Chapter 286: The Last Vote (7)

“This is a big problem. It’s the intermission, but not many people are leaving,” the Black Witch said, panicked.

“Is that so?”

“Look over there! The number of people entering the alleys is increasing! Oh my god! I expected this wouldn’t take more than seven hours!”

I shrugged. “This is proof that the conference was successful. Isn’t that good news for you, Anastasha? You were really nervous that it might not go well.”

“Even so, this is too much. That’s why I say it’s a big problem. Right now, thirteen Class B Hunters are by the side of the Broadband Communicator to be her batteries. They’re deploying an energy field to prohibit external transmission, but I’ve heard that they’re on the verge of collapsing, to the point where they feel like throwing up blood.”

“Tell them to hold on a little longer, please.”

“How long?” she asked warily.

“Well, some people are setting up tents over there, so at least until tomorrow?”

“You nuthead...”

“I hear that often.”

Bambolina came running. “Master!”

“What’s wrong?”

“I distributed a questionnaire to one hundred people so we can quickly check for the questions that might come up next. But they’re too broad! There were some questions that even we, the Five Guild leaders, couldn’t answer!

Hahaha.

”

“

Hmm.

What does that mean?”

“I think we should also call the Duke of Ivansia and Chairwoman Saimeslam!”

***

“Hello. Thank you for choosing my question. I run a cafe at the Babylon Intersection. My cafe also does deliveries.”

“

Oh

, that’s the place that Yoo Soo-Ha always orders from...” I muttered without realizing.

“What?”

“Ah, sorry. It’s nothing. Please refrain from advertising your store and go on with your question.”

“

Ah

, yes, I understand.

Ahem

. Recently, the expedition team has been on a roll, and the Tower’s territory has expanded quite a lot. I’m talking about the Aegim Empire and the recently conquered continent. However, the Five Guilds have been strictly controlling access to these stages.”

“Yes, they have.”

“Isn’t that a monopoly? Aren’t the Five Guilds actually trying to monopolize the resources of the new territories and use them to strengthen their influence within the Tower even more than they already—”

Raviel chimed in. “

Um

, I’ll take this question. Go on.”

“

Uh...

what I’m saying is that there are many small guilds in the Tower. Some are as small as local supermarkets and with only about three members. I think those guilds hardly receive any benefits...”

“What kind of benefits?” she asked.

“Well, that’s what I’m saying...”

I whispered, “Raviel, you’re so beautiful that people’s brains freeze if you look them in the eye. You should be more considerate.”

“

Hmm

. Is that so?”

“Yes.”

“Is he charmed by my looks?” she asked me.

“Yes, but you may not have noticed how charming you are since the sun can’t look at itself.”

Raviel turned her head to the cafe owner. “I’m sorry. I was born and raised in the empire, so I’m not used to your culture. I’m considering each of you to have the status of a baron.”

“B-baron?

Uh

, I’m just...”

“I guess you’re the owner of some kind of bakery. Even so, you would live a more affluent and comfortable life than the barons of my empire. Am I wrong? You and I are different. We are different in many ways, just like you are different from the people outside the Tower. Among your kind, there are people who covet my country’s territory and interests. Friction naturally arises when different groups come into contact. Therefore, I, along with the other nobles of the empire, have already braced ourselves.”

“What does that mean?”

“For twelve years, exchanges in the private sector will be very limited. The empire has already selected students and sent them to the twenty-ninth floor. Once they complete public education and become familiar with your culture, they’ll return to the empire and take charge of negotiations. Until then, as a representative of the empire, I kindly ask you all to be patient.”

“What if too many people who can’t wait?

Ah

, I apologize for not revealing my affiliation sooner. I am a priest from the Pantheon.”

Hmmm...

Raviel nodded. “Okay. Go ahead and ask.”

“Yes, thank you. As you may know, the power of our Tower is tremendous. If people from the Tower harbor malicious intent, they may suggest colonizing the empire. Some already jokingly or seriously think and say things like that. After all, reality is cruel, isn’t it? So—”

“You’re wrong.”

“Yes?”

“Your premise is incorrect. You aren’t way more powerful than the empire,” Raviel stated firmly. I grabbed her hand tightly.

“

Um

, what are you talking about? Even if I put aside our scientific advancements, if the Hunters unite and attack...”

“Why do you think you will unite? Kim Gong-Ja will help me, and the people on his side, including the Five Guilds, will assist the empire. The Asuras regard Kim Gong-Ja as their father and friend, so they’ll help. The other species from the Fire Water Council will join forces as well. So, where do you see such a tremendous difference in power? You mentioned the Tower’s power, but you were actually referring to the evildoers of the Tower. If that’s the case, then yes, that power is tremendous.”

Raviel...

“But as strong as they are, so are we. Maybe some of them are cynical and claim that that’s just how the world is. While they’re spending their days in cynicism, my consort, who could be considered their enemy, shed blood and built up his power. He created a union and formed his own league. Regardless of species, nationality, or the boundaries of the world, he founded his clan solely to deal with evildoers.”

No one dared speak up.

“So even if you say that the world is supposed to be like that, I have no reason to agree. Is that how your world really is? That’s unfortunate. My world will be where Kim Gong-Ja is. My heart needs his voice to breathe.”

I smiled at her. “Yes, that’s right. I’m on your side, Raviel.”

The priest looked dumbstruck. “What?”

“Forever,” I added.

“Aren’t we from the same Tower? I mean, haven’t we been helping you clear the Tower floors in every way we could? We often couldn’t go there physically, but that was because of our rankings. It’s inevitable—”

Anastasha stepped forward. “I am Ukrainian. I came here and founded the Black Dragon, which somehow became the top guild in the Tower. Once I did that, many people I hadn’t met before started to visit me. ‘Let’s support each other as fellow Ukrainians.’ If I followed that logic, more than half of the Black Dragon Guild’s executives would be Ukrainians.”

