Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: If Cute, Upvote
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Even within the gallery, the infamous Hard 30th-floor user was acting like this toward me, so I was a bit taken aback for a moment, but I didn't pay it much mind.
As he said, climbers all have at least one screw loose, right?
Maybe he just wanted to go with a weird concept.
I figured after showing off all those outrageous feats multiple times, they'd be jaded by now, but the gallery's reaction was still hot this time around.
Apparently, ditching the protectee in a 'guard' mission and eliminating the cause of the mission in the first place felt fresh to them.
Black mages are a pain to kill in so many ways, fine.
But those spiteful bastards always dump a curse on you at the end. How'd you dodge that?
I thought avoidance was impossible since they stake their life on it.
No, I didn't lie?
I really tanked it with the Endurance skill.
Of course, no one else could replicate it.
C-Rank skills are the kind only climbers right before Normal clear would have.
"Yoojin, what're you doing?"
"Ah."
I was deep in gallery scrolling when I got interrupted.
The bait was dying down anyway, so I closed the gallery and turned my head.
Bell Rabins was standing there, blocking my entire view.
I looked at her and couldn't hold back a chuckle.
"Pfft."
"What? Something on my face?"
"No. Nothing."
Someone had said this upon seeing her.
Still, like a gentleman, I didn't tease her about her name.
Though stifling the giggles was impossible.
Lady Bell got pissed at my constant snickering and messed up her hair.
Ah, her hair's all ruined now.
Sir Henry was always sitting nearby, but whereas before he'd freak out like, "How dare you do that," now he just watched with a warm look like, "Teasing the oblivious lady, huh."
Hm.
For some reason, it made me feel like the bad guy.
Anyway, the wariness from before was completely gone.
It was all in Henry's head, but with his image of me as a 'holy knight dispatched by the church, hiding his identity to smite a black mage,' who wouldn't drop their guard?
Rumble—
The carriage shook briefly.
Looking outside, it wasn't as densely forested anymore; signs of human activity were starting to appear.
"We will arrive at the city of Evran shortly."
Sir Henry announced it like a tour guide.
The map on the mission showed it too—Evran was the safe zone we needed to reach.
Feeling relieved that we'd completed it safely, I gazed at the sprawling city.
If you think about it, this was the first proper medieval fantasy sight since dropping into the Tower, so I couldn't help but take a moment to appreciate it.
The carriage pressed on, and as we approached the city gates and the inspection line, I stood up and said,
"Guess it's time to part ways."
"Yeah—wait, why?!"
"He's leaving."
Sir Henry nodded like it was obvious, but Lady Bell immediately grabbed my ankle, refusing to let me go.
Of course, no matter how she grabbed it, she couldn't stop me from moving.
I'd just drag her along, ankle in hand.
"Aaaagh! Why's this bony thing so strong?!"
"I'm probably stronger than Henry."
"What? Don't talk nonsense."
She thought it was a joke, but Sir Henry didn't take it as one.
He nodded right away in agreement.
"Indeed. I couldn't even dream of matching him."
"Sir Henry, you keep saying weird stuff?!"
"It's not weird. My lady, as I said before... that man is."
"I know, I know. He's an amazing holy knight, right? Killed the black mage while I was dozing off."
Oh.
I looked at Lady Bell in surprise.
I thought she truly had no idea the whole time.
Turns out she was just playing dumb?
Bell blushed a little and said,
"I really didn't know at first..."
"Ah."
So she was genuine up to that point.
Whatever.
Bell let go of my ankle, dusted herself off, then politely curtsied and bowed to me.
"My apologies for just now. Allow me to thank the benefactor who saved us. If you visit the Rabins Barony, we shall treat you most generously."
"Without you, we were as good as dead."
Sir Henry paid his respects as a knight.
Knowing it was farewell, the attendants around us thanked me one by one in their own ways.
Didn't feel half bad.
If I hadn't wiped out all the monsters, the only one I'd have saved here was Lady Bell.
But now, everyone was alive and well.
I chuckled and told them,
"Someday, let's meet again."
At that moment, the world froze.
Turning my gaze, the familiar clear message appeared.
Hunting down and killing the black mage had triggered the reward boost again this time.
Wonder what it'd give.
I doubted it'd be as good as the boss kill, even if it was the same hidden reward.
"Easier than boss kill, after all."
While I waited with that in mind, the Constellation Gallery was buzzing about the result.
I lose my shit every time I see these climbers trying to Tower up.
They should all flop down dead from line-skipping, then Yoojin gives 'em a personal sermon.
Back-to-back hidden rewards on floors 2 and 3?
She's on another level entirely.
And reincarnated again in the meantime?
Not long after, a brilliant light shone down into my hand.
Tower reward, apparently.
I was always brimming with anticipation.
The more they screwed me over, the better the rewards.
As the radiant light settled in my hand, a small accessory lay beneath it.
A hair pin with a ribbon attached.
...What is this?
Its identity was revealed right away via item info.
Binding Ribbon - Rank ?
▸Classification: Accessory (Hair Pin)▸ A gorgeous hair pin with a beautiful ribbon that boosts the wearer's charm. ▸ Links to wearer's rank, possessing one rank higher dignity. Gains abilities based on dignity. ▸ Currently possesses Low D-Rank dignity. ▸ Can store some mana in the hair pin.
"...So."
With my rank at peak F, this hair pin was effectively Low D-Rank.
Practically tailor-made for Combination, wasn't it?
Tower, you got great taste.
"Kinda wish it was Mid-rank though..."
If it were Mid, I could've Combined three Mids into a High D-Rank item.
Balance-breaking potential.
But I'd hit D-Rank soon enough.
As for the ribbon's own abilities, not bad at all.
Solid D-Rank accessory value.
I pinned it on my head.
Never worn one before, so not sure, but this should do.
A small, ornate ribbon now adorned the right side of my head.
Sure enough, with its mana storage, the mana enveloping my body flowed into the ribbon.
Mana - Rank D (Lv. 1)
▸ Basic utilization of mana. ▸ Versatile usage possible. Magic power amplified. ▸ Can rapidly absorb and regenerate mana from nature.
(Note) Current rank F, cannot exceed Lv. 1 proficiency.
"Oh."
Didn't expect this effect too?
With my mana breaking into D-Rank, its flow felt completely different now.
Before, I had to sit still and focus to recover mana.
Now, it absorbed from nature and regenerated on its own, even passively.
Versatility seemed 10x better.
Magic power boost helped too—with this, I could make head-sized fireballs and detonate them, not just tiny ones.
"So magic's a late bloomer type, huh?"
With magic and mana synergy, I could probably wreck the battlefield solo.
Curious what the constellations thought, I checked the gallery, but they didn't seem to care about that.
Mages' chronic issue is mana capacity, and this mana-storing magic tool solves it?
A growing one that scales with your rank?
Just learn magic and it's smooth sailing.
Not gonna walk the path to grand mage?
One click 'Meteor' and everything dies.
Hm.
Anyway, massive upvote from me too.