Chapter 17: Jumo,Here’s one more bowl of gukbap!

The next morning arrived.

The woman who had indulged in alcohol the previous night was sound asleep, her midriff exposed.

Normally, she would have performed her “faith prayer” at dawn.

But today was a rest day, so she slept soundly.

“Heeheehee…”

Her sleep-talking was rather cute.

But appearances could be deceiving.

With her mouth closed, she was an SSS-rank heroine.

But the moment she opened it, that SSS-rank would plummet to an F.

“How do I wake her up…?”

The sun was already high in the sky.

I tried shaking her awake.

“Shine Order, wake up. It’s morning.”
“Mmm…heeheehee… can’t eat that…”

She stirred and squirmed.

Her large breasts jiggled beneath her white t-shirt.

Truly impressive, even more so than Seraphina’s.

Drunken Belladriel Dresia ver.

Seeing this CG in person was breathtaking.

“Shine Order…?”
“Heeheehee… barkeep! Another bowl of gukbap!”

‘Unbelievable…’

Hard to believe she was a saint.

Her behavior was like… a middle-aged man’s?

I had to wake her up, so I put on an act.

“Rebecca! What are you doing here?!”

I pretended the female knight-captain had arrived.

Belladriel shot up with a gasp.

She looked around frantically, then up at me.

“What…”

She frowned and rubbed her eyes.

“I was just kidding. Wake up, it’s morning.”
“…Sigh,”

Belladriel sighed and scratched her neck.

“Yawn… what time is it?”
“It’s already afternoon.”
“What? What kind of morning is this? Afternoon is morning…”

Stretching, Belladriel continued, “Are you senile? It’s not time for a Miracle Morning.”

She whined, rubbing her eyes.

I sighed at her behavior.

“Does this befit a saint?”
“Ugh… so much talk from a ‘Black Hound.’”

She recognized me.

I couldn’t ask how she knew last night.

She kept pushing drinks on me, creating a party atmosphere.

“Yawn! Time for some hangover cure.”

Belladriel got up and walked to the window.

She flung open the curtains and checked the entrance.

“Hmm, looks like the knights are off today. No guards.”

She smirked and crossed her arms.

Looking down at me with a confident gaze, she declared,

“You! Let’s go get some hangover cure!”
“Huh?”

‘Is that supposed to be a disguise?’ I wondered.

Belladriel wore a cardigan, a hat, and glasses.

It seemed like a flimsy disguise, yet strangely… no one recognized her.

“Barkeep! A bowl of dak-bal gukbap!”

She raised her hand confidently.

“Coming right up!”

Dak-bal gukbap.

If pork gukbap existed in reality, then chicken leg gukbap existed in Lilith Tycoon.

A soul food loved by men in this world.

Cheap and delicious.

“Hey, aren’t you going to set the table?”
“Oh, right. Yes.”

‘Definitely a middle-aged man…’

Her appearance and speech…

The gap was severe.

Reading the newspaper with a short sigh, she looked like a typical dad.

“Tsk, tsk… the nobles are at it again… that’s why our free continent needs to elect the right party for peace. Don’t you agree?”
“Of course, Shine Order.”

Belladriel lowered the newspaper and raised an eyebrow.

“Shine Order…? Why so formal? Let’s be straight with each other, fellow player.”

She winked. I handed her a spoon.

“Isn’t ‘Shine Order’ the proper address here?”
“Well, yes, but…”

She accepted the spoon and chuckled.

“You don’t really see me as the Shine Order, do you?”

Sharp as a tack, this cult leader.

I shrugged.

“Is that so? Then I’ll call you Belladriel.”
“Fine by me. But… why did you come to our city?”

Belladriel asked. I calmly replied, “Haha, I told you, didn’t I? To deliver Etherion’s message of salvation.”
“…”

Belladriel narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms.

“Salvation… you intend to believe the words of the cult I created?”

‘Of course not.’

‘I don’t believe in the cult you created.’

‘But my words aren’t wrong either.’

‘Because you’re the one who needs saving.’

I smiled nonchalantly.

“Of course.”
“Haha, look at this guy…? You’re a good liar. I think you have another motive. You’re the Black Hound, aren’t you?”

Black Hound.

A derogatory term, meaning a dog of the nobles.

I smiled unconcernedly and murmured, “Perhaps.”

Belladriel eyed me suspiciously.

I asked, “You seem to distrust me. Why did you accept me?”
“You performed a miracle. Some kind of magic, I assume.”

She saw right through me.

‘As expected of a saint.’

I chuckled and nodded.

“Right? But you wouldn’t accept just anyone who can use magic.”
“I accept anyone who performs a miracle. Those are Etherion’s words.”
“I doubt that. You keep me close because I’m the Black Hound. You want to spread your cult’s influence among the nobles, don’t you?”
“Oh…?”

Her true intentions.

The reason she kept me close, despite knowing I was the Black Hound, was simple.

Having the nobles’ disliked dog by her side would silence those who questioned her religion.

And, since I knew their secrets, I’d be a valuable asset.

Besides, attacking or expelling me would be disadvantageous.

Belladriel likely decided keeping me close was the best course of action.

“As expected of the Black Hound, you’re quick-witted… You’re right. That’s my goal. But as I noticed yesterday, you’re quite the actor, aren’t you?”
“What do you mean?”
“That woman I judged yesterday. She’d be dead if it weren’t for you.”
“Oh, that?”

