Tower Of God: Life As Hoaqin

I looked at Zahard.

To me, each passing moment felt like an eternity, but in reality, not even a few seconds had passed.

His face was obscured by darkness, but his shining golden eyes were clearly visible. And I could unmistakably tell that those eyes, filled with something transcendent, were staring directly at me.

Swoosh—

At that moment, Zahard's right arm began to move.

It extended forward, slightly bent, and then his hand moved.

The armored gauntlet covering his hand shifted with a metallic clank.

Finally, his finger pointed at me.

Maschenny followed the direction of Zahard's finger with her gaze, and upon seeing me, immediately turned her head away. She was clearly trying her best not to show any reaction. If she reacted now, it would only look suspicious.

After Maschenny, everyone's eyes turned toward me.

The royal retainers, Zahard's royal guards, the corps commanders, even the Khun family observers.

Under the weight of all those gazes, Zahard, who had been pointing at me, finally spoke.

"An Arie… why are you here?"

"..."

Damn, that startled me.

It was such a simple question, but my tense body instantly relaxed. Wiping the cold sweat from my brow, I answered as sincerely as I could.

"I was granted permission… to attend as a companion of Princess Maschenny Zahard."

"Hmm."

Just like that, Zahard's gaze left me.

The question had been far simpler than expected, and the others' attention also quickly withdrew.

Zahard no longer seemed interested, his focus returning to his daughter, Maschenny.

"The investiture ceremony will now be conducted personally by His Majesty, the great King of the Tower, Zahard."

The old man spoke again, his voice still calm and firm.

Judging by his composure, he must have known Zahard would appear.

Perhaps Zahard's appearance was part of the tradition.

"My daughter, welcome back to the royal castle."

"…I am deeply honored, Father."

"Kneel, and prepare to receive your royal title."

At his command, Maschenny knelt on one knee and closed her eyes in solemn reverence.

Soon after, the old man carefully presented a tiara from somewhere and offered it to Zahard.

Zahard accepted it and declared:

"From this moment, I proclaim that my child, Maschenny Zahard, has become a member of the Zahard royal family."

"I expect you to achieve great things."

Placing the tiara upon Maschenny's head, he signaled the end of the ceremony.

And as expected, the finale was carried out by the fanatics of the Zahard royal family.

The corps commanders stood and shouted to the royal guards:

"Formation!"

Clack—

"Salute to Lady Maschenny Zahard!!"

The guards' spears struck the ground, echoing throughout the hall as their voices rang out.

Thud, thud!

"Eternal glory to Zahard!!!"

"Eternal glory to Zahard!!!"

"Eternal glory to Zahard!!!"

Their chant did not stop until Zahard disappeared from the hall, and until Maschenny herself ordered them to stand down and disperse.

Disgusted by their fanaticism, most of the Khun family observers quickly delivered their congratulations and business to Maschenny before leaving the castle in haste.

Zahard vanished as abruptly as he had appeared.

As I stared at the place where he had disappeared, Maschenny, who had already descended from the top of the hall, approached me.

"Ah, Maschenny. Congratulations on becoming royalty. Here—this is for you."

Smiling, I handed her the bouquet I had bought earlier.

Maschenny, clearly unaccustomed to receiving flowers, hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"…Thank you."

"No problem. Planning to stay here longer?"

"No. I could, but there's no need. The investiture is over, so I'm free to move. As a Ranker, I'll have obligations to carry out royal missions, but not right now."

"Really? Then—"

Ahem.

A sudden cough interrupted us.

Turning toward the sound, I saw Lucas approaching.

"Maschenny. You've truly become a Ranker now. Our father must be pleased."

"Because my influence has grown?"

"Heh, isn't that obvious? Now that the Khun family has produced a Zahard Princess who's also a Ranker, we won't fall behind the Ha family anymore."

"The Khun family didn't have a Zahard Princess before?"

At my question, Lucas scratched his cheek awkwardly.

"Well… there was one during the first generation of Zahard Princesses… but she was executed. She fell in love with a commoner from the Workshop and even had a child. They tried to run away but were caught. In the end, both were beheaded and their heads were hung on the castle wall for a week."

"...…"

Both Maschenny and I fell silent, our expressions darkening.

At the same time, we realized just how dangerous our relationship was.

If things went wrong… we might end up the same way.

"Anyway, because of that incident, the royal family avoided choosing Zahard Princesses from the Khun family. But Maschenny broke through all that—overwhelming talent and ability crushed every trivial objection. No wonder our family head favors her so much. Hmm, did I make things too gloomy? Why do you both look so down?"

"…Haha, I just don't like dark stories."

