Aaaaaah-!

    It was truly a damn awful dream.

    My first memory of an unknown place after who knows how long.

    The cause that made Yoo Dahee promise not to do any translating ever again.

    Yoo Dahee, waking up with a dry mouth, was greeted by an unfamiliar ceiling… and an uncomfortable seat.

    It seemed she had been moved to the passenger seat when she lost consciousness.

    Looking out the window, they were parked under some overpass, seemingly to avoid the sunlight. But seriously…

    “Damn it, is this girl insane for real?”

    If you hit someone with your truck, the least you should consider is taking them to the hospital, not just dumping them in the passenger seat. What kind of thinking is that?

    At least it’s fortunate they didn’t put them in the back cargo area.

    “Hmm… Ah, my S…S…R hehe… You’re mine…”

    Gacha!

    In the driver’s seat, there was a crazy woman fidgeting with her golden hair tucked into her mouth.

    With legs stretching down below, partially leaning on the steering wheel, it was hard to tell exactly due to the wind pressing against it, but she had quite a large chest.

    Just looking at her body, she could pass for a Nordic model.

    Since when did Korea become a multi-ethnic country?

    Sure, I’ve heard Nordic beauties fluttering their blonde hair, exclaiming “Ohoho, I love kimchi~ Bibimbap is delicious~ Bulgogi is the best~”, but I’ve never heard anyone sleep-talk so vividly like this before.

    Sleep-talking is originally an expression of the subconscious, which means this crazy woman is Korean to the core.

    This woman would probably go “Mmm, this pork rice soup is so gooood~” if she ate Bossam pork wraps.

    Watching her peacefully sleeping, Yoo Dahee couldn’t find any words to say.

    While trying to quietly leave through the passenger door while she was asleep…

    Clank-

    “Ah.”

    Her ankle was chained.

    And the end of that chain was attached to the crazy woman’s wrist, and—

    “Ow!”

    As one arm came loose, the unbalanced crazy woman slammed her head right into the center of the steering wheel, making a loud honk!

    She’s out of her mind, completely out of her mind.

    As she got up, wrapping her reddened forehead, and the disoriented Yoo Dahee opened the door, their eyes met.

    “Ah.”

    “Huh.”

    Silence flowed.

    In this world, Yoo Dahee keenly felt the existence of gods and the myriad problems it brought for countless ages in the outer realms. The problem lay in the fact that the concept of these gods was a bit different from Earth’s, if that could even be called a problem.

    Each one of them was a monster capable of devouring galaxies like grapes, an embodiment of sheer terror. Writhing tentacles all over the body…

    Oh my goodness!

    Compared to the gods she had seen so far, this goddess before her might not be too bad.

    “So, are you saying that Earth has transformed into a tourist spot for the gods?”

    “I am the maiden of the stars and the goddess of justice. I swear by the name of Deike Astraea!”

    Looking at Deike confidently calling herself a goddess, it felt a bit off, but without any shame.

    The latest news about Earth from Deike was shocking. What? Gaia, the goddess of Earth, gambled away the Earth and turned it into a tourist spot? And now all sorts of twisted gods are flocking to Earth, eagerly stimulating their endorphins?

    Okay, fine, let’s call Deike a goddess.

    “Recently, the goddess drives a truck, hits people on the road without a care, puts them in the passenger seat, chains their ankles with iron shackles, and holds them so they can’t escape. Is this the daily life of the gods?”

    “Uh… um…”

    Shudder.

    “Don’t look away, girl.”

    Desperately avoiding my gaze was annoying, so I grabbed her head and turned it like a marionette towards me.

    “Ow! It hurts! It hurts! Oww!”

    Just a little pressure and she’s writhing in pain. Where did her dignity and strength as a goddess go?

    “Whether you’re a goddess or not, can you at least loosen this?”

    When Yoo Dahee shook the iron chain around her ankle, the goddess finally seemed to realize something, looking at her with a self-assured expression.

    “Hmph! Do you think I’ll let you off that easily?! If I release you, you’ll run away immediately! Do you have any idea how difficult it is to save a returnee like you!”

    It was clearly visible in Dike’s eyes.

    Dike’s unique trait, the [Eye of Truth] that discerns apostles.

    Look at that brilliant golden aura, not the usual blue of an R-grade or the deep purple of an SR-grade, shining brightly!

    The one who drove the truck straight into the park upon discovering that soaring golden aura from outside was Dike.

    【SSR Yoo Dahee】

    “Ouch…! If this radiance is at this level… Jang-nim… might just become a monk…!”

    Considering that his talent is determined by the concentration of the aura, Yoo Dahee is truly overwhelming.

    At this level, the points he would earn are nothing short of hitting the jackpot for a year’s worth of accumulated powerball and mega millions lotteries!

    An SR hero wielding a holy sword from the neighboring town? Here comes the freaking Korean isekai reincarnator!

