Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Humans are Animals of Adaptation - 1
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📰 General Title: Honestly, the Lucius fanboy density in the gallery is suffocating lately — Anon(123.73) — PlumpPuffyNyangi Fr lmao — MouthFartLowKick Every time I log in, the ragebait makes me log right back out — Anon(12.36) Pfweee... Brother Lucius... hooowwaaah... — Anon(71.21) Boring lord lit brainrot over now — Mnal(122.1) Time for the armband bitches to get reined in? — Blade of Ruin Just some passing gallery lord bait and the jowls start quivering, true hallmark lmao ↳ Reply — Anon(12.36)
>The bitch always spewing brainrot lit crawls out right away lmao
↳ Reply — Blade of Ruin
>Did someone hold a knife to your throat to make you click the title??? Genuinely curious tbh
↳ Reply — Anon(12.36)
>Yeah your mom threatened you
↳ Reply — Blade of Ruin
>Ok, jealous cuz you don't have one
↳ Reply — Gold Rush🔹
>You retarded fucks actually report over shit like this?
📰 General Title: Sunset photo♥ — Bunny Duo(175.123) Pretty hehe
— State-Level Troll Nice shot — PlumpPuffyNyangi Ugh gross — Anon(12.36) This your diary or what? — Apostle of Justice🔹 Go~od... scenery! — Anon(71.21) Crusty boomer vibes 📰 General Title: Baran exchange is total bullshit fr — Mnal(122.1) Did a raid and got an artifact ffs but went to Baran exchange to trade for jerky and the counter bitch just stuffs my bag with grain no questions asked ffs stupid NPC bitch
— State-Level Troll Forced? Which clerk? ↳ Reply — Mnal(122.1)
>Dunno just went and she did it
↳ Reply — State-Level Troll
>Just tell the clerk to switch it and she will ㅇㅇ not forced
↳ Reply — Mnal(122.1)
>Not that easy
↳ Reply — State-Level Troll
>Ah...
↳ Reply — MouthFartLowKick
>Why can't this dude just order right lmao
↳ Reply — WannaEatOiledSquid: Botchi botchi... 📰 General Title: Question for gallery bros who just arrived in Baran — State-Level Troll Any inconveniences or bullshit things?
— Blade of Ruin Gallery lord is hot af; ↳ Reply — Anon(12.36)
>Brainrot again
— Wall Blood Invincible Sword Not really? Dogkin are cute af lmao ↳ Reply — Fur Lover🔹
>Thaaanks~~!!
↳ Reply — Wall Blood Invincible Sword
>?
— ThiefBoomIsComing Daily quests in the afternoon would be nice... ↳ Reply — State-Level Troll
>Why?
↳ Reply — ThiefBoomIsComing
>Always late to Lord's Manor cuz morning dump, and by then recruitment's over...
↳ Reply — State-Level Troll
>Oh morning shits every day?
↳ Reply — ThiefBoomIsComing
>Nah only my inn has quiet clean toilets lmao Lord's Manor is kinda far too...
— Wall Blood Invincible Sword Ah lmao toilets yeah city's short on em lmao awkward borrowing NPC homes too lmao ↳ Reply — State-Level Troll
>Got it, quest pickup times and public toilets are lacking
↳ Reply — Wall Blood Invincible Sword
>But why ask? lmao
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Morning administrative meeting time.
Secretary Milla was flipping through documents when her eyes widened as she looked at me. It was because of the proposal I'd just brought up. She repeated it back like she was reciting it.
"A Climbers' Hall?"
"Yeah."
I spread out another document. It was data on an empty plot in the market square. Pointing to a suitable spot, I said,
"The Lord's Manor is pretty far from the city proper, after all. Calling in climbers every morning for quests is getting cumbersome... And most importantly, the number of climbers in the city has grown."
"Ah."
Milla adjusted her glasses and said,
"Certainly, after Your Lordship's road maintenance, climber influx has increased a lot. Now we're past three digits."
"Most are still Hundred Swords Society folks, though."
I tapped the document again.
"Anyway. We're building a decent-sized structure here. Called the 'Climbers' Hall.'"
"What exactly is its purpose?"
"I'll summarize the quests I was handing out directly into simple documents for constant posting, and it'll be a place where climbers can gather and exchange info."
