After government Climbers evacuated all other Climbers from the first floor, two security agents entered the lobby.
The first to catch the eye was the man standing on the right, government security agent Lee Won-cheong.
His broad shoulders rose prominently above his sharp black suit, and with his military-style crew cut and black sunglasses, his very presence exuded intimidation.
His body moved without a single unnecessary motion, like that of a trained soldier, and he walked expressionlessly with his fists slightly clenched.
Beside him was a starkly contrasting figure.
Despite wearing the same black suit, his shoulders slumped, and beyond his disheveled short hair, a sweaty forehead and anxious eyes were visible.
This was government security agent Kim Ha-cheong.
The way he walked alongside the other agent, fidgeting nervously, resembled livestock being led to slaughter.
One was like a lion emanating silent pressure, the other like a deer hiding behind that lion.
Standing side by side, they formed a strangely balanced pair.
Numerous other government Climbers had positioned themselves in a circle inside the first floor lobby, tensely waiting in case any unexpected situations arose during the negotiations.
But the beings they were about to negotiate with... were unknown entities beyond human comprehension.
"Bomburadillo Krongkodalt."
"Tralerorerorerero Sharalnolla."
"Larilli-the-World."
"Dharaments Kshatriba."
"Sea-umbrella-snake-hat-jellyfish-rabbit."
"...rabbit?"
Two beings exchanging unidentified languages never heard before, continuing their mysterious conversation...!
One was an angel girl presumed to be the [Tower Administrator], and the other was a rabbit beastkin in a Bunny Girl outfit.
"...Did you hear that? Aren't they secretly casting spells on us...?" Kim Ha-cheong asked, terrified.
But Lee Won-cheong raised an eyebrow and said, "...Isn't that a word chain game?"
"What?"
"It seems they're playing a word chain game using the names of monsters living in the tower."
Just as he said, they were indeed playing a word chain game using the names of monsters inhabiting Eriel!
After correctly guessing what they were doing, Lee Won-cheong observed them briefly, then stepped forward and asked, "Are you the [Tower Administrator]?"
At the security agent's question, both girls turned their heads simultaneously.
After a moment of silence, [Tower Administrator] Tricia spoke first.
"Yes, I am—"
"Actually, I'm the administrator."
"...?"
Suddenly, Rukki interrupted the conversation, claiming that she was the [Tower Administrator]!
While Lee Won-cheong was confused, Tricia said to Rukki:
"Are you going to keep lying?"
"I manage from here to the 10th floor, so it's not entirely false, right?"
"...I guess?"
"......"
Lee Won-cheong missed his timing to continue the conversation due to Rukki's mischievous joke.
For a moment, anger seemed to rise within him, but strangely, it subsided easily.
Rukki's "Anger" authority had activated, but it didn't work around Tricia.
Meanwhile, Kim Ha-cheong standing behind was desperately trying to figure out how to convey the government's intentions to them.
His desperate appearance looked so pitiful that Tricia looked at them and said:
"Excuse me, let me introduce myself again. My name is 'Eriel Tricia'. As you can see, I'm the administrator managing this tower. What brings you here?"
"...We are from the government, that is, an organization that governs the nations outside the tower—"
"We already know what the government does. Please just tell us your business briefly."
"—Understood."
Once the conversation was finally established, the two security agents took a breath and began explaining the government's position.
"The government is seriously considering cooperation with this tower."
"Yes! The government wishes to establish a formal contract regarding the distribution rights of holy water from the tower, and we've been instructed to convey that we're willing to accommodate your conditions as much as possible! Therefore, we'd like to arrange an official meeting date—"
"Our government is always working hard for citizens in various ways—"
The boring content of delivering the government's intentions continued.
After listening for a few minutes, Rukki suddenly leaned close to Tricia's ear.
She whispered something in a voice no one else could hear...
Then, both raised their heads simultaneously.
With their eyes narrowing and lips curving into an ominous... wicked smile.
"...I've heard there's a food called jajangmyeon on Earth."
Tricia started speaking casually with a suspicious expression.
"I hear they sell it at places called Chinese restaurants?"
"...Pardon?"
Both security agents were confused by the sudden change of topic.
Then Rukki continued:
"Really? Then you should go to a Chinese restaurant and buy us jajangmyeon! Hurry up and get it!"
"...Excuse me? For now, we should proceed with negotiations related to the meeting... mmph?!"
As Lee Won-cheong tried to say they should proceed with negotiations first, Kim Ha-cheong panicked and covered his mouth.
But words once spoken couldn't be taken back, like spilled water.
Tricia, who had suddenly wiped away her smile and turned serious, rested her chin on her hand and said with slight boredom:
"...Ah~ I'm tired of listening... Should we postpone the meeting date by about a hundred years?"
"..."
"In a hundred years, all your government officials will have changed, right? I just won't sell any holy water until then~"
A... a hundred years?
