🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 7
‘By the way… where am I?’
I stopped yelling and looked around.
It was a pretty nice room.
The furniture was child-sized.
I nodded—this layout felt familiar.
‘It’s the protagonist’s room.’
Pope candidates get pretty decent rooms.
But if their divine power grows too slowly or their grades are bad?
They fall straight into misery. The treatment gets really bad.
‘People who say they serve God have no mercy. None at all.’
When I first played this game, I messed up my grades a bunch of times too.
‘I even had to sleep in a stable that smelled like horse poop.’
I still remember the line where the protagonist sniffled and said, “It smells like horse poop…”
That scene shocked me so much, I couldn’t sleep that night.
How dare they make my pretty and fragile protagonist sleep in a poop-stinking stall!
‘Damn developers!’
Sigh. But that’s not the real issue now.
‘Anyway… where’s “Dad”?’
Guardians are supposed to stay right next to Pope candidates almost all the time, right?
I looked around and suddenly froze.
“Hiccup!”
Gosh, that scared me.
I had just noticed Derrick standing in the shadows.
Jeez, in the dark like that, he really looked like some mafia boss.
How did I miss that huge guy?
“Uh, how long have you been there?”
“Since the beginning.”
His deep, gloomy voice sounded nice, but I still clicked my tongue a bit.
‘Wait. No way. Did he hear me yelling at the signboard?’
“Did… did you see me yelling too?”
I asked carefully, word by word. Derrick slowly tilted his head.
“I saw you shouting at the air… but I didn’t understand what you meant.”
Whew. Thank goodness.
I quickly raised my hand. Wait, hold on.
“Talk casually, please.”
“I can’t do that. You’re the Pope candidate. How could I…”
“But the Guardian’s supposed to be a dad, right? It’s weird for a dad to use formal speech with his daughter.”
“Strange things from outside are sometimes the rule here.”
“Liar. When Siara explained it, she didn’t say that was a rule.”
“……”
Derrick shut his mouth tightly.
I narrowed my eyes and stared at him hard.
“…Is that an order?”
Wow. When a scary-looking guy puts serious power behind his eyes and says something like that, I flinch a little.
“No, it’s a request. I don’t give orders to my dad.”
Since we now share our lives, we need to be closer.
We’ll face a bunch of crises together before reaching the happy ending!
Time for my ultimate weapon—childish whining.
“If you don’t talk casually, I won’t eat.”
“……”
“Go ahead. Let me starve.”
He looked confused for a second, but in the end, Derrick reluctantly gave in.
Then he asked me,
“Did you have a nightmare or something earlier? You were saying a bunch of strange things right after waking up.”
Oh, he’s using casual speech now.
But anyway…
“Uh… kinda. Ahem.”
Seems like this “Dad” doesn’t understand heavy baby talk. Mental note.
‘This is the first time I’ve felt thankful for having a short tongue.’
“Well, yeah. It wouldn’t be weird to have nightmares in your situation.”
Derrick seemed to accept it with his own logic.
Whatever that means…
I tilted my head but didn’t ask further.
“By the way, how long was I passed out?”
“Three days.”
“Oh, I see… Wait, what?!”
Three days? If it’s been that long…
“Did Siara tell you? You missed your first class.”
Right, there was the first class!
Kind of like an orientation, where you meet high-ranking Church officials and professors.
‘And they count your participation for that too.’
If you miss it, of course…
“Unfortunately, the first class is also your first evaluation.”
Derrick’s face grew just a little darker.
“You’re ranked last.”
I knew it!
“Whaaaat…!”
I quickly slapped my face with my little hands. Lightly, not too hard.
‘What do I do? What now?’
If someone told me to “put your hands down” right now…
I probably would’ve been smiling and said:
‘That’s actually great, isn’t it?’
“First class.”
I remember that part so clearly.
* * *
Game Category [Post] [Strategy Guide]
[How to Be Late to the First Class]
-
In this game, just assume that everything you do for the first time is a trap.
If you get a good grade here? That’s when the fanatics start obsessing over you. -
On the other hand, if your grades are bad? Your environment gets worse.
The best thing is to “naturally miss the class.”
How do you do that…?
* * *
This was actually something I wrote in my own strategy guide.
In the first class, all the Pope candidates gather and introduce themselves.
That’s when everyone’s attention turns to the protagonist—who passed the hardest trial, “The Maze.”
And from that moment on…
The fanatics start to cling to you.
‘That’s why you’re supposed to skip the class on purpose.’
But I…
‘Ended up doing it by fainting?’
This usually takes some tricky setup to pull off!
And even though I ranked last, the fact that my room was untouched probably means they took the fainting into account.
‘Even luck is on my side.’
I grinned.
“Last place? That’s fine!”
“…That can’t be fine.”
As my dad started to say something, I quickly raised my hand.
“No. It’s really okay. Because I have you, Dad.”
Derrick looked confused.
“…I was going to tell you this myself, but… you’re completely mistaken. I’m absolutely useless—”
“Nope. I’m not mistaken.”
If anyone thinks they know this story better than me, let them try.
“Anyway, let’s talk about something else!”
I asked brightly, eyes sparkling.
“What happens when you get last place? Do I get scolded? Punished? Does it hurt? Will I get injured?”
Dad looked surprised.
“…I see how you view the Church now. If you were a regular attendant or low-ranked knight, maybe. But they don’t treat someone important like you carelessly.”
