Ares stared blankly toward the table.
And there, he saw—
“Ah, ahahaha… We meet again, Your Highness.”
“Karen?!”
The Karen who had disappeared before his eyes was now awkwardly scratching her cheek with a finger, her face flushed.
“How is this possible…?”
“Well… um! It’s simple. Igogodon has delivered a straightforward fact to me.”
“Why…? Is it because my enlightenment is still lacking?”
At those words, Karen shook her head fervently.
“It’s not that… Um… I don’t know the exact details either, but it seems that God… wants me to remain in this world.”
“Huh…?”
“So, I’m guessing… God thinks it would be nice if I could stay by Your Highness’s side from now on. Otherwise, there wouldn’t have been a reason for Him to use another straightforward fact on me.”
To be honest, even as he looked at her and had this conversation,
Ares couldn’t fully understand what Karen was saying.
‘God wants Karen to stay? Delivered another straightforward fact?’
But none of that mattered compared to the fact that Karen was standing there before him.
“Ahahaha… This is kind of embarrassing. I tried to say something meaningful and dignified when we parted, and now, here I am, standing in front of you again after just a few days. Well, if this is God’s will, then I, as someone entrusted with His will, must fulfill it—!”
***
Karen couldn’t finish her sentence.
Because the blond man in front of her had wrapped his arms tightly around her as she sat there.
“Y-Your Highness…?”
Ares could feel Karen’s warmth.
It was warm.
She wasn’t transparent.
His arms didn’t pass through her.
Karen was undoubtedly present here.
“Sister, you’re not going to disappear anymore…?”
“Well… If the straightforward facts run out, I might disappear again, but for now—
—thanks to God’s love, I think I can stay by Your Highness’s side for a while longer.”
“Sister… Karen…”
Ares leaned on Karen’s shoulder and wept.
Caught off guard by the sudden embrace, Karen was startled for a moment.
Then, with the sleeve of her overly slit nun’s robe, she gently wiped away his tears while patting his head with one hand.
“Yes, I’m here, Ares.”
“Thank you… I missed you so much, Sister. Thank you for coming back and doing this for me… even though I never believed in God…”
“Thank you too. Because you wanted to see me, God reshaped me into this form. It’s all thanks to you. And remember, God delivers straightforward facts even to non-believers.”
“Thank you…”
Ares continued to cry in her arms for a long time.
In his ears, a sound echoed that still felt unfamiliar but strangely warm.
***
[Igogodon: (Support / 14,900 won / Subscription plan, let’s go!)]
[Igogodon: Subscription-based straightforward facts 😂
—Hurray for the 14,900-won support.
The miracle of renewal where spring begins again even though it had ended.
All thanks to Igogodon, we cannot help but exclaim:
Hurray for subscription-based straightforward facts!
Hurray for the new business model!
!!!Hurray for the 14,900-won support!!!]
[Igogodon: Did the subscription apply properly?]
[MoneyPlease: Yes.]
[MoneyPlease: The innovative and exceedingly benevolent “new business model” proposed by Igogodon…]
[MoneyPlease: It seems to have been successfully applied.]
[MoneyPlease: This miracle would have been impossible without Igogodon’s support.]
[MoneyPlease: Thank you so much.]
I was chatting with the author in a new chatroom.
The only addition in this chatroom was one phrase:
[Flat-rate subscription (Sister Karen): 14,900 KRW (auto-renewal after the straightforward fact is exhausted)].
It seemed they had come up with a subscription-based system after listening to me.
Although I didn’t fully understand how it worked, it seemed like a preloaded system where you deposit money in advance and it gets used little by little.
The author, after all, was the one who created this chat system and the “support” button you could click without leaving comments, so it wasn’t surprising.
‘Perhaps they know web coding or something similar?’
…Since I don’t work in that field, I couldn’t tell exactly how they did it.
By the way, I had deposited 500,000 KRW.
It seemed like I could withdraw it anytime I wanted, but I probably wouldn’t.
It might come in handy the next time I need to support the flat-rate subscription again.
Since I used 14,900 KRW, there should be about 480,000 KRW left.
[Igogodon: Anyway, with the subscription-based support added, I can do more stuff now, hahaha.]
[MoneyPlease: Exactly.]
[MoneyPlease: We all clearly recognize that all these miracles are possible thanks to you, Igogodon.]
[MoneyPlease: Thank you so much.]
[Igogodon: Haha, you’d better be even more thankful.]
Although they said it like that,
14,900 KRW wasn’t a bad price, even for a monthly subscription.
Judging by the nuances, it seemed to last much longer than 30 days.
In other words, considering the cost of influencing the comic, it felt fairly reasonable.
Of course, the criteria for when a “straightforward fact” is exhausted were still ambiguous, but I figured the author would just use it when they thought it necessary.
Even with all considerations, the amount was far less than what it would cost for drawing the comic, so I wouldn’t have any complaints even if they charged more aggressively.
Ultimately, the author needs money to keep drawing the comic, right?
Honestly, I didn’t care how much more money they took as long as they didn’t abandon this comic that only I was reading.
‘I can’t live without Erin and Eirene anymore… Ugh… Eirene, my baby…’
At least, Ares should behave now.
