Please Be Careful
Please Be Careful
"Ta-da! Junior, look at this!"
[?]
A cool morning. Rubbing my eyes as I came down to the living room, I blinked.
Senior Daera, who had come down before me, abruptly held up a golden championship trophy. The letters engraved on it were observed naturally.
[Siyoram 122nd Cohort Tournament, 1st Year Division]
[Winner, Ipchun Class, Daera Celeste]
"Hoo hoo hoo..."
As the Confession Necklace read out the characters, Senior Daera's shoulders quivered. Soon, she puffed out her ample chest with a proud smile.
"I won it all! Like I said, I'm the top dog among the first years when it comes to fighting, right?"
The winner of the tournament's 1st-year division was Senior Daera.
Seeing her holding the trophy and waiting for me first thing in the bright morning, she must have been extremely happy.
[Congratulations]
"What's this? It feels like you don't really mean it."
[That can't be true]
I shook my head at her suspicious gaze as she pouted her lips.
[I just thought Senior Daera would win regardless]
There was no way a first-year with skills surpassing Senior Daera's existed, considering she spent years rolling around the Reverse Side without any safety nets.
On top of that, since she possessed Heavenly Thunder, she was overwhelming in both technique and output.
The only one who could even put up a fight was Lee Ha-sol.
She had excellent technique, and while she was behind in output, she possessed Gale, which boasted superior stability.
But the conditions were unfavorable for her.
Lee Ha-sol's main weapon is the bow.
Even if the arena is large, it's too narrow to turn the fight into a superhuman-standard long-range battle.
They had to start the match having already identified each other, and once caught within the range of Heavenly Thunder, it was hard to escape. I knew the battle situation well because I had been observing everything from afar.
For that reason, Lee Ha-sol unfortunately had to settle for second place.
"Aha, well, in that case, I'll accept it. You should've said that sooner."
[How could I have said that first— Urghhhh]
"Oh ho! A mere junior disciple dares to talk back to her heaven-like senior!"
A hand suddenly shot out and thoroughly ruffled my hair. The touch was just like someone playfully teasing a puppy.
"But you won too, junior. You don't look very happy about it."
[I also thought I might win]
"Wow, the confidence. But it's not wrong, which makes it so ridiculous."
[Urghhhh]
The hand ruffling my hair grew fiercer. My hair was a mess, but it didn't matter since I'd just woken up.
"Why are you tormenting the kid first thing in the morning?"
"Geck."
Help arrived quickly.
A knife-hand tapped Senior Daera on the crown of her head. It was Master, who had approached from behind. Sighing exaggeratedly, the senior pushed out her lips in a pout.
"So it's okay to torment a disciple who achieved something first thing in the morning, Master?"
"Achieving something and tormenting are completely different issues."
"Then you should praise me separately for my achievement too!"
"Didn't I praise you the moment you received it?"
Senior Daera lifted the trophy placed on the table.
Seeing that, Master swallowed a sigh, then smiled lightly and stroked Senior Daera's head.
"Yes, you did well. As expected of my disciple. I believed in you."
"Hoo hoo hoo..."
Senior Daera wore a proud smile again.
...
"Huh?"
Master blinked.
Two championship trophies were reflected in her golden eyes. One was from the 1st-year division. The other was the 2nd-year trophy I'd taken out of my subspace.
[Siyoram 122nd Cohort Tournament, 2nd Year Division]
[Winner, Ipha Class, Lee Ha-yul]
[I won too]
[Praise, praise]
[Eager]
I held up the trophy, my eyes sparkling. Master's face, which I could see in my field of vision, became unreadable, then soon the corners of her mouth curved into an arc.
"...Ha, your hair's all messed up, and you keep doing only the cute things on purpose, don't you."
Chuckling softly, Master bent down. Peck— Her lips briefly touched the bridge of my nose, then left it. The corners of my mouth naturally went lax.
[Hee hee...]
"This is total discrimination between disciples..."
"You were praised too."
"You didn't give me a kiss— Gyaaack! Alright, I'm sorry! Don't stab me with that thing!"
Chased by the auto-interception Winged Garment, Senior Daera fled in a hurry.
.
.
.
With the tournament over, the first-semester midterms came to an end.
The regular Tower entry period had already passed. Meaning, the only schedule remaining before the break was the closing ceremony.
'During the break, there's the meeting of the Three Great Families.'
