I Level Up With In-app Purchases

I Raise With In-app Purchases – 23

EP.23 The Saintess Knocks on the General Store’s Door (6)

“Hmm hmm hmm.”

Fran, having regained her senses, became her usual self again and drank some cold water.

I also drank cold water from across her, shaking off the drowsiness.

Fran, who had misunderstood me, took a deep breath with her restored mental clarity and broke the silence.

“…I didn’t know brokers were like that. I’ve had offers from brokers before, but I thought it wasn’t right, so I refused.”

“Innocent kids like you try to earn pocket money and end up getting involved in crimes they can’t escape from. Just being involved in a crime is a great blackmail tool for them.”

Do you know how the academy deals with students who commit crimes?

As I mentioned briefly before, they extend the military service time.

‘They send you to solitary confinement depending on the severity of the crime, and extend your military service time—it’s a double punishment…! There’s a reason why even the fearless students tremble at the thought.’

It’s terrifying enough to think of 10 years, but to spend even more time in the military…

It’s a desperate measure to prevent students from causing major trouble while at the academy.

‘If the punishment isn’t severe enough, they’ll just keep causing all sorts of trouble.’

No one wants to donate more of their life to a contaminated zone on top of feeling robbed of 10 years of their life, so they naturally restrain themselves from committing crimes.

‘Of course, those who are going to do it will do it anyway.’

Brokers who prey on naive kids who don’t know any better are one of the causes of these problems.

Of course, they don’t mess with academy students who have powerful backers.

What if, in a fit of anger, a student tells their family about the broker and they take action?

‘It’s even worse when they check the student’s background before approaching.’

A student like Fran, whose only backing is a church, would probably be sucked dry.

Instead of earning money, she would end up being exploited for her abilities.

“So just go to your practicum quietly. You can earn money there.”

The military doesn’t make academy students do free service under the guise of practicum.

They pay for the work done.

It might be much easier and more convenient to earn money illegally, but with Fran’s abilities, there was no need to take the risk of committing a crime.

“Isn’t the money you can earn from practicum not that much?”

“It depends on how well you perform. You could make a good sum.”

“…..”

Honestly, it’s a relief that she hasn’t gone to practicum until now.

If she had been attending practicums all this time, it’s certain that all the money she earned there would have been given to the church. This made me think I needed to delve deeper into her story.

Getting too involved as a third party might cause her to push me away, so it’s important not to cross the line.

“Did those women tell you that they had no choice but to earn money?”

“Huh?”

“I guessed as much when you suddenly said you needed money.”

“…The sisters were sacrificing themselves for me. I was just arrogantly unaware of it all. I regret it. If I had known earlier, I would have helped them when they were struggling.”

Fran, struck to the core, began to shed tears.

It was better for her to cry like this. Suppressing emotions internally is bad for mental health.

Even talking to someone like me can help her sort out her feelings.

“Do you think if the church gets more money, those women you call your sisters will no longer have to engage in prostitution?”

“They have no choice. If the church’s situation improves, they will listen to me.”

No, no matter how much money you bring them, the church will never be satisfied and will only demand more.

Seeing my displeased expression, she asks with a wary look,

“Are you doubting the church now?”

Directly stating my suspicion would only make her dislike it.

I needed to approach this from a different angle.

“Aren’t you curious? What would happen if the church received a lot of money, just like you said. Aren’t you curious?”

“…I’m not curious at all.”

The church has been consistently investing in Fran.

Once they realize she can make money, they’ll be ecstatic.

And they’ll try to extract more money than they’ve invested so far.

Until now, they were probably waiting for Fran to finish her military service, but the situation has changed.

In the scenario, Fran starts making money by contacting a broker and killing men, donating all the money.

The church was planning to profit from her military salary once she enlisted.

But she’s making money without even enlisting?

Realizing this after hearing that she’s been earning money through illegal healing via a broker, they think,

‘This is a viable business!’

The broker discreetly takes care of the dirty work, and the church begins to exploit Fran for profit.

Fran, being exploited, requests that her sisters stop selling themselves for preaching activities.

