“Let’s Try Managing the Tower (Collection of Materials?)” has introduced the characters from the prologue to chapter three. I’ll keep it there until the writing catches up to the story.
I’d like to hear everyone’s opinions on which version to keep in the end.
*This section contains spoilers up to this point in the story, so please be aware if you are reading this for the first time.*
“…You come up with some flashy ideas, don’t you?”
Kousuke offered a wry smile at Jal’s words.
“Well, since it’s an opportunity, I thought I’d make a bold appeal.”
“Hmph. Well, I find it amusing, so it’s fine by me. …But you can’t expect us to lend you a hand, can you?”
“That’s only natural.”
“If you understand that, then it’s fine. As long as you exercise your rightful claim, no one else should object.”
“That’s how it is?”
“Of course. In fact, if you objected, you’d be ostracized.”
“Geez. There are all sorts of things going on in your world, aren’t there?”
Even though Jal and the others seemed to operate freely, they were, in fact, operating within the rules of the world.
“Otherwise, you couldn’t manage the world, could you?”
“You are absolutely right. That’s why you’re always looking for loopholes and slacking off, aren’t you?”
“…Hoh. You’ve got quite a bit to say now, haven’t you?”
Kousuke boldly retorted to Jal’s chilling words.
“No, well. Isn’t a sense of propriety important?”
“? What do you mean?”
“In the usual pattern, Eris should be showing up soon, I thought.”
“Honestly~. It’s not like such a predictable thing would happen every time…”
But just as Jal sounded exasperated, a voice cut in as usual.
“…What is predictable?”
“Wha—!? Sis!? How did you get here? I made sure to come somewhere I wouldn’t normally come so you wouldn’t find me!?”
“Spica told me.”
“Betrayal…!?”
“Since that incident happened, you know? She happily told me.”
“Th-that’s unfair… Abuse of authority!”
“Please make such claims after you’ve fulfilled your own obligations.”
“Ugh…”
Kousuke, who was listening nearby, was already used to this sort of thing. He could even enjoy it purely as an outsider.
“You’ll pay for this later, Kousuke!”
Just as he was thinking that, the retaliation flew his way.
“Eh…?”
“It’s pathetic to hold a grudge, you know? … Lord Kousuke, until next time.”
“Yeah, see you.”
Just like that, this divine union ended. Eris always appeared at the perfect timing, but Kousuke suspected she was timing her appearances.
♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦
One of the women watching Kousuke’s behavior was holding her head in her hands on the sofa.
“…Silvia, can I ask you something?”
“…I can guess, but what is it?”
“Is Kousuke always like this?”
“…Well, generally, yes.”
Floria let out a big sigh at Silvia’s answer.
“…I see.”
It was already unbelievable that one could have a divine union so easily. On top of that, there was Kousuke’s casual way of talking. Even though the gods’ voices couldn’t be heard during the divine union, anyone unfamiliar with it would have fainted just hearing Kousuke’s words. If she told anyone in the clergy about this, her sanity would undoubtedly be questioned. Silvia, who understood Floria’s feelings well as a shrine maiden, said,
“I understand how you feel, but if you don’t get used to it quickly, you won’t be able to live here.”
“…It seems so.”
Floria shook her head vigorously at Silvia’s advice. Then, she clapped her hands together, striking her cheeks. In the next moment, she was back to her usual self. This speed of switching was one of her strengths. It was precisely because of her personality that she had been accepted by the management layer, despite what had happened before. The other members, while not exactly close, had a perfectly normal relationship with her. The members listened to their conversation with bitter smiles. However, Kouhi and Mitsuki were the exceptions.
“…Wasn’t there anyone to stop him?”
“Someone tried to call him out at first, but eventually that stopped,” Colette said, looking at Shurein.
“…It became foolish to point out every little thing. Besides, eventually, I became no different from them.”
“That’s true~.”
It was a situation of “You’re one to talk,” so any argument lost its persuasiveness. As a result, there was no one left to stop Kousuke. Kouhi and Mitsuki, on the other hand, had no intention of stopping Kousuke from the beginning.
“…Don’t you think I’m being talked about quite harshly just now?”
Everyone’s gaze, except for Kouhi and Mitsuki, fell on Kousuke’s protest.
“Ugh… I’m sorry?”
Overwhelmed by their gazes, Kousuke involuntarily bowed his head. Kousuke thought that if anyone could withstand the stares of so many women, he’d like them to bring them to him.
“A-anyway, Floria.”
“Yes?”
“Did the adventurers finally reach the 51st floor?”
Kousuke had heard this information from Floria when she had just returned to the management layer. He had entered into a divine union before he could ask for details, so he decided to ask again.
“Ah, just the other day. The topic of there being a dungeon within the tower has been all the rage among adventurers.”
To Kousuke, this was information that was long overdue. For adventurers, the Amamiya Tower, with its spacious floors, offered plenty of opportunities to earn without needing to venture to the upper levels. Adventurers gathered on each floor, and if their earnings dwindled on the lower floors, the skilled ones would head further up. With the increase in Crown registrants and the overall number of adventurers visiting the tower, parties finally began to step into the dungeon floors, starting with the 51st floor.
“I see. Finally, huh?”
“As the ones managing it, wouldn’t you prefer it not to be conquered?”
Floria’s point was valid, but Kousuke, who wanted to increase the number of monsters subjugated on each floor, found it unexpectedly slow given the number of adventurers gathered. He genuinely hoped they would quickly clear the lower dungeons, from the 51st to the 60th floors, and reach the middle layers, the 71st and 72nd floors.
“…Is that so?”
Floria pondered Kousuke’s explanation, folding her arms.
“However, as things stand, it’s going to be tough.”
“Ah, really?”
“Indeed. Above all, the floors of this tower are so vast that one doesn’t feel like easily extending their reach to the next floor.”
“Hmm… But connecting them with teleport gates also feels a bit off, doesn’t it?”
“…Is it possible?”
“It’s possible, but… shortening the route with teleport gates for them to conquer isn’t something a tower manager should do, in my opinion…”
Everyone understood Kousuke’s reasoning. However, as the travel distance increased, the adventurers’ cost performance worsened, and it was natural that fewer people would aim for the upper floors.
“…For parties that have set foot in a dungeon floor even once, is it not possible to speed up their progress?”
“It’s not impossible if you tamper with the Crown Card and the teleport gates… Well, I suppose I’ll consider it.”
“Yes. If you do that, the number of parties aiming for the dungeon will increase.”
“Oh, and how about creating Safe Areas on each floor?”
“…Is it possible?”
“It’s a simple barrier, but yes.”
While the tower’s functions could create something more, Kousuke had no intention of going that far for now. Kousuke did not intend to run the tower with adventurers as the priority.
“Just having a safe place to rest would completely change how they approach conquering it. It would undoubtedly be a plus for the adventurers.”
“Is that so… In that case, along with that other matter, I suppose I’ll announce that too?”
As the timing was right, Kousuke decided. He could have set them up without announcing them, but since it was an opportunity, he decided to make it official. Kousuke would decide on how to operate the teleport gates in conjunction with this decision, or whether to implement them at all.
The current situation of the adventurers has finally come to light. The monsters appearing on each floor of the tower are all imports from various continents, so adventurers are earning sufficiently, which is why they don’t easily move to the next floor. However, if the population increases, that won’t be the case for long.
June 3, 2014: Typo correction
June 27, 2014: Typo correction
