I Possessed a Game Where I Die If I Don’t Clear the Tower - Chapter 14

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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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Chapter 14. Treasure Hunting
The Dark Tower contained three types of treasure chests.
Common treasure chests that appeared at random, containing potions or gold.
Advanced treasure chests that likewise appeared randomly, holding magical equipment or magical scrolls.
Finally, special treasure chests that appeared only when the Boss Room’s seal was broken or re-sealed.
Only the game’s protagonist—the lord—could open these special treasure chests.
And when you opened a treasure chest, remarkably enough….
“I get exactly what I desire.”
Netanel, who had been listening to me explain the relationship between the Seal Chamber and treasure chests as we walked, suddenly looked startled and asked again.
“Really? Truly?”
“Not anything, mind you. But if I desire something and it can be obtained on Tower 1st Floor, then it’s guaranteed to appear.”
“That alone seems incredible, doesn’t it? If you set your mind to it, you could even produce legendary-grade equipment.”
“Are you suggesting I should open and close the Seal Chamber repeatedly just for some equipment? That would be foolish.”
I said this, but in the game, I had done exactly that quite often.
Stuffing unnecessary allies or monsters into the Seal Chamber while adjusting for needed equipment—the so-called “chest farming” grind was the most efficient item acquisition method available.
Even during my first hardcore clear achievement, I had benefited considerably from chest farming.
‘Normally, ally chest farming is most efficient, but Mind Sorcerer is an exception.’
Mind Sorcerer could recruit almost no allies by nature, so I had to use sparingly even those I had. There was no way to cultivate disposable allies for farming.
‘…So in a way, I’m relieved.’
Between conscience and life, life comes first—but if I could avoid doing things that weighed on my conscience, I preferred to.
From that perspective, being a failed character actually helped my mental health somewhat.
I finished my explanation while thinking this.
“…Anyway, I have no intention of deliberately opening and closing the Seal Chamber, but there’s no reason to leave something that’s already happened unused.”
“That certainly seems more rational.”
Netanel nodded in understanding and asked.
“I’m curious—what treasure are you seeking, my lord? Gold? Jewels? Scrolls?”
“Those sorts of things can be obtained anywhere outside the Tower anyway.”
The items that dropped on Floor 1 were merely mediocre at best.
Even the magical equipment dropped by named or boss monsters was nothing special.
But there was one thing—if used well, it could serve me all the way to the ending.
“For now, finding it comes first. Rohengreen, examine the corridor.”
I gave the order to the knight while scanning the map window.
Rohengreen dashed out and returned shortly with a report.
“I’m not certain if it’s the special treasure chest, but there’s something that looks like a red box at the end of the corridor.”
‘Oh, on the first try. My luck is good today.’
I moved forward while receiving Netanel’s curious gaze and Zehar Al Rashid’s worried gaze.
Just as Rohengreen said, at the end of the corridor lay a crude chest that anyone with gaming experience would instantly recognize as a treasure chest.
Its ominously bright red color made it look like a warning light.
But I didn’t hesitate and approached the chest, whispering softly.
“Give me ‘Gilded Deception.'”
Something clattered inside the silent box, and an object tumbled down with a soft thud.
The item Camilia had requested had materialized.
Netanel Fragma, who had been observing, let out an exclamation of wonder.
“…So it really does produce whatever you desire.”
Camilia nodded as though it were the most natural thing in the world and reached to open the box—only to recoil.
‘Ow! So heavy! My hand! My hand!’
It was so impossibly heavy I nearly crushed my fingers.
With a Strength stat of 4, I couldn’t even open a box?
It was absurd—worse than absurd, it was infuriating—but a lord must never lose composure over such trivial matters.
I swallowed my frustration and withdrew with dignified composure.
“Rohengreen Ashen.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Rohengreen Ashen, evidently considering this his natural duty, approached immediately and opened the box.
Inside gleamed a golden breastplate so radiant it hurt to look at.
Though somewhat small and bulbous in shape, it resembled an onion more than proper armor.
Even Rohengreen Ashen, lifting the breastplate from the box, seemed uncertain, tilting his head as he murmured.
“Is this… armor?”
Rather than answer, Camilia summoned the system window.
‘Item Information.’
As I recited the command mentally, a holographic popup materialized above the gleaming golden breastplate, as though I had hovered a cursor over it.
[Gilded Deception]
Defense: 19
*Golden Prospector: When equipped by a member of the Golden Dwarf Clan, the probability of discovering ‘special locations’ increases significantly.
*???: Special ability activates upon meeting conditions.
*???: Special ability activates upon meeting conditions.
‘Bingo.’
I had worried the ‘Gilded’ series might not appear, but the special box system functioned identically to the game. Fortunate indeed.
