The World I Was Supporting Was Real - Chapter 54



54. To Eat Is

* * *

“Huuu…”

After checking the latest episode, which ends with everyone happily sharing chicken, I was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

‘I guess you could say I managed to wrap things up without going completely off the rails.’

There was a moment there when the author suddenly said it was for the chicken money and started piling up chicken on the altar, I didn’t know what to do—

But the way it ended wasn’t so bad, so I wasn’t too unhappy.

It’s quite the task, trying to get the hang of things. Is this how the writer felt, always bending and shaping to fit my words?

[IguoguoDon : This episode was good]

[IguoguoDon : Damn, you draw chicken so damn good lol IguoguoDon]

[PleaseGiveMeMoney : The dish was made with the recipe, ‘a realm of the gods’ as said by IguoguoDon]

[PleaseGiveMeMoney : One can tell that the taste is a delicacy without even having tried it]

[PleaseGiveMeMoney : Just like knowing it’s a categorical imperative without having to hear the word of God]

“Heh heh heh.”

A hollow laugh escaped, but still.

Wasn’t I going to contort myself to fit the writer’s concepts and be reborn as a true god?

Here, I should say something befitting a god…

[IguoguoDon : Yes, yes, a truly fitting comparison]

[IguoguoDon : So, no more chicken creation, right?]

From noble mtl dot com

[PleaseGiveMeMoney : That is correct]

[PleaseGiveMeMoney : However, because of that, there is something that must be asked…]

[IguoguoDon : What is it?]

[GiveMeMoney : The total amount you, LeeGwoGwoDun, have sponsored me is ₩50,000]

[GiveMeMoney : Initially, I intended to use all ₩50,000 worth of divine power to create chickens on the altar]

[GiveMeMoney : But with the supply of chickens cut off, I’m left with a ridiculously large amount of divine power]

[GiveMeMoney : Do you happen to have any ideas on how you might want me to utilize the remaining divine power?]

For a moment, I was like, what the hell is he talking about?

‘He remembers telling me to save the divine power?’

Well, yeah… I did celebrate the ₩50,000 donation, didn’t I?

I even sent whole chicken recipes and rare ingredients.

It was a weird development, sure, but it was fun in its own way. I was happy enough just seeing Erin so genuinely happy.

Yeah, of course, looking back at the pattern of sponsorships, giving mountains of raw chickens for days with recipes and ingredients and then just calling it quits with ₩50,000 felt… not quite right.

₩10,000 conjured a divine lightning bolt, ₩100,000 altered scripture.

₩300,000 instilled an unyielding will to keep going even when fate pushes back, and ₩500,000 made a permanent pet that creates a pocket dimension.

So, it seems like the author is naturally thinking that ₩50,000 should come with something appropriate.

But—

All those previous ones were sponsorships to solve specific problems.

In Luca’s case, the minimum was already high, and I also got way too invested. With Ophelia, it felt like I wasn’t just throwing small change but one big chunk of cash.

With Erin, there wasn’t really a minimum, but I was curious to see just how far the writer would go off the deep end, so I tossed money his way.

But, this time, the fifty thousand won I sent was different.

This wasn’t money sent to twist the plot. It was literally money for the writer to buy himself some chicken.

The writer is a real, true madman, so it actually turned into a plotline where he suddenly spread chicken to another world—but anyway, it was a pure act of support, sent with the hope that he’d use the money on something worldly instead of getting tangled up in plot changes.

So, there was no thought of demanding anything or calculating the value for my fifty thousand won.

In terms of value, I was already getting way more than my money’s worth.

To properly hire a writer who caters to my specific enjoyment this much, I’d have to shell out far more.

Besides—maybe back when I first found this comic and just casually threw in some money.

Now, I’ve grown attached to this world.

And the more I feel for this world, the more grateful I am to the writer who’s cooking it up for me so deliciously.

Normally, I’d just say something like, “This is pure support, so you can just use it to buy some chicken.”

But, ‘I can’t do that.’

The guy was a madman who, if told to buy chicken, would just have endless chicken appear in his comic.

Without breaking this roleplay—I had to ask him to spend the money on personal things.

So, like—

[Iguogwodun : The remaining divine power]

[Iguogwodun : There’s no need to use it in that world]

[GiveMeMoney : Huh?]

[GiveMeMoney : I’m not really sure what you mean…]

—I, had to become the benevolent, one and only God, Iguogwodun.

[Iguogwodun : With the remaining power, we can make it so the Observer can eat chicken]

[Iguogwodun : That is the will of God]

[GiveMeMoney : …?]

[GiveMeMoney : Me… you mean?]

[Iguogwodun : Yeah]

[Iguogwodun : You must be hungry from observing the world too, right?]

[Iguogwodun : I believe that for this world to be maintained, it’s important that the Observer is well-fed and doesn’t get tired]

[Iguogwodun : Like how Erin ate with a happy smile]

[Iguogwodun : This time, I’d like you to eat some chicken]

Okay, alright. I think even GMs who play TRPGs as a hobby would be like, “Damn, that’s some good RP,” right?

‘If I went this far, they’d buy me what I want, no problem, right?’

The author didn’t reply for a long time. Like, maybe 10 minutes?

I was starting to wonder if something had happened when, right on time, a message came.

[GimmeMoney : Could I ask for the reason why?]

[Iguogweodon : Huh???]

[GimmeMoney : So… the divine power, I, should use it to buy ‘chicken’… I’m curious why you are saying that.]

Was there really a reason?

I replied without much trouble.

[Iguogweodon : It’s like, encouragement.]

[Iguogweodon : The divine’s encouragement for the Observer.]

