HG Fashion CEO Goyeonha arrived at the Tower Player Awakening Administration right on time for the meeting.

With a temporary visitor badge hanging from her neck, she followed a staff member’s guidance into the main conference room.

“BEEP!”

‘Um...’

Should I go in or not?

Inside the conference room were two people.

Three total if she counted herself.

Judging by their name tags, one was Ilseong Apparel, and the other was Daehyeon Trading.

They weren’t presidents or CEOs.

If they were, she would’ve recognized them at a glance.

They were probably executives.

Which meant she was the only CEO here.

‘...Did I come for nothing?’

Awkward.

This looked kind of ridiculous.

As Goyeonha stepped in, the two people stood up in a half-stumble and greeted her.

“C-CEO, n-nice to meet you for the first time. I’m Executive Director Kim Seokjin ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) from Ilseong Apparel.”

“Hi. I’m Goyeonha. I guess CEO Jeong is busy?”

“He’s currently in New York to attend a fashion show.”

“Ah.”

One of them was overseas.

Well, fashion shows were important.

“I’ll introduce myself. I’m Managing Director Yang Sejun from Daehyeon Trading.”

“Hello, Managing Director Yang. I’m Goyeonha.”

She didn’t ask where Daehyeon Trading’s boss was.

That guy was always running around, too.

Usually to goof off somewhere, but still.

In the end, the person with the most free time was her.

A fashion-company CEO with a schedule loose enough to show up the moment a government office called.

At least with an executive director and a managing director, it filled out the roster.

They weren’t the final decision-makers, but they were high enough to report immediately to their bosses if something unexpected happened.

The vibe got even more awkward.

No one was the first to open their mouth.

‘Should I make this into a “busy schedule” and bail?’

All kinds of thoughts crossed her mind.

And then, right at that moment—

KNOCK KNOCK.

Someone knocked on the conference room door and came in.

“Whew—sorry I’m late.”

Huh?

The Deputy Commissioner came in person?

Everyone sprang to their feet and bowed.

Goyeonha did the same.

You couldn’t look down on “just a public servant” and get away with it.

Jeon Gwangil—the real power inside the Tower Player Awakening Administration.

The man who drafted the Elite Climbing Team player project and raised the Republic of Korea into a leading nation in Tower-clearing strategy.

As a result, Korea’s cleared floor count had tied the United States.

Nam Gaeun had appeared to fill the void left by the naturalized Yoo Cheolmin and settled in as a star Player.

And that wasn’t all.

There were rumors that he was the one who brought in the holy sword.

Some even speculated he knew the Republic of Korea’s S++-rank clear record holder personally.

A figure almost guaranteed to become the next Commissioner—someone who could go toe-to-toe even with a chaebol chairman.

No, even a chaebol chairman would probably have a hard time getting a meeting with him.

And Jeon Gwangil, newly appointed Deputy Commissioner, had shown up in the conference room himself.

Just that alone made the attendance worth it.

‘Mm. Maybe coming really was the right call.’

Jeon Gwangil’s expression turned awkward.

“Um... I’m going to have to say something I’m sorry about. I’m afraid the Ilseong Apparel and Daehyeon Trading representatives will have to come back another time.”

Kim Seokjin and Yang Sejun stared at him, confused.

“When I sent the official letter, I asked that the CEO attend. There was a reason for that.”

Then—

“There’s no problem. I can contact our CEO in real time from here.”

“Same for me. Our CEO told me to call immediately if anything came up...”

Jeon Gwangil sighed, looking regretful.

“I’m truly sorry. That’s the internal policy we decided on. I apologize, but I’ll be speaking only with CEO Goyeonha. Then...”

His tone was polite, but the content was firm.

Kim Seokjin and Yang Sejun had no choice but to gather their belongings and leave.

And just like that, only two remained in the conference room.

Goyeonha smiled brightly.

“Did I get lucky, Deputy Commissioner?”

“Hm... I can’t give you a definite answer yet.”

“I hope it’s luck. I brought something, too.”

“Something?”

Goyeonha took a binder out of her bag and handed it to Jeon Gwangil.

When he opened it, it was design drafts.

There were photos, too.

