C7
The bright sunlight streamed through the window.
Pandora blinked as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Half of her face covered with a mask and dressed in a white dress, she checked her appearance in front of the mirror.
Even though she just tied her hair and changed clothes, her beauty shone.
From the beginning, she was known as one of the three most important beauties of the Tower.
Just as it's said that half of Aphrodite's ranking, known at a similar level, comes from her appearance, when people encountered Pandora, they couldn't help but fall for her looks.
It was natural for her to attract attention when stepping into a crowded city.
Pandora, in particular, did not willingly volunteer for such a tedious task.
"Are you ready?"
YuWon, dressed in trousers and a coat, opened the door and entered.
Pandora nodded and approached YuWon.
The two managed most of their life at home.
Partly because Pandora was too conspicuous, but also because she had never been mentally prepared to mingle with people.
"Yes!"
"Are you sure?"
She stopped.
Pandora's movement froze for a moment at YuWon's question.
Venturing into the hustle and bustle of people was something she had been considering for quite some time.
No one has it easy in the beginning.
That was true for Pandora, a double-digit High-Ranker as well.
She preferred fighting monsters. For her, people and the world were tougher opponents.
"...yes."
A smaller response than before. Pandora's shoulders trembled slightly, but YuWon made an effort not to dissuade her or anything.
He couldn't let her live in this small house forever.
"Then, let's go out."
YuWon and Pandora walked out side by side.
Pandora's steps were slow, as if she was still trembling.
Thanks to that, YuWon could walk calmly down the street, occasionally glancing at Pandora, who walked beside him, clutching his sleeve.
Although she covered half her face with a mask, by looking at her eyes and the cheek that briefly revealed, it could be noticed that she had put in quite an effort. Although, her makeup was a bit clumsy.
'This is the first time I've seen her dressed up like this.'
Thinking about it, she had never been like this. Pandora had never dressed properly or put on makeup.
At least not in the last 10 years.
'She's beautiful.'
At that moment, YuWon looked at the mask Pandora was wearing. Although she wore it because she disliked people's attention, he couldn't help but find it stifling.
"Do you feel suffocated?"
"Yes."
"Do you want to take it off then?"
"Mmm..."
Pandora, who hesitated for a moment, shook her head.
"No, it's fine."
"...Really?"
YuWon, who stared at her face for a moment, reached into his inventory. YuWon took out an identical mask and covered his face with it.
"This is fairer."
"But no one knows you anyway."
"I'm not doing it for other people."
"Then?"
"For your sake."
Pandora, glancing sideways at YuWon with the black mask, opened her mouth.
"You look like a villain."
Pandora's voice sounded as if it contained a smile.
Although she normally didn't smile much, she seemed to be in a good mood about going out.
YuWon and Pandora reached the city.
As they walked together, YuWon couldn't stop looking into Pandora's eyes.
What was so strange to him?
'They're shining.'
There was nothing particularly strange about what Pandora was looking at, gazing around like a child.
However, Pandora's eyes sparkled like those of a child seeing an amusement park for the first time.
"YuWon, YuWon!"
Pandora urgently called him.
"Look at that!"
Pandora raised her voice.
Looking in the direction she pointed, YuWon saw a resident buying cotton candy for his daughter.
"The clouds are stuck to a stick."
"Are you talking about cotton candy...?" YuWon asked in disbelief.
"...Is this your first time seeing cotton candy?"
"Is that cotton candy?"
To his surprise, she really didn't know.
Cotton candy. On Earth where YuWon lived, and even in the Tower, it was a common snack.
Pandora, like any child, showed great interest upon discovering the cotton candy, the size of her face, resembling a small cloud.
"Wait a moment."
YuWon bought the biggest cotton candy he could find on the street.
Pandora's eyes shone even more as YuWon approached.
"Try it."
YuWon stood in front of her so she could take off the mask.
Thanks to the height difference, with her face uncovered, she removed the mask and admired the colorful pink cotton candy.
"Wow..."
At first, she hesitated about how to eat it, but soon she pulled off a small piece with her fingers and brought it to her mouth.
She liked sweet things.
Although it was just spun sugar, Pandora was captivated by the sweet and fluffy taste of cotton candy, something she had never tasted before.
Only after eating several cotton candy balls did Pandora finally satisfy her appetite.
And after that...
"YuWon! Look! A talking monster...!"
"That's a costume."
"There, people are fighting, we have to help...!"
"It's a performance. Stop."
"All of this is free, YuWon!"
"It's a free buffet, but wait, you can't take it home!"
As they explored together, YuWon found himself explaining everything she didn't know.
Leaving her small house, she realized how much she was unfamiliar with.
It was the first time she interacted with so many people.
Until now, in Pandora's world, only YuWon, Hercules, and Son OhGong existed.
