Chapter 78

Chapter 78: Earnest Wish (1)

「 Administrator ‘Iron-blooded Monarch’ invites you to the administrator territory. 」 

「 Administrator ‘White Crane Sword Saint’ invites you to the administrator territory. 」 

“…”

I narrowed my eyes as I looked at the two messages in front of me.

I saw that the administrators’ Observation territory and Interfere territory had increased, but…

Now I could feel how powerful it had become.

An administrator territory?

It was quite surprising to be able to move a challenger to a place other than the waiting room.

Of course, even if I didn’t give permission, it’s been thanks to the Tower that the challenger has been able to move to a space other than the waiting room.

Whether it was a trial area or a common area, it was the same.

Most of the teleportation was made by the challengers themselves or the tower forcibly moving them.

But now, the administrators could autonomously offer it to the challenger.

‘Looks like I can decline it, but I guess that’s almost pointless.’

For the challenger, the contract with the administrator takes a huge weight.

Starting from the fact that you can acquire this transcendent ability called power that’s completely different from skills, and…

You could get some information or advice from the administrators, so you can’t treat it lightly.

So, in reality, it was safe to say that there was no option of not accepting these kinds of invitations.

Therefore, I had no intention of refusing the administrator’s invitation.

However…

‘It’s a bit awkward if I get invited at the same time…’

I had no choice but to be lost in thought as the Iron-blooded Monarch and White Crane Sword Saint sent invitations at the same time.

Even if I had a contract with the Iron-blooded Monarch, the White Crane Sword Saint was an administrator who showed great interest in me.

Since the additional contract function has been activated this time, some talk may be related to the contract.

“…”

After thinking about it for a moment, I closed my eyes tightly and made my choice.

「You have accepted the invitation of Administrator, ‘Iron-blooded Monarch’.」

It’s the reality that even if there’s a prey called additional contract right in front of you, you can’t ignore the existing contract.

Therefore, it’d be right to respond to the invitation message from the Iron-blooded Monarch first, putting aside the White Crane Sword Saint.

I took my action quickly as I’ve clearly decided, and…

「 You have accepted the invitation and are being teleported to the administrator territory. 」

As soon as I accepted the invitation, the surrounding scenery changed in an instant.

「 You have entered the world of Iron-blood. 」

I moved on as I watched the sight of dozens of swords stuck out randomly in the white snowy manor.

It felt quite fresh even though it hadn’t been that long.

If I walked through the manor nervously in the past for a sudden meeting with an administrator, now I was walking with some expectations.

I didn’t know why she called me, but she probably didn’t call me to say something silly.

Then it would mean that there was some reason to summon me, so I couldn’t help but look forward to it.

With that thought in mind—

Creaaak.

After arriving, I opened the door to the hut without hesitation.

And…

“As expected, I knew you’d choose me.”

There was the Iron-blooded Monarch who was smiling for some reason.

***

The hut’s interior hadn’t changed much from what it was before.

Deer decorations hung on the wall, and the table that gave off a feeling of an office was the same.

Should I say it felt like a reproduction of the atmosphere of the middle ages?

But if you asked me if there was anything different from before, there was.

“…Why are you smiling like that?”

It was the attitude of the Iron-blooded Monarch towards me.

It gave me a bad taste when I saw her smiling with that cold face that didn’t suit her.

Even more so when I saw the snacks on the table, she didn’t serve when I signed a contract with her.

“I don’t have a choice but to smile if the contractor is only doing cute things, don’t you think so?”

“I don’t think I’ve acted that much to be treated like this, though…”

“You did. Well, should I say you made such a choice?”

“…?”

After thinking about what I did for a moment, the answer immediately popped up.

‘Is it because of the choice I made when I was invited to the administrator’s territory earlier…?’

She might have liked that I chose her after contemplating which one to choose between the Iron-blooded Monarch and the White Crane Sword Saint.

“Thanks to you, I won the bet with the other administrators, and well, I don’t feel bad in many ways.”

I didn’t bother to ask what she was betting on and who she was betting with.

“…”

Because somehow, I felt like I knew the answer.

‘I was wondering why they sent the invite at the same time, so it was for something like that…’

Now I seemed to understand exactly why the Iron-blooded Monarch was smiling.

To think that she made such a foolish bet and was so happy about winning that bet.

I could even feel a sense of cuteness in the behavior that was far from her first impression, which was a cold-hearted beauty.

“…Why are you looking at me with that kind of eyes?”

“No, I was just looking at you.”

“Your eyes were a little disquieting…”

“Must be your imagination.”

As I somehow made excuses to the Iron-blooded Monarch, she stared at me for a moment and then shrugged her shoulders.

“…Well, I guess it doesn’t matter. Anyway, let’s put aside the things that don’t matter and talk about the main point.”

As soon as I heard the word, the main point. I immediately looked at her with my eyes shining.

‘So she did have something to talk about.’

What kind of administrator would summon a contractor just for a bet?

The bet she was talking about was only a secondary factor, and she had a separate main point.

Having felt that, I intuitively asked her.

“Are you finally telling me why you called me here?”

“So you did assume that I called you because I had a separate business with you.”

“To some extent. We aren’t close to calling each other out to talk about useless things.”

“I think that’s a bit sad to hear when we even signed a contract, but…”

The Iron-blooded Monarch made a disappointed face for a moment but soon smiled and changed her expression.

“Unfortunately, that’s the correct answer.”

“You know that the system expanded when you reached the 11th floor waiting room, right?”

