Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: The Best Defense is Offense - 4
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‘Feels like an unofficial Tower Climbing Gallery meetup where everyone rushes to see a rare NPC.’
I relaxed and asked back.
“Is that so?”
“Yes! In Baran, you’re always warping around so busily that I never dared to speak to you—. It’s such an honor to finally talk to you from the same village. Baran is so vast and grand that you can’t just run into the lord like this.”
“!”
At the praise for Baran,
my stiff lips twitched upward again.
“Haha, Baran is pretty big, yeah.”
“Yes! It’s truly an amazing city. Thank you for making it possible to live comfortably there.”
“That’s a relief to hear.”
My pleased response.
Then, murmurs rose from the surroundings.
💬 Climber Chatter — Climber Whoa, for real!? The lord is coming—!? — Climber Wow…! We can really eat with Galju!? — Climber First time seeing the real Galju. The climbers’ anticipation gathered in an instant. They watched me with sparkling eyes from every corner of the street. I hadn’t realized so many people wanted to eat with me.
‘I thought half of what they say on the gallery was jokes. Guess I’ve built up some goodwill after all.’
I felt relieved.
“...”
‘Anyway, I’m planning to stay in Waterwheel Village until tomorrow, so having a meal with the climbers shouldn’t be a problem. No real reason to refuse here either.’
Before accepting the request, I glanced to the side.
“What about you, Niva?”
“...”
Niva bowed her head and answered softly.
“I, I… don’t like crowded places much...”
Ah.
Right, she doesn’t care for bustling spots.
I said,
“If it’s too much, you can consider your escort duty done for today.”
“...”
She nodded. And replied a bit weakly.
“...Okay.”
“Yes, thank you so much for today.”
Lina had overheard our conversation and narrowed her eyes. She tilted her head slightly and let out a hum.
“Hmm—.”
Then, out of nowhere, she asked,
“Are you two dating by any chance? Or maybe already in a deeper relationship...?”
“!”
Her question dropped like a bomb, and silence spread through the street that had been buzzing with excitement moments ago. Everyone’s mouths gaped open as if an explosion had gone off.
“!”
“!”
“!”
💬 Climber Chatter — Climber What!? — Climber Love triangle? — Climber Endgame? My heart pounded.
Even from afar,
I could feel the crowd’s sudden anticipation.
I let out a groan.
‘What’s with this reaction.’
And the shock hit Niva and Iola too.
“De-deep relationship...!?”
“L-Lina!?”
Even in that shock,
Lina widened her eyes playfully and pressed on.
“I’ve always been curious. The lord is always going around alone with ‘Dimensional Rabbit’ Niva, so I wondered if that’s the case. So, yeah. Hehe.”
“...”
I brushed it off vaguely.
“That’s a bit sudden.”
“Hehe, sorry. The lord is just so cool. I really wanted to know.”
She grabbed my hand tightly again. There was some strange heat in the gesture.
“...If there’s room, could I join too—? Something like that? Maybe Niva is there for the same reason? Hehehe.”
At that remark,
a second bomb dropped amid the gathered crowd. Everyone’s eyes bulged, and they swallowed hard. It was like watching a trashy drama unfold.
Gulp—!
“...”
“...”
“...”
Murmurs rose.
💬 Climber Chatter — Climber Mage or swordswoman...? — Climber Nah, the one she’s spent more time with—. A passing climber froze mid-step, a Dogkin pulling a cart couldn’t move forward, and catfolk poking their heads out from a water jar with wide eyes.
‘Why are those kittens over there?’
No, more importantly.
What do I do about this atmosphere?
Everyone focused eagerly on this marriage showdown content.
“...”
‘Kinda feels like college club members messing around with dating jokes.’
Glancing at Niva, she was clearly flustered, her eyes darting around. Being suddenly thrown into the marriage candidate spot would do that.
Answering rashly here would
just make things awkward later for sure.
‘I want to keep getting along well with Niva.’
But YES or NO,
either answer is a landmine.
