Juhyeok issued 12 Residency Rights cards using 12 kg of top-grade Magic Stones.

Eleven cards were for the Cataloged summoned entities—including Blood Wolf—and the defector Diamat, with one spare card remaining.

The funny thing was that they were physical cards.

Rigid plastic, just like credit cards.

Worried they might get lost, he even stopped by a dollar store near his place and bought employee ID lanyard holders so they could be worn around the neck.

At last, he could grant Residency Rights.

Once granted, they should register properly.

He gathered all the summoned entities who had been resting here and there.

“Everyone, attention! I’ve got something to hand out to all of you.”

“B-badges, my lord? Has my artistic soul finally been recognized through the Beijing Explosion short film?”

“That’s later... and RSR folks, try to hold back a little, alright? The SSR folks need badges too for skill upgrades.”

“...Yes, my lord.”

Juhyeok pulled a card from his inventory.

“Ta-da. This is it.”

The summoned entities’ eyes widened.

“Whoa, a corporate card? Can we just swipe it however we want?”

“It’s not a corporate card. It’s Residency Rights.”

Residency Rights?

Quick-witted Gyeon Dallae raised her hand first.

“Young master, by Residency Rights... you don’t mean the White Tower—”

“Yes. Residency Rights for White Tower Floor 17.”

“Ah!”

“Huh?”

“Wow!”

The summoned entities’ faces lit up with anticipation.

Until now, they had only heard about it.

They had heard that Lord Bong the Summoner had built communication towers, power plants, housing complexes, and roads there, yet no one could enter.

They had been incredibly curious.

Even souls from the other world knew nothing about the White Tower’s existence.

A complete mystery.

An unknown world.

And now—Residency Rights for that place?

How could they resist?

“Line up. I’ll hand them out one by one.”

A crowd surged forward.

SPOT!

Fast as lightning, Cossack was standing at the very front.

“I’m first, my lord. I’m a founding contributor, ain’t I?”

At that, Gyeon Dallae snapped sharply,

“Sir Cossack! Do you know no shame? Have you no manners? In a land of Eastern etiquette, how dare you behave so brazenly? Yield to Lord Mad Demon!”

“I’m from the land of Eastern etiquette too!”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk—nothing but a loud mouth...”

At that moment, Mad Demon shoved Cossack aside and stepped forward.

“Hmph, cutting in line.”

“My snack-disengagement time has only minutes left. Yield.”

“...Mm.”

Cossack’s eyes darted around.

ZIIING! A crescent-shaped sword aura brimming with destructive force floated above Mad Demon’s hand.

What choice did he have?

“O-okay, just this once.”

“A wise decision.”

Mad Demon’s time really was almost up.

Among the summoned entities, Mad Demon and Mari had the shortest manifestation durations.

They could be automatically unsummoned at any moment.

They had to go first.

Juhyeok placed the Residency Rights card into the ID holder and personally hung it around Mad Demon’s neck.

“Lord Mad Demon, congratulations on becoming a resident of White Tower Floor 17.”

“Hahaha, my thanks.”

At that moment—

BZZZ! BZZZ! BZZZ!

The card vibrated inside the holder.

Then—

SSSK, SSSK.

Letters engraved themselves onto the back of the card.

In Korean, of course.

— White Tower Resident: Mad Demon —

“Oh! Fascinating. It’s like an ID card.”

And then—

Ding!

A message appeared.

[Achievement: First to grant Residency Rights.]

“...Another achievement?”

Is the White Tower an achievement pit?

Achievements breeding more achievements.

[Achievement reward granted.]

[Reward: A subcategory has been added to the Residency Rights menu.]

A subcategory had been added.

“I’ll check it later.”

Next was Mari.

Juhyeok hurried to the room where the shut-in alchemist was.

“Here’s your Residency Rights card.”

He opened the door just a crack and slid it inside.

SSSHT!

A pale white hand reached out and took the card.

At that exact moment—

SPOT!

[Mad Demon has been unsummoned.]

Mad Demon was unsummoned as his time ran out.

Then, through the crack in the door—

SPOT!

[Aliamari has been unsummoned.]

Mari also returned to the other world.

They could both be resummoned after three hours.