‘To lower your Malice Gauge…’

I couldn’t say that, so I just smiled vaguely.

“I just felt sorry for her, so I healed her.”
“I don’t know why you did that, but such actions could get you killed. Keep that in mind.”
“…?”

Belladriel’s expression suddenly darkened.

“That woman deserves to be torn apart…”

She whispered, her gray eyes filled with malice.

“Haha, ‘torn apart’? Such words from such a beautiful woman…”
“Shut up.”

Belladriel pointed her spoon at me.

“That woman disobeyed me, conspired with a neighboring village, shared information, and nearly converted. A heretic! I want to tear her to shreds.”

‘No.’

She was mistaken.

The woman from yesterday’s trial…

She was an NPC in Lilith Tycoon.

While she did share information with another village, it was to find a cure for her skin condition, not to convert.

She was a devout follower of Etherion.

I spoke calmly.

“Haha, you’re surprisingly petty, Shine Order.”
“What? Are you mocking me?”

A dark shadow fell over Belladriel’s face.

She looked ready to kill me.

She murmured, “What do you mean by petty?”
“It’s petty to want to kill someone for simply sharing information. What else would you call it?”
“Black Hound… do you really want to die?”

[Belladriel Dresia is about to commit an evil act!]
[Belladriel Dresia intends to burn you at the stake in the name of Etherion!]
[Belladriel Dresia’s Malice Gauge is at 99%.]

‘Here we go.’

My provocation, designed to lower her Malice Gauge, worked.

I checked the system and continued with a smile, “If you kill someone for merely sharing information, who would follow Etherion?”
“So what? Are you saying my judgment is flawed?”
“Of course, you’re always right. But yesterday was overkill. She was just looking for information to cure her skin disease. Her faith wasn’t wavering.”

She scoffed.

“How would you know?”
“Didn’t you just call me the Black Hound? I know everything. Even why you’re so distrustful. Or should I say… Etherion told me?”

I smiled sweetly.

Belladriel gripped her spoon and slammed the table.

“Are you mocking me because you want to die?”

“Perhaps,” I whispered, then continued, “If the saint of Shine City, a city you painstakingly built, is consumed by fear and distrust over a single follower sharing information, doesn’t that mean your almighty Etherion isn’t so almighty after all?”
“…Hmm.”

Belladriel stared at me expressionlessly.

She was likely considering my words.

She realized that rash judgment wasn’t wise.

After a moment of silence, she gave a wry smile.

“You have a point.”

[Belladriel Dresia has decided to refrain from committing an evil act because of your words!]
[Belladriel Dresia’s Malice Gauge has decreased by 1%!]

Belladriel narrowed her eyes and murmured thoughtfully, “You’re… different.”
“Different how?”
“Hmm! Never mind. Your words have given me pause. I’ll overlook this, out of the Shine Order’s magnanimity.”

She smiled, her face softening. Then, she looked at me seriously.

“However… my change of heart isn’t due to your words. Don’t push your luck. Disrespect will be considered a challenge. Remember that.”
“Of course. But if you’re about to make a mistake, I can offer advice, right?”

She hummed thoughtfully as the server placed our food on the table.

“Here’s your order.”
“Oh! It’s here.”

Belladriel’s eyes lit up as she picked up her spoon.

“I’ll answer that later! Let’s eat! Chicken gukbap is the best hangover cure! Hahahaha!”

She scooped up some rice and placed it in the broth.

“The broth is the key! Try adding some sandi-cho!”

Sandi-cho, the equivalent of chives in this world.

Belladriel whispered with a sly grin, “It’s… very good for men!”
“Ahaha, sure.”
“And some pickled cabbage broth too!”

A true mix-and-match concoction.

She finished adding toppings and began to savor the gukbap.

“Ahhh! Refreshing!” she exclaimed with the enthusiasm of a middle-aged man.

I smiled, but inwardly, I thought, ‘Crazy woman.’

“Etherion speaks! He shall guide you all to the eternal paradise of Balras!”

–Oh, Etherion!

Her face, once again, was radiant.

Clad in her holy vestments, she looked completely different from yesterday.

She was the picture of a saint.

I felt a sense of disconnect watching her.

Yesterday, she was…

‘Ahhh! Refreshing! Barkeep, another bowl of gukbap!’

Could this really be the same woman?

“This concludes our fellowship. Let us pray.”

Her voice was saccharine sweet.

Gentle and feminine.

I waited for this charade to end.

Finally, the religious ceremony concluded.

Belladriel stood at the entrance, smiling and greeting people.

“Farewell, brother.”
“Thank you, Saint!”
“Hello! It’s been a while, sister. Farewell.”
“Farewell, Saint!”

As she greeted people with a smile, a beautiful woman, similar in appearance to Belladriel, approached.

“May your faith be rewarded… Farewell… sister.”

Belladriel smiled and greeted her.

As the woman passed, Belladriel touched her chin thoughtfully.

Curious, I asked quietly, “Is something wrong?”
“No, but… what do you think of that sister?”

Her tone shifted when she spoke to me privately.

I answered, “I don’t know? What about her?”

She continued to stroke her chin, then murmured her assessment.

…truly remarkable.

“Wow… check out her
.”

‘Excuse me?’

‘Yours aren’t exactly small…’

I wanted to retort, but just sighed.

‘Crazy cult lady…’