Chapter 5 - Chapter 5

📰 Moderator Post[Admin] Title: Hey, you fucking bastard Author: Gold Rush🔹 *This post is visible only to board administrators. Fur, you bastard, didn't I tell you not to post that shitty crap??? Why do you keep uploading pics of male beastkin with their furry asses and tits, why why why????? Why do you keep posting close-ups, why why fucking why?????— Fur Lover🔹Squeak... Don't the girls like it...?— Gold Rush🔹I fucking hate it!!! And furries are super divisive anyway, so you lot make your own damn tab and manage it yourselves, fuck, you're the one leading the brainrot so everyone else gets fully erect too, fuck.— Fur Lover🔹But...— Gold Rush🔹What?— Fur Lover🔹But, Oni-chan, if I don't do this, no one reacts!!! (((>o<)))— Gold Rush🔹Fuck, just take a week off then.— Fur Lover🔹Hmph... The fur will grow back anyway...⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Climber 'Fur Lover' has been banned for 'one week'.— Apostle of Justice🔹(^ㅡ^);;; Fur Lover, sir,, take this chance to,, rest~ well,,, (--)(__)— Gold Rush🔹Grandpa, stop just lurking on the complaint board and watch the brainrot kids too, fuck, why am I the only one doing bans...— Apostle of Justice🔹Heh;;; My knees have been hurting lately~~ Can't sleep at night,,, at all,,, will try my best!(^^*)>;;— Gold Rush🔹Aw, you old fuck, fuck, always lurking quietly as a ghost and just spectating the gallery, fuck. Layer NPCs and beastkin are already rioting to climb up, it's fucking chaos enough, fuck.◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

It had been eight days since arriving in the Walled City.

Niva was up on the walls alone. As usual, she'd cleared the ridiculously easy daily quest and was now blankly gazing out over Walled City Baran.

"…."

'Just a single click, and it boosted my skill proficiency as much as I'd built up over the past half year. Well... half a year spent starving and focused on foraging for food played a big part too.'

Thinking that,

Niva looked ahead.

'So what the hell is this layer's main quest—.'

The vista of the Walled City came into view.

A wide-open panorama.

A white wall rising tall over verdant hills and plains. People clustered densely around the river running through its center. The rest of the space was filled with wheat fields and orchards.

A textbook fortress-layer layout.

'Fortress layer means the main quest is probably a monster invasion. But it's way too quiet. Normally, those hit you with endless waves without mercy.'

Resources short, manpower short, time short... that hellish quest known as 'monster invasion.' But there wasn't even a trace of it here.

Niva tilted her head.

"…?"

'Primitive magitech, but no chemical fertilizers in this dimension or whatever. How is this level of abundance even possible?'

More prosperous than any layer she'd seen so far.

⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙The current user's layer is the 51st floor, 'Walled City Baran'.

At this point,

it was practically the hope of every layer below 51.

And she knew the reason for this abundance.

"Lucius…."

A weird NPC.

One alone would make him a king over other layers, but he had three 'legendary' abilities. Hell, 'Blessing of the Earth' was such a broken cheat that you could count on one hand how many had it even searching the whole 51st floor.

'Resources maxed out no matter what. He's basically a god.'

"…."

...No.

Lucius wasn't a god. He was a 'human' who got happy and grateful over little things.

-Would the owner of this land be granted the chance to treat Niva to a meal in celebration of this bond?

-As expected of Niva. On behalf of Walled City Baran, thank you.

-As one who loves and protects this city, I couldn't possibly exploit a guest visiting it.

"Niva."

"Are you enjoying your time in our city?"

Niva clutched her head.

"Haaa—. That's not fair. Stuffing me full of delicious food when I'm hungry, then asking that."

Delicious apple pie-like questions.

Recalling that exchange, she collapsed in place as if crumbling. Somehow, investigating this layer's mysteries felt utterly foolish now.

"…."

'Maybe I should just settle here.'

She dangled her legs over the dizzyingly high wall base and rested her chin, staring ahead. Her gaze settled on the tallest building in the city's center—the 'Lord's Manor.'

