I’m a Young God, Won’t You Raise Me?

I swallowed.

It seemed Pasung’s CEO Cha was determined to stop me from signing a contract with the Trial Response Agency.

But I did intend to sign with the Trial Response Agency.

And it had nothing to do with Director Jang Seokyun.

Simply put.

I wanted to repay, at least in part, the goodwill I had received.

During Slay to Plate, I had used my abilities without the slightest bit of caution.

Lieutenant Colonel Je Hyuno already knew about my Message ability, but neither Captain Kwak Hanmuk nor Captain Mo Haein knew anything about it, and yet I had shown them the system windows without thinking twice.

I even used Guardian’s Blessing without pretending to take out an item, completely exposing all of my lies.

After everything I had done, even if they accused me of being a national catastrophe a dozen times, I wouldn’t have had a single argument to defend myself.

And yet, no one reported any of it to the Trial Response Agency.

If I could now stand up to Director Jang Seokyun so calmly, it was solely thanks to the silence of the Special Operations Team.

Even Mo Haein, despite the fact that I had reopened her past trauma, never let it show.

She only stepped in when I was about to sacrifice my life for nothing.

When I shouted that we needed to get the Twins out and asked for help, she was the first to come to my aid, cutting open my abdomen with Black Moon Blade.

‘And Captain Kwak also told me we were a team.’

I clearly remembered how, when Infernum had driven me insane, he asked whether we weren’t teammates and told me to ask him for anything I needed.

‘And if I leave Lieutenant Colonel Je Hyuno alone, what if he tears off his wings again?’

Samra was also doing everything he could to help me.

Just recently, when Pasung’s CEO Cha attacked the Trial Response Agency, it was Samra who carried me on his back and immediately fled with me.

In the end, if I had managed to clear the Trials safely, it was thanks to all the help and goodwill of the Special Operations Team.

To pretend none of that had ever happened.

That was something I found very difficult.

And above all, I was still going to need both the Trial Response Agency and the Special Operations Team.

Clearing Trials was impossible through my own strength alone.

And tracking down the Developer wouldn’t be possible in Pasung without Samra’s help either.

That was why I intended to negotiate directly with Director Jang Seokyun.

‘The real problem is convincing Pasung’s CEO Cha.’

Very carefully, I tried to answer.

“For now… I think I will sign—”

Bang!

Pasung’s CEO Cha stood up so abruptly that the chair was sent flying backward.

Gripping Great Sun Tathāgata, he spoke in that indifferent, mechanical voice.

“I suppose tearing off one side of the Trial Response Agency building wasn’t enough.”

“Pasung’s CEO Cha, wait a moment.”

“It’s because of the Special Operations Team, isn’t it?”

…How did he know?

For a moment, I was astonished by his incredible ability to read the situation.

But he had already started walking.

“Pasung’s CEO Cha!”

“If I cut off the heads of the Special Operations Team, then you’ll sign with Pasung.”

I hurriedly jumped off the hospital bed and ran after him.

“Pasung’s CEO Cha, please listen to me first…!”

But he had no intention of doing so.

Just as he was about to open the room’s door.

I grabbed the edge of his jacket and shouted desperately,

“I’ll die!!”

At last, he stopped in his tracks.

He slowly turned his head to look at me.

“…What?”

“I-if I don’t remain with the Trial Response Agency, I’ll die. It’s… because of the Developer…”

“What exactly do you mean you’ll die? Explain.”

I told him a carefully crafted mixture of truth and lies.

I explained that the Developer assigned me Quests; that if I completed them, I would stay alive, and if I failed, I would die.

I also told him that one of the conditions of those Quests was belonging to the Trial Response Agency.

After everything he had experienced with the Developer and the anomalies the Developer caused, Pasung’s CEO Cha had no choice but to believe me.

‘Besides, it’s not entirely a lie.’

“Do you think I’m happy about being tied to the Trial Response Agency? Of course not! I’d much rather work under the orders of Pasung’s CEO Cha, whom I admire and respect so much—even as the director of Pasung!”

But.

I explained to him again and again that, because of the Developer, I had a Quest requiring me to clear Trials while belonging to the Trial Response Agency, so I had no choice.

As he listened, Pasung’s CEO Cha lowered his gaze.

Only then did I realize I was still clutching the edge of his jacket as though my life depended on it.

Startled, I immediately let go of the fabric.

He looked at me again.

I raised both hands to make it clear I wasn’t armed and obediently waited for him to speak.

Pasung’s CEO Cha looked down at me.

“Do the Quests still appear?”

“Yes. I don’t know when they’ll end.”

“What’s the current one?”

