Deadline Is Raining in the Status Window - Chapter 175

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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I turned over the words echoing in my mind as I surveyed my surroundings. The backdrop was awash in a sickly pink hue that resembled the innards of a living creature. Before my eyes, a heart—complete with left and right chambers—pulsed rhythmically with each beat.
A public telephone booth, an organic lifeform, a spatio-temporal dimensional transit device. Having accepted all of this, I shrieked like a dying animal.
“Copyright!”
– Your meaning is unclear. I never imagined someone who speaks as incoherently as the Serpent King Gerth would become co-owner of this Tower.
Why was the Tower so hostile toward me? When I asked why it spoke so jaggedly and seemed angry, the Tower manipulated the pink organic matter to form the shape of the Serpent King’s Tower, then displayed itself crumbling apart.
– Now that you are the owner, please cherish and love the Tower. It hurts when the Tower crumbles.
So the Tower is alive, and it actually feels pain when damaged. There’s no helping it—I decided to apologize.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you could feel pain.”
– It’s not severe pain, but rather a matter of feeling. I feel disrespected.
Feeling respected matters, doesn’t it? I was wrong. I apologized again and asked something that had been nagging at me since earlier.
“For something that’s supposed to be a spatio-temporal transit device, I haven’t seen it move at all until now.”
– Spatial movement is possible through Gerth’s power, but moving along the temporal axis requires astronomical amounts of energy.
I see. Theoretically possible, but physically impossible. If it’s a function I can’t use anyway, isn’t it just a spatial transit device, not a spatio-temporal one? The Serpent King’s moving Tower?
– The co-owner has insulted me!
The Tower was quite temperamental. Its heart pounded and thrashed as if it might burst at any moment, so I hastily apologized again and calmed it down. I understood its nature well enough, and if I learned any more, I’d genuinely run into copyright issues. We needed to focus on what had to be done.
– Initiating iris recognition, fingerprint recognition, and genetic recognition procedures.
Tentacle-like organic matter extended from the visceral substance and examined my hand and eyes. After plucking a few strands of hair with a soft sound, the Tower explained that it had stored my information, that I and Gerth were now co-owners of the Tower, and that I could return to it anytime using the return function. Then it spat me out.
“Evan!”
When I returned to where Sera was, I was covered in a peculiar slime. I wasn’t sure if this process was normally necessary or if the Tower was deliberately doing this out of spite, but in any case, the Tower had a remarkably foul temperament.

