We'll Be Sleeping Together From Now On
1.
The Verdanndi Guild, backed by the Imperial Family.
Their guild castle existed somewhere on the 6th floor of the Inner Tower.
Meirin, the guild's financial officer, sat in the office as usual, scrolling through the Inner Tower auction house.
It was part of managing the guild funds.
Securing promising gear.
Not for the members already climbing the Tower, but for those about to start—for rental equipment.
So-called noob gear.
Truth be told, that was the hardest part to acquire.
Noob gear or not, it had to maintain high quality to compete with other guilds and families.
"Nothing here."
That was when she was scrolling down.
"……?"
◈ Current Bid: 60,500 Gold
She blinked in disbelief.
An utterly nonsensical piece of equipment, no matter how you sliced it.
"Does this even make sense…?"
She quickly dug through the community forums.
And learned that this gear was equivalent to a +10.5 Magic-infused Vambrace, a 3-star item.
The poster was a researcher from the Magic Tower, openly using their real name—trustworthy info.
"……Sakpung."
Sakpung, the leader of the Verdanndi Guild.
He was an enchantment addict.
All his gear was +20.
Except his gloves.
Lately, he'd failed five times in a row trying to push his Magic-infused Vambrace to +20.
Right after that.
What a strong mentality. If it were her, she'd have ripped the head off a dwarf by now.
He'd just laughed it off, saying probabilities gonna probability.
But these gloves were Magita +10.5 level…
Even if she recommended them, he'd probably pass.
He'd sworn off enchanting, but Sakpung gonna Sakpung.
The guy who hated hearing "SakClueless, Sakpung class is ruined" more than death.
Still, this gear was tempting.
Renting it out to guild members about to climb would boost their competitiveness by a whole tier.
A newbie climber with Magita +10.5? They could probably punch their way up a few floors.
Plus, Workman's Cotton Gloves worked for almost everyone except pure mages…
Even battle mages could use them.
It already surpassed their rental gear standards—utility was a given.
Meirin glanced at Sakpung.
He was staring into space, focused on something.
"Guild leader… um…"
She was about to cautiously broach the budget when—
- Bang!
The office door flew open.
"Guild leader! Buy this!"
A famously oblivious guild member, oblivious to surroundings, approached Sakpung with the community interface projected.
Climbers could share interfaces like this.
"You said no more enchanting—how about these gloves?"
Hah, that dense idiot.
Do you have any idea how much gold the guild leader's blown lately…?
Meirin pinched her forehead.
Sakpung stroked his goatee, eyeing the gloves for a moment…
"Lol! No way I'd use something like that!"
"Oh? Planning to graduate to unique gear soon?!"
"…Haha. Of course, kid."
That was when it happened.
- Ding!
Higher bid on watched item 「Workman's Cotton Gloves」. Current price: 71,000 Gold
The auction house notifier in Sakpung's pocket chimed with the outbid alert.
"…Lol!!"
Meirin closed her eyes.
Things must be tough lately.
It was a moment of worry for the guild leader's wallet.
2.
"…Sigh."
Yuna locked the community interface.
Now she was shutting it without a word. I'd called, but no reply.
Didn't matter anyway. I'd already had my fun.
Last bid I'd seen was 105,000 gold.
Price kept climbing, with reasons piling up—pretty amusing.
Normal gear, per my online gaming days, converged around expected value minus a bit for risk.
But exceptions existed.
Too risky, unobtainable, or demand/efficacy so high the logic broke.
Somehow, the Workman's Cotton Gloves hit every mark.
Posts like "Workman's Cotton Gloves Efficacy" popping up everywhere.
Simply put, for rotating noob gear in a group, it was endgame and beyond.
Even for advanced climbers looking further ahead, a tempting option.
Best value? Auction listing, but no 30-day resale lock.
Freely tradeable—merchants swarmed it.
- Tap tap.
I drummed the table, lost in thought.
"……."
Hold up.
Didn't I just get a money printer?
What is this easy-mode life?
By my standards, +20 public noob gloves weren't hard.
- Tap tap tap.
My fingers sped up on the table.
Not excitement. I'm just naturally suspicious.
The world wouldn't hand me easy street.
But racking my brain…
"What the fuck."
No real issues.
That was when.
"You swore."
A sleepy voice came from behind me.
I turned. Ruby, still half-asleep, head barely up, buried in her book, beckoned me.
"I'm telling."
"What? Must've misheard, I'm sleepy."
No way.
Instinct screamed Doloris's ears would catch it, and I'd be done for.
Pinned on her thigh for hours of proper language lessons.
"……."
But she really seemed out of it—fell back asleep.
Safe.
Anyway, once that thought hit, my head cooled.
Stay humble.
Just printing +20 public noob enchants wouldn't cure Doloris's illness.
Nor grow my blacksmith skills.
Always seek improvement.
Usually, minus the AI, it led to good results.
"Right. I'm a blacksmith."
Hah, suddenly pumped.
I peeked into the hallway to check the situation.
Going to the workshop at night was a no-go, right?
Daytime should be fine.
I bolted down the stairs.
Crossing the garden toward the workshop.
3.
88th Floor.
Dwarf Company's reception room.
