Chapter 70: Second Miracle (1)

GM bestowed seven great miracles upon the continent, the first of which was the erasure of all diseases, later known as the Day of Miracles.

After Saint Marfa laid down everything and pleaded with the Lord, GM, in his mercy, shone his light upon the continent. This became the second miracle.

Marfa 1:1-3

***

‘If it’s him, he can save Eris.’

The god who brought miracles to the entire continent.

A once-in-a-lifetime chance had come to meet such a god in person.

With just a gesture from his hand, Eris would recover and be whole again.

‘But can I really do this?’

Marfa trembled with fear. 

She had been brought here because she had broadcasted false messages, disrupting GM’s intentions. 

She deserved punishment, yet the GM had forgiven her and even granted her power.

To ask him now to save her sister would be an outrageous overstep.

‘But Eris doesn’t have much time left.’

Most of Eris’ body had been blackened by dark magic. 

Except for a small portion of her face, everything was consumed. 

The end was near.

There was not enough time to accomplish GM’s will, reclaim the coins she had lost to betting, and prepare the New Miracle Spring.

‘It’s not a matter of can I do this.’

Marfa closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Her beloved sister. 

She could sacrifice her own life if it meant saving her.

‘…I must.’

She opened her eyes wide, filled with firm resolve, hiding the trembling fear beneath her determined gaze.

“Almighty GM!”

“…?”

Marfa, still kneeling, raised her upper body slightly and shouted.

“Even after I have committed the sin of arrogantly trying to disrupt your great mercy, GM, and tarnishing it, you personally pardoned my sin and blessed me. Even if I were to die and be reborn a hundred times, I could never repay such grace.”

“…What is she doing?”

Albus, who had simply intended to offer her a managerial position because she seemed talented and had been unfairly punished for overly harsh competition rules, was baffled by Marfa’s sudden shift in demeanor.

“However, I have one request for you, GM.”

“A request?”

“Yes, my lord.”

‘A request? Come to think of it, no one has ever asked GM for anything directly before.’

In the past, in online games, players frequently called upon GMs to resolve bugs or disputes. 

But in this world, GM was perceived quite differently, so no one had ever made a direct request.

‘Well, I didn’t exactly include a request feature, anyway.’

Albus, curious about Marfa’s request, was about to ask when—

“How dare you!”

The guide intervened first.

“The person before you is the creator of Rudera, the almighty GM! He has pardoned your sin and granted you his mercy. Yet you are not satisfied and dare to make a request?”

Albus was slightly surprised by the guide’s reaction. 

Normally, she was an emotionless AI assistant who silently supported him. 

Now, however, she seemed almost… passionate as she scolded Marfa.

“H-how…”

The strong resolve Marfa had just shown vanished.

 She stood trembling before Albus.

‘…I’m scared. I want to run away, to beg for forgiveness. But… But…!’

Marfa bit her lip hard.

‘If I back down here… If I, as her sister, back down, who will protect Eris?’

The fear of losing her sister outweighed any fear she had of GM.

“I apologize for my greed, which makes me forget my place even after receiving GM’s grace. But please, just this once, hear my sister’s plight, O Almighty One.”

Blood trickled from Marfa’s bitten lip. 

She was prepared for any consequence, ready to sacrifice herself if it meant saving her sister.

“I only wish to speak of my sister.”

“I continued the broadcasts using wrongful means because of her dire condition.”

Albus sat quietly, listening to Marfa’s tragic story.

‘Guide.’

-Yes, master?

‘Is her story true?’

-Analyzing the past logs of Player Marfa and her presumed half-sister, Player Eris, the likelihood that her story is true is very high.

Albus continued his silent communication with the guide, inaudible to Marfa.

-Player Eris consumed the Miracle Spring item given on the Day of Miracles. This cured her initial dark magic disease but left her with the encroaching curse.

‘You calling it the Day of Miracles is a bit strange… Anyway, you’re saying her story checks out?’

