Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Empress Reformation
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Starting with a word I never expected, an absurd development unfolded in the literal sense.
"We have nothing to lose but our chains!"
"We shall gain a Dish of Facts!"
"The sole will of the Sole God and Leader, Lord Igugwoden, illuminates our hearts!"
Communism!
The one and only will of Lord Igugwoden, who made us all 'equal'!
—Can you hear it!
The Plain Fact of Lord Igugwoden, cloaked in the belief called communism, raging wildly!!!
"So rise up, Empress!"
Rise! Rise! Rise! Rise!
The fair words of the god to all! A Dish of Facts equally for everyone!
A Dish of Facts for the peasants too! A Dish of Facts in the same quantity for laborers as for nobles!
We are Lord Igugwoden! Lord Igugwoden is us!
And the Empress cannot defy the will of Lord Igugwoden!!!!!!
Voices filled with madness.
With even members of the Imperial Family joining the nobles and commoners in condemning the Empress, the scene ended—
* * *
This short snippet concluded.
[ Igugwoden: No way ]
I figured the scene of schooling the Empress would naturally put her in a tough spot, or maybe she'd witness a miracle from the god, freak out, and realize a real god exists—something clichéd like that.
This author had always delivered wildly unique twists so far, so maybe it'd subvert expectations into something like the Empress falling for the god. Especially since the author knew I liked the Empress character.
But I never imagined she'd get stripped of her position via proletarian revolution.
Hadn't the proper bourgeois class even appeared yet?
No scenes with characters who got rich through commerce, aside from nobles.
Questions? Obviously tons.
But the one nagging at me most—
[ Igugwoden: Don't communists hate gods??? ]
[ Igugwoden: They'd be into atheism, right? ]
[ Igugwoden: I get the Empress getting toppled by revolution somehow, but what process leads to some weird theocratic communist one-party dictatorship state???? ]
Theocratic communist one-party dictatorship state... Saying it again, I still have no clue what that is.
To be honest, I'm no history buff.
Obviously, my knowledge isn't as deep as someone who studied it properly.
Just basic common sense, stuff you'd learn in mandatory education.
And even I know that people with those ideologies generally don't like religion.
Maybe there were exceptions in actual history... but within my common sense, that's how it was.
Soon after, a message from the author—
[ Please Give Me Some Money: The future I observed is just a fragment, so I don't know the exact process that led to this outcome... ]
[ Please Give Me Some Money: But if Lord Igugwoden harbors the will to 'school' her with Divine Power, it's not that strange a result, I think. ]
[ Please Give Me Some Money: After all ]
[ Please Give Me Some Money:
This is the power of a god
]
[ Please Give Me Some Money: The power to effortlessly create something completely new that never existed in the world ]
[ Please Give Me Some Money: With Divine Power, nothing is impossible ]
[ Please Give Me Some Money: How could the existing order of the world stand against Divine Power? ]
I wanted to snark back that Divine Power can't even save a person, but that wasn't the point right now.
Anyway, I didn't want to drag the Empress all the way down to rock bottom.
What I wanted was for her to moderately heed my words and not defy me—not get her position revoked and end up broken or whatever.
Since I'm a 'god,' I also wanted to block any chance of her pushing atheism later.
Plus, Linea von Ainsberg, one of the Dish of Holy Knights, seemed to join the revolutionaries in the comic, but as royalty, she might end up in a bad spot later.
[ Igugwoden: Anyway, no schooling ]
[ Igugwoden: But what if I donate a little money? ]
[ Igugwoden: The development changes based on the amount, right? ]
[ Please Give Me Some Money: An unyielding Empress would continue struggling against the religious order for power ]
[ Please Give Me Some Money: That's her fate ]
Got it. Pass on the schooling.
Even considering I'm a god, I had to avoid that.
So what should I do...
'What do I want to do with the Empress?'
I scrolled up, checking the panels with Eirene again.
Her golden side locks peeking out, swaying, and at the same time, panels of her massive breasts jiggling every which way as she moved...
'......'
Lost in thought, I swallowed dryly.
Yeah. She hasn't committed any sins yet, and she's promised not to cross the line, so excessive punishment seems wrong.
Even if she's a non-believer, isn't guiding a lost lamb back to the faith a god's proper duty?
Absolutely not because she's pretty with huge boobs.
If the schooling future means she gets deposed by revolution...
As I pondered ways to prevent it, one word flashed in my mind.
[ Igugwoden: Can't you do some... faith corruption? ]
Faith corruption!
Nothing sweeter than seeing faith bloom on the face of someone stubbornly denying gods exist?
[ Please Give Me Some Money: Faith corruption, you mean? ]
[ Igugwoden: Yeah. Luca overcame her fate before, right? ]
[ Igugwoden: I think the Empress can too ]
[ Igugwoden: She embraces a devout mindset and willingly accepts the Dish of Holy Knights concept ]
[ Igugwoden: Bonus if it blocks the revolution fate in advance ]
Revolutions basically happen when life sucks for the masses.
From the perspective of commoners under a class-based absolute monarchy, why revolt if they're fed well and living decently?
That future vision seemed less about ripe ideology and more Divine Power steamrolling, but it had minimal plausibility, which is why it was observed, I figured.
[ Igugwoden: If the Empress becomes a beloved ruler, it'd be good for Linea too ]
[ Igugwoden: Faith-corrupted, so no scheming... just... religiously convert her or something ]
[ Please Give Me Some Money: In other words, you want reformation? ]
Reformation?
Debatable if that's the term, but contextually, sure.
[ Igugwoden: Yeah, reform her ]
One important fact.
I had no idea why the Empress was so wary of the religious order.
If there's a reason, maybe I could hear her out? I'm a god, after all.
