The New Gallery Lord

Clearing a tower yielded rewards.

Rewards came in all sorts.

Sometimes potions, sometimes climber enhancements.

Occasionally powerful gear, or duds.

Or rewards that lowered the chance of Tower Erosion.

And very, very rarely, something else entirely.

The only community for climbers.

The sole channel linking inside and outside the tower. A stress-relief haven for climbers.

That was the Tower Gallery.

The Tower Gallery had its own culture.

Not unique—more like it absorbed existing internet culture.

These days, it was practically one with it.

Especially "Gallery Lord"—straight-up imported from old-school web culture.

Gallery Lord.

Owner of the gallery.

You'd think it meant the climber who unlocked the gallery, but no.

That one's called the GalGal Lord.

So what's a regular Gallery Lord?

Just a meme.

A cute new NPC in a tower, or a climber with killer looks.

Or an NPC with such a compelling backstory it makes climbers cry.

Anything even slightly special gets propped up as Gallery Lord.

Not kidding— it changes weekly.

So.

Me becoming Gallery Lord? Just caught the clowns' eyes.

"...These damn idiots think potions make everything great."

I sank into despair.

Choi Kang-hyuk, that mad bastard, leaked my photo.

Portrait rights? Screw that—NPCs aren't human.

Who pities a monster you kill in the tower?

They just drool over the loot.

Veteran ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠climbers see NPCs as roadside rocks—or boredom-busting toys.

Not blatantly, though. Tower penalizes excess.

"Why'd it have to be Choi Kang-hyuk who showed up."

Me being an NPC barely fazed others.

Reaction: "Kinda cute?"

Problem was elsewhere.

S-rank climber Choi Kang-hyuk.

Word spread he entered a tower—Gallery flooded.

Then my photo dropped. Frenzy.

Specifically, over the potion I held.

"...Unbelievable."

Cute alone wouldn't crown me Gallery Lord.

The potion I gave.

Tower-rare potions, handed out like candy. Tower's in uproar.

Plus Choi Kang-hyuk's rep? Photo's viral.

"Potions you just click to make, and they're losing their minds over it!"

Gallery Lords usually got memed out quick.

Rarely did it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠turn into straight worship like this.

"Grr."

Trembling, I hit the post button.

But I couldn't post.

I turned my finger elsewhere.

"Eeeeek!!"

Trembling, I mashed dislike.

No matter how much I mashed, no dislikes.

Couldn't bury posts. Couldn't comment-manipulate opinion.

All I could do? Shed tears and watch.

Gallery Lord lasts about a week—till then, no real gallery time.

How cruel.

"You damn... rotten bastards."

Can't even curse freely.

Frustrating, but quitting Gallery? Impossible.

I blurred my vision max.

And so on.

Skipped all Reina-related posts.

Titles hit like damage, but I powered through casually.

Finally found what I wanted.

"Argh..."

Even cherry-picked posts had "Gallery Lord."

Cringe overload.

But no key info yet.

I dove deeper into the Gallery.

Gallery bait shifting slowly.

Gallery Lord meme packs punch, but this is Tower Gallery.

Tower-related bait crushes others.

Unresolved? Week ban—scary.

I'm just NPC, no ban risk.

"Phew. Good."

New bait? Exactly what I wanted.

Tower info briefing.

Climber Association shares climb status periodically.

Tower rules similar—info stacks, clears easier.

Association publicizes. This time, broadcast.

Makes sense. S-rank, DMZ tower.

Too big for casual post.

I gallery'd while waiting for summary.

"...Choi Kang-hyuk still in the tower?"

What I wanted: where's Choi Kang-hyuk.

"Single-layer tower like this, not much to roam."

Towers: two big types.

Layered. Layerless.

Layered: simple quests, ramping difficulty.

Layerless: complex quests, interact with tower.

Gallery says: former deal-and-clear, latter no.

Ours: single-layer.

No deal-and-clear.

Quest details NPC-only, but know no layer 2.

"So ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he's still in the city."

But quieter than expected.

Tower Breaker powerless in layerless?

Whatever.

I'm the cute girl or whatever.

If he exited, brief peace maybe.

But he's in. Means tomorrow: gift to Choi Kang-hyuk again.

"...Don't wanna be cute girl."

Face-planted pillow.

Fluffy, warm scent. No comfort.

Gifting a guy.

Ok once. Daily? No.

Plus Choi Kang-hyuk scary.

Bad rumors...

Hate Gallery Lord.

Low stamina potion maybe.

Or non-potion?

Then.

"Huh? Can change this?"

No... cancel?

Cute Girl Receiving Affection not bad.

Choi Kang-hyuk's the issue.

Change and irreversible bad role?

Quest-related role?

"Phew... quest role? No way."

"Really?"

Low but exists.

No.

Yeah. Receive the cuteness or whatever.

Give potions.

Top-grade too much—downgrade to lowest.

I resolved.

Next day.

Tried late wake, Gallery open—blocked.

"Ah."

Trembling finger pointed at system window.

"Eeeeeek!!!"

Ruined my morning concept-post routine!!

System you bastard!!!!!

Forgive... never...!!

"Eeee... time to get up."

Yeah. Quick gift, then Gallery.

Dopamine-dry, wobbly, threw on clothes, headed out.

Low potions left—Hans' shop first, synth, toss something.

"Ugh. Don't wanna."

Swallowed honest mutter, trudged to Hans'.

Blatant "Shop" sign, Hans' place.

No hesitation, opened door.

"Uncle. I'm he—"

Stopped mid-open.

"Uh, uh. Come in?"

Awkward-smile Hans.

And front: Choi Kang-hyuk.

Why's he there.

Before thought, eyes widened.

"Ah."

Can't meet now.

What to do?

Got anything to give...?

"You."

"Yes?"

Body twitched.

He speaks first?

Bad.

Bad sign.

Gallery says Choi Kang-hyuk initiates twice:

Last words before kill.

Or hand over everything.

Which? Kill, last words?

Or hand over all?

Trembling pupils awaited next words.

"Thanks for yesterday's potion."

"S-spare... Huh?"

Prepped plea fizzled.

What'd Choi Kang-hyuk say?

Thanks??