The World I Was Supporting Was Real

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I knew this was all just a marketing tactic.

But what could I do about my frustration?

Once they immerse the characters and unfold a plot like this, I bet many people would gladly spend money if they were asked, “Would you like to change the story if you give us some cash?”

As I scrolled down like that—

“Huh?”

I realized the last cut was Erin surrounded by guards.

I was startled and scrolled up and down frantically, but no additional cut appeared. Even the author’s note was completely empty!

“What’s going on?”

Why was there no fundraising ‘begging line’ that usually appears when the comic ends…?

It wasn’t just the comments that were missing. For this chapter, the ‘donate’ button was deactivated.

Could it be that unlike before, donations wouldn’t change the content this time?

Curious, I immediately commented.

Thanks to my lightning-fast replies, I sometimes felt like this was a chat rather than just comments.

[Igguoqueden: Are you not accepting donations today??]

ㄴ [Please Give Me Money (Author): Erin hasn’t prayed yet ㅠㅠ She should be able to pray around the next chapter. Please wait a little!]

ㄴ [Igguoqueden: Isn’t it just that you haven’t drawn the comic enough????]

ㄴ [Please Give Me Money (Author): What are you talking about, Igguoqueden? I simply project the world for you. I’m just following Erin, whom you adore.]

ㄴ [Igguoqueden: What is this, you nerdㅋㅋㅋㅋ Come on, author!!]

ㄴ [Please Give Me Money (Author): It’s not a concept ㅜㅠ]

“Wow… this is just dreadful.”

To immerse others in the world you create, one must first become excessively immersed themselves.

It seemed the author was overly invested in the world they created, even more than me.

But still, if you’re coaxing others for donations while saying, “I’ll do it my way anyway because I’m the one drawing,” it would disrupt the enthusiasm of the donators. So maybe it wasn’t such a bad strategy.

ㄴ [Igguoqueden: Haha, I give up. When’s the next chapter coming out??]

ㄴ [Please Give Me Money (Author): It’s scheduled to be uploaded in a few hours. I’ll notify you right away, so please keep an eye on Erin’s journey until the end!]

“A few hours, huh…?”

Alright. I’ll just have a smoke and grab some food while I wait.

I got up from my seat and let the time flow until the next chapter was uploaded.

* * *

“What did you say?”

“There are many irreverent ones who speak ridiculous lies about hearing the voice of the gods?”

At her words, Erin shuddered slightly.

Am I irreverent?

I didn’t care much if they insulted me. After all, I hadn’t lived a noble life.

But—I couldn’t stand the disrespect towards the god I served, Igguoqueden.

Erin replied in a firmer tone.

“Are you saying my words are lies?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Can you take responsibility for that statement?”

“What did you say?”

The woman slightly furrowed her brows, but Erin didn’t back down and kept her gaze steady.

“How dare a mere human claim I, who hears the words of the god, am a liar?”

“You little—! Do you even know who you’re speaking to?!”

At that moment, the guards thrust their spears toward her.

In normal circumstances, she would have been trembling. Erin wasn’t particularly brave.

She was closer to a regular citizen. Just meeting a couple of thieves made her heart race.

But now, it was different.

Igguoqueden was with me.

So even when the guards showed their intent to kill, she wasn’t scared at all.

At that time.

“What is all this commotion?”

From behind, another woman’s voice rang out.

The guards quickly lowered their spears, bowing their heads in unison toward the source of the voice.

The woman facing them quickly turned and bowed her head, indicating she held a high position.

“Lu… Lumina.”

“I came out for a moment, as there was a disturbance in front of the sacred cathedral… What is going on?”

Erin studied the woman called Lumina closely.

Long, blonde hair. A cross-shaped necklace prominently hanging on her chest.

Her attire, similar to Erin’s but adorned with much more elaborate embroidery, looked quite luxurious.

Yes. Her appearance was that of the revered being sung in minstrels’ stories—close to a saint.

“I apologize for the disturbance. However, an irreverent person has come and is making absurd claims while demanding His Holiness the Pope be brought here…”

“Absurd claims…”

Lumina glanced around with a gesture.

With just that, the woman glaring at her and the guards stepped aside.

When she regained her composure, Lumina stood in front of Erin.

“Greetings, sister. I am Lumina. Currently, as one of the saint candidates, I offer prayers daily at the Cathedral of Opelaishel to accept the will of the god.”

“Are you saying you’re a saint candidate?”

“Yes. I have yet to hear the voice of the god.”

“Then—”

“Lumina is practically the closest to being a saint! It would be wise to tread carefully regarding her status—”

Just as the woman, who had been speaking to Erin moments ago, shot her words sharply—

“Estia. Please leave this to me.”

With a single gesture from Lumina, Estia quietly stepped back without adding any further words.

Although she was called a saint candidate, it seemed that Lumina held a significant position within the church.

“What is your name, sister?”

“Erin.”

“Very well. Sister Erin, if you are walking the path of the cloister, we are all sisters. The great goddess Opelaishel does not wish for siblings to harm one another. Thus, you may finish what you wanted to say.”

“…If Lumina has not heard the voice, then you cannot truly call yourself a saint yet, can you?”

