Ridiculous Nonsense
"Ridiculous. As far as I know, humans were the only race never invited to the tower. And you're saying the tower was cleared? If that were true, the Norpa brothers wouldn't have fled from the lower floors."
I frowned slightly at her words.
"I don't know the exact details either. Anything beyond this is information known only to the higher echelons of the Forerunners—the Reverents."
"Has any player reached that rank?"
She shook her head at my question.
"I'm the only player affiliated with the Veil to begin with."
"You wouldn't tell me how you joined the Veil even if I asked, right?"
She nodded with an awkward expression once more.
"Doesn't matter. It'll all sort itself out when I meet the head of the Veil anyway. But..."
I stowed the mount I'd acquired in Ainhere back in my inventory and suddenly asked her a question that popped into my mind.
"Is the Invitation King strong?"
She furrowed her brow at my out-of-left-field question.
"Just curious. You mentioned he'd cleared the tower."
I shrugged sheepishly.
"It's an old tale, so there's probably some exaggeration... but according to Veil lore, it's said he even slew gods."
"Slew gods, huh..."
I curled my lips downward at her words.
"I like the sound of that."
H-ha... Master. That doesn't apply to me, right?
"Hold on."
"What?"
As I tucked the gem I'd taken from Jang Il-mun into my inventory, Isabel Silver shot me an urgent glance.
"...Why are you taking that?"
"Who else? Should the girl who nearly died in that back room take it? You'd be game over already without me."
"That's true, but..."
The Hidden Eater twitched her lips but couldn't argue further. She was in a bind because of the Veil quest, but she knew full well she wasn't in a position to demand the gem right now.
'If a dwarf processes this gem, it'll become something perfect that surpasses the current one—and both elves and fairies know that. But given their natures, they'd never seek out those stubborn runts, let alone ask for a favor.'
The fairy folk shared high affinity with elves, so their relations with dwarves were poor. To the eyes of those nature-loving races, dwarves who shattered mountains for mines and hammered iron were nothing but destroyers.
'The key is that I'm connected to those very dwarves they avoid.'
I lifted the gem slightly and examined it.
'I could negotiate its evolution into the Eye of the Fairy when I reach the Veil.'
It sparkled brilliantly with every turn.
"Since we're heading to the Veil anyway, we'll talk then."
"...You're really going to the Veil?"
"Obviously."
The Hidden Eater looked at me with a strange expression.
"K-Kim Do-hyun!!! I-I gave you everything you wanted... I have no more items to hand over! So let me go!"
"Why? It's just a game, right? And even if you're stuck in limbo where you can't die or respawn, it's not hopeless. Just request rescue from the admins."
"Y-You bastard...!"
Jang Il-mun scowled at my words.
"Interfering with the game would trigger a login ban penalty twice as harsh as the death one, though."
I smiled at him.
"Death penalties scale with level for login ban duration, so double that... about a week out? Even that idiot Grom would have plenty of time to crush you by then. Would he become your boss?"
"Our deal's off!!!"
"...Off?"
I turned to look at Jang Il-mun. In front of him lay not just the Eye of the Fairy I'd picked up, but his gear, potions, and more—piled high.
"Getting mouthy?"
"H-Hey, you promised. So... p-please, let me go."
Realizing his situation, Jang Il-mun pleaded in a whimpering voice.
"Ahem..."
Satisfied with the outcome, I nodded toward Black Eye.
"Don't worry. If the final job goes well, I'll kill you clean as a reward. Without Mutsa even noticing."
"...Huh?"
"You messaged G. Basel, right? Even if you didn't, your dead underlings did. He's on his way here."
I told him.
"Lure him to the spot I mentioned. Use your minions or do it yourself—doesn't matter. Once he shows, I'll make it look like you fought loyally as a vassal and barely escaped."
"Th-That's..."
I nodded at the fool who'd bitten the bait, flashing a friendly smile.
"I need your heads for my deal with Mutsa, but since you handed over the Eye of the Fairy, I'll take Basel's head instead of yours."
"..."
Jang Il-mun's eyes trembled.
"You six pillars only banded together because of Mutsa—you're rivals. If you're stepping on Grom or G. Basel anyway, isn't this your chance to rise highest among the six?"
"F-For real...? N-No, really?"
"Not the position to ask. If you don't want to, come back in a week. A week in reality is plenty of time in-game... it'll be a sight."
"W-Wait!!"
'If I go back like this, I can't face Lady Mutsa. Calling G. Basel for a pincer attack would be ideal to take this guy down... but even if it fails, this opens a path to survive the worst case.'
"Understood... I'll cooperate."
He bit his lip and nodded slowly, as if resolved.
"Good."
I replied with a satisfied expression.
That's weird... I heard Master tell your party members he'd kill both.
You're still green.
I muttered in my head so they couldn't hear, and Black Eye chuckled softly.
Look at that face. Obvious lie.