A model styled with Nam Gaeun as the motif—wearing leather armor stamped with the brand name Wildflower and holding a holy sword.

Not only female models, but male models as well.

Of course, the armor was a replica. The holy sword was a replica.

“What do you think? Our lead designer put days into these drafts.”

“Ah...”

“Please take a look.”

It was abrupt.

Who walks in and suddenly shoves design drafts at you?

But they were pretty.

If armor was made like this, it would sell well in the Player Shop.

“I’ll review them. And CEO Go—if you’re okay with it, come with me somewhere.”

“Yes.”

The two walked out of the Administration building.

They headed toward a secluded area behind the building.

And soon, they arrived.

A steel door where armed police stood guard in a tight perimeter.

“This is...”

“The materials warehouse. We store the materials and items we purchase from Players here.”

“Ah.”

At Jeon Gwangil’s glance, one of the guards brought over two thick long padded coats.

“Put these on. We’re running the cooling system, so it’ll be very cold.”

The steel door opened, and the two went inside.

It was dark.

She couldn’t see an inch in front of her.

And just like he’d said, it was freezing.

If she hadn’t put the coat on, what would she have done?

“I’ll turn on the lights. Please don’t be startled.”

“Ah... y-yes.”

CLICK! The lights came on.

It stung her eyes a little.

So she closed them briefly, then opened them—

What?

On the floor were pitch-black monster-like things... monsters? Monsters, monsters?

“AAAHHHHH!”

Goyeonha screamed and stumbled back.

“Calm down. CEO, that’s all leather. Whole hides. Look closely.”

“...Huh? L-leather? A-an animal? Um... a lizard? An alligator?”

“Similar. Except for the part where it came from the Tower.”

What was he saying?

The Tower?

“This one is an Ironclad Basilisk. This is an Iron-Jaw Basilisk. And those are Long-Tail Basilisks.”

“Basil...isk?”

Honestly, Goyeonha didn’t know much about what monsters showed up in the Tower.

But she did know the names wyvern and basilisk.

Wyvern, evaluated as the best leather.

Basilisk, a lower rank, but in some aspects said not to fall behind wyvern.

But why was this here?

It felt like a prop from a monster movie.

“Is this... real basilisk leather?”

“Yes. We’ve secured a total of thirty-six hides and have them stored. What you’re looking at now is thirty-four of them.”

A man at the level of Deputy Commissioner wouldn’t do something like this just to scare her.

Only then did she work up the courage to inch closer.

They really were whole hides.

Even the head leather had been peeled off intact.

“We’re planning to supply these hides to the private sector. Not just for armor—people can use them in everyday life as well.”

“S-supply... you mean you’re allowing Tower materials to go to civilian companies?”

“Yes.”

Insane.

“And the recipient is our HG Fashion?”

“As you can see, that’s how it turned out.”

“Mm...”

Tower materials—monster leather—was extremely expensive and rare.

Which meant the limits were obvious.

That was why it had never been commercialized until now.

“What about volume? If this is all there is, commercialization might be difficult.”

“Steady, ongoing supply is possible. We’ll have to negotiate the supply price, though.”

“Ah!”

“It might end up circulating as much as alligator leather.”

Ongoing supply was possible?

Like alligator leather?

If they processed those hides properly and made bags and wallets—

Clothes, shoes, hats, gloves, keychains, phone cases...

There was nothing they couldn’t make.

They could make everything out of leather, or blend it with other materials.

‘And stamp the Wildflower brand on it.’

Oh my god.

Just imagining it sent a shiver through her body.

She realized it again.

She really had come at exactly the right time.

If she’d sent someone in her place like Ilseong or Daehyeon, she might’ve regretted it until the day she died.

No—she had to look closer.

Goyeonha walked right up to it.

And then she saw patterns that couldn’t be found in ordinary wild animals.

It felt completely different from so-called premium alligator leather.

It was incomparably more beautiful, more luxurious, more unique.

There were three colors: black, dark brown, and deep gray.

Her mind spun rapidly.

If Jeon Gwangil was right, commercialization was possible.

Then—suddenly, a thought hit her.

“Deputy Commissioner.”

“Yes.”

“You said you secured thirty-six hides.”

