Tower Of God: Life As Hoaqin

After the banquet was over.

Flutter—Yasratcha unrolled a parchment and read through the first paragraph. Originally there was plenty of time left before the scheduled talks were supposed to begin, but since both Yasratcha and I had already reached an agreement and both sides wanted to wrap things up quickly, we just went ahead and conducted it now at our own discretion.

"As reparations for the intrusion of the 78th Floor, the Lo Po Bia Family shall hand over to the Arie Family most of the remaining core information regarding the technology used to create the Canine race."

From the Arie Family's perspective, they couldn't even use beast-taming arts, so they'd have little interest in technology for creating beast-kin like the Canine race. Given that the Family's disposition was a pureblooded system centered on direct lineage, they might actually be repulsed by the technology itself. Hence, this was compensation I needed personally.

The moment Yasratcha finished, I read the next passage as well. This was the main house's demand.

"Lo Po Bia shall stably supply the Arie side with Knight Seahorses and the following five species of creatures requested by Arie for a period of one hundred years, and dispatch instructors to teach riding techniques and beast-taming arts."

The Arie main house, which had recently shown some interest in developing cavalry, had made this request. They seemed to be considering a trial operation.

"On the premise that reparations are carried out normally, the Arie Family shall henceforth hold the Lo Po Bia Family accountable for no further responsibility regarding this matter."

The rest was, well, formalities. The Arie Family and the Lo Po Bia Family shall pursue peace and cooperation, blah blah... There was also content about the Lo Po Bia side purchasing some mining rights for the Black Thorn Mountain resources on the 78th Floor, but those parts didn't really concern me.

The most important, core part for me was the section about the Canine race that I'd read at the beginning. Specifically, the technology that created them—'blood fusion'—was what I truly wanted.

And finally, only after reading every sentence written on the parchment were we able to set it back down on the table. With this, the talks with Lo Po Bia were concluded.

Ah, I'm exhausted.

Yasratcha smiled warmly and offered me a handshake first. Since the previous banquet, we'd discovered we had more in common than expected, and up to this point as the talks were concluding, we'd had various exchanges with each other, and somehow we'd become quite close. Close enough to have already exchanged Pocket numbers.

I firmly grasped the hand Yasratcha extended and smiled along with him.

"It's been an enjoyable month or so, Branch Leader Hoaqin."

"Haha, I hope you take care as well, Yasratcha."

He nodded and gestured to his subordinates to prepare the floating ship for departure. I likewise ordered the White Wolf unit to have the warship on standby.

With that, only Yasratcha and his cat, myself, Heron, and Orca noona remained in the room, and as the space became a bit more 'personal,' we treated each other more casually.

Yasratcha hopped onto his cat's back, waved his hand, and slowly left the room.

"If the opportunity arises, let's meet again, Branch Leader Hoaqin. Ah, and please make sure to deliver that gift to young Lady Hagipherione."

"Sure thing, Yasratcha. See you next time."

Having spent a month getting close... at some point we'd even started speaking casually in private settings. Being accustomed to using formal speech out of mutual respect, I still wasn't used to it and basically kept to polite language. It was more comfortable that way, but since we'd be living for tens of thousands of years anyway, the concept of age didn't hold much meaning for us, so someday I'd probably be able to be more relaxed.

After Yasratcha left, I too turned around to face Heron and Orca, letting a slight smile slip.

It was time for us to head back too. Hagipherione would be waiting, so I needed to hurry.

"Well then, let's head back as well. Heron, the conditions the main house wanted have been met with this, correct?"

"Of course. You secured a full percentage point more in shares than the main house had hoped for, so they'll be quite pleased. Well done, Branch Leader."

"Huh, watching you, it seems like you don't do anything, but when it comes down to it, you actually get things done really well."

A momentary sense of injustice welled up at Orca noona's words. There weren't enough people in the branch so I was personally handling almost everything, and she says I don't do anything...

"When have I ever done nothing? Anyway, let's head back. It sounds like the warship's power engines just started up."

Rummmmmble—

A majestic hum from outside. It meant the warship was ready to sail.

Ah, I want to see Harpe soon.

As I was walking briskly out of the conference hall toward the warship, Orca noona, as if reading my thoughts, spoke up awkwardly.

"Hey, your sister isn't on the 78th Floor right now, you know...?"

"...? Why?"

"She went back to the main house."

...!

"D-does Harpe hate me? Why would she suddenly go to the main house..."

"Yeah, she says she hates you. Says you're too clingy and it's annoying."

What? For a moment it felt like my brain short-circuited. Just then, Heron poked Orca in the side and cleared his throat.

"Ahem, Branch Leader. That's an absurd exaggeration. She simply went to take an examination. There are no Arie direct lineage members on the 78th Floor branch to spar against, so she went to the main house briefly to take a sparring exam. Please calm down. And Lady Orca, please refrain from such extreme jokes."

"Hehe, it was almost fun though. Too bad."

"...Orca noona gets a hundred-year pay cut."

"Wh-what? Hey! Wait! Y—"

"My 'sole' aide Heron? Let's hurry to the warship."

"Understood, Branch Leader."

She takes her salary out of my pocket and still pulls this. I'd love to make it a thousand-year pay cut but I'm being lenient for old times' sake.

Half-ignoring Orca noona as she clung to me, I boarded the warship while chatting pleasantly with Heron.

"Branch Leader Hoaqin... I'm sorry so please not the pay cut... I need to buy new clothes this time..."

"Shall we head to the 78th Floor? Or to the 100th Floor to see Lady Hagipherione?"

"Hmm..."

After deliberating briefly on Heron's question, I reached a conclusion.

"Let's go to the 99th Floor."

"..? Understood. Captain, set course for the 99th Floor."

