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In the original setting, ‘God’ is an omnipotent being. A living faith, an eternal existence that never dies. Yet, ‘God’ fundamentally does not intervene or involve itself in human society. Unless there’s a major crisis threatening humanity, it doesn’t step in.

The only times ‘God’ intervened were choosing the first hero, Grace, and bestowing the light’s magic power upon the hero Alonso Izakhel.

Thus, questions naturally arose. Why did ‘God’, Michaela, just watch as this world was invaded and faced destruction?

Upon reuniting with my sibling, I understood the reason. According to Sora, Michaela was disappointed watching my regression.

I can understand that. Maybe she didn’t feel like helping me, who had turned into a villain as Tristan.

It was something I could have just accepted and moved on from.

The problem is, thanks to Sora restoring my memories, I found out how Michaela was created.

Knock knock.

“Are you here?”

“Hmph… How dare you summon me here. Pathetic.”

Michaela, who strode into the reception room, sat on the sofa. The more I look, the more arrogant she seems.

Yesterday, on my way back from the outside world, Michaela suddenly appeared and made a strange request. It was odd to keep talking there, so I told her to come to the mansion if she had something to say.

And this morning, she came and knocked on my mansion’s door. She really can’t act like a noble.

“Didn’t you go to where ‘that person’ was? Why didn’t you call me?”

“Do I have any obligation to call you?”

“Of course, you do.”

“I really don’t think so.”

“Have you forgotten the favor you owe me?”

“Favor?”

“Who do you think gave you ‘Patience’? Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten.”

What is she bringing up from so long ago?

I scoffed.

“Don’t get it wrong, Michaela. What you gave me was a trial, not ‘Patience’.”

“It’s the same thing. Without the trial I gave you, you would have died from the seven deadly sins long ago.”

“Overcoming the trial was entirely my own strength.”

“It would have been impossible without my power.”

“Without my strength, it would have been impossible too. And you don’t have the right to say that, do you?”

“What?”

“Didn’t you just watch me die countless times when I lacked ‘Patience’?”

“Shut up. Pathetic. That’s because you kept turning into a villain. Do you know how disappointed I was? I still can’t believe someone like you is ‘that person’s’ brother.”

She really likes to talk about disappointment.

Without knowing what Sora is or even what she herself is.

Michaela was created by Sora, but she is not a being created by Sora.

She is a god not present in the original work.

No, is it just her? The gods who pushed Lukaela and Wendy as heroes also didn’t appear in the original.

What does that mean?

They were characters added when making the online game.

In the original, ‘God’ is described as a nameless existence, merely aiding the hero.

But during the game development process, CEO Park intervened.

“Jeong Ji-hwan. Honestly, don’t you think it’s bland?”

“Huh? Bland…?”

“It’s a god, but without a name or face, isn’t it boring?”

“Well… maybe it’s not an important role? If it were important, Sora would have named it.”

“Hmm. Still, this isn’t good.”

“Huh?”

“Doesn’t it lack realism? A god should at least have a name and face.”

“Well… um…”

It was hard to argue back. When the CEO says jump, you ask how high.

Eventually, gods like Michaela were layered over the ‘God’ Sora had envisioned.

Of course, I was in charge of the review. Looking through Sora’s setting notes, it seemed there was no problem with gods having faces. So, I accepted CEO Park’s opinion.

CEO Park usually didn’t intervene much in the game, but this time, he even brought Michaela’s modeling himself.

Maybe he wanted to leave his mark in the game.

“But what should we name her?”

“Michaela.”

“Huh?”

“It’s my daughters’ baptismal name.”

“Oh? You have daughters, CEO?”

“Of course.”

“Oh, um. I didn’t know. I’m single.”

“Shouldn’t being single past 30 be considered antisocial? Haha.”

“Uh… huh??”

“Just kidding. Ah, for another one, let’s just change the first letter to Lukaela. Is that okay?”

Thus, gods like Michaela and Lukaela were born.

Following CEO Park’s opinion, more gods were added as Michaela’s sisters, but they remained in hibernation in paradise, unseen.

Originally, the significance of the ‘God’ Sora created wasn’t that great.

Just look at Lukaela, who spent long years confined in Endless Hell, reduced to bones. Despite the title of god, her standing in this world is minimal.

At least the self-proclaimed absolute god Michaela has some activity.

Though, it’s just as a tutorial NPC aiding players acting as heroes.

But even that, due to players’ antics, she quit and holed up in paradise.

Since appointing heroes is now done by other gods, she’s just an idle god with nothing to do.

“You really should resemble even the dirt under ‘that person’s’ nails. Then I would have cherished you greatly.”

Thinking that even her nasty personality was made by CEO Park makes me angry.

Even if not as kind as Wendy, couldn’t she have been made a bit nicer?

“So take me to where ‘that person’ is! Quickly!”

“Stop whining. It’s annoying.”

