Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Kind and Lewd Auntie's [Tower of Lust] Guide
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Brigitte auntie... no, noona, had joined me for a tower guide.
We started close by, right in the plaza in front of the skyscraper.
"The very spot we're standing on is the heart of the tower. No big differences from the other towers—when folks say 'We're hitting the tower today,' nine times out of ten, they mean here."
"Prime real estate, and they built something like this on it?"
"We've got a bit~ of money, as you know. And power, too. Who'd dare stop us big guilds from throwing up a landmark?"
"Makes sense. Not many idiots would pick a fight with the top six guilds."
The skyscraper stood in exactly such a place.
Next, we headed to the shopping district near the plaza.
"Cartographer Guild's over this way, too. Remember that short girl mixed in at the meeting earlier?"
"There were two of them."
"Oh, one was a guy. Auntie means the one with the round glasses and backpack. Ring any bells?"
I remembered.
『To reclaim my life, stolen by the tower from me and my wonderful friends who used to enjoy cartography work together~♪』
She was the smiling beauty amid the serious atmosphere.
Her Harry Potter-esque round glasses stood out, though the situation kept me from noting much else about her appearance.
"That's Vagabond. Korean like you. Her map-making skills are top-notch. She sells info not just here but from towers in other countries, too, so hunters trek all the way here to buy her maps. Even my guild's kids owe her big time~!"
Vagabond.
Vagrant, most likely.
Current rank five, huh...
"My guild's underlings sell gear around here, too. Main shop's over in the guild district, but you can grab urgent stuff right here."
"Gonna be pricey..."
"Of course—top-tier stuff. But for you, special discount. I'll let my crew know, so just drop my name when you buy. They'll even loan urgent items for free, so no stress~!"
Bam! Bam!
She slapped my back heartily and let out a booming laugh.
"That just makes it more burdensome. Feels like you're forcing me up the tower."
"No such thing~! Twist my words like that, and I'll get mad~?"
"Eek!"
She clamped my head in her armpit and squeezed, pressing her side boob against me.
Whoa, intense.
Everyone needs a chill big sis like this in their life.
Who'd have thought I'd snag one at my age...
"Hurry up and follow. Next district."
"Nyaah~."
She dragged me along in that pose.
Soft and squishy. Pillowy and plush.
It even smelled faintly like mom.
-Isn't that Brigitte noona?
-Master Tool?
-Our guild master... who's that guy?
-Dunno.
-New recruit?
-Probably just slacking off for some air again. Like that's new.
-Fair.
In that awkward position, we drew stares, but Brigitte noona couldn't care less.
True to Golden Tower form, few gawked at a ranker like her. Not none, but no commotion.
"Where's this?"
"The shady side."
This time, she'd dragged me to a dim district facing the beach.
The beach ahead bustled with tower-goers treating it like a resort, but this side was the opposite—gloomy vibe, nearly naked women prowling the streets, making even Brigitte noona's outfit look modest.
"This is the base of rank six's Putanesca, who runs OP Guild."
Guild rank six, too.
The dark woman in mourning clothes from the meeting.
"Hold up. OP as in... the OP I'm thinking of?"
"Bingo. This tower draws a lot of lewd women, thanks to its nature. Or maybe they turn lewd... Few choose it willingly. Our gloomy girl's the cleanup crew for pitiful ones like that—handles logistics, money, and girls here, so memorize it."
"Gloomy girl?"
"Madam's nickname. Auntie calls her that 'cause she looks so down. Always damp and depressed, with attachment issues, they say?"
Harsh judgment.
Anyway, it added up to a red-light district.
Beachfront made it prime for legalized prostitution?
"I've got a girl I'm seeing now, so I doubt I'll visit as often as you're implying."
"...…? Oh! My bad, I misspoke. Not that. It's her skill. Swing by every tower climb if you wanna live."
Huh?
"What's it do?"
"Insane buffs. Short as a day, long as a week. Not free, but you're the exception. Borrow her hand before climbing."
Holy shit, what welfare is this?
A day? A week?
Grab it before heading up?
Tower difficulty's fucked.
"You glimpsed her at the meeting today, right? No words exchanged, but she'll remember your face. Quiet, but clingy—shell back anyone useful for clears, so chat her up sometimes."
"Lonesome type?"
"Like auntie, she's got scars galore. Can't help but wanna look after the poor thing."
I recalled.
『As owner of OP, for the benefactor who took me in...』
The rank six's brief declaration at the meeting.
She had her story, too.
"Gear from me, buffs from the madam, other support or mercs from the guilds. Got it, cutie?"
I nodded to show I understood.
"Anything else?"
"Auntie's gotta show you one more thing. Not as deadly as tower reflux, but good to know—ignorance could bite you."
"Bite how? Pickpockets? Serial killers?"
"Nah, but looks deceive. Tons walking around with dangerous shit right now—you just didn't notice."
What did she mean?
Surface level, it was a resort. Hunters moved freely, security decent outside the tower.
"Beyond the rankers getting nabbed, other issues?"
"Wanna know? Follow quick~."
I tailed her, naturally.
She stopped at a beachfront stall right away.
"Beach."
"Drink first. Subtly scan around with just your eyes. You'll get what I mean."
