As soon as the Aistrea Magic Tower was activated, a clear message appeared.
「You have cleared the 11th floor of the Tower of Trials.
- Eldrion survived.
- Riet survived.
- Seria survived.
- Dorman survived.
- You defeated the Predator.
- You did not mutate.」
「You will move to the ‘Rest Floor’ in 10 minutes.」
「Nothing will be provided on the Rest Floor. Please gather any necessary supplies yourself.」
Seeing the clear log mention survival made me feel strangely relieved.
It felt like the Tower itself was explaining that these people weren’t just zombies who deserved to die.
“?”
What was “You did not mutate” supposed to mean?
If I’d done something wrong, could I have mutated?
I imagined it for a moment. A mutated Han Yuyeon.
Black hair. Red eyes. Short hair. 7 meters tall. I’d imagined enough.
Lord Omega Seed. Please mutate me too. I’ll do my best.
I began to think that perhaps I might be able to communicate with Lord Omega Seed.
That was a joke. I didn’t want to become a zombie.
There was no way I’d mutate the way I imagined, and if I became a zombie, I’d be stiff in all sorts of ways.
“To think you truly activated the Aistrea Magic Tower single-handedly... Even I, who was an eighth-circle mage, never would have thought to attempt such a thing...!”
“?”
Come to think of it, I was seventh circle.
Once I entered the Rest Floor, I should do some more mana circle training.
When I trained, I’d felt like I was hitting a wall, perhaps because my magic stat was lacking, but now that I’d raised my stats, I felt like I could reach the next realm.
As someone with infinite mana, I could cast grand magic beyond the limits of my circles even as a seventh-circle mage, but there was no harm in raising my circle realm.
「Total Evaluation: S」
「Ability Points +5」
「Additional reward options are provided to you for setting an example.」
「1 - Sixth Sense (C)」
「2 - Cloning Technique (D)」
「3 - Maid’s Management (D)」
For the skill reward, only skills I already had appeared.
Surely new skills didn’t stop appearing from the 11th floor onward, right?
That might be the case. The Tower had said everything up to the 10th floor was the tutorial, and even if I got an E-rank skill now, it would be hard to use.
I checked what would change if I strengthened Sixth Sense or Cloning Technique, but aside from simple spec changes, I didn’t see anything.
Feeling conflicted, I checked Maid’s Management.
「Maid’s Management (D)
- You become able to manage Master’s condition.
- D-rank ingredients are added to the subspace shop.
- D-rank ammunition and grenades are added to the subspace shop.」
“???”
A skill that had only allowed me to purchase E-rank ingredients had gained the ability to purchase ammunition and grenades.
Wait, don’t tell me. I thought something felt strange.
It really didn’t make sense that I had to strengthen consumables like ammunition and grenades, which got used up so quickly, one by one.
The standard method was to raise the rank of Maid’s Management and then purchase them from the subspace shop.
In that case, I should choose Maid’s Management whenever it appeared.
Strengthening ammunition or grenades every time was too exhausting.
「You have selected Maid’s Management (D).」
But then, how exactly was I supposed to use this Maid’s Management activation effect?
「Current State: Activated.
- You can consume your energy to remove Master’s negative conditions or grant positive conditions.
- The effect changes depending on the type of energy consumed.
- You can designate a management message. (Current management message: Have a happy day.)」
The rank had gone from E to D, but this didn’t seem to have changed.
Since the rank had gone up, I changed the management message too.
(Current management message: If you have seen this message, please do a double peace.)
Once I set the message, I could feel the mages staring at me with astonished eyes.
“Are you... truly all right?”
“Hoeeng...!”
“Just how profound must your realm be for something like this to be possible...?”
“This is insane. You must be tenth circle. It was the legendary archmage who came to help us!”
Mm. Tenth circle seemed impossible.
What should I do? Right after saying there was no such thing as impossible for me, something impossible appeared.
Because, well, since my Mana Circle was A-rank and I was currently seventh circle...
Even if I reached S-rank, the eighth or ninth circle would probably be my limit...
The problem was that I couldn’t reach EX-rank because of the maid’s restriction.
「Maid: Versatile. A word that exists for the sake of maids. Whether this becomes an advantage or a disadvantage depends on the maid’s ability.
