<The Southern Man's Tower Strategy 26>
The Day of Random Summon Cooldown.
Juhyuk had been active since morning.
He visited the bathhouse.
Scrubbed himself meticulously.
Nail trimming was essential.
He changed into fresh underwear.
Anything unclean was kept at a distance.
After emptying his bowels completely, he abstained from eating.
‘Didn’t Nam Ga-eun mention attempting the 63rd floor today?’
I hope it goes well.
It will go well.
Player Nam Ga-eun conquered the 63rd floor.
He was about to meet a new, worthy summon.
With an hour remaining until cooldown,
he placed freshly drawn purified water (a shamanic ritual offering) in the living room and sat reverently, praying with devotion.
Though merely filtered water, it still counted as purified, right?
Yaman Gobang and Kosak joined him.
They flanked Juhyuk, paying homage to the offering.
With summon durations exceeding seven hours, pre-summoning was permissible.
Moreover, Gobang’s duration had recently increased by an hour due to accumulated five-star ratings.
“Don’t fret. It’ll work. You think another Yaman Gobang-tier disaster will appear?”
“I like Gobang, though.”
“Huh?”
“What’s wrong with Yaman Gobang? He’s carried countless S++ floor clears.”
Gobang smirked.
“My summoner acknowledges me.”
“...Sh-Shut it, moron!”
“The assassin envies me.”
“Ridiculous! I was acknowledged way before you!”
Truthfully, he’d hoped for an LSSR (Legend Special Super Rare) but knew that was greedy.
A realistic target was SR (Super Rare).
With moderate greed, SSR (Special Super Rare) like Kosak.
Even SSR was impressive—just look at Kosak.
His pride overflowed, constantly boasting “SSR, SSR.”
“The summon’s class matters too... Preferably someone with divine affinity.”
“Agreed. The 61st floor’s distant, but preparation helps. A healer’s essential, no?”
A healer.
Now that he considered it, they truly lacked one.
The party’s uncontested aristocrat.
Gobang as tank, Kosak as DPS—adding a healer?
“Right. A healer could support even Gobang, who fights barehanded.”
“Hah? Why waste heals on Gobang? His natural regeneration’s monstrous.”
“Warriors scorn wounds.”
Not entirely false—Gobang’s regeneration bordered on trollish.
“Or Kosak?”
“Unnecessary. Bandages suffice. Kosak = bandages. I carry ribbons and bandages always. Want proof?”
“...No thanks.”
“Then why insist on a healer?”
“Only Summoner Bong needs a dedicated healer. Never squander divine power elsewhere.”
“...”
“Summon them whenever bored for heals. Real-world health trumps tower safety. Hehehe.”
If Kosak’s brain were mapped, 99% would concern his own survival—true madness.
“Ah! Time’s up.”
“N-Now’s the moment.”
The summoning commenced.
Juhyuk inhaled deeply.
Straightened his collar.
Closed his eyes.
Enunciated clearly:
“Random Summon!”
Whoooosh—!
Light coalesced.
Kosak chanted,
“Dugudugudugu—”
“Stop that.”
“Yes!”
A human silhouette emerged.
Please—even if not a healer.
At least SR+.
‘...Rare would still work.’
Greed breeds ruin.
Grade enhancements could come later.
Pop!
The light solidified.
“Thank you for summoning me.”
Uh...
“This humble maiden, Gyeondalrae, vows her entire being to serve Lord Bong.”
Juhyuk blurted:
“A girl.”
“A girl.”
“What now?”
“What now?”
“Well...”
The summoned woman’s attire felt familiar.
Distinctly Korean—reminiscent of classical paintings.
White hanbok, braided hair, youthful features akin to a high schooler.
Her items: a gleaming sword, cluster of bells, metallic mirror at her chest.
‘Sword’s obvious—but bells and mirror?’
She suddenly glared at Kosak.
“Why that leer? Dare eye a maiden so lewdly? You need discipline.”
“Wha—? I wasn’t—”
“Silence! Lies!”
“No, really—”
“Heed this: harbor lust upon witnessing my beauty, and divine retribution awaits.”
“...”
(Frankly, her looks weren’t that exceptional.)
Gyeondalrae shifted her gaze to Juhyuk—
‘Gulp!’
—who’d been scrutinizing her head-to-toe.
Would she comment?
“Lord Bong may gaze freely. Please admire at ease.”
“...”
Clearly no ordinary summon.
Her grade?
‘...SSR.’
Relief—SSR was stellar.
A petite, delicate, yet bold girl.
SSR-tier, matching Kosak.
She knelt rigidly, dominating the room with her aura.
Such charisma—grade-related?
Yet Kosak, also SSR, behaved oppositely.
Something beyond grades...
Catalog:
<Catalog: The austere, solemn head shrine maiden of the Celestial Empire’s royal temple.>
Name: Gyeondalrae
Grade: SSR (Special Super Rare)
Type: Shrine Maiden (Human)
Manifestation: 5 hours
Satisfaction: N/A
Resummon Cooldown: 3 hours (post-dismissal)
Type: Shrine Maiden.
Had the purified water ritual influenced the summon?
Unlikely.
‘Yet her epithets—’
Austere. Solemn. Serious.
