Bowling Bliss and the Living God Cult
I never knew bowling was such a fun sport. Surprisingly, I'd never bowled once in my life. I tried it for the first time at the bowling alley in the palace.
I scored 91 on my first game and got praised by Jeong Su-hwan for having talent. He said even before awakening, he averaged 190 to 200. His form is on another level. I'm basically getting bowling lessons from him.
The residents are now taking sign-ups and letting people use the alley freely from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Teams have already formed, and they're competing against each other. It's fun just to watch.
After the major Nakyuan upgrade recently, we decided to increase the number of residents. We're taking in about 2,000 people. Not all at once—better to do it in four batches of 500.
So I told the reconstruction government to post the announcement for Nakyuan residents. Naturally, applications exploded. We didn't set strict conditions, but we have preferences for the first round of document screening.
First priority is Awakeners, of course. Any Awakener, regardless of gender or age, gets top spot. Special Awakeners skip all stages and just come straight to Nakyuan for loyalty screening.
Second priority: people with special knowledge or skills. The Library app is becoming humanity's last repository of information. It's stacked with massive amounts of data. I want to bring in more scholars to record everything before knowledge is lost forever. Technicians go without saying—they're welcome anywhere.
Third priority: healthy young people. No point letting the swords from the Grand Military Division go to waste, so Nakyuan needs a proper army soon. I'd like at least 150 Awakeners among this batch of recruits. Thanks to Na Hye-won's ability, we have quite a few enhanced Awakeners now.
I was going to give the four enhancement melons we have to the executives, but they desperately refused, so this time I gave them to other residents. Two from the security team and two from the bodyguard unit each got one. All four broke 30% openness. And I gave every member of the security and bodyguard teams a sword from the Grand Military Division. They look pretty cool walking around with swords at their waists.
"Is this really okay...? If this keeps spreading, the government should step in and stop it."
Han Seol scratched her cheek and said.
"Well... you can't just ban religion and expect it to stop."
"..."
"And we don't even know how to handle this kind of religion..."
A new religious group has been growing rapidly in Seoul lately. You might think we could just crack down like before, but this one's different.
The object of worship? 'Seo Do-hyun'...Me.
To these new religion folks, I'm apparently some kind of living god descended into the present world.
The reconstruction government knows I despise cults, so they arrest them on sight. But in this case, even they're stumped. They go out to bust a rumored new cult and find people worshiping their king as a god.
Arrest them and punish? That denies the king's divinity. Let them go? That's following the king's will. They're caught in a dilemma. So they've been letting it slide, and the religion's growing bit by bit.
Han Seol glanced at me cautiously and started reading the report.
"The followers say even their rationed meals are fundamentally the king's, so they gather for a prayer of thanks at every distribution."
"Well, that's not wrong... Sigh..."
"And when proselytizing to citizens, they say in the 'land of the god,' you can create alcohol and food without any labor."
"That's true too. But... sigh."
"They also say you bless barren land to harvest crops..."
"All true. This is driving me nuts."
If they were spreading ridiculous lies, we'd have grounds to disband them. But they just spout facts. Crucially, they're nothing like typical cults. They demand nothing from followers—just pure worship of me. They even do charity: picking up rations for the sick who can't come out, cooking and feeding them at home. The report mentions cleaning, elderly care, even bathing assistance.
"Why are they doing this...?"
"Pardon?"
It's exactly like what churches and cathedrals did before the world ended.
"No, if you're going to do charity work like this, there are already famous figures in that field. Someone who took on our sins in our place and died... or someone who attained nirvana... Why me...?"
Han Seol flipped through several pages of the report, took a breath, and began reading.
You create sanctuaries no unpermitted soul can enter across the world, conjure bread and wine...
You make barren soil fertile, establish new laws on this land, and share it all with the people...
If this being is not a god, then what could they be?
"What are you reading?"
Han Seol silently continued reading from the paper.
"Yes, it's a report of the sermon where the leader wept during worship."
"This won't do. Summon that leader here immediately."
"Pardon? Are you going to punish them?"
"No way I'm punishing people organized for charity... Just bring them and tell them to tone it down."
"Understood. I'll summon them right away. Shall I show you the report with the leader's photo and name?"
"Is he an Awakener?"
"Yes, a recovery-type Special Awakener. Nothing special—just average level. I'll copy the report and send it up to the office."
"No, my head's starting to hurt... What's the point of seeing the fanatic's info?"
"Still, you should—"
"Put it in the office. I'll look later."
"Yes."