Agent Kim Ha-cheong felt like he might stop breathing from the shock of hearing those words.
The negotiations had fallen apart! That's what he must have thought.
However, agent Lee Won-cheong beside him had a different reaction.
He interpreted the situation from a completely different angle.
This is a threat.
He forcibly removed Kim Ha-cheong's hand and said in a low, firm voice:
"...Are you... threatening the government right now?"
Lee Won-cheong strongly believed in the authority and control of the new government that had been reorganized after the tower appeared.
He believed that even against the [Tower Administrator], the government could handle the situation if they made a decision.
At this, Rukki's expression changed.
Looking at them with eyes that completely looked down on them, she smiled coldly.
With a single gesture from her, a waiting Maid immediately rushed over.
"Maid."
"Yes!"
"Play the 10th floor recording."
"Right away!"
The Maid immediately took out a crystal ball containing the 10th floor recording and played the video in mid-air.
In the image floating in the air, Climber ranked 35th, Park Do-yoon, appeared.
And in front of him—
"KIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!"
A terrible monster that could not possibly be conceptualized by human imagination appeared.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH-!!!!!"
Kim Ha-cheong, suffering extreme psychological shock, instinctively fell backward screaming, and even Lee Won-cheong froze completely upon seeing it.
What they saw wasn't just a simple monster.
It was something beyond the scope of human understanding.
Rukki began giggling at their reactions.
Tricia was also trying to maintain an expressionless face outwardly, but inside she was bursting with laughter.
The crystal ball's recording continued.
In the video, Park Do-yoon was fighting for his life, but none of his attacks worked against the monster.
There was a brief moment where he landed an effective hit, but—the damage recovered in just a few seconds.
Finally, the video ended with Park Do-yoon being utterly defeated.
Silence fell across the entire lobby.
Neither Kim Ha-cheong nor Lee Won-cheong,
Nor the many Climbers waiting inside.
No one dared to speak.
After endless silence, Rukki stood up and said to Lee Won-cheong:
"You know, wouldn't it be super~ fun if we released that thing outside the tower?"
"......?!"
"Hm? Wouldn't it be totally fun? Doesn't it make you crazy with excitement?"
In Lee Won-cheong's mind, a horrific scene of that monster appearing in downtown Seoul flashed.
The capital in complete collapse, children screaming, Climbers dying helplessly trying to protect them...
He couldn't say another word.
...In reality, neither Rukki nor Tricia had any means to take that thing outside the tower yet, but the other side didn't know that, did they?
Judging that she had instilled enough fear, Tricia looked at Kim Ha-cheong, who was sitting on the floor trembling, and commanded:
"You there."
"Eek, y-yes!!"
"Right now, find the most delicious Chinese restaurant around here. Order one of everything on the menu and bring it here."
"I'll bring it right away———!!!"
As soon as those words ended, Kim Ha-cheong shot out of the tower faster than anyone.
And Lee Won-cheong, who was awkwardly left alone, barely collected himself and hurriedly ran out of the tower after Kim Ha-cheong.
Finally, the government Climbers who had entered in case of emergency...
"Everyone standing there, buy five colas each, the largest size."
"—Yes! Understood!!!"
As soon as Tricia's order fell, they all rushed out of the tower.
---
Outside the tower, at the temporarily established government support headquarters.
In that place filled with communication equipment and laptops, the staff were waiting for the two agents who had entered the tower.
"They must be negotiating with the administrator by now, right? Will they succeed?"
"They must succeed, we're at a historic moment right now."
Amid the tension between them.
"Make way! Move! Everyone move aside!"
—Someone rushed out of the tower with hurried footsteps.
A frantic expression, disheveled suit, loosened tie.
It was government security agent Kim Ha-cheong.
"Mr. Kim Ha-cheong?! What on earth—"
"Chinese restaurant! Find the best Chinese restaurant around here!!! Order everything on the menu!!! As fast as possible!!!"
"...What?"
Everyone was confused by the completely unexpected words that came out of his mouth.
"Jajangmyeon!!! If we don't bring jajangmyeon, we're all going to die!!!"
"No, what nonsense is this! Have you gone mad?!"
Just as the government personnel were about to restrain the real-time freaking out Kim Ha-cheong, Lee Won-cheong, who had rushed out belatedly, caught his breath and added:
"Let me explain. The Tower Administrator's side is currently putting the meeting on hold and has demanded that we bring them the entire menu from a Chinese restaurant, including jajangmyeon. If we fail to properly meet this demand, there's a possibility that more than half of Seoul could disappear..."
"...Have you all gone collectively insane? Or were you subjected to some mental attack?"
At that moment, government Climbers poured out like a tide.
"Where's the nearest supermarket!!!"
"Let's clean out all the convenience stores too!!!"
"Just in case, let's go to McDonald's and take their cola machine!!!"
"Don't do that, it won't work inside the tower!!!"
Seeing this scene, the government field commander said:
"This is a complete mess."
