I’m a Young God, Won’t You Raise Me?

At the mention of the owner of the enormous mansion and the Butlers’ employer, the Cat Butler beamed with delight.

“Oh! He still hasn’t returned. But we’ve received good news!”

The Rabbit Butler also broke into a wide smile.

Throughout the entirety of Clean! Clean! Clean!, the owner of the mansion is mentioned constantly.

The Butlers wait for the return of their Master, who departed on a long journey, and devote themselves to keeping the mansion in perfect condition.

To accomplish that, they regularly hire cleaners.

The reason they went to all that trouble was very simple.

The cleaners were fresh sacrifices offered to the mansion.

Whether it was in the garden, the hallways, the bedrooms, the bathrooms, or the basement.

No matter where they died, the cleaners’ bodies were completely absorbed, leaving behind neither blood, flesh, nor even fragments of bone.

They served as fuel to keep the mansion at the height of its splendor.

That was why the Butlers personally selected which cleaners were allowed to enter.

However, if someone managed to survive for seven days, they were allowed to leave alive.

Since they always recruited many cleaners, they had no need for the lives of those who survived.

And from time to time, if a cleaner demonstrated exceptional ability, they were officially hired to work at the mansion.

As the player progressed through the game and made a good impression on the Butlers, they would occasionally praise the player and suggest becoming an employee of the mansion.

But there was one ultimate compliment that only appeared when your affinity with both Butlers reached its maximum.

“Gunbam. I probably shouldn’t say this, but I’m sure the Master would like you as well.”

“If it’s you, Gunbam, even the Master would be pleased. I shouldn’t presume to interpret the Master’s will, but with you, I can say it with complete confidence.”

It was the only compliment that mentioned the Master.

After hearing it, conversations related to the Master became unlocked, and it became possible to find small pieces of information scattered throughout the mansion.

The Master, who was said to have departed on a long journey, had actually disappeared without warning.

He was currently missing.

However, he was an extremely influential figure who held a very high position, so calls and visitors asking about him at the mansion never ceased.

He was presented as an extremely important character within the game’s world.

But, strangely enough, throughout the entire game, the Master never appeared.

Not even once.

Not even after completing every ending.

The Master never returned to the mansion.

And for someone who was supposedly just a MacGuffin, even in the Hidden Ending, where the Butlers held a banquet for the player, they continued waiting for their missing Master’s return.

Whenever I thought back on CCC after finishing the game, I was always left with the uncomfortable feeling that something had remained unresolved.

And now they were saying they had good news related to that Master.

I had a feeling this was extremely important information.

“What happened? Do you already know when he’ll return?”

“Unfortunately, no.”

The Cat Butler leaned toward me.

His metallic head came very close.

“But you, Gunbam, I’m going to tell you this in secret.”

He lowered his voice as much as possible and whispered,

“We’ve discovered where the Master is!”

‘Please don’t let it be Earth…’

I desperately wanted to ask where he was.

But I held myself back.

I couldn’t act rashly.

Patiently, I reacted as though I were simply hearing good news about an old friend.

“What a relief. Then he’ll be returning soon.”

However, the Butlers didn’t answer.

They simply looked at one another.

Then the Cat Butler said something strange.

“Perhaps. Now that you’ve returned, Gunbam.”

The conversation went no further.

They simply changed the subject.

The Rabbit Butler tapped the air a few times.

“Gunbam. Give me your code.”

A translucent blue screen, very similar to a system window, appeared before him.

As he scrolled through the list, the Rabbit Butler muttered in annoyance,

“Yours is the only one I’m missing, Gunbam.”

With a slight movement of his long fingers, he pushed the screen.

It slid across until it stopped in front of me.

On it was a list of unfamiliar characters that, judging by their appearance, had to be codes.

In the universe of CCC, there was a concept called a “code,” similar to a telephone number.

It was used for interstellar communications.

Naturally, I didn’t have one.

I frowned slightly and put on the most apologetic expression I could manage.

“I don’t have a code. I’m sorry.”

“Good heavens!”

The Cat Butler jolted in surprise.

Even the Rabbit Butler’s ears twitched in surprise.

