I had my ear pressed against the window like so common thief. Eavesdropping on political talks that could probably get executed if anyone important found out.
The head maid stood beside in full panic mode. Her face was pale and she kept looking around like we’d get caught any second.
Getting her help wasn’t easy as she was the guard of this situation. I threw everything I had at her. Didn’t Diana say to follow my orders? Didn’t she tell you all to accommodate my requests?
But the real weapon that worked was when I told her Diana was in serious trouble. And that she knew it too.
I said I was here to help. To find so way to save her precious madam.
All of it was bullshit.
I had zero intention of getting involved in this political garbage. I was just curious. What the hell made Diana willing to dive back into that floor knowing it contained her worst trauma?
A man’s voice ca through clearly.
"As I’ve stated, she is in no condition to remain in the number one seat. I hold nothing against her personally, but this is for the welfare of our people. Our land."
He paused for effect.
"From the mont the position shifted to her from her late brother, we have witnessed nothing but the downfall of Azuredel. She shows no interest in any aspect of governance. Not the academy. Not the trades. Nothing."
Another man jumped in. "I second that. Not only has she neglected her duties, but among the five great houses, hers has seen the most significant drop in finances."
His tone got sharper.
"Even with everything her ancestors left behind. Even with this leading position. Even with the most conquered floors and exclusive trading access to those worlds. She’s squandered it all."
Then a woman spoke. Her voice was cold. Calculating.
"Speaking of floors, the eightieth still hasn’t been conquered. Which ans we cannot proceed further. Diana, you understand how dependent we are on other worlds, yes? Resources. Technology. All of it cos from cleared floors."
She let that sink in.
"Every empire is pushing hard to grow stronger. If we slack off, we will be the first ones wiped when the next war breaks out."
A different woman’s voice joined. Softer than the others.
"You’re being too harsh on the poor girl. She’s suffered trendously. Lost her parents. Then her brother. All in quick succession. We should give her more ti."
The cold woman shot back imdiately. "Ti is exactly what we don’t have. We need floor eighty cleared. Now."
Through all of this, Diana said nothing.
It was weird. She didn’t fight back once. Didn’t argue. Didn’t defend herself at all. It felt like she wasn’t even in that room ntally. Like she didn’t want the position in the first place and considered all this just... a bother.
And then she finally spoke. "If you’re so desperate, why not clear it yourself?"
The cold woman’s frustration exploded.
"If it were that simple, I would have done it already! You know very well we’re bound by the rules. We cannot participate."
A pause. Then her voice turned venomous.
"But if you’re this eager to push your duties onto us, there is a way."
Another pause.
"Step down from your position."
Diana’s response ca quick. Hard. "Forget it. I will never do that. The House of Winter has ruled this land for centuries. You want to anger my ancestors? You know who my summon is. What if she learns of this?"
One of the n replied smoothly.
"She would be relieved, given the path you’re leading us down. I’m certain she isn’t showing you how worried she truly is for our future."
So these three bastards from three major houses were the ones making her life hell. Good to know.
I pulled back from the window slightly, processing everything.
Towers. I had a vague understanding of them. They erged mysteriously across the world, and each one led to a pre-apocalyptic world.
A world that was dood to end. Whoever designed these towers needed people to clear them. Either to genuinely save those worlds or for so other twisted reason.
The apocalyptic worlds weren’t bound by normal ti. If participants failed to prevent the apocalypse, others could try again. The world would just reset to its pre-apocalyptic state.
And when you cleared a floor? You could travel through it. Visit that world freely. Made a lot of things possible. Trade routes. Resources. Technology. But only the people who participated in clearing could travel. The natives of those worlds were stuck.
There were still holes in my understanding. I never intended to get involved in tower climbing bullshit. My sole purpose when I ca to this world was revenge on my own family. Everything else was just... extra.
I turned to the head maid and whispered. "Hey. Why can’t the others participate in clearing this floor?"
She replied quietly, barely moving her lips. "The floors like ten, twenty, thirty, and so on up to eighty and hundred are boss floors. Highest difficulty. Highest rewards in their respective sets."
She swallowed nervously.
"According to the rules, these floors belong exclusively to the number one seat holder. That ans our house. That ans Madam Diana."
I said in realization "Made sense. That’s why they wanted her to clear it so badly. Open the path to the next floors."
But she shook her head slightly.
"That’s not what I ant. You asked why they won’t participate, and the answer i gave was they can’t gain access. Floor eighty requires exactly two players. One spot is fixed for the Winter house. That’s Madam Diana. The second spot is open."
She glanced at the window.
"In theory, anyone could join her. Even soone from the other houses. But they never will. There’s nothing in it for them."
Her voice dropped even lower.
"Instead, they’re all taking advantage of this situation. Either throw her out of her position or get her killed on that floor."
She hesitated before continuing.
"There’s also a rumor. To survive floor eighty’s trial, even after defeat, one player must be sacrificed. We don’t know if it’s true. Madam Diana is the only one who knows what really happened up there."
Her hands were trembling.
"And that’s why they’re pushing her so hard. They know it would be nearly impossible for her to survive. Going back to the sa world where her brother died right in front of her."
I felt sothing twist in my gut.
"Must be hard for her," I said. "Losing her brother like that. Just because of so stupid tower climbing bullshit for power."
The maid’s eyes got wet.
"The loss was too brutal for her. She didn’t just lose Master Dylan that day. She lost herself too."
She wiped at her face quickly. "You should have seen her back then. She was the life of this house. More lively than our little Anastasia, if you can believe it. Everyone was drawn to her."
A sad smile crossed her face.
"She was spoiled rotten by her father and brother. Things started changing after her parents died, but Master Dylan never let her smile fade. He took the position. All the responsibilities. But he still found ti to care for her. Spoil her. He balanced everything sohow."
Her voice cracked.
"Fate is cruel. A few years later, it took Master Dylan too. Left her completely broken. And from that day... that spark was gone. With each passing day, she beca more distant. More cold. She barely talks to anyone now. I can’t even rember the last ti she spoke to us properly."
Tears were rolling down her cheeks now. Every word carried real pain. The kind you can’t fake.
But then she looked at again. And sothing changed in her expression. The sadness started fading.
"But a few days ago... we saw sothing different in her. For the first ti in years, she actually talked to us. Properly. Not like she used to do but a slight change."
She stared directly into my eyes.
"And it was all because of you."
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