Chapter 17. Majesty From Another World (6)
Jooheon had said he would bring back his daughter and his subordinate.
Yes.
He had said that.
But...
“Fuck! You acted all high and mighty just because you had some dimensional-transfer Artifact!”
Thirty minutes later, Jooheon was climbing the Jack and the Beanstalk Artifact while cursing.
“I've been climbing forever and it doesn't even look like we're getting anywhere!”
Majesty Yoo Jaeha let out a long sigh.
“That's because it's designed for multiple people.”
He clicked his tongue.
“I had a hard time getting this thing too.”
After they had climbed for a while, the Mini Rulebook, which had been converted into a system interface, displayed new information.
[Next Worldline Information]
[Majesty Threat Level: S]
[Warning 1: This world constantly applies a Madness Debuff. Prepare a countermeasure Artifact.]
[Warning 2: A Majesty identical to you currently rules this worldline.]
Jooheon's movements stopped.
The first warning bothered him too.
But...
“...What?”
One eyebrow slowly rose.
“A Majesty identical to me?”
Did that mean another version of him from a parallel world?
Majesty Jaeha smirked.
“Oh. So you got that one.”
He sounded amused.
“I told you before. I've met another version of you.”
Was he talking about the ant-woman version he'd mentioned earlier?
Majesty Jaeha added coldly, as if looking forward to the show.
“She'll try to cut your head off the moment she sees you.”
“Why?”
“Because she believes there's only room for one 'Seo Jooheon' in existence.”
Was that supposed to make sense?
“Well.”
Majesty Jaeha shrugged.
“Meeting another version of yourself might let you awaken.”
“What?”
“Majesties have to awaken before they gain their unique authority.”
“Like your <Creation>?”
“Exactly.”
Jaeha continued.
“There are two ways to awaken.”
“The normal way is training. Slow, but safe.”
“The other is meeting another version of yourself.”
“Fast, but dangerous.”
He smiled faintly.
“You know the old stories where seeing your doppelgänger means you'll die?”
“Same principle.”
Jooheon's eyes immediately took on the cold gleam of a hunter.
“Good.”
His lips curled upward.
“Then I'll settle once and for all which Seo Jooheon is the real one.”
“Shut up and climb.”
Jaeha sighed.
“At least you'll build some muscle.”
Jooheon snorted.
“Who said I was climbing with my own strength?”
Then—
BOOM!
Rope shot out like lightning and wrapped around the giant vine.
Jooheon used absolutely no strength of his own.
Holding onto Rope, he smoothly slid upward at high speed.
Majesty Jaeha stared blankly.
Then gritted his teeth.
“You cheating bastard...!”
Jooheon looked down from above.
“Hey, Cup Ramen.”
He spoke casually.
“What are you doing? Hurry up.”
“...!”
“This is why you'll never level up.”
Jooheon clicked his tongue.
“Look how slowly you're climbing.”
Majesty Jaeha snapped.
“I'm not Cup Ramen!”
“Slow.”
Eventually...
They reached the end of the sky.
Light exploded around them.
When Jooheon opened his eyes, he smelled sand.
A system window appeared immediately.
[You have entered a new world.]
[World Name: Dionysus's Cup]
[Status: City of Madness]
Blessing of the Cup / Curse of the Cup
[This world contains a <Madness Gauge> and <Reason Gauge>.]
[The higher your <Madness Gauge>, the more effectively you can use Artifacts.]
[However, if your Reason Gauge reaches 0, you will become an NPC.]
[Warning.]
Madness Gauge?
Reason Gauge?
Jooheon was wondering what kind of nonsense this was when a completely different scene entered his vision.
Skyscrapers pierced the sky.
“Dubai...?”
No.
It resembled Dubai, but it wasn't Dubai.
Maybe Las Vegas at night would be more accurate.
The city was overflowing with neon lights, enough to deserve the title of Festival City.
Purple rivers of wine seemed to flow down the surfaces of enormous glass towers.
At the heart of the city stood a massive golden temple shaped like a tilted wine goblet.
Red and purple liquid endlessly poured from the cup.
It filled canals running throughout the entire city.
“...What the hell is this place?”
The streets were packed like an endless festival.
Citizens of countless races danced and laughed while holding wine glasses.
They moved almost like NPCs.
Even children were drunk.
They collapsed onto the streets...
Only to get back up and start dancing again.
Crowds stood on the rooftops of skyscrapers, raising their glasses and cheering.
A single phrase flashed endlessly across the enormous electronic billboards.
[Drink! Enjoy! Surrender your body to the Artifacts!]
Jooheon frowned.
The city was breathing.
And yet...
It was already dead.
Everyone had become intoxicated by the 'Cup of Dionysus.'
Slaves to the Artifacts.
“...Damn.”
Jooheon grimaced at the sharp smell of alcohol assaulting his nose.
Because the liquid flowing down the sides of those skyscrapers wasn't ordinary wine.
[Narcotic substances detected.]
“Drugs?”
The citizens holding wine glasses had no idea.
They cheered.
They poured the overflowing alcohol over one another and laughed.
Anyone touched by the wine immediately had their eyes roll back.
They staggered.
Collapsed as if dancing.
Then got back up again.
And surrendered themselves to the Artifacts in a frenzy.
“...This isn't a human city.”
Jooheon's voice was cold.
The skyscrapers of glass and steel shone with golden lights as they stabbed into the sky.
But what filled them wasn't joy.
It was madness.
People stumbled drunkenly through every street.
Laughter mixed with screams.
Wine fountains flowed endlessly.
The entire city resembled one massive banquet hall.
“What disgusting taste.”
Majesty Jaeha shrugged.
He seemed to have traveled through countless worlds while fleeing from the Artifacts.
Sure enough...
“Why?”
Jaeha looked around.
“I think it's efficient.”
“What?”
“If you make humans stupid, they don't interfere much no matter what Majesty plans.”
“Ha.”
Cup-Ramen Yoo Jaeha chimed in.
[Wow. Captain's tomb raiding suddenly looks adorable compared to this.]
[Are all Majesties just selfish lunatics?]
“Quiet, Cup Ramen.”
Jooheon's eyes turned cold as he held the cup.
