#5. The First Job Change (1)
In his previous life, the church had no name. Since it was the only religion in Icadia, it was simply called the church or the church-state.
But Earth is different. With so many religions around, the one I'm founding needs a name too.
And that name was naturally bestowed by the elders of Yeonok-dong. Providence Church.
They made it by reading my name backward. Not bad at all—I think I'll keep it.
"Providence Church. In English, Providence. Sounds good."
"Hahaha! I figured you'd like it!"
"Lee Seop, Providence, and the Weaver of Providence! Anyone can see this was designed by Her!"
"Exactly! We just acted according to Her design!"
The devout believers visibly relaxed and beamed with joy when I approved the name Providence Church.
"That said, we won't hang out a 'religion' sign just yet."
"Hmm? So we're still building our strength in the shadows, eh?"
Heo Jae-su caught on immediately to my policy and asked back.
"Yes. The power I have is great but dangerous. Especially without influence like now."
"Guess we can't use Providence Church for a while."
Heo Jae-su and the other devout believers from Yeonok-dong looked disappointed.
"We can't use Providence Church, but we can use Providence."
"How?"
"Set up the Providence Foundation. Then start corporations under it."
"Start with a company instead of a religion? Makes sense—it's a common approach."
Heo Jae-su, with his experience running businesses, lit up.
"Not bad. I'll invest—no, donate all my assets to the Providence Foundation first."
"Are you sure? Think it over."
"Don't make me say it twice."
"Take my land deeds too, Lee Seop."
"Do you accept coins or stocks as donations?"
"I got no house, no land, no stocks... Can I just pay my pension to the foundation monthly? I made good money in my youth, so I get a hefty one."
As Heo Jae-su took the lead, the other devout believers jumped in competitively.
"Seop-ah, I'll donate my house deed to the Providence Foundation."
Kim Sun-ja ended up donating all her assets to the foundation.
Emotion Reading (C)
Their emotions were sincere—they truly meant to pour their assets into the foundation.
Do they seek a peaceful end? Or salvation in the afterlife?
I still couldn't read the root of that sincerity. To peer into believers' thoughts, I'd need to job change first.
There must be something they want. Especially Heo Jae-su.
My gaze fixed on Heo Jae-su.
He was currently a devout believer.
And the richest man in Yeonok-dong.
He owned thirty percent of the land and buildings here.
Yet he charged almost no rent to struggling elders or kids, earning him thick respect.
"Grandpa Heo Jae-su."
"Yeah?"
But tossing all his assets into the foundation on a whim couldn't be pure faith alone.
There had to be something he wanted.
"Your youngest granddaughter is ill, right?"
And I thought I knew why he was doing this.
"...Yeah. Can you help?"
For the first time, hesitation gave way to desperate eyes.
Handled right, I could secure a valuable fanatic here.
*****
Heo Jae-su had two granddaughters.
The eldest, Heo Yu-na, entering her senior year of high school next year.
And the second, Heo Yu-mi, who should have started high school this year if not for her condition.
"Grandpa! Is it true Lee Seop-oppa's gonna treat Yu-mi?"
"It's not Lee Seop-oppa. Call him Lee Seop-nim."
"???"
Heo Yu-na recoiled at her grandfather's solemn reverence for Lee Seop.
"What's wrong, Yu-na?"
"L-Lee Seop-nim? Why the sudden change, Grandpa?"
"'Cause he's no ordinary man. Lee Seop-nim can heal Yu-mi."
"What makes that Lee Seop guy think he can heal Yu-mi?!"
"Ability? He's a thousand—no, a million times better than those quack doctors."
"He's just some guy good at massages!"
Heo Yu-na was one of the few in Yeonok-dong wary of Lee Seop.
"Watch your mouth! And you're getting tutoring from Lee Seop-nim too, aren't you? Don't be ungrateful after all his grace!"
She had been getting tutoring from him lately.
No proper academies around Yeonok-dong, and tutors avoided this rundown hood.
Her wealthy grandpa was clueless about private education, so he just let her go to school, bought reference books, and signed her up for online lectures.
In that mess, Lee Seop was a godsend.
Senior year looming, his lessons helped—a lot—despite her wariness.
"Tutoring and treating Yu-mi are totally different!"
But no meant no.
This wasn't gratitude territory.
This was life-or-death reason.
"They're not."
"No! Why call him Lee Seop-nim all of a sudden?!"
"'Cause he's chosen."
"???"
Flabbergasted and frustrated, Heo Yu-na stared at her grandpa.
