The Sixth Believer

The interior of the Trinity Lounge was the most luxurious place I had ever set foot in. Even a five-star hotel or the headquarters of Sehan Bank couldn't compare when it came to pure opulence. The decorative pieces and paintings on the walls, the chairs and tables, even the simple snacks prepared for when shoppers got hungry—everything exuded an air of extreme refinement. The overwhelming scent of luxury permeated the air so strongly that just being inside made my head spin.

'I should probably take notes on this.'

I kept my mind sharp and studied the interior. Not out of mere curiosity, but because I wanted to learn from it. The room was a masterclass in extravagant taste. It would make excellent reference material when I eventually established my cult.

“Sir, may I escort you to your seat?”

“Yes.”

After the middle-aged man left, a female staff member was assigned exclusively to me. I sat at the table she guided me to, sipped the tea she brought, and waited a moment. She soon returned and informed me that the shopping preparations were complete, asking me to follow her.

As I trailed the staff member deeper into the lounge, I found a completely private shopping space prepared just for me. I naturally settled onto the sofa, and the personal shopper standing in front of me began asking detailed questions about my preferences before showing me outfits one by one.

And that was when I started to feel pathetic about how I used to do internet shopping.

'This is why there's no need to worry at all. No need to even move.'

No matter how convenient online shopping was, it wasn't all-powerful. I had to scour the internet for clothes I liked, pick the right sizes, sign up for accounts, enter my home address, and place the order. But here, none of that was necessary. All I had to do was speak, and they brought clothes I liked. If I wanted, a model would even come in and do a fitting for me.

Above all, the personal shopper's presence was huge. She somehow perfectly nailed my preference for simple, clean styles—every single piece she selected was exactly to my taste. Sitting on the sofa, I ended up spending over two hundred million won on clothes alone.

Since I was planning to throw out all my old spa-brand clothes anyway, I decided to fill the closet in my new house with luxury brands. Whatever the shopper picked, I bought. The personal shopper, moved by my decisive spending, poured every ounce of her skill into the task, while the staff ran around nonstop bringing the clothes I'd ordered.

I was the only one sitting comfortably on the sofa enjoying the shopping experience. It felt both slightly guilty and incredibly fun. I felt like a king.

'Whoa. This is what shopping should feel like.'

In less than an hour, I had dropped two hundred million won and left the Trinity Lounge. I wore a few ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pieces out, and the remaining several hundred items were all sent to my house. The fact that they handled delivery so efficiently made everything incredibly convenient. My hands weren't carrying a single shopping bag.

'From now on, it's department stores only. And personal shopping exclusively.'

The satisfaction from my first personal shopping experience was top-tier. As I rode the escalator down, I glanced at my reflection in the transparent walls. My previously plain outfit—aside from the Rolex—had undergone a complete transformation. Clothes really did make the man, and these were some insanely high-class wings. The patterns and designs weren't flashy, but the fabrics and colors alone radiated pure luxury and overwhelmed everything else.

It looked calm yet incredibly refined. Thinking about it, that was only natural. Excluding the watch, everything I was currently wearing added up to thirty million won. I'd basically put the price of a decent car into a few scraps of fabric. Even a homeless person wearing this would instantly give off the aura of a high-ranking noble from the Renaissance era.

People kept glancing my way. With my appearance already maxed out from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the enhancements, adding these clothes made the stares almost overwhelming. Especially from women—whenever our eyes met, their cheeks would flush. They were probably wet down there too. This was the 'gaze caress' that only truly handsome men could pull off.

'My self-esteem is skyrocketing like crazy. Holy shit. Is this what life is like for a top-tier handsome guy?'

Maybe not the whole world, but at least in this space, everything clearly revolved around me. In the envious and excited gazes people sent my way, it was crystal clear that I was the most impressive person around.

'Ha. It feels good, but it also pisses me off.'