“Now we can take our time.”

With some room freed up in the simultaneous summon limit, it was time to summon Blood Wolf too—

His soul companion, Rajix.

But would Blood Wolf qualify as a resident?

Probably.

The condition was simply “a being with a soul.”

“Blood Wolf, Designated Summon!”

SPOT!

“WAAH!”

“Woof woof!”

Rajix cheered as he welcomed Blood Wolf.

Blood Wolf wagged its tail like a pinwheel and enthusiastically licked Rajix’s face.

Meanwhile, the summoned entities had already lined up again.

There was no need to rush anymore—the remaining manifestation times were all at least an hour.

“Hmm, who should I start with?”

He needed to see how the residency system actually worked.

So—

“...Princess?”

“You called for this maiden, young master?”

“I’ll put it on you first.”

Ignoring Cossack’s grumbling about being skipped again, Juhyeok hung the Residency Rights card holder around Gyeon Dallae’s neck.

BZZZ! BZZZ! BZZZ!

SSSK, SSSK.

Letters engraved themselves.

— White Tower Resident: Gyeon Dallae —

Third resident registered.

“Now that you’re a resident, try entering the White Tower.”

“Mm... how should I do that?”

“Nothing popping into your head? Like instructions on how to use the card?”

“Nothing at all.”

Then—

“Try saying it out loud. ‘Enter White Tower Floor 17.’”

Just like entering the Black Tower.

“This maiden shall try. White Tower Floor 17, enter!”

Nothing happened.

Maybe a different phrasing?

“Enter! White Tower Floor 17! Enter the White Tower! Floor 17! White Tower—”

No. None of it worked.

“Phew...”

What’s the system doing?

At least tell us how to enter.

“In this maiden’s humble opinion, perhaps if you enter first, young master, this maiden may follow behind you?”

That made sense.

The Black Tower worked like that too.

“Tsk. What a hassle. If it grants Residency Rights, it should at least allow free entry and exit.”

“Alright. Let’s go in together.”

Juhyeok muttered quietly,

“Enter White Tower Floor 17.”

SPOT!

[Entering White Tower Floor 17.]

He entered.

But—

He was alone.

Gyeon Dallae had not followed.

Had she not been registered properly?

Juhyeok opened the menu and tapped [Resident List].

[Current residents: 3]

[List: Mad Demon / Aliamari / Gyeondallae]

All three were registered.

Then why couldn’t she enter?

“Do I have to summon them inside Floor 17?”

That was when—

“Summoner.”

“Ah—shit! You scared me!”

Juhyeok jumped when someone suddenly spoke and laid a hand on his shoulder.

This place was supposed to be empty—

“...Lord Mad Demon?”

“Yes. It is I.”

Why was he here?

“W-weren’t you unsummoned?”

“Indeed. I thought I would return to the Infinite Prison, the world of souls, but instead I was moved here. I could not leave either, so I was quite bewildered.”

Unsummoned, yet here.

“And this place... is it truly White Tower Floor 17?” 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

“Yes... where’s Mari?”

“She is over there.”

Mari was crouched in a corner of the residential district.

She had not returned to the other world either.

What was going on?

Gyeon Dallae couldn’t enter, but these two were here?

Could it be that unsummoning interacted with entry to Floor 17?

“...Don’t tell me.”

To confirm it, Juhyeok immediately exited White Tower Floor 17.

SPOT!

“You’re back!”

“You went in alone!”

“This maiden did not follow.”

“Isn’t this a scam?”

“The despicable administrators’ trickery—”

He calmed the crowd, then—

“Unsummon Gyeon Dallae.”

SPOT!

Gyeon Dallae vanished.

Then he re-entered Floor 17.

“...Y-young master, what is the meaning of this—”

Gyeon Dallae was there.

Now it was clear.

“Your home has changed. From the Infinite Prison to White Tower Floor 17.”

“...What?”

“Huh...”

That was it.

They were summoned entities.

Their original dwelling was the other world—the Infinite Prison, the world of souls.

But they had received Residency Rights.

Now they had a home: White Tower Floor 17.

So—

They had moved.

Their souls themselves had relocated.

From the Infinite Prison to White Tower Floor 17.

In other words, their address had been changed.