After every folk remedy under the sun, now handing her sister to some shady masseur dude?
"Don't, Grandpa..."
Unable to hold back her anxiety, she pleaded.
"Let's try a hospital again. A big university one this time."
"Waste of time. Docs said they don't know the cause."
"Maybe new treatments or papers came out."
"Even if we go, can Yu-mi handle the tests now?"
"..."
She had no comeback.
Yu-mi's condition was dire.
Even admission was iffy, let alone the grueling exams.
"Yu-mi-ya..."
With trembling eyes, Heo Yu-na gazed at her two-years-younger sister in the room.
A girl bedridden nearly three years from some mystery illness, missing school entirely.
"Heo-ah... haah..."
Spending most days asleep, complaining of deep fatigue even awake.
Hospitals found no cause or cure.
All Heo Yu-na could do was watch Grandpa chase folk remedies.
Can that Lee Seop guy really heal Yu-mi?
A flicker of hope, quickly snuffed.
No way it makes sense. He's probably a cultist or scammer.
Lee Seop had appeared out of nowhere.
Handsome, kind older-bro type.
She oddly craved seeing him, chatting with him.
Grateful he chatted with elders, massaged them, tutored her and the kids.
Truth be told, her heart fluttered each time, so she called him "oppa" like a transparent ajusshi to cope.
Yeah, he's finally showing his true colors.
But as a high schooler glued to YouTube, SNS, and communities, she knew the world's underbelly.
Her big data screamed: classic cultist or con man.
He'd demand assets under "treating" Yu-mi.
If—just if—he does anything weird to Yu-mi or straight-up asks Grandpa for money... call the cops!
She ruthlessly split heart from head.
Heart: schoolgirl crush on hot young tutor.
Head: max suspicion.
Didn't wanna believe it, prayed it wasn't true, heart aching even now.
But evidence pointed to Lee Seop being bad news.
Ding-dong, ding-dong.
The doorbell rang.
Intercom showed Lee Seop's friendly smile.
"He's here!"
Grandpa dashed out to the yard with vigor.
****
Honestly, I psyched myself up big time.
Skipped Divine Power use this morning, came straight to Heo Jae-su's.
Mystery illness modern medicine can't diagnose or cure.
A mere Cleric's power had low odds.
But I can at least improve it.
Planned to spam Heal and Bless till Divine Power hit zero.
Luck proc in between? Bonus.
"Hello."
Stepped into Heo Jae-su's house.
"Welcome, Lee Seop-nim."
Heo Jae-su greeted me reverently indoors.
And...
"......"
Heo Yu-na eyed me suspiciously from afar.
I gave her a quick nod.
She barely acknowledged, still doubting unlike usual.
"Is that Yu-mi's room?"
Turning from Yu-na, I took a deep breath and entered.
Finally, Heo Jae-su opened up. Chance to make a fanatic!
Hiding his terminally ill granddaughter till now, inviting me home meant devout status.
Whether he goes fanatic or stays hesitant? Up to me.
Mother of All Things, Weaver of Providence. Grant me strength.
Quickly crossed myself.
Turning Yeonok-dong's most influential man into a fanatic? Smooth sailing ahead.
She's asleep.
Under their piercing stares, I checked the girl on the bed.
Hm?
Scanning her status window, an unexpected message appeared.
Treatable
Complete cure with Heal (C) x10 and Bless (C) x3. (Total Divine Power cost: 160)
Heal difficulty varies by condition.
Simple injuries or illnesses? Basic ClericHeal suffices.
Complex ones need higher-grade heals.
But her status said treatable.
Not just the window—my Divine Power sense pinged positive.
No diagnosis or cure yet, but the fix is simpler than thought.
Joy bubbled up.
Relief it'd go easy, happiness at saving this girl.
"How is she, Lee Seop-nim?"
Heo Jae-su spoke from behind.
"Poor kid. Lost her parents in a plane crash in elementary school. Her favorite grandma to a stroke after... Then she started fading, ended up like this."
Thud!
Heo Jae-su dropped to his knees.
"I'll do anything. Please save Yu-mi."
He begged with desperate sincerity, blind to my thoughts.
"Even if not a full cure! Just keep her alive till a treatment's found!"
Could drag it out weeks or months for gaslighting.
Milk more that way.
That's inhuman.
I'd never stoop that low.
Mother might revoke my Divine Power the instant I did.
"We'll proceed with treatment. I'll do my best."
Full throttle in one go.
No guarantees, though.
Needed dramatic flair—like a hard-fought heal.
Mother'd chuckle and let that slide.
******