I had joined the ranks of the truly handsome, but I wasn't a pure-blooded one. My ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠original face had been at the very bottom of the abyss. After pouring in hundreds of billions and clawing my way up the cliff with the God of Money and Women's help, I had finally reached this point. The air up here was definitely fresh.

But there were plenty of pure handsome men in the world who hadn't gone through the same hell I had and had been breathing this crisp air since birth. I had only just started enjoying this clean, pure oxygen, but they had probably taken it for granted their entire lives.

'No matter how I think about it, it pisses me off. I should make sure handsome guys can't join our cult.'

I mentally established the first rule of cult management and stopped by the café I had visited earlier. The reason I had taken the escalator instead of the VVIP elevator was precisely to drop by this place.

“Oh?! Sir!!”

When she saw me, the rabbit-like, refreshingly cute part-timer who had been mopping the floor lit up with a bright smile.

'She's so refreshingly cute. You're officially the sixth believer. Little rabbit.'

Earlier, when the security team and floor manager had stormed in, she had boldly stepped forward to defend me. It had left quite an impression. Of course she should have done that, but in life, most people couldn't bring themselves to do what was obviously right. Even if they knew it was the right thing.

Stepping forward required courage, and showing that courage usually led to some kind of hassle. Even I had only given that rude customer a proper lesson, but the statements and follow-ups afterward had been incredibly annoying. So I had decided to welcome this part-timer, who had shown ordinary courage for my sake, as the honorable sixth believer.

'As expected… her aptitude is excellent.'

Just in case, I activated the Cult Leader's Insight and looked at her. A sacred light was pouring out of her body. It meant she was perfectly suited to become a believer.

I spoke to her in a gently relaxed voice.

“I came to pick up the order I placed earlier. Am I too late?”

“Ah— No! I'll make it for you right away. Heehee. Just a moment!”

Grinning brightly as if something made her incredibly happy, the part-timer went behind the counter and began diligently making the drink.

“Aren't you getting off work soon?”

“Huh? Yes. It is closing time, but… it's okay. I felt so bad that I couldn't even thank you properly earlier. On weekday evenings, I'm the only one working, so I can't leave the café. I'm really sorry. If you come again, I'll make you a hundred drinks. Hehe.”

“…Alright. Thank you. Just one for today, please.”

The excitement I had felt about recruiting a new believer began to fade, and a slight headache started to creep in.

'Ugh…'

She was refreshingly cute, but almost too much so. She was incredibly talkative. If you gave her one word, she'd give you ten back. It suited her rabbit-like appearance and wasn't unpleasant to watch, but it was a bit overwhelming. It felt like her energetic, beast-like youthful vitality was grabbing my calm demeanor by the collar and yanking it upward.

“Did you go shopping for clothes? Wow. It really suits you. Your fashion sense is ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠amazing. I'm jealous. Um… Sir? Customer?”

“Kim Minjun. That's my name.”

“Ah~~ So it's Minjun. Oh, my name is Seo Dayoung. I'm twenty years old… How old are you, Minjun? If you're older than me, can I comfortably call you Oppa? Using formal speech feels too stiff, like I'm just talking to a customer.”

Dayoung seemed incredibly eager to get close to me. Her attitude and tone were both extremely high-energy, and all that high tension was focused entirely on me. It was a little burdensome, but with the benevolent mindset of a caring cult leader who knew he would meet many more believers in the future, I endured it.

“Sure. Go ahead, Dayoung.”

“Ah! Thank you, Oppa.”

Oppa or not, Dayoung and I were actually the same age, but I didn't say anything because I was worried she'd go even crazier if she found out. Besides, becoming friends would make it harder to make a move on her. I hadn't come to the café carving out time just to be friends with Dayoung.

“One iced caramel macchiato. Minjun Opp… Oppa. Heehee… This is embarrassing.”

“I'll enjoy it, Dayoung.”

Dayoung politely held out the drink with both hands. I reached out, took the beverage, and drank it down in one go.

