Chapter 147

Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 147

Chapter Title: Twist Grand Prostration

"Then, welcome to the Magic Tower, everyone."

Once Millio finished explaining the rules, the cadets began murmuring among themselves.

A total of nine rules.

But it was clear that far more rules governed this Magic Tower in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠reality.

"Now, we'll assign your rooms. Please stand with your partners."

For now, it was class placement.

Perhaps because they'd just heard the rule about not stepping on shadows that appear where there are no objects, the cadets carefully scanned the ground as they walked.

"Ian! What do we do? This place is scarier than I thought."

"It's fine. I don't think anything dangerous will happen that easily."

Hisenna approached me, eyeing the ground beneath her feet.

Chayuri and Elrim were with her.

"Wait. Does that mean partners share the same room?"

"W-What? The scrub and Hisenna are sharing a room?!"

Now that I thought about it, yeah, that was the case.

But there hadn't been any prior mention that boys and girls couldn't pair up.

Of course, that aside, it was a bit awkward.

"There are no restrictions on boys and girls sharing a room. If you'd like, you can switch partners now. But don't worry. The 'special cases' mentioned in the rules are rare. You can use the bathroom or shower alone without issue."

Just remember Rule 2 in case of emergencies.

That was what Lead Researcher Millio said.

It didn't seem like a place where you'd suddenly drop into strange spaces when alone.

I had no idea why the Magic Tower had these layered rules, though.

"I-I'm okay with it. If Ian is..."

Hisenna said, glancing around nervously.

Her ears peeking through her hair looked a little red.

"Guess we have no choice. Take care of me, Hisenna."

It was a shame, but I didn't have any other guy friends to pair with.

"W-We might sneak into your room tonight! We have to play magic games all night—no sleeping!"

"Great idea, Elrim!"

Elrim and Chayuri said they'd come over to our room at night.

Thankfully, this wasn't a dorm with restrictions like that.

Millio had only asked us to handle the rooms carefully.

A short while later, room assignments were done.

"Unpack your things, and we'll start the first tour in 30 minutes. Today, after the tour, we'll return to the first floor to wrap up. Once more, never forget the 'rules'."

With that, Millio handed out small paper cards to us all.

They listed the nine rules he'd mentioned earlier.

"Scrub! Hisenna! Hurry up and unpack so we can come out!"

"F-For the bathroom, always close the door!"

"Got it. I know."

We headed to our assigned room amid Elrim and Chayuri's nagging.

The room was nice enough to feel like a hotel.

Two plush beds and a spacious shower.

"I-Ian. Which bed do you want?"

"Either one's fine for me."

"You sure? Maybe the one by the window is more comfortable? No, the inner one might be cozier?"

"I said either."

"O-Okay, then I'll take the inner one!"

Hisenna spoke in a rare fluster.

I, on the other hand, felt no particular emotional shift.

I might have been a bit flustered normally, but maybe the elixir's effects were keeping me calm.

Either way, I unpacked in peace.

The Magic Tower tour lasted three days and two nights total.

Meaning two nights here with Hisenna.

Bang bang bang!

Suddenly, someone pounded on the door.

And I heard screams from Elrim and Chayuri.

They must have come over.

"...Screams?"

"Didn't you hear a shriek just now?"

It didn't seem like they'd screamed to call us.

Hisenna and I hurried outside.

There, Chayuri was alone, stomping his feet in panic.

"What's wrong? Where's Elrim?"

"W-Well, Elrim was banging on your door three times, and then she suddenly vanished."

"What?"

"Pardon?"

Banging on the door three times and vanishing?

Maybe she'd triggered a layer transition.

While they panicked, I pulled out the rules card from my pocket.

4. If your partner suddenly disappears or can't be found for a long time, inform the guide.

"Let's tell Millio."

"R-Right! The rules!"

We rushed to find Millio.

He was standing in the same spot where he'd explained the rules earlier, smiling faintly.

Right in the center of the first floor's common area.

"Researcher! Suddenly—"

The moment Chayuri tried to speak to him,

"Pop!"

Elrim suddenly appeared out of thin air.

Right in front of Millio.

"Heh heh."

Millio was still chuckling at us.

As if it were an everyday occurrence.

"Elrim? What happened?"

"I suddenly fell into this crackling space, panicked, then remembered the rule, said my name three times, and... pop..."

Elrim looked pretty shaken.

Meanwhile, I started piecing it together.

"Banging on any door three times moves you to a certain layer. And saying your name three times always drops you at the center of the first floor..."

"Correct, visitor. And luckily, the red-haired visitor remembered the second rule. You probably visited the sixth floor. It's for electric magic research."

I got the gist.

The rule to go to the sixth floor: bang on any door three times.

"Then rules 5, 6, and 7 on the card must be for moving to dangerous layers."

"Oh, you have sharp deduction, visitor. Exactly right. The sixth floor the red-haired visitor experienced isn't dangerous. But the layers triggered by those three rules I emphasized are very hazardous. That's why I warned you from the start. For other layers, just remember rule 2, and you'll return safely."

"Ah..."

"So that's how it is..."

"The scrub's being smart for once..."

The three of them looked at me with surprised eyes.

Was deducing this such a big deal?

Still, my judgment felt sharper than usual.

It seemed the calmer I stayed amid rising tension, the cooler I became.

My daily personality hadn't changed, so I felt the 'Frost Tiger Semen' was truly an excellent elixir once more.

"Ugh... That was scary. The space just whooshed away..."

"You made it back safely, Elrim. I might've panicked and forgotten the rules."

