Ais: I Choose Silence!
Chapter 153 Ais: I Choose Silence!
"The gods who destroyed the old tower apologized while they laughed endlessly."
"And thus, the tower was named the Tower of Babel, which also signifies 'Tower of Collapse'."
Luke was narrating this legend to the three girls as they gazed at the meticulously sculpted giant tower.
"At that time, the gods who had demolished the old tower contributed to the rebuilding of the new Tower of Babel as a form of apology."
"However, it was less about assistance and more about making a significant contribution to the reconstruction. The gods did not physically engage in the rebuilding process themselves."
"This contribution was nothing other than the bestowal of the 'Falna' upon the mortals of the lower world."
Ais, Tione, and Tiona gathered around Luke, listening intently to the story.
Not many people are aware of this event.
Because it was neither a heroic tale nor a sacred myth, the legend did not feature any 'heroes.'
Thus, it was not very popular in this world and was not widely known.
In fact, the gods made another contribution besides the Falna.
Even Mama Mia was unaware of it.
It was the old god Ouranos's suppression of the dungeon.
The real reason monsters from the dungeon no longer appeared on the surface after the gods descended was not because of a seal.
Rather, it was because Ouranos, with his immense divine power, actively suppressed the upper floors of the dungeon, and some parts of the middle floors.
Monsters, fearful of divine power, would not dare to enter the area affected by Ouranos's divine aura.
As a result, the monsters that originally inhabited the upper floors were significantly weaker than those from the lower floors, largely due to this divine suppression.
Luke was not well-versed in the details; he only knew that Ouranos's suppression of the dungeon involved 'agreements' and 'prayers.'
Ouranos's role was one of Orario's core secrets, unknown to most gods.
"The advent of Falna fundamentally transformed this world."
"Following the gods' descent, the residents of Orario reconstructed the Tower of Babel with respect and gratitude for the divine gift of Falna, intending to offer this colossal tower as a residence for the gods."
"The reason some gods continue to reside in the Tower of Babel is because of this historical agreement."
"It is said that before the 'Familia' system was instituted by the gods, there existed a kind of respectful 'hierarchical relationship' between the gods and their followers"
"The Tower of Babel was constructed taller and more imposing than other structures to underscore the majesty of the gods."
Construction on the tower continued until it reached its current height of 50 floors.
However, one should not be misled by the number 50; it is crucial to understand that a single floor of the Tower of Babel is unlike a normal building's floor.
The height of two or three stories of a typical shop would likely not even match one floor of the Tower of Babel.
"Wow, that's amazing."
After listening to Luke's story, Tiona was the first to exclaim in amazement.
Among the three girls, she, being the liveliest, was the first to express her astonishment.
"I never expected that there was such a story behind this building!"
While this story might not be as captivating as a heroic tale, it subtly reveals the origins of the current 'Age of Adventurers'.
If all the legends of this era were compiled into a book, then this chapter would truly be the proper introduction.
Tiona had been captivated by fairy tales and legendary stories about heroes since her youth.
Influenced by her obsessed sister, Tione had also heard many heroic stories.
Arriving in Orario and hearing a brand-new legend can be said to have fulfilled some of the wishes they had when they ran away from their home country.
Now that their wish was fulfilled, both felt somewhat sentimental.
"Speaking of which, the Tower of Babel is now being rented out as a functional building, right?"
Tione looked at Luke; even though she had only been in Orario for a few days, she had heard about the function of the Tower of Babel.
"According to what you said, is it because the 'Familia' system was introduced, so all the gods moved out of the Tower of Babel?"
"There are 50 floors. It would be quite tiring to go up and down to buy something."
"No, the places rented out as shops only go up to the 20th floor."
Luke shook his head in response to Tione's question.
"Eh? Then what about the 20th floor and above?"
"The floors above the 20th are still the residences of the gods."
"...Are there still gods who don't live with their Familia but choose to live in the Tower of Babel specifically?"
Tione was somewhat speechless.
"If they are separated from their Familia like this, won't there be any problems in case of an emergency?"
Facing Tione's concerns, Luke scratched his head helplessly.
"How should I put it? Not all gods have the privilege to live above."
"Only the high-ranking gods whose Familia has reached a certain level and have considerable influence in the city can reside within the Tower of Babel."
"You can think of the area above the 20th floor of the Tower of Babel as 'the realm of the gods'. After all, gods have various personalities; some prefer interacting with their Familia members, while others act more aloof."
After saying this, Luke paused for a moment. He suddenly remembered his previous casual conversation with Loki, who had also complained about the Tower of Babel.
After briefly recalling that scene, Luke continued explaining to Tione and the others:
"And it seems that the Tower of Babel now belongs to the Adventurers' Guild."
"So, even if a god wants to live there, they must pay an extremely high rent."
As a symbol of the labyrinth city, the upper part of the Tower of Babel has been transformed by the guild into a large hotel for the gods.
With its noble status and luxurious facilities as selling points, it includes large baths, entertainment facilities, and dining areas exclusively for the gods.
"..."
"...So, does the upper part of the tower no longer serve any significant purpose?"
"Hearing you say this, it seems like all the fantasies I had about the Tower of Babel from your story have been shattered."
Not only Tione and Tiona but even Ais, who had been silent until now, appeared hesitant.
"Um... ah! There is still some actual utility."
In order not to let the girls lose their admiration for this magnificent building, Luke tried hard to recall the current practical functions of the Tower of Babel.
"Tione and Tiona, since you two have just arrived in Orario and are already Lv4 adventurers, you don't have your own aliases yet, right?"
"The 'Denatus', which is responsible for assigning aliases to upgraded adventurers, is held within the Tower of Babel."
"By the time of the next Denatus, your aliases will also be determined inside this Tower of Babel."
Hearing Luke say this, Tione and Tiona instantly breathed a sigh of relief.
They were relieved that this highly significant tower had not been completely turned into just a shopping center and hotel.
However, Ais, who had a thorough understanding of the 'Denatus' over the years, still had a face full of hesitation.
"Luke..."
Shh—!
Just as Ais was about to reveal the real truth behind the Denatus, she saw Luke gesturing at her.
'Let them keep some of their beautiful fantasies.'
Ais understood his intention, looked at the slightly relieved Amazoness sisters, and then at Luke making the gesture.
Finally, with a conflicted expression, she chose to remain silent.
"Hey, since we're all here, why not go directly into the dungeon to take a look?"
"This idea is good! Tiona, you rarely come up with something useful."
Here it comes!
Luke, listening to the words of the Amazoness sisters, sighed silently in his heart.
The reason he had been telling the girls stories was partly to divert their attention.
If they could be attracted by the story and temporarily forget about the dungeon, it would be better.
Unfortunately, as Finn had anticipated, the Amazoness sisters indeed proposed entering the dungeon.
"I'm sorry, but today I cannot take you to the dungeon."
Following his agreement with Finn, Luke unhesitatingly refused them.
"Eh???"
"Why?"
"You two don't have the necessary knowledge to explore the dungeon yet, so you are not allowed to enter the dungeon. This is an order from Captain Finn."
Without giving them much chance to question further, Luke directly brought up Finn's name.
And after hearing that it was Finn's order, Tione, as the older sister, was instantly taken aback.
---
Read more than 25 chapters in advance, with pictures, to enhance your reading immersion:
patréon.com/tom22
Replace "é" with "e" on your web browser.
---
For Audiobook:
youtube.com/@animefic22
---
(Please vote for more chapters! If this fanfic gets more than 700 powerstones, then I will upload bonus chapters! Also, don't forget to leave a review and comment below.)