Chapter 42: The Second Floor is Too Suspicious (3)

 

Five candles were arranged in a straight line.

 

“Hup!”

 

With a vigorous swing of my sword, all the candles were extinguished at once.

 

For someone like me, who has reached a somewhat superhuman level, such a task is literally as easy as swimming with the help of the ground.

 

“Good job.”

 

The resident, who introduced himself as a blacksmith, handed me a silver mark with a satisfied look.

 

As I pocketed the mark, a silver pattern appeared above my head.

 

Indeed, achieving a silver rank is too easy.

 

There was a reason why the thugs guarding the square just let the silver ranks through. They were giving out tasks so simple that literally anyone could do them.

 

“Here are the sword and scabbard.”

 

“Ah, you can just keep those. We have plenty.”

 

“...”

 

It was a sword given to me to complete the task... But the blacksmith just told me to keep it. Since I’m the type not to refuse what is given, I simply nodded.

 

“By the way, if I collect a bunch of silver marks, can I get duplicate rewards?”

 

“Probably not. I heard that reward calculations are based on the highest-ranking mark you have.”

 

“Aha. Thank you.”

 

So, it seems, that relentlessly grinding to collect 1,000 silver marks won’t work.

 

It did make sense – receiving duplicate rewards for such easy tasks was unreasonable.

 

‘Hmm…’

 

So, to get a proper reward, I would need to achieve a gold rank or higher...

 

But I can’t just move on, especially since, as mentioned before, the existence of a hidden reward lingers in my mind.

 

What I find most suspicious is precisely the bronze mark.

 

From the start, acquiring a silver mark is incredibly easy. With a decent amount of knowledge and skill, the silver mark is something you can obtain effortlessly.

 

So why on earth do bronze marks exist? Well, they can exist.

 

But why on earth is there a beggar inside the tower?

 

My imagination keeps getting stimulated.

 

I have a feeling that the person who appears like a mere beggar might, upon closer inspection, be a master concealing tremendous power.

 

Also, the commoner, passing by and scratching his buttocks with dirty hands, might actually be a great wizard.

 

“...Guess I’ll have to try, huh?”

 

Closely observing those with bronze marks, I strongly felt that something would come up if I looked hard enough.

 

As I lifted my head after finishing my thoughts, the players busily walking around the street looked slightly different.

 

Obtaining a silver mark is way too easy.

 

But no pattern appears above their heads.

 

Yet, they’re bustling about this street busily... is it to find some sort of clue?

 

“Is there, perhaps, a legend in this city? Maybe a sad backstory...?”

 

“Not that I know of?”

 

“Oh, don’t be like that... here, take this.”

 

“Hey! I told you, there’s really nothing!”

 

From a person offering to share his food while looking for useful rumors—

 

“I wish to take you as my master!”

 

“...?”

 

“Please give me just one chance! I will work hard!”

 

“No, why are you doing this...”

 

“I know I am not up to your standard! But if you just give me one chance...!”

 

“That... It seems like you’ve mistaken me for someone else. I’m just a beggar...”

 

“...Tsk. Is this another false lead?”

 

—To someone bowing their head to every beggar, asking to be taken on as a disciple.

 

Indeed, it seems like I’m not the only one who thinks there are too many people who can give bronze marks.

 

“...Wouldn’t it be less efficient for me to search for this myself?”

 

After all, once you get a mark, a symbol appears above your head.

 

When the symbol appears, the guys guarding the city square will naturally block the way and create a disturbance.

 

If something is indeed hidden here, something will happen just by waiting.

 

Now, let’s summarize.

 

First: The task of finding hidden rewards is, for now, postponed to a lower priority. Blindly investing time in it is not worthwhile when its very existence is uncertain.

 

Second: Understand the exact standards for violence. Even if I get a good reward, it’s futile if I can’t get through the hooligans lounging in the square. However, investigating this standard inevitably involves regression. After inevitable regression, it might be appropriate to experiment.

 

And third, lastly: Find out what tasks need to be done to receive gold or platinum rewards.

 

Then, what I need to do now is...

 

“A gold mark, huh...”

 

…I decided to visit the self-proclaimed noble.

 

I shifted my steps toward the flashy mansion across the street.

 

Entering the mansion was surprisingly easy.

 

Either because of my leather armor, or due to some kind of magic, the massive front door just naturally opened.

