I Became a 6★ Gacha Character

The gates connecting Magic Towers looked completely different from the tower gates we usually used.

The wide floor wasn't stone but metal, engraved with magic circles meticulously carved by artisans with hammers and chisels. The massive magic circle, large enough to consume an entire tower floor, was filled with what looked like expensive magical dye.

That wasn't all - columns inscribed with irregularly flashing runes stood like temple pillars, and overhead a strange sphere that looked straight out of an 80s sci-fi movie hummed as it rotated its constituent rings.

"Mages are amazing, no matter how many times I see this."

"So this is what Magic Tower gates look like."

"I saw it during the Season 2 tutorial but still can't get used to it. Doesn't it feel like the game genre suddenly switches to sci-fi here? Like that spinning thing's about to open a hell gate with demons crawling out."

"Alisa Friedrich's party, total of 26 people, correct?"

Unlike the simple doorframe gates that just teleported you through the middle, this Magic Tower gate screamed expensive complexity. As we admired it, a mage approached with clicking footsteps.

A woman with tightly bound purple hair and glasses - exactly what you'd picture for a pretty mage - walked toward us, her heels clicking on the metal floor.

It felt weird calling her "pretty but generic," but the game's ★ appearance buffs left no choice. In my past life, these women would've had hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers, but here beauties worked in general stores and inns everywhere.

"Destination: Empire's north, Friedrich viscounty, yes... Oh? Hero? Aren't you Hero Hanna and Holy Sword Owner Roland?"

"Yes, is there a problem?"

The female mage had been buried in her clipboard but looked up with a start, apparently sensing something odd. True to mage form, dark circles under her eyes suggested overtime and night shifts were the norm.

Her startled look turned to a frown as she bit her lip, leaving Alisa confused by the Imperial teleport mage's intense reaction. They'd used the gate fine on the way here - her eyes showed clear bewilderment at this development.

But the startled mage's irritation wasn't directed at the Ice Cross Knights or hero party, but at the coworker who hadn't handled things properly.

"Hero, as explained last time, you can use the gate once per month for free."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes. It seems the previous staff didn't explain properly."

-She heard this when waiting for Teacher Roland in the Empire after Season 2 tutorial started

-Why remember that?

-Because we rewatch her streams when she's not live

-Ugh gross stalker get away *spits*

-lol Why play Heroes Chronicle when you can watch 20 hours of Han Se-ah streams, that's virtual reality

The Imperial mage must feel wronged. When Season 2 started and Han Se-ah waited for me at the Empire's Magic Tower, they probably explained everything thoroughly.

What was Han Se-ah doing then? Didn't she open point betting on when I'd visit the Magic Tower? She tried collecting mission rewards by running point bets with viewers but failed due to my trolling.

With point gambling and dozens of missions during her stream, how could she hear a mage's explanations?

"You also get priority gate access in emergencies, among other benefits. I'd explain more precisely but the spatial transfer is about to activate."

"Ah, okay..."

-Monthly seems meh but might be balanced considering how long you stay in one area

-lol Are they straight-up telling us emergencies will happen?

-Chat's full of RPG experts lol

-Can use in emergencies = emergency quest incoming

-Huge monster wave hits northern Empire requiring urgent hero summons?

True to Korean form of hitting SKIP on story and explanations, Han Se-ah listened half-heartedly to the teleport gate mage's lengthy explanation. Meanwhile, light from the floor's magic circle climbed the pillars to concentrate in the ringed sphere above.

Grace and Irene huddled close, either sensing my unease at the surprisingly dramatic mana waves or thinking I might be uneasy.

Glancing around at their gathering, I noticed Katie was slack-jawed with the Ice Cross Knights, staring transfixed at the rapidly spinning sphere.

"Now, please walk to the center under that sphere. Keep walking without stopping, as if passing through the magic circle to the outside."

※

Without any teleportation accidents, we walked under the flashing lights and the world changed.

"Welcome back, Lady Alisa!"

"Ah, it's been a while."

"Did your business in the Kingdom go well?"

The floor, pillars, and ceiling sphere remained the same. The only difference was that the catalyst filling the engraved magic circle had evaporated.

As I thought "So this is why they need scheduling and reservations," an old man with striking white beard approached, tapping a long staff like a walking stick, replacing the tired bespectacled female mage. He seemed to know Alisa.

Well, this was a small Magic Tower built to research monster waves before the domain properly grew, when House Sibedev was just a viscounty. Even for psychopath mages, that was enough time to grow fond of the domain's young lady.

Anyway, seeing a familiar face in her long-absent domain clearly lifted Alisa's spirits - she grabbed the old mage's hand with a bright smile and led him along.

"Is everything alright in the domain? How's father? I have guests I'd like to introduce! Ah, we're not staying here though, we're heading to Margrave Sibedev's domain."

"Hoho, the lord is fretting over paperwork as always. I'll let him know you're back, so you can head to the mansion at your leisure... oh?"

The old mage was contentedly stroking his white beard watching her like a doting grandfather when his gaze turned our way.

No wonder the space felt cramped with 21 becoming 26. Though just five more people, four were striking beauties. With their gold, silver, black and gray hair colors standing out, plus robes and leather armor among unified knight armor, it would be strange not to notice.

The old mage's eyes widened as he slowly examined us, then narrowed like a crescent moon.

"My, you've brought distinguished guests, young lady. I must quickly arrange hospitality."

"Hospitality?"

"Yes. As both an Imperial noble and believer, it would be shameful to let the hero leave without proper reception."

"Right? And though we're fine, a carriage would be nice."

"A carriage for five people..."

"No! A carriage isn't necessary. If the knights can walk, so can we!"

Alisa and the old mage seamlessly coordinated their hospitality plans.

Han Se-ah just asked one question, but suddenly plans materialized to meet the lord at the mansion, receive a dinner banquet, stay overnight, then travel by luxury carriage as honored guests.

"Um... won't this make it impossible to explore the domain? Maybe we could look around after dinner, saying we want an evening walk."

-6 out of 7 missions instantly cut lol

-Worried Roland would block missions? Plot twist, it was Alisa!

-Refusing a blonde twin-tailed noble girl's mansion invitation?

-Pretty impressive character in many ways lol What kind of hybrid is this childhood friend blonde twin-tailed noble girl knight

-Must have both a Yankee sensibility guy and Japanese anime otaku on the NPC design team

Han Se-ah's expression turned pitiful - she'd planned to accept missions and light up her minimap while in the north. But too bad - when nobles invite you to their mansion, you follow noble rules.

'This game really ties players down politically. Though I guess the Goddess-chosen hero can't avoid politics.'

Han Se-ah looked around desperately as 620,000 won worth of missions evaporated in under 3 minutes, but it was hopeless.

I had no intention of helping with her missions and enjoyed watching her distress. The other members weren't rebellious enough to refuse noble hospitality. Plus, they'd gotten close enough with Alisa to speak casually - who would refuse?

Grace was whispering with Alisa, curious about hunting in the snow. Irene was looking around the Magic Tower, excited to visit the Empire when she hadn't even toured the Kingdom. And Katie was again listening intently to Olek's exaggerated stories.

"So, any stories besides that rainbow treasure?"

"Plenty! Just what I've heard could make me a wandering bard across the continent!"

Though it was convenient that she took interest in the character quest herself, describing temple inquisitors as bloodthirsty berserkers seemed blasphemous.

And so Han Se-ah's missions failed before they began as the hero party took their first steps into the Empire.