“I understand now. So that is how it works. Huh... then I truly can no longer return to that place.”

“...Are you disappointed?”

“Not in the slightest! Disappointed? This is no different from soul liberation.”

Mad Demon’s face flushed red with exhilaration.

“Summoner, do you realize how monumental this is?”

“W-well... not really.”

“You have saved this old man. From that dreadful world—from that prison where I did not wish to remain even for a single hour—I have finally escaped. Hahahahaha!”

Mad Demon laughed heartily, then seized Juhyeok’s hand.

“What would have become of me had I not met you? Thank you. Truly, thank you. Please accept this old man’s bow.”

He dropped flat and bowed deeply.

“Oh—please, get up.”

In a way, it made sense.

A world of souls where all five senses were sealed—

It must have been unimaginably painful.

But now he no longer had to go back.

Gyeon Dallae looked just as overjoyed.

She bowed again and again, as if she might take flight.

“Young master’s grace is as vast as the sea. This maiden shall engrave it upon her heart for all her days. ...Such a boundless favor—I scarcely know where to place myself. Thank you. My deepest thanks. I am overwhelmed.”

Good grief.

Why are they all making such a production out of it?

Mari had to be happy too.

Though she still refused to show her face, the trembling of her back conveyed her joy perfectly.

In any case, now that he understood the situation, it was time to explain it to the others.

SPOT!

He stepped back outside and explained what Residency Rights truly meant.

“...W-what? Did I hear that wrong?”

“S-Senior Officer Veronica Caliber, surely I misheard.”

“I... I still don’t quite understand.”

“M-my lord! It is simply too overwhelming to grasp.”

“M-master? Master? Please explain it again, slowly...”

After a detailed explanation, realization finally dawned.

“R-really?”

“...Uh...”

“Aaaah.”

“Then we don’t have to go back?”

“My goodness!”

The summoned entities all knew the Summoner would not lie.

But the truth was so staggering that they were left stunned.

We don’t have to return?

A permanent farewell to the accursed Infinite Prison?

Their emotions surged.

“Summoner-nim, huu—”

“I... I don’t know how to express what is in my heart.”

“D-don’t cry—hem, hem.”

“Commander, v-victory!”

“WAAAH—”

A sea of tears.

Not tears of sorrow, but tears of overwhelming joy.

Hey—why are they crying?

“...Line up. I’ll grant Residency Rights. Mr. Cossack? Our Minister of the People’s Armed Forces—come on over.”

But—

“Hmm.”

Cossack hesitated, shuffling his feet.

What was he up to now?

“U-um, Lord Bong the Summoner.”

“Yes?”

“Could we... postpone mine until later?”

“Later when?”

“Until after I get unsummoned and go back to the Infinite Prison once.”

“...”

“...?”

Huh?

He wants to go back there?

Even though he doesn’t have to?

“If you take it now, you can never go back.”

“That’s right.”

“The souls over there won’t even know we moved to White Tower Floor 17.”

“So?”

“I won’t be able to brag. Even if I’m leaving for good, I gotta go back once and brag about the address change.”

Cossack grinned.

“T-bagging is mandatory. Once I say it, the whole soul world’s gonna go berserk. I can already see it.”

T-bagging.

Not just bragging, but provocation and humiliation.

— I’m moving out.

— This trash neighborhood? I’m never coming back.

The souls who heard it would go insane with envy.

And rage.

Cossack intended to savor every last bit of it.

Wow. What an evil bastard.

But for Cossack, this was perfectly natural.

If he passed up a chance like this, he wouldn’t be Cossack.

Fine. Let him have his way.

It wasn’t difficult.

“Alright. I’ll give you yours next time you’re summoned. What about the rest of you?”

Silence.

No one raised a hand.

...What?

“Don’t tell me—you all want yours next time?”

Nod. Nod.

“You want to brag?”

Nod. Nod.

...

Figures.

“Alright. Unsummoning everyone.”

SPOT! SPOT! SPOT! SPOT!

Go brag your hearts out and come back.

In any case, the reward was far greater than expected.

Now the summoned entities could wait comfortably in a space nearly identical to Earth.

But one question remained.

What about ordinary people?

Would they fully relocate too?