    …While Dike was deeply immersed in his delusions, Yoo Dahee’s thoughts were flowing in a completely different direction.

    Escape, it’s all about escaping.

    It doesn’t seem like an ordinary chain… I must have been tied up with something like this before.

    Do you know how many crazy people from that other world tried to restrain Yoo Dahee?

    This level is such that even if you add up all the fingers and toes, and all the synapses in the brain, it wouldn’t make the cut.

    “Oh really? You won’t release me? Let’s roll the dice, try picking the lock.”

    He picked up a small clip that had been stuck in the corner of the passenger seat.

    If he doesn’t open it willingly, he’ll have to force it open.

    [Attempting to pick the lock.]

    [A -2 dexterity modifier is applied due to the poor tool.]

    [This is the 399,987th attempt to unlock by the user…!]

    “I’ll probably hit 400,000 soon.”

    [A +3 dexterity modifier is applied through familiar experience.]

    [Rolling the dice….]

    *Dice rolling sound* 1D20 is rolled.

    …14!

    [Total modifier 15]

    [Resistance of the power chain… 14]

    The dice seems to be teasing the user.

    Barely succeeding in the lockpick! However, the worn-out clip breaks and can’t be used again.

    PASUS,

    As if burned by fire, the clip turns to dust, and at the same time,

    Clank.

    The locking mechanism of the iron chain around the ankle turned.

    “Oh, it’s open.”

    “Yaaah!”

    My SSR, SSR is breaking out!

    Yudahee, who quickly removed the chains before Dike could grab her, threw herself out of the truck.

    Thinking that not giving in to the crazy woman was the best option, she prepared to run with all her might—

    In an instant, the scenery in front of her changed.

    “…What is this now?”

    Where her foot landed was not under the overpass from a moment ago, but a large waiting room teeming with people.

    Looking back, the truck was nowhere to be seen, and Dike stood there holding the chain blankly.

    “I-It’s starting…! The arena…!”

    She looked around hastily, but there was no sign of an exit no matter how much she looked.

    Just the smell of the Delhi Manju from the subway station that always ended up being the destination.

    The clinking of armor hitting each other and the noisy chatter of the crowd echoed throughout the waiting room.

    In the end, the only thing she could rely on in this situation seemed to be Dike, who seemed to know something…

    “Oh my, isn’t this our stubborn Dike?”

    With a voice that seemed about to shout “Oh-ho-ho,” someone appeared behind Dike.

    A black-haired, smaller woman than Dike, adorned with flashy jewelry, pushed Dike’s shoulder as if she didn’t recognize him, with a mocking expression.

    “Where did the dignity of a goddess go, wearing chains fit for prisoners~ Isn’t that stripping you of your goddess status? Oh, anyway, after this match, it’ll automatically be seized by the interdimensional credit vault, right? Oh-ho-ho~”

    “Adikia….!”

    “Oh my! There’s no need to scream like that~”

    “Th-this… contract thief…!”

    “Kyah! Where are you touching! Where are you touching!”

    At the same time, Dike rushed forward, grabbing Adikia’s hair, and a messy fight between the two goddesses began.

    But instead of stopping them, people cleared the space, making way for them to escape.

    On one side, there was someone tearing open a bag of popcorn.

    “Dwarf hyung, do you happen to know what’s going on there?” asked Yoo Da-hee, as the dwarf, munching on caramel salt-flavored popcorn, looked at her and grinned.

    “Well, it’s just your typical contract dispute over a contractor!” he replied.

    “But isn’t there no target for this contract dispute?”

    There were no men around to be found.

    “It seems Adikia snatched away Deke’s contractor! I heard she offered a higher contract fee and guaranteed equipment… Well, only the parties involved truly understand the details.”

    “Isn’t that just a normal job change then?”

    Shouldn’t finding better conditions be a given for a salaryman?

    It’s not a slave system, and it’s rare to expect undivided loyalty to one company.

    It’s not like it’s some top-tier company.

    “In the process, Deke apparently flew off with the equipment invested by the divine power!”

    “Oh, an industrial spy?”

    Certainly, being humiliated like that is unacceptable.

    “But are you supposed to intervene in that matter?”

    “Why should I?”

    “After all, aren’t you Deke’s new contractor?”

    “Is it a trend these days to call someone a contractor after firing the person who used to drink vending machine coffee from a 25-ton truck?”

    “If you’re a contractor, shouldn’t you fight for your own god’s sake?”

    “I’m not some medieval Japanese samurai serving a lord.”

    Thinking it had nothing to do with him, Yoo Da-hee tried to leave, but…

    “Malcolm!”

    As Adikia shouted, someone rushed over and grabbed Deke’s hand.

    He was a man who must have been close to 190cm tall.

    “D-Deke…!”

    Deke tried to move his arm with all his might, but it was futile.

