Chapter 285
Chapter 285
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 285
Chapter Title: The Red Tower Experiment
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Unhyang's eyes widened round at the name that came from Clementine's mouth.
"Naila?"
"Yes. Surely you know of her?"
"Of course. Who doesn't know the Red Tower Lord?"
The Red Tower, Blue Tower, and Black Tower.
The three pillars at the center of Runeterra.
Among them, Naila was the lord of the Red Tower, a high ranker whose power couldn't even compare to the Poison King.
She had held the title of 'Archmage' until Hiels appeared.
And that meant she was the greatest mage in Runeterra before Hiels emerged.
"Then answer me. Red Tower Lord—can you handle her?"
Clementine's gaze turned toward the eyes behind Soo-hyuk's mask.
It was an absurd question.
Naila, of all people. A far bigger fish than expected had been named.
Unhyang glanced at Soo-hyuk, unsure what decision he would make.
"Let's go."
"Pardon?"
"No more to discuss."
Shaking his head, Soo-hyuk rose from his seat.
Caught off guard by the sudden turn, Unhyang froze in an awkward half-standing position, neither sitting nor following. She hadn't anticipated this reaction from him.
"Wh-why?"
"Questioning and haggling is fine. But I won't deal with someone who demands I take responsibility for your words without any trust."
Clementine was just as flustered.
She had considered the answer might not satisfy her—Naila's name carried that much weight.
But she never imagined he'd react like this.
'A streamer, huh...'
Clementine admired Soo-hyuk's handling of the situation.
He had seen through her intent first and taken control in his favor. It was the best virtue even for a merchant.
"I apologize. I'm sorry."
Clementine hurriedly stopped Soo-hyuk as he stood to leave.
Soo-hyuk, who had seemed ready to walk out, paused mid-turn and looked at her. The moment their eyes met, Clementine realized her mistake.
"With just words?"
"......"
Clementine recalled the nickname attached to the streamer Lee Soo-hyuk.
Moneybug.
True to the name, Soo-hyuk was thorough in his calculations.
"Don't worry. A merchant never forgets debts or favors."
With a sly smile, she said that, and only then did Soo-hyuk turn back and sit down.
The conversation had reset. Clementine felt the initiative shift to Soo-hyuk.
Breaking the silence with a sigh, Clementine spoke.
"I was born into a very poor family."
Unhyang's eyes widened in surprise.
Clementine and poverty. No two words mismatched like that.
"Poor, but happy. We had a little brother and a big sister back then."
No mention of parents.
It was clear without asking. Lost or abandoned. She had endured hard times.
Yet Clementine said it was happy.
Her memories of her siblings must have been that precious.
"We grew up in the back alleys of Runeterra. Know why?"
"No idea."
"Lots of generous people there."
With that, Clementine shaped a coin with her fingers.
"You have to beg where the handouts are big. The coins beggars get grow bigger that way. Didn't know?"
Beggar.
A shameful past, if it shamed her. But Clementine spoke of it casually.
It wasn't just a bit of poverty. She had come from the complete opposite world of her current self.
As Unhyang hesitated, unsure how to respond to the suddenly heavy story, Soo-hyuk asked.
"How did a beggar get tangled with the Red Tower Lord?"
"As expected of Soo-hyuk. Straight to the point."
Even the word 'beggar' didn't faze Clementine. To her now a major tycoon, that past was a fully healed wound without a scar.
"Right. A beggar like me had no business with the Red Tower Lord. Normally."
Clementine's sly smile deepened into something darker.
"Orphans with no family vanish one day, and no one notices."
Soo-hyuk's eyes gleamed at her words.
"Test subjects."
Clap.
"Exactly. My, you're quick."
Clementine affirmed with applause.
Of course, Soo-hyuk hadn't deduced it solely from her words. Rumors had swirled for decades.
'So those rumors were true.'
Whispers that the Red Tower took children for experiments had spread covertly for years.
The Red Tower vehemently denied it, swearing on a mage's pride they did no such atrocity.
At first, Soo-hyuk found it odd. No reason for such rumors unless someone targeted the Red Tower.
But.
"You close with the Red Tower Vice Lord, Naila?"
"Me? Eh, we cross paths now and then."
