Chapter 43: The Second Floor is Too Suspicious (4)

 

At first, I thought I had misunderstood.

 

However, after looking around at other nobles’ mansions, I came to the same conclusion as before.

 

The nobles of this place... were deeply corrupt.

 

In summary, their demands were to kidnap someone, or beat someone down, or else to fight and win against their own soldiers.

 

There was not a single request that might be considered noble or dignified.

 

“It’s strange... too strange...”

 

There weren’t just one or two odd things about this city.

 

Firstly, the city, abundantly prosperous thanks to divine grace, still had Bronze-class people wearing ragged clothes and living in run-down houses.

 

The kindness of the people here was unbelievable. If you ask for fruit, they give you fruit; if you ask for a sword, they give you a sword - Literally, it was an era of peace and prosperity. I am confident that nothing would happen even if you left your doors open and fell asleep.

 

However... There were beggars in the streets.

 

In a place overflowing with all sorts of resources, there were beggars sleeping on the ground and begging for food.

 

Moreover, the nobles were blatantly hostile.

 

It felt provocative, as if they were saying, ’Hey, can’t players and residents beat each other? Try hitting them, come on, hit them~’.

 

I couldn’t shake the thought that the oppressed residents and the wicked, lazy nobles were somehow artificial.

 

And secondly.

 

This city... was encouraging misdeeds.

 

Listening to the stories, it was said that there had been players who abducted citizens and offered them to the nobles for their own gains in the past.

 

Of course, the citizens were not fools and resisted in their own ways, and there were indeed occasions when they managed to suppress the players... but that only went so far.

 

Once players with powerful attributes decided to commit nefarious acts, there was nothing the citizens could do to stop them.

 

“This is too strange.”

 

After all, this tower was created by a deity, a being referred to as ‘God’, to judge humanity.

 

Because humans are evil, selfish, lazy, have lost their faith, and so on... the reasons are numerous.

 

Yet, this tower was now encouraging rapid growth through committing evil deeds.

 

Of course, just like in the tutorial, judgment could be passed once the second floor is conquered. There’s a possibility that those who ascend the tower with honesty and good conduct might receive their due rewards.

 

But... What if that’s not the case?

 

What if the judgment takes place only after ascending all 66 floors?

 

What if those who enjoy terrorizing civilians in reality, the crazed individuals, were actually the most optimized candidates to become the strongest in the tower?

 

What if God’s stance is ‘It’s okay for the bad ones to get stronger quickly, it’s part of the trial. If humans were good, they would help each other cheerfully ascend.’? Isn’t humanity destined for destruction in that case?

 

Lastly, the structure of the square.

 

The alleys in the square were extremely narrow. If three people block it with their bodies, there is no way through.

 

Those who have sold their conscience to secure gold marks are ultimately destined to be tripped up by other ruffians blocking the way.

 

There’s a saying about crabs in a bucket. When you put a lot of crabs into a bucket, as one tries to escape, the others grab and pull it back, ensuring that no crab can escape.

 

Seeing the circumstances of this floor, I couldn’t help but remember that saying.

 

“Hmm...”

 

Actually... Although the situation seems hopeless, there is a solution - Simply ask the help of a couple of citizens and get rid of the guys blocking the way with their bodies. After all, violence is permissible between citizens and players.

 

But would ordinary citizens really help a guy who secured a gold mark by sacrificing other citizens?

 

It was a twisted and entangled situation.

 

‘Sigh…’

 

Okay.

 

In times like this, it’s right to solve the task at hand first. I’ll also start from there.

 

“You’re the one who guided me earlier, right?”

 

“Ah... Yes. That’s correct.”

 

“Follow me.”

 

First… I decided to go back to Baron Licht, the one who first gave me a task.

 

“Huh? Where is Miss Emily? You came back alone?”

 

Baron Licht, leisurely enjoying coffee and reading a book in the reception room, looked up at me.

 

Without responding, I stepped forward in one stride and swung my sword, still in its sheath, toward Baron Licht.

 

“Heh… It’s no use… Urgh!”

 

Baron Licht, swinging his hand to create a protective shield-like thing in the air, couldn’t finish his sentence as my sheath bashed his head, causing him to pass out instantly.

 

“...He was a tough bastard.”

 

The momentum felt for a moment was quite terrifying. If we’d clashed head-on, most likely, I would have been sent back. It was due to his negligence that I could finish him in one blow.

 

“...Let’s see.”