- You can learn all skills without restriction.
- The maximum rank of all skills except exclusive techniques is reduced by 1 stage.」
As long as that maximum-rank reduction restriction existed, there was a high chance I wouldn’t be able to reach the tenth circle.
But I didn’t want to disappoint the mages.
Should I lie and say I was tenth circle?
Ugh. But lying was bad.
Uuuugh. I wanted to collapse to the floor, but I held back.
At least in front of these people, I absolutely didn’t want to show any weakness.
“Everyone. There’s something I need to tell you.”
“... We’ll listen! What should we do from now on?”
“First, in a little while, I’m suddenly going to disappear. Even if I disappear, please don’t panic and wait. I’ll definitely come back.”
“A-are you perhaps going to show us dimensional travel right before our eyes?!”
“They say tenth-circle mages can even perform dimensional travel with ease, and it was true!”
What should I do? It wasn’t my magic; the Tower was going to forcibly move me.
Was it all right to tell these expectant people the truth?
Dimensional travel, huh. Teleportation might be possible later, but I didn’t know about dimensional travel.
Lying was bad, so I decided to just tell them honestly.
“Everyone. I’m not tenth circle, I’m seventh circle.”
“Ha ha ha! You certainly know how to joke!”
“As expected, even the archmage’s sense of humor is exceptional!”
“That was so funny! Archmage, you’re the best!”
“Hoeeeng...!”
“......”
They didn’t believe me. Why?
The adoration in their eyes was so overwhelming I felt like I’d get indigestion.
“A-anyway. Mutants might come while I’m gone, so I’ll secure the area beforehand.”
“Please grant us the honor of witnessing your transcendent magic, Archmage.”
“Urgh.”
“Compared to you, Archmage, we were nothing but insignificant worms! We didn’t even deserve to be called mages!”
“Ugh. No. Please don’t say that.”
“To encounter such a fortuitous opportunity in my final years...! Ah, from now on, I shall speak to you with proper respect. I apologize.”
“Uuuugh. Eldrion, please just speak comfortably—”
“Awawawang!”
Riet, having lost her reason again, tried to bite me.
And even more aggressive spells than before subdued Riet.
“How!!! Dare!!! You attempt to defile the archmage’s august body!!! Have you gone mad, Riet!!!”
“M-my body won’t get dirty no matter what, so it’s fine—”
“As a mage, you failed to uphold your dignity. You really are a worm!! For the sake of our past friendship, I’ll send you off in one blow!!”
“Everyone...?”
At this rate, I’d get dragged to the Rest Floor without being able to prepare anything.
I scattered mana and overwhelmed the mages.
Seeing the mages look at me with round eyes made my heart ache.
“I don’t have much time, so I’ll only point out the essentials.”
“Yes...!”
“Eldrion. Please speak casually to me. I like that.”
“Understood...!”
“Seria. You’re not worms, you’re excellent mages, so please don’t put yourselves down.”
“Understood...!”
“Dorman. My body won’t get dirty no matter what, and it’s fine even if Riet bites me in the first place. Here, look.”
I held my arm out in front of Riet.
“Awawang.”
Riet started chomping at it with the eyes of someone who had found prey, but—
“Hoeeng...!”
Only her teeth were damaged, and she regained her reason.
My body, constantly strengthened by aura and mana, wouldn’t even get scratched by most attacks.
“You saw that, right? I’m fine, so please don’t scold Riet over something like this. It must be hard for Riet too.”
“Hoeeeng...”
“I-I see... Understood. But how do you know my name... Ah, I apologize for asking such a foolish question! There’s no way the archmage wouldn’t know...!”
“As expected, the archmage has no weaknesses at all...!”
“I’m not an archmage, I’m a maid. And please, I’m begging you, don’t blame yourselves.”
I patted poor Riet’s head.
How hard must it be for her to maintain her reason?
「You will move to the ‘Rest Floor’ in 1 minute.」
Huh. There wasn’t much time left.
I hurriedly got up and used magic to erect an ice wall around the Magic Tower.
It was to prevent it from collapsing if the mutants attacked while I was gone.
“Huh... It feels as if my field of vision is widening...”
“It feels as if my world is being shattered...”