Mango juice. Way sweeter than outside stuff.
Seemed random, so I scanned without grasping the order.
'Hunters passing by... Out-of-towners enjoying the resort...'
Slurp slurp slurp.
The beach was pure vacation spot, frequented by bigwigs and tycoons from various nations. Hunters mixed in made sense—they lived here. Took three minutes to clock the off vibe.
'Bit much...'
Four minutes in, it hit.
Not crowd size.
-Too many women.
-Gender imbalance.
-Gear exposure way high.
Hunters often overdo RPG-style outfits, hence cosplay shops in tower zones.
'Still, first time like this.'
Eighty percent of passing hunters were women.
Most in shady-side slutty getups, blending seamlessly thanks to the heat.
'Was like that in front of the building, too.'
Missed it then.
Noona'd said 'hot weather' while baring her chest.
"Why the ridiculous gear? They climbing like that?"
"Totally doable. My guild kids suffer for it."
"?"
"Can't tell from looks, huh? Sigh... We were clueless at first, too."
To explain simply, she triggered a skill on a female hunter passing right by us.
A small system window popped up in front of us two.
Gear info.
"...What?!"
"Shh. Quiet."
"No way, this real...!?"
Insane options on that flimsy outfit!
Bullshit, gotta be a prank!
Skill-level performance!
"And that's not all from this sealed low-floor tower...!?"
"Not the end. One more reason my guild's tearing hair out."
She dismissed the window.
There sat the real headache for this place's powers-that-be.
A curse!
"Cursed gear?"
"Yeah. But look again. Curse seems pretty lax, right?"
I did.
Can't unequip other gear, sure.
Lust boost scary, but merits overpower.
40% resistances? Overkill for that demerit.
"Any hunter'd want it, yeah?"
"Obviously. Performance like that's broken."
"Spot on. Take that guy, for example..."
Foreigner.
Not stripped down, but she activated again.
Another window.
Creepy now, wondering why it spilled his info.
...Fuck.
Total bullshit.
Great effect, shit demerit...!
Wait, so that dude's got a chastity belt under his pants...?
"Urk!"
"How's it feel from a guy's view?"
"Fuck no. I'd die first."
Absolutely not.
How could I do that to my precious little buddy!
"But if your life's on the line? If it saves you?"
"Bit extreme...?"
"Gotta do what ya gotta~! Plenty wear it for work~!"
Meaning dawned.
This tower was off. Leaking gear to direct tower lord meddling—everything risky.
"No regulations?"
"We do. Top six guilds enforce strict. Problem's expedition teams from outside. Foreigners ignore us for clears."
"That's their country's issue. No harm to us, no biggie."
She shook her head.
"This shit floods from low floors. Leaked gear hits the outside. Expeditions farm it abroad, cycles back home—vicious loop."
"Never seen it in action."
"Not in Brass Tower?"
"Nope."
"Low diff there. Heard North Korea expeditions ignore our orders~?"
"Ah, outside top six influence?"
"Yep. They farm foreign or NK towers, skip our rules."
External forces, then.
But why the fuss?
"No shade on mercs, but preference shift ain't panic-worthy."
"Not it. Auntie just learned—these have hidden effects."
No beating around the bush with her.
"Say a hunter's hooked deep, not just once or twice. Their relationships? 100% wrecked. Families too. Curse my skill can't detect."
Relationship ruin.
100% odds.
From Tower of Lust gear?
"Hold on. Your appraisal rank?"
"A-rank just now."
"Still missed it?"
"Not my specialty. Overseas S-rank appraisers barely uncovered. Heavy curse delayed response—spread among top hunters by wakeup call."
Damn...
Love-themed tower wrecking relationships?
"Tower targeting hunter bonds?"
"Still clueless? That bastard lord sows discord to block clears~! Fucking tower! How low can it go!"
Tower lord direct?
Fitting.
Precedent for meddling.
"Peaceful surface hides chaos. Ignore clears, incidents bubble up."
Window closed.
She slurped the mango juice and warned never to touch it.
"Breaks relationships or twists prefs, can't clear gimmicks?"
"Sharp newbie. 10th, 20th, 30th floors—gimmicks tied to relations or sex. Few men here? 10th floor effect."
"All dead?"
"Dunno. None returned. That's why everyone's betting on you."
She poked my chest.
"One more ask. Need gear? I'll prep. Don't fall for that trap—tower lord's bait. Go pure if climbing."
Gimmicks need relation know-how... gear wrecks it...
What a deathtrap.
Hadn't climbed, fear already gripped.
'Calm down.'
Not as bad as first skyscraper.
Her kindness fueled courage to repay.
"Noona. My skill help?"
"Absolutely. We all know it, me included. One more evolve? Real shot."
Heart raced.
Past intimidation now eagerness to deliver.
"10th floor gimmick details?"
"Hide from cute junior? Auntie's got you. But first..."
Her gaze hit the alley; mine followed.
"Someone you know?"
"Yeah."
"What relation?"
"Future girlfriend."
"Kid, you're something. Taste ain't ordinary."
"Think so too."
A suspicious woman with a bag over her head peeked from the alley.
Two weeks since last meet, but bafflement beat joy.