 

“Hello, I’m Junho Kim.”

 

“Pleased to meet you. I am Baron Licht.”

 

The man who introduced himself as Baron Licht exuded an incredibly old-world aura.

 

A well-groomed mustache. An outfit that seems tightly pulled together. Even a monocle over his left eye.

 

It felt well-matched with the overall dark red tone of the interior of the mansion.

 

Should I describe him as a man reminiscent of an ancient masterpiece? He truly looked aristocratic.

 

“Well, I’d like to ask what brings you here... but I suspect the reason is obvious.”

 

Baron Licht offered a playful smile.

 

“You want a golden mark, or perhaps a platinum one?”

 

He pulled out a mark from his pocket, gleaming resplendently in a golden hue.

 

“I’d like to just give this to you, truly... but there is a dignity to nobility, and a rarity to the gold marks, isn’t there?”

 

“You’re correct.”

 

“So... I believe you need to pass an appropriate test before I can give you this mark.”

 

Baron Licht, once again pocketing the mark, walked towards a teapot in one corner of the reception room.

 

“Coffee, or tea? Which would you prefer?”

 

“...I’ll have tea.”

 

“An excellent choice. Our coffee doesn’t seem to cater to climbers’ tastes.”

 

Baron Licht skillfully began to brew tea, retrieving the leaves. The subtle fragrance of the tea leaves was rather aromatic.

 

Contrary to what the resident had said on the street earlier, Baron Licht seemed quite normal.

 

This man, I thought, might entertain my questions.

 

“...Why did you guys end up entering the tower? The people here, I mean.”

 

“...That’s a simple question.”

 

Baron Licht answered without turning his head.

 

“Faith. They entered because of faith.”

 

“...Faith?”

 

“Yes, faith. The God asked who would enter the tower... and the ruler of the city nodded...”

 

“The ruler being...?”

 

“A promising knight from nearby. Now, she has become a guardian protecting this city. She watches from above to see if anyone breaks the rules.”

 

“...”

 

“Ah, don’t even think about trying something foolish because you want to see her. She has received the grace of God and transcended humanity.”

 

Guardian who sees if anyone breaks the rules…

 

Perhaps if violence is committed... the ‘ruler of the city’ appears. That seems to be the structure.

 

If I amass an incredible ‘hero’ stack, could I measure up to the city ruler? I’m not sure. But given that she has transcended humanity, it probably won’t happen.

 

“Well, it’s ready.”

 

Baron Licht, having finished brewing the tea, returns to his seat and hands me a cup.

 

Upon sipping the tea, a slightly electrifying, piercing aroma was noticeable. This was my first time tasting such tea.

 

“...It has… a unique flavor…?”

 

“That’s its charm.”

 

Baron Licht smiles slightly. I offered a reciprocal smile.

 

“So... How can I acquire the gold mark?”

 

“Prove yourself.”

 

Baron Licht once again retrieves the golden mark from his pocket.

 

“You may not know... but we’ve been here quite a long time since we entered this place. While you all can’t leave this city... outside is, quite literally, paradise. Fruits, animals, fish, vegetables... there’s an endless abundance of resources. No one worries about starving.”

 

“...”

 

“Thus, life inside the tower is stable but... excruciatingly boring. Repetition, repetition, and more repetition. There’s no crisis. A new stimulus is desperately needed. I’m not sure what kind of tasks the other old ones assign... but I enjoy a slightly thrilling task. Like this tea you just drank.”

 

“...What are you getting at?”

 

“Kidnap someone for me. A girl who sells fish on the street. Her name is Emily. It’s permissible to harm her body, but her face must remain untouched.”

 

“...”

 

“Ah, don’t worry about the tower’s rules. Violence between climbers is forbidden, as is violence between citizens... but violence between climbers and citizens isn’t. Preventing that is my role but... naturally, I have no intention of stopping it.”

 

Baron Licht sardonically stroked his mustache.

 

Is this man, who just invoked the dignity of nobility, really the same person?

 

“...”

 

The resident who had guided me was right.

 

This man... while bearing the appearance of nobility, did not behave nobly at all.

 

‘...Suspicious.’

 

And I found that too suspicious to ignore.

 

Because it felt like this tower was guiding my thought processes.

– – – End of Chapter – – -

 

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