“A madman’s testing ground where he dragged an emperor and stood him up.”

“Madman......?”

“Pweet-pweet—!”

Mephisto chirped in protest, telling him not to use such harsh words in front of Guru, and Kazuki, who’d been listening with interest, roughly ruffled Veilach’s head.

“Watch your mouth, please.”

“.......”

Veilach bared his teeth with a growl toward Kazuki, but Kazuki just laughed and messed his hair up even more.

“Da madman made it?”

“Kids don’t need to know that.”

Whether because it was annoying or because he simply didn’t want to explain, Veilach shut his mouth.

“Mephi, you dunno?”

“Pweep-pweet—?”

Mephi tilted his head.

“Wuuung, ya dunno, huh. Mephi, you don’t knoow a wotta stuff......”

“Pwee!?”

“...The HBC No. 1 Dungeon you just entered now replicates the first floor of the Tower...”

At that moment, the docent continued her explanation, adding, “Originally five zones were planned, but due to circumstances, only four were opened.”

Guru gaped with a soft hehh.

The fifth one would never open.

Because that was where Guru was growing potatoes......

No wonder it looked like such a beautifully landscaped park. Apparently, it had been reserved for something pretty impressive.

If they’d meant to use it like that, wouldn’t the financial loss be huge? Was that okay?

Thinking she’d have to grow way more potatoes to make up for the loss, Guru opened her notepad, ready to send another emoji of thanks to Grandpa—

“That’s supposed to be the Tower? Looks just like a dungeon.”

A boy, about elementary school age, crossed his arms and muttered bluntly.

The docent, who had been leading the tour, responded with a smile.

“The Tower was a type of dungeon, too. You know quite a bit about dungeons, huh?”

“Yeah, well. I know a thing or two. Watched all the dungeon documentaries, and I’ve been to this exhibit like a hundred times.”

As the boy puffed himself up, the docent clapped, saying how impressive he was.

“This isn’t even that much...”

Just as the boy shrugged and turned his head—

His eyes locked with a doll-like, beautiful girl.

She blinked her big black eyes once, then giggled as she whispered with the man beside her.

The boy could tell he wasn’t the only one watching them.

Other people were glancing too.

Those kinds of gazes people always gave to good-looking or pretty people.

“.......”

As he listened in on the whispers, it sounded like the girl’s name was “Guru.”

Guru... she would’ve looked even prettier if she wasn’t wearing that weird alien hat.

Then, he noticed the white baby bird sitting on Guru’s head was glaring at him with suspicion.

Feeling weirded out, the boy looked away.

They weren’t the only ones drawing attention.

There was one more person.

Under the lighting, his pale almond-blonde hair and eyes shimmered gold.

When the boy looked at him, the man smiled. A beautiful dimple appeared on his cheek.

Even his movements were graceful and soft. He was bowing his head, chatting with someone beside him.

The boy leaned in to peek at who this pretty man was talking to—

“This is the Hall of Heroes. If you get your stamp here, you’ll receive a photo card.”

Dungeon creature specimens seen earlier were now displayed in a circular row along the walls.

Photo cards!

The boy moved quickly to claim one.

Strangely, when he tried to recall the face of the man he’d just looked away from, it was all blurry—like fog.

Was it just not that memorable?

But the thought didn’t last long.

Because something else snatched his attention—

A massive hologram lit up in the middle of the exhibition space named the Hall of Heroes.

And beneath it, On Jurim knelt on one knee, panting heavily, wiping sweat from his chin.

Guru and Kazuki dropped their jaws.

It must’ve been a rehearsal recording, but the level of detail made it feel like a young Jurim was really moving in front of them.

“Daddychann’s young!”

“Young On-chan!”

Guru and Kazuki immediately pulled out their phones and started snapping pics of the hologram Jurim.

Just imagining showing the pictures to Jurim later made both aliens burst into their usual mischievous kekeke giggles.

Kazuki was just about to send one when—

Someone approached the holographic On Jurim and handed him a towel.

It was On Ijo.

“Whoa!”

“On Ijo!”

Gasps of awe came from all over. A few foreign tourists even shouted his name aloud.

The undisputed hero of the 100th floor.

Unlike the others who’d collapsed from intense training, On Ijo’s gentle and composed gaze remained the same.

