Chapter 78 – Divorce (4)

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Translated by Seoulbound

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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“W-What? How do you…”

By all accounts, Shin looked flustered after hearing words that should never have come from my mouth.

‘I suspected as much, but is it indeed so?’

Actually.

I had been suspicious of the possession of the Love Zone players since before.

Because possessing the attribute of a shaman and being possessed into the Love Zone somehow did not feel like a coincidence.

Moreover, on the day the public chat room first opened, she said the other players decided to serve her.

That was not something that could be achieved in such a short time.

Furthermore, if it was at a level to form a cult, it meant the number of players possessed there was not small, either.

Therefore, I thought the players who fell into the Love Zone might have known each other since before the possession.

And above all.

Among the items in the convenience store, the object symbolizing the Love Zone was none other than condoms.

The shaman before my eyes was absolutely not someone who would buy condoms for fun in such a place.

The same went for the other guys.

A veteran geek of a shitty geek game had neither the courage to buy such a thing proudly at a convenience store nor any place to use it.

Unless someone had instigated it.

[I don’t know what you mean, but I know it’s a bit too harsh.]

It might be too harsh, but objectively speaking, it was the truth.

Therefore, I had been suspecting all along.

Whether these guys had deliberately chosen the Love Zone symbol as a group.

‘Taejeong said he heard the news that the veterans who went to the convenience store went missing.’

Shin and the other players must have heard that news too.

Although it was not certain whether Shin actually deduced all the way to ‘possession’ from the story of going missing upon visiting the convenience store and decided to unite with other players to choose one specific item.

At least, it must have been Shin who conspired to lure the other guys into choosing the ‘same item.’

If they chose the item believing in Shin’s instigation and were possessed into the game, blindly believing in Shin after being possessed was, in a way, a natural flow.

If Shin was a ‘shaman’ who predicted ‘possession,’ the bottomless faith of that fellow, whether his name was Shrike or Go-eye, would also be explained.

Therefore, Shin’s words from earlier.

—Since you don’t know about my ‘possession,’ it’s a pity I cannot acknowledge the existence of ‘God’ either.

Hearing that story, I was certain.

These guys weren’t ‘subjected’ to possession, but they ‘chose’ it.

“How… do you know?”

Shin asked me as if unable to believe it.

“Did you interrogate the messenger I sent?”

Seeing that she didn’t think I asked merely to test her, it seemed she had already half fallen to my side.

“I didn’t lay a finger on your messenger. In the first place, if I didn’t know about your possession, I wouldn’t even think of interrogating him to find out.”

“Then how on earth did you…”

“How else would I know? I think I’ve explained enough so far.”

When I replied with a smile, Shin’s fingertips trembled slightly.

“Really… there is an entity that wanted our possession?”

“Have you never suspected it yourself? Whether it was someone’s arrangement that a shaman just like you got possessed into the Love Zone, dragging other fellows along one after another.”

“That…”

Shin seemed quite flustered.

She was probably thinking that I wouldn’t have found out about their ‘possession’ without the help of some absolute entity.

“Everything up to now was already arranged? Who would believe such a story? We, no, at least I chose possession on my own!”

I didn’t know if she was truly certain she would get possessed, or if she ended up possessed and was just rationalizing it.

Her voice rising meant she was being persuaded.

Then now is the time to give her room for self-rationalization.

“Why don’t you go back and tell your believers?”

“What?”

“That the Safe Zones were practice to prevent the end, and we were chosen by the God of this world to prevent the end. That Dopamine Addict, of all people, said so.”

“…”

This time, instead of immediately retorting, Shin fell silent.

“…Do you know what your words mean right now?”

“Of course. It means I will cooperate so that you can continue to reign over other players as their cult leader or high shaman.”

At that, Shin was greatly shaken.

Naturally, she must have thought I brought up the story of God up to now to snatch her items under the pretext of being able to prevent the end, and cast her out of the cult leader position.

Although I plan to receive the earrings from this fellow.

It is not right now.

‘No need to rush.’

Since she will end up handing them over to me on her own someday anyway.

Even for that sake, making Shin trust me right now was more important.

