Let the Talks Begin
The government was secretly full of anticipation. They were certain this meeting would yield definitive results. The existence of My House Tower was an uncharted territory, completely different from any other tower that had appeared so far. Therefore, formally importing various goods from My House Tower in large quantities would be of immense benefit to the national interest.
The six delegates dispatched were individuals whose skills had been proven in their respective fields: politics, law, diplomacy, negotiation, and combat. They were currently reading documents containing detailed information about the members of the delegation sent by the government.
Seo Ryuin: In the past, she climbed the tower but gave up, believing she lacked talent. She then prepared for the civil service exam and joined the government. For the past four years, she has lived quietly in an administrative role. However, the tower she climbed was the Daejeon Tower, which is still notorious for its extreme difficulty. Furthermore, she reached the 20th floor entirely on her own. While she severely underestimates her own abilities, she is undoubtedly strong.
Kim Hacheong: Although he lacks self-confidence, he is someone who gives his absolute all when working. The smooth scheduling of the previous meeting with My House Tower was also thanks to his swift response. He now stands in a position where he can rub shoulders with the two men who lead South Korea's top guilds. His lack of confidence should be more than fully restored by now.
Im Heonbeop: This man loves the law and defends order more than anyone else. He has never broken the law under any circumstances. He even has a proven track record of entering a tower himself to capture a criminal climber who had fled inside. With his brilliant mind and righteous judgment, he will surely steer this meeting in our favor.
The government high-ups believed they would successfully negotiate and return, and they were already busy drafting scenarios for the aftermath of the meeting.
They did not know yet.
They had no idea that the entire delegation had already fallen into the terrifying trap of My House Tower.
Inside the VIP private room of the 19th floor, Tasty Restaurant, in My House Tower.
The six government delegates who had visited My House Tower for the meeting gathered once again.
A six-course dinner was laid out on a round table, and dishes wafting exotic aromas stimulated everyone's five senses.
Seo Ryuin, who had returned from enjoying a relaxing break in My House Tower, cut a large piece of steak, put it in her mouth, and exclaimed with sparkling eyes.
"Ahhh~! The soup I had at the Malang Malang Restaurant was great, but this Hell Flame Dragon Tenderloin Steak is just bursting with juices...!"
Completely ignoring the people around her, she was entirely absorbed in the taste of the food.
But no one blamed her.
To be precise, they didn't even have the luxury to care.
"To be free of fatigue... feels incredibly refreshing!"
Kim Hacheong, a member of the Security Department, had been diagnosed with extreme fatigue accumulation during his consultation with a maid. He was advised to rest for a while at the 32nd floor, the Milky Way Hotel.
As soon as he threw himself onto the cloud-like, fluffy bed of the Milky Way Hotel, he fell into a deep sleep.
He woke up feeling so refreshed that he wondered if he had ever slept this comfortably in his entire life.
And when he checked out of the hotel, he was even given cold carbonated water as a complimentary service.
But as it turned out, that carbonated water was actually Majestic Angel's Carbonated Holy Water!
Thanks to the effects of the carbonated holy water, his skin became as smooth as a newborn's, and various chronic ailments were cured!
At the same time, energy began to surge through him, filling him with an inexplicable sense of confidence!
And the master of the Black Sword Guild felt a similar surge of confidence for some reason.
"Hahaha! The taste of dragon meat after pulling off a major feat is truly exceptional! How about you?"
"Nothing of the sort happened to me. I simply received psychological counseling."
Geom Heokbeom and Yun Seojin sat side by side, conversing about their experiences in the Succubus Garden.
Of course, they themselves did not know that those memories were "fake memories" manipulated by Sian Nightmare.
"What? As a fellow man, I don't understand. Is there a reason?"
"No particular reason."
"Come on, we're friends. You don't have to hide it from me."
"...Considering our guilds' relationship, we aren't exactly on friendly terms, are we?"
Publicly, there was a perception that the Black Sword Guild and the Glory Guild were on bad terms. However, Geom Heokbeom was speaking to Yun Seojin without any hesitation.
"Then why don't you take this opportunity to transfer to the Black Sword Guild?"
