Chapter 213: Fifty-Sixth Floor, Welcome Banquet (2)

Fifty years?

The words hit me like a brick. My mouth hung slightly open, unable to form a response. I knew that time flowed differently in the tower and other worlds, but fifty years seemed absurd. That was beyond what I had expected.

From my discussions with Kyuntriachae, I had assumed that this world wasn’t fabricated like the angels’. However, with how much time had apparently passed, I wondered if that really was the case. In the end, I had no way of knowing.

Kyuntriachae slowly looked me up and down. “You look exactly the same. Your axe, shoes, gauntlets, that goblin, and the pink snake by your side. Even the slight patch of corrosion on your shoulder hasn’t changed at all."

He smiled nostalgically, almost as if he were reminiscing about an old friend.

Hmm. Maybe I should have changed into a fresh set of armor before coming here.

He gazed around uncertainly as he remarked, “It’s like I’ve traveled fifty years back in time and met you again. Everything else has changed so drastically. This isn’t a dream, is it?"

I wasn’t quite sure what to say.

After mulling it over for a moment, I realized that in times like these, silence was the best response. Instead of answering, I simply lifted the corners of my lips into a small smile.

“Ah, I see now! You’re not human. That explains everything. Even back then, my time with you felt like a dream. You disappeared right before my eyes, after all. I thought you had been sent from the heavens like a divine blessing."

Wait. This is not the reaction I was hoping for.

Somehow, the conversation had veered off into a bizarre direction. I needed to put a stop to Kyuntriachae’s wild theories before they got any worse.

“That isn’t quite right."

Now, how should I explain this?

I had just denied his assumption, but I still didn’t have a solid explanation in mind.

After a few seconds of thought, I finally spoke.

“Actually, after I met you, employer—"

“Just call me Kyuntriachae."

“Ah, right. After I met you, I stumbled upon a strange ruin. I got trapped inside some kind of unknown space, and, umm... When I finally got out, fifty years had passed."

“A ruin?" Kyuntriachae’s eyes widened, as if my nonsense excuse had somehow convinced him.

I nodded wordlessly, hoping he would fill in the gaps himself, although with something far less ridiculous.

Since Kyuntriachae was already inclined to believe me, he would naturally come up with a reasonable explanation on his own. Whatever conclusion he came to now, I would just affirm it.

“A dimensional rift, perhaps? I recall reading about such things in old texts. Was the ruin in the north?"

Bingo.

I nodded firmly. “Yes, that’s right."

“Oh-ho! So they really do exist! Well, that would explain why no one could contact you for all those years. Did you gain anything from—" Midway through his excited rambling, Kyuntriachae suddenly caught himself.

His eyes widened in realization.“Oh dear, I’ve been keeping my benefactor standing outside all this time. Let’s head in and talk more comfortably. I made sure preparations were in place to hold a banquet for whenever you returned!"

“

Haha

, sounds good to me."

I followed Kyuntriachae into the fortress. There weren’t too many people, but a fair number of servants bustled around, going about their duties.

It felt strange. To me, this place had been on the verge of collapse just a short while ago. Yet now, it has been completely restored.

He had overcome his loss and rebuilt his home from the ground up.

The sight filled me with a weird sense of nostalgia.

Bringing me to a reception room on the third floor, Kyuntriachae gestured around. “Please wait here for a moment."

He stepped out the door.

I wandered out onto the terrace and took in the courtyard below. What had once been a barren and desolate plot of dirt was now lush with various flowers and trees, giving the space a serene and elegant atmosphere.

At the center of the courtyard, a small stone statue shimmered under the moonlight, reflecting its glow.

“Quite the transformation, isn’t it?"

Even Doppy was astonished. “It feels like a completely different place! It looks even more beautiful from up here!"

A gentle evening breeze rolled in, rustling the leaves under the moonlit sky. The sound soothed my overactive mind.

As I continued to admire the scenery, I sensed movement behind me. Kyuntriachae had returned, accompanied by a maid carrying a tray with two glasses of wine.

Smiling, he gestured toward the drinks. “Here, have one. Consider it a welcome drink. The food will be ready soon."