“Are you… serious?”

“Did you forget that I sent that fellow Shrike back without talking about the system? I had no intention of interfering with your cult walkthrough from the beginning.”

Though I do have intentions of taking advantage of it.

“Why are you… helping me?”

“Because the God of this world really exists in the first place. If you want to play cult leader, you can. I absolutely detest that kind of role.”

“…”

Shin seemed to be agonizing over whether to believe this or not.

Although it was hard to believe the story that the ‘God’ of this world gave me the power to prevent the end if I gathered nine meteors, if God really existed and I was conveying that revelation to her, it wouldn’t be a losing deal for her either.

Actually, there was only one reason Shin gritted her teeth and tried not to believe my story.

‘She just doesn’t want to lose her items under this pretext.’

Saying first that I won’t take your items so please believe me would be a novice move.

Because that is a line of someone trying to scam, no matter who looks at it.

Therefore, I must wait for the right time.

“Somehow… I can’t just believe you.”

“Having a lot of doubt is a good quality for a player. So… I’m going to show you.”

“Show me… what?”

[I’m getting curious about what you’re trying to show too.]

Hearing Luna’s voice filled with curiosity, I muttered briefly.

“God’s representative.”

“God’s… representative?”

[Was there such a thing?]

It was not only Shin who showed a puzzled look, but Luna as well.

But filled with confidence, I spoke without hesitation.

“Everything I’ve told you so far was also heard from that representative. If you see them too, you will have no choice but to believe my words.”

[Hey… what on earth are you trying to show?]

Luna asked worriedly, and Shin looked at me with a face that grew even more suspicious.

“…Fine. I don’t know what on earth you’re trying to show me, but I’ll meet this God’s representative.”

Hearing that she would meet them, I nodded and whispered to the ring.

“Since it has come to this, could you come out for a moment and help me, Lady Luna?”

[…]

Luna had no reply, as if lost for words for a moment.

‘Come out, Luna.’

[…The one you were trying to show was me. I had to pretend to be God’s representative.]

‘Please, Lady Luna.’

[Why drag me into this! Unlike you, I’m a good child!]

‘Just help me once. Your younger brother is asking for help, are you not even going to do that much as the older brother? Huh?’

[You never call me older brother normally…!]

Since I had no such thing as pride, I paid no heed and continued to pester.

‘Bro—please! Big brother!’

[…Only this once. There won’t be a next time.]

‘Yes, big brother! Of course!’

[I’m really bad at lying, though!]

Under my ‘older brother attack,’ Luna finally manifested, pretending to be coaxed.

“W-What!”

When something whitish suddenly popped out of my ring, Shin was startled and stood up on the chair she was sitting on.

However, once she confirmed that what landed on the drawing room tea table was a pure white kitten, she wore an expression mixed half with relief and half with absurdity.

“It’s a cat.”

[A cat, indeed.]

“…It talks?”

Luna loftily raised the tip of her chin and toddled in front of Shin.

[How insolent. To dare compare me to such a mere creature. This body is God’s representative.]

For someone who claimed to be terrible at lying, it was an incredibly natural tone.

This fellow might indeed be my mother’s son.

Shin stared down at Luna with an absurd expression for a moment, then pointed her finger at Luna and asked me.

“…Dopamine Addict, this… is the God’s representative you spoke of?”

[Did you say ‘this’?!]

Shin carefully picked up the jumping Luna with both hands and began to feel her body.

[W-What are you doing?!]

Luna flapped, but she could not escape the player’s grasp.

“Seeing there is no gem, it doesn’t seem to be a monster…”

Ah, did she feel her to check if there was a gem or not?

Considering that, she seemed to still be stroking her.

[Me-Meow! Stop touching me!!]

“Ah, sorry. It was just so soft.”

Shin carefully set Luna down, then stared at me with a face that said she had no idea how to take this.

“A talking cat popping out of a ring is indeed a scene that wasn’t in the game…”

“Still doubting?”

“…”

Shin seemed to think about something for a moment, then looked at Luna and asked.

“Is it true that you are God’s representative?”

[It is.]

