Chapter 10
Chapter 10
The Mad Priest of the Slums #10
Knock. Knock. Knock.
The steady knocking woke me up.
I sat up in bed and stretched lightly to loosen my stiff muscles.
“Come in.”
The door opened, and the woman in a suit I had been seeing often since yesterday entered.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Yes. Very well.”
It wasn’t just polite talk. The moment I lay down last night, the first thing that came to mind was how expensive the bed must be. There was nothing to complain about.
“I’m glad. The boss has business and will return in the evening. Until then, I’ll be assisting you.”
As expected of someone who ruled the northern slums, Benjamin had a busy schedule.
“Then I’d like a simple breakfast.”
“Where would you like to eat? I can have it prepared here if you prefer.”
“No, that’s fine.”
I preferred eating at a proper dining table.
“Then I’ll have it prepared in the main hall.”
“Alright. I’ll take a quick shower.”
She bowed slightly and left the room.
The warm water calmed my thoughts.
‘Maybe I should look for a place to live this afternoon.’
Even though Benjamin promised full support, relying on someone too much would only create problems later.
There had to be a clear boundary.
His help would be enough in the form of manpower and useful connections.
“Now that I think about it, these clothes are expensive too.”
The shirt I took from the wardrobe cost 8,000 won.
That translated to 80,000 Mora.
Which meant—
Roughly 8 million won in real value.
“No wonder it feels so good.”
After getting dressed and putting on the robe and rosary, I stepped outside.
The woman was waiting.
“You don’t have to wait.”
“I am your secretary and guard.”
…A stubborn type.
“What’s your name?”
“I apologize.”
“…?”
“For today, please just call me ‘Secretary.’”
“Alright. Secretary.”
The walk to the main building was silent.
After breakfast, she explained the different districts and their rulers.
The information was interesting enough that time passed quickly.
When the clock struck noon—
“I’ll prepare lunch.”
“No. I’ll skip it today.”
Considering what I had to do soon, it was better to keep my stomach empty.
“Have you ever tortured someone?”
“I have. And I’ve experienced it as well.”
That made sense.
“If you had to extract everything and inflict maximum pain, how would you do it?”
She thought carefully and explained several methods in detail.
“Thank you. I might hire you as an assistant next time.”
“If the boss permits, I will assist.”
“Bring a chair. Let’s head down.”
“Yes.”
She lifted a chair with one hand.
We headed to the basement.
“Priest!!”
The prisoner greeted me eagerly.
“Place it here.”
She set the chair down in front of the cell, and I sat.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes!”
His eyes weren’t filled with determination—
But something else.
Desire.
“What’s your name?”
“Deungyun!”
“Good.”
I crossed my legs.
“It’s time to dream.”
Thud.
He collapsed instantly.
Because of the contract.
“It’ll take about two hours.”
“Yes.”
She didn’t leave.
I closed my eyes.
“The most beautiful being is Verdia.”
My consciousness faded.
“…Where is this?”
When I opened my eyes, I was in the same bedroom as before.
“The bed left quite an impression.”
I sat on the sofa.
The pink lip-shaped mark on my hand glowed faintly.
“Summon Deungyun.”
A black space opened—
And he fell onto the bed.
“P-priest?”
“Yes. Stay there.”
He obeyed immediately.
“Summon Olivia.”
She appeared—
Fell off the sofa and rolled onto the floor.
“…Ugh…?”
“Hello.”
“W-what?!”
She covered her face.
“Why?”
“…A woman thing…”
It didn’t matter.
I approached the bed.
“Deungyun.”
“Yes?!”
“For the assistant’s safety, I’ll restrain you.”
“Please use heavy chains!”
“As you wish.”
Chains formed and bound his hands and feet to the bed.
“I’m ready.”
I created what I needed.
A thin awl.
A bottle of saltwater.
“Do you know something?”
“…What?”
“In dreams, the owner can control even the flow of time.”
“…?”
He looked confused.
I smiled.
Tick. Tick.
In the dim, damp basement, the secretary watched her pocket watch as time passed.
“…Ugh…?”
Deungyun woke up.
“W-what happened?!”
“Wait quietly until the priest wakes.”
There was no solid proof, but everything pointed to him being a traitor.
Still, the final judgment depended on the priest.
“…Ha…!”
Jinhyuk woke up calmly.
The moment his face appeared in the lantern light—
“…Huh?”
Deungyun collapsed again.
His body trembled uncontrollably.
Then—
A foul smell spread.
He had lost control.
“Interesting.”
“…Hhk…?”
The secretary saw it clearly.
Just from the priest speaking—
Deungyun’s body reacted in fear.
Even he didn’t understand why.
“We’re done here. Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
They left.
“Do you have something refreshing? Maybe carbonated?”
“There’s lemon champagne.”
“That’ll do.”
She brought it.
He drank it in one go.
“Clean taste.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
She spoke carefully.
“Since you didn’t say to release him, the result is—”
“I don’t know.”
“…?”
“I only know two things. He surrendered. And everything in his mind has been recorded in my dream as books.”
“…So we find it ourselves?”
“It’s organized by date. Shouldn’t be hard.”
“Wouldn’t it be more efficient to hear it directly?”
“For you, yes.”
He looked at her.
“I prefer it this way. Some things are useful to know. Others just become a burden.”
“…Understood.”
“Your face says otherwise.”
She almost touched her face.
“…Contracts could solve that.”
“They could. But I don’t want the trouble.”
She realized—
He understood this world well.
Priests weren’t trustworthy.
Even contracts had loopholes.
“From a business standpoint, that mindset will fail.”
“There’s no competition.”
She nodded.
“What’s next?”
“I’ll take a walk until Benjamin returns.”
She checked the time.
There was enough time for two districts.
She opened the door.
“I’ll guide you.”