Chapter 171 - Episode 23. Driver (5)
Chapter 171: Episode 23. Driver (5)
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After lightly wiping the tears from the corner of the crow’s eyes, Runald looked back up at the Lord of Sloth.
The Lord of Sloth nodded with a pleased expression.
[What a touching moment. Let us see... Rachel Young.]
The Lord of Sloth brought up a System screen and began searching the tower’s database.
[She died in 〈Metaverse〉 and is now in the state of a Doll. Normally, restoration is impossible after Dollification, but... this much should be manageable.]
The Lord of Sloth snapped a finger lightly, and the entire tower trembled faintly. It was the sound of 〈Metaverse〉’s World Force shifting.
A moment later, part of Jaehwan’s Unique World opened, summoning Rachel Young’s Doll. The Lord of Sloth placed a hand against Rachel Young’s forehead. Through the link to the tower, information that had once been Rachel Young’s memories began to return.
The information and emotions this tower remembered as Rachel Young filled the Doll’s body.
Would that truly bring ‘Rachel Young’ back to life?
No one knew.
After all, no one in this world, including Rachel Young herself, could prove whether the Rachel Young before them was truly the same Rachel Young from before.
Still, Andersen was crying, and warmth was returning to Rachel’s pale body. The gods watching the scene looked deeply moved.
If 〈Metaverse〉 was fake, then this sight before them was also fake. If someone called this false, what expression would the gods here make?
As if the Driver had read Jaehwan’s thoughts, the Driver spoke.
[She will not be exactly as she was in life. The damage to her memory center is severe.]
Andersen nodded. Then she looked up at Jaehwan and said,
“Thank you.”
Jaehwan did not nod or answer. He only looked down at Andersen.
Maybe it did not matter to him whether all of this was real or fake. He only remembered Andersen as she cried, and the words she had spoken. That was all he could do.
Still, Jaehwan was not the only one recording this scene.
[Vertus, did you get it all?]
At the Driver’s words, Vertus, who had remained invisible in one corner of the drawing room, replied.
[Yes.]
[Do not upload everything. Edit together the revival scene and that crow’s reaction. Make sure the Tenth Floor’s internal structure is not revealed. Edit it well enough to make the 〈Metaverse〉 hot clips.]
[Understood.]
Jin Eunsae and Karlton frowned as they watched Vertus calmly edit the footage.
The Lord of Sloth rubbed one cheek.
[There has to be proof that I granted the wish. There is also the matter of fairness. It beats paying taxes on prize winnings, does it not?]
“Taxes?”
[Anyway, who is making the next wish?]
“Me!”
Rene stepped forward, and the Lord of Sloth nodded.
[All right, what does our ‘God of Fate’ wish for?]
God of Fate.
Some already knew Rene was a god, but the Allies who had not known widened their eyes in surprise.
Rene gave them a brief bitter smile before getting straight to the point.
“Give me the ‘Anonymous System’ used on the Seventh Floor.”
[Did you not already destroy the Seventh Floor?]
“I know that was not all of it. There are other 〈Metaverse〉 branches, right?”
“There are other 〈Metaverse〉 branches?”
Runald asked in surprise, and Manri Shintong answered from beside him.
“There are. They are not as large as this one, but they exist. 〈Metaverse〉 has recently been expanding into other Sites as well. Still, the final floor exists only here, so they will eventually have to come to this tower.”
The Lord of Sloth seemed pleased with Manri Shintong’s explanation and nodded.
[So you want the Seventh Floor from another branch? I cannot give you all of it. If you want the entire 〈Metaverse〉 Seventh Floor, become the ‘God of Yesterday’ or apply to become a ‘Seventh Floor Attendant.’]
“I only need the Anonymous System used on the Seventh Floor. I do not need the Seventh Floor itself.”
[Hmm. The God of Fate needs ‘anonymity’... Are you planning to slander another god?]
“I never said I was going to slander anyone. Do I have to explain that much?”