“Handle it with care. It is a matter of great importance.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Netanel Fragma cast a skeptical glance at the golden armor Rohengreen Ashen was securing.
“…I mean no disrespect to your judgment, my lord, but to my eyes it appears nothing more than a gilded breastplate. Is it truly worth ascending the Tower twice to obtain?”
“Absolutely. In the right hands, this artifact could reshape the world itself.”
At my assertion, both Netanel Fragma and Rohengreen Ashen stared at the gilded onion with expressions of bewilderment.
But I spoke only truth.
Ridiculous though it appeared, Gilded Deception was an infamously game-breaking item—one that had been added via DLC and immediately halved the concurrent player count.
Why?
‘Because it is the ticket to the gold farming exclusive chamber.’
Of course, it was not so simple. To utilize Gilded Deception, certain conditions had to be met.
Each one was extraordinarily demanding.
‘But I know them all, so there is no obstacle.’
I’ve already secured the most crucial ‘key’ that would transform that mere gilded armor into a goose that laid golden eggs.
If the head maid did her job well, I’d be able to meet her as soon as I returned to the Castle.
Camilia gazed at the unnecessarily glittering golden onion and pondered.
‘How exciting.’
Like all games, the Dark Tower had what players called ‘meta characters’—those you absolutely had to raise.
-You must develop this character no matter what.
-If you don’t raise her, you’ll never clear Floor 38!
-It’s rough at first, but she’s worth the investment once leveled.
These were the characters you heard such things about, the ones you had to recruit as allies without question.
Among tanks specifically, there existed a definitive triumvirate.
Rohengreen Ashen—the reliable, orthodox tank with steadfast defense.
Raja—the damage tank who crushed enemies before they could even touch your allies.
Shusu—fragile in body, yet a utility tank who bound bosses with every conceivable status ailment: paralysis, silence, knockdown.
All three had such distinct playstyles that the entire strategy meta shifted completely depending on which you chose as your main.
Camilia typically used either Rohengreen Ashen or Shusu as her primary tank.
Rohengreen Ashen was easy to develop and simple to manage loyalty-wise.
Shusu was difficult to raise, but she would never betray you.
‘Because Shusu was recruited with her soul already destroyed by the Berserker’s curse.’
In-game, she was like a bio-golem animated by magic.
As a summon, you barely needed to manage her loyalty or affection.
Since betrayal was the greatest risk in the Dark Tower, this was a significant advantage—though it wasn’t without its drawbacks.
Humanoid creatures in a ‘soul destroyed’ state suffered a –10% penalty to all stats.
Her magic resistance was low, and she suffered disadvantages in intelligence, wisdom, and charisma checks.
Because of this, she was somewhat less versatile compared to Rohengreen Ashen.
‘In other words, her performance was so exceptional that she was worth using despite those limitations.’
Camilia recalled the pale, gloomy face of Shusu and gazed at the girl standing before her.
A worn, wrinkled maid’s dress.
Straw-like pink hair half-hidden beneath a headscarf.
Rough cheeks covered in freckles.
Frightened, timid green eyes.
Except for her compact, sturdy frame—a result of her dwarf heritage—she was utterly ordinary, a girl of no particular distinction.
“I, I… L-Lord, you called for me… s-so I came…”
Her voice trembled with every word, exactly as one would expect from a girl her age.
One tap and she’d collapse, begging for mercy.
Camilia tapped her Office desk rhythmically with her finger, lost in thought.
‘So this is Shusu before she became a Berserker…’
Shusu’s background notes did state ‘She was an ordinary girl before her soul was destroyed,’ but honestly, I hadn’t paid much attention to it.
Tragic backstories attached to game characters were like cheese on a cheeseburger—simply something that had to be there.
But now she wasn’t a game character; she was a real human being in reality.
‘For real humans, fewer tragedies are always better.’
A soul was better than no soul at all.
Camilia made her decision and opened her mouth.
“Nashu Shumel, from this day forward, you shall become a knight.”
“Pardon? But I’m just a maid?”
“And you will train with me to enter The Tower.”
“I… I’m truly just a maid…?”
“Furthermore, you will wear the armor I bestow upon you.”
“I… I’m really just a maid…!?”
The girl was on the verge of fainting.
Rohengreen Ashen, who had been merely watching without understanding the unfolding situation, finally seemed to grasp something and whispered to Camilia.
“My lord, could it be that the owner of the armor that will change the world is…?”
‘Indeed. Despite appearances, Shusu carries the bloodline of the Golden Dwarf Clan.’
No matter the circumstances, I couldn’t suddenly reveal such a secret of birth, so I answered with an impassive expression.
“That’s right. It’s that child.”

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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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