A Chat with the Total Director Oh Pil-seong (3)
The conversation with Total Director Oh Pil-seong turned out to be more interesting than I had expected.
“Pope, I’ve always had the final boss party in mind for the climax.”
Oh Pil-seong treated me with the utmost respect as the Pope. Even though I had told him many times that he could treat me casually, he still seemed unable to do so easily.
After all, it was natural that a middle-aged man living in Korea had never chatted with the Pope. He was being cautious.
Still, among those who made me uncomfortable, he acted relatively friendly.
“So that’s why, now that I’ve become the Total Director, I’ve forcibly inserted you into the sequel as well. To be honest, everyone except me opposed it, but I ignored them. Was that right?”
“Yes. You really did well.”
I had just learned that the me and my companions in ‘Solar Scepter’ were the boss of a dungeon with the concept of fighting forgotten past strong characters.
Why did we appear in a sequel set in the distant future? There was a reason.
“Ah, do you know about this? Liam the Hero was originally a very earnest personality.”
“…Is that so?”
Earnest Liam. The words were extremely contradictory, like ‘hot ice cream’.
I tried to imagine it for a moment, but it was difficult. I couldn’t even draw a picture in my head. It was like facing something with an indescribable appearance.
“But why did you change the setting?”
“Just… because it was boring.”
Oh Pil-seong smiled brightly, baring his teeth.
A smile that suited his benevolent appearance. It was as if he had a pure expression like a child.
“Typical heroes are boring, right? So I kept thinking about it and eventually changed him into a complete delinquent who goes against the flow, and only then did it feel right.”
At first, he would carefully say one word at a time, but now he was talking smoothly without any hesitation. It seemed like his excitement was increasing the more we talked.
'That makes sense.'
The character he created himself appeared in reality. Moreover, even the creator himself experienced various events he didn’t know about and became the Pope, and had children.
Thinking about it, it was rather that I was more excited than not.
“I see.”
I nodded my head slightly and frowned a bit. It was a mix of joke and sincerity.
“Thanks to that, I’ve had a hard time taking care of the young Liam from my bad days. At one point, I didn’t sleep properly for several days.”
“…I’m sorry.”
Oh Pil-seong smiled awkwardly again. He took a sip of his iced Americano. I followed suit and muttered to myself.
'Why am I drinking something like this.'
Since I had my subordinate buy it for me, I drank it out of courtesy, but it still tasted bitter and stuffy, so I felt a sense of aversion.
According to Seoyun, it was becoming familiar, but for now, it was just an aversion drink.
Compared to this coffee, tea suited my mouth much better. All kinds of teas that I had never drunk when I was Park Si-woo were now so beloved.
Perhaps this change in taste was also included in the settings.
“Am I someone who likes tea?”
It was a somewhat abrupt question, but Oh Pil-seong answered calmly without being surprised.
“To be honest, I didn’t think about it that far because it’s a character that only appears in the setting book.”
“Then all the small things like taste or habits are…”
“They naturally came to be. It has nothing to do with me.”
In fact, I already knew that without asking.
The world I experienced as a game and the world I actually lived in were fundamentally the same but had countless differences.
I was one of those differences from the start.
“When I look at it, the other world should be completely separate from the game, right? Because the existence of the Pope is completely different from the game settings.”
Oh Pil-seong was thinking the same thing.
Saint ‘Clitia Elluke’ was originally destined to die at the hands of the Demon King along with the hero party members. She fought bravely to the end but was eventually annihilated.
A predetermined death and tragic ending.
However, the battle against the Demon King I actually experienced ended in victory. It was a development that never happened in the game.
So I had been curious for a long time.
From the moment I learned that I had been reincarnated into ‘Apolis Tales’, I had always harbored this curiosity.
“Then how was the other world created? That was always a question to me.”
I stroked Rohan’s back as he fidgeted and continued.
“At first, I suspected the development team. I thought they were transcendent cosmic beings pretending to be ordinary development companies.”
“We’re just ordinary people, you know.”
“I know. It means I suspected it before I learned that there are many returnees besides me.”
I thought that upon returning, all mysteries would be solved, but I still couldn’t know anything.
Unresolved questions and truths shrouded in mystery. Everything is unclear. Still, I could clearly know one thing.
“Anyway, thanks to Director-nim, my companions and I have obtained life and can live in the world. Thank you.”
I bowed politely with my heart in it for a moment. Then, looking at Rohan, I said.
“Rohan, don’t just sit there. Go say thank you to Grandpa.”
“Pope…”
The ‘Father’ who called me quietly was at a loss for what to do. He seemed uncomfortable receiving fatherly treatment from me and didn’t readily accept the jokes.
After all, he was still a bachelor who hadn’t gotten married, so constantly being treated as a grandpa would be uncomfortable.
Moreover, the age difference between me and him wasn’t that big.
'…Am I really an auntie?'