“Thank you." I nodded slightly in gratitude and took a glass.

The maid, looking somewhat shy, quickly bowed before retreating. Kyuntriachae took a sip from his own glass before speaking.

“A ruin,

huh?

Now, that would certainly explain why you vanished for fifty years."

“What do you mean?"

“I tried to track you down, you know. I contacted the mercenary guild, but all I got in return were responses saying your whereabouts were unknown."

“Ah. Yes, they did mention that."

Kyuntriachae chuckled. “

Haha

, that’s right. You did mention you were forgetful."

I was surprised he still remembered our conversation from the beginning of the fifty-fifth floor. It gave me an odd feeling, although I began to piece together how this scenario had been set up.

“At first, I thought you were just off on a classified mission. Even though you had denied it, you really seemed like a part of one of the Emperor’s secret orders."

“

Haha

."

“Then, when twenty years passed, I figured you had retired. It’s not uncommon for legendary warriors to grow weary of the world and disappear into obscurity. Considering human lifespans, you would’ve been quite old by then."

“Retire? No way! I’m still in my prime."

Kyuntriachae burst into laughter.

Despite the difference in the time we had experienced, our conversation flowed naturally. Moreover, from the way Kyuntriachae treated me, I could tell he was genuinely happy to see me again.

I didn’t mind the warm reception.

Lifting my glass, I inhaled the aroma. Although I wasn’t well-versed in wine, the scent was pleasant. Bringing the glass to my lips, I took a sip. The taste was a delightful balance of sweet and bitter.

Kyuntriachae swirled his own drink. “The mercenary guild recently sent me a letter about your return. I immediately sent out an invitation, telling them to ask you to bring your family if you had one. Though if you were stuck in a dimensional rift all this time, I suppose you didn’t have a chance to settle down."

I let out an awkward chuckle.

“Honestly, it feels like only a month or two has passed for me. When I first heard fifty years had gone by, it really threw me off. But enough about me, how have you been, Kyuntriachae?"

“Oh, I’ve been doing well. You can tell just by looking at the fortress, can’t you?"

“True. What about your dementia?"

“My memory is still fine, thank you very much.

Hmph

, mocking an old man now, are you?" Grinning playfully, he took another sip of his wine.

***

[Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok’s former employer has invited him to a banquet! Accept his invitation and enjoy the festivities. Time remaining: 10 hours 24 minutes.]

The feast was truly extravagant. A variety of exotic dishes lined the table, and before I knew it, time had slipped away as I sampled them one by one.

As I chewed on a piece of unfamiliar meat, I casually asked, “How did you manage to rebuild everything? You were broke, and the fortress was in ruins."

Kyuntriachae smirked. “Demons have their ways. I, uh, threatened some people."

“Sorry?" I nearly choked on my food.

Seeing my reaction, Kyuntriachae burst into laughter. “Relax, I’m joking. I did get a bit of help from my fellow demons, though. We may be few in number, but we have strong ties to one another."

So... a demon-exclusive networking club?

Demons sticking together like that felt oddly heartwarming.

“Did they help you for free?"

“No. As you know, I have no children, so I left them my wealth in my will."

“Judging by how magnificently you’ve decorated the fortress, it seems like you received quite a hefty sum."

Kyuntriachae slowly shook his head. “Not exactly. It was barely enough to restore the fortress."

“For ‘barely enough,’ this place sure looks extravagant."

The paintings and ornaments lining the corridor appeared expensive. Anyone would mistake this place for the residence of a remarkably wealthy noble.

“Well, there’s a little more to the story. While we were fixing up the fortress, we discovered a mana stone mine nearby."

“A mana stone mine?"

“Yes. And not just any mine, but a high-quality one as well. Each stone is worth more than three times its weight in gold," Kyuntriachae added excitedly.

He looked off into the distance, seemingly recalling the moment it had been discovered. Suddenly, his expression briefly darkened, a flicker of concern flashing across his face.

I wasn’t the most perceptive person, but I wasn’t oblivious either.

Something is wrong.

Knowing that the next floor was tied to this one, I felt confident that he was about to share a clue. However, since he hadn’t brought it up right away, it had to be somewhat private.