“...”
I thought for a moment. Then decided: to offset this shock, I needed an even bigger one to cover it.
‘I could play it straight and shut it down, but maybe it’s better to ham it up instead of leaving a bad aftertaste.’
An eye for an eye,
a shock for a shock...
‘For love talk, declare solo forever!’
I smiled and said,
“First off, I’m flattered to hear that from such an attractive woman like you, Lina.”
“Hehe, really?”
As Lina opened her mouth,
I added with a serious face,
“But I, Lucius, have a very serious issue that prevents me from accepting those feelings honestly. I hope you understand.”
“A serious... issue?”
“Yes.”
And then.
I declared it.
Solo declaration.
“I, Lucius, have never been in a deep relationship with a woman even once. Following my father’s teachings, I’ve never gotten serious with anyone I didn’t truly love.”
“...”
The third shock rippled out. Everyone’s eyes went wide at my words. A chill fell over the place, like time and space had frozen.
“...”
“...”
“...”
In that atmosphere,
Lina gaped and retorted,
“Th-that’s a lie! How could someone as amazing as the lord...? You could have any woman in the city—!”
“...”
Heh.
‘Thanks. For the compliment.’
But I moved to the next phase.
“Regrettably, it’s the truth.”
Next ultimate move: the ‘too busy’ divine technique.
I said,
“Ever since my youth, I’ve been constantly busy from morning till night as lord protecting the precarious walled city... I had no time or leisure to even talk to women. Let alone time to confirm true feelings.”
“Th-that...”
The mood sobered completely.
The only one who could counter that was someone who, at 14, had a massive snake lead an army to slaughter his parents and elders, then suddenly became the city’s leader overnight.
In short, an irrefutable fact no one could argue.
“...”
“...”
“...”
But I wasn’t planning to end it on a sour note.
“So, climbers, could you first become my friends?”
“Fri... ends?”
“Yes, all you climbers who’ve come this far with me. I’d like the chance to become friends with everyone. Friends who can protect each other from the threats ahead.”
“!”
A rollercoaster mood shift.
The sobered climbers nodded at my appeal and responded. And as a bonus, they clapped and cheered me on.
💬 Climber Cheers — Climber Sounds good! ⭐ Top Cheer — Climber I wanna be friends with the lord—! — Climber Let’s drink together tonight and become friends! — Climber Thought he was alpha male, but he’s a bro. ⭐ Top Cheer — Climber Eternal Galju, Lucius Baran is the best—!! — Climber Don’t cry, brother! Keep your purity, and we’ll be eternal brothers...! ‘Who’s the last guy.’
Looking at him,
he was clapping fervently with teary eyes.
Seemed thrilled to find a fellow solo.
‘Damn.’
“...”
I just smiled.
*
The rowdy dinner was quite enjoyable.
The climbers were thrilled to chat closely with me for the first time, and I ate and drank moderately while conversing amid them.
But since it was an unscheduled meal, some work piled up. So I was going over the remaining documents in a pleasantly tipsy state.
“...”
‘Been a while since I worked after drinking. Haven’t touched alcohol much since the Great Catastrophe.’
Plus, having the city’s top guy chatted up so casually by a group like this was rare. It felt so fresh it was kinda funny.
Like that, in the quiet, reviewing documents.
I couldn’t help but startle at the sudden sound.
Knock knock.
A knock.
“!”
I asked,
“Who is it?”
A shy woman’s voice came from outside.
—It’s... me...
It was Niva, who I thought was sleeping next door.
“Niva?”
I went to the door and opened it.
“What brings you—.”
“...”
...here.
Before I could finish.
I was surprised by Niva’s outfit. Not her usual black dress or bunny suit, but a loose white nightgown. Just the color change made her aura seem softer.
Unlike usual.
With a languid expression, she asked in a relaxed voice,
“Can I come in?”
“...”
Her calm tone made me feel like I was the weird one for being caught off guard by this sudden situation.
‘Did she come without thinking much?’
What is this.
