53 Divine Power

Late at night.

And yet Meracle's lights were still on.

If it had been any other day, we'd have long since gone home, but today we're still staying until evening.

Slurp, sluuurp.

Hmm? This cup ramen is pretty good.

Is that so? This lady can't handle anything too spicy.

What's so spicy about this?

Renea and I were eating cup ramen.

Ms. Kim had apparently gotten furious over what was said earlier and had long since gone home.

Slurp, slurp.

But aren't you going home?

Why isn't the boss going? I've been waiting to go with you.

Since it's right next door, this is awkward.

As for me, well.

Hm?

I'm waiting because a guest is coming.

A guest?

Yes, I told you this morning. Seo Hajin from Prism.

Ah! That idol? How fascinating. To think she drew such huge popularity by dancing and singing.

There aren't separate idols on the Lajesta Continent. At best, there are bards, and bards are basically just wandering rumor-spreaders.

Their songs were less about sweetness and more like listening to a fairy tale.

Seo Hajin, Seo Hajin....

Renea stopped eating her ramen and searched for Seo Hajin on her phone.

Seems she'd developed the habit of searching everything the moment she got a phone.

Your ramen's getting soggy. Eat first.

Wait a moment. These days, eating while using your phone is what the young do.

What era are you talking about...?

After a while, Renea fixed it to the stand attached to the case. I had wondered where she'd gotten it, but seeing the same one on Ms. Kim made me think she'd given her one.

Seo Hajin fancam. What does "fancam" mean?

It means a video filmed directly. Just watch the stage video; fancams are shaky.

You know a lot about it?

...There are those YouTube thumbnails no man can just scroll past.

For all you call yourself a man.

Isn't that something a 1,903-year-old grandma shouldn't be saying? You're not one to talk either, since you were going to get married yourself, just because you're a woman—.

Aah! Don't say it! And I'm 1,902 years old! Don't add a year to me!

Same difference.

Anyway, Seo Hajin's stage video started.

Oh.

Sure enough, she wasn't called a top idol for nothing. Even to an outsider like me, it was clear she had exceptional skill even within Prism.

…….

Renea, who was staring intently, made a strange expression.

After watching it all, Renea looked at me and asked.

So people go wild like this? Just by dancing and singing?

Well, yes? That's what an idol is.

And super popular too?

Hold on, what are you thinking—.

This lady shall become an idol!

Fuck.

I couldn't help but run both hands over my face.

This grandma had definitely lost it at last.

I can do that level of movement even at this age!

You're talking nonsense. Unless you want your knees blown out and end up in an ambulance, sit still and eat your ramen.

Why! I even copied Ms. Kim's dancing sometimes! Ms. Kim said this lady danced well!

This isn't a nursing home, so stop tormenting our employee.

Damn it!

Then Renea stood up and started dancing.

Look!

I could vaguely tell that the boing-boing hopping around was her trying to copy Seo Hajin's stage video, but...

Unfortunately, she wasn't pulling off the sexy concept at all.

Cute.

If anything, the way she was straining to dance was kind of cute-.

Oh, fuck?! What the hell was I just thinking! Get a grip, Kim Juseon!

I immediately slapped my own cheek.

Even so, this is too much.

To think I'd find a 1,902-year-old grandma cute.

In the meantime, Renea must have finished dancing, because she sat back down with a satisfied smile.

Hah, hoo-! How was it? Pretty good, right? I won't just do part-time jobs anymore; I'm going to become an idol.

...Do whatever you want.

Whew, I'm out of breath.

I guess I just have to go with it now.

Haa, haa. So, boss. My manager-!

Knock, knock.

I thought I was going to keep being tormented by the grandma's senility, but thankfully the door opened at just the right time.

But how should I put it.

She looked a little hurried.

Hm? There's more than one person? It even sounds like someone's crying.

Yes?

Knock, knock, knock.

The knocking had definitely become more urgent than before. It even sounded like there was some kind of conversation going on outside.

Could it be the Spectrum people?

We were meeting in the evening on purpose so they wouldn't catch us, and they've been waiting around near the company this whole time?

Startled, I hurriedly opened the door—.

Pleeease! You can't abandon meee!

I saw a nun kneeling there, crying while clutching Seo Hajin's pants leg.

A nun?

The outfit was so abrupt and out of nowhere that I was flustered, but apparently I wasn't the only one.

Mr. Juseon! Please get this person off me! She suddenly started following me earlier-.

Seo Hajin urgently asked for help.

Then ask me to seal away the demon!

What?

A demon?

* * *

Seo Hajin, the leader of the idol group Prism, who had come to Meracle.

Looks, wealth, fame.

She was practically guaranteed S-rank, and she was now looking at the nun with a troubled expression.

The nun, a mess of tears and snot, kept repeating the same thing over and over.

Please save Silos Cathedral.

In the end, Seo Hajin's interview had to be put on hold, and we had no choice but to hear the nun out.

Here, wipe the stuff off your face.

Renea handed her a handkerchief.

She'd seen something on YouTube about how to flirt with the opposite sex that said you should carry a handkerchief, and she'd been carrying one ever since.

What kind of strange nonsense had gotten into her head....

Th-thank you. Sniff!

If you blow your nose, I'll—!

After hurriedly stopping Renea, who was about to grab her bow, I glared at the nun.

Hey, you're interrupting business here, you know? I can even report you for stalking.

No! No! That's really not what this is! It's just... I need help.

Mr. Juseon, listen to her first.