No, wait.
"Zeus was there too."
Zeus.
The one who gave Pandora the box containing Azathoth's memories and kept her imprisoned in the dungeons of Olympus for so long.
Due to Zeus's actions, Pandora had lived without experiencing things that any normal person would take for granted.
'The next time I see him, I'll give him a good beating.'
While YuWon contemplated the future encounter with Zeus...
"YuWon, YuWon!"
Suddenly!
Pandora tugged at YuWon's sleeve.
"Look at that."
"That?"
YuWon's gaze followed the direction Pandora's head indicated.
In the midst of the bustling crowd...
"It doesn't happen every day! Face off against a high-ranking Ranker visiting the first floor! Whether you're a Player or a resident, everyone, experience this thrill!"
A middle-aged man with a large hat and a cane was proclaiming.
And next to him, Players and residents were extending their hands, eager to participate in the game.
YuWon, observing the scene, asked:
"Do you find it amusing?"
"It's not that."
"Then what?"
"..."
Faced with Pandora's silence, YuWon tilted his head.
And then, in an instant...
"Ah."
YuWon realized what she truly desired, and he nodded.
"You said you're good at waiting?"
"Yes."
"Then stay still and wait for a moment."
Gently...
YuWon, patting Pandora's head, approached the man soliciting customers.
"I'll get it in a moment, so be patient."
In this world, players within the top 10% of the ranking are known as "Superior Rankers."
Among the Superior Rankers, some are particularly notable, standing out for their influence, skill, and recognized achievements.
In that sense, Cyric was on par with the Superior Rankers. His expertise lay in illusion, deception, conspiracies, and lies.
He specialized in misleading and disturbing opponents more than direct combat.
'I underestimated Asgard too much.'
Despite being a Superior Ranker, Cyric's fame wasn't that impressive.
Cyric, the swindler.
More than an honorable reputation, it was rather dishonorable. However, Cyric wasn't ashamed of his name. He only regretted the money he had lost while swindling Asgard.
'Still, I'm thankful everything worked out.'
Chak, chak...
Cyric quickly mixed ten upside-down cups while savoring the messages that came to his mind.
[You've gained 100 points.]
[You've gained 100 points.]
[You've gained...]
'Thanks to those fools, building a base is easy.'
Each challenge granted him 100 points.
Watching the foolish customers who challenged out of greed for the prizes, Cyric smiled to himself.
The term "Ranker" sounded like honey to the players below.
For them, Rankers were objects of admiration and mentors.
However, among those Rankers, deceiving people and taking their money was as easy as breathing for Cyric, who was among the best.
'If I resist a bit more here and accumulate around a million points...'
At that moment...
"Do I just have to guess where the ball is?"
A black-haired man approached Cyric and asked.
'Again, huh?'
Although the man's tone was a bit annoying, Cyric didn't pay him much attention.
If he had shown his displeasure from the beginning, he wouldn't have gained the reputation of a swindler.
"Yes, that's right. I'll shuffle the cups, and you just have to find the ball."
Cyric covered his face with a mask and then, with a friendly smile directed at the challenger, raised his hands above the table.
"All right, let's begin."
The rules of the game were simple:
First: Find the ball among 10 randomly shuffled cups.
Second: If you find it, you win the first prize or can challenge the next game with 11 cups.
The more challenges you overcome, the greater the prize.
"To start, something light..."
Zzzap, shashap, shashazap.
Cyric moved his hands. People watching him quickly shuffle the translucent cups exclaimed.
"Oh..."
"I can't even see his hands?"
"I think I see them a bit..."
"Did you see them?"
"I think it's on that side."
"I saw it completely upside down."
"Idiots. It's in the center."
People's opinions were completely divided. Some were sure of the ball's location, while others had no idea and moved nervously.
Cyric deliberately moved his hands so that the ball's location would be visible from time to time, inducing the next challenger to come forward.
Moreover.
'Anyway, the probability is 1 in 10.'
Human psychology is simple.
At first glance, it might seem like a game where you follow the ball with your eyes to guess its location, but in reality, no one in this place could follow Cyric's hands with their eyes.
So, there was only one method:
Chance.
Simply choose one of the 10 cups.
Paf.
Cyric, who had been quickly shuffling the cups, stopped his hands.
"Do you understand the rules, right?"
Wiiing.
Cyric's red eyes stared at the man in front of him.
"You just have to choose a cup you think has the ball."
YuWon stared intently at the cups containing the ball.
Among the cups scattered on the table, YuWon's gaze shifted to Cyric's face.
"Cheater."
Cyric remained with a bewildered face.
YuWon, with a disgusted expression, said firmly:
"There's nothing like a ball here."
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Tags:
LWTG (Novel)