From that white mansion-like place,

the eccentric lord was working even now.

"...Lucius Baran."

Was it because of yesterday's memory of fumbling around naked together?

For some reason, thinking of 'that guy' brought on—

anger,

irritation,

frustration...

—a strange sense of grievance.

'It's definitely because he's training me with food.'

Not that he'd actually trained her or anything.

Niva decided to shut down those thoughts there. Thinking more about that guy seemed like it would lead her mind astray.

'There's nothing more foolish than making snap judgments about human relationships when you're alone.'

At that moment.

A quest alert popped up before her eyes.

📜 NEW QUEST 📜

A climber has received a quest.

"?"

'That's unusual. That guy usually wraps up morning duties, sorts the dailies, and sends them all at once.'

Niva checked the quest.

📜 QUEST DETAILS 📜

Quest Objective: Nun Lucia is in trouble because she can't retrieve the ball stuck in the church tree. Help her recover the lost treasure of a child.

🎁 Reward: 10 EXP, delicious apple pie, and the children's gratitude

"Ha, what a joke. Absurd."

Slipping EXP like this into trivial chores at monster-hunt request levels.

"And who said apple pie makes me do whatever you ask?"

Niva grumbled. But her body was already moving. She turned toward the church, a bit removed from the city center. Squinting, she focused her gaze.

The scene near the church.

Tiny figures... probably village kids... and one elongated shape circling the tree.

"!"

'Ball stuck in that tree, huh.'

She donned her camouflage sunglasses. Spread her index fingers and thumbs like framing a photo, memorizing the spot.

Recalling it,

in her mind— click!

"Warp."

Poof—!

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

The open plaza before the church.

The giant nun Lucia bowed deeply to Niva, her languid eyes full of gratitude. The motion sent a ripple through the massive weeping willow like force.

"Thank you so much. For heights I can usually reach by just stretching—but the kids are so healthy, the ball flew super high…."

Niva stuck out her tongue watching the 2-meter-tall nun. To her, average adult height, Lucia was a living statue.

"Yeah, if even you can't reach, no human could. Big hands make the biggest apple pies too."

"Hehe, height's been my pride since way back."

"Pr, pride, huh…."

"Of course! The Celestial Star Church sees tall forms close to the heavens as sacred."

"Heavens…."

'Come to think of it, that guy has the 'Blessing of the Sky' ability too.'

"…."

Niva glanced around over her sunglasses. The kids were playing with the ball she'd fetched in the plaza. But the person she sought wasn't there.

Niva spoke.

"Where's that guy?"

"?"

"Oh, the lord."

"Ah…!"

Lucia clapped her hands.

"Lord Lucius issued the quest here, then headed right off to the 'city meeting' with Miss Milla."

"City meeting?"

"Yes! It's with those in charge of the city's most vital facilities—grain warehouses, watermills, forges... and... well. Anyway, important stuff. Everything in the city runs by Lord Lucius's orders."

"Heh—. Sounds kingly."

Niva thought as she spoke.

'Makes sense for that guy. Always smiling like an idiot, but he's the top dog here. To go beyond the tower, past this city... gotta keep eyes on him.'

Yeah.

Anyway.

That's that.

"...Still, if you're issuing quests, shouldn't you at least show your face?"

With that grumble,

Niva looked around.

"…."

-Hey! Pass it here!

-Jack, I'll score!

-Whoa?!

-Me too—!

Under the blue sky, kids from post-harvest wheat houses ran about. Housework-finished kids joined the ball game one by one.

Niva said,

"Really peaceful."

"Isn't it?"

Lucia gazed fondly at the scene.

"Unbelievable peace. Just a few years ago, the 'Great Catastrophe' made it feel like everything was ending. That's why the city folk follow Lord Lucius unconditionally—thanks to what he did then."

Niva asked casually.

"What'd that guy even do in the Great Catastrophe?"

"Hehehe…."

Lucia winked and whispered.

"...It's a secret?"

"What? Just tell me."

