Chapter 26: Chapter 26 - Reality
Chapter 26 - Reality
I'd heard about it vaguely before, but I didn't expect to see it so quickly. From what I remember, there are a lot of people on earth who use the tower as a last resort when they feel doomed. For example in the case of an incurable disease or during a war. Since they have no other choice to survive, they fall asleep with the key before it's too late.
According to reports, the new method of survival in extreme environments is to materialize a key and make sure you lose consciousness as quickly as possible to get out of it. There is a one in ten chance of making it into the tower, but it's always better than dying on the spot. Better the unknown than death.
Eventually the boy woke up and stood up with a cough, helped by his sister and Falco.
He hands him the glass of water that I had brought him and after a refusal and having confirmed that it was indeed water he ended up taking a sip. Falco then helps her get up and places her on a chair.
- Then ?
- It'll be fine. He choked on the alcohol in one gulp, since he was dehydrated he had a rather violent reaction. He then began to choke on the fumes and had some sort of asthma attack. Her liver did not like it, as did her throat and lungs. I was able to fix it all and he's safe as long as he doesn't eat and drink too fast. It would probably have been better if he hadn't been starving like this.
" Thank you "
The girl's voice echoes as she looks at Falco in genuine awe. Falco just smiles vaguely, a little embarrassed, and decides to go back to the kitchen, beckoning me to accompany him. Cyrus for his part remains seated at the table with the two new arrivals and remains silent. Falco closes the door behind me and asks me to sit at the table.
- I'd like you to go see Emy if you don't mind.
- Me ? To see if she's okay, right?
- It would be better if it was you. I can't really move from here until the new two have eaten. It is especially to be sure that she does not do anything stupid.
- What was this thing between Cyrus and Emy, I thought they got along well?
- It is, but Cyrus is a rather particular guide. He is far too emotionally involved with his residents and that causes problems for Emy. She did not realize it, but if Cyrus manages to cope it is thanks to her, but he abuses it without even realizing it.
- What do you mean ?
- It'll take a little while to tell, but I'll be quick. Each guide is different and manages their mansion differently. At first everything was going well with Cyrus. People were happy to have him as a guide. However Cyrus took to heart to take care of the residents as well as the family… And then they started to die in the tower, just a little more than normal, but enough for Cyrus to question himself by thinking that it was his fault. Guides have a budget each month to use based on the number of people in their mansion. Cyrus instead of using it to help people or to recruit someone from the people of the tower to help him in his task or to improve or maintain the manor uses it for something else. He pays the groups returning to the floors to go and help those who are dead or those who do not return for a long time. For those who have died, he asks the priests who have mastered the miracle of resurrection. For the others it appeals to anyone. The problem is that the floors are planets so to find a person ... He spends everything in there in short without really having any result.
- But I saw him spend money on me and he can't use that much money, can he?
- You just arrived. On the scale of his budget, it is nothing. Most of what he spends on the mansion goes into the kitchen. Don't underestimate what Cyrus would be willing to do for you or for the others in the tower. He can't come to terms with his grief and eventually it falls on Emy. You haven't heard the rumors yet, but Emy, some residents, and I have. We all pretend nothing. I know it's hard to tell here in this mansion, but climbing the tower is serious business. You risk your life, you do things you never wanted to do or you never had to do on earth. It is not child's play. You have to survive at all costs and sometimes at the expense of others. Most people don't hold it up, even if they've passed the tests to enter the tower the nerves eventually fail. You won't find them like that, but you just have to look around for some time to find the ones that will never return to the tower. You just have to listen to them to understand what is wrong, the landscapes on fire, the wars and the deaths. The people you know who turn into monsters… During the first year that the tower appeared, it was a massacre. The soldiers openly recruited, gave you a weapon and sent you to the tower with a pseudo formation in a regiment. The guardians and the tower were unable to handle the chaos. People would come home thinking they were strong with half the training and never come back. I don't know how many guides have lost hope in what they were doing and most of those of this generation have retrained in other trades… If I remember correctly my guide lasted six months… Finally I digress , go see Emy now. - Wait… were you there? How do you know all this? Are there any history books on the tower or something that I'm not aware of? Your guide?…?
- There are still a lot of things you don't know about the tower that you will learn in due course. For now, don't talk about it, I'll explain it to you another time. You just need to know that Cyrus is doing this because it's the only way he's found to ease his conscience, but he doesn't realize what pressure Emy is going through. Cyrus veils his face as a guide and it causes a lot of problems for everyone. Now go see her before she does anything wrong.
I look at Falco without understanding, but in front of his gaze I realize that he won't tell me more until I take care of Emy. I have so many questions for him now. I pass through the dining room where Cyrus is chatting with the two newbies as if nothing has happened and start climbing the stairs. I stroke Micha's head quickly. And walks over to Emy's door which is open.
Inside Emy is packing and seems to be getting ready to leave. I knock on the door. While remaining in the framework, I wait. After a few moments Emy finally turns to me. She has red eyes as if she has been crying and looks desperate. She sits on her bed and looks at me without saying anything.
- You want to discuss ?
- Not really. I'm just going to move to a new mansion and it'll be better, where then I will enter one of the guilds that harass me. I do not know. In any case, I don't want to speak with Cyrus anymore.
- I just arrived and therefore I am not aware of everything, but you think that's a solution?
- Maybe, it's hard to say in my condition. Isn't he the one sending you anyway?
- No no. To be honest, it's Falco, but I would have come anyway.
- The situation must seem strange to you since you have just arrived. Sorry for showing you that. I know the days in the tower are long, but that was too many complaints.
- You don't have to justify yourself. If you are in this state, there is a reason. Do you want a change of scenery for the evening? If you ever want to leave again afterwards I'll help you move it all where you want.
- That works. Can I take my bottles?
- I was going to suggest it to you. I'll be waiting for you in front of the mansion. You're the one who knows the best addresses so I won't run the risk of leaving without you.
I leave her in her room and decide to go down the stairs. At the entrance Cyrus is waiting for me.
- Then ?
- So nothing. I've been here for a short time, but I think you should stay with the others in the dining room and not talk to her.
- I… Okay.
Cyrus returns to the two newcomers and I leave the mansion. After a few minutes Emy finally arrives dressed casually, smiling. She puts an arm around my shoulders and leaves in the direction of the tower of the worlds, dragging me with her.
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