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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: A Very Generous Follower
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The future villain is gone, and I've gained a follower worth 300 million.
What a perfect day.
I'll have to keep up the missionary work. Though it'll be hard to find another one on Lute's level.
By the way, my devoted followers, Airic and Seth, are quite powerful. Why can't they make the Sun God stronger?
Is it only possible for new followers?
【Airic Derte and Seth Noel are merely B-grade followers, as their fame and fortune are significantly, extremely, terribly, and utterly lacking compared to Lute Ciel.】
“...”
Just how many adverbs of emphasis was that?
Poor Airic and Seth.
Unlike Lute, whose wealth was a staggering SSS+, Airic and Seth, who led a poor Grand Temple, would be F-grade at best.
Their fame was nothing to speak of.
Poor souls. I'll work hard and make sure your pockets are full.
...Of course, I'm even poorer than both of them right now.
“Now then, my dear follower. Shall we discuss the transfer tax for the holy relic?”
I'm not asking for this because I'm jealous of Lute's SSS+ wealth.
I'm doing it to rebuild the Grand Temple of the Sun God and to make an offering to him.
Anyway, that's the reason.
“Ah, of course. I was thinking of offering around five hundred gold. Would that be insufficient?”
“...”
“...”
“...”
I... I really underestimated SSS+ level wealth.
His generous offer left the three F-grade paupers utterly speechless.
F-five hundred gold. So, uh, umm, how much was 1 gold? How much is five hundred gold in Korean Won?
【1 gold is 100,000 won, and five hundred gold is 50 million won.】
*Thud!*
Stunned by the insane amount, I slammed both my fists on the table without thinking.
I was already grateful for a follower worth 300 million, and now he's adding another 50 million on top of that!
How on earth did such a sucker—ah, no, such a windfall—land right in my lap?
“...Is that not enough? Then how about a thousand gold?”
He must have misunderstood my reaction, because Lute suddenly doubled the transfer tax.
Ha, he seems really desperate. Should I try to raise the price more?
...No, I should maintain a good relationship with Lute. I'll be satisfied with this.
“A thousand gold is excellent. Is it possible to pay right now?”
“Of course. Please wait a moment.”
While Lute went to speak with his aide, Yuri Foulton, who was waiting outside, the three paupers quickly put their heads together.
“They said Duke Ciel owns a mine, but I never expected him to cough up a hundred million—no, a thousand gold—so easily right from the start. To be honest, I just asked for money without any specific amount in mind.”
At my shameless words, Airic and Seth stared at me intently.
Still, thanks to me, we now have money to feed everyone.
I'm going to invest all of this into the Grand Temple instead of offering it, so please try to understand.
“In any case, this is good news for us, who are desperate for every last coin. With the Duke's help, we should be able to escape Count Kiris's influence soon.”
“That may be so... but I can't understand why someone like Duke Ciel would need the Holy Relic of Light. Besides, that thing is...”
“Come to think of it, what is the Holy Relic of Light? I've never heard of it before.”
Seth asked as Airic trailed off with a strange expression.
“It... doesn't actually have any special powers. I heard it was a holy relic created by a priest two generations ago who received a divine revelation, but since it has no particular abilities, we've just been keeping it in storage.”
So Airic doesn't know the truth about the relic either.
Well, if he knew, he wouldn't have just left it sitting there.
Because it was a holy relic, yet it was not.
So I can't possibly give it to Lute.
I'll have to prepare something else that will satisfy him instead...
I have something in mind, but I'm not sure if it'll work.
【The 'Sun That Crawled Out of Death' offers a portion of its regained power to make a deal with the AI system.】
Just then, a surprising message appeared before my eyes.
What? Why is he wasting the power I just helped him regain? What kind of deal is this?
【The AI system accepts the deal with the 'Sun That Crawled Out of Death.' Transmitting the will of the 'Sun That Crawled Out of Death' to the user.】
【If you raise your Divine Power by just 2%, all of the user's worries will be resolved.】
Huh? Really?
My Divine Power is at 8% right now. If it reaches 10%, will I gain another ability, just like how I got the physical enhancement skill at 5%?
An ability that's desperately needed in this very situation, at that.
But what kind of ability is it?
