Jahad, the king of the tower.
The first man to climb it.
The great king who built the kingdom we live in.
And the women granted a special boon by Jahad
are known as the Princesses of Jahad.
The princesses gathered from all over the tower
are not Jahad's biological children, and are unrelated by blood.
Once they are granted Jahad's power, certain acts are forbidden to them.
They may not have intercourse or bear a child.
It is to prevent the spread of the power they inherited.
The princesses are shoes on display in the king's showcase.
Beautiful, but never to be worn by anyone.
But in rare cases, the shoes sometimes jump out of the case on their own.
You found a pretty jewel.
My little princess...
You seem to have the wrong idea.
It was your mom who broke the agreement.
Shut up!
Having you and spreading
the power she received from the king was the greatest of crimes.
A crime? Ridiculous!
Of course you think that.
As someone who's never experienced hardship, you wouldn't understand.
I've never experienced hardship?
Don't be ridiculous!
Isn't it true?
You acquired power simply by being born as Anaak's child!
I worked really hard to become a Princess of Jahad!
Really? Good for you, then.
Later, hag!
H-Help me!
If I fall, I'll die!
Let go!
Please, my only niece!
I've got plenty of other aunts!
Ow!
Die!
Come with me, my niece!
Damn it!
The game is over.
This sucks!
This is definitely broken!
Shut up, idiot.
If this leaves a single scar on my beautiful legs, I'll hate you forever!
Your beautiful legs?
Don't you mean your thick trunks, hag?
Hag?! How could you call such an insane beauty a hag?!
Stop screaming. I can feel it in my wounds.
Hey.
What?
About your mother—
Why do you care about her?
Don't try to start a fight with me.
She was kind of nice to me when I first became a princess.
Tell me.
Did she ever regret what she did?
Listen closely.
Whatever you do, don't let go of that man's hand.
I'll follow you soon, okay?
Be good.
Don't cry. You're a good girl.
Here.
There.
Go on.
That's enough!
If you don't behave, I'll get angry!
Is this for me?
Probably not.
I'm sorry.
I'm always fighting with Dad.
I don't mind. Keep fighting.
Huh?
When you fight, Dad makes chicken pie.
Oh, my...
That's what I believe.
Huh...
You've made considerable progress.
Thank you.
You, too, Lozeal.
Thank you.
Next, Bam and Grey.
Okay.
Bam...
Your control is a bit lacking, but you're not bad.
Thank you.
Next, Grey.
Lauroe!
I can finally hit the balloon now.
It's all thanks to you.
Thanks to Lauroe?
Yes.
He taught me the trick to doing it.
Huh?
I owed him a favor after yesterday.
What? Your pillow?
I think it's over there.
You want me to be the tower's poster girl?
I know, I know...
This pillow is tainted.
Lauroe?
My restful sleep...
It's a makeshift solution, but you can use this for today.
I'll wash this one.
I see.
Hey, Bam!
Khun!
Have you heard?
Heard what?
How uncharacteristic of you, Lauroe.
To help a rival.
Is that so wrong?
Extending a helping hand to the weak, right?
Not at all.
Are you okay?
What do you mean?
Damn it!
Endorsi and Anaak?
Yeah. They fought during class yesterday and ended up seriously injured.
Fought? But they're both Princesses of Jahad.
They fight because they're both princesses.
They're deeply indebted to powerful rulers.
Apparently, their relationship was complicated from the start.
Either way, they're incredibly stupid.
Incredibly stupid? I wouldn't say that.
To advance through the tower's tests,
you have to take someone else down.
Self-destructing when you're blessed with so much power
is nothing less than stupid.
But...
It's sad to see an acquaintance drop out, isn't it?
Shibisu!
If someone you were close to, especially me,
were to disappear, it'd be especially sad!
Is your friend-making not going well?
- Make ten friends within one week.
Shibisu
Hatz
Twenty-fifth Bam
Khun
Pon Secal Lauroe
Hoh
Serena Linen
Rak
You're almost there.
The deadline is today!
There's no time left!
Sorry. It's my fault.
Don't be so standoffish!
We're friends, aren't we?
Is there anything we can do?
Bam?
Were you listening?
The tower's tests are fiercely competitive.
I know, but I don't want to lose the friends I've made.
Bam!
Besides, aren't friends the people who come to your aid when you're in trouble?
Did Rachel teach you that, too?
Yeah.
Let's go, guys.
Huh?
It's showtime.
My medical expenses cost me all the points I'd earned.
Now I'll starve to death before the next test.
I wish someone overcome by my beauty would come to offer a helping hand.
No way!
We brought you some food. Can we come in?
P-Please!
I'm such a sinful woman.
Huh?
We heard you were in trouble.
Then hand it over!
But you said there can be no friendship between a man and a woman.
Yeah.
Since a Princess of Jahad was so insistent on that point,
we thought you wouldn't accept our food if we offered it to you normally.
So...
You want me to write my name on these?
If you do, we'll bring you food every day until this test is over.
A Princess of Jahad would never accept that deal.
W-We'd be happy if you ate with us every day, too.
Huh?
Right, Hatz?
Sh-Sharing a meal with a most beauteous princess would be a dream.
Seriously? Just so you know, I only eat special lunches!
I won't accept your pity.
Then you can starve.
You idiot, Hatz!
Let's wait to fight until you're feeling better.
Today's special is a delicious chicken pie.
We did it.
I told you so.
Seriously, thank you.
You saved my life.
I won't forget this.
