Chapter 54: To eat food

“Hoo…”

After checking the latest chapter, which ended with the characters happily sharing and eating chicken, I could finally let out a sigh of relief.

‘At this level, I guess you could say the author managed to handle it without going overboard.’

When the author suddenly started piling up chicken offerings on the altar, claiming it was to cover chicken expenses, I had no idea where things were headed.

But at least the conclusion came out decently, so I wasn’t too unhappy about it.

Adjusting to the situation is quite a challenge.

‘Was this how the author felt when they always adjusted to my feedback?’

***

[Igogodon: This chapter was good.]

[Igogodon: The chicken looked ridiculously tasty. LOL]

[MoneyPlease: The dishes described using what Igogodon called ‘recipes from the realm of gods’…]

[MoneyPlease: Their flavor must surely be divine, even without tasting them.]

[MoneyPlease: Much like how one knows a categorical imperative without hearing the words of a god.]

“Heh heh heh.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle awkwardly.

Even though I had twisted myself into knots to match the author’s gimmick, hadn’t I decided to fully embrace my role as a true god? Here, I had to say something a god would say…

***

[Igogodon: Right, right, truly a great analogy.]

[Igogodon: So, no more chicken will be generated now, right?]

[MoneyPlease: Correct.]

[MoneyPlease: However, because of that, there’s something I must ask.]

[Igogodon: What is it?]

[MoneyPlease: Igogodon, the total amount of support you’ve provided is 50,000 won.]

[MoneyPlease: At first, I planned to use all 50,000 won’s worth of divine power to generate chicken at the altar.]

[MoneyPlease: But now that the supply of chicken has ceased, an extraordinary amount of unused divine power remains.]

[MoneyPlease: Is there any particular way you’d like this unused divine power to be utilized?]

For a moment, I wondered what they were talking about.

‘Do they remember I said to keep the divine power on standby?’

‘Well, I mean, didn’t I already do enough with my 50,000 won?’

I’d sent them chicken recipes and rare ingredients.

It was a narrative twist that just happened, but it was fun in its own way.

Erin’s pure delight was adorable, so I was satisfied.

Of course, given the flow of support so far, it did feel like supplying mountains of raw chicken along with recipes and necessary ingredients for 50,000 won didn’t quite match up in terms of value.

After all, I’d summoned divine lightning for 10,000 won and rewrote a holy scripture for 100,000 won.

For 300,000 won, I instilled the will to persist even when faced with fate’s twists, and for 500,000 won, I created an indefinitely usable pet within a subspace.

Naturally, the author probably thought there should be something equally significant for 50,000 won.

But those were all supports meant to solve specific situations.

For Luca, the minimum threshold itself was high, and I had gotten overly immersed.

For Ophel, I just gave a big burst of support instead of spreading it out.

With Erin, there wasn’t any fixed amount requested; I was just curious to see how far the author would go, so I gave it.

This time, however, the 50,000 won donation was different.

It wasn’t money sent to twist the narrative.

It was purely support money sent with the hope that the author would use it for something mundane, like buying chicken for themselves.

The author, being truly, truly unhinged, turned it into a narrative about spreading chicken culture to another world.

But still, my donation carried the sincere intent of supporting the author in a non-narrative manner.

Because of that, I didn’t plan to obsess over value-for-money or demand something specific for the 50,000 won.

If anything, I’d already gotten far more than my money’s worth.

If I wanted to hire an author who tailored every single thing to my enjoyment like this, it would cost way more than 50,000 won.

Besides, I’d grown attached to this comic since discovering it and supporting it for fun.

The more attached I became to the world, the more I felt grateful to the author for enriching it.

If it were my usual self, I would have said, “This is just free support money, so go ahead and spend it on chicken.” But…

‘That wouldn’t work.’

This was the same person who, upon hearing “use it for chicken money,” decided to infinitely refill chicken in the comic.

I had to find a way to tell them to spend it for themselves without breaking the RP.

***

[Igogodon: The remaining divine power…]

[Igogodon: Doesn’t need to be used in that world.]

[MoneyPlease: Pardon?]

[MoneyPlease: I’m not sure I understand…]

I had to become the benevolent supreme deity, Igogodon.

[Igogodon: Use the remaining power so that the observer can eat chicken.]

[Igogodon: That is the will of the god.]

[MoneyPlease: …?]

[MoneyPlease: Me…?]

[Igogodon: Yes.]

[Igogodon: You must be hungry from observing the world.]

[Igogodon: I believe that to sustain this world, it’s important for the observer to be well-fed and energized.]

[Igogodon: Just like how Erin smiled so happily while eating.]

[Igogodon: This time, I want you to eat chicken.]

***

Good. At this level, even GMs who run tabletop RPGs as a hobby would probably say, “Your roleplay is on point.”

‘With this, surely they’ll just go and buy some chicken for themselves, right?’

The author didn’t reply for a while. About 10 minutes passed.

Just when I started wondering if something had happened, a response came at the perfect moment.