Hmm, so since it’s still early in the story, they won’t be too rough. The problem comes later.
“Anyway…”
Dad hesitated a moment.
Then he walked over to my side.
Under the sunlight, his handsome face looked even clearer.
“Let’s talk for a moment.”
…But we were already talking, weren’t we?
As he stepped closer, a thin silver veil formed between us.
Wow, this must be the divine power that blocks sound.
‘Seeing it in real life is kinda cool.’
“…About the power you used yesterday.”
Knew he’d bring that up.
Well, of course. He probably thought he’d live the rest of his life in despair.
But suddenly feeling clear and clean again—he must’ve been overjoyed.
“Shhh.”
I put my tiny finger to my lips.
And smiled softly.
“I can’t get caught.”
My baby voice might’ve sounded cute, like a chick chirping.
But the meaning behind it was heavy.
“If anyone finds out, I’ll die.”
I purposely used the word “die.”
“…Then, does that mean you really are…”
Derrick paused for a moment, then said:
“…A child chosen by God?”
“Maybeee~?”
I glanced quickly at the floating signboard.
[Let’s show some affection to your surprised ‘Dad’!]
…Let’s ignore that.
The signboard’s official story is that it delivers God’s will.
But a God who gives this kind of order? No thanks!
I tried to keep my expression calm. Not sure how well that worked with my puffy cheeks.
“We’re partners now.”
“…You even know that word?”
That’s the only thing he’s impressed by?
“Of course. I’m smaaaart.”
I pointed my tiny finger at Derrick.
“We’re officially bonded. If I die, you die. If you die, same for me.”
Suddenly, Dad’s face lost all expression.
In an instant, deep darkness and anger crossed his face.
…Jeez, don’t make that face. You look like someone about to say, “Throw ‘em in a barrel and toss it in the river.”
“…Knowing that, you still chose trash like me? You must be crazy!”
His expression turned wild, almost like a beast.
“You really didn’t know what kind of person I am, did you? Cancel your choice. It might not be too late!”
Whoa, hold on. Calm down!
“You’re a precious child of God. That power—you must have an ability passed down only in legends! I know, because I felt it! And yet, instead of being treasured and protected, that damn usher corrupted you—!”
“Then who do you think I chose?”
I answered calmly.
“The man in front of me.”
With a soft smile.
“Daddy.”
The fact that his eyes shook like that—
Means he’s a good person.
He truly believes he’s not good enough and wants the candidate to go to someone better.
Even my own guide warned about this moment.
* * *
Game Category [Post] [Strategy Guide]
[Guardian “Derrick Sacrum”攻略 Guide]
What is the “Dr. Oh Eun-young meta”…?
(※A reference to Korea’s famous parenting expert known for calm, patient guidance.)
If you picked Derrick, you’re about to learn what it truly means to deal with an emotional vampire.
But hang in there! You chose him, remember?
Even if you need to say something firm, don’t be harsh.
You must always pick the nicest, most positive dialogue options.
Your “dad” is basically a sunfish—super delicate and easy to break.
* * *
But I know the truth.
This man might fall into despair over and over…
But if he just hangs in there, he’s a Guardian who can become the winner in the end.
‘Sorry, but the system says once you choose, there’s no take-backs.’
And honestly, I don’t plan on changing my choice either.
‘I think this is way better than rotting in that prayer room until you die on schedule.’
[Let’s encourage the nervous “Dad”!]
I puffed out my belly and shouted confidently:
“To stay alive together, let’s do our best!”
“……”
Ah, was that not it?
The signboard just gave me a good suggestion, so I shouted it a little louder.
But… I guess that wasn’t the reaction it wanted. The purification skill didn’t activate.
‘Well, it’d be a problem if it did work.’
I really shouldn’t overuse it.
Fainting again would be bad.
‘Maybe I shouldn’t follow every goal the sign gives me. Just go easy.’
Like, maybe just one a day?
That should be enough for Dad to slowly feel a little better.
I got up from my seat.
“Dad, you’re much more amazing than you think.”
“……”
“To me, you’re way, way better than the ten people Siara recommended.”
I’ll show you—
‘Just how cool of a hero you used to be.’
I put my hands on my hips and giggled. Then I glanced sideways at the door.
“I’m bored.”
Right on cue, the signboard popped up in front of me:
[Let’s get closer to “Dad”!]
[Go for a walk!]
…Are they telling me to take Dad for a walk?
‘What am I, a pet trainer?’
Well, still—it’s not a bad idea.
Might as well look around the Church the protagonist used to explore.
* * *
…I thought I just wanted to go for a walk.
“Oh, you’re alive?”
Right. A walk.
But why did things…
End up like this?
“They said you boldly walked into a prayer room with a corrupted knight, so I figured you’d died!”
Back in my room, I swallowed nervously as a shadow loomed over me.
[Usher Tatum / Age 32
Rank: Deputy Commander of the White Paladin Order
Holder of Divine Power]
[Affiliation: Fanatic of the Evil God’s Cult]
The man standing there, smiling slyly, had a “Fanatic” star glowing above his head.
Gray hair. Purple eyes.
He was the first person I met from the Church at the altar.
And he’s actually a fanatic spy who snuck in.
One of the Church’s top 3 villains—Usher—grinned.
“Shall we have a little chat?”