'Now I'm naturally thinking of myself as a god...'
Suddenly embarrassed, I chugged a glass of cola.
Heh... Even a god's throat stings from carbonation.
[ Please Give Me Some Money: Reformation... reformation... With Divine Power, it seems possible ]
[ Igugwoden: Pricey, right? ]
Changing Luca's fate cost 300,000 won.
The author quoted 150,000, but said that wouldn't infuse enough Divine Power to overcome fate.
I knew it was just sweet-talk.
No way drawing comics actually needs Divine Power, right?
[ Please Give Me Some Money: Please wait a moment. ]
[ Please Give Me Some Money: Probably... around 35,000 won worth of power should suffice ]
Huh???
Cheaper than expected?
Luca took 300k, so I thought at least 200k this time...
[ Igugwoden: For real? ]
[ Please Give Me Some Money: ...? ]
[ Igugwoden: Way cheaper, isn't it? Almost no different from Luca's ]
[ Please Give Me Some Money: Well... Luca's fate had strong opposing force ]
[ Please Give Me Some Money: And you haven't schooled the Empress yet ]
[ Please Give Me Some Money: I judge this level of Divine Power sufficient to reform the Empress... 'corrupt her faith' ]
Plausible explanation, but whatever the real reason.
'Probably dialing back the aggressive monetization so I don't burn out.'
Anyway, that's a doable price.
I entered 35,000 won, then added extra out of gratitude for going along with me.
[ Igugwoden ( Sponsorship / 50,000 won / Empress Faith Corruption Hehehe ) ]
[ Igugwoden: Tipped extra to draw her pretty lol ]
[ Please Give Me Some Money: No ]
[ Please Give Me Some Money: Lord Igugwoden ]
[ Please Give Me Some Money: Truly... truly thankful. Such unexpected additional Divine Power...! ]
[ Please Give Me Some Money: This lets me show even more. We will never forget Lord Igugwoden's generous decision. ]
[ Igugwoden: Yeah, author ]
[ Igugwoden: You know what I'm expecting, right?? ]
[ Please Give Me Some Money: Of course ]
[ Please Give Me Some Money: With that in mind... shall we hear the 'Words of God' again this time? ]
[ Igugwoden: Words to relay to the Empress? ]
[ Please Give Me Some Money: Yes. But just a few Q&A should suffice this time. ]
[ Please Give Me Some Money: xzqr.wo.to [Link.] ]
Clicking it opened a survey window.
Simple questions: 'How does God scold you in tough times?' 'Any secrets from God for overcoming trials?'
Scanning it, there were spots midway to write messages for Eirene.
Seen this before. Like pre-military psych tests? Similar vibe, different questions.
No clue what it is, but new monetization gimmick or whatever.
About to type in compliance—
[ Please Give Me Some Money: And ]
[ Please Give Me Some Money: This world wants to repay your generosity, Lord Igugwoden, who provided additional power, in some way. ]
[ Igugwoden: ? ]
[ Please Give Me Some Money: If I may ]
[ Please Give Me Some Money: Might I humbly ask what the noble visage of the Sole God Lord Igugwoden looks like? ]
* * *
Igugwoden Citadel, Royal Palace, Audience Chamber.
Empress Eirene frowned slightly in surprise at the unexpected guest.
Even as she composed her expression, her face held a chilling beauty that would frost the fingertips upon touch.
"The Saintess has come?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. She wishes an audience..."
What scheme does that woman have with me all of a sudden?
Did she hear something pointless about the Dish of Holy Knights from Linea?
No. If Linea were that devout, I wouldn't have sent her as a Holy Knight candidate. So then...
'Anyway, I should welcome her.'
Openly clashing with the Saintess now benefits nothing.
"Let her in."
Soon, Saintess Erin, manifesting after 200 years, slowly walked the red carpet.
Just her platinum hair swaying evoked holiness, an aura sufficient to mark her as a woman chosen by God.
Eirene rose from the throne, bowing properly.
"I see you, Empress."
"You've come, Saintess. It is my honor to meet you while alive."
"In greeting suffices. I'm not here for pleasantries today."
Eirene cautiously eyed Erin.
She cut in, but no hostility. Yet her eyes burned with something.
That was... resolve? Zeal?
"Your Majesty. The 'Words of God' have come down to you."
"Pardon?... To me?"
"Yes."
Erin said so with a benevolent smile...
And approached, step by step.
"Saintess...?"
It was truly bizarre.
As if the world had stopped.
Soldiers stood in formation... yet none moved to stop her, nor spoke. Like dolls!
"Hehe... Empress. Come this way... closer to me."
Closer.
The Saintess drew closer.
The undeniable 'something' from the Saintess drew closer to Eirene...
"I... w-wait...!"
Eirene couldn't even finish, crushed.
Couldn't stop the Saintess approaching...!
Regaining senses—
Huddled against her chair, dead-eyed Eirene had Erin's face right before her nose.
Close enough to touch if she toppled.
Erin's massive Divine Power Pouch... grazed Eirene's chest.
A nail-biting clash of pouches, evenly matched!
Erin spoke first.
"Empress..."
"......!"
Erin giggled with a loving smile.
Her flushed face, as if unable to hold back.
"It's fine. Nothing scary at all. This is the greatest blessing a woman can feel...!"
"You'll surely know too...! How wonderful the Words of God are...!!!"
"W-wait! Saintess, first let me...!!"
Before flustered Eirene could finish—
Erin slowly raised the Holy Scripture from her bosom—
"I'll put it in... the Words of God...!"
And tapped it to Eirene's forehead.
"!!!!!"
—Light.
The Plain Fact-filled light bursting from the Holy Scripture engulfed Eirene.