Blank Card
"This is the master's mansion? It's small and filthy."
"Small, yes, but not filthy."
I denied it and swept my hand over the shoe cabinet.
Dust piled thick on my fingers.
'Well, it is.'
I'd overlooked it.
That I'd only cleaned the visible spots.
"At this rate, it's no different from sleeping in a stable."
"Stop dissing my room. It's a precious place filled with years of memories."
An old villa's semi-basement room, about five pyeong in size.
Small and insignificant, but a meaningful place that had helped me endure my jobless, unemployed life.
"A place full of memories... So even if you get rich, you won't move out?"
"No, that's not it."
I immediately sobered up and waved my hand.
A person destined for great things looks only forward.
The moment money comes in, I'll bury the memories here and move ahead.
To a place where sunlight streams in well and no mold grows, of course—no more Ba Teacher.
"Manifest."
I stopped Seira, who was about to arm herself right away.
She's the rider who brought precious chicken.
I didn't want her turning goblin-like on me again.
Ding-dong!
After a bit more waiting, the bell rang.
The savory smell of fried chicken oil wafted in, naturally.
I opened the door and took the two well-packaged chickens.
One half fried, half seasoned—truth itself.
With familiar hand movements, I unwrapped the packaging and set the table.
"Sit there."
"No table?"
"We don't even have a low dining table—why would we have a proper one?"
I shot back, then flinched, glancing at Seira.
She'd told me to speak casually, but that just now felt too cheeky.
Fortunately, Seira seemed unfazed.
Seira sat in the spot Jin-hyuk pointed to.
Her question about the table seemed pure curiosity, not a complaint.
Seira watched Jin-hyuk settle into the seat across from her.
Then she swallowed her words.
She'd wanted to ask if there were forks and knives, but they were probably nowhere to be found.
She had that much sense.
"Like this—pick it up and eat."
Jin-hyuk grabbed a large drumstick and demonstrated.
In that instant, Seira's eyes shook violently.
Eating like that—so crude. If it were one of her subordinates, she'd have slapped his hand away on the spot.
But this man was her master. With the oath of loyalty sworn, there could only be unconditional obedience.
"Now, try it like I did."
Seira's hand, which had flinched, moved slowly.
She'd die before eating like that.
But an order was given, so she had to obey.
Like Jin-hyuk, she picked up a drumstick.
A strange shape.
Chicken dishes existed in her era too, but this preparation was new.
'Humiliating.'
To show such a breach of etiquette while eating.
Thank heavens her old subordinates weren't here to see.
Seira squeezed her eyes shut and took a bite of the drumstick.
She'd planned to at least pretend to eat, since her master had bought it.
"!?"
Her eyes snapped open at the taste.
She could say with certainty.
It was the most delicious thing she'd ever eaten in her life.
In the blink of an eye—like a frog in a hailstorm—the drumstick vanished.
After that, her hands and mouth didn't stop moving.
"This is incredible."
Jin-hyuk didn't reply, just kept at it.
Seira's eating speed was ferocious.
And somehow, she went straight for the best parts—the legs and wings—devouring them first.
It had been a while since he'd had chicken.
If he slacked, he'd be left with cold, tough scraps.
For a while, the smacking sounds filled the room.
Jin-hyuk patted his now-plump belly and leaned against the wall.
Seira, having wiped out even the last chicken nugget without a scrap left, let out a quiet sigh.
"You acted like you wouldn't eat, but you polished it off."
"A knight never leaves what her master bestows."
She spoke with worldly decorum, wiping her mouth.
"What happens when you unmanifest? Where do you go?"
Seira glanced around Jin-hyuk's room.
"To a mansion about a hundred times this size."
'Lucky her.'
"There, I saw a throne for myself."
"First time there?"
"No, it's where I stayed when I was the captain of the Black Knights."
"You weren't always there, right?"
"I was in the forest for a very long time. I was moved after meeting my master."
"Before the forest?"
Seira shook her head.
"I remember who I am and the life I've lived. But the memories before and after entering that forest are hazy."
I asked a few more things after that, but nothing particularly informative came up.
"Okay. Good work today."
Jin-hyuk stretched.
Today, on top of awakening, he'd cleared the first floor of the Tower of Despair.
Thanks to Seira, he'd figured things out and finished before he even knew what was what, but still.
The next floor could wait until tomorrow anyway, so in the meantime, he'd look up info on the Tower of Despair.
"Alright, see you tomorrow—safe travels."
"I just go back?"
"Yeah. Because..."
Jin-hyuk shrugged and pointed around the room.
"There's no bed for you."
No blankets either.
He couldn't exactly split his one blanket.
It was the cold dead of winter right now.
He'd be found frozen solid by morning.
Seira nodded and created a black rift.
Before leaving, she looked at Jin-hyuk.
"If I judge the master to be in danger, I'll manifest even without your command."
"That's way too good? Don't be late."
At the immediate acceptance, a faint smile tugged at Seira's lips.
She had no idea why she recognized this stranger as her master, but it didn't feel half bad.
Rustle.
Seira vanished into the rift. Alone now, Jin-hyuk flopped onto the bed.