"That'll be very convenient for the climbers."
I added one more suggestion.
"Yeah, and put in a restroom."
"A restroom?"
"Might need it."
"Yes..."
We discussed personnel and facilities for the Climbers' Hall. Of course, the longest part—'construction'—could be handled by Summon Fortress, so things wrapped up quickly.
Milla organized the discussion points and bowed.
"Then, I'll assign one from the Lord's Manor administrative office."
"Yeah, pick a suitable one, Milla. One should be enough."
And just like that, the Climbers' Hall was established in the blink of an eye.
'Perks of a dictatorship.'
In truth...
Normally, building a facility where armed outsiders could huddle and plot in your territory would be nonsense. But with my banishment ability, this was actually an opportunity.
'Better to force them into one spot than have them scattered everywhere—easier to watch.'
The morning meeting ended.
I headed straight to the reception room. There sat a black-eared blonde noble lady in sunglasses, elegantly sipping tea. She waved with a smile.
Niva said,
"Heading out again today?"
"Yes. By the way, you're wearing the artifact today."
"Hm? Gonna tease me about middle-aged bunny again?"
"No, we're partners who dropped rocks from the sky. No more mocking. And as I said before, it suits you perfectly. Hahaha."
"Hehe, thanks."
We shared mischievous grins.
'Makes sense. Ever since that rock drop, I've felt closer to Niva.'
Setting everything else aside.
The fact that the two of us pulled off that overwhelming destruction was pretty thrilling. Like delinquent teens who'd snuck a forbidden flight.
Honestly, my heart still raced thinking about it.
'Though the aftermath kinda overshadows it a bit...'
I approached Niva as she stood. She set down her teacup and offered a hand. I took it, and she asked,
"Where to today?"
"The docks. Gonna check the Hrekal crash site with the engineers."
"Ah, mana stones scattered from the river mouth to the lake like hail."
"Excluding Hrekal, most are ours."
Niva smirked and shouted,
"Warp!" Poof!
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The lake downriver.
The fog had lifted, revealing a clear but desolate lakeside. A several-kilometer radius had become a soggy marsh from displaced water.
Rocks bobbed here and there, as expected.
"..."
'Three days since Hrekal's subjugation, and the impact lingers. It was basically carpet bombing.'
I resolved to use the combo attack sparingly.
'Wanna test it on a cliff soon, but gotta hold back.'
Niva shrugged beside me, probably thinking the same.
Behind us,
Dogkin Tribe Princess Dinara muttered in awe as she disembarked the cargo ship, ears folded back, tail wagging.
"Whoa... mana stones embedded all over the lake mud. If we pick 'em all, we'd have enough for the workshop construction."
I replied,
"Yeah, but let's save gathering for later. Got something to address first."
"Ah. 'That,' right?"
Dinara looked to the lake's center. A blue-glowing mana stone floated there. But its size was unnaturally huge.
Diameter of 20 meters.
Nearly spherical, rugged shape.
'That one's volume matches Baran's entire winter mana stone supply. If you didn't know it was mana stone, it'd look like a glacier.'
Baran's old blacksmith,
Artisan Gruun rasped,
"Hoo—. By the gods. Like a beautiful gift left by the comet goddess at night. Never seen a mana stone that massive in my whole life."
"From the giant boss Hrekal, after all."
The massive eel had fallen.
And spawned an enormous mana stone.
But climbers couldn't move it. The boss fight was in raging rapids to begin with.
'Washed down the fierce current to this bottom lake.'
I wanted to recover this giant mana stone if possible. Looking at Dinara and Gruun, I asked,
"What do you think? Any way to salvage it, even if it takes time?"
"..."
"..."
At my question,
Dinara and Gruun pondered seriously.
Eventually, they shook their heads.
Gruun said,
"This is where rivers converge. Means sailing upstream to the walled city. Fine for ore or wood, but something that big..."
Dinara continued,
"...Even breaking it down various ways, too much loss in fragments. Deepest point in the lake center."
"..."
They pointed out more limitations after. Mostly technical hurdles and resource costs. Different angles, same conclusion.
In short—
'Better to gather the roadside scraps than force this one up.'
I smacked my lips and nodded.
"Too tough, huh."
"Sorry..."
"Nah, just checking. Since we're here, let's grab some scraps."
