Chapter 3
‘Stop, hand!’
Right before her hand touched the pink card, Chaeri curled her fingers into a fist.
In the original story, Chaeri picks that card.
The one with pink petals scattering around a beautiful illustration of a queen.
Visually perfect. Totally her taste.
“There’s no way I can resist that.”
But she did.
“But I will!”
She stopped her hand from reaching toward the Queen card — a world-class card.
For the record, “world-class” meant a level of power capable of destroying the entire world.
The card that the original Chaeri drew contained the slumbering Demon Lord, Medesa.
One of her famous quotes was:
“The way to claim peace is simple, my card master. Conquer everything. I shall make all creation kneel before you, Chaeri.”
That was how it went.
Met on her fourth birthday, Medesa became her second mother and spiritual guide — the hero who led Chaeri down the path of the main villain.
Incidentally, Medesa was the final boss of this world’s story — the ruler of the 100th floor of the Tower.
And, also for reference, there was no awakened being in existence strong enough to defeat her.
That’s why the protagonists of the original story aimed not for the card’s hero, but for the card’s master — Chaeri.
Anyway, the current Chaeri was a harmless, gentle three-year-old.
So she reached for a different card.
“Found it!”
On the back of the card was a handsome man.
Even though it was just a drawing, she swallowed hard.
If the illustration looked this good, how handsome would the real thing be?
[Would you like to select this card?]
Chaeri nodded.
“Yes.”
[Card ‘Davith’ selected.]
[Card slot updated: 1/3 occupied.]
And just like that, she awakened — as a card-collecting child.
She had known this in theory, but experiencing it herself felt surreal.
Without thinking, she called out his name.
“I, Lee Chaeri, summon Davith.”
Davith’s profile appeared.
[Chief Advisor of the Fallen Empire]
Grade: Imperial-level
Without him, the Heon Empire would have collapsed far earlier.
The Great Advisor. The Emperor’s Right Hand.
The final flame of the Heon Empire… (+Read More)
At that moment, a man appeared amidst a burst of light.
Golden hair. Tailored suit. Gentle smile.
“Chaeri, I am honored to meet you for the first time.”
He hadn’t even been told her name — yet he already knew it.
He knelt down on one knee and gazed up at her with eyes bright as sunlight.
Chaeri gasped.
Sometimes in novels, they say “he was so handsome I forgot to breathe.”
Turns out that was true.
“So this is what it feels like when your heart actually stops for a second!”
Her heart pounded — or rather, it rebooted after a brief shutdown.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. May I ask for your introduction?”
His voice was polite and warm.
Chaeri instinctively straightened her posture.
“I’m Lee Chaeri. Daughter of Kim Haseon and Lee Jiseok. Korean age: four.”
“Hello, I’m Davith. It’s an honor to be chosen by you, Chaeri. I’m thirty-two.”
Davith knelt fully, matching her eye level.
Chaeri quickly raised a hand to cover her eyes.
“Too bright.”
“Pardon?”
“Your face is shining.”
Davith blinked, a little flustered, and covered his own eyes.
“Why so?”
“It’s too dazzling.”
“Why dazzling?”
“Because the cuteness is blinding.”
An unearned compliment brought forth a genuine smile.
Chaeri grinned.
“Am I cute, Davith?”
“Yes. Chaeri, you are truly lovely.”
Chaeri giggled, and Davith smiled softly in return.
“Chaeri, do you understand why you’ve summoned me?”
“Yes. Chaeri picked the blue one.”
She’d resisted the pink temptation and gone for blue instead — a great victory for a four-year-old.
A small but heavy triumph.
“Thank you. For choosing me.”
Davith was like a spring breeze — warm sunlight without a trace of shadow.
“Chaeri, may I ask one favor?”
“What is it?”
“Please… tell me more about your story.”
He was nothing like Medesa.
Instead of talking about the Tower right away, Davith wanted to listen.
“I’m from Sunshine Orphanage. I like Kim Myungja the best. Three months ago, Kim Haseon and Lee Jiseok adopted me.”
“I see. Do you like your adoptive parents?”
Chaeri hesitated and glanced behind Davith.
Reading that look, he spoke gently.
“I’ve cast a sound barrier. No one outside can hear us.”
“Until yesterday, yes.”
“And today?”
Chaeri shrugged, as if she were saying, ‘I had tomatoes yesterday.’
“Chaeri’s not their real daughter, so they don’t love me much.”
“…What?”
Chaeri folded her arms and sighed lightly.
“That’s just how the world is.”
“Are we climbing the Tower starting today?”
Chaeri asked.
In this world, the purpose of every card hero was the same:
To climb the Tower. Reach the 100th floor. Let go of their regrets and ascend.
Chaeri’s goal was the same.
Forget the coming apocalypse — that could wait.
What she really hated was living on others’ pity.
She didn’t want to live in a house where she was unwanted.
‘Buy my own home! Yeah! Get rich! Yeah!’
Independence — that was Chaeri’s true priority.
‘Davith’s wish was the restoration of his empire, right?’
To return to the empire he’d failed to protect — that was his lingering regret.
Davith fell silent.
He wanted to climb the Tower immediately, but how could he suggest that to a child this young?
A child who’d just said she wasn’t loved because she was adopted.
“Whatever Chaeri wishes, I shall follow.”
“What Chaeri wants is…”
For a moment, her gaze dimmed.
It was long past bedtime.
She had just overheard her parents’ late-night conversation.
Her fragile self-control began to crack.
And then instinct took over.
“Davith, please… be my mom.”
“…”
Davith was speechless.
He didn’t want to say something empty.
An advisor never spoke in vain.
“…I will.”
The moment he answered, Chaeri blinked back to awareness.
‘Wait… what did I just say?’
She had a feeling she said something weird. She couldn’t quite recall.
“Davith, I have a request.”
“Yes, I’m listening.”
His voice was still calm, warm, patient. His eyes glowed with honeyed kindness.
It made her flinch — but it also felt nice.
That someone was on her side.
‘Everything’s going according to plan!’
“Starting today, we climb the Tower.”
“Today?”
“Yes! Chaeri has an L-rank Child Bonus! That means I can enter right away!”
“But Chaeri, you’re too young—”
“But Davith’s manifestation time is too short!”
He could only remain summoned for three hours.
That time could increase through card upgrades — but for now, that was it.
“Chaeri needs an adult.”
Her tone was firm. She had come to that conclusion a long time ago.
Her adoptive parents’ hearts were half gone — so she’d raise her own guardian instead.
“I’ll earn lots of money and save it, too.”
Davith’s chest ached.
“I’ll buy my own house.”
Her plan was painfully realistic.
She was only four. She couldn’t even get a resident registration certificate.
What kind of world was this, where a child had to think like this?
“Of course. I’ll do whatever Chaeri wishes. May I hold you, Chaeri?”
“Yes.”
Chaeri opened her arms wide.
Davith carefully embraced her.
She was as light as a feather — as if she’d drift away with a breath.
‘Too small.’
Too small to be talking about needing protection and money.
Too brave for her size.
“I’ll now activate the Tower Entry Skill.”
This was the New Civilization Era.
Awakeners entered the Tower to collect pure energy crystals and artifacts beyond modern science.
Most awakeners had to find a Tower physically — but L-rank Children were exceptions.
[Tower Entry Skill Activated.]
[Current Location: Seoul Tower Region.]
[Access to Seoul Tower granted.]
If you used the skill in Seoul, you entered Seoul Tower.
If you used it in Busan, Busan Tower.
[Entering Seoul Tower, Floor 1.]
L-rank Child.
Tower Entry.