Her backstory explained it:
Daughter of Celestial Emperor Mujong. Devoted to the state shamanic faith since youth. Became royal shrine maiden. After her father’s death and brother’s assassination by their uncle, she exacted vengeance before perishing from the backlash.
Her deeds flash through my mind.
Gyeondalae, who showed talent in talismans, spells, and incantations.
She entered the royal shrine, served the greatest shaman of her time as her teacher, and rose to become the top priestess.
But her younger brother was killed by her uncle.
Enraged, she vowed revenge.
Gyeondalae’s uncle was no ordinary man.
In preparation for her revenge, he set up protective spell arrays, anti-murder talismans throughout the palace, and even stationed decoys to absorb killing blows.
But Gyeondalae was the Heavenly Empire’s foremost priestess.
She ultimately struck her uncle with a killing blow and succeeded.
However, wielding murderous force for personal vengeance defied the heavenly order.
The blow she unleashed rebounded onto her intact.
Ah.
This fragile girl has endured so much.
At first glance, she seems cute, yet her stern demeanor borders on comical.
Anyway.
‘Heavenly Empire?’
The royal family’s surname is Gyeon, and her attire reflects that.
“Excuse me, I have a question.”
“I am unworthy of your concern. Please ask freely, Young Master.”
“What was the name of the Heavenly Empire’s founder?”
“Emperor Gyeon Hwon. He crushed the treacherous Wang and Kim clans, expanded our borders to old Goryeo’s territories, and elevated our nation from Baekje to the Heavenly Empire.”
“Huh?”
Gyeon Hwon?
“The same Gyeon Hwon who founded Later Baekje?”
“Indeed.”
No way…
‘Parallel universe.’
It’s clear.
We’re from different worlds.
Cossack too—he mentioned working with a former summoner in a realm resembling modern Earth.
In Gyeondalae’s world, Later Baekje apparently unified the Later Three Kingdoms instead of Goryeo.
Casual inquiries revealed pre-Heavenly Empire history mirrored ours.
The timeline likely diverged during the Later Three Kingdoms era.
‘Her princess-level charisma is no joke.’
As I marveled,
Grrrowl.
My stomach growled.
I’d skipped meals for the summoning ritual.
Ordering delivery would take too long.
“Since we’re all here, how about ramen?”
“An excellent suggestion. Mild flavor preferred.”
“I’ll have ramen too.”
“Ms. Gyeondalae?”
“Disdaining food violates propriety.”
A regular pot wouldn’t suffice.
Where’s the large cauldron?
The bossam steamer pot should work.
As I filled it with water and moved toward the induction stove—
“You fools!!!”
Gyeondalae’s voice cracked like thunder.
Cossack and Gobang jolted upright.
“How dare summoned beings permit the Young Master to cook? Rise this instant!”
The two half-rose, trembling.
“I’m a summoner too—”
“What relevance does that hold?”
“Shouldn’t fellow summoners use informal speech—”
“Ha!”
Gyeondalae’s gaze turned glacial.
“Now I see—a fool who forgets his place. Does your status excuse neglecting the Young Master? Such insolence! Shall I make you a eunuch to improve your manners?”
She tilted her ritual bell upward.
A frigid aura permeated the air.
Cossack leapt to his feet.
“You witch!”
Gobang scrambled up despite his bulk.
Cossack rushed to Juhyeok.
“I’ll cook! Give me the ramen!”
“Uh, sure. Go ahead.”
How does this petite girl command such fear?
Why can’t they resist?
Aren’t Cossack and Gobang summoners too?
Juhyeok sat stiffly on the sofa, eyeing Gyeondalae.
“Young Master Bong.”
“Yes?”
“You’ve suffered greatly. Fear not—I’ll discipline these underlings.”
Cossack dumped 15 ramen packs into the steamer.
Later…
“…Is this the Han River?”
“My deepest apologies! I’ve botched the water ratio.”
The pot swam with broth, noodles invisible.
Cossack kept glancing at Gyeondalae, not me.
‘She’s taken full control.’
No choice—eat this sludge and teach them later.
Gobang lunged for his chopsticks—
“You oaf!!!”
I nearly choked.
“How dare you lift utensils before the Young Master? Beast!”
Gobang dropped his chopsticks, bowing deeply.
The table froze.
“I… don’t mind informality during meals.”
“Ah!”
Gyeondalae flushed.
“This lowly one has overstepped! I deserve death.”
“Not that extreme—”
“But their crimes demand execution! Please behead us all!”
“…”
Let’s just eat.
Juhyeok took the first bite.
Only then did others eat, slurping loudly—
“You imbeciles!!!”
They froze mid-slurp.
“Who raised you savages? Noodles require silent, measured bites!”
I’d slurped too.
“Your conduct reveals Young Master’s endless worries! You’re no better than barbarians!”
Ah.
Endless drama.
Why doesn’t Cossack rebel? Can’t handle this girl?
Summoners—all pushovers.
‘Exhausting already.’
After forced cleanup duty:
“Young Master?”
“Join us in the tower?”
“This humble one lives to serve. Your command is my purpose.”
Time to test her skills.
How does a priestess battle?
Does she truly launch killing blows like the catalog said?