“Yes, I do. That’s why I was able to come here.”

I was pretty sure it was the Dimension Shifting function and expansion of the Observation and Interfere territories of the administrators…?

I was able to come to the administrator’s territory thanks to that, so there’s no way I wouldn’t know.

“Then I guess there’s nothing to explain further.”

The Iron-blooded Monarch made a satisfied face and then continued.

“The expansion of the administrator’s Interfere area wasn’t made just to include functions such as invitations to the administrator’s territory.”

“…?”

“The real purpose of the expansion of the Interfere area is to allow administrators to properly nurture the challengers.”

“Please explain in more detail.”

“Instead of explaining it, it’s something like this.”

“What do you…”

The moment I was bewildered, the Iron-blooded Monarch snapped her finger without hesitation.

Snap!

And…

「 The administrator ‘Iron-blooded Monarch’ is gifting power to their contractor using [Interefere Territory]. 」

「 You can acquire one of the powers sold by administrator ‘Iron-blooded Monarch’ at random. 」

At the same time, a gift I couldn’t have imagined was poured out on me.

***

[Translator – Ramen ]

[Proofreader – DVN-L ]

***

I couldn’t come to my senses and stared blankly at the message that appeared in front of me for a while.

「 The administrator ‘Iron-blooded Monarch’ is gifting power to their contractor using [Interefere Territory]. 」

「 You can acquire one of the powers sold by administrator ‘Iron-blooded Monarch’ at random. 」

I can acquire a power at random?

This was like a bolt out of the blue for me, who had been collecting SP like a madman by breaking through the trials.

“…Can you actually give people powers like this randomly?”

I couldn’t hold back my question and immediately asked the Iron-blooded Monarch in the end.

If this thing called power was something that could freely be given at the administrators’ discretion…

“Not a chance.”

But what came back wasn’t the answer I was expecting.

“The Tower never lets you give anything for nothing.”

“…”

“Moreover, as the nurturing of the contractor returns as a profit of the administrator, there’s no way that the administrator could give power casually in terms of structure.”

“Which means…?”

“It means that I’ve already paid enough price to the Tower to be able to gift a power randomly.”

I couldn’t understand.

If it wasn’t that easy to give powers, then why  was she giving me a power like this?

Curiosity arose about that, and I couldn’t help but let that question come out of my mouth.

“Why are you helping me this much?”

I just couldn’t understand why she was paying such a price just to give me power.

For the Iron-blooded Monarch, even if I was her first contractor, my value wasn’t that high.

If you looked at the challengers from another world, their potential was much higher than those from the Earth dimension.

But why was she paying such a price to give power to me, who couldn’t even take first place in the earth dimension?

‘It might be better for her to find another challenger since the additional contract function has been added.’

As I was lost in thought with those, the Iron blooded Monarch opened her mouth.

“…I see. For you, his kind of treatment would be shocking.

“To be honest, your power isn’t bad, Iron-blooded Monarch.”

“Although the price is high, the powers are quite useful, and there are many aspects that should be better than other administrators.”

None of the challengers I’d ever seen had the power of an administrator so strong.

Even in cases such as Katheryn Benette or Kim Seungjun, their powers weren’t that strong.

Of course, even though they seemed to have combat-related powers, their strength wasn’t as strong as a skill.

On the other hand, among the powers of the Iron-blooded Monarch that I could purchase, many abilities were several times better than the skills, as they were specialized in combat.

In particular, it was hard to estimate the value of the powers, such as Serenity, which removes a penalty-related ability.

“I don’t understand why such a person is willing to go this far for me.”

Then the Iron-blooded Monarch let out a deep sigh and spoke.

“…Looks like you won’t accept it even if I said you’re the first contract that I signed a contract with in decades.”

The Iron-blooded Monarch continued talking while twisting her long silver hair as if there was nothing more to hide.

“I saw a possibility in you, and that’s why I’m investing like this.”

“Possibility…?”

“The administrators receive additional rewards according to the level to which they nurture the challengers, but they’re never nurturing challengers for that purpose. Everyone invests in the challenger to achieve their own earnest wish. It’s safe to say that I’m no different on that matter.”

Her eyes suddenly became serious as though she had a wish to be fulfilled.

“…I can’t tell you right now because it’s not yet the right time for it, but one day you’ll know.”

Although the conclusion wasn’t clearly made, at least I felt more comfortable.

Because, after all, the favor that the Iron-blooded Monarch provided me wasn’t without reason.

There was no such thing as free in the world.

For that reason, I thought there was a possibility that I was being used, but…

Seeing the Iron-blooded Monarch get serious for an instant, it seems like she had high hopes for me.

‘I don’t know what the hell she means by that earnest wish, but… I guess it doesn’t matter.’

The Iron-blooded Monarch did tell me that I’d find it out later and…

More than anything else, it took a huge part that she saw me as an equal trade opponent.

Give and take.

If there’s anything she wants as much as she gives me, it means I have the initiative.

Ultimately, that earnest wish she wants to achieve will be achieved only when I become strong.

Therefore, I silently accepted the system message without saying a word.

「 You’ll randomly acquire one of the powers sold by the administrator ‘Iron-Blooded Monarch’. 」

The Iron-blooded Monarch saw me as a legitimate trade partner and a contractor.

Then there was nothing to hesitate for.

Whaaaaap!

「 A new power is being engraved on your soul…! 」

I’ll take what I need to take and achieve the things that need to be achieved and continue to grow.

——