I get they're doing good deeds with good intentions. Just need to warn them to keep it moderate. Everything in the report rings true except the worship target being me. The leader seems like a total saint. No desire to punish.
"The leader has arrived."
"Bring them here."
"Yes."
To give a bit of intimidation, I called them to the third-floor palace office.
"Hm?"
There's a report on the leader that Han Seol left on the desk. I was reading books the teachers gave me yesterday and bowled with I-rang in the evening, so I hadn't checked it.
"Let's take a look."
I figured it'd be some balding old religious nut.
Name: Ryu Hyun-ah
Age: 26
"A woman...?"
I was pretty shocked. Totally not what I imagined.
The leader's identity: a young woman. Below that, a photo taken by a farm manager official when Ryu Hyun-ah visited the state farm, clipped in.
"She's pretty. Why's the photo so good?"
And cute. In a nun's habit, she even looks holy. I can see why she gathered so many followers so fast. If the leader was a balding old man, no way.
As I read the report, the elevator dinged, and Han Seol's voice came.
"You'll meet His Majesty soon. Stop crying..."
"Hic... sob! I'm sorry... Coming to Nakyuan in person is so overwhelming, the tears won't stop."
And the sobbing of who I assumed was Ryu Hyun-ah.
Two bodyguards with swords stood at the office door. From beyond, Han Seol said,
"Your Majesty, your subject Han Seol reports."
"Enter."
We're casual alone, but with outsiders, we keep some court protocol.
The guards opened the doors one by one, revealing Han Seol and Ryu Hyun-ah.
"Your Majesty, your subject Han Seol—"
"Ah...! Aah...!"
Before Han Seol finished, Ryu Hyun-ah saw me and started crying like she'd seen a real god.
"My god...!"
"Haa..."
Han Seol sighed and shook her head. She'd probably warned her to call me 'Your Majesty,' not 'god,' but she did it anyway.
I nodded silently to Han Seol. It's fine.
"Come closer."
I spoke to Ryu Hyun-ah in a stern king's tone.
"Ah...!"
She took a few steps, then knelt, unable to speak. Clasping her hands, tears streaming, she said,
"I dare... to behold the god."
"..."
I hadn't imagined such a severe fanatic. I planned just a warning, but that won't cut it. Time to change plans.
"I summoned you because I have words for you."
"Command anything, and I will spread your will far and wide..."
No point lecturing a fanatic like this—it won't stick. Best to implicitly acknowledge and proceed.
"I cannot reveal my existence yet. So... refrain from worshiping me for now."
"...!"
Ryu Hyun-ah's eyes widened, stared for seconds, then nodded like she'd grasped some revelation.
"My god! I understand! You won't reveal yourself until humanity stands on its own...!"
"Yes..."
This fanatic read my mind perfectly. For her, I'm going with the 'god pretending to be human so humans rise themselves' concept.
Ryu Hyun-ah prostrated flat on the floor.
"Please forgive my sins...! I arrogantly ignored your will!"
"I won't hold your sins against you... From now on, live as an ordinary charity group. I will call when the time comes."
"Yes...!"
Her eyes looked a bit crazed as she answered.
After sending Ryu Hyun-ah off, I explained the situation to the executives. Told the reconstruction government to leave them be since they'll stay quiet now.
I read the report closely: after the world ended, she lived in a Gangnam cathedral, healing the sick for free with her ability. But when upper echelons schemed and turned followers into virtual serfs starving them, she confronted them and nearly died. Even the priest bowed to power. In despair, I appeared, dismantling the Gangnam government, hanging the tyrannical officials, treating the sick in hospitals, and feeding them. That's when she decided I was a god.
As ordered, Ryu Hyun-ah transformed her group into an ordinary religion focused on charity. Before leaving, she asked to see the food creation site, so I showed her and let her press the vending machine button. When crops dropped into the basket, she nearly sobbed. Her faith is too intense, so I made her report the group's status to me in Nakyuan once a month.
"That was delicious."
"You left all the vegetables?"
Han Byeol said, eyeing the plate.
"Weren't they decorations? You eat those too?"
Lately, the women living with me are pushing veggies on me.
"Even I-rang eats them well. You should set an example."
"I'm an adult. I don't need 'em."
They're using I-rang to trick me into veggies, but it won't work.
Han Byeol smiled.
"My god."
"I told you not to..."
"My god...! Please... the vegetables!"
"Argh! Fine! I'll eat! I'm eating!"
Han Byeol just smiled silently. Thanks to Ryu Hyun-ah, I've got a new weakness.