TFWSDW 04

Chapter 4

“The church had a reason for creating the guardian system.”

It was because of the divine prophecy.

The prophecy said that the Pope must be brought in and raised properly until adulthood.

“Your name is Nemesia, right? …According to the records, you’re three years old.”

“Yup.”

So they know my name now.

The face was new in the game—and so was the name.

“I felt it the moment I met you… but your words and behavior aren’t really like a three-year-old’s.”

“I’m shmart.”

Because inside this tiny body is an adult game addict.

I don’t know how Siara interpreted that, but she nodded.

“This is the prayer room.”

We stopped in front of a marble door.

“Still… It’s surprising that Lord Usher told you the location of the prayer room and gave you info about the other guardian candidates.”

“Yup.”

“…That doesn’t sound like something he’d do.”

I pretended not to hear her and whistled.

Just like Siara said, the person I plan to choose as my guardian is behind this door.

Game Category [Post][Guide]
[Safe ‘Guardian’ List]
Sharing a list of relatively safe guardians—there’s some risk, but they’re mostly trustworthy.

‘There is some risk… but thinking about the future, this person is the best choice.’

But I couldn’t say I knew that, so I just dropped the name of the first fanatic I met.

I’m going to take him down later anyway—so don’t be upset, Usher.

‘Still… praying in a place like this? It’s perfect for turning into a cultist.’

The prayer room was dark and damp overall.

Breathing this musty air and staring at gloomy walls every day—no wonder people go crazy.

‘If I were the Pope, I’d change the wallpaper first.’

Siara opened the door.

And the moment it opened, I saw a large man inside.

I was startled, but not shocked.

Because I knew exactly who he was.

Game Category [Post][Guide]
[Safe ‘Guardian’ List]
Derrick Sacrum / 32 years old
Affiliation: Former Commander of the Blue Holy Knights, ex-hero of the church
Faction: Corrupted Holy Knight
Note: Currently affected by an annoying “status ailment”

Huge build.

Lowered eyes, black hair, handsome but with a gloomy, heavy expression.

Dark, cold atmosphere. Blue eyes with a strange glow.

Even though this was a prayer room used by holy knights, it felt like I’d just walked in on a retired mafia boss.

[Status Condition: Loss of Self-Esteem]

I smiled gently at the gloomy handsome man.

Hello, future guardian.

‘Wanna ride my coin straight to salvation?’

Derrick Sacrum.

A character who was really popular among gamers.

First, his unique, decadent, and super handsome look pulled in a ton of female players. And he played a major role in a certain chapter too.

Plus, story-wise, he used to be a hero of the church.

‘I remember—he looked like a shining hero in the flashbacks. But in the present, he’s fallen so far he looks like a mafia boss. That contrast made people go wild.’

I lowered my eyes for a moment to gather my thoughts.

And right then, the signboard followed my gaze and started bouncing on the ground.

<Black Salvator> used wooden signboards for its UI, to make players feel more immersed.

‘Come to think of it, the first thing I saw when I woke up in this world was one of those signboards…’

The one with that culty vibe—

[Do you believe in God?]
[Let’s save this ruined world with love!]

“Right! That one!”

I shouted without realizing, and people around me gave me strange looks.

“Candidate…?”

I ignored them and stared hard at the sign floating in front of me.

‘I don’t remember seeing that message in this part of the game.’

Why is the word “love” popping up in a dark dystopia like this?

[Let’s save the world with love?]

…The wording’s kind of different now.

Am I imagining it?

[The ‘Only Savior’ will save the world with love!!]

It changed!!

‘…What does it mean by “save with love”?’

Almost as if it was waiting, a flurry of signboards popped up.

[Give hugs!]
[Give kisses!]
[Give compliments!]
[Pat their head!]

…?

Huh? I blinked my big eyes.

‘…Am I a kindergarten teacher now?’

The signs started floating closer to me, so I quickly changed my thinking.

[Pat their head!!]

