Chapter 7

‘By the way, where am I?’

I stopped mid-scream and looked around.

It was a pretty nice room.

The furniture was all child-sized.

I nodded at the familiar layout.

‘This is the protagonist’s room.’

Pope candidates always got decent rooms.

But if their divine power didn’t develop fast enough, or if their grades were bad?

Straight to the bottom. They’d be treated like trash.

‘They claim to serve God, but have zero mercy. Mercy, my ass.’

When I first played this game, I flunked so many times.

‘I even had to sleep in a stable that reeked of horse poop.’

That line the protagonist cried out, “It smells like horse poop…” still haunted me.

I was so traumatized that I couldn’t sleep that night.

How dare they! Make my sweet, delicate protagonist sleep in a poop shed!

‘Damn developers!’

Phew. Focus, that’s not the issue right now.

‘Where did “Daddy” go, anyway?’

Guardians are supposed to stay glued to the pope candidate. That’s the rule, isn’t it?

As I glanced around, I suddenly froze.

“Hic!”

Oh god.

I just now noticed Derek standing in the shadows.

Whoa, he looks even more like a mafia boss in the dark.

How did I not notice that huge frame?

“H-how long’ve you been standing there?”

“From the beginning.”

That voice was deep and gloomy, yet oddly pleasant. I clicked my tongue without realizing.

‘Wait. No way. Then he saw me yelling at the signboard?!’

“D-did yeu hear me yelling too?”

I asked slowly, enunciating every syllable, and Derek tilted his head with a slow nod.

“I saw you shouting at thin air… but I didn’t understand any of it.”

Phew. Thank god.

I raised my hand. Wait, wait.

“Talk comfy to me.”

“I can’t. How could I possibly speak informally to the pope candidate…”

“But you’re my daddy, right? Isn’t it weird for a dad to talk all formal to his daughter?”

“What’s strange outside is often a rule in here.”

“Liar. Ciara didn’t say anything about such a rule.”

“…”

Derek clamped his mouth shut.

I narrowed my eyes and stared him down.

“…Is that an order?”

The way this scary-looking man asked me that while glaring was enough to make me shrink for a second.

“No, it’s a favor. I don’t give orders to Daddy.”

We’re linked by life now. We need to be closer than anyone.

There’s a mountain of crises we need to tackle together before we reach the happy ending!

Time to activate the ultimate toddler skill: Tantrum.

“If you don’t talk comfy, I’m not eating.”

“…”

“I’m gonna starve. Let me starve.”

His face went blank with disbelief, but eventually, Derek let out a quiet sigh and gave in.

Then he asked me,

“Did you have a nightmare or something earlier? You were saying all sorts of strange things when you woke up.”

Ooh, look at that. He dropped the formal tone.

Anyway…

“S-sort of. Ahem.”

Looks like my “Daddy” can’t understand super baby-talk. Mental note.

‘This might be the first time I’m grateful for having a short tongue.’

“I guess it wouldn’t be weird to have nightmares in your situation.”

Derek seemed to convince himself with some logical deduction.

Whatever that means.

I tilted my head but didn’t press.

“So how long was I out?”

“Three days.”

“Ah… wait, what?”

Three days? That means…

“Ciara probably told you. You missed your first class.”

Right, the first session! Kind of like an orientation. It’s when you meet the Order’s top brass and instructors.

‘And they evaluate you on attendance for that.’

Which means if you miss it…

“Unfortunately, that session also acts as your first evaluation.”

Derek’s face darkened just a little.

“You’re ranked dead last.”

I knew it!

“Gaaah!”

I slapped my own cheeks with my tiny hands. Slap slap. Not hard enough to hurt.

‘What do I do? What now?’

If someone told me “Put your hands down” right now…

I’d probably say:

‘This is actually amazing.’

Because I remember that first class so vividly.

I even wrote it in my own guide.

All the pope candidates gather during the first class, introduce themselves, and get to know each other.

And during that session, the protagonist who passed the toughest trial, the Labyrinth, gets everyone’s attention.

That’s when the fanatics start swarming.

‘So you’re supposed to skip it on purpose.’

But me?

‘I managed it by literally fainting.’

This is something that usually requires precise planning!

Still, the fact that my room wasn’t downgraded despite being in last place means they probably took my unconscious state into account.

‘Even luck’s on my side now.’

I grinned from ear to ear.

“Being last? It’s fine!”

“…It can’t possibly be fine.”

Daddy tried to say something, but I quickly raised a hand.

“No. It rweally is. Because I’ve got you.”

Derek gave me a puzzled look.

“…I was going to tell you myself, but you’re clearly misunderstanding. I’m completely useless…”

“Yeah, you’we not.”

If anyone’s memorized every inch of this story, it’s me.

“Anyway, let’s change the subject!”

