Episode 12

 

     

 

   3.

 

   

 

   The conditions I demanded from the Ministry of Ability Management were ones that they wouldn’t find too onerous.

 

   Reschedule the official press conference that was originally scheduled for the following Wednesday.

 

In other words, I wanted to reschedule the press conference for three days later.

 

Kim’s response was immediate.

 

   “It’s not that difficult,” he said.

 

   “Are you saying that we can just cancel the press conference?”

 

“It’s not like we’re canceling it altogether, so I don’t think that’s a condition. It’s not like Shi Yu is asking you to deliberately hide your identity, right?”

 

“Of course not.”

 

   “As long as you don’t cancel your schedule altogether, I don’t mind. In fact, the Ministry of Ability Management has already prepared plans that involve Shi Yu.”

 

Seeing that the team leader gave me such an easy answer, I realized that the Ministry of Ability Management had already talked about it.

 

   Was it because I didn’t put too many conditions?

 

   Team Leader Kim, who had been looking a little stiff, suddenly breathed a sigh of relief, and I looked at him and said.

 

“In effect, my appearing in front of the public is a kind of showcase, isn’t it?”

 

   “That’s right.”

 

“This time, I’m thinking of painting a picture with Min-Soo, the person I met in the Abyss Dungeon, because the one I painted before was actually destroyed in the Abyss Dungeon, and I think I need a new one.”

 

   “You want a dramatic showcase, I understand. First impressions are important, after all, and the whole reason we want an official press conference is because of the people’s trust in the government; you’re the first Irregular in the country, and you’re the first to be confirmed by the government, so the symbolism is important.”

 

Kim gulped down water as he spoke, as if to clear his throat, and then continued in a more relaxed voice.

 

   “We just need to take care of the symbolism. As for Shi Yu being active on MyTube, that’s actually something we’d welcome. At least it’s a sign that Shi Yu will be based in Korea.”

 

“Well, my family is here, and I don’t want to move to another country to try and make a fresh start.”

 

   “That’s why I say thank you every time. We still don’t know the full extent of your power, but just the fact that you’re here in Korea allows us to dream of many things.”

 

   It’s not a story I can easily relate to.

 

   I don’t know much about this changed world, and I don’t know much about what’s happened to South Korea in the past five years.

 

   But the look in Kim’s eyes vaguely proved that he meant what he said.

 

   So I smiled faintly at his sincerity and nodded.

 

   “As for Baek Myung Church, we’ll keep you updated as soon as we have more information.”

 

“It’s times like this that the old adage, ‘iron sharpens iron’ comes into play.”

 

   “Because from what we can tell so far, it’s not just an iron hammer. They’ve already got quite a bit of power in the political arena. We’re not sure how far it stretches, but Special Investigations is currently looking into it.”

 

   Interesting.

 

An organization that’s been in the shadows for six months isn’t going to come out of the woodwork overnight.

 

Looks like the Ministry of Ability Management is trying to manage the situation carefully.

 

   Well, that’s good.

 

   The way they’re using the media so aggressively, it’s clear they’re going to be my competition in the future.

 

In other words, it’s going to be a battle for the rice bowl.

 

It’s even better if the Ministry of Ability Management is on my side.

 

   We spent the next 30 minutes talking about this and that, and the time flew by.

 

Team Leader Kim slowly stood up and said

 

   “I’m afraid I’ve taken up too much of your time, and I apologize.”

 

   “It’s Sunday, so I’m free. You’re the one who’s working hard.”

 

   “Haha, of course, for the country…….”

 

Team Leader Kim and I say goodbye and are about to part ways.

 

   “Hey, Team Leader!”

 

   From one side of the cafe, an employee disguised as a member of the public came running over, looking surprised.

 

“Can’t you see I’m talking to a guest of honor, how inconvenient it would be for Mr. Shi Yu if you act like that…….”

 

   “This, look at this.”

 

   “What the hell are you making a fuss about? Mr. Shi Yu. Excuse me for a moment.”

 

Mr. Kim bowed to me several times, then looked at the  tablet PC his subordinate had brought with him.

 

   A few seconds passed.

 

   Team Leader Kim’s face turned white as he looked at the  tablet PC, and soon he handed it over to me and said

 

   “Mr. Shi Yu, I think you should see…….”

 

   “Hmm?”

 

   I checked the tablet PC he handed over.

 

   The tablet had a MyTube playing on it, and the title of the video was just five words.

 

   

 

   <Sorry>.

 

   

 

   I looked at the channel name, wondering what kind of MyTuber would post another apology video, and when I saw it, I couldn’t help but frown.

 

   “Player K?”

 

   

 

   -Hello. This is Player K. I’m posting this video to talk to you about what happened two days ago. Before I start the video, I would like to thank him again for saving me and my crew from almost dying. …….

 

   

 

   The video is about 2 minutes long.

 

After watching Min-Soo’s story and the comments that followed, I put my hand to my forehead and said.

 

   “……I’ll go see him in person.”

 

   “Please…….”

 

   A fanatic had done something.

 

   4.

 

   After parting ways with Team Leader Kim, I headed straight to the next-door neighbor, Korea University Hospital in the Guro district.

 

   Of course, I didn’t come here because I was sick.

 

   I came here because I needed to meet someone.

 

Ding-dong-.

 

I knocked on the door of a single room, took a deep breath, stepped inside, turned to the man sitting in the hospital bed, and said in my lowest voice.

 

   “Hyung-nim. I’m here.”

 

The man in the bed looked at me and smiled broadly.

 

He was a handsome man who looked good even in his plain, patient clothes.