“The Quest I just received is to clear seven Trials within two months while belonging to the Trial Response Agency.”

Pasung’s CEO Cha let out a disbelieving laugh.

Before I appeared, there had only been nine cases of cleared Trials in the entire world.

Clearing a Trial was practically considered impossible.

It was only natural that the number I had just mentioned sounded absurd to him.

But he also knew perfectly well that I had already cleared Trials before.

For me, it was possible.

“That damned Developer…”

Even though he didn’t finish the sentence, the curse he left unsaid was perfectly clear.

He remained silent for a few moments.

Then he muttered coldly,

“I was the one who played the games, and yet he sends Han Goyo to the Trial Response Agency instead of Pasung?”

…In any case, it seemed my lie had worked to some extent.

After getting out of that situation with a desperate lie, I added somewhat timidly,

“But this is the first time I’ve told anyone all of this. So… I’d like to ask you to keep it a secret.”

I already stood out enough.

There was no need to make it even more obvious how strange I was.

Of course, Samra was probably already listening to the conversation through Han Jiwol’s phone.

‘But I was planning to tell Samra anyway.’

So I only needed to keep the person standing in front of me quiet.

Although that was precisely the difficult part.

“Han Goyo, you really are complicated.”

Even his mechanical voice clearly conveyed his displeasure.

Knowing his personality, I shrank back a little.

Just a little.

Pasung’s CEO Cha leaned toward me.

He brought his face so close it was almost touching mine and whispered,

“Twenty times.”

For a moment, I thought he was about to headbutt me.

It took me a moment to react.

“…Excuse me?”

“Twenty deployments. Not one less.”

To be honest, I didn’t really care how many times I entered a Trial.

Most likely, future Epic Quests would require me to clear even more Trials.

Pretending to think it over seriously, I answered,

“Alright. Twenty deployments it is. But I have one condition as well.”

“What is it?”

“I want a one-time free-use coupon from Pasung’s CEO.”

Before he could pull out Great Sun Tathāgata, I hurriedly explained.

“You know my value perfectly well. You know granting me something like that won’t be any loss to you.”

Then Pasung’s CEO Cha gave a completely unexpected answer.

“Make it two.”

After leaving me utterly stunned, Pasung’s CEO Cha immediately took a contract out of his inventory and drafted the clauses.

I took the contract and read it with wide eyes.

‘He really left it at two uses…’

Although I found it hard to believe, I reviewed every single clause in case there was any fine print hidden somewhere. Then I checked the item’s description.

Relentless Contract: A scroll imbued with the remnants of the Abyss. If any clause written upon it is violated, something terrible will happen.

It was, without question, a contract for Suitables.

When I placed my palm on the contract, a pen appeared.

I took hold of it and, before signing, cast one last glance at Dominic.

He showed no reaction and remained quietly silent.

‘He doesn’t have a problem with this kind of contract?’

It was probably because it left no marks on the body or soul—it was simply an ordinary contract.

The moment I signed my name, both the pen and the contract disappeared.

“Let’s get along, Han Goyo.”

With both hands tucked into the pockets of his tracksuit jacket, Pasung’s CEO Cha spoke arrogantly.

I put on my best professional smile.

“It’ll be a pleasure working with you, Pasung’s CEO Cha.”

And so our negotiations came to an end.

***

After reaching an agreement with Pasung’s CEO Cha, I was finally able to leave the hospital room.

Han Jiwol authorized my discharge using her authority as a director.

Under the watch of several soldiers, I was escorted to a room that looked very much like the isolation cell I had used before.

It was so similar to the previous one that it didn’t feel unfamiliar.

Samra would probably be busy until Director Jang Seokyun and Pasung’s CEO Cha finished negotiating.

In the meantime, I had several things to do as well.

I took off the hospital gown and changed back into my Trial Response Agency uniform.

After tidying myself up as best I could, I extended my hand toward the Pudding Slime waiting on the table.

Dominic climbed up my arm as he asked,

“Mr. Gunbam, what do you think about making the man wearing the mask one of your subordinates? He seems quite useful.”

Apparently, Pasung’s CEO Cha had made a good impression on him.

The fact that even Dominic recommended registering him as a character once again proved just how extraordinary he was.

Moreover, after meeting him in person, I felt his personality was much more flexible than I had imagined.

And it wasn’t because he was my favorite character.

He really was much kinder than he had been in the game.

Once again, I reminded myself not to judge anyone solely by what I had seen in the game.

Then I answered Dominic.

“I want to avoid registering subordinates whenever possible. I’m still afraid of having to bear responsibility for another person’s existence.”

“I see.”

Dominic stopped halfway up my forearm and looked up at me.

