I Became a Veteran Who Has to Stir Up Trouble to Survive - Chapter 90

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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[090] God of All Beggars
Diogenes, the Beggar God, [The Tin Bowl of the Alley].
The epithet was somewhat ridiculous, but the boy’s aura made it impossible for me to laugh.
Moreover, from the moment he approached, he began radiating an extraordinary presence.
“This was supposed to be my territory. Clown. What scheme are you cooking up now?”
“….”
Diogenes demanded an answer, but I stood frozen, cold sweat pouring down my face.
‘Could I really be encountering a god so suddenly in this place…!’
Like casting a line for fish only to reel in Leviathan.
This was my first direct confrontation with a god since my reincarnation.
He was probably trying to intimidate me with a light display of pressure, but facing a genuine god mere inches away, my breath caught in my throat.
It wasn’t my imagination.
｢The divine aura engulfs you, causing all abilities to decrease significantly!｣
｢The [Eloquence] skill’s effectiveness is greatly reduced! Cunning has no effect on gods!｣
｢All stats elevated by [Chaos] are drastically reduced! The ladle in your hand feels impossibly heavy!｣
｢All transformation and disguise-type skills are sealed! Overwhelming divine power permits no falsehood!｣
Unable to respond under the weight of his presence, I froze. The boy peered intently beneath my hood and released his pressure.
“Huh? That’s not Antagon, is it? What’s a mortal doing here?”
“I… I was distributing meals to the poor….”
“Is that so? Then give me some too. And don’t tell anyone you saw me here.”
The Beggar God gathered a handful of coins, bread, and an armful of soup, then vanished from sight.
I exhaled deeply, finally releasing my tension, when Radi looked at me with confusion.
“What’s wrong? You’re suddenly sweating like a waterfall.”
“…You didn’t sense it?”
“Sense what? Surely that child wasn’t….”
“Yes. Even I never imagined the head of the Religious Orders would appear in person.”
The king of kings among all beggars. God of all the destitute.
‘If I had that god’s intelligence network, eliminating all those plotting the King’s assassination would be no dream…!’
I had just witnessed the strongest card imaginable.
It was like summoning an aircraft carrier to eliminate pirates—but nothing could be more reassuring than this.
The problem was, I had no idea how to recruit that god.
“Should we just let him go like that?”
“We have no choice. We can’t stop him, and if we clumsily tail him and offend him, we’ll be in serious trouble.”
I should have at least asked where he lived.
As I watched the boy’s figure recede into the distance, a beggar receiving soup suddenly offered an answer.
“That boy? He lives in a large wooden box in the Empty Lot Behind the Market.”
“What? Is that really true?!”
“Yes, it’s well-known among us beggars! There’s a rumor that helping that boy cures minor ailments and brings good fortune for the day. Shall I guide you there, sir?”
“Ah, no. That won’t be necessary. The Empty Lot Behind the Market, then….”
I pressed a generous handful of coins into the beggar’s hand and whispered to my companions.
“Let’s consider seeking out a god as a last resort for now. Our priority should be gathering information from these people.”
It wasn’t until sunset that we finally finished distributing the food.
｢You have successfully fed the poor around the South Square of Royal Capital!｣
｢Rumors of the saint in the South Square are spreading! Those moved by your noble compassion will gladly rush to your aid if you call upon them!｣
My companions and I tallied our gains for the day while loading the cauldrons onto the wagon.
However, we found no one with a tattoo on their wrist aside from the beggar god.
As for people named Nihid in the Royal Capital, we did manage to gather information, but….
“This is the list they gave us…?”
I swallowed hard as I stared at a roster so densely packed it barely fit on a single sheet of paper.
The occupations ranged so widely—from cooks to prosecutors to master craftsmen—that I couldn’t even begin to narrow it down.
‘If I try to verify each of these people one by one, the King’s head won’t survive that long.’
In other words, there was no choice but to seek out Diogenes, the beggar god.
“We should hurry and meet him before it’s too late. Best to do it while we’ve built up some goodwill through today’s charity.”
After finishing our preparations, we headed toward the Empty Lot Behind the Market that the beggar had indicated.
Upon arriving at the clearing, we found the poor huddled together around a Campfire, warming their hands against the cold.
Karen descended from the wagon with a look of shock, glancing around as she spoke.
“I still can’t believe it… Does a god really live in such a cold, shabby place? It’s even worse than the quarters of our household servants….”
“That’s what I thought too… I always assumed the gods lived in grand temples, enjoying every comfort….”
“Gods are inherently incomprehensible beings. Many of them care nothing for living conditions as long as they can devote themselves to their specialty.”
Even if he’s a beggar god, he surely has a residence in the Heavenly Realm.
The poor grew wary as we approached, but upon recognizing us as those who had shared food in the plaza, they thanked us and made way.