"Why not ask him directly?"

"!"

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

The city meeting ended.

All the department heads greeted me and left. Back in the empty Lord's Manor meeting room, Milla and I reviewed documents.

Finally done.

Milla bowed politely. Her glasses flashed reflecting light.

"I'll draft the mana stone usage plan for winter based on these."

"Yeah, thanks."

I muttered,

"Who'da thought 'forest clearing' till I puked would yield so few mana stones. We covered nearly three times last year's ground, but the drop's barely different."

Milla replied gravely.

"Captain Luciana once said, 'The goblins lately have weirdly low mana stone drop rates.'"

"Jeez... At least we secured the minimum for city use."

"Yes."

"Ah, sorry to hold you. Back to your regular duties, Milla."

"Understood."

Milla bowed politely again and left the room. True silence finally fell. I sighed there.

"Hoo—."

Loosened my neck and shoulders briefly, prepping for the next task. A relentlessly packed schedule. The reason I ran around so busy was none other than….

[Fluffy fluffy—♡]

"Gaaah—!"

Because of last night's nightmare that suddenly surfaced.

Clutching my head, I shook it.

'Please!'

With this motion,

begone, that cursed image from my mind!

'From now on, instant report anything Fur Lover posts.'

"Goddess of the morning star…!"

"Wha, what're you doing?"

"?!"

I startled at the voice beside me.

Turning, I saw Niva perched on the meeting table, legs crossed. No sunglasses, true form. Bunny girl mode in female form was fresh.

"…."

'Warp's seriously busted. Slipped right behind without a peep.'

The horrific fantasy,

calmed my heart again.

"Lady Niva, via warp, I see."

"Bad timing? Should I go? You were shaking your head all weird alone."

I shook my head. The bad timing was the gallery furry-poster.

"No, not at all."

"I see."

An awkward silence flowed.

"…."

"…."

Still atop the table.

Niva awkwardly toyed with her blonde hair. Gaze fixed out the meeting room window. Amber eyes with red tint darted about.

"…."

"…."

What.

This vibe.

'Don't tell me she's here to grill me about leaving the bath first. Even rock-paper-scissors settled it, but grudges linger.'

Trouble.

These past days, I'd joyfully abused the legendary warp logistics. Strike that, and no returning to the old days.

"…."

'Gallery says warp users are rare even among climbers.'

Time for the lord's secret technique—

'Unconditional apology.'

I sighed and confessed first.

"Sorry."

"?"

"About leaving first. Should've stayed. My fault for not considering your feelings, Lady Niva."

"!"

Spot on, judging by how her hair-toying sped up.

"No... well, yeah. Right. I mean, yeah but... yeah."

"?"

"Wha... what.... Whaaat—."

"…?"

"Yeah, if you know you were wrong, then yeah."

She whipped her head away. Hard to see her face.

"Fine, whatever. Forgiven. Yeah."

"Relief. Then for dinner, apple pie—."

"Ah! Aah! Th-that! Yeah, that!"

"Yes?"

Niva suddenly shrieked.

"Y-you! Th-think apple pie makes me do anything—!?"

"…."

"Always slipping it into quest rewards like teasing! That's teasing me, right?! One lucky day, and you pettily lord it over like a man, huh?! Got a mouth? Defend yourself—!?"

In my memories,

just a middle-aged bunny girl crying.

'Gave it out of pity though.'

Weirdly tiring.

"Got it. Cherry pie from next time—."

"Agh, really! Not that! I mean…!"

Niva started to say something, hesitated, eyes shifting. Finally, face flushed, she yelled.

"Anyway! I'll be watching you from now on! Lord Lucius Baran!"

"Yes?"

"Warp—!!"

Poof!

With a flash, Niva vanished.

I sat blankly.

"…."

'What... the hell?'

That just now.

But before the shock faded, Captain Luciana entered the meeting room and saluted where I sat.

"Lord! I have a report!"

"What is it?"

"Four calling themselves 'climbers' are waiting at Baran's wall gates now!"

"!"

Finally.

They'd arrived.