"Ho..a..quin...."

Rummmmmble—

The captain, having received the order relayed through Heron, vigorously engaged the warship, and the warship, having risen high to the ceiling, expelled blue energy and flew swiftly toward the 99th Floor.

I had business on the 99th Floor first, so I'd stop there, then head to the 100th Floor afterward.

I wonder if my sister is doing alright. I hope she's not getting hurt by people comparing her to others.

....

100th Floor, Arie Family Main House

"...Belsian."

"What is it?"

Belsian—an outside High Ranker who had challenged Hoaqin eight years ago, lost, and been scouted on the spot, now a member of the 78th Floor branch—looked down bluntly at Hagipherione, who was squeezing his hand tightly.

Hagipherione was gazing up at Belsian with slightly trembling eyes.

"Wh-what if I lose..? When I was at the main house, I practiced swordsmanship for twelve hours straight... but on the 78th Floor I only did two hours... everyone else must have done over ten hours... what if I lose?"

"..."

"If I lose... will Hoaqin oppa hate me too..? If I lose, I won't have to come back to the main house, will I..?"

Before long, not just Hagipherione's eyes but her hands were trembling slightly as well.

Belsian gazed at Hagipherione, who was showing her fear, in silence for a moment. Then he let out the faintest scoff.

If it were any other ordinary member of the 10 Great Families, perhaps... but Hoaqin, that madman, would never abandon his sister over something like that. If it was the man he knew...

"Your brother is the kind of person who would wage war on the spot if the main house tried to take you away. Losing won't make him hate you, and you won't have to come back to the main house, so rest easy."

"R-really? What a relief..!"

Watching her beam so brightly, Belsian was slightly dumbfounded. The premise itself was wrong from the start.

Why would she lose in the first place? While he was at it, Belsian gave Hagipherione a perceptive once-over. Internal shinsu flow velocity on par with at least an A-rank Regular, a body composed of perfectly balanced, high-density muscle, and other overwhelming talents on top of that. Even by the standards of the 10 Great Families, she was more than a monster.

Would calling her a monster hurt her feelings...?

"From what I can see, among the direct lineage children gathered this time, there is no one stronger than you yet. You are plenty strong. So have confidence."

"Okay! If Belsian says so, I'll believe it!"

Something about Hagipherione's bright, beaming smile irked Belsian, and he added a remark.

"Of course, I said 'yet'—there's no guarantee there won't be someone in the future, so you must keep striving. There's no time for play."

"Okay!"

"....."

Ah, whatever. In any case, the mission I'd received from Hoaqin was to guard and attend to Hagipherione, and also...

— The sparring examination will now begin. Arie Hagipherione, Arie Garbaldi, Arie... (and so on)... all named direct lineage cadets, please assemble at the sparring grounds.

"Ah, it's my turn! Belsian! I'll be right back!"

"Do as you like."

Flashing a bright smile at the half-heartedly responding Belsian, Hagipherione scurried off toward the sparring grounds with quick little steps.

Belsian watched her go with casual indifference and let out a sigh mixed with complaints. Haah, making me do this kind of busywork. Isn't he working me too hard just because he beat me in a fight? Babysitting doesn't suit my aptitude at all. If it were a combat assignment, fine, but just guarding his little sister, using someone like me...

As he thought this, Belsian tilted his head. There was no one who cherished family more than that guy, and he'd assigned me to guard that very family? What? Don't tell me he actually trusts me?

"..."

Pushing his complicated thoughts aside, Belsian turned his gaze toward the sparring grounds. Numerous Arie direct lineage members had taken positions along the boundary lines of the sparring grounds, pointing wooden swords at each other.

And there—Hagipherione was facing off against five children all by herself.

Tch, she should be thinking about solving this with skill. What a sorry sight, playing politics with all that posturing and checking. If it's Hagipherione, five shouldn't be a problem.

Thinking that, Belsian quietly pulled out an Observer. Grumbling all the while that if his little sister was in a match, shouldn't the brother at least come in person? Well, Hoaqin had said he had business, so even if he came now he'd be too late.

"Lion's Cross Strike!"

""AAAAGH!""

Ha, she's already learned Hoaqin's techniques. I lost to that move.

Like the protagonist of a manga, Hagipherione—taking on multiple opponents alone—unleashed Hoaqin's technique, and the five direct lineage members surrounding her went flying like extras. Belsian was recording every moment of it with the Observer. Thinking that if he sent the footage, that doting fool of an Arie would be thrilled.

It's only because it's me that I'm even bothering to film this. Mm-hm.

.....

99th Floor, Hometown of Arie Leblanc, 'Thousand Shell Bay'

Pour—

Tap. A man set a teacup down firmly and handed it to Hoaqin, who sat on the sofa with a gentle smile. The man was staring at Hoaqin with a decidedly unenthused look.

"I didn't expect you to come here. I didn't think you'd even know where I was in the first place."

"I didn't originally, but I found out recently. Haha, it's been a while, hyung."

Watching Hoaqin lift the teacup and take a sip, the man clicked his tongue lightly.

"That damn 'hyung, hyung.' Don't you ever get tired of it?"

"You're the one who told me to call you hyung."

"...Anyway, I heard you became a branch leader? The news reached even here. Congratulations, in many ways. The Family's great traitor, becoming a branch leader. Well, I hear it was a false charge, but still."

The man poured tea into another cup, then took several sips from it. Tap—the cup met the desk once more, and the man propped his chin on one hand and asked Hoaqin.

"So, what business do you have with me?"

"Haha... would you be my figurehead?"

"...."

Former Arie Family Enforcement Squad Second Unit Captain, formerly ranked 244th—Arie Cain stared at Hoaqin with a blank expression.

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