Chapter 78

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Translator: True Detective

Chapter: 78

Chapter Title: God of Investment

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That seemed to be the end of the channel-wide message.

'Rewards?'

'My Modern Item Purchase reaching max level?'

It would have been great if that was all, but there was a 10-minute time limit.

I wondered what the point was, but figured it was better than nothing and accepted it.

'Is that it?'

I figured I'd have to explore the rest myself when...

The Gallery system had truly delivered a real reward.

'It'll answer any question?'

Countless questions flooded my mind at once.

Starting from my friend's identity and why they sent me here, to the Gallery's true nature and purpose, and more.

"......"

Realizing those questions made this answer far more important than I'd thought.

'What should I ask?'

As I pondered, the witches around me had also seen the Gallery system's channel-wide message and were buzzing with chatter.

"What's this message right now?"

"Integrated Channel Administrator? Castaway?"

"If it's Castaway, that's that human guy over there."

"He can intervene in all parts of the Gallery."

"Does that mean that guy's the Gallery's owner...?"

The chattering witches were joined by Otil, who looked at me with a surprised expression.

I felt Otil's gaze, but my mind was solely on what question to ask.

'But the questions I thought of right now...'

Questions about my friend or the Gallery were all personal matters.

Besides, even if I got answers, it probably wouldn't change the future situation.

'So I need to ask something that helps the most right now.'

Channel 2, which I belonged to, was steadily increasing in power alongside the Hero Party.

Channel 3 with the Ice Queen could handle a third Zombie Queen thanks to her Explosive Grinder and Demon Horde.

'Channel 4 has the bugs as a problem.'

Combining Rubyel's bug-exterminating magic with Channel 5's witches might yield something.

'The real issues are Channels 5 and 7.'

There was no immediate way to do anything about those two.

After much deliberation, I slowly opened my mouth and asked how to save those two channels.

"Teach me a way to dimension shift using my power or the Channel 5 witches' power."

If there was no way, it might just say so and tell me to ask something else.

The other questions were just my own thoughts, but since it was the final reward, I believed there'd be some flexibility.

And then.

Modern ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Item Purchase?

"What does that mean?"

I asked what it meant, but the system fell silent as if that was the end of its answer.

"You. What was that question just now?"

"......"

Even as Otil asked, I was wondering if I'd been scammed.

"Ahahahaha!!"

Suddenly, the Archwitch Moriana, seated on the throne, burst into loud laughter.

Her laughter echoed throughout the conference hall, drawing every witch's gaze.

"So selflessly altruistic to a foolish degree. Knowing the value of the question, yet asking about dimension shifting."

I easily grasped the situation.

Moriana could read minds, so she'd likely read my dilemma and the system's question just moments ago.

"Good. I truly like that. Tainil."

With that, Moriana called out to a witch named Tainil.

"Yes."

"Lend me Veronica."

Veronica?

"I'll ask her."

"If she refuses, tell her it's my command."

"Understood."

At the same time, Otil tapped my shoulder quickly, as if saying it was settled.

"Good. Tainil's Black Knight Veronica ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠should keep you safe."

From Otil's reaction, it seemed Black Knight Veronica was what they'd prepared to protect me all along.

And since Moriana mentioned her directly, she must be quite powerful.

"She's strong, huh."

"Quasi-Transcendent level."

"Quasi-Transcendent?"

"Just think of her as insanely strong."

Otil summarized Quasi-Transcendent quite simply.

Anyway, she was definitely strong, so she'd be helpful in many ways.

"And Castaway. If you save us witches through dimension shifting."

Then Moriana smiled faintly, mentioning dimension shifting, and continued.

"I'll bear your child."

"......Pardon?"

"Just not too late, I hope."

Moriana vanished without a trace after leaving those words.

Moreover, because of her final words, every witch in the conference hall showed considerable surprise.

"The, the Archwitch..."

"This can't be..."

Seeing their reactions, I turned to Otil, who looked equally shocked.

'I was surprised too.'

But the witches seemed even more shocked than me.

'Probably because of her advanced age for bearing a child.'

Thinking that, but wondering if there was another reason, I asked Otil.

"Otil, why is everyone so surprised?"

"Well, you see... Sigh. Earlier, the witch said witches always give birth to witches regardless of the father's race, right?"

Otil wore a troubled expression, sighed, and explained.

Having heard about witch pregnancies earlier, I nodded to show I knew.

"Yes, you did."

"And their lifespans differ too. So witches don't acknowledge the father's existence."

I recalled that witches had ten times the human lifespan.

Indeed, always birthing witches with exceptional lifespans made it somewhat understandable.

"But the Archwitch said she'd bear your child. That means she acknowledges you as her husband and the child's father."

"Ah. That's what it meant?"

"In other words, it's a love confession passed down among us witches."

"Pardon? Ah... It can be interpreted that way too."

As I flustered at 'love confession,' Otil sighed again and spoke of Moriana.

"And she's not in good health."

Moriana wasn't well?

"Is the Archwitch unwell?"