A forced address change?

“That would be bad.”

There was no easy way to test it.

For now, he should not let ordinary people become residents.

They might end up trapped on Floor 17.

Juhyeok re-entered White Tower Floor 17.

SPOT!

Gyeon Dallae and Mad Demon were wandering around in amazement, taking in the place.

Mari seemed to be inside one of the houses.

It felt good.

Now they could be together at any time.

Nothing else had really changed.

Only the waiting room had.

When summoned by Juhyeok, they would raid the Black Tower or spend time in the real world.

When unsummoned or when their manifestation time ended, they would return to Floor 17 to rest.

Thus, the summoned entities’ physical existence continued—

So long as they remained with him.

“I should make this place even more comfortable.”

There was much to do.

To further develop Floor 17, he would need more high-grade Magic Stones.

Oh—right.

What about the menu added as an achievement reward?

He tapped to check.

<Expulsion>

Revokes a registered resident’s status and expels them from the White Tower.

...

If expulsion was possible—

Then experiments involving ordinary people might also be possible.

*****

Once, there had been an «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» incident that shook the Infinite Prison—the world of souls.

A massive protest against the administrators’ overreach and their manipulation of probability.

But it fizzled out.

It boiled over and then cooled just as fast.

Complaining changed nothing.

All the souls could do was hope that the Earth Summoner would soon obtain a Catalog Expansion Ticket and restart random summoning.

Then—

『Greetings. Have you all been well?』

An assassin.

Recently promoted to legendary rank after winning the Summoner’s love and trust.

『Regrettably, I have come to bid you my final farewell.』

A farewell?

Had something happened on Earth again?

『You know the White Tower, yes? I asked before, and all of you said you had never heard of it. But now its true nature has been revealed. What kind of place it is—』

He explained.

White Tower allotments, Residency Rights, and how, upon unsummoning, they would wait there instead of in the world of souls.

They had moved.

Changed addresses.

Shocking words—

Almost impossible to believe.

「I-is it really true?」

『Affirmative! We are leaving the Infinite Prison—the world of souls—completely.』

Voices chimed in.

「Victory! Senior Officer Veronica Caliber has received permanent transfer orders. Duration: forever. Farewell, everyone. I am off.」

『A summoned entity truly must meet a good lord. My lord has become my new god.』

「The same goes for warriors.」

「If I had never been summoned... ugh, just imagining it is terrifying.」

...

『Lucky me. I caught the last train.』

『Defecting truly was the move of the gods.』

「WAAAH!」

『Woof woof!』

The t-bagging began.

『Do not worry, everyone. Once random summoning resumes, it will be prison-break time.』

「Without a Catalog Expansion Ticket, will random summoning even happen?」

『Ah—right. It won’t.』

「Tsk. No summoning, no Residency Rights.」

『What is the use of a high rank if you cannot leave this place?』

『In any case, take care. I do not know whether we shall ever meet again.』

『Bye!』

『WAAH!』

Silence fell over the souls.

Shock, disbelief, despair, anxiety, sorrow, frustration—

Their emotions churned, then exploded all at once.

『You fucking bastards!!!』

『Sons of bitches!』

『If I get out, Assassin, you’re the first one I kill!』

『Aaaaaargh!』

『Kyaaah!』

『Why me? Why am I—why meeee!』

「Let me out! Let me out or I’ll kill everyone!!!」

『Daaamniiiit!!!』

『Let’s all die. What’s the point of living in this shithole?』

『Cursed life—I can’t do anything right!!!』

Pandemonium.

Still, as though clinging to one last thread of hope—

「Now, now. Let us stay strong. One day we too will be summoned. I shall shout “Heave!” and all of you shall shout “Ho!” and together we shall pull ourselves upward.」

『Heave!』

『Ho!』

『Heave!』

『Fuck that! Heave-ho my ass—we’re done for! No Catalog Expansion Ticket!』

『Done for? Do not be weak! Together—Heave!!!』

『Ho!!!』

『Heave!!!』

『Ho!!!』

『Heave!!!』

The souls’ collapse was fiercer than ever before—

So fierce that it tore through the barrier of the Infinite Prison and surged up into the heavens.

And at last—

It reached something.