Unwanted Proof (1)
“Feeling okay?”
“Yeah.”
Early in the morning, as I stepped out of my room with a somewhat dazed expression, Kim Ji-eun, who had been waiting ahead of time, subtly gauged my mood.
Whether the constellations on Fate Road were buzzing or not, reality hadn't changed much. No one in the real world knew what Jeong Chan-su had said alone, and no one dared gossip about my virginity anyway.
Instead, the tower was still noisy over the arena incident. It was only natural, given how radical and uproarious both the trigger and resolution had been.
“You're in for some tough times ahead.”
“Yes. I'm prepared.”
This was also when I finally had a proper talk with Shadis. At my warning, she nodded as if she was already resolved.
“It's a burden I must gladly shoulder... I won't refuse it.”
Word had already spread quietly that I was her backer. Now that it was openly known across the entire tower that I had my eye on her, Shadis wouldn't be able to escape the stares of others in her future activities. That attention could help or turn into poison. She wore that resolute expression precisely because she understood the weight of it all too well.
“...Head to the sanctuary. Someone might show up again to offer you a new opportunity—who knows? And if you keep climbing the tower without giving up, you might one day achieve what you desire.”
I advised her to visit the sanctuary and seek out a new constellation. There was already a user who had stepped forward to become Shadis's constellation, determined to raise her properly into a warrior for my sake. They seemed genuine, having already spent points to create the Shadis Gallery. And it didn't matter how well Shadis understood or followed that constellation's guidance. I'd drop hints whenever I could to steer her path.
“I'll definitely succeed. Until we meet again.”
I gave a wry smile at her hardened face, brimming with determination. Come to think of it, this kind of relationship was a first for me. Unlike Jeong Chan-su, who had steadily built his forces by gathering supporting characters from the start, I was different. Chasing after him had often left me gasping for breath. My guild members were actually more influenced by Kim Ji-eun than by me, and even she had begun as an equal colleague, not a subordinate.
Is this the thrill? The reason constellations obsess over challengers even after conquering the tower and ascending—is it this feeling?
I was starting to understand it a little. If Shadis, once a mere petty thief who gave up on the 30th floor, returned before me as a strong ranker, I'd surely be delighted.
“We'll put off visiting the 41st floor for now. Instead, let's scout the dungeons on the 151st floor.”
“The 151st floor?”
Unlike the constellations on Fate Road, I wouldn't waste time rolling strange red herrings. Kim Ji-eun's eyes widened at my mention of the 151st floor.
“Didn't you say you weren't doing Advance Party duty...?”
“I've changed my mind a bit. And we need to give Shadis some time.”
The original plan had been to acquire a new ability on the lower 41st floor and continue refining my path. But this incident had led me to postpone it. Shadis needed time to contract with her new constellation and get accustomed to their aid if she was to join us. In the meantime, I'd investigate the 151st floor, which we had only just begun pioneering.
Sub-dungeons aside from the main one required to advance to the 152nd floor—exploring them was entirely up to those who wanted to.
I'd planned to skip them originally.
However, taking on the so-called 'Advance Party' role of being the first to explore newly appeared dungeons was highly dangerous and tricky. Plus, I had no memory of any sub-dungeons on the 151st worth the risk and investment. Even the strategy guides written by fan gallery users offered nothing worthwhile for me there.
I was doing this purely for that one unicorn. An S-grade mount, sure, but I had no traits or abilities that relied on riding into battle, making it utterly unnecessary. Once business was done, I'd sell it off at a high price. Who knows—maybe I'd even snag something I needed in return.
“I'm all for it. The 151st floor means it'll just be the two of us, right?”
“...You know that no dungeons at our level are doable with just two people anymore, right?”
I flinched at Kim Ji-eun's sparkling eyes and eager grin.
“Eleven dungeons discovered on the 151st floor so far... Which one do you want to pick? Nothing's been explored yet, so it's pure guesswork anyway.”
Kim Ji-eun brought over the documents herself. Maps of the 151st floor and data on the discovered dungeons.
“According to the intel, these four already have movements from groups planning to scout them.”
Switching to competent staff mode, Kim Ji-eun pointed out a few with shining eyes. Securing a dungeon first was crucial for any faction. Figuring out its trials and resources, then monopolizing it, allowed for swift optimization and surging ahead of rivals.
Good, no overlaps.
After checking the ones other factions were eyeing, I let out a quiet sigh of relief. Exclusive rights required Federation Council approval, but overlaps would just make things messy.
“We should skip those, right? How about this one? My gut says it's promising.”
I casually pointed to the one I'd targeted from the start—the unicorn reward spot. And truthfully, this was also why I was openly planning with Kim Ji-eun instead of dumping it on her.
Hope you're watching closely.
I kept my eyes fixed on the map. No doubt Serpina and the meme-loving watchers were screenshotting this and blasting it across the gallery right now.
That night, as I drifted off to sleep while casually checking the community, the gallery users were, as expected, debating my next moves and sharing opinions lively.
This was a gathering of constellations from diverse worlds and experiences—nothing about the tower escaped their collective knowledge. Thanks to them, I'd gotten detailed info and strategy tips on the 151st floor, including that dungeon whose process wasn't clearly mentioned in the original work.
But they don't know about the unicorn? That's unexpected.
One surprising fact: the unicorn there wasn't a fixed reward. They didn't even know what the first unicorn in Tower 3445 would be.
They figured I'd taken an inefficient route, and that opinion dominated. Still, some quietly expressed regret.
Seeing that stirred a petty urge in me. The reason I was heading there was proven by the virginity debate still simmering in my view.
Comments had ballooned again.
Random reward or not, I know the future. The unicorn is confirmed.
Even if I intervened, I'd surely get that unicorn as a reward—its appearance was set. Once it showed, users would buzz about its identity and powers, naturally unveiling everything as I planned.
The thread naturally shifted to my temporary party members. As I'd told Kim Ji-eun, duo missions were now lower-floor stuff only.
“Finding 4 people isn't hard. Even for Advance Party duty, there are always those chasing bigger rewards.”
As we started proper planning, Kim Ji-eun said to leave party recruitment to her, as always. Rare, but not unprecedented—she'd used her connections before.
“Sure. Go ahead.”
No reason to refuse, so I nodded casually.
Wonder if this avoids the Diana controversy from the original.
Watching Kim Ji-eun leave reminded me why I knew about the unicorn. In the original, it symbolized the dark past of Diana, one of Jeong Chan-su's heroines—a foreshadowing element. The unicorn, tame with other heroines, went berserk around the secretive Diana, triggering the event. What followed was predictable: Fate Road star fights replayed in the comment sections. Her saga as a fallen royal turned nobles' plaything was one of the story's hot potatoes.
Seems even the constellations don't know. As long as she avoids the unicorn, it'll be fine.
In my memory, the noble house that abused her since childhood was wiped out just before she entered the tower. Like me, it wouldn't surface unless she spoke of it herself.
“Um... Reina. Some big shots are volunteering to join us.”
“What?”
But could one truly escape Fate Road so easily? Kim Ji-eun returned with a strange look, leading familiar faces.
“I heard the news, Moonlight Sword Radiance. Mind if we join you for that dungeon raid?”
The beauty with pale sky-blue hair, standing with Lee Se-jin, was Diana. She proposed partying in a stiff, polite tone.