    Even if it was just his biceps, Deke’s waist was like that of a gorilla, so how could he move?

    “How pitiful, Deke.”

    “You, you… give back my power… my power!”

    “You’re asking for it back. Wasn’t this merely a ‘gift’?”

    Malcolm, Deke’s former contractor and now Adikia’s contractor, smirked.

    Deke, who had used equipment and materials meant for investment and talent development, and then fled after consuming everything, looked at Malcolm, who was sobbing, but felt no emotion. Instead, he felt refreshed.

    “In fact, you could barely do that much for your contractor, so it’s only natural to leave the goddess, isn’t it? Learn from Lady Adikia here. With her abundant power, she can reach places that were never accessible to you, things the goddess couldn’t accomplish.”

    “Hehe, that’s right, Deke. Isn’t it best for weak, inferior deities like you to disappear quickly from the arena, for the greater good?”

    He released his grip on Deke’s hand, merely pushing him back, causing Deke to collapse to the ground weakly. Tears welled up in Deke’s eyes.

    “Oh my, oh my, crying like a goddess over such matters. Anyone would think you were just born divine. Ah, the poor goddess, what can be done~”

    “Give it back… my power… my equipment…”

    “Even if I gave it back, who would you fight for without a contracted party? Where’s all this talk coming from?”

    “I have a contract… I do! I have one!”

    Then, looking around frantically, Deke spotted Yoo Dahee and shouted, “My new contractor… is more… remarkable than Malcolm!”

    Upon hearing this, Adikia turned her head to look at the contractor Deke mentioned. He seemed to have sold off his clothes somewhere, appearing rather unimpressive compared to Malcolm, with no apparent special aura. Hmm… However, as keen as Adikia’s eye for talent was, she thought there might be something, but quickly dismissed the idea.

    At best, he might be an R-grade.

    “Were you so afraid of losing your participation rights that you hastily signed a contract, fearing you’d be dragged off to the goblin dimension’s credit vault as a street beggar?”

    “Beggar… No! I’m an SSR… returnee!”

    “Hahaha… That primitive being?”

    Despite Adikia’s mocking words, Yoo Dahee sat quietly, eating caramel salt popcorn with the dwarf grandfather.

    “Oh, don’t mind me. Just go about your business.”

    (External) It was truly annoying to get involved with gods, and Yoo Dahee knew it very well from her past experiences.

    “Alright, since there’s a contractor, I’ll show some mercy. Malcolm, bring the equipment you got from Dike before.”

    “Yes, my lady Adikia.”

    As the bundle was thrown, the tied-up entrance came undone, revealing various equipment that Malcolm had brought.

    “I’ll return them, Dike.”

    At those words, Dike swiftly reached out his hand, only to be struck on the instep by Adikia.

    “But you see… there are conditions~”

    With the face of a scoundrel, Adikia whispered in Dike’s ear.

    “I have erred, my lady Adikia. Please forgive this humble Dike and, please, return the equipment. I will return everything I took~”

    Dike trembled in disgrace.

    However… however… in order to avoid a decrease in points and at least reach the middle ranks in the arena, he had to seize the opportunity.

    Just once… if he could just bend his pride… he could equip his contractor, Yoo Dahee.

    He kneeled, then bent at the waist, pressing his forehead to the ground.

    The posture of abject humiliation.

    Yoo Dahee gazed fixedly at him.

    “I… I have… erred… my lady… Please forgive this humble Dike…”

    “Hahaha! You’re really doing it~”

    Adikia’s face was filled with ecstasy as she looked at him.

    The despicable laughter, finding satisfaction in belittling and despairing others, fiercely pricked at a corner of Yoo Dahee’s memory.

    It resembled the gods of this world or the foreign deities over there, truly.

    Knowing she would regret it, Yoo Dahee sighed and rose from her seat.

    “Ingam, I’ll borrow this for a moment.”

    “Huh? You can’t use th-”

    Dwarf Ingam’s eyes widened.

    “P-please… return the equipment….”

    “Okay, okay, Dike! Now, at last, your level is reaallllyyy-”

    As Adikia laughed heartily, she froze in place, making a strange noise before she could finish speaking.

    “…Huh?”

    Trickles of something touched Dike’s cheek, and silence enveloped the surroundings.

    Raising his head, there stood Adikia with a hand axe deeply embedded in his face all the way to the hilt.

    Thud,

    Yudahee, gripping the handle, pulled the hand axe straight out of Adikia’s face.

    Squelch

    Under the pressure, brain matter and blood spurted out as Adikia’s body staggered like a log, then collapsed backward.

    “Lie down, don’t die, Dike.”

    Yudahee reached out a hand towards the fallen Dike.

    “Get up, you’re not dying.”

    0 Comments

    Heads up! Your comment will be invisible to other guests and subscribers (except for replies), including you after a grace period.
    Note
    // Script to navigate with arrow keys