“It’s artistic...”
“VV.”
I stacked three layers of supermassive walls.
This should buy enough time.
As a finishing touch, I tried to place V-shaped ice on top of the wall, but I was dragged to the Rest Floor.
“!!!”
I immediately looked up at the sky and searched for Grandpa.
“Grandpa, Grandpa. Please help me. I want to become a master of magic.”
[The Sage of the Star Library looks at you.]
“Could you teach me again from the part where I got stuck last time? I think I can do it now.”
On this Rest Floor, I should reach at least the eighth circle and raise Mana Circle to S-rank.
***
Meanwhile, the gallery users of the Tower Gallery were full of Han Yuyeon hype as they reviewed the broadcast of Han Yuyeon’s 11th floor.
[Title: Yeah, yeah, how do you like our Yuyeon?]
Author: HanYuyeonSimp
Even though they’re zombies, she doesn’t kill them and talks to them
She one-second-cuts the Predator that made everyone cry for severe punishment
She just activates the A-whatever Magic Tower with her own mana
She’s gonna help rebuild the empire and clean up the Omega Seed too
How do you like the taste of Yuyeon, who just does everything!!!!!!!
- This maid really does everything (for humans only)
ㄴ HanYuyeonLoveDog) She hasn’t opened a maid cafe on Earth, though
ㄴ She’ll smash Hell and do it, just wait
ㄴ HanYuyeonLoveDog) She hasn’t given me a lap pillow or head pats or hugs, though
ㄴ She’ll do that later too, just wait
ㄴ HanYuyeonLoveDog) I’ll wait!! Heck heck heck heck heck!!
ㄴ Good dog lol
The Hell broadcast was no longer a horrifying and despairing broadcast, but a broadcast where people could comfortably watch Han Yuyeon.
It also felt like they were getting to look around another world while they were at it.
In the past, the mainstream opinion had been that the Tower was ultimately nothing more than a simulated world, so there was no need to get attached to NPCs or focus on their stories.
[Raa is at a chicken restaurant with Oracle, what is this?]
[The way she cries while eating a chicken leg is seriously baby lolololol]
[Guys, if you’re curious about anything regarding yourself, ask Lord Barkel, he seriously tells you everything]
[Why is it so likable when Brother Barkel tells you everything in that solemn voice?]
Ravina and Barkel changed that opinion.
Ravina, who cried loudly while eating chicken, and Barkel, who naturally joined Earth and helped humans.
They felt far too real to be dismissed as mere NPCs or monsters inside a simulated world.
That was why the zombies in this trial also seemed less like NPCs and more like humans who had suffered an unforeseen accident.
The thought that they, too, might come to Earth as guests like Ravina or Barkel allowed people to remove their tinted glasses and cheer for them sincerely.
[Title: But the zombies really do have a different mindset]
Author: I’llBecomeAMagicMaster
Even after becoming zombies, they held out purely because of their sense of duty
This kind of bullshit has to end with us <<
The fact that they were holding on with this mindset when they basically had no methods left is insane mental strength
They’re on a whole different level from Tower degenerates who see shitty posts every day and smash the “I can’t be the only one who sees this” recommend;;
- For real, they properly showed the dignity of mages
- I wondered where the mage rep kept going up from, turns out zombie-senseis were raising it for us
ㄴ I’llBecomeAMagicMaster) I was out here trying to raise mage rep by developing Mage Triple Flame Tornado Peace
ㄴ That did raise mage rep too, technically
Just as favorable public opinion toward the zombies was forming, another new topic came rolling in.
[Guys, did you see Yuyeon’s management message changed?]
「If you have seen this message, please do a double peace.」
Those who saw Han Yuyeon’s message had no choice but to do a double peace, regardless of where they were.
[Kraaagh, my back pain disappeared! I have to do a double peace!]
[Why bother with skincare!! Yuyeon does it for me!!]
[I woke up in the morning and... my head is clear, refreshed, and invigorated...?]
[Doesn’t it feel like the management effect got better than usual?]
What was Han Yuyeon, who had caused a double peace craze all over Earth, doing now?
“It’s complete. A new peace.”
As a maid, she had reached an even higher realm, and was ready to open the horizon of a new peace.