Ignoring the chattering pair, I slowly helped Jang Il-mun to his feet.
"Let's do this right."
"Th-Then... since we're in this together, could you heal my severed leg?"
"Nope."
As expected...
Yeomhwa-ryeong nodded at my curt refusal.
"Will he really fall for such a shabby bait?"
While I watched the forest entrance, Isabel Silver asked in a slightly worried tone.
The G. Basel we were luring was one of Mutsa's most trusted among the six pillars. Perhaps that's why Mutsa had given Jang Il-mun the Yulmun clan's deadly poison for the job—Basel was in the rear guard.
'If he crumbles, Yukhap will shake badly.'
Grom's issue might be minor, but G. Basel's defeat wouldn't be something Mutsa could overlook.
"Bait works best when it's simple and clear. Complicate it, and it just raises suspicion. Jang Il-mun's credible enough—Basel has to show."
"Hmm..."
"Isabel, just focus on guiding me to the Veil's head."
"..."
She let out a low sigh, as if resigned.
"How's the recovery?"
"About 30%. I can move now."
"But combat's out. Even with the poison cured, without a priest's purification magic, the toxins will take time to fully clear. Especially Yulmun poison—it lingers."
I pointed to the rear.
"Stay back where you won't interfere. G. Basel's no pushover like Jang Il-mun. And he's an assassin archer, from what I hear. A high-level assassin's archery means long range. Fine if he snipes you dead in one shot, but getting taken hostage is trouble."
"You wouldn't care if I were a hostage."
"I would. You need to guide me to the Veil."
"...You always this cold to people?"
"Yeah."
I answered without even glancing at her.
"On the battlefield."
She frowned slightly at my reply.
"Feels like you're really risking your life in this game."
"Aren't you?"
I looked at Isabel.
"I doubt you got the Hidden Eater title just playing for fun. Dimension World is a game, but no one treats it like one."
I pointed to Jang Il-mun, bound far off.
"Who'd think you'd lose limbs in a game, then get turned into bait? You saw Jang Il-mun's blank face. But in Dimension World, that's everyday stuff."
"..."
"You know it. This isn't just some fun game."
I continued.
"Top players face real-life death threats because of this game—nations set up safe zones to protect them. Can you call that 'just a game'?"
Yet people were drawn to the virtual world's unreality, ironically idolizing those very top players risking their lives.
Isabel Silver shivered. She had to admit it. Players who just enjoyed Dimension World stayed average. But those aiming for the top were different.
"...I think stopping the eight great clans' misdeeds is necessary. But this way just makes more enemies."
"Not making enemies. They've always been."
I told her.
"And you got hit by it. Fights don't need reasons, but they've given plenty."
"..."
Isabel Silver opened her mouth to retort but only licked her lips, saying nothing.
"The eight clans reshape the game as they please because they're strong—that's their right. Can't call it evil. Ask who harms players most, and folks would point to bot farms, not the clans."
The clans' scale made bot farms seem trivial, but people trip more on the stone at their feet than the unreachable tree.
"I'm not out to kneel the eight clans because they're evil that must be slain. Sure, their antics annoy me, but it's not some noble mission. I'm no hero."
"Then?"
"Just a hurdle to clear. Remove obstacles."
Her eyes trembled.
"I told you in Parahum's Tomb. This continent's too small for eight clans to divvy up."
"Hope that confidence isn't arrogance."
Isabel Silver sighed lowly, at a loss for words.
"Wanna see? Ditch the Veil and follow me. I'll give satisfying results. Nam-gung Yun's already testing himself."
"That again? I don't side with anyone."
"You saw what Yukhap did at Geshutalt. I'm not as great as you hope. Drop it."
She paused at my words, shook her head, and retreated into the forest.
Prickly one. I'm curious too—why obsess over her? If you like her, be gentler. Clear your stance.
Gentle? No thanks! I don't want Master tangled with Veil God stuff. Among gods, the Veil one's notoriously inscrutable.
Black Eye and Yeomhwa-ryeong chimed in the moment the Hidden Eater left.
"Quiet. My interest in her isn't affection."
Then?
"The power of her Hidden Eater title."
Her quest-blessed prowess had piqued my curiosity.
Yeomhwa-ryeong stuck her tongue out at Black Eye triumphantly.
"Anyway, she's secondary. The Veil's stance matters. As Yeomhwa-ryeong says, the Veil God is hard to read. He wouldn't show even if the continent faced doom—unless interested."
You know it.
Yeomhwa-ryeong nodded, then her wings fluttered suddenly.
Master.
That was when it happened.
Black Eye has used Threat Detection Lv4.
Detecting stealth and traps within a 15m radius.
Familiar's abilities are shared.
Yeomhwa-ryeong and Black Eye, who'd been bickering moments ago, split to either side in perfect sync.
"He's here."
I said in a low voice, eyes fixed on the forest entrance.
The hunt begins.