everyone is counting on you.”

My heart sank.

“I’ll ask again. If necessary, Ajumma will prepare items for you, so don’t be swayed by such equipment. Those are traps set by the Tower Lord. If you really want to climb the Tower, rely on your true feelings.”

To break the gimmick, knowledge about relationships between men and women is needed… and wearing that equipment will ruin those relationships…

How dangerous is this place?

I haven’t even started climbing the Tower, yet fear looms large.

‘Keep calm.’

But it’s not as bad as reaching the top of a tower.

I felt much calmer while talking. Enough to gather the courage to repay Nunim’s kindness.

“Nunim, could my skill be of help?”

“It will definitely be helpful. I know everyone’s skill information, including Ajumma’s. If you evolve your current state one more time, there’s potential.”

My heart raced.

Before, I felt pressured due to the intimidation, but now I wanted to live up to expectations.

“Can you tell me about the 10th-floor gimmick?”

“Yeah, why hide anything from our cute junior? Ajumma can certainly tell you. But, before that…”

As Nunim’s gaze shifted towards the alley, mine followed suit.

『………♡』

A familiar plastic bag shape was there.

“Do you know her?”

“Yes.”

“What’s the relationship?”

“She’s going to be my girlfriend.”

“This kid is something else. Your taste isn’t ordinary, huh?”

“I think the same.”

The mysterious woman with a bag over her face peeked from across the alley.

Though it had been two weeks since we last met, confusion overshadowed joy.