Because she had two terminal illnesses, even drinking the Miracle Spring had left her at death’s door.

Albus remembered when he had distributed the Miracle Spring to all players after unlocking the Labyrinth Shop.

‘I didn’t do it to be a hero or to save the continent.’

He had simply disliked the idea of tragedies happening because of choices he didn’t make. 

It bothered him when people died because of actions he hadn’t taken.

‘I’m the one who placed a restriction on the Miracle Spring.’

He had done so because, given the influence this world had on reality, an unrestricted item could cause untold chaos. 

So, he had designed it to remove only a single debuff. But now this had happened.

Albus felt uneasy.

‘Because of my choices, people who could have been saved weren’t.’

If he hadn’t placed that restriction, perhaps more people could have been saved.

-That’s not true, master. If you hadn’t placed the restriction, there would have been those who abused your mercy. You made the right choice. Besides, that woman’s sister suffers from more than just two illnesses. Even if her curse was cured, she wouldn’t have lived for long due to the other diseases.

The guide tried to comfort him, but Albus barely heard her.

“It doesn’t matter what happens to me. I will accept any punishment you see fit, but please, save my sister…”

Marfa placed her hand over her heart as she pleaded. 

Her eyes glistened with tears.

Moved by her heartfelt plea, Albus rose from his seat.

“…Huh?”

The next moment, Albus was standing right in front of her.

Marfa looked up, startled, as the boy gently wiped away her tears.

“It must have been hard for you.”

“!!!!!”

At his words, all the tension in Marfa’s body melted away.

“Ahhh…!”

She collapsed into Albus’ arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

“This is blasphemy!”

The guide tried to pull Marfa away, but Albus stopped her with a raised hand.

The warmth in his voice was something Marfa had never felt before—not even in broadcasts filled with lustful creatures. 

Faced with a godlike figure she had feared, she had steeled herself for death. 

But now, in the arms of that god, comforted by his warmth, her emotions overflowed and she couldn’t hold back her tears any longer.

“It’s okay. You’ve done well.”

In Albus’ embrace, Marfa felt a peace that reminded her of the safety of a mother’s womb.

“…Done well?”

Albus felt a pang of discomfort. 

He had unintentionally ruined this woman’s livelihood, kidnapped her, and frightened her.

It felt as though he had accidentally gaslighted her.

“Bring your sister to Rudera.”

“…”

Still in his arms, Marfa looked up at Albus. 

They locked eyes, their closeness resembling that of lovers.

“This is blasphemy…!”

Overwhelmed by emotions, the guide bit down on her sleeve.

With a flash of holy light, the succubus girl was bathed in GM’s radiance. 

As Albus’ hand touched her, Eris’ darkened body returned to its natural state. 

The dark magic that had consumed her, along with all the resulting complications, disappeared.

“…Huh?”

Unaware of what had happened, Eris opened her eyes, feeling light for the first time.

“Eris!”

“Sister?”

Marfa, tears streaming down her face, hugged her beloved sister tightly.

“She was suffering from seven different illnesses, including the encroaching curse. Without GM’s infinite mercy, she never would have…”

The guide began to sing Albus’ praises, but Albus raised a hand to stop her.

“Today is a joyous day. Details don’t matter.”

“My lord…”

“Sister!”

“Eris!”

The sisters shared a tearful, joyful reunion.

Albus felt his own eyes grow misty without realizing it. 

But he wasn’t finished yet.

“Guide, prepare to make an announcement to the entire server.”

Albus, keeping his head bowed to hide his tears, turned and called to the guide.

If I can choose to save lives, I don’t want to miss that chance. 

Even if that choice brings chaos to the continent.

“What will you announce?”

The guide inquired.

What will I announce…?

They called the last event the Day of Miracles, didn’t they?

That’ll do.

“Miracle.”

Albus’ eyes gleamed with a brilliant light as he raised his head.

On that day, GM’s radiant second light shone across the entire continent.