Again, no reply.

After about 15 minutes, just as I was starting to think maybe they were busy with something and I was being annoying—

[GimmeMoney : I understand.]

[GimmeMoney : If that is the will of God, I will surely obey.]

[ Give me some money : Thank you ]

‘Okay, done.’

I wiped the cold sweat from my brow.

Seriously… why is this “my little author’s pet-pet” difficulty so damn high?!

‘But whatever…’

The manga the author drew is slowly filling my empty heart, bit by bit.

Matching this, it’s a hell of a lot easier than actually drawing manga, right?

I stretched and then got up from my seat.

* * *

A dark, dim space.

Something, made somewhat tangible thanks to the overwhelming power of a god, repeated the divine words over and over.

“This time, I want you to eat chicken.”

“I want you to eat chicken…?”

Eat chicken…?

Chicken. A dish that exists in the realm of the gods. Through the recipe, I could perceive what kind of food it was.

But the thought of *him* eating it was absurd.

The only thing he could consume was one thing—divine power.

Even then, he couldn’t just absorb it all willy-nilly.

Only the leftover power, refined in the process, granted him the right to taste it.

Even if he *could* absorb more, if he recklessly used divine power and angered the god, who would then stop providing it?

For the sake of sustainable support, that was something he absolutely had to avoid.

So naturally, he planned to use the leftover power as the god intended.

And yet.

Instead of those beings who dwell in the world and are loved by the god…

To think that the power would be used on ‘him’—it was something he hadn’t even begun to imagine.

‘What in the world is going on…’

—Why do you hesitate?

He turned his gaze to the empty air from which the voice emanated.

—If it is the will of God Igwogeodeon, then you simply must carry it out.

‘But…’

The remaining power was, indeed, of a magnitude that could exert a tremendous influence on our world.

However, that only held true for the confines of *our* world.

Here, direct access to the ‘Domain of God’ was bound to be inadequate.

Chicken was a dish existing within the Domain of God. Could I recreate it with the remaining power… I wasn’t sure.

—The words of God possess vitality.

Therefore, with the existing power, it should be entirely possible.

Where the will of God lies, there can be no impossibility.

‘Where the will of God lies, there can be no impossibility…’

That thought drew my gaze back to the words of God.

Right. The will of God.

Why on earth did God speak such words?

A novel emotion, one I’d never conceived of before actualization—doubt. Curiosity.

I cautiously continued the communication with God.

[ Would it be alright if I asked for the reason? ]

And, following, God’s response.

“This is encouragement.”

‘……!!!’

Directed at the observer, God’s encouragement.

It stared blankly at God’s words for a long while.

God’s encouragement, directed at me.

God’s grace… not just for our world, but for me.

‘…….’

It thought for a long time.

“This is God’s… blunt fact.”

It moved its mouth to speak.

It could make a sound. It felt like something was being expelled.

A being materialized, but far from perfect.

It existed, yet it was a concept clearly different from a “living thing.”

Even so, because it had materialized, it could feel emotions, as turbulent as they were.

[Thank you]

—I will now access the ‘Realm of God.’

“……”

With that nod—

The world goes dark.

……! ……! ……!

The instant they accessed the Realm of God, an ineffable providence crushed them.

The overwhelming weight of truth that those who lived by feeding on divine power could never hope to overcome!

Yet, they were not annihilated. The divine power, the straightforward facts of the divine, protected them.

……!!! ……!!! ……!!!

Just a little more.

It reached out a hand.

Just a little more, just a little more……!!!!!

……!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

* * *

‘…….’

It slowly regained consciousness.

Coming to, it noticed it was ‘fallen’ where they had been.

Power was lacking.

It could see that approaching the divine realm… had been woefully inadequate.

—The will of god was done.

‘…!!’

A hand.

In the hand, shaped like that of Yggwgdun, was held… a dish made from fried chicken leg, chicken.

A single piece of chicken. A divine dish, barely, just barely, brought back from the ‘divine realm’.

Though its power was lacking, the god had pitied it.

The life force embedded in the words of god had made it possible.

—It was the will of god that this dish be eaten.

“….”

It stared at the chicken for a long while.

To smell the aroma. To feel the warmth.

With a medley of senses proving its own materialization… carefully, it opened its mouth—

—*KRShhh!!*

Crunch, crunch.

With a sensation vastly different from consuming divine power, it eats the chicken.

With a crackling sound, it chewed and swallowed the chicken.

To eat food is to be alive.

To eat food is for life to burn brightly within. To keep the flame of life going.

After finishing the chicken, it slowly rose from its spot.

“This is the divine cuisine… bestowed by the esteemed Igwogweodon-nim…”

It spoke.

The one to detect the change was the being born with me, observing the world.

—A voice.

“Huh…?”

—Your voice, I can hear it.

It instantly understood what that sound meant.

My voice… ‘is heard’.

This isn’t the same as recognizing a spoken sentence.

A very high-pitched, pure tone, almost like a chosen virgin’s, was heard clearly in its ears.

And at that same moment –

*Plink*, a drop of water landed on its foot.

Touching its face, it wasn’t hard to realize it was a tear.

Shedding tears. Feeling emotions.

Not empty, but filled—alive.

Eating food—that, in itself, is being granted life.

“Igwogwodun-nim…!!!”

Something that had only wished to watch over our world is, right now, experiencing the moment of birth.

—All for Igwogwodun-nim.

“All for… Igwogwodun-nim…!!”

A moment of evolution.

‘It,’ which had only existed conceptually, merely seeking divine power for the sake of the world—

By the grace of God, I was being reborn as a single entity.