In the end, at Seo Hajin's urging, I sighed and said okay.

With everyone's eyes on her, the nun fidgeted and finally began to speak.

I, I'm Maria, a nun from Silos Cathedral on the Lajesta Continent. A-actually, a demon called Arhelak is sealed in Silos Cathedral, and it seems like the seal is about to break soon!

A sudden flood of information.

She didn't seem to be very good with words.

I was going to keep listening for now, but Renea, who had been listening, nodded.

Ah, so it's that guy? The one who multiplies like crazy? Right?

Yes, y-yes! That's right! Arhelak has the trait of dividing itself. The records say it formed an army of ten thousand all by itself.

Mm-hmm, I've seen that.

At Renea's words, everyone looked at her. Actually, at 1,902 years old, she'd lived through everything from the Liberation War of the Lajesta Continent to the inter-floor war.

She'd lived through and survived all of it.

Renea suddenly seemed impressive.

Maria, looking dazed, continued speaking.

Three holy knights sealed Arhelak away, and a cathedral was built over it. It was meant to keep watch over the seal so it wouldn't break.

But now the seal seems like it's going to break?

Y-yes! Seo Hajin's power is absolutely necessary!

M-me?

Yes! Seo Hajin, you have divine power! And... and it's just like the divine power of Sir Dukarion, the holy knight I respect most!

Seo Hajin was flustered when her own name was brought up out of nowhere. But Maria's eyes sparkled as she stepped closer.

That's really amazing! Right in front of the seal are the holy knights' weapons! If Seo Hajin's divine power is poured into Sir Dukarion's sword, the seal will be strengthened too—!

Wait! You're going too fast! I, I have divine power?

Yes!

I'm an atheist, though?

Seo Hajin's question was proof of just how ignorant she was about the Lajesta Continent.

But in reality, there were plenty of people who misunderstood it.

Divine power isn't power given by a god! It's the power of a saint who can reach the divine! In other words, it's the manifestation of human will and conviction!

Maria was all fired up.

I stared at her and fell into thought for a moment.

Could that be possible?

In this day and age, with the Tower having made exchanges between worlds so active.

In Murim, hotels and carriage-only highways have been built, and on the Lajesta Continent, people use cell phones thanks to radio waves.

But there were still walls, after all.

For example, Murim.

What they call 'internal energy' can only be used by those from the 5th Floor.

Mana and divine power were the same.

Both were exclusive powers that only people from the Lajesta Continent could use.

In our 3rd Floor, there is 'awakening.' That's when you become able to use telekinesis like Yoo Yena.

But people from other floors can never awaken.

This is how each floor has its own power suited to it.

'But Seo Hajin, who is from the 3rd Floor, obtained divine power?'

If it were true, you could call it the discovery of the century, but I was a bit skeptical.

Even so, Maria's shouts kept going.

I watched Seo Hajin's stage video! That was definitely divine power!

M-my stage video....

Seo Hajin! Come with me to the Lajesta Continent! There, we'll reseal the demon! It's an incredible, world-saving deed!

Saving the world... a grand cause.

Seo Hajin's expression changed strangely. It was like someone wandering aimlessly had been handed a compass and had steeled her resolve.

I'll do it.

Really? Wow! Thank you! Thank you so much!

It was fine if the two of them wanted to make a racket beating drums and the janggu, but I wasn't the only one skeptical.

Is it really divine power?

With her arms crossed, Renea was serious in a way she usually wasn't.

Show me the video you saw.

Because of that, the mood got a little heavy, but I agreed with Renea.

But Maria had no intention of backing down.

Ah, any of them will do. I checked with my friend. We watched most of the videos, and every time there was divine power.

Just then, Renea remembered the video we had watched earlier and immediately opened it on her phone.

……!

Renea's eyes went wide.

It really is! It's faint, but there really is divine power after all.

What?

Renea, who had paused the video on the dancing part, showed me the part that looked like a light.

This is divine power?

I asked because I'd never seen it before, and Renea nodded firmly.

I've seen my fair share of divine power. It's definite.

As we were flustered, Maria grew even more smug.

Right? Others might miss it, but I never do. Sir Dukarion saved me, and I think about it every day.

What a day this is.

First that Mr. Dukgu from Spectrum earlier, and now Maria too.

Maria was practically a stalker-level fan, completely enchanted by the holy knight Dukarion.

Huh... mysterious. How can this be?

Seo Hajin, on the other hand, seemed a little excited.

I've got divine power! Actually, I've wanted to do something meaningful for a long time! That's why I became an idol, but idols are only commercial-.

Sorry, but while you're pouring all that out, I need to say this.

Seo Hajin.

I want to check a little more.

If you don't mind, could you show us your divine power?

I, I don't know how to use it, though?

It seems to manifest on stage, so would you mind trying to dance once? Would that be possible?

I knew it was a rude request, but if we left it like this, it felt like she'd go straight to the 4th Floor.

Seo Hajin nodded, played a song on her phone, and started dancing confidently.

Her dance lines were completely different from the routine Renea had shown earlier.

The skill she'd built up over years as an idol was certainly impressive, but...

No divine power was visible.

Uh, huh?

Maria looked flustered.

…….

Renea, now serious, stopped the dance with a gesture.

As I said earlier, this lady has lived through many long years and seen countless people with divine power.

Haa, haa. Y-yes?

So I can say this with certainty.

Renea's sharp words landed with the certainty of a verdict.

You absolutely do not have divine power.