Representative Elliot was handling it personally.
Usually, dwarves managed inquiries and support.
But this was different. Big client.
"Long journey here, you've had a—"
"Our representative is furious."
The staffer cut straight to it upon seeing his face.
This guy was from the Golden Balance Merchant Group.
Merchant group my ass—scammers supreme.
No interest in climbing. Just leeching climbers' cash.
They bought 0-star trash gear, enchanted to +5 via Company rooms, and dumped it as "premium noob gear" at markup.
"…On what matter is he upset?"
Elliot kept his smile, asking smoothly.
"A matter of trust."
The staffer drummed fingers on the table, continuing.
"What has the Dwarf Company always said? 0-star gear caps at +5… Anything more is system-impossible. No way. That's what you claimed."
True.
That meant +5 prices stayed stable.
Ultimate noob gear with no ceiling.
"So what the hell is this?"
The staffer pulled up the auction interface. +20 gear right there.
Bid already pushing 120,000 gold.
"We hold mountains of +5 gear. Trusted your enchanting policy."
"……."
"Now the market thinks the cap's gone. Gear value tanks—our losses are—"
The staffer's tone sharpened.
Elliot listened silently, smile intact.
Truth be told.
He got why the guy was pissed.
But the most absurd, infuriating part?
It wasn't us.
Soon as the gloves hit market.
They'd scoured every enchanting room log.
Nothing.
Impossible anyway.
Company machines: 0-star from +5 to +6? 162,000 tests, one success.
Pointless odds.
+20? Insane.
All Elliot could say was.
"…Under investigation."
If their staff messed up, fix it. Easiest, ideal even.
Hell, they'd pay bonuses to replicate +20.
But no.
Meant someone did it manually.
Outside the Company.
Admit it wasn't them?
'Actually, there's a great enchanting place with no cap. Go there.'
Company authority crumbles.
Checkmated. Headache incoming.
"The Company is conducting an internal investigation."
Emphasized internal.
"It'll take time… Trust our reliability and wait. We'd be grateful."
And anyway.
"…As sincere consolation."
You can't quit enchanting either, right?
"For the next two days, 5% off enchanting fees in Room 7."
"……!"
Staffer's eyes widened.
Huge discount for "fixed price" Dwarf Company policy.
Of course… No need to get hopes up.
They'd just lower success rates by 5% too.
"…Well, expedite the investigation."
Staffer nodded, somewhat satisfied, and stood.
Power without alternative.
Monopoly without substitute.
That was the Company's real weapon.
4.
Doloris hummed a tune, sitting at the room's table.
Sunlight from the window softly kissed her hair.
"……."
Good mood.
Good things piling up.
Double blessings. Nothing else fit.
Felt like decades of saved-up happiness pouring out at once.
Lionel.
All from that child.
Sip from her teacup.
Smile spreads.
Then.
- Ding.
Inner Tower interface popped up.
"……?"
Doloris set down her cup, opened the notifying chat.
Inner Tower interfaces let contacts message each other.
Rare for messages here.
Everyone too busy. Opened maybe a few times a year.
Her chat with the sworn sisters who'd climbed with her.
A message after ages.
Opened the screen…
She tapped the photo.
"Pfft hahaha!!"
Doloris covered her mouth, setting down her cup.
The photo was…
The auction pic of the gloves right in front of her.
She laughed long, then longer.
- Click.
Slowly attached a photo.
+20 Workman's Cotton Gloves on red velvet.
Hit send, picked up her teacup again.
And.
- Ding ding ding!
Doloris smiled, closing the chat.
No worries.
She kept her mouth shut over reporting to the palace.
All her sworn sisters did too.
Rare reactions from stoic women—fun to savor.
But time to pick good responses for Lionel.
What would work?
She opened the auction house.
Scanned DMs from eager buyers.
Opened one—and a message jumped out.
"……."
Esteemed Seller,
We sincerely thank you for your deep trust in our Company.
Regarding the item you listed [Workman's Cotton Gloves / Enchant Level 20], our thorough investigation confirms it resulted from a system error and glitch in our enchanting process.
Thus, we politely request the following:
Please visit our 88th Floor headquarters directly, or if travel is inconvenient, register a recovery request via our delivery system.
As compensation—we will immediately pay you double the current auction price.
We also promise confidentiality on this matter and permanent registration as a premium customer.
We await your prudent reply.
Doloris read slowly.
"Delete."
Not the good reaction for Lionel.
Age for only the best.
"Nonsense."
She hoped they'd squirm in anxiety.
Sipped her tea, stood.
Parted the curtains, looked down at the garden.
"……."
Doloris's lips curved up.
There was Lionel, who should be chatting with Ruby.
- Todo todo todo!
Creeping through the garden center, glancing around, toward the workshop.
Doloris beamed.
Lionel.
From today, we'll sleep together continuously.
Normally, she'd just smile and watch…
"But your hand's like that, what…"
Doloris flung open the window.
Lionel, no overdoing it, okay?
- Whoosh.
She leaped out the window.
A servant tending the garden far off gaped.
Not the graceful landing of the ever-elegant Doloris.
- Swish.
But Doloris valued Lionel more.
She quietly tailed him.