"Yes. Anyway, you've even persuaded the Archwitch. Incredible feat."

"I wasn't trying to persuade her. It just happened."

"That's what makes it more impressive."

Separately, with Moriana gone, the situation seemed concluded.

"But how do I get back?"

"Just think about leaving here. You're heading back?"

"My companions are probably worried, so yes."

I answered, and Otil narrowed her eyes, showing displeasure.

She soon relaxed her expression as if giving up and brought up dimension shifting.

"More importantly, you found a clue for dimension shifting, right?"

"Not sure if it's a clue, but I need to look into it."

"Then we'll meet someday."

Otil nodded as if satisfied for now.

"I'll look forward to the day I actually meet you."

"......"

I had no words for Otil looking forward to meeting me.

'Should I say I look forward to it too?'

As I thought that, Otil scowled and sharply retorted.

"What? Not pleased?"

"No, I'm happy. I'll look forward to it too."

"Sigh. I'll settle for that answer today. You can go."

The moment Otil finished, I heard other witches clicking their tongues, but I ignored it.

I felt like I'd done something wrong but couldn't pinpoint it, so I just said okay and decided to return.

"Yes. I'll keep in touch."

Thinking of returning to Channel 2, my consciousness ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠suddenly floated upward.

Pop―

"......"

I was back in the Channel 2 tent in an instant.

Upon returning, I woke up fully, and blinking, I heard Elisicia's voice beside me.

"Castaway. Did you go somewhere?"

"Ah, yes. You weren't sleeping?"

"I was waiting just in case."

Elisicia was sitting on the bed, looking down at me.

On the other side, Rubyel was also awake, scanning me.

"You seem fine at least. Nothing happened, right?"

"No. I told you nothing like that would happen."

Not just them, but Aila, Lines, Sirien, and Tipina were near the bed too.

They'd stayed awake waiting for me, which made me feel inexplicably sorry.

"You should've slept."

The saintess Aila replied with her usual benevolent expression.

"It's still early anyway."

"How long was I asleep?"

"About 30-40 minutes? Not long."

I nodded and looked at Elisicia and the others again.

Thanks to the Archwitch Moriana, I'd realized my true desire to protect my connections and the worlds they belonged ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to.

"Hero."

"Yes?"

Of course, that included Channel 2 here.

So I conveyed that sincerity to Elisicia, even indirectly.

"Let's definitely conquer this labyrinth."

But perhaps because of my sudden words.

"Yes?"

Elisicia looked slightly flustered.

"Why the sudden change? You definitely got something from the witches, right? Aila, hurry and use Curse Removal!"

Rubyel made a fuss and yelled at Aila to use curse removal.

Channel 4.

"......"

Quick Fix Doctor Noah Aster silently stared at the full system message before her.

Noah Aster had taken interest in Castaway communicating flawlessly despite being from another channel.

And seeing him generously give Awakening Stones and more as rewards afterward, she sized him up.

'The Golden King, Diorlen, probably noticed too.'

Diorlen Arcanius, with her sharp mind and position meeting many people, easily read others.

Diorlen likely also noticed Castaway particularly valued relationships.

"......"

Anyway, Noah Aster judged befriending such a Castaway wouldn't hurt.

So she'd unusually given him extras, and the reward returned faster than expected.

Noah Aster pondered that phrase from the full system message for a while.

'I wasn't wrong after all.'

Then she slowly shifted her gaze to the mana condensate she'd created.

Channel 3.

"Han Soo-yeon! She's the God of Investment?! Han Soo-yeon! She's the God of Investment?!"

Jeong Ye-rim shouted loudly, arms raised high for all to hear.

They'd finally held the long-postponed party after the second Zombie Queen battle.

"Behold, you fools!"

The full system message announced Castaway becoming Integrated Channel Administrator.

"When everyone cried that the Superior Awakening Stones were a waste! Who knew that was the absolute bottom?!"

Han Soo-yeon wanted to freeze Jeong Ye-rim's blabbering mouth but held back.

Regardless, as Jeong Ye-rim boasted triumphantly, one person timidly countered.

"But... we don't even know what an Integrated Channel Administrator can do."

It didn't faze Jeong Ye-rim now.

"Tsk! Should I contact Castaway myself and get you permanently banned to make you regret it?!"

Han Soo-yeon's group all jolted at that.

"Permanent ban?"

"It can do permanent bans?"

"No, it said intervene in all Gallery parts."

"Permanent bans probably possible too?"

There was a channel administrator now, but no permanent bans.

Channel admins could ban for max 12 hours.

So short that individuals usually banned each other.

"Huh? Wait. Then maybe."

Someone thought of something Gallery-related.

"Maybe what?"

"Channel administrator. Couldn't Han Soo-yeon take it?"

"The current one's the president. Steal it?"

"Why not."

Others agreed.

"He fled to Busan and hasn't shown his face."

"Better if Han Soo-yeon does it."

Han Soo-yeon quietly looked at Castaway's name in her friends list amid their talk.

Now as Integrated Channel Administrator, a '★' mark was behind his nickname.