【This question was not included in the deal with the 'Sun That Crawled Out of Death' and therefore cannot be answered.】
I don't know what it is, but since the Sun God—who's desperate for every last bit of power—paid with his own strength to give me this information, I'll trust it.
“High Priest, when the Duke brings the thousand gold, please go and buy some groceries. Let's have a feast with meat for the first time in a while.”
As soon as I knew what I had to do, I got Airic, who would be in the way, out of the room.
Fortunately, he had been worried about the quality of the meals in the Grand Temple, so Airic agreed without any suspicion.
“Have you been waiting? I'll give you the thousand gold right now.”
Just then, Lute returned with his aide.
“High Priest, could you please confirm the amount? In the meantime, Duke, would you mind having a word with me?”
With Airic gone, the only one left to get in the way was Seth.
“Captain, could you step outside for a moment?”
With Seth, however, there was no need to scheme.
The loyal Captain of the Holy Knights gave me one worried look before obediently heading out.
The important part starts now.
I checked carefully to make sure the door was closed, then spun around to face Lute.
“Duke. I have a proposition for you.”
“My, what could the Saintess possibly want to discuss that requires such a frightening demeanor?”
“Give me more money.”
My blunt demand made a look of bewilderment spread across Lute's face.
“Did I hear you correctly? What did you say?”
“Money. I don't need a lot, just two thousand gold will do.”
He must be dumbfounded, being asked for another two thousand gold right after giving me a thousand.
But this is all to save you. Think of this two thousand gold as the price of your life!
“Of course, this is a secret from the High Priest and the Captain. And don't look at me like that; I'm not doing this because I'm blinded by greed.”
“...”
“The reason you need the holy relic, Duke... it's because of an illness, isn't it?”
In an instant, Lute's eyes turned cold.
The atmosphere shifted completely, as if his languid, cat-like demeanor had never existed.
Simply by straightening his posture, he exuded a heavy, oppressive aura.
But it won't work on me.
My mental fortitude is strong enough to withstand even the killing intent of a swordmaster.
“...Not many people know about this.”
“I'd imagine so, since the High Priest and the Captain don't seem to know. But I can see them. The strange stains all over your body.”
“...Stains?”
“Yes. I can clearly see pitch-black things—things that look anything but normal—continuously eating away at you, Duke.”
At first, I wondered why you were walking around with something that looked like mold.
But after learning Lute's true situation, I understood.
Those stains were related to the illness Lute was suffering from.
The black stains were growing larger, little by little, even at this very moment.
Every time the pitch-black mass swelled, the golden light around him would diminish, and Lute's hand would tremble faintly. I was certain because I had been observing him for a while.
He was enduring the pain from his illness even now.
“I've met countless priests until now, but not a single one has ever said they could see such a thing.”
Considering Airic and Seth didn't react either, it seems I'm the only one who can see it.
I don't know why, though.
“Perhaps I can see it because I'm the Saintess of the Sun God, who specializes in healing. Let me be clear: your illness cannot be completely cured even with the Holy Relic of Light. But with my help as the Saintess, it's a different story.”
“...”
“Two thousand gold. Give me just that much, and I will certainly help you.”
The original novel did say that only the Sun God's divine power could alleviate his pain, so I spoke with confidence.
“...Two thousand gold. Will that be enough?”
After a long silence, I clenched my fists at the words that came from Lute's mouth.
“If possible, right now. While no one is around.”
“...I don't know why I feel like I'm being shaken down by a thug.”
He muttered, loud enough for me to hear, "But I guess I have to give it to you since I'm grasping at straws."
I'm doing all this to help him, and he calls me a thug? How rude!
“It's exactly two thousand gold. It's enchanted with spatial magic.”
Grumbling, he took a fist-sized pouch from his coat and set it down.
“To be honest, I brought three thousand gold, intending to offer that if a thousand wasn't enough. So I was a bit surprised when you named exactly two thousand. Can you read minds?”
I can't now, but it would certainly be nice to have that ability. Maybe I'll get it later?
【No such skill exists.】
...Right. Thanks for letting me know.
With a disappointed look, I clutched the pouch containing two thousand gold. As if it had been waiting, a system message popped up.
【♥♥♥Offering Box♥♥♥】
To be precise, it was an offering box that was practically radiating excitement at the thought of receiving money.
“...”
I was at a loss for words.
