**“Cradle Village must change!”**  
**“Cradle Village must change!”**  
**“Cradle Village must change!”**  

As the protests continued for a while, the village representatives proposed a negotiation plan once again.  

**“Workers do not compromise!”**  
**“Workers do not compromise!”**  
**“Workers do not compromise!”**  

The village negotiation team, clearly troubled by our demands, asked for more time.  

After waiting for quite some time, we were able to conclude the negotiations with satisfactory conditions.  

“Ugh, to be taken like this. I’m disqualified as a negotiator for Cradle Village.”  
“Fufufu, it can’t be helped. You’re up against me, after all?”  

Phew, today was fun.  

With a sense of pride, I took off my gear and stretched before heading to raid the kitchen fridge.  

I really want some cold ice cream, I hope there’s some left.  

There should be. My sister always keeps it stocked.  

As I opened the freezer, there it was—ice cream.  

The problem? Mint chocolate.  

It’s not that I dislike it, but I don’t really like it either.  

I want ice cream, but not this one.  

Still, it’s better than going to the convenience store for something else.  

“What’s our little sister doing?”  
“Eek!”  

My sister whispered in my ear, giving me chills.  

Startled, I turned around to see her looking at me with a bright smile.  
“Don’t tell me you were going to eat my ice cream?”  
“W-who would do that?”  
“Right?”  

And then she took the mint chocolate away.  

Aah, I have to go to the convenience store now.  

After putting on my outerwear and hat, I opened the front door and stepped outside with Yong-yong.  
“Where is this place?”  
“Kyuu.”  

I found myself in a location I had never seen before.  

No, I just opened the front door and stepped out…  

Looking around, the scenery resembled something out of the heavenly realm.  

The door behind me had also disappeared.  
“Have I been kidnapped…?”  
“Kyuu…”  

There aren’t many who could pull off something like this. No, the gods I know are only one.  

The Creator.  

At that moment, someone was walking towards me—was that the baker who had given me bread in Cradle Village!?  
“Are you alone?”  
“Um, I came with Yong-yong.”  
“Good. Follow me.”  

As I followed the baker, I began to see familiar faces one by one.  

I spotted the guard who had guided me in the City of Stars and also the priest I met in the Demon Realm.  

The chieftain of the Enho Clan, the Siren I met in Atlantis, and even a god from the heavenly realm.  

A variety of beings were waiting for me, but what was going on?  

Then, a familiar voice rang out.  
“Welcome, Yuna.”  
“Creator!”  

The Creator greeted me warmly.  
“But there are many familiar faces here?”  
“They are all my avatars.”  
“Y-yes!?”  

The Creator said there was plenty of time, and we could talk slowly.  

Tables and chairs appeared along with a variety of snacks and fragrant tea.  

As I sat down and took a sip, it was sweet.  
“I told you to come visit, but you didn’t, so I had to invite you.”  
“But it’s only been a few days…”  
“That’s a really long time.”  
“Ehh.”  

He didn’t seem to hear what I said?  

As we all sipped tea and chatted about various things, a question suddenly came to mind.  

Why did he go to the trouble of creating a game and trying to break the world?  

But can I really ask that?  
“Right, is that what you’re curious about?”  
“Y-yes!? I didn’t say anything!?”  
“Fufufu, I can tell just by looking at your expression. So, where should I start?”  

After taking a sip of tea, the Creator began to speak.  
“I love all living beings. No matter how wrong the path they’re walking is.”  

I had tried to destroy the world I created, my creations, with my own hands, but a part of me was troubled by it.  

Is that why?  

I made avatars and gave many opportunities.  

To create time for a god to stay with every living being.  

To see that destiny could change with just one person’s strength.  

I wanted a process of communication and interaction.  

Even if it was through an indirect medium like a game.  

The Creator seemed unaware of it, wearing a picturesque smile that was incredibly beautiful.  
“Don’t fall for me.”  
“I’m not doing that!”  

He already knew!  
He was trying to tease me!  

As I blushed and yelled, everyone laughed.  
“Thank you for letting me know that I didn’t have to start from the beginning, Yuna.”  
“What do you mean? It’s for survival.”  
“Fufufu, because you beings who can’t live for a hundred years are what shine.”  
“I see…”  

Was that a compliment?  