Although it took a long detour, the initial goal—to eliminate the threat to Eirene—had been achieved.
[MoneyPlease: However, I do have one question.]
[MoneyPlease: How is it that you care so much even for those who threaten Lady Eirene?]
[Igogodon: Huh? What do you mean?]
[MoneyPlease: Lady Eirene is someone you love deeply, Igogodon.]
[MoneyPlease: Wouldn’t those who pose an actual threat to such a beloved figure be deserving of being torn apart?]
[MoneyPlease: Wouldn’t it have been much simpler to mentally reform them through harsher methods or remove them from this world entirely?]
[MoneyPlease: After all, divine power can do anything.]
[Igogodon: Isn’t that a bit too much?;;;;]
[MoneyPlease: It’s written in the Bible.]
I was about to argue that I didn’t say that myself—
[Igogodon: Well…]
[Igogodon: Sure, it took more effort than simply introducing them to the saint.]
[Igogodon: Maybe it was a pointless act of trying to redeem a villain.]
[Igogodon: But walking such paths, knowing they might be pointless, is the way of the divine.]
‘Ugh.’
Even I found that response a bit cringy after typing it.
Still, I couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of pride swelling in my chest.
Yes. For the sake of a kind “happy ending” for everyone, this god would repeat pointless acts over and over again.
[Igogodon: After all, isn’t it more rewarding to inspire genuine faith without relying on overwhelming power?]
[Igogodon: Ares, too—if you think about it, he’s just a bit immature. He’s not inherently bad.]
[Igogodon: And I wanted Linnea to realize that positive changes could happen through faith, without anything resembling brainwashing.]
[Igogodon: In that sense, I think this was more for Eirene and Linnea than for Ares, hahaha.]
[MoneyPlease: No.]
[MoneyPlease: Ultimately, it was Ares who broke through his shell and grew.]
[MoneyPlease: If he hadn’t grown, he would have defied God in the end. So this could be considered salvation.]
[MoneyPlease: Sharing straightforward facts even with those deserving of destruction…]
[MoneyPlease: How can we ever repay such boundless grace from you, Igogodon?]
[Igogodon: Hahaha. Just keep drawing the comic. Author, please don’t give up on it.]
[Igogodon: If you need more money, I’ll give you more… Just please spare us the hiatus notices.]
[MoneyPlease: With your love, Igogodon, how could I ever stop observing this world?]
[MoneyPlease: Feel free to aim higher. You’re more than deserving of it.]
[Igogodon: Really?]
If that’s what they’re saying, then I can’t help but make a request.
[Igogodon: Well then…]
[Igogodon: It’s been a while, but…]
[Igogodon: I’d like to see the characters’ robust… assets.]
[Igogodon: There haven’t been many bath scenes recently, have there?]
[Igogodon: Could you draw a fanservice scene? I want to see Eirene…]
[Igogodon: She’s my wife, so isn’t it natural for a husband to want to see his wife’s body?? Haha.]
[Igogodon: Actually, any character would be fine. Just… please draw a bath scene.]
[MoneyPlease: Ah.]
[MoneyPlease: You mean their… assets, right?]
Though the author seemed flustered and hesitant to answer, they finally responded after about five minutes.
[MoneyPlease: Understood.]
[MoneyPlease: Considering how much you cherish this world, and since what you’re asking for is within reason, I’ll do my best.]
‘Do your best for a fanservice scene?’
Recalling Eirene’s bath scene, which I assumed was the result of the author’s utmost effort, I couldn’t help but gulp.
I really love comic characters…!!!
[Igogodon: Hehe.]
[Igogodon: It’s fine to use some steam creatively, so handle it however you see fit.]
[MoneyPlease: I will keep that in mind.]
After wrapping up the chat with the author, I was just about to wash up and go to bed when—
Buzz!
‘Huh?’
A message had come through.
Since I’d turned off notifications for work-related contacts at home, this had to be from someone personal…
Wait.
I didn’t chat with anyone personally often, so my curiosity was piqued as I opened the message.
[The burning event has started. They’re even giving out tier-14 equipment temporarily. Are you seriously not coming back? If you buy the 140,000 KRW package, it comes with a rare protective charm and a 30-day pet!]
As expected.
‘Ah!’
No matter how much money I spent, supporting this comic felt like a worthwhile investment.
Buzz—
After finishing my divine interaction, the observer lay flat on their back.
Today in their cradle, “The Place of Nothingness,” was more special than usual.
Except when gazing down upon the world for observation, it was always shrouded in darkness.
But now—
A pillar of light stretched high into the sky.
It buzzed, splitting the infinite darkness, signaling its extraordinary nature to all who beheld it.
“It seems it was successful.”
“Yes. I managed to create it as God envisioned.”
“…You seem to have overexerted yourself again.”
“No. There’s still a surplus of the divine power Igogodon shared.”
Lying down, the observer reached out toward the pillar of light.
“Subscription-based straightforward facts. For that, what was needed was… a connection between the divine realm and this place.”
The pillar, called “The Path of Light,”
was created to send stored divine power to this world without God’s direct command.
And it was—
A historic moment for beings who had once risked their lives just to reach toward the divine realm.