I Possessed a Game Where I Die If I Don’t Clear the Tower - Chapter 83

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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 83. Additional Quests for Territory Reputation
Camilia opened her eyes.
As proof of the re-sealing, everything within the Seal Chamber had returned to its original state.
Calamariare was no exception. Not only were its wounds healed, but even the shattered life stones had been completely restored.
The two knights, witnessing the two-headed serpent slowly raising its head, rushed toward Camilia in alarm.
“My Lord…!”
“M-My Lord!”
Camilia raised her hand to stop them both.
“It’s fine.”
“It’s not fine! Please step behind me at once—!”
“It’s fine. Calamariare can no longer interfere with us, beings of the outside world.”
Camilia blocked Rohengreen’s arm and gestured with her chin for him to verify it himself.
He looked up at Calamariare with a bewildered expression.
True to my words, the spirit was not looking at them. It merely gazed at the chains binding its neck and released a lament.
[When will these chains ever break? I have begged dozens, hundreds of times, yet you still refuse to forgive me.]
Calamariare pressed its head against the Altar as if exhausted, muttering endlessly.
[Descendants, I beg you. Please, forgive me…]
Nashu Shumel unconsciously murmured while watching the serpent recite words of atonement.
“P-Poor thing… oh.”
Realizing what she’d said, the girl quickly covered her mouth with her palm.
Though I noticed her watching nervously, I pretended not to hear.
‘Well, calling it pitiful isn’t entirely wrong.’
Calamariare continued begging for forgiveness, yet never received it—because there were no descendants left to grant it.
They had abandoned their wicked parents and gained freedom, but in exchange, they could not withstand the assault of the neighboring tribe led by the spirit, and their entire bloodline was extinguished.
With no one left to forgive, Calamariare’s chains would never be broken.
True to a dark fantasy game, it was a conclusion devoid of all hope and dreams.
What made it worse was that remaining eternally imprisoned in ignorance was actually the best ending.
If I freed it out of pity, it would resume its cannibalistic spirit behavior.
If I ended its suffering by killing it, the curse bound to the chains would resurrect it as undead, forcing me to defeat it once more.
There was also the option of revealing the truth, but that was equally undesirable.
It would evolve into a boss using insane, erratic attack patterns.
Consequently, even after clearing it, a sense of unease lingered, but there was no helping it.
I couldn’t die just to satisfy shallow sympathy.
‘I’ll figure something out later when I have time clearing higher floors.’
Since I wasn’t particularly sorry, I left behind a token promise to ease my conscience and pushed myself through the Gate.
[Loading… 6%]
[If you re-seal the boss monster without harming it, you can obtain a special item. Be sure to collect the special treasure chest!]
A loading tip popped up as if it had been waiting.
‘I’ll collect it regardless of what you say.’
Even if I neglected my conscience, I had to ensure I collected the rewards.
Camilia smiled faintly as she recalled the confirmed rewards from this floor.
[Territory Reputation has increased by 1.]
[Territory Reputation has increased by 2.]
[The Expansion District under construction within the city….]
She had only spent half a day inside The Tower, yet the moment she arrived at the castle, system notifications came flooding in like a deluge.
‘I went to The Tower and came back, and my Territory Reputation rose by 3? How is that possible?’
During boss raids, The Tower’s interference weakens, allowing the monsters of that floor to escape beyond its boundaries.
Since most of the territory’s residents fell into a state of anxiety upon witnessing this, it was normal for Territory Reputation to drop after completing a raid.
It wasn’t urgent enough to warrant immediate investigation, but curiosity got the better of me.
Camilia opened the system window at once.
[Territory Reputation]
Monsters appeared within the city. -5
Mayor Noma Sterea conducted public opinion manipulation. +6
Merchant Horan engaged in charitable activities. +3
As I scrolled through the management log, the answer became clear.
The bureaucrat and the merchant had been working diligently with earnest dedication.
I had entrusted them with confidence, but I never expected their performance to be this exceptional.
Still, I felt the need to verify what rumors they were spreading to prevent any unforeseen accidents.
