Chapter 54

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 54

Chapter Title: Pleasure Without Responsibility 3

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Surprised though he was that the Emerald Cauldron had evolved into something like an Emerald Tablet—an electronic device that felt way ahead of its time—the moment passed quickly.

He instructed it to first make a potion to stabilize Rin's mind, so he could check exactly how the skill had changed and test the capabilities of the AI that had introduced itself as Tabula.

"Tabula. Make me a potion that stabilizes the mind."

"Yeah."

"Make whatever you think is best."

-Ding!

"...What the hell."

What had he just witnessed? No, did this performance even make sense?

He'd expected some improvement with the rank-up, sure.

But he hadn't imagined it could handle recipe selection, material purchases, recipe tweaks, luck effect grinding—all with one click in just five minutes.

'At this point, I'm not an alchemist anymore. I'm a clickchemist.'

Well, technically, the original process was semi-automated too—just dump materials in the cauldron and input a recipe.

But he'd at least put in the effort to find recipes and gather materials.

Now, thanks to this AI that perfectly understood even his vaguest instructions and spat out optimal results, it was truly just point-and-click.

Anyway.

As he stared blankly at the notification window, marveling at this insane skill...

"Huh? No, I'm really impressed. You're amazing, you know that?"

Ha ha... Look at this thing.

The more he talked to it, the less it felt like a typical AI—its conversation skills were impressively smooth.

And its voice wasn't robotic at all; it was a pleasant, clear tone.

It was starting to feel like he'd gained a personal secretary.

'Wait, why not actually make it my secretary?'

It might sound absurd, but...

It summoned whenever he used the skill.

And since it was his skill, the chance of betrayal was practically zero.

What was stopping him from employing this capable AI as a secretary?

So he asked seriously if it would consider the role.

Tabula's response...

…Its tone rose ever so slightly.

It immediately began touting its capabilities, accepting the role.

For a split second, a chill ran down his spine.

But he dismissed it as his imagination and moved on.

"Looking forward to working with you, Tabby Secretary."

"Call me whatever's comfortable."

Not that he'd planned it, but he'd ended up with a reliable secretary anyway.

First things first, he introduced Tabula to Lulu and Arin.

"Nice to meet you, nyang! First machine friend I've seen—where'd you come from, Tabby Nyang?"

"Daddy's skill...? So you're part of Daddy, but a separate being?"

"Gasp nyang?! So you were born from part of Daddy Nyang—our new little sister nyang?!"

"Daddy Nyang?"

"Daddy?"

"...Me?"

…Suddenly, the 'Tabula little sister' theory gained traction.

His two daughters stared at him intently, their eyes asking, 'Is it true?'

He was about to deny it outright, but then...

'...Listening to them, it doesn't sound wrong.'

Chewing over the trio's conversation, it wasn't entirely off-base.

Hard to refute logically, and the undisguised 'expectation' in his daughters' eyes tugged at him.

After a moment's thought, he made his call.

"...Yeah. Tabula's actually Daddy's third daughter. You girls nailed it."

"Knew it, nyang! A machine sister is so cool, nyang! When you get a robot body, you'll shoot beams from your hands, right nyang?!"

"Wow! Does that mean I finally have a little sister? No more being the baby!"

"...That's right."

And just like that, lightning-fast, he'd gained a third daughter.

"...Shut up, you."

Anyway.

After that, the three daughters giggled and chattered endlessly, clearly having a blast.

Watching them, he noticed the sun setting and realized it was time to climb today's tower floors. He prepared to enter.

"Food packed. Water packed. Daughters packed. La Vris packed... Ready to go?"

"Let's go nyang!"

"Yes!"

"Potions?"

Hm... This time they were skipping from floor 11 to 15—five floors. No harm in preparing.

"Please do."

While his clever third daughter whipped up potions via synthesis...

They entered the Tower of Struggle's 11th floor.

"This is... a cave?"

"It's too dark to see anything nyang!"

"Daddy'll light it up."

"Nyang...? Now I see... Gasp nyang?! Daddy Nyang! Everything's rock nyang!"

"Ugh... No water energy at all. It's suffocating..."

"...Internet works inside the tower?"

"Makes sense, since it popped up with the tower."

Anyway, he'd looked it up before entering and knew already.

Floor 11+ shifted from open forests or swamps to cave interiors.

Hence the warnings about darkness—climbers were advised to bring lights, which he had.

Shining around, the floor was uneven and jagged like a wall of blades—not climber-friendly, much like the swamp.

'That enough scouting? La Vris?'

He skimmed the alert that followed.

Without hesitation, he selected [YES] and jumped to Floor 15.

-Ding!

In the blink of an eye, they arrived at the hidden 15th floor.

Skipping four floors had bumped the difficulty to 'Hero's Task.'

Wondering what foe matched that, he looked around...

"...Nothing here?"

Just a vast chamber walled in by rock on all sides.

Despite the alert saying the monster had appeared, nothing was visible.

'Already encountered...?'

Even channeling aura to boost his senses, he saw only stone.

Puzzled by 'widen your view,' he glanced up at the ceiling—and froze.

"...Faces?"

Countless achromatic faces plastered the ceiling—human and otherwise, too many to number.

As he stared, wondering what they were...

One face stood out, the only one with color.

Their eyes met.

"Finally, you look this way—challenger of the task!!!"

Crack... Craaaack...!!!

"TOOOT—!!!"

A raspy male voice echoed from the ceiling.

Then it split open, and a muscular man dropped to the floor... Wait...

"Hey, you pervert! Why the hell are you naked?!"

"...? I don't understand. We Stonekin are born of stone and return to stone.

We don't shame ourselves by draping our frail bodies like weaklings who fear the cold!

More importantly, challenger come after so long—let us battle to see if you're worthy of a hero!"

"I've got kids here—what kinda battle naked? Put some clothes on!"

"I heed no words from the weak! Want me clothed? Prove your strength!"