Even after giving birth to three children, I kept denying it, but it was time to admit it. I was becoming an exact auntie.
But in my thirties, I wasn’t that young, right? Honestly, I wasn’t old enough to be called old yet.
“You don’t have to feel burdened.”
I turned a blind eye to my conscience and decided to keep calling Oh Pil-seong ‘Father’.
Unlike my actual age, my appearance was quite different, so others might think we were mother and son.
“Please accept my heart.”
“……”
Sincere pleas can be a powerful weapon in any world. If the person being asked has a high position, the effect is even greater.
When I, as the Pope, made a subtle request, Oh Pil-seong finally nodded his head, unable to refuse any longer.
“I understand. If the Pope wishes…”
There was reluctance, but by giving permission, it was already halfway there.
Now, I just needed to fill in the remaining half.
“As a small token, please accept my filial piety gift.”
I extended my left hand, not holding Rohan, towards Oh Pil-seong. Then, closing my eyes, I slowly prayed.
“Kind Sun Goddess, I believe you are watching. I will generously offer. I already know you will grant it. My heart is the Goddess’s heart, isn’t it?”
It was impious as a prayer to the Goddess, but it was fine. Rather, this was what the other party wanted.
“And since I’m doing this, I’ll tell you: Are you intervening in earthly matters? Recently, divine power has been seeping out a bit… If so, please restrain it yourself.”
After finishing my solemn prayer, I slowly opened my eyes and released divine power from my hand.
The pink light that shot out from my palm slowly entered Oh Pil-seong’s body and was absorbed.
“Done.”
“…What did you do?”
“It’s obvious, isn’t it?”
I gave a thumbs up to the bewildered Oh Pil-seong.
“Blessing of 1st grade anti-aging. Father, live long.”
Oh Pil-seong’s expression was unclear whether he was pleased or surprised.
That was funny, and Rohan smiled brightly.
“Rohan, what is this? You shouldn’t mock your grandpa.”
At that moment, when I was scolding my unruly son, Oh Pil-seong suddenly spoke.
“By any chance, is the goddess you serve the same goddess I know?”
It was an abrupt question, but I wasn’t surprised. Rather, I was waiting for it.
“As the Total Director, it’s natural to be curious. Whether it’s okay to bring the existing goddess into the game.”
“Yes, well…”
“But you don’t have to worry too much.”
I lifted the corner of my mouth and looked up.
“The person I’m serving now is someone who doesn’t appear in the game at all — a very fundamental person. Isn’t that interesting?”
“It is… true.”
Oh Pil-seong’s eyes sparkled as he nodded vigorously.
Rohan’s expression was so funny that he wiggled again.
***
After chatting to our fill.
We began serious business conversation. It was time to talk about the most important thing.
“Straight to the point. Please buff up ‘Saint Clitia’.”
“No way.”
As soon as I brought up the main topic, Oh Pil-seong firmly shook his head. He was too strict, almost getting hurt.
When I asked why, he gave a somewhat realistic answer.
“The time training ground where the Pope and companions appear is a relatively recently added dungeon, close to end content.”
“So… does that mean it’s strong enough even now?”
“Yes. The Pope comes out weak by keeping the settings, but the other companions are strong.”
Upon thinking, I remembered seeing similar content on the green wiki. Except for me, all other companions had descriptions like ‘difficult’.
“The standard strategy is to attack the Pope first and quickly remove the healer… If we buff it now, how will the users react…”
“I understand what you mean.”
It seemed impossible to take ‘Saint Clitia’ out of being the weakest.
It was a pity, but since I couldn’t force unreasonable demands, I gave up.
Instead, I decided to request something else.
“Then how about this.”
It was a much more realistic proposal than buffing.
“Add ‘Pope Clitia’ as a new boss. With an overwhelming amount of health and a perfectly mismatched pattern, it should be hard to defeat even if 30 or more high-level users gather.”
“…That’s too overpowered, isn’t it?”
From the reaction, it seemed he had a big misunderstanding. I kindly explained the misunderstanding.
“Director-nim, I want you to make the boss ‘too overwhelmingly strong’.”
“……”
“If there are any developers or users who object, I’ll send Liam to handle it in a gentle way, so don’t worry.”
Oh Pil-seong’s expression showed he wasn’t reassured at all. He was a person who didn’t accept jokes at all.
“It was a joke. If you don’t like it, a moderately strong boss is fine.”
“Thank goodness…”
“First, I’ll tell you the skills I can use, so please think seriously about it.”
“Yes, wait a moment. I’ll write it down.”
I checked him taking out his smartphone from his pocket and immediately spoke quietly.
“My ultimate skill is to release perfect divine power from my chest and temporarily control people’s minds.”
“……”
Oh Pil-seong, who had been frozen for a moment, soon started laughing awkwardly. He was making a big misunderstanding again.
“This is not a joke.”
I was more serious than ever.