‘Or is this a goblin assassin trap after I took her warp stone and black robe? Or the tower’s trap after harsh pebble-drop torture?’
I was thinking that far.
But I quickly composed myself and let her in.
We sat side by side on the sofa.
An awkward silence flowed.
“...”
“...”
A moment later.
Niva smiled faintly and spoke.
“Surprised?”
“Yes, I was.”
“Yeah? Why?”
“...”
What the.
hell is this...?
‘Doesn’t she feel weird coming to a man’s room dressed like this? Too peaceful for seduction, and no need for it anyway...’
Despite all those thoughts.
I voiced my first hunch.
“Didn’t expect you at this hour, dressed like that.”
“Hmph.”
Niva half-closed her eyes and turned her head.
“You’ve already seen me naked in the bath and dungeon.”
“That was an accident.”
“You didn’t react much...”
“...”
What really?
Question marks floated in my head.
Still, I stayed as calm as possible.
My mental father helped sternly.
Calm down, Lucius.
This is just normal talk.
You’re the hope of this walled city...!
‘Thanks, Dad. I’ll protect the walled city for sure.’
I replied,
“I was too shocked then.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, and praising a woman who accidentally ended up naked right there would just sound like mockery.”
“Is that how it is?”
“Yes.”
“So, did it excite you?”
“...”
Ah.
Really...
‘We’re screwed. For real.’
From here, even my quiet heart started racing. My brain automatically analyzed the question’s implications, intent, and context. The possibility this situation pointed to was just one.
‘For real? Why? Suddenly?’
I hesitated a bit,
but answered honestly.
“Um, yes.”
“I see... Good.”
Niva sighed in relief and leaned her head on me.
This.
No way this happens without affection.
Endgame?
No way?
For real?
‘Possibility— exists?’
Just as I thought that,
Niva asked calmly again.
“Hey, Lucius.”
“Yes.”
“If I kissed you, think it’d feel good?”
“...”
And she turned to me. Our faces just centimeters apart. I could feel each other’s soft breaths and warmth from our noses.
Decision time.
‘Gacha god who birthed me via single-step without rerolls, pray to Father: Grant a success probability boost event to this action!’
My inner constellation, Father, nodded.
—Go! For the glory of the walled city!
‘Yes! Father!’
I pressed my lips to Niva’s.
“Mm...!”
A slightly startled sound.
Then, wetness spread with softness and warmth. Teeth bumped, and mucosa met mucosa again.
Between heat and warmth.
Our breaths came rough and heavy.
‘Smells like tea. She drank in her room.’
“...”
“...”
Like holding hands,
like hugging,
like leaning on each other...
The sensations evolved, vividly felt through small points of contact.
My mind blanked for a bit. Then Niva flinched next.
“...!?”
I pulled back and asked,
“Niva?”
“Eek.”
Niva suddenly trembled, her face flushing red. As if her prior calm was a lie, her shoulders shook and she bowed her head deeply.
She mumbled mosquito-like,
“Th-there’s, um.”
“Yes.”
“I-I-I-I...”
“...”
Stammering, she covered her face. Her white nape flushed red too. Looked like she’d burst if poked more.
“Ugh... Sorry. Other stuff... next time.”
“...”
Hmm.
Something...
Feels like it cut off midway.
But somehow, today wasn’t the day. My speculating brain advised pushing too hard would backfire.
‘Came on impulse, huh.’
I said,
“If you’re confused, you can tell me later. No need to act first. Doesn’t have to be tomorrow.”
“...”
“But I was happy.”
“...Yeah, thanks.”
Niva kept her head down, covering her face with one hand, and gripped my hand tightly with the other.
“I... liked it too.”
“Yes.”
We held like that briefly, then let go. I saw her off as she wobbled away.
“Good night.”
“Yeah, night.”
Her back as she fled covering her face.
I closed the door soon after.
Click!
“...”
In the returned silence, I nodded. Then sat back at the desk to continue work.
That’s that,
and this is this.