Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Touched National Power-Level Breasts
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"...Lifespan... you say?"
"Yes. Lifespan. You've seen it in comics, right? Where you burn through your predetermined lifespan to..."
I rattled off a plausible explanation, and Lee Soi's brow furrowed deeply.
"Haa... There was a condition like that?"
"I saw it in my status window. You know how it shows descriptions for your abilities."
"I know that much."
"I didn't notice at first, but when I checked again earlier, there was a warning note at the bottom. Take a look. You might have one too."
Lee Soi quickly swiped her fingers through the air.
Of course, there was no such warning. I'd just made it up on the spot.
It didn't even appear in the novel.
"...I don't have anything like that."
"Mine has it. In tiny print. 'Each use deducts a portion of the user's lifespan.' Something like that."
"...Does that even make sense?"
"Do glowing swords or protective shields make sense?"
Believe it or not.
One thing was certain—they had no way to verify my bluff.
No matter how much I showed them my status window, it'd just look like empty air to them.
"Haa. Well, that's true, I guess."
"Right?"
"So. You're saying you can't make any more bread? Because your lifespan is too precious?"
"Yes."
Lee Soi's brow furrowed again.
She was probably running the numbers in her head right now.
Food for 42 kids plus Teacher Do A-yoon, plus all the other women here, plus me—that's how long it'd last.
Probably not even a month.
If I didn't sacrifice my lifespan to make bread, our food would run out soon.
After a long hesitation, Lee Soi reluctantly bowed her head to me.
"Is there really no way around it?"
Oh ho.
Finally starting to bend, huh?
But this wasn't enough.
"It's tricky. I value my life too, you know."
"Kuh..."
Realizing her bow wouldn't work, Lee Soi scowled.
"Um, ex-excuse me..."
"Yes?"
I glanced to the side, and there was Do A-yoon calling me over this time.
"I'm sorry... Mister...? How should I address you?"
"Godfather. Park Daebu."
"Ah...! Yes. Godfather Mister."
Wasn't the point to change from 'mister'?
"Um... Godfather Mister. I'm sorry. I didn't know it cost lifespan when I asked..."
"You couldn't have known. I just found out myself."
"B-but we need food for our kids... Of course! We could take the convenience store stuff here, but I don't know how long that'd last..."
"Probably not even a month."
"A month... Do you think rescue teams will come by then?"
...She seemed to believe rescue would come eventually?
Well, it was hard to imagine the whole city's systems collapsing outright. Even in wars or disasters, administration usually keeps running somehow. If you hadn't read the novel, you wouldn't predict what was coming next.
"Who knows."
"I thought so..."
Do A-yoon hung her head low.
She clutched her apron, clenching and unclenching her fists restlessly.
"Um, excuse me..."
This one.
She seemed like someone I could reason with.
Time to lay out my demands, then?
"It's not impossible."
"Huh? Really?"
"...What kind of method?"
Even Lee Soi perked up her ears.
What kind? Simple.
I let my gaze drift downward casually.
Do A-yoon's massive breasts came into view.
"Let me touch your breasts, and I'll think about it."
"...Pardon?"
"Your breasts."
"B-bre... breasts...?"
"Is that what you call that right now?"
Lee Soi's face soured in an instant.
The other women overheard and rushed over.
"Whoa... What did he just say?"
"Breasts? He's lost his mind..."
"Teacher A-yoon...! Teacher A-yoon! Get over here! Hurry!"
Hmm... Timing off?
I thought the situation was ripe by now.
Do A-yoon got dragged away by the women, leaving only the fuming Lee Soi.
"Sorry, but... actually, no, I'm not sorry. We'll pretend Godfather didn't say that. You weren't serious, right?"
"Of course it was a joke."
"Even as a joke... Never mind. Yeah. We'll say it was a momentary lapse. Men are all..."
Lee Soi sighed heavily.
Hmm...
I thought breasts were a fair trade at this point, but apparently not yet.
Fine. Change tactics.
"Consider it my good deed."
"Pardon?"
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ 1+1 (Duplication) I headed to where the women were and duplicated a loaf of bread.
To them, it'd look like I made one from scratch.
"Godfather...! Changed your mind?"
"Not changed. Just doing a favor. Won't do it next time."
I repeated the ability, duplicating several more loaves.
Soon the table was piled high with bread. Even without stickers, it'd fill a binder page.
"Thank you! Thank you so much...!"
Do A-yoon bowed repeatedly in gratitude.
The others weren't quite as effusive.
"Wh-what... He did a good thing."
"...Smart move."
A slight bump in favorability? Not that I cared. Favorability.
I didn't duplicate bread to impress these women.
Better than saying, "I have the ability but won't use it."
Help once, show the value, make them dependent.
Like a tasting corner.
A sales trick I learned on the job.
"Pack them up for now."
"Ah, yes!"
The women bagged the bread in volume bags.
"Phew... I'll take a short break."
"...Go ahead. Good work."
Is that what you say to someone who sacrificed lifespan for bread?
Not that I actually did.
I sat elsewhere, and someone approached.
It was Gong Ga-eun.
"A-are you okay, Godfather...? You don't have to push yourself."
She looked genuinely worried.
"Still, it's a relief. You decided to help the kids... You're the Godfather I know."
"Cost me some lifespan, though."
"Ah... R-right..."
Her face filled with guilt.
This lifespan limit really lands. Good idea.
"Um, Godfather."
"Yes."
"Y-you don't have to use formal speech anymore...! We're not at the office. You're way older than me."
True.
Seven years older.
"I prefer it this way."
"R-really...?"
"Keeps a nice distance."
"D-distance..."
A hint of disappointment in her voice.
"Um, Godfather. Making all this bread at the cost of your lifespan... Are you really okay? Doing this much... Won't it take years off?"
"About three years gone."
"Th-three years...?"
Gong Ga-eun's eyes widened hugely.
All bluff, of course.
"I-I see... Three years of your life for kids' snacks... You're such a good person, Godfather. No matter what others say... I know you're a good man."
"..."
An angel. An angel.
You're the first woman to treat me like this.
Which made me want it even more.
To see this woman submit to me.
"Wh-what happens to us now?"
"Pardon?"
"I talked with the others earlier, but no clear answers... No phone, no internet, power's out... I don't know what's going on. And the future worries me..."
Gong Ga-eun lowered her head.
"Don't worry."
"Huh?"
"I'm the only one who knows this story's ending... Well, one of many readers."
"...What does that mean?"
No reaction to my masterful pun. She must not read webnovels.
"I've seen a lot of this stuff. Survival in disasters and such."
"Ah~ Like the 'How to Survive' series? I read those as a kid."
That's ancient manga.
"Something like that."
"Good. If you've seen that and can make bread, you'll be a big help."
"The others seem to think I'm useless."
"Nah... No. I overheard earlier—they said it'd be good to bring you along. Only man here, good for heavy lifting. And you can make bread..."
In other words, use me as manual labor.
"Of course... Asking for your help for nothing would be shameless."
"Yeah. Lifespan cost and all."
"R-right... Lifespan... Hmm..."
Not really, but.
Gong Ga-eun already believed me completely.
"Um... Godfather."
"Yes."
"Could you come over here for a sec? Pretend you're doing something."
What?
Gong Ga-eun led me to another display rack.
A blind spot where the women couldn't see well.
"G-Godfather."
"Yes."
"Th-that..."
Gulp.
She swallowed, glanced at me, then...
Swish.
She parted her outer blouse slightly.
"Do you... want to touch my breasts?"