Chapter 774: The Last (7)
‘I mean, I’m grateful that she accepted it, but…’
“I will do it no matter what. I can write the contract now, right? Right?”
‘Why am I feeling so anxious?‘
“I just have to sign here, right, Junior Lee Kiyoung?”
‘Why is she so motivated?’
That was the first time I had ever felt anxious with someone accepting my request.
‘Is she in any debt?’
No, I had always known she was in debt, but what worried me most was the amount.
I thought that the company could handle Benignore’s debts, but it would become poison if I couldn’t resolve it right off the bat.
I had no desire to go bankrupt by being buried in debt right after starting a business. Even if there was a lot of divinity to earn in the future…
“Wait…”
“Can I sign here now?”
“Can I take a quick look at your financial situation?”
“Of course, Junior Lee Kiyoung. It’s not that clean, but… I-it’s not so messy, either.”
Benignore quietly reached out, and a small file began to materialize in her hand. When I took it and scanned it up and down, I nodded. After reading my expression, she sighed in relief.
“It’s not… that bad, right?”
Honestly, it wasn’t good enough for me to be relieved.
‘Yes, as you said… It’s not that bad, but…’
The continent could handle it. However, it was not something she could afford.
‘How on earth did she live? Could she even eat properly? I mean, it’s okay to borrow, but why is the interest rate so high?’
The details were so terrible that I couldn’t look at them and keep my eyes open.
‘At this level, it’s no different than being scammed.’
It wasn’t enough to say that she was scammed. I thought that she was squandering divinity in something useless, but that wasn’t the case. Rather, she had no divinity to indulge in luxury.
“I will work hard too, believer Lee Kiyoung. I-I won’t even ask you to pay off my debts. I’ll do it all on my own. Yes! I’m really looking forward to the future.”
‘No. What can you even do?’
It might not be possible right now, but I would have to take a look at the people who had lent the divinity to Benignore.
What was up with all those scammers? f.u.c.k, they said rich people tended to be scrooges. The ones worse than demons were already here.
“I-I’m not sure if this is actually the right thing to do, but… still, I didn’t think you would really want me like this… I decided to believe in you as much as you believed in me.”
Looking at her talking, it seemed that there was no other reason. Maybe just the way I spoke with sincerity moved her.
‘This is good.’
It was small, but one of my headaches had been resolved.
“B-By the way, junior Lee Kiyoung. This is safe, right? You have other plans, right? I think you already know this, but it’s not easy to operate the continent outside of the higherups’ protection… Of course, it’s not that there will be no compensation at all, but… It will be easy to be
“Yes. I’ve already expected that.”
That was a problem that would come to mind just by thinking about it a little.
I didn’t think that independence would cause any other problems. At the end of the day, there was no option for the superiors that Benignore was talking about to come to the continent and act violently.
I was sure there would be a lot of paperwork that would be the cause of many troubles or lawsuits, but there was no possibility they would make an attempt of malicious retaliation.
Even if they did such atrocities, they would be at least pretending because they were on the side of the light.
The problem would be if something unexpected happened, like if there was a hole in the system, or if the demons came in and wreaked havoc.
Of course, I knew they had a policy of minimizing direct intervention, but that didn’t mean we didn’t need them. They were, after all, important in matters like keeping the demons of Lucifer’s level in check and minimizing their freedom.
The same went for the outer beings. It was possible that things wouldn’t have worked out if they hadn’t invested divinity in me.
The superior G.o.ds didn’t play a decisive role, but the budget they set was being used for continent-level administrative expenses, and they lowered the time for external forces to enter as much as possible.
In simple terms, it was insurance. By ensuring minimum safety, they made a reason to intervene and take rent. Being completely independent meant that we would be completely out of their protection, putting us at great risk.
Well, in fact, it was an a.s.sumption that had nothing to do with the continent…
Why?
We possessed Tactic Kim Hyunsung.
“We’re ready, right?”
“We have Hyunsung.”
“Ah!”
“Didn’t you see him flying and splitting the sky?”
“Yes, yes! Yes!”
“I don’t think that the guys above can solve something that even Hyunsung can’t solve. You don’t have to worry too much about security. Isn’t the Sunset Swordsman with us? P… Pfff!”
“P… Pfff… Yes! The G.o.d of sunset light will solve it, right? Even if the demons appear, he’s going to get rid of them all.”
Why was she repeating what I said?
‘I raised our regressor really well.’
“We don’t need the guys above, do we, junior Lee Kiyoung?”
A miracle in which one’s boss turned into a stranger overnight. The change in posture was still as good as mine.
“I didn’t like them from the beginning anyway. They don’t do anything right. They just talk. It wouldn’t kill them to help us a bit. They just talk and talk about rules, procedures, and blah blah blah. Now I don’t need your help! Our sunset G.o.d is with us. Pu… hehehehe.”
“…”
“I’m saying this now, but the naming and concept of a sunset G.o.d seemed to be perfect. It was a strategic choice. Whenever people look up to the sky, they will think of the G.o.d of sunsets… The scenery itself is pretty, and there is something mysterious about it… The divinity we’ll get looks like it’ll be tremendous… Also, if you look at examples of cases where he was written down in myths, you’ll notice he’s actually more loyal than the existing ones.”
“Somehow, it seems like a lot came in.”
“…”
“…”
“How do you know that?”