‘What, am I raising a dog? “No such thing as a bad dog”?’

No matter how I read it, that’s what it sounded like.

I’ve never seen anything like this in the game before.

I took a step back to avoid the signs.

Tilting my head, I wondered—

‘Wait… I’m not supposed to do all this, right?’

Just then, even more signs appeared as if confirming it.

They floated all around me, and the messages said:

[Feed them!]
[Take them on a picnic!]
[Sing a song for them!]
[Dance for them!]
[Say “I love you!”]

…Is this game insane?

Let’s see, who’s even in this church?

Believers, priests, holy knights…

Dig a little deeper:

Fanatics, corrupted holy knights, royal spies…

And now I’m supposed to go on picnics with these psychos? Sing to them? Say I love them?

‘That’s the fastest way to get accused of heresy and executed.’

Originally, the main character’s goals in this game were:

[Spread the faith]
[Preach]
[Give sermons]
[Save the world]

…So why does it feel like the Pope’s job has turned into being a nanny?

[Avoid the fanatics, cultists, and corrupted holy knights in the church—and find a “guardian”!]

‘I know. That’s why I’m here to see this guy in the first place.’

But the signboards weren’t happy with my choice. This time, they popped up with a warning.

[‘Derrick Sacrum’ is a Corrupted Holy Knight.]

A corrupted holy knight.

In simple terms: he’s going insane.

‘I know that.’

In the story, corrupted knights lose their sanity more and more over time.

Derrick is the same. In the end, he even goes berserk and kills his allies.

‘But according to my guide, he’s still a safe guardian.’

There’s a reason I chose him over normal knights.

‘Yes, he’s guaranteed to go berserk. But I also know the way to fix that.’

He’s a former hero, and if you take care of him even just a little, his stats are incredible.
Yeah, he’s corrupted, but that doesn’t matter to me.

[Would you like to choose ‘Derrick Sacrum’ as your guardian?]

I nodded.

‘He’s not going to glow or anything now, right?’

It’d be a problem if things got too flashy.

[‘Derrick Sacrum’ has been chosen as your guardian!]

No glowing lights or sound effects like in the game.

‘Huh? That was… way too simple.’

I was planning to pick him, but the lack of fanfare made it feel a little underwhelming.

[You cannot change your chosen guardian!]

The sign wobbled in front of me like it was teasing me.

Okay, fine.

[You cannot undo your divine choice. Don’t regret it!]

Got it.

“Lord Derrick, were you about to head out?”

Because I hadn’t said anything, Siara hesitantly asked.

“…I’m going to get my medicine.”

A low, heavy voice.

So low it made me wonder how a voice could even go that deep.

“Ah…”

Siara gave a slightly troubled smile.

“What’s wrong?”

“Well… this child here is a ‘Pope candidate’ who survived the maze.”

Derrick’s face said, So? His expression was distant and gloomy.

‘He doesn’t look like a knight at all—more like a depressed patient…’

I get it. His self-esteem is crushed because he knows he’s corrupted.

But still… this bad?

“Just now, the candidate chose Lord Sacrum as her guardian.”

At that moment, Derrick’s face finally showed a flicker of emotion.

“…Me? Why? Why would anyone choose trash like me?”

Trash?

With that face, no one would call you trash.

‘Sorry, but you’re not getting rid of me.’

The system already confirmed him as my guardian. Now I just have to go through the formal ceremony.

Siara glanced at me and hesitantly asked:

“W-Was it a mistake…?”

“No! Notta mistake!”

As if!

Do you know how carefully I picked this guy? I staked my whole gaming life on this choice!

‘Yes, picking a corrupted holy knight is dangerous. That’s true.’

But this one is different.

He’s the kind of person who would stab himself before hurting others if he ever went berserk.

One of the few genuinely righteous people left.

And—he has the potential to stand up to the fanatics and royal spies that will threaten me later.

‘Let’s become heroes together, okay?’