Tower Of God: Life As Hoaqin

Only Maschenny, Hwarang, Luf, and I remained in the room. Yura and Asensio weren't people we knew well, and they themselves said it would be better to excuse themselves, so they had gone outside.

And I, holding onto "hope" as carefully as I could, took a step toward them.

"..."

Gulp—

In the quiet silence, the sound of someone swallowing filled the room for a brief moment. Whether it was Hwarang, Luf, Maschenny, or… me, I couldn't tell.

My hands were trembling, my eyes filled with anticipation and hope, my eyebrows quivering. Before me lay my beloved family—Albelda and Anna—resting on the bed.

Just as they had been ever since I found them, they looked as though they were sleeping peacefully.

One step, two steps. In just two steps, I reached the bedside where my family lay. As everyone watched me in silence, I carefully released what I was holding in my hands.

Beep! Beep!

The Boatman Fish. The Divine Sea Fish that Arie Hon had bestowed in answer to my wish.

I didn't know what kind of Divine Sea Fish it was, nor how it would help, but the Tower was a world filled with mysteries. I could only believe that this black fish must possess something special.

Beeek!

When I gently set the Boatman Fish down and stepped back a few paces, it began drifting around the room in all directions, letting out cries like those of a chick.

From its black scales flowed a deep navy-blue glow that illuminated the path it traveled. After scattering that dark blue light as it swam brilliantly around us for a moment, the Boatman Fish suddenly stopped moving.

"...…"

What it was looking at were Albelda and Anna.

After gazing at the two of them for a moment, the fish let out another cry and then charged straight toward Albelda and Anna.

Shrrrk—

"…!"

Light burst out in all directions from the fish's black scales, and the Boatman Fish gradually split into two.

Soon, now two in number, the Boatman Fish swam diligently through the air and finally reached the space directly in front of Albelda and Anna, respectively.

I had a strong premonition that it would happen soon, and I clasped my hands together, engraving every moment of the scene into my eyes.

Please… let them open their eyes.

Let them smile brightly again.

The moment the Boatman Fish slipped into Albelda's and Anna's bodies as if passing through them, everyone—including myself—watched the outcome with wide-open eyes.

Woooong—

From the bodies of the two girls lying on the bed, small clusters of light began to form. It was a faint glow that couldn't even fill the room, but somehow, it felt like this wasn't all there was.

As if confirming my intuition, the clustered light began to spin like a vortex.

Whooosh—

The light, which had been a bright yellow, gradually darkened as it spun, then began to turn blue.

Before long, the light emanating from their bodies shimmered with a brilliant color—blue on the outside, black on the inside.

Flash—!

"…!"

The instant the deep-blue spheres fully formed around Albelda and Anna, a blinding light flashed so brightly that even I had to close my eyes. When I opened them again, white and blue particles were falling like snow, illuminating the room.

It was a mysterious and beautiful sight, but this was no time to be absorbed in it.

My family.

No more light flowed from their bodies. Whatever had been done, it seemed to have been completed with that final flash of light.

I hurried to their side and checked their condition.

There didn't seem to be any change. They were still sleeping quietly, just as before.

Yes—there was no change that could be seen.

Soft breaths drawn in through shinsu, then released again. Albelda and Anna were breathing—something essential to all living beings.

The two who had shown no heartbeat, no pulse, no breathing until now.

They were breathing in their sleep. Their hearts were beating. Their pulses were throbbing.

Unable to believe it, I checked their condition again and again.

Breath I could clearly feel. A heartbeat I could clearly hear. A pulse I could clearly sense.

No matter how many times I checked, it was the same.

At the boundary between life and death, they had just stepped back onto the threshold of life.

Then—

"Uuugh..."

"…!"

Those white eyelids that had seemed heavy and impossible to lift slowly began to rise.

Soon after, those round eyes—eyes I thought I would never see again—fully revealed themselves and looked at me, and a voice I thought I would never hear again gently brushed against my ears.

"Huh? Hoaquin?"

"…A—A… Albelda… Albelda, you're awake, right?"

Finally. Finally.

"Albelda!"

Thump—

"H-Hoaquin?!"

Aside from calling her name, my throat was too tight for any other words to come out. I did nothing but repeat and savor her name over and over as I wrapped my arms tightly around her.

My chest felt heavy, and moisture gathered in my eyes.

"Mm…"

At that moment, another voice—one I hadn't heard in far too long—came from behind me.

A small girl, my younger sister, was now sitting up on the bed, rubbing her eyes with her tiny hands.

"…!"

