Once again today, the smell of ramyeon filled the air.
He said he'd be eating nothing but ramyeon for a while. After clearing Floor 34, ramyeon. Ramyeon again the next day while resting. And ramyeon yet again now.
When he called for Gyeon Dallae and Cossack, they went straight to the kitchen and pulled out the pot.
How can anyone eat only ramyeon for three days?
When he suggested ordering delivery food instead, they insisted he let them eat ramyeon for at least five more days.
Because that would put their minds at ease, they said.
If this was how it was going to be, he should have let them have their fill back then. What was 150 servings for four people? One hundred and fifty servings.
'And I didn't even get two proper servings myself.'
That's why he'd refused when they asked him to eat ramyeon with them.
Because he was planning to order chicken alone later.
Currently, only two of the summoned beings were boiling ramyeon—Cossack and Gyeon Dallae, just the two of them.
What about Gobang?
He couldn't be summoned.
The catalog said so.
[Catalog]: Barbarian Meat Shield (Cannot be summoned)
Cannot be summoned, huh.
He had already asked about it.
What "cannot be summoned" in the catalog actually meant.
That is, just yesterday.
In response to Juhyeok's question, Cossack had scratched his face and answered.
"Rank-ups are originally very dangerous, de su. Because the soul must be strengthened. So during the strengthening process, uhh, th-the possibility of failing and being erased is—"
"Gasp!"
Erased?
Anxiety flooded his heart.
'...Did I feed him poison?'
But Cossack had come back perfectly fine.
"What on earth—"
He had heard something like this from Cossack before.
That rushing it was dangerous, and that he would go back, finish his preparations, and then do it.
But he hadn't known it was this dangerous.
"I-is that true? Erasure?"
"...Well, I'm not entirely—"
Haa.
This is driving me crazy.
Then Gyeon Dallae spoke up.
"Fear not. If it had truly been erased, it would have been removed from the list entirely. The fact that it says 'cannot be summoned' yet the name remains suggests another reason."
Another reason.
What could it be?
Surely he's not just saying that to reassure me?
"During the strengthening of the soul, with an extremely slim probability, the magnitude of the ascension can swell, leaping up two stages or more at once. In such cases, the being remains unsummonable for several days."
Oh!
The anxiety melted away.
So it might not be a bad thing—actually a good thing.
As expected of Gyeon Dallae, born of royalty.
To know so much.
Zzt!
Juhyeok glared at Cossack.
'Talking so confidently about something you don't even properly know.'
Scaring me with talk of erasure.
Cossack averted his eyes with an awkward chuckle.
Well, Juhyeok had heard of something similar too.
Weapon enhancement in games.
Applying an enhancement scroll to a weapon or armor, and with a burst of blessing and luck, what should have been a +1 becomes a +2—a massive success.
Called a "blessed enhancement" or a "critical enhancement."
If that's the cause, thank goodness.
"Hehehe, thinking on it quietly, the little princess be right, de su. His soul be a fellow frolicking in a flower field, pure as can be. A pure soul enhances well, de su."
Relief washed over him.
Hold on.
Setting that aside—if it really was a two-stage enhancement...
"Is Gobang-ssi all right too?"
At Juhyeok's words, Cossack's shoulders slumped.
What's he supposed to nag about now?
That had been yesterday.
Even now, Gobang was still unsummonable.
Apparently the ramyeon had finished cooking in the meantime.
Cossack and Gyeon Dallae naturally took their seats at the table and ladled out the ramyeon.
Peaceful.
Not a single shout to be heard.
If he had one complaint—
Tsk tsk.
Over 3 billion won sitting in his bank account, and they're eating ramyeon.
At least his ramyeon-cooking skills had improved; the broth was now well-seasoned, the noodles didn't go soggy and had a delightfully chewy bite—absolutely exquisite.
From now on, when ramyeon was cooked, it wouldn't be just plain ramyeon.
At minimum: abalone ramyeon, octopus ramyeon, snow crab ramyeon, truffle ramyeon, king prawn ramyeon, wild pine mushroom ramyeon, premium Hanwoo beef ramyeon...
'I should check out the market later.'
For now, he'd just let them eat their ramyeon.
He had at least cracked plenty of eggs and scattered lots of green onions into it.
With that in mind, tower climbing was on temporary hold until Gobang returned.
He'd been planning to rest for a few days anyway.
Juhyeok opened his smartphone and searched the news.
Player Nam Ga-eun's scheduled conquest of the Black Tower of Korea, Floor 66, set for tomorrow.
Originally, fearing a failure like Japan's, they had planned not to disclose the schedule, but thanks to Player Nam Ga-eun's determined will, a date had been set.
How were people reacting?
As a backlash effect of Yu Cheolmin's surprise defection, the vast majority of opinions were favorable toward Player Nam Ga-eun.
└ It's okay if you fail.
└ Right. As long as you're safe. Recover your spirit and challenge as many times as it takes.