Still stunned, the Cat Butler asked with perfect courtesy,

“If it isn’t too presumptuous would you allow me to create a code for you?”

I smiled somewhat awkwardly.

“You have to pay to maintain it. Besides, on the planet where I live, hardly anyone uses one.”

“I see…”

The Cat Butler let out a sigh.

After clearing his throat lightly, he spoke in a more serious tone.

“Gunbam. Sometimes, you must also learn to accept the help of those around you.”

Meanwhile, I clenched my fist to hide my hand, which was soaked in cold sweat.

In CCC, the player signed up with the temporary cleaning company because they were poor.

Without realizing it, they ended up applying to a company with a terrible reputation and were forcibly taken to the mansion that every cleaner feared.

So using money as an excuse in this conversation wasn’t unusual.

“Did you come to work as a cleaner because of financial difficulties?”

“In part.”

“I see…”

The Cat Butler nodded with a serious expression.

He also naturally interpreted the fact that I had arrived through a temporary employment agency as the result of financial hardship.

Then the Rabbit Butler spoke up.

“Gunbam. Don’t work as a cleaner.”

“Huh?”

“Gunbam should work as a Butler.”

“You’re absolutely right! Gunbam, how would you like to work as a Butler?”

The Cat Butler reacted with great enthusiasm, as though it were an excellent idea.

I tried to decline the offer carefully.

“I appreciate the offer, but…”

“Listen to me, Gunbam. I know the idea of permanent employment may feel burdensome to you. We won’t insist on that. But what would you think about working only during these seven days, until the temporary employment company returns, as the mansion’s apprentice Butler?”

The Cat Butler’s voice became much more serious.

“How could we possibly treat you as nothing more than an ordinary cleaner? If you truly consider us your friends, don’t force us to do something so cruel.”

There was no convincing excuse to refuse the offer.

In any case, it had already been decided that I would have to remain in CCC for seven days.

And being an apprentice Butler seemed far more convenient than being an ordinary cleaner, both for gathering information and for helping the Lieutenant Colonel and the Captains.

“Then I accept. Thank you very much.”

“You’ve made a wise decision! In addition to the salary you’ll receive from the temporary employment company, we’ll also pay you a generous amount. Of course, we should pay you in advance first. Let me make the transfer right now…”

Like the Rabbit Butler, the Cat Butler summoned a translucent window.

His fingers moved rapidly, but suddenly he froze.

He opened his mouth slightly when he saw me sitting there without doing anything.

Realizing that such a reaction was not very refined, he closed it again, though he continued staring at me.

“Don’t you have anywhere to receive a transfer?”

His voice was filled with compassion.

He seemed to be looking at someone who lived on a barbaric planet, completely isolated from civilization and sunk in extreme poverty.

‘I do have a bank account… just not an interstellar bank account.’

I still wasn’t sure whether this place was simply the Trial or an entirely separate realm.

Although it was unlikely, there was still the possibility that it was connected to the real world.

And I fully understood that I shouldn’t reveal my personal information to NPCs in a situation like this.

Besides.

I had the feeling that if I gave them the wrong information, they’d actually come looking for me in a spaceship.

“Give it to him in cash.”

“I suppose that’s for the best.”

Accepting the Rabbit Butler’s suggestion, the Cat Butler produced something out of thin air.

“This is the currency created by our Master. It can be used anywhere in the universe!”

In a voice full of pride, he handed me a transparent coin.

It was about the size of the palm of my hand.

I had no idea how much it was worth, but I doubted the Butlers would give me such a trivial amount.

I reacted in surprise.

“This is too much…”

“Gunbam! Keep it. It’s a favor we’re asking of you.”

The Rabbit Butler brought his face close to mine.

My field of vision was filled with black.

“Gunbam. Accept it. It’s a gift.”

Inside his mouth, those sharp fangs were clearly visible.

“We never gave gifts to Gunbam. We were always the ones receiving them.”

“…Thank you very much.”

I definitely didn’t accept it because I was scared.

I put the coin away and quickly checked its item description.

Dark Star Fragment: A coin minted from the core of an extinguished star. It can be used throughout the universe. In His glorious name!

After reading the description, the coin suddenly felt rather unsettling.