My eyes sparkled as I asked,

“So what happens if you’re last? Do I get scolded? Punished? Hurt? Injured?”

Daddy looked taken aback.

“…I see what you think of the Order. For a seedling or a regular knight, maybe. But no one’s going to mistreat someone as precious as you.”

Hmm, so they won’t rough me up yet. It’s still early in the story. Things change later, though.

“Anyway…”

Daddy paused for a moment.

Then he walked over to me.

In the sunlight, his handsome face looked even more distinct.

“Let’s talk.”

…Aren’t we already talking?

A thin silver veil of light dropped between us.

Whoa, is this the divine power barrier that blocks sound?

‘Cool to see it in real life.’

“…That ability you used yesterday.”

Knew he’d bring it up.

Well, he probably thought he’d live in despair forever.

To suddenly feel clear-headed again… he must have been overwhelmed.

“Shh.”

I placed a tiny finger to my lips and smiled wide.

“Can’t tell anyone.”

My voice was all chirpy and cutesy, like a baby chick chirping. But what I said was deadly serious.

“If I talk… I’ll die.”

I intentionally used the word die.

“…So you really…”

Derek went quiet for a moment, then said,

“Are you… a child chosen by God?”

“Maybe?”

I glanced at the signboard.

[Let’s show some cuteness to the shocked “Daddy”!]

…Let’s ignore it.

The signboard’s official lore says it’s a mission from God, but…

No way am I accepting a God who gives me missions like this!

I tried to keep my expression calm. Though with these chubby cheeks, who knows how I look.

“We’re partners now.”

“…You even know a word like that?”

That’s the part you’re impressed by?

“Of course. I’m shmart.”

I pointed at Derek with my tiny hand.

“We’re linked now, right? If I die, you die too. Same goes the other way.”

That made Daddy’s face go blank for a moment.

Then rage and despair layered across his expression in an instant.

…Whoa, please don’t make that face. You look like someone who’s about to say “Throw them in the barrel.”

“You knew that, and you still chose a piece of trash like me? Are you insane?!”

His face looked downright beastly.

“You really didn’t know what kind of man I was, did you?! Take it back now. Maybe it’s not too late!”

Whoa, hold on! Calm down!

“You’re a divine heir. That power, no one else in this world has it. It’s a legendary gift! I felt it myself! You deserve to be protected and treasured. But that damn Usher… he’s ruined you…”

“Who do you think I picked, then?” I answered calmly.

“The man standing in front of me.”

And with a bright smile.

“Daddy.”

His eyes shook.

Because he’s a good man.

He truly believed he wasn’t enough. That I deserved someone better.

I knew this would happen. It’s even in the guide.

But I also knew.

This man might live in endless despair, but if you just hang in there, he’ll become the strongest Guardian.

‘Sorry, but the signboard says: no take-backs.’

And I don’t plan to switch either.

‘Pretty sure being stuck with me is better than rotting in that prayer room until the day you die.’

[Let’s cheer up your anxious “Daddy”!]

I puffed out my belly with pride and shouted,

“To not die together, let’s work hard!”

“…”

…Was that not it?

The signboard had given me a solid suggestion, so I figured yelling it louder would help.

But I didn’t get the reaction I was hoping for. The purification didn’t trigger.

‘Well, it’s probably for the best.’

I shouldn’t overuse it.

Fainting again would suck.

‘I shouldn’t follow all the signboard missions. One a day sounds reasonable.’

That should be enough for Daddy to start feeling a difference too.

I stood up from my seat.

“You’re way more amazing than you think.”

“…”

“In my eyes, you’re better than all ten candidates Ciara recommended.”

I’ll show him.

‘Just how cool of a hero he really was.’

With hands on my hips, I grinned and glanced at the door.

“I’m bored.”

Right on cue, the signboard popped up in front of me.

[Let’s get closer to “Daddy”!]

[Go for a walk!]

…Is this telling me to walk Daddy?

‘What am I, a dog trainer?’

Still, not a bad idea.

Might be fun to explore the Order the protagonist used to roam around.

* * *

…I was planning to go for a walk.

“You’re alive?”

‘Yeah, a walk.’

But how…

How did it turn into this?

“I figured you died when I heard you visited the prayer room with that corrupted knight!”

Back in my room. I swallowed hard as the figure’s shadow loomed over me.

[Usher Tatum / Age: 32

Rank: Vice-Captain of the White Holy Knights

Divine Power: Present]

[Faction: Fanatic of the Evil God]

There he was, wearing a crooked smile, an actual “fanatic” star hovering over his head.

Gray hair. Purple eyes.

The first person from the Order I met at the Altar. And a fanatic infiltrator.

One of the big three villains, Usher, smiled brightly.

“Shall we have a little chat?”