“It seems that the divinity Hyunsung earns comes to me. I don’t know why, but it seems like almost all of it is being transferred to me… It’s great, and all, but I’m curious about it. How’s this happening?”
“I see…”
“Is there a case like this?”
“It’s not common, but…”
“…”
“It’s probably because the sunset G.o.d believes in you.”
“…”
“To make it easier to understand, think of it as the concept of a lower G.o.d and a higher G.o.d. It seems that the G.o.d of sunset is considering you as his object of faith. No, maybe not his object of faith. It might be a little different… I can’t even define it, but the point is that the sunset G.o.d believes in you. Usually, in this case, you should recalculate the divinity in a way that separates a certain amount for him. He doesn’t know how things are going. If the G.o.d of sunset is officially appointed, it would be better to talk to him.”
Although I nodded slowly, I didn’t think there was a need to give Kim Hyunsung his divinity.
‘I’ll just take care of it.’
It was for him and the continent. I wasn’t just being greedy for divinity. When I recalled that that b.a.s.t.a.r.d had some extravagant taste, it made me more certain that I was making the right decision.
‘How can someone who embezzles guild money because he can’t manage his own salary properly manage divinity… That’s too much, no matter how hard I think about it.’
An answer came just by looking at his financial status. I didn’t know where he burned that much money, but it had been a long time since his bank account entered a negative.
He thought I didn’t know that, but I heard several times that he contacted manager Kim Miyoung separately and received the slush fund.
There was a record of getting a loan in the latest news as if he was being careful of me.
In the end, there was no problem since guild funds filled it back up. Still, that meant entrusting divinity to Kim Hyunsung was like throwing away the money.
‘That’s too much.’
I’d give him when he needed it, like an allowance…
‘I have to say something too.’
It would be nice to warn him that it was hard to live these days and tell him to use it sparingly and that giving such amounts was already too much.
If he rebelled, I’d have to scream at him once in a while, looking annoyed, asking why he wanted that much when we didn’t even get much divinity. If I grabbed the part of my stomach that he stabbed and talk about it while breathing harshly, the argument would be over right there.
He didn’t even know how much he had earned, anyway.
Honestly, I thought it was a bit harsh, but I had to do it.
Financial planners existed for a reason. It was better to be someone who could manage wealth.
If I gave him divinity for his pleasure, that b.a.s.t.a.r.d would surely use it up overnight.
‘I can guarantee that. Really.’
If he had to use it for something big, I just needed to loosen a little bit of what I had saved at that time. And if the demon b.a.s.t.a.r.ds were to barge in, I just needed to give him some again then.
If I left it to Kim Hyunsung, I might not be able to use it when something important needed it, so wasn’t it a reasonable option for me to manage it?
Hyunsung didn’t even need it right away anyway.
Did I have to share it? If I thought about it, where would Kim Hyunsung use it? He didn’t maintain the continent himself…
I thought it would be better to just bury it without saying anything…
It would be a little annoying, but I thought I had to take it over for smooth management. It was all for the G.o.d of sunset.
“I will talk to the G.o.d of sunset myself.”
“Yes, don’t be too sad. Still, it’s common practice to recalculate about 80% of it or at least 75%. The divinity amount that went to you from him shows how much the G.o.d of sunset trusts and follows you. It expresses that he respects and believes you that much. You have to show your grat.i.tude and manners in return. Do you understand what I mean?”
It seemed that I did, but bad habits and customs existed to break it, not to maintain it.
Considering the incoming divinity, I thought about 3% per year would be appropriate. No, that was too much. Perhaps about 1.5% would be good.
“Yes, of course, Benignore. Then, let’s stamp it first. Oh, and our manpower seems to be a little short… Perhaps…”
“Yes! Maybe if I ask her, Lauren will come. Elune… I think I should try to persuade him… don’t know. You don’t have to worry about manpower too much. There are already a few on the continent.”
“What?”
“That… Jung Hayan and that… Red-haired unnie who fights savagely.”
‘I think you’re older than her.’
“It’s still incomplete, but the achievements of those two…”
Their feats fully deserved to be labeled as mythical scenes. It was inevitable to feel awe by watching them, so, naturally, some people had faith in them.
Of course, to become a deity like the G.o.d preparations were required, but it was undeniable that the two stepped on the border.
And…
“It’s a little special case, but the one who signed a contract with Ronove showed potential…”
“Huh?”
“It’s been a long time, disgusting human. No, I can’t call you a disgusting human now. What should I call you? Partner?”
When I turned my head to the voice, I could see a man wearing gla.s.ses, the type that didn’t suit him at all.
The impression that he looked neat and tidy with his hair pulled back wasn’t his original appearance, but there was no way I could not know who he was.
It was me who sent him a contract, and it was impossible to forget that voice.
“Long time no see, dear and respectful, Belial.”
“I have already signed the contract. I wouldn’t have come here if I hadn’t signed it, disgusting and dirty light. You don’t have to flatter me that much. Rather, am I not the one in a position to flatter you?”
“It is not a correct expression because it cannot be said that it is a relationship with someone above. Haha.”
“You are also right.”
“…”
“…”
“Are you really willing to betray Lucifer?”
“She will be happy too. She will be thrilled that Belial has grown this far.”
“That’s great.”
He smiled with his eyes squinted.
“The 27th Legion will be with you.”