“Yes… indeed, it is quite embarrassing, I am still just a young lamb who has not reached the god.”

“Then there’s no issue. Because I have heard the voice of the god.”

“Is that so?”

Though I could feel the guards tremble, they didn’t intervene, likely due to Lumina’s presence.

Lumina, not flustered, half-closed her eyes and spoke with a gentle smile.

“In that case, could you please share with us the words of the god? What did the great goddess Opelaishel convey to you… that message, if you will?”

“Oh, I was about to mention that.”

“I see. I will listen slowly, so do share the god’s words—”

“No. What I mean to say has nothing to do with the words of the god.”

“…?”

Right.

What Erin wanted to express wasn’t about what she heard from the god.

It was a more fundamental question, an utterly blasphemous statement that could only spill forth because she truly heard the voice!

“The name of the god is not Opelaishel.”

“……!!!”

“Igguoqueden. The name of the god is Igguoqueden, and the god is male, not female.”

Finally, Lumina’s calm demeanor began to crack ever so slightly.

Seizing that moment, Erin attacked. Like a pest aiming for its target!

“How can you proudly call yourself a saint candidate while even basic knowledge of the god is wrong?”

“You irreverent girl dares to—!!!”

Just as the guards were about to close in on Erin again.

“Stop!”

Lumina shouted strongly, then widened her eyes… slowly removing the mask of her gentle smile.

“Erin, you… This is not something that can end with just an excommunication. To deny the existence of the god… how could you commit such a dreadful act…!”

“From my perspective, you all are dreadful. Isn’t it embarrassing to indulge in meaningless religious play while serving false gods and turning blind to the true one?”

“……!!!!”

Lumina, her expression twisted in exasperation, seemed to struggle to contain her anger as she gasped…

Eventually, she shut her eyes tightly and began to pray.

“Merciful and gracious one and only god Opelaishel, I pray that the soul of this young lamb lost in delusion may be saved in the afterlife…”

“What are you…?”

To be saved in the afterlife?

“Are you… trying to kill me?”

“You must pay the penalty for the crime of disrespecting the god in our presence, which is fitting for instant execution… however, we will show mercy and allow you to at least receive a trial.”

As soon as the words finished, two guards bound Erin’s arms.

“What—what are you doing?! Let go of me! You will regret this! I came here to hear the voice of the god and become a saint!”

“We will put you in the underground prison. We will apprehend the execution day as soon as possible. Yes… burning at the stake would be appropriate.”

“I will have a good talk with the judge.”

“Please do.”

Lumina again wore a sorrowful expression as she prayed to the god she believed in.

Seeing that, Erin too… closed her eyes and prayed to the ‘true god.’

“Igguoqueden… if this is also a trial from you, I will gladly accept it. Please, just spare my life… this is not a mere plea for survival. Just grant me the opportunity to spread your words! Please! Save me… and everyone deceived by this false god…!!!!!”

* * *

‘…’

Having confirmed until the last cut, I spent quite a while rereading the comic over and over.

…It’s frustrating. Annoying. I feel like my insides are going to explode.

Those folks weren’t even willing to properly listen to what Erin was saying.

Erin was a girl who could definitely prove herself. All she needed to do was show a miracle. So of course, I intended to donate.

But they just decided to kill her, calling her irreverent?

‘I give up, you damn author.’

Right. Let’s donate.

Without thinking much, I was about to send a thousand won, thinking, “Let’s go teach those jerks a lesson~.”

—Wait a minute.

At that moment, I suddenly became curious.

When there’s a huge boulder, it was said that “a donation of at least 3,000 won is needed.” That means the author has their standards for changing the plot.

But at least to me, the current situation was far more dangerous than just a boulder blocking the way.

Yet this could be solved with a thousand won, while that required three thousand?

Now that I think about it… haven’t I donated ten thousand won before?

That was the first time my nickname ‘Igguoqueden’ echoed loudly within the comic.

Didn’t the heavens rain down arrows, and wasn’t there chaos all around?

I erased the comment I was going to write and left a new one.

[Igguoqueden: Do I just need to donate a thousand won again this time? What’s the deal?]

ㄴ [Please Give Me Money (Author): If you donate 1,000 won, your fate will change, and Erin will safely escape from her crisis and continue her journey to become a saint!]

ㄴ [Igguoqueden: No;; What I mean is, if I donate ten thousand won here, what happens then?]

ㄴ [Please Give Me Money (Author): It’s similar to the time you donated 10,000 won before. That amount carries the ‘power’ to change fate.]

ㄴ [Igguoqueden: Are you not going to tell me what will happen??]

ㄴ [Please Give Me Money (Author): It’s not that I can’t tell you; it’s that I can’t predict it. The future hasn’t been observed yet.]

While I conceded the concept, this time I really wanted to make a big donation.

‘Should I, then, grab a can of soda worth ten thousand won here?’

At that moment, I added another zero to the donation amount.

But why?

Was it because I was so immersed in this comic?

Or was it because the saint candidate treating Erin terribly was just so annoying?

Looking back, it was a very impulsive decision but—

‘Ugh.’

Without hesitation, I pressed the donate button with an extra zero attached.

[Igguoqueden (Donation / 100,000 won): Haha, let’s go teach those jerks a lesson~~~]