└ You've got the holy sword. We believe in you.
└ I pray every dawn.
└ Eh, Floor 66, let's go straight on to 67 too.
└ Comment above, get a clue. 67 is still a long way off.
└ Fighting! You can do it!
Some of them even looked like comments he himself had posted.
'Right! Player Nam Ga-eun said she'd sign something for me.'
He'd have to get it after she cleared Floor 66.
It had been a while since he'd visited his parents' home, too.
'I can bring the talisman Gyeon Dallae wrote for her at the same time.'
In that instant!
Ziiing!
A call came in.
It was Team Leader Jeon Gwang-il.
"Hello?"
— Belatedly, congratulations on achieving 34 consecutive S++ records.
Honestly, all this fuss over that.
There had been plenty of talk, though.
So-called experts on TV, in newspapers, and online had predicted that the 30s floors were the turning point of tower climbing—difficulty surging sharply—so S++ clears would no longer be possible. And yet, he had achieved it.
"Player Nam Ga-eun is far more impressive than me. Is the preparation for Floor 66 going well?"
— Smoothly. We happened to borrow a light-attribute item and passed it along as well. According to our support team's analysis, we have complete faith she will clear it. She herself is confident.
"Yes, I also believe without a doubt that she'll succeed. Please pass along my encouragement."
— Haha, I will.
It wasn't empty flattery.
She really was a remarkable player.
— Oh! There is something I need to tell you...
"Yes."
— It's about the apartment where that bastard Yu Cheolmin used to live.
Suddenly, talk of an apartment.
Don't tell me Cossack's visit got discovered?
"Ah, why, why the apartment...?"
— It's currently vacant. There's no one to move in, so if you're interested, I'll simply transfer the apartment to you. Registration transfer is possible.
"..."
What?
Did he hear that right?
Wasn't Yu Cheolmin's home a penthouse?
"Just like that, you mean...?"
— Yes. Though you will have to pay the maintenance fees separately. We don't cover that.
The maintenance fees on a penthouse alone would be astronomical, but—
Maintenance fees were no problem.
He was saying he'd transfer the registration and all.
Only—
'Should I accept this? Or not?'
He had to choose carefully.
This wasn't a matter of accepting or refusing on the spot.
He'd weigh every detail thoroughly first.
"Could you give me a little time? I'd like to think it over."
— Of course. Even if you accept, nothing will change. It's a token of our gratitude for lending out the holy sword at such a reasonable rate.
Well then.
Was it really just a token of gratitude?
Let me have a talk with the summoned beings.
And then decide.
※ ※ ※
After finishing the ramyeon and doing the dishes.
Juhyeok called Gyeon Dallae and Cossack.
"I received a phone call a little while ago..."
He explained the details to the two of them.
Then he opened his laptop, searched for photos of the penthouse Yu Cheolmin had lived in, and showed them.
As punishment for breaking his contract, all of his assets in Korea had been confiscated.
This house was one of them.
"You know it well, don't you, Cossack? You've been there once."
"Yes, de su!"
"What was it like?"
"Can't put it into words, de su. It be so fancy through and through. There even be a rooftop garden. Could grow lettuce and eat it with beef, de su."
Gyeon Dallae studied the photos intently as well.
"It appears even finer than the palace where this maiden dwelt in life. A house befitting the young master's standing, it seems."
He thought the same.
But more than standings, he needed a bigger house right now.
Juhyeok now had more family than at his parents' home.
If a few more characteristic enhancements happened, would the summoned beings living with him really stay at just three?
How were they all supposed to live crammed together in this narrow place?
"Would you all prefer to keep living here, or to move?"
"I be fine here, de su. But if it be possible, wouldn't a big house be better, de su?"
"This maiden also agrees with Cossack."
"Hmm..."
He had actually already decided.
He needed a big house.
The penthouse had appealed to him completely.
But at this point, his dilemma wasn't whether to move or not.
Take it for free? Or pay money for it?
The decision wasn't easy.
So when he floated the question—
"If I speak my mind, I be against taking it free, de su. Nothing in this world be free, de su. Capitalism be cold and cruel. One way or another, a price must be paid in some form, de su."
"This maiden believes it is fine to accept. Compared to the grace the young master has shown them, that house be but a trifling reward."
Opinions were split.
Cossack's argument was right, and Gyeon Dallae's argument had merit too.
What to do about this?
If he took it for free, it felt like it would give him a stomachache.
'Should I just buy it fairly with money?'
The most expensive thing Juhyeok had ever bought was a 40-million-won hand shield.
And that was on a loan, no less.
That was a matter of survival, so setting it aside—
He was not the type to buy things freely and liberally.
"The God of Impulse Buying" did not apply to Juhyeok.
If he needed something, he opened an online shopping mall.
When he found something he liked, he first saved it to the cart.
Then he searched for products with similar specs and added those to the cart too.