“That’s—”

“Yes, now it’s a bit more livable in the Tower, so shall we create the Tower nation and a nationality called Towerian? ‘You kicked us out, but it’s so funny. Look at us. We’ll make fun of the outside world now. No, the entire universe.’ Shall I just do that?”

If Anastasha wanted this, she could have achieved it.

“But I won’t do that. I need to tell everyone to get lost. Gosh, it’s so refreshing to keep the media out of this. I should have asked the Broadband Communicator to do this long ago. Really, I should stop caring about public attention.”

“That’s one of your charms, Anastasha,” I commented.

“Shut up. I hate it regardless. I’m sick of it. I’m the Black Dragon Master, the Black Dragon Guild’s leader, and the Rank 3 Hunter. I’ll take care of my people and treat those who respect me like a human. I’m so grateful that there’s no language barrier in the Tower. Every morning, I pray with a grateful heart to some being I don’t know for breaking down the fucking language barrier.”

“

Hahaha.

”

Bambolina.

“I’m from Bulgaria! But I’m not registered with any government agency, and I have never had a passport! In fact, I have no means to prove my origin, so maybe I’m from Serbia or Romania! Still, I’m the Pantheon Master. Everyone, believe in your own god, serve them with your heart, and be careful not to fall into deviation! If you feel that the world is giving you a trial, knock on the door of the Pantheon at any time!”

“And you’ll treat them to some espresso...”

Rao Fan.

“I’m Chinese. Well, my OJP Sect has a fair number of Chinese members, but the strong ones rule in the sect. The weak ones, whether they come from a continent, an island, or a jungle, just clean the guild building. But it turns out the Death King is stronger than I am, so what can I do? The weak should listen to the strong. As someone once said, the world is cruel.”

Patricia.

“I was born in Venezuela. Even now, when I close my eyes, I can vividly recall my hometown and its beautiful trails. There was no shattered glass on the dirt paths. When I stepped on them, I could feel that I was stepping on the earth. When I went to the city to study, I often visited bars on the streets at night. The sound of old jazz and the melodies played on the piano... I miss everything, but that’s not all that fills my heart.”

“Patricia? Why are you standing up all of a sudden?” I asked quickly.

“The food street in Babylon District 11 is the best. The paella they sometimes make there is exquisite, even without saffron. It’s so good that I thought about that restaurant three times during the many days I spent on this raid. The chef there is fantastic. The seventeen warriors who opened a jazz bar in District 6 also have my respect. I tip my helmet to the one chamber orchestra and eleven quartet orchestras. You guys went bankrupt in the outside world, so I don’t know what made you guys so sure that you would succeed inside the Tower! You have quite a gut!”

“Bravo!”

“Little Venice forever!”

The Paladin grumbled, “Who was that? The Watchmen league will raid and seize whoever mentioned the failed establishment just now.”

“Please play the piano again!”

“Goddess!”

“Please release your album! I’ll buy ten copies! No, I’ll download it ten times!”

The Paladin ignored them. “I don’t know who created the walking trails in District 7, but they are truly remarkable! According to the reports I’ve received, it was a Hunter in the top 200 who secretly dug up paths and built gardens every morning at 4 A.M. I can’t reveal their identity, but they really seem to have all the time in the world. Great job! Thanks to them, I get to spend a day every month there.”

“That’s me!”

She went on. “I love my hometown! But loving my hometown is just like loving music! If I love the Tower, it’s only because the music never stops here! I can’t always love my hometown and other types of music genres as much as I love jazz. Every song has its damn end, but that’s fine. I’ve decided to involve the Black Dragon Master and the Death King to create a separate guild called Black Paladin King!”

“What?”

“Guild?”

“

Huh?

”

“It’s a music guild. A completely new form of music called Cavefire will be applied to jazz... Fuck. If you know the old me, don’t ever come see my performance. I’ll arrest and kill you.”

“Oh my god!”

“Little Venice has returned!”

“Are you finally taking off your helmet and armor?”

“I love you, Goddess! I’ve been waiting for you!”

“Princess,” I said.

[The Mirage-Walking Princess listens.]

“Please begin counting the votes.”

[The Mirage-Walking Princess asks if you are really okay with that.]

“Yes. The species we need to seek consent to go higher in the Tower include not just the Shellmounts, Sylvans, Shellmounts, Fingills, Bloodborne, concubi, Purens, Terras, and Purens. It includes the humans who live in the Tower.”

[The Mirage-Walking Princess nods in understanding.]

[The Pillar’s privilege has been activated.]

[The stages of the forty-eighth and forty-ninth floors have been changed.]

[The stages have been merged.]

[The quest is in progress.]

The people living in the Aegim Empire; the old man who remained alone in the snowfield guarding the pillar of his faction; and a girl sitting on the floor of an old

hanok

, looking up at the sky...

[Granting voting rights to everyone in the Tower.]

[Voting rights are exercised equally on all floors.]

“

Huh?

”

“What is this?”

[Editing the video of the expedition from the thirtieth to the forty-seventh floors.]

[Playing the edited video to those with voting rights.]

[The Mirage-Walking Princess sends you a private message: “I edited it, so don’t worry about your secret being revealed! Think of this as a bonus gift!”]

All of this just so we could simply be ourselves.

[The quest of the forty-ninth floor is in progress.]

[Voting has begun.]

If luck was on our side, our next story would continue on a stage slightly higher than before.