After sending word to Cecilia that I’d captured Sera, I settled into a leisurely vacation at the Serpent King’s Tower. Rushing up now would only lead to the bitter succession struggle awaiting us. Since the Sunbird showed no signs of backing down, I doubted I’d see Cecilia become Emperor anytime soon.
I dragged Sera—handcuffed as she was—and Leri by the hand to a nail salon for some girl talk. Discussions about who to tear apart or cut up never got old.
“Most guys get squeamish at the sight of blood, so these moments are really precious, babe.”
“Mm, blood and girls are bound by an inescapable, fateful relationship.”
“Though I tend to see blood more from smashing things than cutting them!”
“Well, if we’re counting that, I see it more from explosions. Have you ever watched someone blow up?”
I hadn’t. How intriguing. We listened intently to Leri’s charred and roasted tales while sharing our own war stories. I mentioned how rapidly frozen creatures shatter into fragments when struck, which everyone found absolutely fascinating. Makina, who’d happened upon the shop while getting his nails done, called us barbaric, but since he was the only one bothered by it, we simply ignored him.
“This place does good work. Have Gerth and Hubert ever been here?”
“Who knows? With both of them constantly growing and shedding their nails, wouldn’t anything attached to them be irritating?”
Then I’d skip the decorations and just trim and paint them nicely.
After finishing our girl talk, I found Gerth and Hubert and invited them to get their nails done. Since I’d already decorated mine, I decided to make my toenails sparkle instead, while the two of them got paraffin hand treatments before having their shed nails painted beautifully.
Gerth, Hubert, and I left the shop sparkling. It felt worthwhile.
The pleasant vacation seemed like it would last forever, but when the Bachelor sent an urgent telegram asking when I’d arrive, I set off for Crownpolis with Sera. I never imagined that train station would prove so useful for transporting Sera.
The day I left Ilam, crowds had gathered in front of Ilam’s train station. Journalists, people I’d helped during my time as Village Chief, members of the Evan Worship Sect, and Serpent King’s Tower Officials all came to see me off.
“Makina, thank you for keeping White One healthy.”
“Oh my, Master, that’s only natural between us.”
“If you’ve installed any weird self-destruct devices or assassination mechanisms, I’ll kill you.”
As I bounced White One in my arms toward the train platform, the clockwork Makina asked me to wait. He pried open White One’s mouth and extracted a cube wedged between the molars. The man certainly had a talent for creating utterly pointless contraptions.
“Evan. When will you return if you leave now?”
“Well… I have a mission to complete, so I probably won’t be back until next summer.”
“I see.”
Gerth looked terribly dejected. But I’d already attended the Academy for two years. Since I was halfway through, graduation would come soon, and when I mentioned this, Gerth’s expression brightened considerably.
“I hope you graduate and return quickly, Evan.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Returning within two years meant sacrificing breaks, and taking breaks meant entering the Homeless Settlement—a dilemma I’d sort out somehow. Once Cecilia became Emperor, I could probably demand she use her authority to get my work under her credited toward my grades. Eugene had apparently submitted a request to the Administrative Office to have his frequent military campaigns counted toward his credits.
The path is mine to find. I absolutely would not go to the Homeless Settlement. With that resolve, I waved to everyone gathered at the station.
“See you again, villagers, religious followers, journalists, and quasi-family! Tell Mother, Titi, and the old man that I’m leaving in a hurry!”
I boarded the train with Sera Crowell, who’d finished her interview. News that I was arresting Sera and transporting her to the Capital would spread across the entire nation.
Every regional newspaper burned with enthusiasm to cover us. After all, it wasn’t every day that a Third Princess of an entire nation carried the national seal and caused such a commotion.
Whenever we stopped briefly at a station to buy snacks, journalists would follow. At the worst, some had even booked seats in our car to force interviews. I obliged the first few times out of courtesy, but when even Sera grew tired of it, I used magic to drive them away and froze the entrance solid, barring entry.
When we arrived at the Capital, Crownpolis, crowds swarmed the station. Common folk eager to glimpse a princess, nobility, journalists, and others formed a sea of humanity. To escape, I had no choice but to activate flight mode.
“Evan! I’ve always wanted to try this! Thank you!”
Sera, you’re about to be arrested for state affairs manipulation and face a lengthy legal battle, yet you’re so cheerful. Even if the Sunbird handles all the complicated matters, I expected Sera would suffer greatly, so I felt sorry for her.
Thinking of siblings whose names I couldn’t even remember, I gently stroked Sera’s head before arriving at the Imperial Palace and handing her over to the guards.
“Wait. Stay as you are.”
The Bachelor was doing something uncharacteristic. He brought a camera and had us strike dignified poses for a photograph. When I asked what he was doing, he said it would be used for propaganda supporting Cecilia, so I did my best to maintain a stern expression.
“Will this work?”
“Good. The photo should turn out well.”
I said goodbye to Sera and followed the Bachelor. I needed to hurry and get praised by Cecilia and introduce her to White One. Hehe.
After meeting with Cecilia and recounting everything that had happened, I introduced White One. Cecilia stared intently at White One, then gestured for it to come closer. White One waddled over, tail wagging, and upon seeing Cecilia, immediately rolled over and exposed its belly for affection. As Cecilia gently stroked White One’s belly, it was clear they’d made a good first impression.
As the matchmaker, I felt immensely proud.

◇ ◆ ◇

The next day, articles and photographs of me bringing Sera in for arrest flooded the press, and my stock soared vertically. As Cecilia’s close associate who had accomplished something truly momentous, party invitations arrived at my door daily, and no one dared to criticize me for speaking without restraint at those gatherings.
Letters begging me to become an adopted daughter of their household, to marry into their families, piled up at the Crown Princess Palace, and the Crown Princess Faction’s inner circles engaged in endless debates over whether to appoint me as a Count or a Marquis.
Life truly hinges on a single moment. Here I was, riding the tide skillfully enough to climb my way up to a Marquis’s seat. Who could have imagined that I, who had once been stripped of my Nobility Council status for carelessly crossing Seian and lived as a mere commoner, would ever reach this height?
As I stepped into the Townhouse that Cecilia had granted me as a reward and conversed with my new Butler, I embraced White One and was overcome with emotion. My success story was so uncommon that a publishing house had even contacted me about compiling my tale into an autobiography for publication.
Since it was lucrative work, I didn’t refuse. After bringing a ghostwriter into my home, I straightened my shoulders and arrogantly spilled out everything that had happened over the past few years.
“My legend began two years ago in the harbor city of Ilam.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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