Chapter 53: St. Chicken’s day

Drdrk, drdrk.

I scrolled to the top, then slowly scrolled back down a few more times—over and over—but still…

‘I just can’t understand the development in this chapter.’

‘No, why on earth is chicken suddenly being infinitely refilled on the altar?’

[Igogodon: What’s with the progression in this chapter???]

[MoneyPlease: Hello, Igogodon.]

[MoneyPlease: Could it be that the “World’s Response” doesn’t suit your tastes?]

[Igogodon: No, it’s not about liking or disliking it… It’s just too random.]

[Igogodon: Why is there chicken at the temple???]

[MoneyPlease: It’s because that is your will, Igogodon.]

[MoneyPlease: You commanded it, so it became so.]

The more we talked, the less sense it made.

Then it hit me.

‘No way.’

I shook off the thought as absurd… but just in case, I hesitated before cautiously placing my fingers on the keyboard.

[Igogodon: No way…]

[Igogodon: Is this because of the 50,000 won I gave for chicken???]

[MoneyPlease: That is correct.]

[MoneyPlease: I understand “chicken” refers to a dish involving chicken meat. Was that incorrect?]

No. No, no, no.

[Igogodon: Uh… no, it’s just…]

[Igogodon: Sigh.]

[MoneyPlease: ?]

‘What kind of reaction is that???’

Look, when I gave you the money for chicken, I meant for you to buy and eat the chicken yourself.

The intention was for you to take the money and enjoy some chicken—not to use it to endlessly refill chickens in this world!

‘Isn’t it common sense to assume the former when someone says “use this money for chicken”?’

‘And what’s with handing out raw chickens anyway? Since it’s a miracle, wouldn’t it make more sense to just create fully cooked fried chicken?’

Even in the comic, most of the time spent was on cooking the chicken.

If it had started as ready-made fried chicken, it might have been a bit cold and not as tasty, but at least the process of handing it out would’ve been much faster and simpler.

I shook my head to clear these stray thoughts.

‘This isn’t the issue here!’

[Igogodon: First, um…]

[Igogodon: When I said to use the money for chicken, I didn’t mean to provide chickens in the comic.]

[Igogodon: Uh, where do I even start explaining this…]

[MoneyPlease: I’m not sure, but if I made a mistake, please point it out.]

[MoneyPlease: My duty is to follow the divine will.]

[MoneyPlease: If I caused the “World’s Response” to draw the wrong conclusion, I’ll take full responsibility.]

[Igogodon: No, it’s not something you need to take responsibility for…]

[Igogodon: Hold on a second.]

[Igogodon: You know what “chicken” is, right?]

[MoneyPlease: I understand it refers to chicken meat.]

[Igogodon: Not just that. I mean the dish, the kind you order for delivery.]

***

The reply I got next made me feel a deep sense of disbelief towards the creator.

[MoneyPlease: …??]

‘Wow… are they really this immersed?’

There was an unspoken rule between me and the creator.

I was “God,” and any donations I made enabled them to use “divine power” in their story.

That power altered the plot of the comic.

The more money I donated, the more “divine power” they could use to introduce a variety of developments.

In short, it was basically a game skin.

The creator fully embraced their own hyper-immersive universe, calling me “God” without breaking character.

Sure, it would’ve been cringy if they responded with something like, “Thanks for the cash it’ll help the plot!”

But I never imagined they’d be this serious about it.

After all, they occasionally used real-world terms like “new monetization system,” so I figured they understood it was all just roleplay.

But to think they wouldn’t even know what fried chicken is…

No, no, that’s not the problem!

The real problem is—

‘It’s my carelessness that’s the issue!’

I admit it.

The reason I could get so immersed in this world was largely because of how the creator played along.

Their meticulous effort to maintain the illusion, acting as though they were truly a temple servant, allowed me to feel like I really was a god.

It was the same reason I could connect with characters like Erin and Eirene, or feel compelled to save the paladin friends.

‘To enjoy this, only to turn around and criticize their dedication?’ That would be hypocritical.

So if the creator was this committed, I decided I needed to fully embody the role of a god as well.

***

[Igogodon: First, when does the chicken supply stop?]

[MoneyPlease: Considering you bestowed a divine power equivalent to 50,000 won, the divine love symbolized by chicken will likely spread across the continent for a very long time.]

[Igogodon: Let’s stop it for now.]

[MoneyPlease: Stop, as in cease the supply of chicken?]

[Igogodon: Yes.]

Constantly refilling one particular food might seem wonderful at first, but in the long run, it would lead to societal chaos.

The economy tied to that resource would collapse, and opportunists could exploit the situation if they discovered the temple was endlessly supplying chicken.

Sure, I knew that if anyone tried anything, I could just smite them with a flick of divine power.

But what I wanted wasn’t a “raw chicken defense simulator.” I wanted to read the comic!

[MoneyPlease: If that is your will, I will obey. However…]

[MoneyPlease: If the supply is halted, there will be a surplus of divine power remaining…]

[Igogodon: Use that surplus divine power to provide the ingredients and recipe for “chicken”—the cooked dish—just once. Teach them how to make it.]

[Igogodon: Keep the remaining divine power in reserve.]

This entire situation arose because of my careless words about chicken money.

‘At this point, why not spread the joy of fried chicken to this world?’ It’s a classic but delightful cliché, after all.

[MoneyPlease: Ingredients and a recipe… Understood.]

[MoneyPlease: Is this the recipe for the ‘chicken’ dish you mentioned?]

[Igogodon: Do you get what it is?]