 

Rummaging through the unconscious man’s belongings, several perverted items that a normal adult male wouldn’t carry spilled out, but that wasn’t my concern.

 

“...Found it.”

 

Finally, I found two gleaming platinum marks at his waist and a flat golden box on his chest.

 

“...Is it over?”

 

A man cautiously and perceptively stepped into the room. It was the citizen who guided me when I first came to the town.

 

“Is this what you were talking about?”

 

“...Yes. It’s correct. It’s a mark creation box... for citizens only.”

 

The citizen, nodding slightly, takes the flat gold box I handed over.

 

“With this... you can create gold marks at will.”

 

He took out a silver box with the same design from his belongings, then shoved it into the pocket of the unconscious Baron Licht.

 

“So... as promised...”

 

“Yes. I will give out proper assignments. Not to satisfy individual perverted desires... but assignments that will genuinely assist climbers in their growth. This insane practice should have stopped at some point.”

 

This was the solution I came up with.

 

Replace the nobility with someone else, and persuade them to provide somewhat normal assignments.

 

In the past, when I was guided through the street... This citizen was kind to me, showing a rational demeanor.

 

If this man takes the place of Baron Licht, people will no longer need to harm citizens to obtain gold marks.

 

“Ugh… uh uh...”

 

“For now, please think about what kind of assignments you’ll give in the future. I’ll take this guy outside.”

 

“Sure.”

 

I grabbed Baron Licht by the feet and dragged him out of the reception room.

 

“Chk… uh uh...”

 

Baron Licht, his head scraping along the corridor floor, finally came to and opened his eyes with difficulty.

 

“Hey. You should have behaved like a proper noble. What’s with giving the kidnapping quest? Haah, really.”

 

If all the other nobles are also replaced in the same way, people will be able to become stronger without committing evil deeds.

 

Since they say that the Tower was created because God was disappointed in humans... preventing further evil deeds can be considered a significant achievement in itself.

 

If the structure of this Tower, which coerces ordinary people into committing sins against their will, is torn down bit by bit, there will surely be some results.

 

What I need to think about now is the blockage in the plaza, the hidden rewards... and the beggars.

 

I felt the need to investigate why beggars are living a beggar’s life.

 

“Ha... Ahahaha...”

 

My thought process, which had been busily crafting a plan, halted due to Baron Licht’s laughter.

 

“Why are you laughing?”

 

“You’re not the first to have such thoughts.”

 

“...?”

 

His way of speaking had changed.

 

Not the noble tone... but a polite and courteous one.

 

“Do you know the saying, ‘Position makes the person’? Do you think I was always a lust-crazed bastard from the beginning? It just... happens naturally. Because it is the will of God.”

 

“...”

 

“Look behind you.”

 

As I slowly turned my head... the kind citizen was outside the reception room.

 

A vile smile lingered on his lips.

 

“Baron Licht might have let his guard down... but I haven’t. I saw your full power just now.”

 

Dozens of light orbs hovered behind the citizen, and a thick protective shield enveloped him.

 

“...This is simply absurd.”

 

Does the box have a parasite that can be passed over?

 

With a deep sigh, I charged at who had been the kind resident.

 

I struggled in my own way... but it was impossible to perfectly counteract something I’d never seen before - something called ‘magic.’

 

 

 

***

 

“Annoying.”

 

The situation is ludicrously complicated. There are numerous hidden strings being pulled from behind the scenes.

 

To begin with, it’s ridiculous how a person is changed once they obtain the box.

 

“It’s just so damn shitty.”

 

I... am trying to derive the best solution.

 

But right now, everything just feels overwhelmingly bleak.

 

What’s the right answer in the first place?

 

Am I to overcome this situation with goodness? What the hell am I supposed to do?

 

I’m not a genius. I’m not a politician. Even less so, a hero.

 

I’m just... an ordinary person with the ability to regress.

 

Countless suspicious and seemingly meaningful setups keep popping out, giving me a sensation like they’re urging, ‘Why don’t you try solving this one, too?’

 

To regress dozens, hundreds of times here to find the answer.

 

And then regress hundreds of times again on the next floor to find another answer.

 

Just imagining it makes my head pound. I can feel the stress eating away at my sanity.

 

Setting goals... steadily taking one step at a time...

 

I’m tired of all that now.

 

“...I’m gonna do as I please.”

 

For the first time since entering the tower,

 

I decided to yield not to reason, but to emotion.

– – – End of Chapter – – -

 

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