“Congratulations."

“

Heh

, well, about that... I actually prepared something for you."

“For me?"

“I never properly compensated you last time, remember?"

“I told you that it wasn’t necessary, though."

Kyuntriachae firmly shook his head. “That was back when I was struggling. Things are different now. I have plenty to spare, and I have no one to pass it down to. So I bought something a while back, just in case I ever ran into you again. Linne!"

“Yes, Master."

“Bring it here."

Well, if he was giving me something, I had no reason to refuse.

Honestly, I had acted generously on the fifty-fifth floor precisely because I had a hunch this would happen. Although I had assumed the reward would come much later, it turned out to be waiting for me on the fifty-sixth.

I glanced at Kyuntriachae, trying to suppress my growing anticipation. “You really don’t have to."

“Nonsense, just take it."

There was an unmistakable confidence in his tone.

Why does he look so pleased with himself?

I gave him a curious look, but he only responded with a cryptic smile.

Soon, the maid returned, carrying a neatly folded piece of black fabric.

I rose from my seat and accepted it. It was a cloak. Immediately, it struck me how soft it felt, while also seeming incredibly durable. I had never actually touched authentic silk before, but it felt just like how I imagined it would.

[Shanstren’s Might]

- The cloak worn by the Mage Slayer, Shanstren.

- Increases magic resistance significantly.

- Can nullify weaker spells entirely.

- Adjusts its length to fit the wearer depending on their will.

- Stamina +3

It shared some abilities with the torn Cloak of Locomos, though this new one was obviously far superior in comparison. If I tried to buy something like this from the shop, it would cost at least eighty thousand gold.

Kyuntriachae looked up at me expectantly. “Well? What do you think?"

“It’s incredible. Honestly, it feels far too generous for what I’ve done."

“It’s nothing compared to what I received from you."

“Well, if you insist. I’ll gratefully accept it."

Of course, I had no plans to use it immediately, as I still wanted to avoid depending too much on my gear.

Still, since it was adjustable, maybe I could let Doppy hold onto it until I needed it.

The unexpected gift brought a small smirk to my lips.

“Seeing how pleased you are makes me happy as well."

We exchanged a brief, contented smile. This was probably the most at ease I had ever felt while completing a floor.

As the night went on, our wine glasses clinked together over a dozen times.

Surprisingly, Kyuntriachae never brought up anything related to a problem or challenge.

𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Did I misread his serious expression earlier?

Two hours passed before he finally rose from his seat. “I think I’ll turn in for the night. Perhaps it’s my old age catching up to me, but I’m running out of stamina. If you want more, just ask the servants."

“No, I was thinking of heading to bed as well."

“Then let’s call it a night. Linne will guide you to your room. If you need anything, just let them know. I’ll see you in the morning."

***

[Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok’s former employer has invited him to a banquet! Accept his invitation and enjoy the festivities. Time remaining: 4 hours 33 minutes.]

The commotion started at dawn. I had only slept for about an hour and a half, and had already gotten up to look out at the courtyard.

From my vantage point, I formed a general idea of what was happening. Someone had returned to the fortress in a hurry. The maids were in a frenzy, chattering anxiously, and their frantic words quickly reached Kyuntriachae.

It had to be related to the trial on the fifty-seventh floor.

I reached out and shook Doppy awake. “Doppy."

“

Mmm

, Su-Yeok. It’s still dawn."

“Get up and get ready. Something’s happening."

Still groggy, Doppy rubbed its eyes before suddenly jolting upright.

In the meantime, I heard rapid footsteps approaching the door. From the short strides, I could tell it was Kyuntriachae.

Before he could even knock, I swung the door open. Kyuntriachae flinched, his hand still half-raised, looking startled. “Ah, you weren’t sleeping?"

“It felt like something was happening."

“

Heh

, you really do have sharp instincts."

Scratching his cheek awkwardly, he hesitated for a moment before continuing. “I feel terrible asking this after everything you’ve done for me, but I have another favor to ask of you. Would you be willing to help?"

“

Haha

, of course."

Kyuntriachae swallowed hard. “The supervisor I sent to the fourth mine hasn’t returned."