Soo-hyuk had seen Kim Il-su, founder of Blue Zone, meeting Red Tower Vice Lord Naila a few times.
"Heard some weird rumors."
"Oh, that?"
"Yeah. Red Tower using orphans as experiment fodder. You know it?"
"Heard. Even know who spread it. Don't sweat it. That's why we met last time."
"Really?"
A casual exchange over drinks after a long time apart.
Soo-hyuk had trusted Kim Il-su then. Thought it was nothing, or he'd handle it if there was.
But this changed things.
'No way you're involved too?'
If so, true disappointment.
Not just betrayal of them, but proof he'd done wrong long before, even earlier.
Clementine continued.
"One day I woke in a white room. Me, my little brother, big sister. Other unknown kids, all together."
"No need for details."
Soo-hyuk gauged Clementine's feelings as she told this.
If she dragged up painful memories just because needed, no need.
He already understood what happened.
"No details to tell. Just one memory."
But Clementine spoke.
Her eyes like molten lava pulled from her gut.
"Blazing flames scorching hot. My body burning inside. Siblings aflame, melting away......"
Clementine's body shuddered. Recalling it alone wracked her in agony.
Her eyes seemed to flicker with those flames.
"I was the only survivor. That's when I met her. Naila."
"Was the Red Tower Lord leading the experiments?"
"Yes. Though not lord yet then."
With a sly smile, she continued the horrific tale.
"I was discarded with my siblings' corpses. No suspicion. I looked like one myself."
"Why... why not report it?"
Unhyang clenched her fists and asked. Clementine answered.
"I screamed. Help us."
She had already screamed for help.
Help us. Avenge our burned siblings.
"No one listened. Not a soul."
"......"
"I thought because I was young and weak. Half right, half wrong. I was weak, but the Red Tower was that strong too."
Clementine's gaze shifted to Soo-hyuk.
"Sorry about earlier. My circumstances and you are separate. Shouldn't have tested you on first meet."
"It's fine. But......"
"Yes."
"Am I enough? Plenty of greater people out there."
Soo-hyuk knew his position objectively. Even with recent hype, streamer Lee Soo-hyuk fell short as Red Tower counter.
Way short.
Plus, Clementine had resources. Anyone she wanted, she could move.
"Three reasons I chose you, Soo-hyuk. First, you're a streamer."
"Want me to expose the Red Tower's truth?"
"Yes. Punishment alone won't satisfy."
Using his stream to reveal the Red Tower. It showed how much she hungered for this.
No simple revenge. Expose them before all.
That was Clementine's goal.
"Second, no telling who's involved. Every existing guild has Red Tower ties, practically."
"Runeterra's richest guild."
"Yes. And one with an Archmage."
With Archmage Hiels, multiple Interworld War wins.
Meaning the strongest world in this tower.
This was leagues beyond Poison King. Worst case, fighting beyond Red Tower Lord Naila to the top guild.
"Most crucial reason. Archmage ties into third. You appeared with him in the Interworld War."
Player riding Vulcanus with Archmage in Interworld War.
Soo-hyuk's stock skyrocketed that day. Flaunting Archmage ties, clashing with Heavenly Demon in one day.
"Hoping I approach the Archmage for you?"
"Yes. If winning outright impossible, that's most viable."
Her choice of Soo-hyuk was calculated.
Streamer job. Archmage Hiels link. Clean past, appearing post-experiment start, no Red Tower ties.
Plus power to wreck Shinryeon Castle.
Perfect fit.
"Also, don't wanna beg those adults who ignored me back then."
Clementine still smiled brightly.
Maybe she wore a mask her whole life.
Seeing it, Soo-hyuk's chest ached.
She was wrong.
'Me too... back then.'
Regrettably, against expectations, Soo-hyuk was one who ignored her then.
Ignored the rumors. Whatever reason, trusted Kim Il-su's word as baseless, turned blind eye.
Busy tackling Guardians then.
And in that, Clementine was born. That mask too, from then.
"If you take the commission, this is what I offer."
Click.
Clementine removed one ring from her hand and held it out.
"Recognize it?"
A small black-gleaming gem embedded ring.
First time seeing it, yet Soo-hyuk instantly knew its name.
The great treasure Clementine held, one of only five in this tower.
"Divine item?"