Slurp—

“How is it? Delicious, right? I made it with extra care. I made it tastier than the ones I make for other customers.”

“Yeah, it's good. But why the extra care?”

“Because it's for you, Oppa…”

My unexpected question caused the talkative machine known as Seo Dayoung to freeze completely. It felt like the childhood game of Red Light, Green Light.

Ice…… Light—

“Th-th-th-thank you. I'm really, really grateful to you, Oppa. That old man from earlier was super scary. I honestly almost cried.”

“But you didn't cry? You were pretty brave.”

“Ah…”

Thump.

Embarrassed by the praise, Dayoung's head drooped. Seeing a high-energy girl act like this made her even more adorable.

'Hmm… Her favorability is already plenty high. Should I raise her obedience level a bit and test out the skill effect?'

Most of the cult leader's skills only worked on believers. But there was one exception—the Prophet's Voice skill had no such restriction.

'There's no special explanation, so I guess it activates like the other skills?'

Keeping the activation of Prophet's Voice in mind, I opened my mouth. It said people would be easily enchanted by my voice. I was curious exactly how and to what degree that would happen.

“Dayoung, you did really well earlier.”

“…Yes?”

“When all those department store people came rushing over, you stepped forward and defended me. It must have been scary. I'm actually the one who's grateful to you.”

“Ah…”

As I chose pleasant words to say, Dayoung's eyes, which had been fixed on me, gradually grew hazy as if she were on drugs. Her focus blurred as if she were imagining something, and her blush deepened. Her breathing became unsteady, and she kept letting out soft, pained sounds.

“Ah, ahh— Aaaaaah…”

“Dayoung, are you okay?”

“…Yes? Yes. Yesyesyesyes. I'm fine. I'm okay. I… I… I wasn't thinking about anything at all. Oppa!”

“Really? Your cheeks are so red. Did you catch a cold…?”

I reached out as if concerned and placed my hand on Dayoung's forehead. It wasn't a cult leader skill, but it was a common technique men used when hitting on women.

“Haa… Haaah…”

“This won't do. You're burning up. Your breathing is rough too. Should we go to the hospital?”

“No!!! I'm really fine! This is just… because I'm tired. I work another job besides the café. That's why. My body's a bit exhausted, that's all. You don't need to take me to the hospital. It's true, Oppa!!”

Dayoung violently rejected the idea of going to the hospital. It was as if going would mean contracting a fatal disease.

“Hmm… Dayoung, then I'll take you.”

“No, no. I'm really, completely fine, I swear? With you, Oppa… No, that's not what I…! Anyway, you don't need to take me to the hospital! Please believe me, Oppa. Okay?”

“No, not the hospital. I'll take you home.”

“…Yes?”

“It's closing time. You said you're tired. I'll take you home.”

“Ugh…”

At the mention of taking her home, Dayoung's focus blurred again. For the record, I still hadn't stopped using the Prophet's Voice skill. Or rather, I had simply forgotten to turn it off. Like the Sex Scouter and the Sex Wheel Eye, most skills were basically on/off toggles. Once activated, they applied automatically without needing constant attention. With the Sex Scouter and Sex Wheel Eye, since they showed up in my field of vision, it was hard to forget whether they were on or off. But Prophet's Voice was vocal, so it was ambiguous whether it was active or not. I could only judge by people's reactions.

'Well, it doesn't seem like it's flowing in a bad direction anyway.'

I looked at Dayoung. She was completely 'enchanted.' She was so captivated by me that she didn't know what to do with herself.

“Aaaah… Ahk…”

“Dayoung, what's wrong? Are you really sick? Should we go to the hospital instead of home?”

“Ah… Aaaah…!! No!! Not the hospital, let's go home! I want to go home! I want to eat ramen too!”

“…Ramen?”

“Ra… ra… ramen is my dinner. I… I'm a bit poor. I always eat ramen for dinner. For about ten years now…!!”

“Ah~~ I see…”