A week has passed since I got back to Babel.
At my mansion, Tina who is now both a warrior and a maid is taking care of the chores.
After finishing work, Tina took off the maid apron and wore casual clothes, coming into the living room.
Carrying a tray with cookies and two teacups on it.
“Dylan-san, it’s all finished!”
“Oh, good work.”
“I brought some tea!”
“Thanks.”
I drank the tea that Tina brewed for me. It’s delicious. As expected of someone who has such a long service background.
“The tea leaves at Dylan-san’s place are really high quality~”
“Aren’t you the one who bought them? With my money.”
“It was Dylan-san who said he would leave it to me~”
“Well, that’s true.”
I still have a lot of money left over from when I climbed the tower back then. I shouldn’t have to worry about it for a while.
Tina looked like she was enjoying herself as she sipped her tea.
I reached a hand out to grab a cookie.
“Right, let’s have our strategy meeting. We’ll decide what to do from here on out.”
“Yeees!”
I spread the paper out on the living room table. And took out my pen.
“Tina’s goal is full body armour, correct?”
“For now that’s true! But eventually, I’m gonna own a big mansion like Dylan-san and live a life of leisure!”
“Mmm, okay. Good luck with that. I guess you want to climb to the top floors to make a lot of cash?”
“That’s right! And what about Dylan-san? Now that you’ve become a sage?”
“My goal?”
“Yes.”
“I want to become Babel’s most important person.”
“What do you mean!? Aren’t you, like, already super well known!?”
“For now. But, what would happen after I died?”
“……Dead people don’t stand out very much.”
“Exactly. I want to stand out even after I die ―― I want a legacy.”
“You’d have to do something amazing, right!? But what?”
“I’ll become the highest record holder in the Tower’s history.”
“The record holder… No way…”
“The highest record in the Heavenly Tower of Babel is the 85th floor, held by the Lords of Glory. I’m going to surpass that. As the leader.”
“I see!!”
Tina stood up with a shout.
“Every ten floors, the party members who cleared it for the first time are recorded! There’s a stone monument dedicated to them back on the first floor!”
“The 80th floor monument has the Lords of Glory carved into it. I’m on it, but my name’s at the bottom.”
I said.
“So, I have to get to the 90th floor.”
“That’s amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing!”
Tina excitedly jumped up and down. Is she a dog?
Ignoring her for a moment, I thought to myself.
If I can’t make it to the 90th floor, there’s no way I can beat the Demon King.
I had said that to Tina, but really holding that record is just the first step.
My real purpose is, after all…
“If it’s Dylan-san, I bet you can definitely get up to the 90th floor!”
I swallowed my thought with a bitter smile.
“But, my sage level is still really low. I can get pretty far using my jester skills alone, but definitely not up to the 90th floor.”
“It’s time to level-up!”
“You too, Tina. Right now we’re around the same level, but if I judge you can’t keep up I’ll have to break up the party.”
“I’ll get fired as well!? No, I’ll do my best!”
Tina clenched a fist in front of her chest. Well, she definitely has enough spirit.
“I’m in your care, miss tank.”
“Yesss!”
For now, let’s set a goal.
I’m still a little worried about the movements of the Alliance and the Demon King, but we should still be alright for a bit.
Heavenly Tower of Babel.
Third floor.
“Well, we can’t find a magic sigil… Or the stairs.”
“Isn’t it weird…?”
Once again caught in the middle of the labyrinth, we groaned.
We were going to aim for the fifth floor today as well…
“Even with my luck, we can’t find the stairs…! I guess it can’t be helped. I’ll start praying!”
“No, you should probably start using your luck a bit more productively. It might start running out if you just use it for whatever, you know.”
As a playboy, I engage in the odd bit of gambling. So I should know. Even if you’re on a roll, that luck isn’t infinite. Well, since my luck is crap, I never win anyways.
“But, but! If we can’t just stay wandering around here forever! I’ll collapse of hunger!”
“We still have time. Just keep moving for now. If it gets really bad, I’ll set us up a tent for an overnight stay.”
“Oh! Well I guess it’s fine if Dylan-san wants to share the night together with me in a really snug tent and maybe if things get a little heated you’ll press me tight and then maybe I’ll have to give Dylan-san my first ti-”
“What are you mumbling about? Get moving, tank.”
Walking about ten steps ahead of her, I told Tina that as she mumbled about something whilst shifting on the spot.
“Ah! Please wait for me, Dylan-san! Don’t leave me behind!”
Tina ran after me close to tears. Just what is she doing, even?
Really though, we’re completely lost.
That ‘map-making’ skill is necessary after all.
Maybe I need to get someone else into the party――.
And, just as I thought that.
“…………………….Nyeow, help, me………………………”
From somewhere ahead, I heard a call for help.
“…Must be an adventurer.”
“Over there!”
Tina began running as soon as she said it. Ahhh jeez, you’re really the type to move before you think!
Running through the labyrinth, we turned the corner, and
“……Nyaaaa, who’s there…………………”
A girl covered in a hood has collapsed on the ground.
Judging just by the clothing, she’s a thief.
“Hello!? Are you alright!?’
Tina rushed over, shouting.
The girl raised her body. I wanted to use the healing magic I had learned when I became a great sage, but she wasn’t injured.
The girl opened her mouth as if in pain.
“Ca…”
“Ca?”
“Catnip…”
I don’t have any.
“Is water fine?”
“Ah… I guess that’ll do for meow…”
Producing a water bottle with a magic trick, I gave it to the girl.
Glug glug glug, the girl drank it vigorously. No, I didn’t lace it with catnip, it’s just normal water.
“Phwaaaaaaaa! That was purrfect! Hmm? Who are you guys?”
The girl lifted her face properly and her hood came off.
I was a little surprised.
By those cat ears on her head. And a tail fell from her waist.
“A beastkin!?”
As Tina yelled in shock, the beastkin (?) catgirl tilted her head to the side in confusion with a ‘meow?’.
Now that our cast is assembled, I figured it would be a good opportunity to tell everyone that the manga for Playboy is coming out today (tomorrow?) and will be available at the link below. It would be cool if someone TL’d it. Hint hint.
I’ll probably scatter a few cleaner images from the manga around the chapters, at least until I get my hands on the proper LN illustrations.