***

[MoneyPlease: May I ask why?]

[Igogodon: Huh???]

[MoneyPlease: I mean… I’m curious why you’d want me to use divine power to buy… chicken.]

‘Was there even a reason?’

I responded without much difficulty.

[Igogodon: This is encouragement.]

[Igogodon: God’s encouragement for the observer.]

Once again, there was no reply.

About 15 minutes later, just as I started wondering if the author was busy and I might be bothering them.

[MoneyPlease: Understood.]

[MoneyPlease: If that is the will of the god, I will comply.]

[MoneyPlease: Thank you.]

‘It worked.’

I wiped the cold sweat off my forehead.

‘Seriously… why is it so hard to pet (encourage) this author?’

‘But still…

Since their comic fills the emptiness in my heart little by little, matching their quirks like this must be much easier than creating a comic in the first place.’

Stretching, I stood up from my seat.

***

In a dark, dim space, something partially materialized thanks to the overwhelming divine power.

It carefully pondered the words given by the god.

[This time, I want you to eat chicken.]

“Eat… chicken?”

Chicken. A food that exists within the divine realm.

Through recipes, it could comprehend what kind of food it was.

‘But for it to consume it?’ That was absurd.

It could only consume one thing—divine power.

Even then, not all divine power could be absorbed.

Only the purified remnants, allowed for consumption, could grant it that privilege.

If it recklessly consumed divine power and angered the god, causing them to stop providing divine energy? That was a risk it couldn’t afford for the sake of sustainable support.

So, of course, it had planned to use the remaining divine power exactly as the god intended.

But then…

Instead of using the power for beings beloved by the god in the world, the command was to use it for itself.

‘What… does this even mean?’

***

“What are you hesitating for?”

It turned its gaze to the void where the voice seemed to resonate.

“If that is the will of God Igogodon, then simply act upon it.”

‘But…’

The remaining divine power could significantly impact its world.

Yet, that was only relevant to its world.

It doubted whether it could approach the “divine realm” with such limited power.

Chicken was a dish from the divine realm.

‘Could the remaining power even recreate it?’

It wasn’t sure.

“God’s words carry vitality.”

It turned back to the divine command.

The will of God makes the impossible possible.

‘The will of God makes the impossible possible.’

With this reaffirmation, it contemplated further.

‘Why had the god given such a command?’

Emotions it had never felt before while unmaterialized—questions and curiosity—began to stir.

[May I ask why?]

The god responded simply:

[This is encouragement.]

‘Encouragement… for me?’

Staring blankly at the divine response, it pondered deeply.

Encouragement, directed at it.

The god’s grace, not just for its world but for it.

After a long silence, it finally spoke.

“This is the god’s… simple truth.”

Hearing its own voice, it realized that as a partially materialized being, it was no longer merely an abstract entity.

While it was not a “living creature,” it could now feel emotions clearly.

[Thank you.]

“I will now approach the divine realm.”

It nodded resolutely, and the world went dark.

The moment it entered the divine realm, an indescribable force crushed it—a weight of absolute truth that beings feeding on divine power could never endure.

And yet, it did not crumble.

God’s power, and the god’s simple truth, protected it.

Just a little further.

It reached out.

A little more…

Finally, regaining consciousness, it found itself back where it had started, lying on the ground.

The power had been insufficient.

Approaching the divine realm required far more than it had.

And yet—

God’s will had been fulfilled.

In its hand, shaped like the god’s own, was a piece of fried chicken—a drumstick.

One piece of chicken, barely retrieved from the “divine realm,” a dish of the gods.

Even with insufficient power, the god had blessed it with this.

The vitality within the divine command had made the impossible possible.

***

“To eat this dish is the god’s will.”

It stared at the chicken for a long time.

Sensing its aroma, feeling its warmth—these confirmed its materialization.

Carefully, it opened its mouth.

Crunch. Crunch.

The sensation was entirely different from consuming divine power.

The crispy sound accompanied its chewing, and it swallowed the chicken.

To eat food is to live.

To eat food is to carry on the flame of life.

After finishing the chicken, it stood up slowly.

“This is the dish bestowed by god Igogodon…”

It spoke again, sensing something new—another presence born alongside it to observe the world.

“I can hear your voice.”

It immediately understood.

It could hear its own voice—a concept entirely different from perceiving its own thoughts.

The sound was akin to that of a saint chosen by the gods: a high, pure tone ringing clearly in its ears.

At the same time—

Drip.

It felt something fall on its foot.

Touching its face, it realized it was crying.

Tears.

Feeling emotions.

Not emptiness but fullness—proof of life.

To eat food is to be alive.

To eat food is to ignite the spark of life.

“God Igogodon…!!!”

A being that once wished only to protect its world now stood at the threshold of new birth.

“All for god Igogodon.

“All for god Igogodon…!!!”

At this moment of evolution, what once existed as mere abstract thought, consuming divine power for its world, was reborn through the god’s love—now a living entity.