“But, Mr. Gunbam, you can’t remain small and immature forever. Someday, you’ll have to grow.”

The moment I thought that sounded very much like what the system window always said, the familiar chime rang out.

You have determined that perhaps the Terrible Calamity is right.

Because, for a Young God, nothing is more important than growing.

Whenever Dominic spoke, the system window complained.

But whenever he said something it liked, it immediately agreed with him.

Since I already knew exactly what it was going to say next, I closed the system window immediately.

I confirmed that Dominic had already settled comfortably onto my shoulder.

“I’ll do my best, Mr. Dominic.”

In practice, that was the same as saying I still had no intention of registering any subordinates.

“Hmm, very well.”

Dominic didn’t press the issue any further.

He always respected my decisions quite a bit.

‘He’s definitely better than the system window.’

Thinking that, I opened the door.

Since we weren’t in the Trial Response Agency’s main building, the door could be opened from the inside this time.

Click.

The soldiers standing guard outside the room immediately aimed their weapons at me.

I smiled at them and made a request.

“Excuse me. Could you take me to Field Team 3’s office? I’d like to see Captain Kwak. He’s already back from the mission, isn’t he?”

“We have received no such authorization. Return to your room.”

“During today’s conversation with the Director, I was given permission to request a meeting. You can verify it. And if you can’t confirm it with the Director, you can ask Captain Kwak directly.”

Captain Kwak, I’m counting on you!

There was no way those soldiers could contact Director Jang Seokyun directly.

Most likely, they would try to verify it with Kwak Hanmuk.

And I was convinced that, even if it sounded completely unexpected to him, Kwak Hanmuk would improvise some excuse to cover for me.

Since I spoke with complete confidence, the soldiers exchanged glances.

They hesitated for a few moments.

But, surprisingly, they didn’t call Kwak Hanmuk to verify anything.

“…Follow us.”

Rather than believing me because of how confidently I spoke.

It seemed they preferred to avoid having to contact Kwak Hanmuk.

It even looked as though, if no such meeting had actually been scheduled, he would personally deal with the matter himself.

Knowing Kwak Hanmuk’s kind and sociable personality, I found that reaction rather strange.

The soldiers led me to Field Team 3’s temporary office.

Through the glass door, I could see the team’s soldiers.

And among them all, I immediately spotted a head of red hair.

Kwak Hanmuk was seated at the back of the office, working with an utterly serious expression.

I watched him typing as he wrote a report.

It was a strangely unfamiliar sight.

Perhaps because I was so used to seeing him smiling.

At that moment, one of the team members carefully approached him to ask something.

Without taking his eyes off the monitor, Kwak Hanmuk answered with just a few words.

The soldier gave a flawless salute and immediately stepped away.

For some reason.

He didn’t seem to have a particularly close relationship with the members of his own team.

Perhaps it was only my impression based on a single scene.

But everyone seemed to respect him a great deal.

I had always imagined the atmosphere within Kwak Hanmuk’s team would be much more relaxed.

That surprised me quite a bit.

Under the soldiers’ watch, I opened the glass door and entered the office.

Immediately, a pair of gray eyes settled on me.

They wavered for only an instant.

“…Goyo?”

Kwak Hanmuk immediately stood up.

Then he noticed the soldiers behind me and instantly understood the situation.

“I called him regarding Recruit Han’s contract, so there’s no need to keep watching him anymore. You may leave.”

With a casual wave of his hand, he dismissed the soldiers.

They gave a military salute before leaving.

Grinning from ear to ear, Kwak Hanmuk walked over as though about to drape an arm around my shoulders.

But he suddenly stopped.

“Haa.”

When he saw the gleaming Pudding Slime, he gave up on hugging me and let out a quiet chuckle.

“Goyo, word’s already spread everywhere that you coughed up blood and collapsed.”

“Ah… about that…”

“They’re saying Lieutenant Colonel Je Hyuno and Pasung’s CEO Cha went around destroying buildings while fighting over our Gunbam?”

“……”

Since it was completely true, I had nothing to say.

Kwak Hanmuk burst into laughter and pointed behind him with his thumb.

“Want to grab a coffee? My treat.”

He added that there wouldn’t be anyone on the rooftop.

The two of us had a lot to talk about.

Just as I was about to gladly accept.

“Mr. Gunbam. It’s time to give you your Quest reward.”

The moment I heard Dominic, my heart started pounding.

‘Am I finally going to find out why Captain Kwak can see Dominic?’

After waiting so long, I was finally about to solve that mystery.

I eagerly waited to hear what he would say next.

“Order that subordinate to take off his clothes, Mr. Gunbam.”

…Excuse me?