The Eve
I'd promised to tell her about the surface world, but honestly, I didn't know much about the environment on this 15th floor's surface either. I had a rough idea—really rough. But that wasn't the point. What had Angela hooked wasn't just the surface itself, but stories from a world beyond the Heaven Realm. That would be enough.
"I don't know much outside where I lived either, even if it is the surface... I came from a pretty special place."
I sat side by side with Angela on the narrow chair and started talking. I spilled not just about the worlds I'd gone through in the Tower of Trials, but all sorts of tales I'd heard from other challengers too. Each floor in the Tower had wildly different environments, but surprisingly, they followed similar big rules—no real differences in racial traits or magic systems or that sort of thing. So mixing stories together worked fine.
I wasn't much for fancy words, but spinning yarns like this? I could manage. Thanks to Elenoir.
"Lava-boiling lands... endless giant saltwater seas... So those actually exist."
Angela had never even seen volcanoes or oceans, apparently, and hung on every word like it was the most thrilling thing ever. She was shocked by stuff as basic as people wearing clothes in all sorts of colors, not just white. A real flower in a greenhouse.
Time to drop the bait.
"Getting late, huh? You hungry?"
I eased into it naturally. It was late evening now, and neither of us had eaten. Perfect timing to tempt her with snacks.
I pulled out the food I'd prepped in my inventory. Stuff I was sick of looking at, but normal folks would love: white rolls and other breads. Girls her age went nuts for bread and cake, right?
"What's all this? Surface food?"
"Yeah, sweet snacks."
"I don't need any. We can't eat surface food."
I knew that. It wasn't a deadly sin, but heavenly beings weren't supposed to touch impure surface stuff. Especially food. Just eating it would prick their conscience. But that's the whole appeal of snacks. Should I eat this before dinner? Won't it make me fat since it's late? All that agonizing before finally giving in and feeling that guilty thrill—that's the magic.
"What's the big deal? You think the Heavenly God is gonna punish you over this? It's not even explicitly forbidden."
"Not forbidden, but still no! It spreads impurity!"
"Says the girl eyeing it like she wants a taste. How about just a little bite? One mouthful's fine, right?"
I popped one of the less sweet ones into my mouth.
"Mmm... Bite through that cloud-soft surface, and sweet cream flows out, mixed with tangy marmalade..."
I aped some cooking manga I'd seen, hamming up the reaction and description. Hell if I knew what I was even saying—just winging it. But to Angela, it'd look different.
I kept stuffing her with snacks and chatting, focusing on food culture. It didn't take long before she couldn't resist and took a nibble from one I offered.
**
Five days later, the distance between Angela and me had shrunk fast.
"Mom, I'm home..."
Angela came back from the sky guardian's shelter, and her heavenly parents greeted her with smiles, as always.
"Welcome back. Dinner's that gratin you love. Say your prayers and come eat."
They'd made her favorite today, but her face fell.
"Ah, Mom... I'm good for today. I'll eat alone later."
"Again? You've been skipping meals too much lately."
"It's not that. Just... my stomach's off a bit."
She shot a quick glare at me, already quietly inside. Blaming eyes, but what could she do? She chose this. I hadn't forced anything. Not my fault.
Angela slipped off to her room. Her mother, Angelos, turned to me with worry.
"What's wrong with our girl lately... Warrior, do you know anything? You've been visiting the shelter a lot."
I shook my head, playing dumb. Of course it was a lie—I knew exactly why. Angela was skipping meals because she'd stuffed herself full right before. After tasting all the preserved snacks from my inventory, Heaven Realm food just didn't cut it anymore. Today she'd even nuked some tteokbokki with both heater and cooler on, then polished off a tub of ice cream for dessert. Curious kid her age, full of wants—she fell for this corruption easy.
She still told herself I shouldn't, denying her curiosity and desires... But that wouldn't last. Just cross a tiny line more, and that almighty heavenly punishment might drop.
Too bad we didn't have time for that stage. I really wanted to hear her say something like I've wasted half my life.
"She'll show up soon."
I'd held off on the quest on purpose, but around now, the priests would come first. The Heavenly God wanted this surface human to finish the 'pilgrimage' ASAP. Corrupting the host family's precious daughter and dipping out? Peak sleazy playboy move.
**
The next day, I slipped into Angela's shelter using Shadow Stealth, body hidden.
"Oh, today I'm not talking to you. No touching impure surface food either...!"
Pretending to be tough, even though she'd been waiting for me. Same reaction every time—didn't faze me anymore. She'd flip soon enough. No need for me to push; just toss out a hook.
Won't be long before even that's over.
"Today for real! The High Priest said he's coming to see you!"
"Oh, yeah?"
"Don't ignore it! If he finds out what we've been doing, you might really get heavenly punishment!"
I'd told her for days no punishment was coming, but she still didn't buy it. Makes sense—their god's taboos and punishments were absolute.
"If punishment was coming, it'd have hit already. You think so too."
Angela flinched. She'd been wondering deep down if it really would.
"No punishment's dropping, even if the priests or Heavenly God know what we're up to."
I boasted, then added,
"Truth is, they've already caught on."
I hadn't just goofed off with Angela those five days. I'd gathered 15th-floor intel via community in spare moments, prepped for the hidden boss fight steadily. Training too—pushing my body for stats, mana control drills. Key was honing mana detection's precision and range. I could shrug off other stat dips, but not that.
"Probably started surveilling us with some ability two days ago. Heavenly God himself, or a priest."
Angela's far-sight, the priests' graces— all just magic at root. Easy to detect.
"L-lie. How would you know? A surface human spotting the Heavenly God's grace?"
"Possible. That grace ain't special."
"You're begging for punishment! Blasphemy's a grave sin!"
I brushed off her words, pulling prepped stuff from inventory: a few books, simple items unknown here, her favorite snacks. Stacked them neatly on the table. No big meaning—just gifts.
"These are for you. Might help later. I'm off."
"What's all this? And where you going?"
"You said the priests are coming. Gotta meet 'em."
The priests would guide me to the Heaven Realm's core. Standard route for all 15th-floor challengers. And at the core? The Heavenly God—the winged monster whose true face challengers learn post-15th floor.
I'd wanted to take it slower, but with priests coming personally, no more stalling.
"Might not get the chance, but next time, let's meet on the surface."
The moment of the Heaven Realm's destruction was approaching.