He had a face that didn’t seem like it could ever show weakness.

Even through a hologram, his calm presence—and a strange sense of distance—radiated.

Guru peeked at Kazuki, who’d canceled the photo transmission, and quietly asked,

“Is Daddychann still... weawwy sad?”

“...Mm.”

Kazuki took a moment to choose his words carefully before finally speaking.

“Guruchan, some sadnesses never go away.”

Guru nodded slowly, as if she understood, at least a little, what sadness that doesn’t disappear felt like.

Kazuki gave her a bittersweet smile and adjusted the ribbon under her chin.

“But y’know... those kinds of sadnesses? They sometimes stay buried in your heart and just rot there.”

“Then whatta do?”

“They hurt even more.”

At that, Guru made a pained expression and clutched both hands over her heart.

Has Uncwe... gone and rotten away in Daddychann’s heawt too?

“So you don’t have to wait for the sadness to go away. If On-chan buried it too deep and it starts to hurt, let’s take it out and gently hold it.”

So it don’t huwt... Guru repeated softly and nodded.

“Guruchan, you can do that, right?”

“Yesh!”

“Great. Then should we go get that photo card?”

“Yesh!”

Kazuki and Guru stepped away from the hologram.

Everyone was too distracted by the display, so thankfully, the line wasn’t long. Guru got a loud stamp in her notebook and received a photo card.

Meanwhile, Kazuki kept getting pushed backward as he kept yielding to little kids.

“Uh, I’ll catch up soon.”

He laughed awkwardly as he got shoved farther behind.

“Yesh!”

Guru replied loudly and stepped into a quiet corner.

Pwease be bwing-bwing eyes!

She pulled the photo card from its paper sleeve, took a deep breath, and checked.

But her lips immediately drooped.

“Dis one not so gweat......”

Just then, a voice popped up behind her.

“Why? Isn’t this one cuter?”

“Nooo. Dis one doesn’t have bwing-bwing eyes.”

“Ah, I get what you mean. But this one’s got sleepy-sleepy eyes. Kinda cute, don’t you think?”

Daddychann’s always got sleepy eyes... But he wasn’t supposed to be “cute.” He was the cool type.

Guru looked up.

She met a pair of gentle almond-colored eyes.

“Then wanna trade that photo card with mine?”

The man held up a card with a true bwing-bwing-eyed On Jurim.

And at that very moment—

Ding!

Chik−CaregiverDetected−Chzz−Chik−Caregiver−Chik−

Ding!

Chik−CaregiverDetected−Chzz−Chik−Caregiver−Chik−

Ding!

Chik−CaregiverDetected−Chzz−Chik−Caregiver−Chik−

Huh?

What... ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) was happening?! Guru blinked her big eyes.

Ding!

Chik−CaregiverDetected−Chzz−Chik−Caregiver−Chik−

Huwaaaah!

Guru’s system had broken!

What happens if the system breaks?

Her stats? Her skills? Could it be...?

“Gwuu gonna become... a wost cause......?”

Panic hit her like a wave—what if she became a useless failure right now?

Nooo!

Terrified, her anxiety was all over her face when—

“If you don’t want to trade, that’s okay too.”

Guru shook her head.

That wasn’t it. Something more important had happened...

As her face turned pale, Mephisto chirped and called for Veilach.

“Pweet!”

Veilach nodded and took Guru’s hand.

“We should leave.”

“Huh?”

“Come with me.”

“Pweet-pweet—”

Veilach and Mephisto urged her forward.

Why so suddenly?

Do they know Gwuu’s system bwoke?

Just as she was about to follow Veilach, Guru glanced at the blinking, glitching system window... and suddenly looked back up at the man.

He was examining her carefully, and when their eyes met, he gave an awkward smile. His dimple showed again.

Seeing it made her brain feel all itchy.

Like something was just about to come back to her.

Beside him, the holograms of On Ijo and On Jurim moved around busily.

On Ijo cradled Jurim’s head, gently wiping the sweat-soaked back of his hair.

Jurim, though looking annoyed, seemed far more relaxed. His eyes were sleepy-sleepy, just like in the photo card.

And On Ijo... was looking at Jurim with affection.

Guru looked up again and slowly moved her lips.

“...Uncwe?”