"Is that so? Well, anyway, Maschenny. Congratulations on becoming royalty. But I'm also a bit worried. You know what I mean, right? As a Regular, you dealt with issues of qualification and faction conflicts. But now that you're a Ranker, you'll be competing directly with other Zahard Princesses."

"I know that much."

"Fortunately, there aren't many first-generation Princesses left, and most are second-generation. Still… good luck. I mean it."

"…Yeah."

Maschenny nodded.

Lucas looked at her with satisfaction, then turned to me.

"And Hoaquin, congratulations on becoming a branch leader. Youngest High Ranker, youngest branch leader, youngest ruler—you're practically skyrocketing."

"Haha…"

"I knew it from the 100th floor. After seeing what you did back then, this outcome feels natural. Though beating Asinus—that was surprising. I lost to him."

"…What?"

"Hahaha! Why so surprised? Back when I was a top Ranker, I challenged him when he was already a High Ranker. I barely survived. If we fought now, who knows. Anyway, hearing you beat him felt great. I'll be going now. Take care."

He patted my shoulder as he passed by.

Then, in that moment, his voice quietly reached my ears through Shinsu.

"Be careful with your actions. Even if we're not full siblings, I don't want to see my little sister get hurt. And… my father has taken an interest in you."

"…!"

Eduan? Interested in me?

The moment I turned around in shock, he had already disappeared.

"What's wrong? Did Lucas say something to you?"

"…Eduan… is interested in me."

"What?"

.....

20th Floor, Po Bidau family territory.

Somewhere in the Outer Tower, a secret research facility of the Po Bidau family.

A refined and elegant facility designed in white and blue—the secret lab of the Po Bidau "Research Society."

But its innovative beauty and intellectual atmosphere were nowhere to be seen now.

The laboratory was collapsing in flames.

Crackle—

Rumble—

Another structure collapsed as the fire spread, and the rising heat made the boy gasp for breath.

The flames tore everything down, reducing it all to ashes.

The Research Society bastards had taken only a few documented materials before fleeing. FUG burned the laboratory and immediately went after them.

Only I had been left behind like this.

Flutter, flutter—

"…Tch, I'm not alone, huh…"

The boy muttered bitterly as he looked at a specimen container placed on the desk.

Inside it was a butterfly—said to be one of the rarest in the Tower—trapped within, slowly dying in the heat, just like him.

A creature the researchers had cherished and raised with care.

How valuable could that damn butterfly possibly be?

They treated me like an experiment, yet poured all their effort into that insect. It was absurd.

"Still… in the end, you're in the same situation as me… haah… haah…"

Rumble—

Another structure collapsed.

Soon, when this laboratory fully crumbles, I'll die.

Together with that butterfly.

Step, step—

"…?"

A presence…?

Who…?

Clinging to hope, the boy turned his head toward the source of the sound.

There, a man in a white coat was walking toward him.

"Ah, there you are."

Brown hair like the Po Bidau family, glasses.

But unlike the researchers, this man carried something transcendent—something on an entirely different level.

Overwhelmed by his presence, the boy couldn't even bring himself to ask for help.

Step, step—

The head of the Po Bidau family, Po Bidau Gustang, continued walking toward the boy.

The boy stared at him blankly.

Soon, Gustang reached out his hand.

The boy still couldn't move, only watching that hand of salvation.

Tap—

At last, the hand made contact.

Not with the boy—

But with the specimen container holding the butterfly.

"It's a butterfly my daughter likes. I can't let it die like this."

Gustang's gaze swept over the butterfly.

The dying butterfly instantly regained its vitality.

He took it out of the container that had been melting in the flames and placed it into a new one he had prepared.

Carefully tucking it into his coat, Gustang turned around and began walking back the way he came.

No—don't go!

Wait!

The boy, who had been too overwhelmed by the man's presence to even speak, desperately struggled to move.

Did he not see me?

Yeah… maybe I was buried under the debris, and he just missed me…

At last, the boy's survival instinct overcame his fear.

"S-save… me…"

Step—

The man stopped.

Hope returned to the boy's eyes.

He must not have seen me before.

Now… I can live…!

Gustang slightly turned his head and spoke to the boy.

"That is unfortunate."

"I did not prepare a container to take you with me."

"...…."

Gustang continued walking.

In the opposite direction from the boy.

The light in the boy's eyes slowly faded.

Meanwhile, the flames only grew stronger with time.

Until his final moment, the boy was a being worth less than a butterfly.

Crackle—

The raging fire finally swallowed the entire laboratory.

Gustang, pleased at having found the butterfly his daughter liked, boarded his floating ship.

"Since I saved the butterfly, Enne will be pleased. Head to the 'Nest.'"

– Command received. Heading to the 'Nest.' –