“That’s correct.”

“But there are only thirty-four in this space.”

“That’s right.”

“Then the other two are...?”

Jeon Gwangil grinned.

“Follow me.”

He led her to the opposite section beyond a wall.

And the instant she turned the corner—

Goyeonha stopped dead.

“Ahhh...”

There were exactly two.

Hides with a silver base that radiated multicolored light.

They were flashy, but not excessive.

They didn’t look cheap, and they weren’t vulgar.

The colors seemed to breathe—fading, deepening, swirling together without fully mixing, like iridescent oil paints floating on water—blending, separating, then blending again.

“Th-this is really l-leather?”

“Rainbow Basilisk. I guarantee even wyvern leather can’t compare to this.”

“Is this leather also... part of the private-sector supply?”

“Of course. It’s a bit much to make armor out of this. It’s too flashy, isn’t it?”

Her head swam.

If this hit the market, it was the kind of thing that could flip the global fashion industry on its head.

Was she getting too excited?

She forced herself to calm down.

“Since I’m the only CEO who came to the CEO meeting... HG Fashion gets the first right to purchase this leather, right?”

“That would be the case. At least for the first batch—”

“I want the second batch to be us, too.”

“That isn’t something I can decide right now, but there is a condition.”

“Anything.”

“Until HG Fashion commercializes this leather, please keep it as confidential as possible. It won’t be easy, of course.”

“I’ll try.”

Commercializing leather would take quite some time.

They couldn’t process it with existing leatherworking tools.

They would have to secure tools mixed with Tower metal first.

They would need to train technicians, and once they did, all of those people would notice this leather existed.

Well, they could have them sign confidentiality agreements.

“Then there’s only one thing left. What price are you supplying it at?”

At Goyeonha’s question, Jeon Gwangil sighed.

“Whew. That’s the hardest problem. Normally, this is the kind of leather Players receive as a Tower clear reward.”

Jeon Gwangil showed her a piece of leather about the size of a seat cushion.

“This is basilisk leather, too.”

“That’s right. But you can see the difference, yes?”

She could.

The pattern was crushed and blurred, and the sheen had faded slightly.

“We purchase it at ten million won per sheet. We make defensive gear from it and sell it to Players at cost.”

Goyeonha nodded.

Even that kind of leather was rare enough that civilians couldn’t get it easily.

When there wasn’t even enough for Players as it was.

“So I’ll need you to help me a little.”

“Help?”

“You have leather experts and craftsmen at your company, right?”

“Of course.”

Jeon Gwangil handed her two envelopes.

One envelope contained an ordinary basilisk leather sample the size of an A4 sheet.

The other contained a Rainbow Basilisk leather sample about half the size of a banknote.

“Samples.”

“Ah!”

“Discuss it with them, and set the value of the leather.”

She understood what he meant.

Not the seller setting the price—the buyer setting the price and bringing it back.

“And if I lowball it?”

“Well. Then we’d have to ask somewhere else.”

Goyeonha smiled brightly.

“Don’t worry. I have no intention of lowballing the value. If anything, I want it priced higher.”

The immediate profit wasn’t the issue.

She needed to think long-term.

“I’ll discuss it with our company experts. And don’t worry about confidentiality. I’ll make sure it doesn’t leak out—absolutely.”

“I’ll trust you.”

Jeon Gwangil was curious, too.

If it entered the civilian market...

Just how much would that leather be worth?

*****

Late evening.

Seoul, Cheongdam-dong—Arc Hill Apartments.

Juhyeok stood with an apartment management staffer in front of the penthouse-only elevator.

The deed transfer was complete.

Arc Hill Apartments now belonged to Bong Juhyeok.

The reason he came today was to sleep here for one night to celebrate that the apartment had become his property.

Security really was tight.

“To use the private elevator, you have to pass through this door with your card key. You also have to tap the card key and press the button. Without it, the door won’t even open.”

“Uh... if I lose it... what happens?”

“Report it lost to the management office. Then the lost card key will be canceled, and a new one will be issued.”

Juhyeok rode the elevator up with the staff member.

The doors opened, and the space that came into view—

Luxurious-looking tile floors, dazzling lighting, and a huge front door.

