anwhile, on Lighthouse Island
Shwaaaa—
The refreshing sound of waves crashing against rocky cliffs echoed through the air.
And ahead, illuminating the surroundings, stood a lighthouse.
"Huff… huff… I didn't think clearing quests alone as a Lighthouse Bearer would be this hard…"
Only now—after clearing every required quest—had Lu… no, Tu Perie Luf finally gained access to the Lighthouse Stage.
The decisive problem had been his lack of firepower.
What was the point of stacking debuffs, binding enemies, and setting everything up perfectly—when there was no one to actually deal damage?
In the end, he had sohow forced his way through using the lighthouse's Shinsu cannons and self-destruction attacks.
"…Three lighthouses left."
Out of six lighthouses, he had already detonated three.
The floating stones that ford a lighthouse each emitted unique Shinsu wavelengths.
If one generated an identical wavelength and struck the floating stone, it would overload and explode violently.
The power wasn't bad—but compared to the cost of lighthouses and floating stones, the efficiency was abysmal.
That was why this thod was almost never used.
To begin with, it wasn't sothing just anyone could do.
If floating stones could be detonated that easily, terrorist attacks would happen every day, and Lighthouse Bearers would be out of a job.
"…Anyway. I finally made it."
Shaking off his stray thoughts, Luf looked upward.
A colossal lighthouse towered above him like a spire piercing the sky.
Here—
Here was where his father, Tu Perie Tperie, should be.
"…At last… Father…"
Even if he was only a data copy, being able to et his father at all was more than enough.
He wanted his father to recognize him.
He wanted to hear a kind word from him.
Just like any ordinary child would.
"I wonder if the others have already t their fathers… or mothers."
Luf knocked lightly and entered the lighthouse, stepping onto the staircase leading upward.
He climbed.
And climbed.
And kept climbing.
The closer he got, the more strongly he felt it—
Though he had never t him, as his son, he could sense that his father was nearby.
A wide smile spread across Luf's face as he continued climbing.
Closer.
Closer.
Finally—
At last, he reached the top floor.
"Ahem."
Knock, knock, knock.
Before entering the single room at the top, Luf knocked politely several tis, then carefully opened the door.
"Father—your great son, Tu Perie Luf, greets you—"
…?
The room was pitch-black.
As he stepped inside, intending to bow and greet, Luf noticed sothing strange.
"…There's nothing here?"
Literally nothing.
He groped along the walls in the darkness until he found a switch and turned on the light.
Click.
"..."
Just as he feared.
The room was completely empty.
Despite his father's presence lingering so strongly, there was nothing here.
The only thing in the room was a full-length mirror, about the size of a person.
No furniture.
No objects.
No people.
If his father had simply gone out, his presence should have remained outside as well—but Luf had felt nothing earlier.
His father had vanished from here entirely.
"…Hm? You're one of that Regular's companions."
A strange voice suddenly echoed.
Luf turned toward its source.
A mysterious golden orb was speaking.
"…Who are you?"
"I am the Big Breeder, 'Hwang.' I oversee the Hidden Floor as a whole."
Big Breeder.
Wasn't that the being Hoaquin hyung had briefly fought earlier?
Normally, Luf would have been wary—but before he realized it, the words had already left his mouth.
This being might know sothing.
"If you manage this Hidden Floor… then do you know where my father is?"
Hwang answered calmly, without hesitation.
"Seeing as you've co here, you must be Tperie's child. He entered that mirror so ti ago."
Luf's eyes lit up.
"Th-then if I enter the mirror too—!"
"It's pointless. You cannot enter that mirror. Once soone enters it, their data is erased, and they disappear from the Hidden Floor forever. I ca here to gradually dismantle this stage, now that it has fulfilled its purpose."
The last remaining shred of hope vanished.
Even here… he couldn't et his father.
His face went cold.
His father's presence lingered so clearly—yet he could not et him.
Hwang silently observed Luf.
"A lifeform that craves affection… futile. One warning: the King does not look favorably upon your actions. You would be wise to play around a little longer, then leave the Hidden Floor."
"Familial affection… an emotion I cannot understand."
Pop.
After muttering a few more words, Hwang blinked out of existence.
Luf could only stare silently at the empty room.
"…Haha. Hahaha…"
A hollow laugh escaped him.
No—maybe it wasn't laughter.
What had he even been expecting?
A direct descendant of one of the Ten Families.
No—ordinary wasn't quite right.
He had been called a genius.
Praised by elders.
Admired by peers.
But still—
It was all aningless.
....
"Luf. You must beco a Ranker as quickly as possible and seize power within the family."
"Mother… then will Father love ? Will I be able to et him?"
"Don't think such foolish thoughts. Focus on growing stronger. The Family Head cares about nothing except lighthouses. Love does not exist for him."
"Then… Mother, do you love ?"
"Of course! This mother loves you. So, Luf—eliminate your rivals and run ahead of everyone. You're a genius, admired by all. Power will follow naturally. I'll help you with the rest."
"But I… I want to live happily, loved by my parents…"
"You foolish child! Without power, happiness cannot exist! If you fail to seize power, even my love will disappear. So give power and authority. Do that, and I will love you. My son."
"…Yes."
A lie.
The saddest part was—
He hadn't believed her for even a mont.
Love didn't work that way.
Affection didn't work that way.
His mother didn't love him.
She loved power.
In this family, everyone was the sa.
If I do better, will they love ?
That thought drove him to work even harder—but the Rankers who trained him only grew more eager over the power he would bring them in the future.
The Floor of Tests instructor who had genuinely taught him lighthouses with care was worth tens of thousands of them.
That was why being called a genius within the family ant nothing to him.
To them, he was nothing but a tool.
Power.
Power.
Power.
Power.
That was all they saw.
The peers who admired him?
They wore masks in front of him—and tried to drag him down at every opportunity behind his back.
Poison in his drinking water.
Sabotaged lighthouses at critical monts.
Was that admiration?
Enough.
All he wanted was to grow up loved by his parents.
What was wrong with a child wanting their parents' love?
Why was that strange?
But in this family—
It was strange.
His father, Tu Perie Tperie, was indifferent to all life except the Ten Family Heads and the King.
His only interest was lighthouses.
He had hoped his father during his D-rank days might be different.
He had hoped—just once—to hear a warm word.
But Hwang said his father left because humans were botherso.
What had he expected?
He didn't even know what his father looked like.
Did his father even know he existed?
Thud.
Luf slid down the wall and collapsed to the floor.
After hope fades, despair always follows.
Because there had been light just monts ago, the darkness that followed felt even deeper.
"If there's no affection… no interest… then why was I even born…?"
An ordinary child, born into an extraordinary family.
That described him perfectly.
In the pitch-black room, Luf didn't stop his vision from blurring.
In the darkness—
No one could see him cry.
No one would scold him for it.
User Comments
0 comments from readers