Comparing multiple items this way, weighing cost-effectiveness, then selecting only the single product that seemed the best.
And did he pay for it right away?
Of course not. He had to read the reviews.
Why the good reviews were good.
Why the bad reviews were bad.
He even suspected whether they might be viral marketing.
Only after weighing absolutely everything did his mouse finally move to the payment window.
Click immediately?
Heavens, no!
On the verge of paying, he pressed the back button and searched the online mall again to see whether this was truly the best choice.
This process had to be repeated several times.
Sometimes buying a single item took over three hours.
In the end, the price of a product bought after such long deliberation was usually under 10,000 won.
He had trembled just buying something worth 10,000 won... and now an apartment?
In any case, this debate was going to run long.
His throat was dry, so he should get something to drink.
"Let's each have a coffee and continue. Through the delivery app..."
Cossack spoke up.
"Wasteful, the delivery fee, de su. I can just go and come back. We ate so much meat, must save money, de su."
"Come on, how much is a delivery fee?"
"I be faster than delivery, de su. It be just up ahead, quick trip, de su."
Well, if he insisted—
"Here, pay with this card."
"Yes, de su!"
"Just in case, take the perception disruptor and the entry key card with you."
"Understood, de su. I'll take your orders before I go."
※ ※ ※
Cossack left the officetel alone.
A world not yet ruined.
People bustling about.
Roads packed with cars.
From that place over there, the bottomless abyss filled with nothing but souls, merely being able to come out with a body was more than he could be thankful for—and now he could freely enjoy all the material pleasures of the real world on top of it?
Summoner Bong must live a long, long life.
Beyond the fixed human lifespan—like an elf or a dragon.
All he had to do was conquer the tower diligently.
Among the tower rewards were treasures that extended a human's lifespan.
Once they climbed past the 80s floors or so, they'd start popping up one by one.
'By the way, which café should I go to?'
There were far too many cafés in Korea.
Enough to give him decision paralysis.
There were heaps of them around the officetel too.
He couldn't understand why people gulped down that bitter coffee like water.
Just look at Summoner Bong—iced americano.
Meanwhile, Gyeon Dallae drank strawberry lattes, and he himself liked sweet-and-sour grapefruit ade.
'Let's go to the biggest one.'
That café named Star-something.
The most crowded one.
It must be delicious, since so many people come.
Cossack, carrying his perception disruptor, opened the café door and went inside.
'Where was the kiosk again?'
He knew how to use one.
A few days ago, when they ate beef and went out on a Seoul excursion, he had watched Summoner Bong operate one several times.
He could just order directly from an employee, but he ought to try using this too.
So just as he was about to approach the kiosk—
'Hm?'
Cossack's eyes caught some suspicious people.
Two men seated at a table with tea drinks in front of them, tapping away at their smartphones.
'Ooh...'
An utterly ordinary scene.
But he could feel it.
The thick scent of blood emanating from their bodies.
'Well, well, look at this?'
Cossack had been an assassin.
When he met his own kind, a single look in their eyes was enough to know at once.
Instinctively, he began his assessment.
The small wounds on their hands.
Probably from handling blades.
And the faint smell of gunpowder wafting from inside their jackets.
'Guns, hm.'
Their ankles were suspicious too.
They were probably carrying blades.
Where, one wonders.
In their sleeves, at their waists.
In this peaceful world, men who had killed people—no, who seemed to have killed at least several dozen—and not just one but two of them, drinking tea at a café near Summoner Bong's officetel?
Coincidence?
Not a chance.
Still, they might conceivably be Korean soldiers or national intelligence agents.
Cossack quietly shifted his steps.
And he passed by the table where the suspicious men sat.
He didn't even turn his head.
First, his tracking mark, imbued with his own unique mana.
Swish, swish.
On both of them.
The men happened to be rising from their seats and leaving.
Cossack put off ordering his drink and followed them.
The moment they stepped outside the café—
Vroom, screech.
A suspicious van pulled up, and with a rumble, the two men got in.
Reflected in the café's glass window, the van held quite a few people besides those two.
Cossack planted a tracking mark on the van as well.
Let's see.
Whether they showed up again tomorrow.
Of course, they might be men with nothing whatsoever to do with Summoner Bong.
But if he judged there was even a hair's breadth of connection?
Smirk.
The corner of Cossack's mouth twisted.
He was smiling, but his expression was chillingly terrifying.
A frigid gaze, cold enough to freeze one solid.
Between his lips, a red tongue flickered.
'I should prepare plenty of ribbons.'
He planned to keep it secret from Summoner Bong.
Because the Summoned Beings' Three Principles, Clause 3, had already been triggered.
Cossack went back into the café and ordered his drinks.
Then he loaded them onto a tray and returned to the officetel.
Beep, be-beep!
He opened the door with a vigorous voice.
"Chung! Hehehe, delivery service Cossack has arrived, de su!"
"Good work. Come sit down quickly."
"Yes, de su!"