As we passed them and headed toward the corner of the clearing, I found a boy in tattered clothes sitting inside a wooden box, counting coins in his palm one by one.
It was a sight that would have seemed pitiable to anyone unaware of the truth!
｢Encountered Diogenes, the beggar god, [Keeper of the Alley’s Tin Cup]!｣
Diogenes glanced at us briefly, then opened his mouth without any intention of hiding his identity.
“Mortals have managed to find me again. You didn’t flee even knowing who I am—does that mean you don’t care if your fortune crumbles?”
“We have come seeking the aid of Diogenes, the ruler of the Alley, as we find ourselves in dire need.”
“What brings you here?”
“In truth… there are those in this Royal Capital who are secretly plotting to assassinate the King.”
It was the sort of news that would shock anyone hearing it for the first time, yet the boy’s expression remained unmoved. He merely stared with indifference, suppressing a yawn.
“You’re not asking me to prevent an assassination, are you? We cannot directly intervene in the affairs of the Surface.”
“Of course we would never make such an unreasonable request! However… if the King is assassinated, the security of the Royal Capital will fall into chaos, which would surely trouble you as well, would it not? If you could simply tell us who this Nihid is, we will become your hands and feet, quietly resolving the matter ourselves.”
“Hmm… and I should trust those words? Even if you are fellow servants of the Evil God, a mortal bearing Antagon’s power is hardly trustworthy.”
Diogenes lay sprawled lazily, scrutinizing me from head to toe.
But then, as if some sudden wind had shifted his mood, a faint smile crossed his lips as he spoke.
“Fine. I’ve been irritated anyway by those insignificant mortals causing trouble in my territory. I’ll tell you not just about this Nihid, but also about all those involved in the assassination plot.”
“Is that truly…!”
“However, there is a condition.”
Diogenes raised his hand as he continued.
“There is an outfit called the Kairon Company to the East of Royal Capital. Infiltrate their headquarters and bring me their ledgers of misconduct. With those records of accounting fraud, delivery corruption, and tax evasion, destroying one merchant caravan would be simple enough.”
“Forgive my presumption, but I must ask—why would a figure of your stature concern yourself with a mere merchant caravan?”
“Because those fools are pushing a redevelopment project in this district. Once construction begins, the poor here will lose their homes and be cast out.”
“Ah, so there was such a noble purpose behind your actions….”
So he does care for the destitute after all, even if he calls himself the god of beggars.
“…And when a major merchant caravan collapses, countless unemployed will flood the streets, swelling my followers and amplifying my power! Hahahaha! So, will you accept my proposal?”
｢Diogenes presents a Trial!｣
｢Diogenes, Protector of Beggars and the Destitute, is a minor deity who has only recently ascended! If you infiltrate the Royal Capital’s major merchant caravan, the Kairon Company, and steal their ledgers, you can halt the redevelopment plan and increase his divine followers!｣
‘Now that I think about it, it was strange that those tattooed beggars had vanished… he must have only recently become a god.’
Though the proposal was tempting, I hesitated before accepting it outright.
No matter how simple a trial might seem, accepting it recklessly was dangerous—and Diogenes was classified among the masses as an Evil God.
One misstep could mean burning down my entire house to catch a flea.
But then I heard what came next, and I had no choice but to accept the trial.
“Ah, one piece of advice—you should accept my proposal. If the King is assassinated, you’ll almost certainly be framed and executed alongside him.”
｢Divine Prophecy has been activated.｣
｢A god’s prophecy cannot be dismissed lightly! If the King is slain, your probability of death is extremely high….｣
“Damn it… Very well. I’ll steal the ledgers and we can meet afterward.”
I bowed respectfully and departed from the clearing.
After the carriage had traveled a considerable distance, Radi spoke up.
“I’m beginning to understand why he’s classified as an Evil God. To destroy a merchant caravan just to increase his followers… most of those people are just ordinary workers….”
“Well, compared to what true Evil Gods do, this is relatively mild. At least he’s not demanding human sacrifice or plotting humanity’s extinction. …Karen, what do you know about the Kairon Company?”
“Hmm… it should just be one of the ordinary merchant caravans, but now that you mention it, something seems odd.”
“What is it?”
“They’re one of the suppliers providing military equipment to the Kingdom. I understand pursuing military contracts, but I don’t see why they’d involve themselves in slum redevelopment. Are they trying to expand their business?”
“I see. A caravan that supplies military provisions….”
I rested my chin in my hand, thinking deeply.
Given that Reincarnators were involved in this assassination plot, it contained elements that didn’t exist even in the game era, making it difficult to grasp the full picture.
‘I’ll need to investigate the Kairon Company more thoroughly.’
I had a growing suspicion that Diogenes’s trial might not be as straightforward as it seemed.
We drove the carriage forward along the moonlit street.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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