Chapter 44
After listening to the mumblings and ramblings, it seemed like the staged performance was finally over.
‘I guess I can head in now?’
Thinking that, I walked back to where I had come from.
*
Totogen ground his teeth as he watched Lian leave the arena, not a scratch on him and not even out of breath.
‘Damn it, how can he be like that?’
In his hand was a golden spyglass, the kind nobles used. Through it, Lian’s innocent expression was clearly visible as he exited.
‘How can someone with that kind of power… have such pure eyes?!’
This was the domain of Jiso, a place where the most sordid desires converged. It was filled with people who would do anything — no matter how terrible — to gain tremendous power.
Totogen, who had built his business around those obsessed with power, knew all too well how dangerous “tremendous power” could be.
Even if power was given without cost, once it reached a certain level, humans quickly succumb to madness.
Lian casually shattered that obvious rule. He played with vast power like it was a toy, all while having clearer eyes than anyone else.
That sight was both bizarre and maddening for Totogen.
‘This isn’t what I was looking forward to…!’
Having fainted after witnessing Lian’s prowess, Totogen, upon regaining consciousness, couldn’t bring himself to admit he had been scared of Lian. He immediately chalked it all up to a hallucination, convinced he just tripped and fell unconscious. But his anger didn’t budge.
With that, Totogen opened up his wallet.
The dozens of monsters prepped for action were all a part of this background.
‘How can I bring that guy down?’
He anxiously chewed on his nails, brainstorming desperately, but nothing good came to mind.
Normally, he would summon his slaves to intimidate them by showing off or handle things more directly, but instinctively, he was avoiding a confrontation with Lian.
Even though he dismissed having fainted as just a bad dream, he was instinctually fearful and was steering clear of him.
Unable to torment Lian directly, Totogen’s only option was to buy some monsters to go bother him.
‘Alright, if dozens won’t do, I’ll make him fight hundreds or even thousands!’
Totogen raised his voice to call for his secretary.
“We need to prepare more monsters!”
Hearing that, the secretary quickly dashed out to summon more monsters.
*
I had just wrapped up the match and was heading to my room where Iris was waiting for me. Just as the elevator stopped and I stepped into the neatly arranged corridor, someone pounced on me.
“Whoa!”
I tilted backward and plopped right down on my backside.
“B-Bianca?”
“Hehe.”
She hugged me with a beaming, relaxed look, clearly in high spirits. I couldn’t hide my bewilderment and managed to stutter,
“W-What’s up?”
It was my first time being hugged by an adult woman, and my body stiffened up like a board. My hands flailed around awkwardly, showcasing my discomfort.
“I saw it!”
“Huh?”
“Your match! I can’t believe how strong you are!”
She rambled excitedly, mentioning she had seen Iris’s matches, but it was her first time watching me in action.
She thought I’d be pretty strong as Iris’s brother but never imagined I’d be this powerful, showering me with endless admiration.
“Thank you.”
Even if it was all thanks to the cursed sword, praise always felt sweet. As I expressed my gratitude with flushed cheeks, Bianca’s eyes sparkled with mischief.
“Iris turned me down, but… what about you?”
“Huh?”
“Going up to the top floor.”
“Oh.”
If I followed Bianca, I’d easily reach the top floor, but that meant leaving Iris behind. The biggest worry, though, was that all my “skills” were merely the power of the cursed sword.
Bianca certainly needed a disciple with impressive talent, not some scrub winning matches solely thanks to an item.
“I’m sorry.”
I couldn’t help but turn down her offer. Bianca’s expression morphed, her pride visibly bruised after both Iris and I rejected her.
“Really..? Can you tell me why you’re not interested?”
“It’s just that I’m worried about my sister.”
At that, Bianca burst out laughing.
“Don’t worry about that! You both can be my disciples!”
“But before you said…”
“Um, saying this might hurt a bit, but I said I couldn’t take you on because it’d be hard for me to be responsible for someone lacking skills. But now, things are different!”
With a face full of excitement, Bianca continued.
“You’ve proven you have the skills! So, let’s stop worrying and go to the top floor with your sister!”
At her words, I fell silent, pondering.
‘Even if I go to the top floor, my lack of real skills would soon be out in the open. I can’t swing the cursed sword for every training session. But… if this means Iris gets a shot at safety, is it right for me to bail just because I’m inadequate?’
As I wrestled with my thoughts, Bianca urged me with a light tone.
“If you’re feeling uncertain, why not at least check out the top floor for a short while? Seeing it might clear your mind.”
“I’ve been to the top floor already.”
“Yeah, but you probably just peeked, right? If you look more closely, answers will come easier. Let’s go up right now!”
“Huh? I, uh…”
Before I could finish speaking, Bianca sprang up, seized my wrist, and dragged me along. With surprising strength, I was whisked away to the elevator in no time.
“But Iris is waiting for me…!”
“Just a quick look, and then we’ll come right back down.”
Bianca insisted that it would only take ten minutes while spreading her two hands.
‘Ugh, if it’s only that long…’
As she’s the top dog among the arena gladiators, reluctantly agreeing didn’t seem too bad. The elevator started its slow ascent to the top floor.
*
Grinning.
Bianca stood at the elevator entrance, curling her lips into a nearly sinister smile. She trembled slightly while recalling the thrilling battle she had witnessed that day.
‘Ah, I can’t believe such ripe fruit is so close!’
Imagining the scene where dozens of monsters were swiftly dismembered and devoured made her body tingle with excitement.
‘With that kind of power, I might be able to aim for the champion’s spot!’
The champion: the term referring to the strongest out of the ten on the top floor. The top spot always enjoyed special treatment, and the champion had privileges even greater than what Bianca currently possessed.
‘If I can just snatch that seat away – I could join Lord Jiso’s ranks!’
Not just shedding her identity as a slave, but also gaining a chance to become one of Jiso’s favored followers.
The most famous person who became a champion and joined Jiso was Baekroo. Rumor has it, if things go well, she could snag the position of Jiso’s right hand.
‘Hah, ahh! Lord Jiso!’
Bianca’s thoughts of her beloved Jiso were so intense that she unconsciously wiggled her hips. When she finally caught herself, she quickly straightened up.
With a jolt, the elevator arrived, and together they stepped onto the luxurious carpet.
“Here, this way is my room.”
Bianca guided Lian into her room. Her shadow was filled with excitement, unable to contain itself as it anticipated what was to come.
Before long, they reached an extravagant door. Bianca opened it effortlessly.
“This door won’t open without me.”
She casually mentioned the security features on her floor that Lian’s lacked while leading him inside.
Thud.
The door closed heavily behind them, leaving only Bianca and Lian in the room. Lian busied himself examining the opulent décor different from the room he had previously seen.
“Is it different from the room you saw before?”
“Yes, it’s different.”
“The top floor allows you to decorate your home however you wish.”
Everything from the layout to the furnishings and ambiance could be changed at will.
“If you guys make it to the top floor, you’ll live here with me. There are plenty of empty rooms, so you won’t have any issues!”
Bianca showcased the lavish interiors, making an effort to win over Lian. Just when they were exploring the room, Lian scratched his head and said.
“This place is really nice, but… I think I should head back now.”
“What?”
“It’s been more than ten minutes, and Iris is probably waiting for me, anxious.”
At his words, Bianca tightly pressed her lips together.
“Thank you for showing me around today. I should be going now.”
As Lian turned to leave decisively, Bianca suddenly grabbed his wrist.
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