Tower Of God: Life As Hoaqin

The contents of the deal with Cain were simple. First, I would appoint Cain as acting branch leader, and Cain, having become acting branch leader, would take over the duties I'd been performing as branch leader. Miscellaneous tasks, and so on and so forth.

"As for concubines... if you don't want to take them, don't. Like me."

"Well, my way of thinking is a bit different from yours. If I want to take them, I will. If I want children, I'll have them. If I live alone my whole life, Le Blier would worry."

"...Haha."

And Cain agreed to gather the former enforcement squad members. After the Elders' downfall, most of the enforcement squad—whose sole purpose in life had been serving the Elders—had all but vanished from the Family. He and I agreed to seek out and rally only those among them who still had some hope of being saved from the Elders' brainwashing.

"Hmm, but most of them tried to kill you. You're fine with taking them back?"

"Haha, by that logic, you tried to kill me too, hyung."

"...Ahem."

And lastly. A sort of nursery facility that the Elders had been secretly operating. I would take full responsibility for running it. That was the entirety of the contract Cain and I had formed.

"...A nursery facility..? Something like this existed?"

"The enforcement squad included direct lineage members like me, but most were outsiders or Arie branch family members. Where do you think the Elders found and raised such talent?"

"..."

So they'd taken in abandoned branch family members and orphans from places like the middle area, and raised them in the nursery as their thoroughly trained hunting dogs.

"The problem is I don't know where it is. Cooperate in finding it. And the children there should have outstanding talent, so they might be suitable candidates for your blood injection. If you strictly select the exceptional ones among them, the main house won't be able to say anything to you, given that you enjoy Father's favor."

"Hmm..."

Clasp—just as I was about to nod, Cain placed his hand on the document I'd been looking at to get my attention.

"However, only inject blood after the safety of the technique has been confirmed."

"Haha, what do you take me for? Of course that's the plan."

"...I see. Unnecessary worry on my part."

Cain became acting branch leader and took over my duties. We also laid plans to find the missing former enforcement squad members and absorb them into my branch, and agreed to locate the nursery facility that the Elders had secretly built to raise the enforcement squad, rescue the children, and simultaneously find candidates for blood injection.

The concubine problem—solved. The bloodline problem—solved. Even the weak forces problem—solved. Everything was flowing smoothly.

"Once you've wrapped things up here, please come to the 78th Floor. Acting Branch Leader."

"Sure, it won't take long. I'll be there soon, Branch Leader Hoaqin. Are you heading back to the 78th Floor?"

"Not yet. Since I've come all this way, I should visit the grave."

"...Right."

.....

Whoooosh—

The refreshing sound of waves drifted in ceaselessly. The surroundings were wide open, and the ceiling was perfectly clear. This place, which could be called freer than anywhere else, was where a noblewoman warrior—more noble than anyone—lay sleeping.

— Custos nobilis, laberetur in somnum hic. —

— Arie Leblanc —

"....?"

While quietly gazing at the gravestone where she slept, a flower placed at the base of her gravestone inadvertently caught my eye. What's this? Did Cain hyung leave it?

If my memory was right, this flower was probably...

"...A purple hyacinth?"

What was the flower language again? I can't remember. Well, the only person who'd come here was Cain hyung. He must have left it.

How embarrassing by comparison—I hadn't even prepared a flower. I scratched the back of my head sheepishly, then extended my hand and concentrated shinsu at its tip.

Shaaaa—

Soon a stem grew, and petals attached one by one, and a flower that existed nowhere else in the Tower—one that would only exist in this very moment—bloomed.

It would disappear once I left this floor... but at least until then.

After setting the shinsu-bloomed flower down beside the purple hyacinth, I bowed my head deeply and turned to walk away.

Anna and Albelda had stayed here for a while, but now they'd become Regulars and were climbing the Tower. It seemed things had worked out somehow with Headon. They still said they couldn't remember what happened back then, and I too didn't know exactly what had occurred, but one thing was certain—Leblanc had definitely protected something.

"...Rest well."

"Leblanc was a really good person too."

"Ah, Orca noona. You came all the way here?"

"Yeah. You weren't coming back for so long I got worried and came to check. You were here?"

"Haha, yes."

"Good, good. It's a bright, beaming smile now, not a melancholy one. If you're done paying respects, let's go. Your sister already left for the 78th Floor."

"Oh dear, I'd better hurry. Let's go."

"Yeah."

Orca noona gazed at the grave briefly, gave a light bow, then walked alongside me once more. We chatted as we walked with the sunset at our backs until we boarded the warship again, and since it was quite enjoyable, I decided to lift the pay cut I'd imposed on noona.

Wait, don't tell me she planned this.

....

78th Floor, Arie Family Branch Estate — White Whale Palace

"""May the blessing of the great sword be upon you!!!"""

"""Eternal glory to the Arie Family!!!"""

Upon returning to the branch, the White Wolf unit's Rankers had formed two lines, creating a path to welcome us. Their spirit was so impressive it felt almost like watching the Royal Guard at the Zahard Royal Palace.

To think I had to send such fine forces back to the main house—it seemed far too wasteful to have them as mere escorts for a single negotiation and then return them. Well, before long, swordsmen comprised of former enforcement squad members would fill these ranks again.

That thought made the corners of my mouth rise slightly.