 

   It was Gu Min-Soo.

 

“Are you here, Holy Father?”

 

   “……Where else did you learn the title of Holy Father?”

 

   “I did my own search on TreeWiki…….”

 

TreeWiki is a place to find information that no one else has.

 

   Holy Father.

 

It’s not an awkward title, as I’ve had people call me Holy Father in Eden.

 

   But I didn’t want to be called something so outdated and uncomfortable when I had just founded a church.

 

   I held out my hand as I sat down in the chair in front of the bed.

 

“Just call me Mr. Shi Yu if that makes you uncomfortable.”

 

   “But…….”

 

   “Respect is good, but an uncomfortable level of respect is rather painful.”

 

   “I understand, Pope. Please don’t stop me from calling you Pope.”

 

   “……Do whatever you want, just.”

 

   I kept the nomenclature issue simple.

 

   I didn’t want to dwell on it in front of the patient, so I got straight to the point.

 

   “Why did you do that?”

 

   The video Gu Min-Soo had posted an hour earlier, titled “I’m sorry.

 

   I’m pretty sure there’s never been a more aggravating title for viewers than those seven letters.

 

   Especially not from Gu Min-Soo, who has never been in trouble before and is one of the most compassionate player MyTubers.

 

   The entire two-minute video was all about me and Limen.

 

   He doesn’t actually mention my name, but he talks about me being saved by a transcendent being that he worships and who cured him. This kind of blind worship went on and on.

 

   This was not a satisfactory outcome for me.

 

   I personally wanted something a little more dramatic.

 

   But in response to my question, Gu Min-Soo answered in a confident voice, as if he had done what he was supposed to do.

 

   “I’m ready to give my all at any time. If I can spread the name of Goddess Limen, I will give my entire fortune at any time.”

 

   

 

   [The third member of the <Limen Cult>, Gu Min-Soo, professes his faith].

 

   [You’ve earned the Special Achievement <Fanatic>. You gain an additional 20 <Divinity Points> as a title reward].

 

   [The Special Title <Inquisitor> will be updated to the DLC Store as you unlock this achievement].

 

[Inquisitor]]

 

   Type: DLC – Officer

 

   Requires: Special Achievement <Zealot>.

 

   Key Attributes.

 

-<Judgment>: Increases all stats by up to 10% when dealing with Cult enemies or demons; the higher the special stat <Faith>, the higher the percent increase; cannot be triggered on <Commoners> or <Normal Players> without a Cult affiliation.

 

Purchase Cost: 500DP

 

   

 

   An Inquisitor in the modern age.

 

   What an anachronism.

 

   And I can’t buy it right away. The purchase price was too prohibitive for me to do it all at once.

 

   I read the message window slowly, then closed it with a sigh.

 

   The system doesn’t lie.

 

For the system to react this way means that Mr. Minsoo’s fervent faith is genuine.

 

……Yes, it’s times like this that we need to be as positive as possible.

 

   I was going to use MyTube to draw attention anyway. It’s not the way I wanted it to happen, but it’s still okay.

 

“Let’s just hear why you did this.”

 

   I asked Min-Soo with a bitter smile, and he nodded and handed me the phone he was looking at just a moment ago.

 

   “Would you like to see his reaction?”

 

“Why not?”

 

   The video on the handed phone had already surpassed 1 million views.

 

   Just 10 minutes ago, it was at 600,000, so the rate at which it’s rising is impressive.

 

And the number of comments on the video has already exceeded 10,000.

 

   

 

   “Is it because they’re doing something that they’re making new content?”

 

“Minsoo;-; Even so, the cult concept is a little too much;-;”

 

   “Hyung. I’m fine with any role concept you can come up with, so please post a video soon.”

 

“Something big is coming; what the hell are you doing here?”

 

   “Don’t fidget, just upload a new video, Minsoo. Remember. Your health always comes first. Okay?”

 

   

 

   Is this the life of a true MyTuber?

 

   To me, it was a heartfelt video, but to the uninformed viewers, it was a concept.

 

   “It’s not bad. Is that what you intended?”

 

   GuMin-Soo shakes his head in disbelief at my question.

 

   “Not at all.”

 

   “……I see.”

 

“I just didn’t want Baek Myung Church to get all the attention. The one who should really be getting that attention is…….”

 

   “It’s Limen, isn’t it?”

 

   “Of course, it’s you, the Pope. All the glory belongs to the Goddess.”

 

   Was he crazy to begin with, or did Limen and I make him crazy?

 

   I’ll have to ask In Wook as soon as I get home today.

 

   Gu Min-Soo didn’t stop there.

 

   He continued, looking more motivated than ever.

 

   “But I knew my subscribers would react like this, so I prepared another believer’s testimony for my next video.”

 

   “Who is it?”

 

“He’s already witnessed the Pope’s miracles with his own two eyes. Do you remember the cameraman at the entrance to the dungeon? Seol Se-myeong?”

 

   “Ah.”

 

   Somehow.

 

I counted four believers. Judging from the system message’s cursory description, I’d guessed it was a regular person.

 

   “No, but I already have the testimony video. I’ve scheduled it for upload this evening…….”

 

“Let’s not do that, let’s do this instead.”

 

   With that, I told Gu Min-Soo the plan I had made on the way to the hospital.

 

   A few moments later.

 

After hearing all of my plans, Gu Min-Soo said to me with an overwhelmed expression.

 

   “Do you really think I can take on such an important role?”

 

   At that, I simply smiled and nodded.

 

“Of course, Goddess Limen will be very pleased.”