After finishing our tea time and being sent off with an invitation to come again, I returned home.  

But I felt like I had forgotten something.  
“Did our little sister come home!? But why is she empty-handed?”  
“Aah…”  

*

*

*

I woke up to the ringing alarm clock in the morning, stretched, washed up, and had breakfast before heading to the library—it was my daily routine.  

As I opened the door to head to the library, I noticed a black limousine parked in front of our house. What was that about?  

At that moment, the limousine door opened, and Nia stepped out.  
“What brings you here?”  
“Do you want a ride? I feel eyes on us.”  

As I followed Nia into the vehicle, the door closed behind us, and a cold glare was directed at me. Did I do something wrong…?  

“I said I’d allow a certain degree of leeway, but I didn’t say you could protest every day!”  
“W-wait! What do you mean!? Life is a continuous struggle!”  
“Fufufu, you still haven’t come to your senses!?”  
“W-wait a minute!?”  

She poked my side, saying I could only protest once a month.  
“T-that’s impossible! Once a day!”  
“Absolutely not!”  
“Every two days! Or even once every three days!”  
“We’ll die!!”  

After dramatic negotiations, I agreed to protest once a week.  
That too, with prior notice.  

Ugh, that means the effectiveness of surprise protests will decrease.  

“Phew, let’s wrap up the discussion here for now. Do you have time today?”  
“I have to study at the library…?”  
“Think of it as a part-time job.”  
“I… studying…”  
“Daily wage of 1 million won in cash. Meals provided.”  
“Thank you, boss!”  

Indeed, our boss is generous!  
The vehicle quickly sped off, and we arrived at a department store…?  
“I’ve had a lot of meals from Yuna, so this time I’ll treat you.”  
“Boss….”  

It looked like a light shining in my eyes, but was it just an illusion?  
Our boss is amazing! The best!  

As I fawned over her and we entered the department store, Nia led me inside.  
Upon entering the VVIP room for the first time, staff members awaited us.  
“Show me everything that’s new.”  
“Understood.”  

With that, the staff member left, and while I waited, I sipped on a watermelon juice. Soon, the staff returned with various items.  
“Huff, huff. Oh, I’ve brought clothes, bags, shoes, and accessories.”  

What is all that? Surely not…?  
“It’s your turn now, Yuna.”  

Nia looked at me with a smile. No way?  
“Put it on.”  
“W-what do you mean? You’re not going to let me just say, ‘I’ll take this and that,’ are you?”  
“You have to try them on to see if they suit you. So, wear them.”  

Just as I was about to sneak away, the staff had already approached me.  
“Miss, I’ll assist you.”  
“Aah, you don’t need to help me.”  
“Shall we go?”  

That day, I ended up trying on clothes like a doll for three hours.  
The difference was that everything was mine.  
“They all look good on you. I’m glad I prepared things that suit you, Yuna.”  
“Then you could have just bought everything from the start!?”  
“I did it to fulfill my own desires. I’ll send everything to your home. And take this.”  

She handed me a black card.  
It looked just like a black credit card.  
“It’s a black card.”  
“Can you really give me something that precious?”  

When I refused repeatedly, she urged me to take it.  
“Use it to buy what you need and whatever you want to eat.”  
“B-boss…”  

Looking at Nia with a moved expression, she smiled and told me to use it well.  
Once I tucked the precious

 card away, my phone rang.  
I picked up the phone and, after saying I had to rush back to the company, declined the offer to be taken home.  
“Busy, right? Go on.”  
“Then I’ll see you next time.”  

After parting ways, I was on my way to the library.  
Looking at the shiny black card in my hand, I felt it was quite a sight.  
“They say you reap what you sow, and it seems to be true.”  
“Kyuu.”  
“Isn’t Yong-yong going to bring something?”  
“Kyuu!?”  

Yong-yong wailed sorrowfully, saying how much he had done for me.  
I soothed him, saying it was just a joke, and he questioned if I was only saying that.  
He definitely had something in mind.  
“What do you want?”  
“Kyuu.”  

He insisted it was nothing, claiming that with that card, anything would be possible.  
“Cough, of course, if Yong-yong wants something, I should naturally grant it.”  
“Kyuu!”  

Looks like I won’t be going to the library today.