Chapter 52

Peace has finally arrived at the Gallery after a long time.

Every day, dozens or even hundreds of Gallums disappear, amid a flood of tactical nuclear discussions and provocative lewd content.

I filled the bathtub I had bought from the shop with water and added a single Mana Stone.

– Bubble, bubble.

“Magic can be quite impressive sometimes.”

The Mana Stones are actually troublesome by-products that come out after magical experiments in the Magic Tower.

When they are shocked or cracked, they emit intense heat, making it difficult to release them into nature easily.

Yet, these troublesome Mana Stones find new life through the culture of bathing.

“I think I heard that they’re making quite a fortune off this at the Magic Tower.”

I pulled the now cooled Mana Stone out and began to enjoy my bath.

Sweating it out, I relished the long-awaited soaking, even sipping on a refreshing glass of orange juice.

“Ah, now this is living.”

With a noticeably relaxed mind, I lay back.

I had to enjoy the rare peace.

It was exhausting to deal with endless arguments all the time.

What kind of trouble would arise this time?

Would the Healthy God finally decide to post a selfie?

As such thoughts ran through my mind, I opened the Gallery.

– F*ck, it’s chaos!!!!

– Magic Tower, awaken! Just wake up!

– Is the Magic Tower owner seriously selling Mana Stones for such high prices? Are they in their right mind?!

– I feel like I’m losing my sanity, losing my sanity, losing my sanity, losing my sanity!

“Ah.”

Of course.

Once again, the Gallery was on the brink of explosion over a new problem.

*

Kellierhton’s only Magic Tower, Colorful Magic Tower.

Let’s go back to just after the establishment of Kellierhton.

[Title: I will build a Magic Tower and become a Magic Master!]

Author: ZL Storm Magician

(Image of a meme next to a vacant lot beside Kellierhton Castle)

If I build a Magic Tower here, wouldn’t the Great Magician, Head of the Gallery, take an interest in me?

Actually, I’ve already obtained the construction permit, haha.

There’s been a precedent in history where a Great Magician was won over through such means, so I’m giving it a shot too.

Hey, Head of the Gallery! Keep an eye on me!

– (I’m watching. Kon)

– Oh boy, not again. Just eat something.

– Is another Affectionate Konik being created?

– Don’t know?

– (Outraged Magician Kon)

I thought this post, like many others, was yet another product of someone’s delusions.

I mean, who would even think of building a Magic Tower just to catch a little attention? That’s quite bold!

But this wasn’t mere bravado.

[Got the framework down, let’s go!] – One month ago

[Currently constructing the Kellierhton Magic Tower ㅇㅇ.jpg] – 20 days ago

[I need to make money, so I’m constructing while running the Magic Tower. I cannot take questions] – 14 days ago

[10th floor completed, damn, finally done] – 3 days ago

[Recruiting for Head of the Gallery) Magic Tower Master] – One day ago

He succeeded in completing a ten-story Magic Tower.

Even hung in the center of the first floor lobby was a portrait of a certain cute girl who referred to herself as me.

Moreover, the Colorful Magic Tower had gathered all the magicians that had strayed from Adrian.

Soon, its scale had grown bigger than expected.

“And didn’t I say I was researching Magic Engineering?”

Each Magic Tower has its specialization.

The specialization for Colorful Magic Tower was indeed Magic Engineering.

I had become enthralled by the items I had brought into this Another World, turning it into a place where I researched my magic (or lack thereof).

Consequently, I had produced the most Mana Stones up to now, and there hadn’t been an issue until now.

[Title: Selling 1,000 Mana Stones]

Author: ZL Storm Magician

(Image of a magical golem)

(Briefly using magic to summon monsters gifs)

(Images of Mana Stones piled high)

While researching furiously, I ended up with a lot of Mana Stones;

Selling them for 1 Mana Pill each;

– osax

– I need Mana Stones for my bath, this is perfect!

– Just give them all to me!

– Mana! Stones!

– It’s not easy to gain the favor of magicians, but you’re doing great.

Just keep it up, will ya?’

I had managed to sell the troublesome Mana Stones in Kellierhton, and even Adrian was interested.

Using the barter exchange tab, I didn’t even need to move around, which was convenient.

Of course, all the fees I incurred filled up my storage nicely.

The real issue was that I had caught the attention of the Dwarves.

– Oh!

– Mana Stones, how splendid!

– Great for baths, and if used well, they could raise the temperature in the forge!

– ZL Storm Magician) Oh really?

– I might buy some.

– Give them to me!

– ZL Storm Magician) Okey dokey, how many do you want?

– Just hand them all over!

The Dwarves hoarded them all.

But looking at it from another angle, it wasn’t hoarding.

They were using every single stone they got.

Surprisingly, their usage was skewed more towards bathing than the forge, likely due to the long-standing bathing culture among the Dwarves.

“This is really surprising, a clean Dwarf, huh.”

But then again, it made sense.

Those miners, their bodies covered in dirt, were actually quite keen on hygiene.

– Ahhh, a bath calls for beer!

– This is the meaning of my life.

– I can’t tolerate filth at the brewery.

– Keeping my beard in check is essential for cleanliness.

With the Dwarves aglow with interest, the supply quickly vanished.

It didn’t just dwindle; it completely disappeared.

Naturally, complaints started cropping up.

How could I sell out Mana Stones to Dwarves of all people, right here in Kellierhton, not to mention not even the Humans?

– It’s not just the price difference that’s the problem!

Ultimately, Gallums flocked to the front of the Colorful Magic Tower.

Soon, the intelligent and wise folks of Kellierhton could not help but raise their voices in appropriate protests.