Just then, someone walked through the path the White Wolf unit had opened. A black-haired, black-eyed man wearing an aristocratic black coat, various weapons lining his waist, and black military boots quickly approached right up to me.

Seeing him, I smiled.

"Hey, Belsian. You're back. If you're here, that means Harpe is too, right?"

"Haah... it's not Belsian, it's Belsi'a.' How many times do I have to tell you? Because of you, even Hagipherione calls me Belsian now."

"Haha, in a Tower where you can use aliases, what does a name matter? I'll be more careful from now on, Belsia."

"...Hmph, and then next time you'll call me Belsian again—"

"Oppa!"

Just then, Hagipherione appeared from beyond. She too had spotted me and, beaming brightly, was running toward me as fast as her short legs could carry her.

"Harpe!"

She ran with all her might and leaped into my arms.

Ah, so cute. Every time I see my little sister, it feels like my heart is being healed. Harpe would eventually become a Regular climbing the Tower too... how could I send this baby off? I was already worrying myself sick.

"Oppa! I got first place in the sparring competition!"

"Hahaha, Belsian sent me the video so I saw. You did really great, Harpe. You used what I taught you well too."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really. You worked so hard. Here, this is a gift I got from a friend for you."

"Wooow—"

I handed Harpe a large gift box, and she took it and waddled hurriedly into her room. Something about how she absolutely had to open it inside her room. For reference, what was inside that gift box was an aquarium. A space-compression item that could hold deep-sea creatures or animals. Meaning there was an animal inside that aquarium.

"Kyaaah! So cute!"

...Haha, just as expected. Her delight was loud enough to leak out of the room, and seeing Harpe so happy made me feel proud all on my own. Since the gift was from Yasratcha, there was no need to wonder what kind of animal was inside the aquarium.

Curious about what it looked like, I was about to enter the room Harpe had gone into when I noticed Belsian beside me, wearing an expression that combined both dissatisfaction and boredom.

"Belsian."

"...Sigh, what."

"Thanks for filming the video. I couldn't make it to Harpe's exam day, so I was worried about that."

"Don't get the wrong idea. I didn't film it to show you—I filmed it for myself to watch."

"Hahaha, sure, sure."

I patted his shoulder and was about to walk away when this time Belsian spoke to me.

"Hoaqin, I carried out your mission. There was someone trying to compare you and your sister, so I had a peaceful dialogue with them."

"Ah, really? Did you not use 'Empathy' and 'Compromise'?"

"I saved those. There'll be a use for them later."

Ah, for reference—if Peace and Dialogue were the hands, then Empathy and Compromise were the feet. Surprising that he didn't go that far. I'd expected him to peacefully compromise and empathize and dialogue to the fullest.

"Anyway, I'm going to see Harpe's gift—want to come?"

"Pass. Just take a picture and send it later."

"Haha, got it. Thanks for looking after Harpe, Belsian."

"...Sigh."

After briefly watching Belsian walk off somewhere, I headed straight into Harpe's room. Sure enough, an adorable kitten was looking back and forth between me and Harpe with round heterochromatic eyes.

"Meow."

"Oppa, it's so cute... what's its name?"

"Name? ...It probably doesn't have one yet? How about you name it?"

At my suggestion, Harpe thought for a moment, then snapped her fingers and said.

"It has odd eyes, so how about shortening it to Oie?"

"..."

Good heavens.

"Nyaaaa!"

"Oh no, I g-guess it doesn't like it.."

Before I could even say anything, the cat swatted Harpe with a little cat punch as if in protest. She thought a bit more, then opened her mouth again. Should I step in now and come up with one myself? If another weird one came out, the cat might cut ties with Harpe...

"Hmm... since it goes meow, how about just Naongi..."

"H-Harpe! How about Harp? It's similar to your name, and it also means 'half,' so it'd suit this odd-eyed cat well."

"Hmm... you think so? Then Harp it is!"

"Meow."

This time, no swatting—the kitten sat calmly. No, it was Harp now. As if pleased with the name, it licked the spot where it had smacked Harpe. Only then did Harpe beam broadly and cradle the cat 'Harp' in her arms.

By the way, did this make Harpe a cat servant now?

Ding—

"...?"

While I was warmly watching Harpe and the cat Harp, my Pocket's message alert chimed. The sender was... Cain? We'd barely parted and already?

— I think I've found one of the 'nursery facilities' the Elders were secretly using. The location is the 91st Floor. However, things are a bit complicated. It seems FUG is involved.

"...."

My eyes grew a shade colder as I read through the message.

....

"Princess Mascheny, the administrative and military divisions view you quite favorably for personally taking on this mission from the Royal Palace. If our humble selves can ever be of use, please do not hesitate to call upon us."

"...Fine."

The Royal Palace messenger withdrew, and Mascheny unfolded the mission briefing again.

— The FUG High Ranker under pursuit has gone into hiding. Last sighted on the 91st Floor. The primary objective of the mission is to kill or capture the target. Current estimates suggest... (omitted)...

Her eyes grew cold as she read through the mission. At a glance, it was a tedious, time-consuming, annoying assignment. But she couldn't cancel it either—she'd have to worry about the Royal Palace's perception, and Ascensio would pester her about going to Hoaqin.

She'd been trying to avoid meeting Hoaqin, only to find herself faced with an even more boring and annoying mission instead. Nothing was going her way.

If she was going to do such an inefficient mission, she might as well just go see Hoaqin.