As Hisenna comforted Elrim, gathering time arrived.

The cadets assembled, and the first tour began.

"Now, everyone to the second floor. It's prepared for visitors like you, where you'll learn various things about the Magic Tower. It might help future entrants. Hold your breath for 10 seconds."

The cadets looked baffled.

Apparently, holding your breath for 10 seconds took you to the second floor.

As Millio instructed, the space shifted in an instant when we held our breath.

"Well done, everyone. All layers of the Magic Tower move via conditions specific to each. To return to your room, say your name three times, as I mentioned."

All cadets reached the second floor.

Millio appeared, and the first tour commenced.

Millio guided us through the second floor, sharing all sorts about the tower.

What the researchers did, the tower's structure, the tower itself.

It was quite interesting.

Unlike my expectations of it being lame, it was a surprisingly advanced facility.

Different from what the gallery folks said.

That guy? Who were they talking about?

Since the old gallers knew, probably some ancient member who vanished.

Makes sense—this dimension might have hidden true archmages.

Maybe FlapFlap knew him.

I was curious, but they dropped the topic.

The second-floor tour ended shortly after.

More explanations on layer rules and tower operations, then done.

Back to the first floor for dinner and rest.

We'd arrived in the afternoon, so night fell quickly.

[Tonight's really gonna be full-on wild?]
[Mamma Tong is laughing...]
[Red group, rise up!]
[Top Student is laughing... just laughing...]
[Where's prez? ㅠㅠㅜ]

Checking the gallery while showering, some weird bait was circulating.

Posts hyped about me sharing a room with Hisenna.

Sadly, no chance of that.

"Yass! I win! Hisenna, punishment time!"

"Hahaha! Hisenna lost!"

"W-Wait, guys, it's late—your voices are too loud..."

"The soundproofing here's great! Don't worry, Hisenna!"

"No sleeping tonight!"

After my shower, Elrim, Chayuri, and Hisenna were playing a magic board game.

Elrim and Chayuri showed no signs of leaving our room tonight.

No way the gallery's fantasies would happen.

"Hey, scrub! All clean? Hurry over!"

"No sleeping tonight!"

Both were hyped like they'd planned it.

I'd play along, then slip out for training when it got late.

With that in mind, I joined them.

"Heh heh heh! Even a scrub can't beat me at this game?"

As I sat, Elrim eagerly pulled out an unfamiliar game.

Whatever, I'd win anyway.

Elrim always brought board games, but I always won.

Elrim explained the rules.

"Loser does three aerial flips, then Twist Grand Prostration!"

"I-Isn't that too extreme a punishment, Elrim?"

"But the scrub made me do it before! I brought it for revenge!"

"I have no confidence in that... How about Elrim and Ian do 1v1 this round?"

"Perfect! I've been craving a real showdown! Heh heh heh!"

Somehow, it turned into a 1v1 between me and Elrim.

The rules were tricky, so the other two bowed out.

Elrim brought it, so she had experience.

A game favoring her.

Sneaky girl. Time for a proper lesson.

"S-Still, aerial flips in the room? It's the Magic Tower..."

"Yeah. Just the Twist Grand Prostration."

"Hmph... Fine, whatever. I'll allow it!"

"You're losing anyway, sigh... Deal the cards."

The game began.

Elrim spun the cards confidently.

I played on, sure I'd win.

But,

"Heh heh heh. I win! Scrub! What a scrub!"

"No way..."

I lost.

To Elrim, of all people.

Not my first loss, but I thought I'd win this time.

"I practiced this game day and night at home!"

"Don't waste break time on that..."

"Do the Twist Grand Prostration, scrub!"

"Grr... Infuriating...!"

Twist Grand Prostration to Elrim? The humiliation.

"Urk..."

But a game's a game.

Grinding my teeth, I stood.

"With my... scrubby skills... I apologize for... getting cocky... against Lady Elrim... From now on... ugh. I shall... perform the Twist... Grand Prostration... ack...!"

"Nyahaha! Finally! I get the scrub's Twist Grand Prostration too!"

"Ian doing Twist Grand Prostration? A rare sight."

"Heh heh, you okay, Ian?"

The other two enjoyed my defeat.

We'd played like this plenty before.

Usually, Elrim was in my spot.

No helping it.

Humiliating, but I squeezed my eyes shut and flipped.

Forearms on the floor, legs straight up to the sky.

Twist the waist to complete the 'Twist Grand Prostration'.

Held for about five seconds, then back.

I shouted triumphantly.

"Done! Happy? One more round! I'll let you win this—"

But my voice trailed off yelling at Elrim.

Elrim was gone.

Chayuri and Hisenna too.

No—the space had changed.

Standing from the Twist Grand Prostration, I was in a completely different place.

"Layer shift?"

Confusing, but my mind cooled sharply instead.

I quickly grasped the cause.

Highest chance: 'Twist Grand Prostration' was a rule for a specific layer.

A layer activated by Twist Grand Prostration? What kind of tower design...

"Not... dangerous."

This layer was quiet.

The surroundings were filled with fine sand, like a desert.

A massive pillar stood not far off.

No apparent threats.

Maybe check the pillar before heading back. Then,

"—Who are you."

Suddenly, a man's voice from behind.

I whipped around, startling enough to shake even the Frost Tiger's calm.

Thankfully, the elixir settled my emotions coldly again.

The man there was worth the shock.

Someone I'd glimpsed once at the Arcane Fist workshop.

One of the great archmages, alongside the Archmage Duke.

"How did you enter this layer?"

The Magic Tower Lord approached, his red hair swaying.