I Will Buy Divine Power With Money! - Chapter 7

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“The meals are poor, but it’s not like you didn’t know that, so why were you so shocked today in particular?”

On Ordel’s first day at the Sun God’s Main Temple, she was horrified by the state of the restaurant and ordered that all meals be brought to her room without exception.

For the past 2 years, she had never once visited the restaurant, so she wouldn’t have seen what others were eating.

However, she couldn’t have been completely unaware.

It was she who had ordered them to reduce the portions for the priests to improve the quality of her own food.

But now she’s shocked.

“Could it be she didn’t know it was this bad?”

Come to think of it, although Ordel always threw tantrums, she had never once laid a hand on the children.

Perhaps she had a soft spot for children.

Could the saint really be trying to change?

Rather than it being just a temporary whim, could she really be reflecting on her actions?

Honestly, the hope that this might be true surged up before the thought that it was impossible.

“…”

Airik was having the same thoughts.

Ordel, who suddenly stopped being extravagant and tyrannical.

How shocked he had been when she even refused the position of saint, which, though fake, had satisfied her vanity.

But even that wasn’t as surprising as what she showed today.

Because she had been sad seeing the children’s poor meals and the desolate garden.

Though he didn’t see her shed tears, that was definitely a look of sadness.

All of this was ultimately the result of her extravagance.

“…Will she say she wants to leave again?”

That would be troublesome.

Rather than having no saint at all, even a tyrannical saint needed to exist for the Main Temple to continue surviving.

Besides, tyrannical behavior from saints or holy men was surprisingly common.

The problem was that Ordel was fake, and the Sun God’s Main Temple lacked the funds to support her extravagance.

Anyway, if the saint who received the god’s love disappeared, other main temples would obviously seize the chance to completely destroy the Sun God’s Main Temple.

Each main temple was practically in competition with each other over the number of believers.

To strengthen the power of the god they served, they would try to absorb powerless main temples, so a saint was absolutely necessary.

“What?! What do you mean? The saint said she would leave the Main Temple?!”

Dietrich was horrified when he heard Airik’s muttering.

“No. That will absolutely never happen, so don’t go around saying such things carelessly.”

Airik, who had absolutely no intention of letting Ordel go, firmly told Dietrich to keep his mouth shut.

If he was going to let her go anyway, he wouldn’t have endured all the humiliation from Count Kiris.

So he would use any means necessary to keep Ordel here.

* * *

“Reward acquired.”

Returning to my bedroom, I immediately received the quest acceptance reward.

【’The Sun That Crawled Out of Death’ bestows the first blessing upon the user who became his saint. The user’s divine power increases.】

Jackpot!

Along with the system message, golden energy poured from the air and enveloped my body. Like warm sunlight.

I covered my mouth with my hand at the Sun God’s blessing.

An increase in divine power. How much would it rise?

At least 10%, right?

Even that would be much better than now…!

【Current Divine Power: 5%】

“…”

I bit my lips hard at the 3% blessing.

Right, our Sun God was currently pathetic.

If he could give a lot, he wouldn’t have put a fake like me forward as a real saint.

【User’s divine power has reached 5%. The skill ‘Physical Enhancement’ is now available.】

“Ah.”

Did the Sun God hear me cursing?

I was already worried about how to use divine power.

It seems like abilities unlock one by one as divine power reaches certain levels, so I need to work hard to increase my divine power.

The problem is how?

“Since I need to receive divine power from the Sun God, the only way is to increase the number of believers…”

There are roughly two ways to increase the number of believers.

One is for the saint or holy man to display powerful abilities to entice people.

The other is to serve people and demonstrate the god’s majesty.

“Nothing’s possible.”

It was a predicament from the start.

Having only achieved 5% divine power, the first option was obviously impossible, and the second was also questionable.

The Sun God’s attribute is healing.

The priests are also specialized in healing power, but the problem is that our god is lacking in many ways, so we can’t demonstrate powerful healing abilities.

Our healing power is even inferior to potions made by alchemists.

As a result, people naturally sought out alchemists more than the Sun God’s Main Temple, and we became even poorer.

“System, is there any other way to strengthen the Sun God’s power besides increasing the number of believers?”

【Search results show one additional method confirmed.】

“There is?! What is it?”

【Make an offering.】

“…?”

An offering.

An offering means voluntarily dedicating money or gifts to the god…

In other words, you’re asking me to give money right now…?

Wow, you make me possess a penniless person and now ask for money?

“Ha. I can’t take back the money for the children’s food, so I’ll have to dedicate all the money from selling the blue dress…”

Since leaving the Main Temple seems impossible anyway, what’s the point of keeping emergency funds?

I’ll dedicate it all and increase my divine power.

But only up to 40%.

Since I don’t intend to become a real saint, it’s enough to just protect myself and unlock the ability to reveal heavenly secrets.

What more would I do as a real saint in this world besides fight enemies?

So I’ll play the role of a fake saint until the end.

“Good, perfect. Then the first thing I need to do before earning money is…”

Organizing the internal affairs of the Main Temple.

Cleaning up corruption that exists even in poor places.

That’s my specialty as a former detective.

* * *

I went to the restaurant again during lunch.

I’m worried people might have seizures seeing my face, but it can’t be helped.

Since it’s a face I’ll have to see and live with from now on, I need to get used to it gradually.

“…”

“…”

“…”

When I entered the restaurant and was greeted by cold silence, I was slightly shaken…

Let me steel my heart.

“You’ve arrived, Saint.”

At least Airik welcomed me.

Following his guidance, I sat at the head table and looked around the dining table.

Not only the priests, but even the apprentices and servants were pale-faced with their heads bowed.

The maids and servants attending to us also had gloomy expressions.

It was truly an uncomfortable silence, but I steadfastly managed my expression.

I’ll show you, the completely changed me.

“Here it is.”

Airik personally placed the food in front of me.

It was a single bowl of soup, the same as everyone else’s, just as I had requested.

A very thin soup without a single piece of meat.

“…Are you really sure this will be alright?”

“What wouldn’t be alright about it? I’m having the same meal as everyone else.”

I immediately began eating.

It only looked unappetizing, but was surprisingly quite delicious.

Ordel with her refined palate might not know, but for me who had often starved in my previous life, it was an extremely satisfying meal.

“It’s delicious.”

As I continued eating without hesitation, I could sense Airik’s relief.

Unlike him who didn’t show it much, Dietrich was looking at me with shocked eyes.

When I even slurped up the remaining soup straight from the bowl, his eyes looked ready to pop out.

“Come to think of it, while I’ve been receiving delicious meals all this time, I’ve never once praised the chef.”

When I said this after putting down the bowl, Airik made a puzzled expression.

“Shall I call the chef for you?”

“No. I’ll go myself, as I’d also like to take a look at the kitchen.”

“Pardon?”

Whether Airik was flustered or not, I stood up abruptly and headed straight for the kitchen.

Airik and Dietrich hurriedly followed behind me.

“Wh-what should we do?”

“Is it really okay to just leave this be…?”

The voices of worried people came from behind.

They probably think I’m going to find fault with the kitchen for no reason, but just wait.

Soon they’ll be so shocked their eyes will pop out.

Bang!

When I flung open the kitchen door, Chef Kento with his disheveled brown beard and the servants working here turned to look this way with startled eyes.

“Oh my, Saint and High Priest, what brings you to such a humble place…”

“It’s nothing special. Today’s meal prepared by the chef was particularly satisfying, so I came to offer praise.”

What…? Could this perhaps be some sophisticated roundabout criticism saying the soup was terrible…?

At my words, everyone’s inner thoughts were clearly revealed on their expressions.

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