[MoneyPlease: I sincerely apologize, but I don’t understand. However, if you share the recipe, I will commit it to memory.]

I barely held back the words, “How can you not know what chicken is?”

I am a god, and they are the observer.

It’s only natural that an observer unfamiliar with modern society wouldn’t know about fried chicken!

The more they immerse themselves, the more I should play along.

That way, I can avoid making my precious artist—who’s creating a comic for me—feel embarrassed.

[Igogodon: Alright, hold on a moment.]

I searched for a detailed “fried chicken” recipe that emphasized the secrets of the batter.

Modern fried chicken, hailed as the pinnacle of delivery food, has countless variations that allow Koreans to relish its bliss at any time.

However, simply frying chicken doesn’t automatically capture that flavor.

Judging by how the royal chefs in the comic prepared their dishes, any fried chicken they attempted would likely be quite basic.

Thus, the key secret I was about to share boiled down to the method for preparing the batter.

Even if brining was impossible, this technique alone would elevate the flavor significantly.

After I shared the recipe:

[Igogodon: What do you think?]

[Igogodon: If there’s anything you don’t understand, just ask.]

[MoneyPlease: No, these are all spices that exist in our world.]

[MoneyPlease: So “chicken” refers to fried chicken… Once again, I feel I’ve learned something from you, Igogodon.]

[MoneyPlease: Thank you for sharing such precious divine knowledge.]

[Igogodon: Alright. Then let’s begin.]

[Igogodon: Chicken Party!

***

The next day.

Erin and the priests headed to the temple to once again figure out what to do with the endless supply of divine chicken.

What greeted them this time was—

“Is that… an oil drum?”

“There’s something that looks like white flour!”

“There’s also a mix of spices with a unique aroma…”

The mountain of raw chicken was the same, but now it was accompanied by a wealth of new ingredients.

As Erin pondered the meaning behind this, her eyes caught sight of a piece of paper lying on the ground.

She cautiously picked it up and began to read.

***

“To Saint Erin. This is the will of the divine. You are to prepare a dish called ‘chicken’ and share it with everyone. This will be the final distribution of chicken.

The recipe is as follows:

[Excerpted]

This dish comes from Igogodon divine realm. The recipe itself is a sacred gift from our god.

Never forget that the ability to taste ‘chicken’ is solely thanks to Igogodon.”

***

“Igogodon…”

Erin gently placed the paper against her chest, holding it close as if embracing it.

The paper crinkled slightly as it pressed into her heart.

‘Igogodon’s profound truth… I will make sure to share this with everyone!’

She discreetly wiped a tear from her eye, stood up, and turned to face everyone.

“Lady Cecilia, could you pay a visit to the royal family?”

“The royal family?”

“Yes.”

Erin nodded, her azure eyes shining brightly.

“Gather the royal chefs. As many as you can.”

“Then, let’s begin.”

***

Fssssh—

A single drumstick, coated in batter, was lowered into a massive cauldron of boiling oil.

Cooking with oil in such quantities was an extravagant process, as edible oil wasn’t a common resource. But—

Gulp.

The chef involuntarily swallowed.

Though he was a royal chef, and therefore had opportunities to explore fried dishes, he had never encountered a method like this.

Fried chicken prepared in bite-sized pieces or meatballs was the norm.

This bold style of cooking an entire drumstick was unfamiliar—and thrilling.

The aroma emanating from the spiced batter during preparation had been tantalizing his senses all day.

Carefully following the divine recipe, the chef retrieved the golden-brown drumstick from the oil and placed it delicately on a plate.

The finished product looked magnificent, its appearance screaming perfection.

He respectfully carried it to Erin.

“It’s ready, Saint Erin.”

“Am I… the first to try it?”

“Of course. It’s been prepared according to the divine recipe, after all.”

Without hesitation, Erin accepted the plate.

The steaming drumstick, glowing golden like a treasure, captivated her gaze.

This is the dish bestowed upon us by Igogodon!’

And to think the first to taste it would be her.

Erin felt her stomach flutter—partly from hunger, partly from reverence.

‘Igogodon, thank you for granting us this new dish.’

She carefully picked up the drumstick with her hands.

“Saint Erin, there are utensils—”

“No, this dish… feels like it should be eaten this way.”

It was an instinctive decision.

Holding the drumstick, she cautiously brought it to her mouth.

And then—

Crunch!

Her senses were overwhelmed.

The batter, infused with spices, shattered on her tongue, releasing a symphony of flavors that coated her palate.

Then came the piping hot juices, followed by the satisfying crunch of the crispy coating.

She couldn’t stop chewing, savoring each moment as the tender chicken and crisp batter dissolved into pure bliss.

“—Igogodon!”

Before she knew it, she had uttered the name of the divine.

The very name she had called out upon realizing the existence of the god.

“Saint Erin…?”

Eyes closed, Erin savored the love of the divine imbued in the dish before slowly opening her eyes to address everyone.

“Everyone, today will be a busy day. But spreading Igogodon’s profound truth is a noble task. Please continue distributing the meals as you did on the first day. Chefs—”

She smiled.

“Make more of this.”

***

From that day on, the recipe spread throughout the land.

The event was later commemorated as Saint Chicken’s Day, an annual celebration where the faithful gathered at the temple to share chicken, shouting “Igogodon!” in gratitude.

The introduction of fried chicken became a milestone in culinary evolution, further cementing Igogodon’s place in their lives.

For as long as people remembered the divine’s name, fried chicken symbolized their god’s grace.

“Long live Igogodon!”

“Glory to the 50,000 won donation!”