"As I said last time, I have no intention of leaving the Glory Guild."
"My, what a stubborn fellow."
The reason was that Geom Heokbeom had his eyes on the talented Yun Seojin. If he succeeded in scouting Yun Seojin to Black Sword, it would mean completely pulling out one of the main pillars supporting the Glory Guild—a true two-birds-with-one-stone scenario.
But since the man in question had no intention of leaving the Glory Guild, Geom Heokbeom couldn't hide his disappointment and turned his attention to Crow.
"Crow, what do you think? Don't you think it would be better for Seojin to join our side?"
"...At the very least, we should hear the opinion of the Glory Guild Master."
Crow, still wearing his mask, was sipping a milkshake made from Minotaur milk through a straw. This was already his fifth glass.
"More importantly, why do you keep drinking only that?"
At Geom Heokbeom's question, Crow slowly lowered his straw and replied,
"My blood sugar dropped after stretching my limbs for the first time in a while. Replenishing sugar is essential to maintain combat readiness."
There was a reason he said this. Because he had spent the entire day sparring with Yurining on the 49th floor, his body's sugar and calories were severely depleted. He was currently replenishing them at a rapid pace.
And—
"......"
There was one person who sat blankly, not even touching the food.
It was Im Heonbeop, a climber from the Ministry of Justice.
The food on his plate had long since grown cold. He couldn't even lift his utensils and was just staring blankly into space.
He was still in a state of confusion due to the "fake memory" lingering in his mind.
The memory was as follows.
With those words—
His memory cut off completely.
Normally, a development where he simply fell asleep and woke up would make the most sense.
But it was too convenient. That was the problem.
What if... I did something even worse after that?
Anxiety turned into guilt, and guilt blossomed into terror.
Wait, is it possible that the memory itself is a lie?
He even considered the possibility that his memory had been manipulated.
As expected of someone from the Ministry of Justice, he possessed an extraordinary mind. Exercising incredible deductive reasoning, he came remarkably close to the truth of the incident.
However...
"Hey, are you alright?"
"......"
"You've completely lost your mind. Come to think of it, the succubus who went in with you was definitely... *cough*."
"...?"
"...I will respect your tastes."
"Th-That... Gyaaaah!!"
Geom Heokbeom's words flew like a dagger, piercing Im Heonbeop, who couldn't even properly defend himself.
With his mental state shattered to pieces once again, he ultimately failed to reach the truth.
A maid quietly approached the delegation as they finished their meal.
"Delegates, the meeting is about to begin. I will guide you to the meeting room on the 99th floor."
In an instant, the atmosphere in the dining room shifted.
Their relaxed expressions hardened, and they cautiously nodded as they looked at one another.
"Then, let us move."
The six delegates.
Some for the nation, some for their own honor.
Another simply by government order, and one to clean up the mess he had made.
...And the last one, having forgotten even the purpose of the meeting.
Carrying their respective emotions and burdens—
They stood before the warp point leading to the 99th floor.
The six delegates arrived at the meeting room.
"Is this the meeting room...?"
Seo Ryuin looked around, feeling a sense of doubt.
The atmosphere was far too dark and bizarre. Rather than a meeting room, it felt like an altar prepared for an ancient ritual.
The ceiling was completely swallowed by darkness, and even the candles flickering faintly on the walls seemed on the verge of going out at any moment.
In the pitch-black darkness that seemed capable of swallowing all light, only a massive, straight table in the center asserted its presence.
At the very center of the head of that table.
An angel with snow-white hair, dazzlingly fair skin, and large, pure white wings.
The Tower Administrator, Eriel Tricia, sat in her seat.
She was looking down at the delegation with a serious expression they had never seen before.
"Welcome, human delegates dispatched by the government."
Her clear yet resonant voice filled the entire meeting room.
Just as Geom Heokbeom was about to respond, Tricia raised her hand to stop him.
"Before that, I should introduce our tower's 'Guardians' first. Please come forward, one by one."
As soon as those words fell, Tricia's friends, colleagues, floor managers—and those who had received the new title of 'Guardians'—began to reveal themselves one after another.