It was truly just around the corner. Now, after finishing the closing ceremony, I'd have to sit at the center of the round table as the very cause of the meeting's convocation.
It wouldn't be a schedule that ended in a day or two. Given the topic about me, and since we were gathered anyway, the atmosphere might turn toward camaraderie and the schedule could lengthen.
"Daddy, daddy."
The weight plopped onto my shoulder, breaking my chain of thought.
[Yeah, what is it?]
"Nothing. It just seemed like you were thinking about something else, so I called you."
The Fairy Tree growing behind the mansion. Seo-yul and I had come out for a walk and were sitting side by side on its roots.
[...Wasn't I answering you properly...?]
"Hee hee, then let's just chalk it up to me calling you because I was bored."
Giggling, Seo-yul nuzzled her head into my shoulder. The white hair briefly brushing against my neck was so incredibly fine.
'She looks happy.'
Seeing her bubbly demeanor, I smiled as well.
Even while repeatedly receiving shocks from the reality touching my shoulder, I liked seeing her this way.
Whenever I had free time, I tried to spend as much of it with Seo-yul as possible.
My circumstances make it difficult to stick together for days on end, but...
Walking together, chatting while taking care of the attached spirits, or sometimes going outside to look around.
From the time Seo-yul was much younger than she is now, I have been striving to create memories she could look back on in the future.
- Rustle rustle
As we were chatting about trivial things, Seo-yul's Five-colored Wings behind her back shone brightly.
The wings, which gave a small flutter, naturally enveloped me tightly.
The blazing sunlight passed through the five-colored wings, shining beautifully. The air felt cozier too... and being inside the wings gave me a sense of stability...
'...Rather than receiving these feelings, I should be the one giving them.'
Thinking about it, these weren't emotions a parent should receive from their child. Though, of course, you could feel them from a grown child...
"Dad, the closing ceremony is soon, but do you have things to do again during the break?"
The moment I was about to unfurl my wings too, trying to restore my crumpled parental pride, Seo-yul, who had been nuzzling her face into my hair and acting spoiled, suddenly asked.
I retracted the Winged Garment that had awkwardly stopped trying to turn into wings and tilted my head.
[Yes, as you know, Seo-yul, I have things to do regarding the families. During the break, I think I'll have to go around outside a bit... ah.]
The moment I said that.
Seo-yul's face hardened. It hardened while she was still wearing a beaming smile. That made it even scarier...
- Rustle...
The five-colored wings enveloping me swayed softly, then closed in as if adhering even more tightly.
Just like being nestled inside an egg, a strange sense of crisis tickled my head like downy fluff alongside the feeling of comfort.
[S-so, that's why, if it's okay with you, Seo-yul... would you like to come with me during the break?]
"Really!?"
The moment my words ended, Seo-yul jumped to her feet.
Wrapped in the wings, I was lifted up along with her. Soon, two hands slipped under my armpits and hoisted me up.
[Urg, uh, ah, ack...]
My head suddenly hurt.
Right now, I'm perfectly fine, clearly not in a child's body... so how was I being lifted? I couldn't understand reality. I didn't want to accept it...
"Really, really? I get to go out with you too? The whole break?"
[Uh, urg, eurgh... this time, since it's not a dangerous place... we can go sightseeing outside together... how about it?]
"Yes, yes! I'll definitely go! Let's go together!"
Squealing, Seo-yul pulled me into a tight hug.
I, who had been stammering due to the blow to my psyche, also smiled back at her hopping reaction.
'It's a safe place, so it should be fine.'
It was the location where the meeting of the Three Great Families would be held.
It was a safe place beforehand. For the meeting's convocation, there would likely be even cleaning operations down to a single insect.
Moreover, at the time of the meeting, the heads of the Three Great Families and their armed forces would be gathered.
For a disturbance to be established there, something like a 3rd-Rank Monster would have to rampage. And even then, any ordinary specimen would be suppressed quickly.
'And even if not...'
Even if a disturbance occurs.
Seo-yul is absolutely safe.
Because I will make it so.
A situation where Seo-yul gets caught up in danger?
Absolutely unacceptable. Even if my eyes were gouged out while I was still alive, I would not stand idly and watch such a sight.
.
.
.
After somewhat finishing my errand, I left the mansion and visited the main building of Siyoram.
"The exchange is complete."
The Vice Headmaster's office on the top floor of the main building. As I was sipping tea, the Vice Headmaster, who had been rummaging through her subspace, held out a scroll.