“It seems Noma has been spreading some interesting stories among the territory’s residents lately.”
When I casually asked Zehar Al Rashid, who had come to meet me at the castle gates, he promptly shared what I wanted to hear.
“It is nothing for you to concern yourself with, my lord, but the new mayor’s methods are quite effective.”
True to her background as a heretic inquisitor, Noma Sterea was sensitive to rumors.
Whenever monsters appeared, she investigated the baseless stories that circulated.
Upon confirming that the unverified rumors—such as the lord conducting sinister experiments or trying to kill everyone—had no credible source, she launched a counter-campaign.
She distributed candies and sweets to children while spreading the desired narrative.
‘Monsters appear because the lord is repairing The Tower.’
‘Is it good if The Tower gets repaired? Of course it is. More monster byproducts will be produced.’
‘The Golden Fleece Trading Company’s expansion here is for that very reason.’
‘There will be so many new jobs! But the lord wants only the diligent, intelligent, and virtuous residents to have those opportunities.’
“…She said the reason she doesn’t suppress the spread of ominous rumors is because of the new job opportunities that will arise.”
While one cannot determine who the virtuous residents are, those who believe in baseless rumors are undoubtedly foolish and ignorant.
Therefore, those who spread vicious lies about the lord will gain nothing even as the territory prospers.
She whispered such things while instructing them to keep it secret from adults.
Of course, children who hadn’t received proper education couldn’t possibly remember such complex matters concerning the territory’s affairs, nor could they properly keep secrets.
All the children ran to their parents and haltingly relayed the story of ‘virtuous and wicked residents.’
Parents who sensed something unusual was afoot made secret contact with the City Hall staff.
The skilled staff—not priests, but bureaucrats—expertly soothed and coaxed the pleading residents, whispering to them.
‘This is truly confidential, and I’m only telling you because you’re special.’
Once again, the secret was not kept.
As the rumor spread steadily, more and more people came to believe that whenever the lord visited The Tower, monsters escaping was actually the act of repairing it.
‘So the result was that even after re-sealing, my reputation actually increased…that’s what happened.’
The skill displayed was nothing short of admirable.
Though there was some exaggeration mixed in, the rumors weren’t entirely false either.
‘If people take the monster threat too lightly, that’s a problem in itself, but I can address that gradually.’
When someone produces satisfactory results, they deserve a reward.
But I couldn’t simply praise them for spreading rumors well. I pondered how to commend them before asking Zehar Al Rashid.
“The work was quite skillful—how should I best acknowledge it?”
“They didn’t appear to be the type who would rejoice at receiving a reward. Yet we cannot repay the Religious Order either. It makes no sense to say the gods receive compensation for tending this land well, does it?”
Zehar Al Rashid continued, speaking only sensible words.
“If you truly wish to grant a reward, perhaps you could grant them one petition? They submitted a proposal regarding usury.”
Could it be about punishing illegal loan sharks?
‘There was a Quest about executing usurers and confiscating their assets.’
It was quite a memorable Quest. It had to be—it was my first betrayal back in my inexperienced first playthrough as Lord Camilia.
Looking disreputable at first glance, I killed them immediately upon accepting the Quest, only to discover they were actually a benevolent(?) loan shark who charged lower interest rates to widows and the poor.
Since I was still new to the game, I proceeded thoughtlessly, and the moment I completed the Quest, my Territory’s reputation plummeted and the loyalty and affection of my righteous-aligned companions dropped like stones.
A passing child even threw a tomato at me, crying, “My mom couldn’t borrow money for medicine and died!”
After that, I developed the habit of thoroughly researching background settings and characters before accepting Quests.
‘Though I still got betrayed repeatedly….’
Recalling it only raised my blood pressure, so I decided to focus on the matter at hand.
Whatever Noma Sterea’s intentions were in bringing this up, if they wanted to address illegal lending, there was no harm in allowing it.
‘That loan shark was actually quite a decent NPC…why not call them in and use them this time?’
Thinking thus, I answered readily.
“Very well. Bring them in so I can hear what they have to say.”

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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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