"…Hoaquin… Oppa?"

"Ana…!"

Ah… they're back.

My family.

My family, whom I had believed to be dead.

They were looking at me with round eyes, right in front of me.

The pain and exhaustion of the past 130 years felt as though they were washed away all at once, and right now, I was just… so, so happy.

I won't lose this again.

Never again.

I will make this happy moment last forever.

After that, I continued holding my family tightly, overwhelmed by a flood of emotions that came rushing in like a tide.

Maybe… I cried a little.

Now only you remain, Vicente.

.....

Three weeks later,

— A village discovered in an unexplored area of the Outer Tower! However, it was an empty ghost village with no residents… What could have happened to them?

"Isn't this a total mystery, Hoaquin? What do you think it is?"

"Haha, how would I know? But usually stuff like this happens when there's no food left nearby and the whole village relocates, right?"

"Honestly, maybe it's because it's been 130 years, but you've lost your sense of romance."

"Hahaha."

Albelda and I were walking along the paths of a luxurious resort forest.

No—more accurately, I was the only one walking.

Albelda was sitting in a wheelchair.

Because she had been used as an experimental subject by the Workshop's dark scientists for 130 years, Albelda's body was no longer normal. Her body and blood vessels had been saturated with experimental drugs, and her legs could no longer move properly due to the aftereffects.

On top of that, whether due to the side effects of the brain surgery the Workshop performed or because the shock of that day was too great, Albelda was currently suffering from partial amnesia.

The memories she had lost were from the time she was selected as a Regular up until the incident on the 99th floor.

The same was true for Anna, so my plan to obtain information about Vicente collapsed completely.

Honestly, even if their memories had been intact, I wasn't entirely sure whether we would have been able to learn whether Vicente had ended up like Albelda and Anna that day—or if he had died.

"Ah, it's Hwarang! Hoaquin, thanks for pushing my wheelchair. I'll roll it myself from here."

"It's fine. I'll push it until we get to Hwarang. You barely have any arm strength—what are you going to roll it with?"

Whether fortunate or unfortunate, the Workshop's dark scientists preferred Albelda—who was closer to adulthood—over Anna, who was still just a child.

As a result, Albelda's condition was truly dreadful, but Anna's condition was comparatively better.

Of course, that was only comparatively. In the end, both of them still had to go in and out of the hospital frequently for the time being.

Still, Albelda was Albelda.

Even though she was probably the one suffering the most, she never lost her smile and always maintained a bright demeanor. That was truly like her.

Since she smiled so much, I hoped that only good things would fill her future as well.

While wishing for Albelda's and Anna's peace, I pushed the wheelchair to where Hwarang was. Hwarang received Albelda from me and headed straight for the hospital on a floating ship.

"Hwarang, going to the same hospital every time gets boring. Want to try a different one?"

"What kind of nonsense is that? Stop talking back and just make sure you take your medicine properly. You didn't take it yesterday either, did you?"

When did they get so close? Haha.

Anna had already gone to the hospital, if I remembered correctly. When she gets back, I should make something tasty for her.

After watching the harmonious scene between the two of them for a while, I turned around and headed toward where I needed to go.

Maschenny would be waiting at the villa. I should hurry.

"…Should I try using that once?"

I stretched out my hand and focused my mind.

I pulled up the same sensation as last time as much as possible, and after about five minutes of straining with my eyes closed, I felt as though I had grabbed onto something.

The moment I pulled it—

Crackle—

"Ugh, that stings."

An enormous recoil traveled up my arm and spread throughout my entire body.

Damn it. That was far more painful than Khun family lightning, not even comparable.

Every time I try even a little, it ends up like this.

I guess last time really was something close to a miracle. Spatial movement, that is.

Even back then, the miracle I managed was barely forcing my way through a gap that was just big enough for one person.

If I want to use this freely, it looks like I'll have to go through quite a bit of hardship.

And since I was told that using it incorrectly could be dangerous, it's probably best not to attempt it at all for the time being.

What I just did might have already been a little dangerous.

Lost in thought, I walked on, and before I knew it, I had arrived at the villa.

When I opened the front door and stepped inside, there were shoes I didn't recognize.

Who is it?

While I tilted my head in confusion, the first person to greet me was Asensio.

"You're back? Noona has been waiting. And there's an uninvited guest as well."

"…? An uninvited guest? Who?"

"If I knew, I'd be calling them by name instead of calling them an uninvited guest. They seem to be from the same family—go see for yourself."

"Our family?"

Asensio, looking annoyed, didn't answer further.