It was a form rolled up in ivory paper and sealed with wax.
It was a Tower of Growth Entrance Ticket.
"Its use is simple. While holding this entrance ticket, you can use it by entering through the entrance of the Tower of Growth."
[How is the theme or trial determined?]
"If you recall the floor or trial in your mind, entry will be completed accordingly. However, please note that there are restrictions on entering the Past Manifestation space."
[Alright, I understand]
I lightly stroked the scroll I had received. The paper was soft, contrary to its appearance. The wax seal, which looked roughly hardened, was stickily pressed on, unlike how it looked.
'It's a conceptual form.'
It was similar to books manifested with the Authority of Knowledge.
Just as books are essentially chunks of information, this too is a concept taking the form of a scroll.
'Expensive.'
This scroll had gobbled up most of the credits I'd saved over a whole semester.
Of course, I'd had this in mind from the start, but seeing it actually drain my points made my hand tremble involuntarily.
'Of course, it's an entry authorization for the Tower of Growth, so it's natural...'
The Blessing of Growth amplified inside the Tower. That alone is more than worth the price. No, rather, it should be called cheap.
"Had you participated in clubs or extracurricular activities, you could have acquired more credits."
[...I didn't have the time...]
The Vice Headmaster, who had been sipping her tea, spoke. I shrank my shoulders and averted my gaze.
Leisure activities like clubs were created with students' mental health in mind, but I was so busy in the beginning that I couldn't touch them.
As I turned my head, I once more observed the surroundings.
The Vice Headmaster, who, after conveying the information, was sipping her tea. On the long table between her and me sat a vase.
In the vase were purple flowers and white flowers.
They were Agapanthus flowers.
Here, in the mansion garden, even in the study, Agapanthus flowers were placed.
[...May I ask one more thing?]
"Of course."
[When entering with Contemplation as the theme, is it possible to choose which 'version of oneself' from a certain point in time appears?]
At my question, her teacup was lowered. Her purple eyes stared right at me.
A hardened impression, like a machine.
Though her eyes were open expressionlessly, thinking back to the fatigue-stained face she showed when repairing the Tower of Growth last time... she just seemed to be someone who didn't express much emotion.
"It is not without precedent, so it is possible."
The Vice Headmaster continued.
"There have been cases of wanting to face a more past self to confirm how much one has grown, and cases of wanting a future, grown-up self... but the latter has failed."
[Is that so?]
At the part about a future self, I internally clicked my tongue.
The iterations are my possibilities measured in fake worlds. In a way, one could call them a kind of future. But the iterations were manifested.
'Since there's a lot of information.'
Information about the iterations is recorded in the Tower of Knowledge.
I heard from Lady Ariel that the Towers are connected through the Authority of Harmonization, and the Tower of Growth operates on the principle of receiving and manifesting that.
'If possible, I'd like to meet the 4th Iteration.'
The 4th Iteration—the Bulgasari.
The iteration that made body manipulation its main thread and raised its physical class. It could achieve basic body regeneration, and even transformation through modifying the spiritual blueprint was possible.
The quickest and best way to heal Senior Daera's arm would be to learn the 4th Iteration's techniques, but...
'Last time during Contemplation, I couldn't choose.'
Did the Tower Master arbitrarily choose and manifest it? Or was it random from the Tower? For now, I couldn't know.
Even if I couldn't choose, for now, I was close to certain that another iteration would appear.
Would the 2nd and 5th Iterations be excluded since I already met them? Would the 10th Iteration I met outside be included?
This also couldn't be known yet.
'I'll think about it as I enter... If it doesn't work, it can't be helped.'
Either way, no matter which iteration I met, clear growth was possible. Acquiring techniques that are an offshoot of myself was also an enormous gain.
[Thank you for your kind guidance. I'll be on my way now.]
As I stood up from the sofa, the Vice Headmaster, who rose as well, gave a small bow of her head.
"Yes. Please, please be careful going in."
For some reason.
Even though my ears didn't hear it, it felt like the word 'please' had been tacked onto the end of her sentence.
[...Yes, I will be careful going in.]
I arranged my dazed expression and bowed my head deeply.
* * *
[Player Correction System: Pioneering Progress]
[Quest 'Sky Float~ (7)' completed]
...
...
...
[A small amount of points are accumulated]
...
[The Tower Master of Harmonization holds their head]
[Again, going out...? Can't be helped... my back hurts...]