[You are prickly. Fine. I will grant it. You only need the method for building the System, correct?]
Rene nodded, and data from the Lord of Sloth flowed into her mind.
[Now, who is next?]
Jin Eunsae stepped forward next.
“Can you make me as strong as Uncle Jaehwan?”
The Lord of Sloth laughed, apparently amused by the question.
[He has exceeded the standards of 〈Metaverse〉. Still, I can raise your status to something similar. Would someone on the Leader’s level be enough?]
Perhaps the words hurt his pride.
The Leader’s expression hardened as he opened his mouth.
“Mmph.”
More accurately, he tried to open it, but a gag had been forced into his mouth again.
As the Leader struggled to tear it off, the Lord of Sloth spoke.
[As you already know, becoming that strong is only possible inside the Metaverse. If you are still fine with that, I can make you stronger.]
“No, never mind.”
Jin Eunsae quickly lost interest. Jin Eunsae had not entered this tower to live in 〈Metaverse〉 in the first place.
[All right. Then this Awakened One girl has no wish to make?]
Jin Eunsae nodded.
After that, the Allies made their wishes one by one. Some wishes were possible, while others were not. They were called wishes, but there were limits to what 〈Metaverse〉 could grant.
Karlton and Martis had their turns, until Manri Shintong was finally called forward. Yet Manri Shintong looked oddly troubled.
He stroked his beard with a conflicted expression.
“I do not know what I should wish for.”
Martis responded.
“What? Old man, you have lived so long, and you do not have even one wish?”
“That is right. It is truly strange. I had so many wishes when I first entered 〈Metaverse〉.”
The Lord of Sloth joined in.
[Everyone who comes this far says something similar. They achieve what they wanted so desperately, yet they do not look happy at all. You probably know why better than anyone.]
After saying that, the Lord of Sloth silently looked down at the view from the penthouse. The Allies shared that view without a word.
Why was it that simply arriving on the Tenth Floor made all the countless goals they had chased seem so meaningless?
The new Skins they had wanted so desperately, trust, every expensive Setting and Part, all of it felt like a dream in broad daylight.
Martis said,
“Since you are the owner of the Black Shop, would it not be better to make a wish related to that?”
“How about asking for the Black Shop’s influence to grow? You said you were tired of fighting competitors.”
Even Rene added her thoughts, but Manri Shintong did not look particularly interested.
After stroking his beard more than a dozen times, Manri Shintong seemed to remember something and let out a soft laugh.
Runald asked,
“Did you think of a wish?”
“I did, but I feel like it will make me a laughingstock.”
“Why? What kind of wish is it?”
“It may sound strange.”
After hesitating for a moment, Manri Shintong spoke.
“I wish there were a Disciple to inherit my dumplings.”
The Allies looked at Manri Shintong in bewilderment. He had come all this way, only to talk about dumplings.
Martis asked,
“Could not just anyone inherit them?”
“My teachings are not something just anyone can inherit. I have tried taking in Disciples several times, but it was no use. I need a Disciple who can properly understand the meaning of this recipe.”
Come to think of it, Manri Shintong’s Martial World Dumplings were said to have a rather unusual recipe. Did he use memories as ingredients?
When Jaehwan showed that he could understand, Manri Shintong’s expression brightened slightly.
“God Slayer, someone with determination like yours might be able to inherit my dumplings, but you do not seem interested in cooking.”
“I am not.”
“Anyway, that is my only concern. I fear these dumplings will disappear in my generation because I cannot find a Disciple to inherit my teachings.”
The Lord of Sloth, who had been listening, cut in.
[I know your dumplings well. I sometimes have the Attendant buy them for me. Dumplings like those are certainly worth passing down.]
Even the Driver recognized the flavor.
Manri Shintong, who had suddenly become 〈Metaverse〉’s greatest dumpling chef, looked strangely pleased.