Hey, I'm the one who came up with the plan.
I even wrote a script for you inarticulate oafs.
I understand now that you have no talent for writing, Earrings.
Excuse me?!
"Most beauteous princess"? How embarrassing.
What?! You just don't have any talent as an actor!
Now, now!. Shouldn't we be thanking him?
I am indebted to you.
I can't hear you.
Thank you very much!
No problem.
Friend List
- Make ten friends within one week.
Shibisu
Hatz
Khun, did you come up with this plan so Hatz would have to thank you?
Twenty-fifth Bam
Khun
Hoh
Pon Secal Lauroe
Rak
Serena Linen
Let's not worry about that, Bam.
Anaak
Endorsi
Let's drink tonight!
Hatz, you're drinking, too.
I refuse.
Come on, we're celebrating.
You're just having an apple again?
What? Yuri is?
It's true. They call her "Jahad's Imp" because she's so ferocious.
I don't believe it. But she's so kind.
You mean she never hit you?
She did hit me with a flying kick.
That's intense.
Are all princesses like that?
Probably.
Hey, I can hear you.
What do you mean, "like that"?
It's been a while.
Rach—I mean, Michelle Light.
When we're alone, you can call me Rachel.
Oh, really?
You seem to be getting along with the others.
They've just been treating me to lunch for the past few days.
One of the perks of being a woman.
You haven't been talking about me, have you?
Of course not.
Good.
He's a good guy.
Huh?
And he's got a cute face.
I don't get why you're concealing your identity to get away from him.
It's so romantic to have a man risk his life in pursuit of you.
Excuse me.
I hope whatever you're seeking at the top of the tower is worth more than him.
Who does she think she is?
Don't you think it's strange, Lauroe?
He didn't even know how to manipulate Shinsu.
What do you suppose is Bam's true identity?
Is he hiding something from us?
At this rate, passing the test—
Next, Hoh.
O-Okay.
Help...
Don't abandon us...
Help us...
Please...
Don't go...
Do you want to climb the tower?
What is this, test director?
The plans for the joint positions test.
Are you serious?
You're going to test them by having them play tag?
Super serious.
What do you want, Quant?
I came to apologize.
Apologize?
Since you had to look after three of my examinees.
So I'm running it for you.
What?
I'll be the test examiner in the joint test for you.
Director!
Good idea, right?
The most simple-minded test administrator is going to run the joint test?
I have a bad feeling about this.
Test 4
Tag
The subject of the joint test is tag.
The 28 of you who haven't yet passed will be participating in the test.
Passed
Good luck, turtles and lizards!
That's really annoying.
Same.
Fisherman
Spear Bearer
Light Bearer
Passed
You'll be divided into teams A and B.
Dede Cancho
Anaak
Blarouge
Eric
Guun
Alexay
Khun
Leeron 3
You'll be scored based on
Shibisu
Super Duper King
Narae
Lozeal
Lauroe
Grey
Endorsi
Cheonhwa
Green Pil
Murch
Paracule
your individual performance, which will be reflected in your points.
Michelle Light
Full Black
Kukaku
Hatz
Shopin
Serena
Twenty-Fifth Bam
Hwaryun
Hoh
Michelle Light
You're on team B?
Yeah. It's too bad we're on opposite teams.
So the teams play against each other in a game of tag?
No.
This game of tag has two players who are "it."
One is an individual we've chosen.
The other will be selected from among the team's Fishermen.
Each of them will wear this badge.
See the domed structure outside the window?
The test will take place there.
I-It's huge...
In order to win, you must help your team's "it"
reach the goal or steal the badge from our "it."
If you win, all members of your team will receive 100,000 points.
If you steal the badge from our "it," you'll receive 200,000 points.
200,000 points?!
If our "it" takes a team's badge, that team loses.
Um, who's our "it"?
It's me!
Who are you?
Surprised, kiddos?
Isn't that our examiner?
Don't worry. I'll go easy on you.
They can't seriously have a Ranker be their "it."
It seems like the Shinsu he can use is limited.
It's not a bad deal.
Do you have an idea?
If you'll make me team leader, I'll tell you.
What?
What's his deal?
Why not? It's the Light Bearer's job to lead the team, anyway.
Quit putting on airs and tell us.
First, we'll set the bait.
So...
I'm the bait, huh?
That's the Scout's job.
What a crap position.
I'm counting on you, Leeron 3.
Yeah.
Anyway, it's too bad.
About Bam.
He ended up on the other team.
I don't know the exact numbers, but if we win...
Bam will fail.
I know that.
That's a cool reaction, considering how close you are.
That's how tests work.
Are you sure he'll come if we make the bait this obvious?
He'll come.
Huh?
He's a Ranker. Not only that, but he's a sore loser, too.
He'll definitely take the bait.
Seriously? Using yourself as bait?
How uninspired of you...
My little apprentice!
He actually came!
Are you trying to buy time for your "it" to escape?
You haven't learned enough about being a Light Bearer.
A Light Bearer uses Shinsu to fly, so...
If the Light Bearer loses consciousness...
Your team loses its eyes.
That was close.
Your other Light Bearer is with your "it," isn't he?
Damn it! Where is he?
A first-rate Scout doesn't need light.
Checkmate.
No way.
What's a Lighthouse doing here?
Sorry, but our "it" is right here!
You set the bait in order to capture me.
You think I'd be that easy to beat?
That's his problem.
He becomes angry and indiscriminate.
I am so pissed off!