There was nothing in the pile of rocks.
Amelia and Jackie’s hard work was for nought and they left the area empty handed.
While on the way back, Julien said in his mind, ’El, are you there?’
-…
There was no response.
’Daddy?’
-…my child. You called?
’When are you going to stop with this? It’s not funny.’
-stop with what?
’Forget it.’
’Anyway, do you know what happened in that ancient temple?’
-I was busy at a brothel. Wasn’t watching. What happened?
’…’
’…what in the world were you doing at a brothel!?’
-Tch. Children shouldn’t poke their noses into adults’ businesses.
’No, seriously, what were you doing there? Aren’t brothels meant for men only?’
-I mean… brothels having women only doesn’t mean they’re exclusively for men. Women can visit for some fun too, you know?
Julien didn’t know why, but he could feel as if El was winking at him while saying that.
’So… you went there to have some fun?’
-Bah… are ye stupid, bbgurl? Daddy would never cheat on you. No need to be so insecure.
’…’
Julien felt his head hurt from where the conversation was going and stayed silent.
’What you do is none of my business. I was just surprised. Slightly.’
-Well, it is your business to know where your parent is.
Julien wasn’t going to argue about it. This was a usual thing by now, so he had given up and embraced the weird relationship he had with El.
’Alright. Alright. Now can we get to the main topic? As I was saying, me and my companions did not get anything. Instead, I have another responsibility on me…’
Julien narrated the whole incident. When he was done, El responded.
-The God of Honor and Glory? That angel with weird bangs? He fell from grace and split himself into fragments? Wow… so much happened and I wasn’t even aware…
’I mean, there’s so many gods out there. You surely can’t keep track of them all, can you?’
-Tru. There’s too many gods and I only check up on a few that interest me.’
’Yeah. Anyway, so what now?’
-Nothing? Just do your best to gather all the fragments. That angel may have fallen, but he is still a mighty god. He can grant any of your wishes if you successfully revive him.
-Though… gathering all the fragments is the difficult part. Given how your luck is… it wouldn’t be a surprise if you died a couple of more times.
’That’s what I’m worried about too.’
-Sadly, there’s nothing you or me can do. Just focus on doing your best to not die.
’Sigh… I have to focus so much on survival that I cannot do anything else. You know, Jackie and Amelia both are Rank 2 while I’m still a puny Rank 1.’
-So?
-How does that matter?
-Yours and their circumstances are different. They do not have a godly curse attached to them. You do. But despite that, you are doing far better than most.
-Just look at the new card you obtained. Only a couple of people are in possession of forbidden cards below Floor 100. Even after ascending through Floor 100, it is not guaranteed whether they can find a card as rare as that.
-You should be happy that your luck lands you into such risks.
-The Tower sort of works in a balancing principle. If it puts you in great risk, it’ll also ensure to reward you appropriately.
’If what you say is true, then wouldn’t the guy possessing the absolute good luck card not get anything since he never lands into any trouble?’
-No, and yes.
-It’s not true that he doesn’t land himself in trouble. He does. It’s just that those troublesome situations are taken care of easily and he naturally gets the rewards.
-Though again, the Tower tries to balance things out.
-Everything he has gained so far works in making him the strongest Rank 1. He hasn’t ascended to Rank 2.
-When he ascends, he’ll become the strongest Rank 2 pretty soon.
-His luck gives him what he wants. Anything he wishes for, he gets it almost instantly.
-Thankfully, his intelligence is that of a child’s and he isn’t too ambitious. If he was, he would become the strongest in no time.
’So you’re saying… the only reason that guy isn’t powerful yet is not due to the card, but his own self?’
-Correct. He doesn’t wish to be the strongest, at least so far. His wishes are to have the best sword of the floor he is in or the best food or to find the love of his life.
-And as his good luck is immense, he never has harm come his way. He’s protected by all adversaries and never gets into any predicament or even a minute dispute. This makes him lazier and further decreases his ambitions.
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-You, my baby boy, you are working hard to lift off this curse. You have absolutely everything to lose if you do not hurry. Your loved ones will get affected by your curse if you aren’t careful and hurry, but that boy… he will never have anyone cause troubles to his loved ones.
-Since his birth, he has not seen a single day with trouble or tension.
-His values and goals in life are much different than yours, so you can rest assured. He isn’t doing better than you as of now.
’Wow… that… that just makes me question… will his good luck not see that he is becoming less ambitious and more of a lazy bum? Will it not make him work to be stronger and better?’
-It won’t. Fortune is not sentient to do something like that.
-Luck has a complex relationship with fate and works hand in hand to weave your future. Since you have immense bad luck, you are fated to suffer the worst possible things.
-The worst possible thing to you personally is death. So your luck and fate works in a way that you constantly get into situations where you could die.
-That boy on the other hand has the best possible outcome. Anything he wishes for will have a good outcome. The only saving grace here is that there’s no fixed situation for him like you.
-That boy is not fated to be the chosen one to conquer the Tower. He’s not fated to be the strongest either.
-He can achieve those if he wished, but as I told you, he has no such ambitions, and fate wouldn’t force him either since his luck sides with him and not with fate.
-This topic is too complicated and will go over your head if we keep discussing. It’s better if you focus on other things at hand.
’…yeah, let’s not discuss it. But before you go, I have one final question.’
-Yes?
’That boy with good luck card… what if he wishes to destroy this Tower and world? Will it end up happening since has all the good luck with him?’
-Yes. It could happen.
’Really? The Tower cannot protect itself from its creation?’
-It cannot protect itself from the laws it has created, but it surely can find loopholes and work in ways in which everything turns out in its favor.
’I don’t get it. Wouldn’t it be paradoxical? The good luck boy wishes for the Tower’s destruction and his good luck should help him do that. But if the Tower stays standing, wouldn’t it mean his card failed to fulfil his wish? How is that good luck?’
-Think of it this way. The boy wishes to see the most powerful ghost in existence. But if he does that, he will get killed by the ghost.
-The card cannot make the ghost not kill him. That would be illogical and wrong.
-What the card will do then is make him see the ghost through some other means. Maybe by photos or maybe through some ritual where the power doesn’t seep out and attack him.
Julien felt this made some sense.
’Alright, I get some of it. For today, this should be enough. I don’t think I’ll be able to digest more information.’
-Yes. It’s better if we don’t talk any more on this topic.
’Can you tell me about this feather attached to my ear instead? This is the fragment of the fallen god. What do I do with it?’
El had a look at it and said, ’This feather will give you passive buffs. When you go inside the Tower, the system will notify you about it.’
’I see. I just hope that it doesn’t turn out anything useless.’
-There’s a high chance that it can. Be prepared.
’Yeah don’t worry. My expectations are low.’
-Alright. Good talk. Daddy had to leave now.
’See you.’
-Love you too, bbgurl!
’Yes, yes, love you. See you later.’
With that, El left and their long conversation came to an end.
Julien was pretending to sleep in the carriage and talking to her in his mind.
His companions did not bother him and rested as well.
When Julien reached the Lichtenstein Castle, he had food and immediately set off for the Tower.
No one was in the castle anyway, not even his mother.
She had left him a message stating she would meet him on Floor 25 when he enters the Tower. She also wished him good luck in climbing the rest of the Floors and stated that she was waiting for him on Floor 37.
With all things said and done, there was no more reason to be in this world and Julien set off for the Tower.
His next destination being Floor 25’s safe zone.