“Then, is it really possible for Dopamine Addict’s all-zone clearer perk to prevent the end?”

She doesn’t use honorifics to me, but she immediately uses them to Luna.

[Of course it can prevent it. For we have called him in to save this world.]

Luna seemed to have quite a talent for scamming.

Shin seemed to stare at Luna with an ambiguous expression, not knowing whether she believed Luna’s words or not, and soon asked with a mechanical smile.

“What kind of power is it that can prevent the end?”

[Huh? Uh, that…]

Whether it was an unexpected question, Luna looked at me in embarrassment despite herself.

Was this as far as I could leave it to Luna?

I made a preemptive move before Shin could find it suspicious.

“You are telling me to show you directly. Understood.”

At this, Luna, who naturally knew what my all-zone clearer perk was, widened her eyes in embarrassment.

It was a look that said, ‘What on earth are you trying to show!’

Luna’s tail struck the tea table a couple of times as if anxious.

‘No need to be so anxious.’

Whether it was the need for veterans in this world in the first place, or God’s representative, it was all buildup to make this fellow witness this ‘power.’

“Since God’s representative has permitted it, I want to show you what power I received. Do you agree?”

“No, if you could show it, shouldn’t you have just shown it earlier?”

“Because showing this power requires permission and consent.”

“I don’t know what trick you’re up to, but… fine. Seeing it directly will be much more believable than stories about God’s representative or whatever.”

“Then, taking that as consent…”

I slid my palm toward Shin and said.

“Lend me the earrings.”

“…Ha.”

Shin held her forehead for a moment as if she had a headache, then spoke to me in a slow tone.

“Did you end up lying after all to take the earrings? I’m sorry, but I’m not stupid like the other fellows you’ve seen so far…”

There wasn’t a single fellow who said such things and didn’t fall for my tricks.

“I clearly asked to ‘borrow’ them. You don’t have to give me both, so just hand over one side. Then I will show you. The power that can prevent the end.”

Shin’s expression turned subtle.

I knew what that expression was.

A face unable to win over the impulse of dopamine, thinking ‘let’s just see what kind of crazy trick this crazy bastard is trying to pull’ rather than the heart that couldn’t trust me.

‘Since it’s only one side, wouldn’t it be fine… if worst comes to worst, I can just shoot him with the pistol in my chest. Whatever.’

…It was a face thinking roughly to that extent.

I flicked the tip of my hand, which was extended enticingly.

“The earring. Give it to me quickly. You want to see it too.”

“…Really, I don’t know what on earth you’re trying to do, but.”

Shin, who hung a crooked smile with one corner of her mouth raised, unfastened one of her earrings and placed it on my palm.

“Don’t forget that I am also a player. If you’re going to play tricks, you’d better be prepared.”

“Of course I would.”

Receiving one earring from Shin, I gripped it in my hand and walked toward the window.

I felt Luna staring at me with a worried face.

Showing a relaxed smile toward Luna, I flung the drawing room window wide open.

Shhhhh…

The snow falling in thick flakes swept inside in an instant.

The snow that had been falling without stopping since morning.

Since Shin had also made her way here through that blizzard, she must know it was by no means a snow that would stop easily.

Looking up at the sky, dark clouds tightly packed between the falling snow were visible.

Confirming the dark clouds filling the sky overhead, I gestured for Shin to come closer.

“Come closer and watch.”

“…You aren’t trying to push me from there, are you?”

“Who do you take me for?”

Still looking suspicious, Shin did not stick close to me and stood keeping a certain distance.

“Look at the sky.”

“The sky?”

“With only 1.5 meteor items, I can only show this much power. But I trust that if it’s you, you will know the potential of the power I show.”

“What? What on earth does that…”

While trying to say something to me, Shin kept her gaze directed toward the dark clouds just as I had instructed.

Confirming the direction Shin’s gaze was heading, I raised my fist gripping the earring toward the sky.

And soon, Shin’s two eyes looking up at the sky began to dye with shock.

“What is… that?”

Because she witnessed the sky beginning to clear beyond my fist.

Then now is the time to drive the wedge home.

“God’s miracle. Do you believe it now?”