But the Butlers were watching me from very close by, so I had no choice but to store it in my inventory.

‘If the system window were still functioning, it definitely would’ve had something to say about this coin.’

Now that I needed every bit of information I could get, I actually missed the system.

When it had been available, I’d found it annoying.

‘So this is what they mean by a chicken rib.’

The two Butlers led me to a guest room on the third floor of the east wing.

The Butlers’ own rooms were on the ground floor of the main building.

It seemed far too luxurious for a mere apprentice Butler, but I felt that if I asked about it, I’d only receive a lecture, so I accepted it without saying anything.

The guest room wasn’t designed for the size of a human either.

The doorknob was roughly at the level of my face.

The Cat Butler placed a small step stool beside the door for me.

I could have opened it without using it, but I appreciated the gesture and used it anyway.

“Don’t forget tonight’s banquet! See you later, Gunbam!”

Since neither Butler could leave on the same day the new cleaners arrived, the Cat Butler departed first.

The Rabbit Butler stayed behind to teach me the duties of a Butler.

“Gunbam. Here. Butler uniform.”

The clothes he handed me were identical to those worn by the Butlers themselves.

I wondered whether they would fit me.

But since they were classified as an item, the moment I equipped them, they adjusted perfectly to my body.

The Rabbit Butler looked me up and down and immediately began clapping.

“Gunbam. Good. Perfect Butler.”

Afterward, he took me to the main building.

When we arrived, another Footman was assigning cleaning areas to the new cleaners.

“Zeta.”

“Yes, Butler.”

“You do something else.”

The Rabbit Butler moved Zeta aside and put me in his place.

“Gunbam will do it.”

I looked somewhat awkwardly at the cleaners waiting in front of me.

They looked just as bewildered.

The same guy who had traveled with them aboard the spaceship was now standing there dressed as a Butler.

Even though I felt a little uncomfortable, I began performing my first job as a Butler.

It seemed that becoming a temporary Butler had granted me some kind of authority.

The strange thing was that just by looking at each cleaner’s face, I automatically knew their name.

And I spoke fluently in a language I had never seen in my life.

“■■■■■ will go to the west wing garden. ■ will go to the first floor of the east wing.”

I assigned some to pull weeds.

Others to clean the chandeliers.

Those who looked like they had the worst tempers I sent straight to the basement.

Since I knew exactly what work belonged to each area, assigning them was fairly easy.

The Rabbit Butler remained one step behind me, watching while continuously praising me.

“Gunbam. Good. Perfect Butler.”

As I continued assigning tasks amid all those compliments, the Captains finally appeared.

‘Captain Mo! Captain Kwak!’

The moment they saw me, both of them froze completely.

Mo Haein’s expression was especially grim.

She seemed deeply shaken by the shock.

I was incredibly happy to see them as well, but I kept my face completely expressionless.

And I assigned them to the areas I had specifically reserved for them.

“Sand will go to the second floor of the west wing. Cheongroe will go to the second floor of the east wing.”

Both were the safest areas in the entire mansion.

On top of that, I assigned them the easiest task—cleaning the hallway floors.

The hallways were strategic locations.

If anything happened, they could take shelter in a room or jump through a window into the garden.

They were also the best places for me to find an opportunity to contact them.

I separated them because they needed to search for Lieutenant Colonel Je Hyuno’s location.

I couldn’t ask the Butlers or the Footmen where he had been assigned.

‘It would be strange for a Butler to take an interest in the assignment of an ordinary cleaner.’

In any case, I had done everything I could under the circumstances.

I was about to call the next cleaner when something unexpected happened.

Mo Haein suddenly covered her mouth and staggered.

Realizing something was wrong, Kwak Hanmuk immediately caught her.

But it was already too late.

Mo Haein’s body bent forward.

“Ugh…!”

The sound of vomit splattering onto the marble floor echoed clearly throughout the hall.

Then I heard a voice behind me.

“A defective product has entered.”

The Rabbit Butler raised a hand.

“Gunbam. Don’t worry.”

His arm passed over my shoulder.

The tip of his fingers pointed directly at Mo Haein.

“I’ll take care of it.”

Fwoosh!

A sharp humming sound rang beside my ears.

He had fired a beam.