“If you don’t take me, I’ll keep whining!”

Come to think of it, this brat knows nothing. What kind of existence Sora, whom she so praises, is. Or what state she’s in now.

In my anger, I thought about telling her the truth, but it doesn’t seem like a good idea.

Given Michaela’s personality, she’d likely deny reality or despair over her existence’s meaning.

The reason I haven’t clearly revealed this world’s reality to the surrounding characters is the same.

I sighed.

“Is that how you ask for a favor?”

“It’s a request! Okay?”

“Ask properly.”

“Please, it’s a request!”

“Much better. But your attitude is still rotten.”

“Ah, really! You’re mean!”

“You brag about being an omnipotent god, but can’t even go out alone?”

As I mocked her, Michaela snapped and shouted.

“I want to go out alone too!”

“Then go now. Don’t come whining to me.”

“Th-there are complicated reasons for gods!”

“Huh? Reasons?”

“Yeah! You’re ‘that person’s’ brother, don’t you know that?”

As if I wouldn’t know.

Now that she knows a way to go outside, she probably wants to go herself.

It’s the world where her creator, Sora, lived, so she must yearn for it.

But Michaela is only omnipotent in the gods’ land, paradise. Even then, her power only reaches within this world.

No matter how much of a god she is, she can’t go to the outside world alone.

Paradise, true to its name, is a place without lack, but its very perfection makes it boring.

I know Michaela can’t stand the boredom of paradise and occasionally borrows a human body to visit the system.

True to her childish, self-centered personality, she can’t stand boredom.

That’s why she came to ask me for a favor.

I stroked my chin and looked at Michaela.

An annoying brat, but in a way, I pitied her.

She praises and follows Sora as ‘that person’, but Sora created ‘God’, not Michaela.

“It’s just that you’re incompetent.”

“Who’s incompetent! You’re the one who couldn’t save this world!”

“And what did you do while I was failing?”

“Huh, huh?”

“Did you ever help me? Or did you ever kill even one player?”

It’s funny to get angry at a kid with a low mental age. But it seems she needs to learn some manners.

“While I was dying countless times trying to stop the players, you did nothing.”

“Th-that’s…!”

“Was it unavoidable? Or do you want to say you couldn’t? That’s incompetence.”

At that, Michaela, about to shout in anger, stopped.

In the end, it’s her, not me, who’s at a disadvantage here.

“…Fine.”

“Fine?”

“I’m incompetent! I’m incompetent, so I need your help!”

“I can’t help for free, can I?”

“I know! So just say what you want! A trial? If you want a new personality trait, say it! I’ll give you a trial worthy of it!”

Such a brat. But it seems she vaguely understands who’s in the superior position now. Seeing her talk about personality traits.

But I’ll pass on more trials.

I shook the small silver bell on the desk.

Ding-ding-

“Did you call, Count?”

The reply came within seconds, and Helga entered the reception room.

“Ugh?! You, you…”

Seeing Helga, Michaela flinched. Are they acquainted?

But Helga just smiled sweetly at Michaela.

No… Looking closely, her eyes were scanning Michaela from head to toe like a predator eyeing prey.

“Helga. This brat is…”

“She’s a brat with a nice butt.”

“Huh, what?”

What’s this sudden nonsense?

Slap!

Before I could voice my question, Helga slapped Michaela’s butt with her palm.

“Gah?! What, what?!”

“Excuse me for being forward, but can I slap your butt just once?”

“You already did! You slap first and then ask for permission?!”

“Ah, so it’s okay to slap?”

“No, it’s not!”

Slap!

Helga slapped her butt even harder this time.

“Kyaaah! You, you! You did it again?!”

“Ah, you were loud, so I thought it was okay.”

“Ar-aren’t you crazy? I’m a god! A god! Don’t mess with me!”

“Fits nicely in my hand. It’s definitely a good butt. Count, do you want to slap it too?”

“No need. This rude brat says she wants to work in the mansion.”

“Ah… I see. I understand.”

Slap!

“Why did you slap?! I was just standing there!”

“So satisfying.”

“?!”

Now I see Helga must have overheard the earlier conversation.

She never lets anyone who’s rude to me off the hook, showing no mercy. Even if it’s a brat who doesn’t know the ways of the world.

Wait, but does Helga not think Michaela is a god? Even if she knows, she doesn’t seem to care, given how hard she’s slapping. Though it’s satisfying to watch.

Anyway, by now, Michaela must have sensed Helga’s no-nonsense attitude.

“I-I’m out of here! You’re all crazy!”

“So you’re saying you don’t need my help?”

“Right! I don’t need it! You’re all lunatics!”

Michaela hurriedly tried to leave.

But a shadow blocked her path.

“Mo-move! I’m leaving!”

“Don’t say such disappointing things.”

Helga licked her red lips with her tongue.

“You can come in as you please, but leaving isn’t so easy.”

 

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