While he continued dusting the house, I took off my shoes, washed my hands, and walked into the living room.

There, sitting on the sofa and waiting for me, was a mysterious Arie with a splendid white mask-like helmet, white armor, white hair, and striking silver eyes.

"…Who are you?"

"Nice to meet you. I am the current Sword of Arie, Arie Yure."

"Ah, I see. The Sword of Arie…"

...Huh?!

"Cough, cough! Th-that's… quite an impressive position."

Wait—was that really a title you could reveal so casually?

Feeling as though something had gone down the wrong way, I cleared my throat briefly and sat down on the sofa opposite the one Yure was sitting on. For some reason, Yure was staring straight at me.

"A cough, hm… Have you perhaps contracted the epidemic that's been going around lately? I recommend getting tested."

…You're the reason, you know.

"It's nothing serious, so don't worry about it. Anyway, what business does the Sword of Arie have with me?"

At my question, Yure took a sip of the tea in front of him and replied.

"I came to convey Father's words. And there's something I want to say to you as well."

Shrrrk—

Yure took out a long, old-fashioned parchment scroll, glanced over it briefly, and began reading what was written.

"To Arie Hoaquin, who has splendidly passed my trial, I, Arie Hon, hereby grant the appropriate rewards. These are rewards I have decided upon after careful consideration, and they will not bring harm to you. Therefore, you may accept them without burden. First, ownership of the 78th Floor is transferred to Arie Hoaquin. However, it is judged that you currently lack the capability to govern and protect a floor. Thus, while ownership is transferred, I will personally select and assign an acting administrator. Once sufficient time has passed, or the moment you become a Ranker, the acting administrator will withdraw from your floor. Second, Arie Hoaquin is granted the title of 'Provisional Branch Head.' This rank is equivalent, in family hierarchy, to an Arie Zahard Princess who has not yet become a Regular, and it is hereby declared that the moment you become a Ranker, you will be formally promoted from Provisional Branch Head to Branch Head. Third—haa—"

Suddenly, Yure let out a sigh and stared straight at me.

The third reward… ugh, that one.

Yure stared at me to the point of discomfort, then shifted his gaze to my pocket. His expression clearly said, "Half the family armory is in something that small?"

Letting out a shallow sigh, Yure continued reading.

"Third, it is hereby declared that the items taken by Hoaquin from the family armory are now formally the property of Hoaquin. That concludes the list."

Shrrrk—thump.

After quickly rolling up the parchment, Yure looked at me again and spoke.

"Honestly, wasn't half a bit much?"

Ah—wait…

Is he trying to take them back?

I've already gotten attached to my weapons…!

"…Father allowed it."

"…Actually, the Family Head also—"

"Disobeying Father's words would be treason…"

"…Ah, n-no…"

"It was written that it's acknowledged as part of the rewards, too…"

"...…."

Before I realized it, I was hugging my pocket inventory tightly to my chest.

Yure's expression was hidden behind his mask, but his eyes were clearly visible. He was probably thinking, What kind of kid is this?

"…Haa. Fine. We confiscated all of the elders' armories anyway, so… it's not really a problem… I guess."

With a sigh, Yure stood up from the sofa and walked toward the front door.

Before leaving, unlike his earlier somewhat mild demeanor, he spoke to me with the authority befitting the Sword of Arie.

"The matter of the final reward caused some distraction, but from this moment on, you are a Provisional Branch Head and the ruler of the 78th Floor. Father has great expectations for you, so do not disappoint him."

"…Yes."

"Well then—ah, I nearly forgot to say this."

"?"

"In one week, the Festival of the Sword will be held. It will be quite noisy, so if you plan to participate, it would be wise to conceal your face appropriately. Especially this time, since many troublesome individuals have entered the White City due to the recent incident."

"Haha, I'll keep that in mind."

With that, Yure finally disappeared.

Thinking about washing up, eating, and then resting, I turned around—only to find Maschenny staring at me.

"You startled me. When did you come down?"

"Just now. What did that guy say?"

"He said I'm now the ruler of the 78th Floor and a Provisional Branch Head. I guess I've become a landowner now, haha."

"…?!"

Maschenny looked quite shocked, but that wasn't what mattered to me right now.

The Festival of the Sword, opening in one week.

I'd only ever heard stories about how grand, splendid, and fun it was, and had never seen it myself, so I was pretty curious.

I briefly wondered who to go with, but the answer was obvious.

Well, we'd probably all go together anyway… but still.

"Maschenny."

"What?"

"In one week, want to go watch the Festival of the Sword with me?"

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