[It will not be easy to find a Disciple even if you search the entire Abyss, not just 〈Metaverse〉. The recipe is far too unusual.]
“I expected as much. It seems I was the first on the Tree of Illusion to attempt a recipe that handles memories.”
Manri Shintong agreed in a somewhat arrogant tone.
Martis and Runald had not expected such a serious conversation to unfold over a single dumpling, so they looked at each other and muttered,
“Those dumplings were really that impressive.”
“I should have eaten more of them.”
After thinking for a moment, the Lord of Sloth said,
[If you are afraid your teachings will be lost, how about this wish? We can send your dumpling recipe to another dimension. Even if you fail to find a Disciple before you die, your recipe may continue in another dimension.]
“What kind of dimension?”
[The ‘Star Stream,’ for one.]
Manri Shintong asked back as if he had heard something absurd.
“That is a real place?”
[Do you think 〈Metaverse〉 collaborates with just anyone? Of course it is real. More precisely, it is a world that belongs to another dimension of the Great Universe. If you wish, I can send your recipe to that world too. Who knows? One day, a Disciple who has mastered your dumpling recipe might come to meet you.]
“You are suggesting I put the recipe in a bottle and throw it into the sea.”
[Something like that. If you want it, say so quickly. The boundary between the two dimensions is thin right now. If you wait any longer, I will not be able to grant this wish.]
Manri Shintong considered it for a moment before answering.
“Let us do that. At the moment, I cannot think of anything except dumplings.”
[Then I will begin right away.]
The dumpling recipe Manri Shintong handed over entered a small bottle and disappeared into the Driver’s pocket.
[I have some business at the dimensional boundary too, so I will deliver it later.]
A short silence settled over the drawing room, as though everyone was thinking about Manri Shintong’s dumplings.
The bottle containing Manri Shintong’s recipe would cross dimensions and be sent somewhere. If luck was on its side, perhaps it would meet a decent chef, and the recipe would be passed down.
For a moment, Jaehwan imagined someone eating Martial World Dumplings there.
[Now it is your turn, God Slayer. What wish will you make?]
Everyone in the drawing room turned their attention to Jaehwan.
Perhaps this was the moment they had all been waiting for.
The Lord of Sloth seemed to enjoy the tension of that moment and continued.
[Your achievements are truly remarkable. Mulack, the Rupture Lord, and even the Leader did not climb the tower as quickly as you did. You seem to have many questions, so if you use your wish for ‘questions,’ I will specially answer up to two.]
Jaehwan spoke without hesitation.
“My Companion...”
[Kim Yoonhwan, correct? I already looked into it.]
As if already aware of Jaehwan’s question, the Lord of Sloth began speaking as though reciting prepared lines.
[Unfortunately, your friend is not in 〈Metaverse〉. He has not become a Doll either. But he is not far from 〈Caspion〉. A very powerful force is protecting him, so you do not need to worry about your friend’s safety. There is nowhere safer in the Abyss than that place. You may see him soon.]
“Bring Yoonhwan here.”
[I am sorry, but that is impossible. It is beyond 〈Metaverse〉’s authority. Honestly, I have already told you quite a lot, so that concludes your first wish.]
“Who is holding Yoonhwan?”
[Will that be your ‘second wish’? I can answer if you want. But the moment I speak that name, whoever has your Companion will surely notice. I do not know whether that would be good for your friend.]
There was a warning in his voice. It was practically the same as telling Jaehwan not to ask.
Jaehwan did not know how trustworthy the Driver was, but considering how much the Driver had investigated in advance, an outright lie seemed unlikely.
For now, Yoonhwan had not become a Doll and was safe.
That alone was enough.
[Good. You are wise. Then make your second wish.]
It was a question that did not need asking. Other than Yoonhwan, there was only one reason Jaehwan had climbed this tower.
“I want to know how to reach the ‘First Nightmare,’ at the end of the Tree of Illusion.”
Footnotes:
Chapter discussion