Free Web NovelA few minutes later.
Pavela finished listening to the Gatekeeper's "tearful complaint."
She blinked, looked at the black tower, and then turned to look at the Gatekeeper.
"So, what you're saying is—"
"There's a group of prisoners who took advantage of a lapse in my willpower to break out of the tower."
"But instead of leaving the tower, they spontaneously took over the duties of the jailers."
"And then, they completely refused to recognize you as the warden, beat you up, and threw you right out."
"And now, you can't even get into your own tower?"
The Gatekeeper's void form vibrated violently.
It was as if a sore spot had been poked.
"...Could you put it a bit more nicely?"
His voice sounded somewhat annoyed.
"What do you mean 'thrown out'?"
"That was a strategic retreat."
"Do you understand what a strategic retreat is?"
"I get it, I get it."
Pavela nodded.
"It means getting beaten black and blue and then scurrying away in disgrace."
"Right?"
"..."
The Gatekeeper fell silent.
His mass of void shrank slightly.
He looked like he was sulking.
Watching him like this, Pavela couldn't help but laugh.
"Alright, alright."
"I'll stop teasing you."
"Back to the point, what kind of people are these escaped souls you're talking about?" ƒгeewёbnovel.com
"A group of knights wearing uniform black knight armor," the Gatekeeper said gloomily.
"Every single one is at least a Sequence III Wayfarer of the Path of the Tower."
"They work with perfect coordination, like a long-trained army."
"Every attack is incredibly precise."
"Every defense is perfectly timed."
"And there are quite a few of them—at least dozens, maybe more."
Pavela stroked her chin.
Dozens of Wayfarers of the Path of the Tower at Sequence III or higher.
And wearing uniform armor.
These didn't seem like ordinary souls.
It sounded like some kind of knight order.
But then again, how did she have the souls of knights in medieval armor inside her head?
"Based on your description, they should belong to the same organization?"
"Did you try communicating with their leader?"
The Gatekeeper's void form vibrated again.
"Of course I tried."
He said.
His voice was full of helplessness and frustration.
"But those old perverts don't listen to reason at all."
"The first time I went in—"
"I just wanted to perform my duties as the Gatekeeper normally."
"To check on the situation inside the tower."
"The moment I walked through the door."
"Those guys rushed up without a word and pinned me to the ground to beat me."
Pavela blinked.
"They wouldn't even let you speak?"
"Exactly."
The Gatekeeper's voice sounded exceptionally aggrieved.
"I didn't even finish my self-introduction."
"Before I was beaten."
"They beat me until my form dissipated."
"Then I was thrown out like a dead dog."
He paused.
"The second time, I got smart."
"I just shouted from the entrance."
"Saying I'm the Gatekeeper, and I'm here to maintain order in the Mental Space."
"And guess what happened?"
"What happened?"
Pavela asked.
"They rushed out and beat me up."
The Gatekeeper said.
"And then threw me even further away."
"They even warned me—"
"Not to come near there again."
"They don't need me there."
"If I go again, they'll break my legs."
Pavela was silent for a few seconds.
Then.
She laughed.
She laughed very happily.
"Hahahahaha—"
She laughed until she was doubled over.
"Getting beaten by the prisoners you manage."
"And being warned not to come near."
"That is absolutely gratifying!"
"Hahahaha—"
"...Could you have a little sympathy?"
The Gatekeeper's voice sounded even more aggrieved.
"I'm doing this to maintain your Mental Space."
"And I get beaten like this."
"Not only do you not comfort me."
"You even mock me."
"Sorry, sorry."
Pavela wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.
"I don't usually laugh like this."
"Unless I can't help it."
She took a deep breath.
She tried to calm herself down.
"So now, what are they doing in the tower?"
"Maintaining order."
The Gatekeeper said.
"They've suppressed all the other souls trying to escape."
"And then they reorganized the internal structure of the tower."
"Now the inside of the tower is in perfect order."
"It's more orderly than when I was managing it."
Pavela raised an eyebrow.
"Isn't that a good thing?"
"Good my foot."
The Gatekeeper's voice suddenly became agitated.
"That's my tower!"
"My territory!"
"And now it's been occupied by a group of prisoners!"
"I, the Gatekeeper, can't even get through the door!"
"What kind of sense does that make?"
Pavela shrugged.
"It makes quite a bit of sense to me."
"..."
The Gatekeeper fell silent again.
His mass ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) of void shrank another size.
He looked even more like he was sulking.
Watching him like this, Pavela couldn't help but laugh again.
But this time she didn't laugh out loud.
The corners of her mouth just curled up slightly.
"Alright."
"I'll go take a look."
The Gatekeeper's void form immediately expanded.
"Really?"
His voice sounded full of hope.
"You're really willing to go now?" fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
"Yes."
Pavela nodded.
"To be honest, after hearing your description, I feel like my own pain has lessened."
"Heroes who can help me beat you up."
"How could I not go and see them?"
...
"By the way, do they have a name?"
"Let me think... it seems they do. They call themselves the Paranov Guard Knights, and they swear loyalty to the 'Princess'."
"Princess? Which princess?"
"How should I know which princess it is?"