After a moment, he got up and cleared the food remnants.
'Should've told her to clean up with me before going.'
Regretting it too late, Jin-hyuk also wiped away the dust scattered here and there.
The place was cramped no matter what, but at least it could be clean.
After finishing the cleaning, he turned on the computer and logged into the auction site.
He checked the market prices for items from each floor.
After the two chickens, his bank balance was down to 50,000 won.
'Should've asked if she really had to eat.'
As someone living in sub-space, Seira might not need to fill her stomach.
But he decided not to ask.
He'd read it in Seira's eyes while she ate the chicken.
That fierce longing for delicious otherworldly food.
'Eh, whatever—let her eat.'
Even with absolute obedience, he couldn't just exploit her endlessly.
He'd do his best to satisfy his employee's needs within his means.
Tap-tap-tap!
After furiously punching the calculator, Jin-hyuk leaned back in his chair.
One more mouth to feed.
He needed money.
Way more than before.
Tilting his head back, Jin-hyuk stretched.
Yesterday, it would've felt hopeless.
But not anymore.
He was a player now, and thanks to Seira, climbing the tower would be a breeze.
Tower climbing meant money.
So he had to keep going, without rest.
At least until he escaped this semi-basement.
A few days later.
[You've cleared the 5th floor of the Tower of Despair! Time elapsed: 1 second. You obtain SSS+ rank!]
'Whoa, one second.'
He clenched his fist.
It had been speeding up bit by bit, and now it clocked in at one second.
'Teamwork really is key.'
Grand as "teamwork" sounded, what Jin-hyuk did upon entering a floor was dead simple.
Step back the moment the floor's scenery unfolded. That was it.
Then Seira swung her sword in her familiar motion.
The goblin chieftain of the 5th floor was no different from the first—nothing special.
Fewer in number and bulkier, it ended even faster.
[The player Yoo Jin-hyuk's level has risen! You reach level 5!]
'My level's going up, at least.'
Maybe because the floor's difficulty was still low by comparison.
Unlike Jin-hyuk, Seira's experience bar didn't budge an inch.
It hadn't moved a single millimeter, if he was being honest.
Ding!
[The unique trait 'Blank Card' of the class Collector is unlocked! Current blank cards held: 1.]
Select one card you own to engrave a target's unique trait or unique skill onto the blank card!What gets engraved is random! Acquire 'Blank Card – True' to choose desired traits and skills!Once engraved, it cannot be erased!
'Oh?'
It couldn't have been a more welcome trait.
He'd been starting to wonder.
Was this Collector class really about hiding while manifested beings handled all the fighting?
As comfy as that sounded, Jin-hyuk wanted to shine on his own.
So he'd been diligently hunting ways to grow stronger—buying items with money or training.
'Let's check it out.'
Without delay, he tapped the blank card and selected Seira.
Various patterns spun like a slot machine pulled hard.
Click!
It stopped on an emblem of an armored knight wielding a sword.
['Basic Swordsmanship of the Black Knights' is engraved onto the blank card!]
[The corresponding swordsmanship knowledge flows into player Yoo Jin-hyuk!]
Jin-hyuk looked down at his hands.
A strange sensation.
He'd never held a sword before, yet it felt etched into his body and mind, like years of practice.
As Jin-hyuk smiled in satisfaction, Seira approached and examined her master's body.
"Convenient power."
She could tell, having wielded it her whole life.
That her master, Yoo Jin-hyuk, had awakened to the basics of swordsmanship.
But awakening was one thing.
"And far too frail."
It wasn't ready for use.
Starting from his shoulders, she pressed his arms, back, chest, thighs, and calves.
"This is hopeless."
"Pardon?"
"Have you ever even tried exercising?"
"Breathing?"
Seira's mouth fell open.
If he weren't her master, she'd have whacked him with the flat of her blade—no question.
With a deep sigh, Seira shook her head.
"We'll start with physical training. And, master."
"Yeah?"
"Why haven't you given me that chicken thing lately?"
The chicken feast had been a one-and-done on day one.
After that, he'd used whatever was in the house to make home-cooked meals.
The reason was simple.
Jin-hyuk glanced down at his phone screen.
Balance: 7,000 won.
No money for chicken.
Seira, now sidled up beside him, stared at the screen.
"Lacking resources?"
"Bingo. But my home cooking wasn't that bad, was it?"
"It wasn't bad. Just not as good as chicken."
"Fair enough."
Jin-hyuk nodded.
No matter how well he cooked, nothing topped chicken.
"No way to earn resources?"
"Not exactly."
The easiest was the mom card.
A tearful plea for allowance, and she'd send enough for the month's living expenses.
But he'd save that as a last resort.
He had a money-maker now.
He looked down at his inventory, piled high with stuff.
It was about time to visit anyway.
"Seira, unmanifest for a sec."
"Going out?"
"Yeah. Wait right here."
Jin-hyuk made the most determined face and stuck out a thumbs-up.
"Chicken for dinner tonight."
Time to pay a visit.
To the Tower's Everything Shop.
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T/N:
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