The atmosphere was as chilling as the biting wind. Though Lord Jorge had given his word, we knew nothing about him.
"... Guarantees are just words. On what basis should we trust you?"
The burly man with the rugged look shrugged.
"We may share the common title of 'players' and have a mutual goal, but we're meeting you for the first time. What trust exists between us?"
"Trust is something you build over time," replied Lord Jorge nonchalantly, then signaled in the direction of the fortress.
"Thomas!"
"Yes, my Lord!"
Following Jorge's signal, men dressed in cold-weather gear marched out of the fortress in a disciplined manner. They carried thick logs on their shoulders, likely from the 'room filled with materials' William Smith had mentioned.
"I have a good eye for people. Earlier, you mentioned 'players'? You all... are powerful. At first, I mistook you for a group of mercenaries given your strength," Jorge remarked, waiting for the man named Thomas to arrive before continuing.
"But remember, didn't you all talk about reinforcing the walls and fortifying the gates?"
"... Yes, we did."
"Do any of you know how to do that? Or has anyone lived in a fortress? I've lived in one all my life."
None of us had.
Sure, among the hundred gathered, there might be one or two with some experience. But the majority didn't know. They just assumed that blocking the gates with heavy objects and replacing old stones with ones found nearby would suffice.
Observing our reactions, Lord Jorge gave a slight nod.
"My territory, Lord Jorge's domain, is located in the mountains. The land wasn't suitable for farming and geographically it wasn't favorable. Fortunately, we had a large iron mine, which took care of our needs."
Thud!
A heavy wooden plank was placed in front of us.
"Though mining is a dangerous job that usually employs slaves... where there is iron, there are blacksmiths, mostly selling weapons. The forest is so dense that some become carpenters."
The workers carrying the planks had broad shoulders and thick arms, comparable to the players whose bodies had been enhanced by the status window.
"So... we'll handle the fortifications, and you all can search the fortress. Isn't that sufficient help?"
It... was. The sturdy arms of the workers were more reassuring than any words.
But there was still a lingering issue.
"But... what happens if monsters appear?" the woman with the protruding chin challenged, narrowing her eyes.
"We might be better at fortifying the walls, but what if monsters come from outside? Or what if they appear inside the fortress? Are we expected to risk our lives for you?"
Lord Jorge's expression stiffened slightly.
"... Among those who came here with me, about 10 are soldiers. Thomas here is a knight. But... yes, we might not be of much help to you all."
He looked briefly at his people in the fortress before addressing the players again.
"We'll take care of our own safety. If we're in danger, you don't need to help. We can even divide the areas and operate separately. Just let us use the fortress. That's the entirety of my 'cooperation' condition."
"If we end up sharing the fortress, there might be situations where we would inevitably have to assist you..."
"Whoa, whoa. Calm down."
I tried to calm the woman while signaling Lord Jorge with my eyes.
"We'll discuss it among ourselves and get back to you. Let's meet in the room next to the stairs later."
"Alright then. Thomas! Move the planks near the main gate!"
"Yes, my Lord!"
After Lord Jorge and his party retreated into the fortress,
"Can you pass me a sword?"
"Uh, yeah, sure."
I took a sword from a nearby man and took a few practice swings in the air.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!" The intimidating sound of a strike echoed, but I was not satisfied. The thick gloves had prevented the full force from being transferred.
"Whoa, whoa..."
"What was that just..."
However, it seemed that most of the players didn't think the same way; their expressions changed, reflecting a hint of awe mixed with a subtle fear. My 'Awe' trait had been activated as intended.
- Awe [A]
- Pay homage to your greatness. Fear what cannot be understood.
- You can use the traits of those under the effect of 'Awe' once, in a degraded version.
- Lee Jung-hyun: Roar (B-) >>> Shout (E-)
- Kim Ji-hoon: Smash (C) >>> Strike (F-)
- Yoon Min-soo: Leap (D-) >>> Jump (FF)
A series of messages appeared before my eyes.
Come to think of it, my 'Awe' trait had evolved. Initially, I activated it just to steer the meeting in the direction I wanted, but it inadvertently became a test for the evolved trait.
But the trait grades... E? F? These grades basically meant the trait was useless. Unless it was a special case like Dok Su-hee, it had little practical use.
Looking away from the message window, I spoke to the players.
"I believe there are pros and cons to cooperating with Lord Jorge. We can't fully trust them just yet."
"But, why..."
I didn't answer but instead gestured towards the wooden materials next to the fortress gate.
"Why do you think these are here?"
"We can understand the presence of weapons in the fortress. It means we might have to use them. It's also understandable to have food. We need to eat to survive. But why the cold-weather gear and the wooden materials? We've been wearing cold-weather gear since we were summoned to the 4th floor. We don't need more.
And the wooden materials? Few, if any, know how to use them. They aren't that essential.
At the same time, there are otherworldly beings capable of using what's given efficiently.
Could it be that the tower gave these to us just for the sake of it?
Initially, I think using these otherworldly beings is part of the 4th floor challenge. That's my belief."
It makes no sense for the residents to be summoned here without reason. If the summoned were old, frail, women, or children, the tower's challenge might have been 'Can you survive while protecting them?'
But that's not the case. They are closely knit around Lord Jorge and are competent. They're not to be protected but to be utilized.
"Could it be that to survive the 4th floor, we need to mobilize everyone, including the residents? I believe we should cooperate with Lord Jorge. Any objections?"
There were none Thus, I had no intention of getting close to anyone on the 4th floor. My goal was to maintain a proper distance and clear the 4th floor.
"Alright, then we should discuss the specifics. How are we thinking of guarding the walls? We can handle it, but..."
"The players will take care of it. Given our different physical abilities, our range of sight will differ."
"Good. Then, let's discuss the wall repairs next."
"Since the majority of the residents are blacksmiths, as you mentioned, I'd like to request weapon repairs from them."
"I'd also like to discuss what to do in case of any disputes between the players and the residents."
Lord Jorge and I discussed various possible scenarios and established a few rules. After exchanging opinions for about 30 minutes...
Flicker.
Either the oil ran out or the wind blew it out, but the torch on the wall went out. Since there was no window in the room, darkness naturally descended.
"Oh, sorry about that... Just give me a moment."
However, shortly after...
Whooosh.
A glowing orb appeared in Lord Jorge's palm, illuminating the room brightly.
"...Magic?"
"Ah, I'm a 3rd-tier magician. I didn't mention it since it's not a particularly helpful skill, but I hope you don't find it unpleasant."
My mind raced faster than it had since entering the 4th floor.
A magician. Someone who can manipulate mana.
"Lord Jorge."
2nd floor. Lord Rihit.
Flash Bow.
An S-rank trait that's dormant in my status window because I don't know how to handle mana.
"Let's make... a single deal."
Though I had no intention of getting close to anyone on the 4th floor, there always seemed to be exceptions.