"Yes, my Lord!"
Dinara clapped toward the cargo ship.
"Young'uns! Come pick mana stones!"
"Yes, Princess!"
"Yes, Princess!"
"Yes, Princess!"
Dogkin boys with sacks and tongs disembarked. Gruun's apprentices started scouring the ground too.
-Whoa, crazy. Never seen this many mana stones.
-If they always popped from the ground like this...
-They didn't pop. Lord beat the monster.
-Yeah good job. Smart kid.
"..."
I turned from the scene.
"!"
My eyes met Niva's. She'd been staring across the lake. I followed her gaze.
"..."
"..."
Niva said,
"Saying it again, but it's kinda creepy."
"...Yeah."
Beyond the lake.
The fog-shrouded land grew darker and murkier farther out. By the horizon, it oozed pitch-black energy.
Plants withered,
Storm clouds lingered faintly.
'That's the original 52nd floor section onward?'
Layer consolidation results were shocking.
I'd always fantasized beyond the walls from high-grade magic books. Never imagined seeing it like this—or learning the outside world's reality this way.
"..."
Perhaps.
The 'outside' I'd imagined
wasn't so kind.
Niva thought the same.
"Doesn't look easy."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I've climbed every layer so far. First time seeing such blatant eerie ominous vibes."
"I see."
"Plus layers merging all at once, no 'guiding light.' Honestly, pretty disorienting."
"..."
Seemed even to this veteran, it was no joke.
'Section named 'Land of Ruin' outright, after all.'
Game devs' go-to for player torture, right?
-Haha die!
That kinda vibe.
'Tower's malice dripping from the naming...'
Niva sighed.
"Gotta prep thoroughly before going."
"Quick warp over?"
"..."
Niva pouted at my suggestion. Adjusting her sunglasses, she said in a slightly miffed tone,
"...Then who's guarding? What if goblins drop from the sky again?"
"!"
Oh, for me?
'Loyal to a fault.'
I was a bit touched by her steadfastness.
"You're being considerate."
"Hmph. Yeah. So be grateful."
"Thank you."
I looked ahead again.
"..."
The ominous horizon remained.
Climbers who'd cheered after slaying Hrekal had hesitated at that sight and returned to the city. Reacting with utmost caution.
-Need more prep.
So saying.
"...Prep, huh."
Probably.
I need to prepare too.
'Still don't know what Midgard's salvation is.'
At any rate, gathering climbers was priority one.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The half-completed Hundred Swords Society guild.
Piles of artifacts and weapons filled the clearing. Skilled disciples marked grades with pens, sorting them.
-Basic artifact. Stack it.
-What about that one?
-Lower grade. Move aside.
-This too?
-Yeah.
In a corner of the site,
The Sword Empress and I discussed a glittering stone. Adult head-sized, translucent with swirling mist inside—a peculiar gem.
【Treasure-Grade Relic: Heart of the Mist】
The Sword Empress said,
"You were the strategy's core, my Lord. Please accept this."
"!"
Oh, score.
'Was gonna offload it since no clue what it's for. If you're offering...'
I nodded.
"Thank you."
"No need. Without your Summon Fortress, the strategy wouldn't have happened."
The Sword Empress tapped a sword recovered from the cliff herself and continued,
"And after, you had master smiths repair everyone's weapons for free... This is the least we can do."
"Haha, Hrekal's poison was vicious. Only right to fix the Hundred Swords Society's gear first—they shone brightest."
I could clearly picture Blade Ghost's teary face clutching her chipped blade.
-My 'Wall Blood Invincible Sword'—!
-We'll repair it free.
-Hooray! Thank you! Gal... Lord!
"..."
'If you're that grateful, tone down the weird gallery lit. Turning into a likable NPC in a bad way.'
Anyway,
Pocketing the treasure from the Sword Empress, I said,
"By the way, got new info for the climbers."
"Info?"
"Yes. This strategy made me realize climbers' importance. So I set up a liaison for smooth communication."
"?"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Baran's market square.
Climbers gawked at the new sleek building.
『Climbers' Hall』
"Climbers'... Hall? What's this place?"
"Daily quests compiled for pickup, spot for climbers to chat. Public restrooms, baths too."
"!"
At this sudden consideration,
the climbers murmured softly.
"As expected of the gallery lord..."