“Storm Magician, you little brat!”

“Bring the prices back to normal!”

“This is always the WWE, if it continues, it’ll become UFC. Do you want to kiss my left hand?”

“The wWwCoits are too scary to face!”

In the end, the Storm Magician inside the tower had no choice but to make a decision.

[Title: F*ck]

(Image of Mana Stone being prohibited for Dwarves)

Please show your human identification; humans will be served first, then the other races afterwards.

[Recommended 9999+] [Not Recommended 4523]

– sax

– A great quote!

– (An image of a frog with eyes and tongue rolling out)

– Ah, this is how a gallery should be.

– No way is there such a law!

– If you’re upset, pay more for it, but don’t put undue pressure on me!

– Right? Even our Elves think so. This is too unreasonable!

– Keep your distance, Elf.

– Aww.

In the end, fists were closer than words.

The Storm Magician had no choice but to yield to the reasonable protests of the citizens.

*

– Snap!

“What the, how did a rat get in here?”

When I stepped out to grab some juice, I heard rat noises near the vent.

It seemed it had bumbled its way through a passage and, of course, got caught by swords.

Leaving behind a rat playing tag with the Holy Sword and the Named Sword, I returned to the bathroom.

“You know, I’ve been seeing more rats around lately.”

Could it be because the streets are cleaner, and people have stopped the rat hunts?

I thought little of it and accessed the Gallery again.

– Humans are the most disgraceful life form in the EU…jpg

– The embarrassing reason behind what the Elves say…jpg

– Closing the blacksmith until Mana Stone sales are over.

Then, the Gallery showed signs of rising interspecies strife, and in the end, the problem circled back to me.

– Head of the Gallery, please pass judgment on who is at fault here.

– Head of the Gallery, take a side!

– You promoted the bathing culture, so take responsibility!

– Head of the Gallery*: Want to die?

– Sorry, my bad!

“Oh, I also enjoy bathing.”

This was a matter I could not ignore.

After much deliberation, I decided to post my stance.

Title: Dana

Author: Head of the Gallery*

Lately, I feel the Mana Stone dispute has become increasingly heated.

I’ve been receiving frequent requests for mediation from all over, so I wanted to state my position.

Hoarding from a single source is wrong, and controlling merchants through numbers and pressure in a free-market economy (not) is wrong as well.

Thus, I believe there’s fault on the part of Elves, Humans, and Dwarves alike.

So I tentatively suggest implementing a quantity limit based on race.

[Recommended 9999+] [Not Recommended 9999+]

– Hey, you brat!!!

– That was good!

– Your cautious opinion is essentially a bomb in the Gallery, you know? ^^

– Why are Elves being picked on when we did nothing? Why should we suffer too? ㅠㅠ

– Full-Peel Elf) Why us?

– This is disappointing, Head of the Gallery!

– How could you betray me, brother!

– So you’re not going to side with the Dwarves, huh!

– Why does Head of the Gallery have to be a Dwarf?

– Head of the Gallery is an Elf ^^.

– Clearly, if she’s a cute Great Magician, she must be Human, right?

– Myoran) Heh.

As expected, it was chaos.

The backlash from the Dwarves was especially severe, as they felt betrayed because they called me brother.

– Head of the Gallery, even you…

– I’ve been betrayed by my brother!

– There’s not a single Dwarf I can trust in this world!

Perhaps it was because the Dwarves had been so quiet until now.

Because of that, they were even more fixated on the Mana Stones, so they couldn’t bear to let them go.

I had no choice but to stop my bathing and get up from the tub.

“…What other options do I have?”

I really didn’t want to resort to this method.

With a face full of disappointment, I slowly gathered my hands and bath water.

Soon, I posted a new article in the Gallery.

[Title: Flying Squirrel]

Author: Head of the Gallery*

(Image showing my pulse-less hand)

(Image of the lukewarm, almost cold bath water)

(Image of the listlessly cracked Mana Stone)

S-s-s-s… S-s-s-s…

Damn, it’s cold!

Let’s all share some!

[Recommended 9999+] [Not Recommended 10]

– Aha, I get it now.

– Perfect persuasion!

– Understood.

– I can accept this.

– What kind of Undead is this? Look at how lifeless they are, lol.

– F*ck! After giving everything out, now you want a little reap? That’s a bit too much!

I didn’t expect it would come to this.

I also didn’t think the Head of the Gallery would have to use Mana Stones; what a surprise indeed.

– Ahem, I suppose I’ll have to hold myself back for now.

Ultimately, the Mana Stone issue was resolved in this way.

[’10 Mana Stones’ have been successfully bartered!]

Head of the Gallery*: Thanks, I’ll use them well!

ZL Storm Magician: Great Magician, you are always welcome here free of charge! ^^

ZL Storm Magician: So, when can I move into your Magic Tower? ^^?

[Left the chatroom.]

With new Mana Stones added and dropping some into the now-cooled water, the warmth rose like in a hot spring.

“Ah, this feels good.”

Feeling the warmth throughout my body, I decided to explore the Gallery peacefully this time.

Around an hour or two later, after leaving the tub and drinking some orange juice, I finally opened the Gallery anew.

– Chaos to the nth degree!

– Hold tight! The prices are skyrocketing!!!

– Haha, did none of you black fools buy from Colorful Magic Tower earlier?

– I’ll just enjoy myself, thanks! Haha.

– What the f*ck, is this price even reasonable?

– Aelkiyaaaaah!

“Ah, f*ck.”

After successfully implementing the quantity limit, the rising prices became an even bigger problem.