“This is the entryway. To go inside, you’ll also use the card key.”

The moment they got off, they were right at the front of the unit.

“There’s also a guidebook on the living room table, so please refer to that. If you have any questions, call anytime. Then I’ll be on my way—enjoy your time.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Juhyeok opened the door with the card key and went inside.

As he stepped carefully forward—

“Wow!”

An exclamation burst out on its own.

The word “dazzling” fit perfectly here.

Jeon Gwangil had told him they’d redone the penthouse interior from top to bottom.

Tile, wallpaper, sink, bathroom, bathtub, toilet, vanity, built-in furniture...

Anything that seemed like it might still have Yoo Cheolmin’s touch on it had been completely ripped out.

At this point, Juhyeok used Designated Summon on all summoned entities.

“ATTENTION! As Spring Summoner’s right-hand man and confidant... HNGH! W-where is this?”

Cossack had been here once.

“It’s our new home. Is it okay?”

Meatshield, Gyeon Dallae, and Rajix’s eyes also went wide.

“Ah, how lavish—so this is why it is costly indeed.”

“Wide and tall. Comfortable.”

“SQUEEEAK... it’s cool.”

Juhyeok flipped the switches and turned on all the interior lights.

“Alright, look around as much as you want.”

THUD-THUD!

The summoned entities scattered.

“L-look at the bathroom. It’s big enough to sleep in. The toilet is art. If you poop here, it’s like committing a sin.”

“Ho. There is even a small sitting room attached to the bedroom.”

“The ceiling is high. I won’t hit my head.”

The TV was so huge it felt like being in a movie theater.

The appliances also looked like they’d been replaced with new ones.

Everyone was too busy touching and testing things to think straight.

They opened all three refrigerators, admired the top-end kitchen sink, toggled the chandelier on and off—

And then, right at that moment,

Someone must have triggered it—

“BZZZT,” and the living room curtains opened on their own.

Everyone’s eyes turned that way.

Seoul’s nightscape filled the view through the huge window.

Juhyeok walked up slowly.

The Han River of Seoul, flowing calmly.

A line of car lights streaming along the road beside it.

Big and small buildings lit up floor by floor—

Ah... why was a man-made, artificial landscape this beautiful?

He couldn’t take his eyes off it.

“It is beautiful.”

“Yeah.”

Cossack and Meatshield also came to the window and stared outside.

“...This world can never be allowed to fall. I will not let it.”

“The warrior will protect it. The Summoner as well.”

“This girl will offer this one body as well.”

They stood like that for a long time.

No matter how much he looked, he didn’t get tired of it.

But what was Rajix doing?

Juhyeok turned around.

“Huh?”

Rajix was standing stiffly, locked in a standoff with something.

Trembling like they were furious.

So much that the cap on their head bobbed.

How was even the way they got angry so cute?

“HNGH!”

“WEE-ING, WING, WING!”

“SQUEEEAK!”

“WEEE-ING!”

It was a robot vacuum.

He didn’t know when it had started running, but Rajix was blocking its path.

Blocking it didn’t help.

It swerved around with its AI, cleaning the floor.

“It is an electric servant.”

“It seems our foremost servant feels rivalry toward the electric servant.”

That was definitely what it looked like.

Every time the electric servant—meaning the robot vacuum—sucked up dust, Rajix stomped their feet and got angry.

Rajix always cleaned the house personally, even if laundry and dishes got handled by the washer and dishwasher.

So that robot vacuum probably felt like a serious threat.

Like it might steal their job.

He understood.

Cossack had been like that, too.

He’d once been terrified, anxious that he might lose his job.

‘We can’t threaten our Rajix.’

Juhyeok leaned in and whispered into Meatshield’s ear.

Meatshield nodded.

Then he marched straight up to the robot vacuum—

THUD! grabbed it with both hands—

CRUNCH! CRUNCH!

And crushed it.

“SQUEAK?”

Rajix’s expression brightened instantly.

Then, from somewhere, they brought a broom and dustpan and swept up the broken robot vacuum pieces.

“SQUEEEAK....”

The electric servant was gone.

He was the only servant in that house.

Rajix looked extremely satisfied.

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