The church agrees and orders her to only protect those she knows around her.

Naturally, people in other branches of the church continue to suffer through preaching activities.

Unaware of this fact, Fran continues to heal people as instructed by the church, believing her sacrifice allows her sisters to engage in normal preaching activities.

‘She hopes at least her wishes would be granted.’

In Fran’s predetermined scenario, there’s not much the player can do.

After experiencing the essential scenario, the player is given a few branching points to test whether they can save Fran or not.

“The divine will surely correct what is wrong.”

“What if the church doesn’t act as you expect?”

It would be ideal if Fran considered leaving the church, but I’m certain that won’t happen.

As expected, Fran responded as if it was obvious.

“If they don’t, then I must try to correct it myself.”

Fran’s stubborn response left me breathless.

It felt like my throat was constricted as I muttered under my breath,

“Whether here or there, leaving the church isn’t an option for you.”

“Huh? What did you say?”

Even if one were to follow Fran’s scenario to the end, her leaving the church never happens.

The scenario where a darkened Fran overturns the church to become its leader exists.

An ending where she is exploited by the church is the bad ending.

Turning the church upside down to become the church itself is the true ending.

There are other minor endings, but they all occur within the church.

‘I thought since this became reality, there might be a chance to extract her from the church.’

It seems that was impossible after all.

Even the temptation of a relic can’t make her leave the church, so what can?

At times like this, I think it’s best to aim for the true ending.

“Never mind, it was just me talking to myself.”

“????”

Confused, Fran gestured towards the bedroom.

“It’s late, let’s continue this conversation tomorrow. I’m dying of sleepiness, so let’s get some rest. You’re not planning to stop me this time, right?”

“Oops..! No, that was a misunderstanding.”

Fran obediently went into the bedroom.

When daylight comes, we can have a conversation in a more lucid state.

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***

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‘What on earth did I do yesterday?’

When Fran woke up, she kicked the blankets fiercely.

There has never been such an embarrassing history.

If only she could go back to yesterday, she would want to do so.

What seemed like the best choice at the time now appears to be wrong upon reflection today.

‘How could I have done something so foolish…!’

It’s true that she wanted to empathize with the pain of the sisters.

But using such an extreme method was a mistake.

If he hadn’t saved her, she would have made an irreversible error.

“Oh, right. Mister….”

How is she going to face him?

She had even asked him to hold her.

He had made space for her, and she had gone out of her way to find him and complain about him not coming.

What kind of audacity did she have to do such a thing?

Feeling dizzy with the realization, she staggered and buried her face back into the bed.

“Ughhh….”

She wished it wasn’t real.

Couldn’t someone please tell her it was all a dream?

– Knock, knock, knock! –

– Startled! –

“Are you still sleeping?”

His voice came from outside the door.

She snapped to attention and hurriedly got up.

No matter how out of it she was from yesterday’s events, she couldn’t believe she had been lazy enough for him to come wake her up!

“I’m up!!”

Forgetting her earlier embarrassment about how to face him, she hurriedly opened the door and went out.

He was looking down at her with wet hair, as if he had just showered.

Fran, who had made eye contact with him, let out a strange cry and collapsed to the floor.

“I just looked at you, did I do something wrong?”

“I’m sorry!! I’m so, so sorry!!!”

“Ah~ An apology? Seems like you’re coming to your senses now.”

“Yes, yes, yes! I shouldn’t have done that, I must have been crazy for a moment. I’m really, really sorry for the trouble!”

Rather than having suffered some misdeed alone, she had asked him to hold her.

That was practically treating him like one of the local thugs.

It was a very, very bad thing to do.

Throughout her time frequenting the man’s general store, she knew he was not a bad person.

Yet, instead of repaying his kindness, she had made a mess of things.

“I know I’ve been a nuisance. I’ve really come back to my senses.”

“I’ll go back now. I can’t impose on you any longer. Thank you so much for letting me stay. I will definitely repay this kindness!”

Even if she couldn’t do it right away.

She resolved to repay the man’s kindness as soon as the opportunity arose.

But the man blocked her way as she tried to leave for somewhere else.

“Where will you go if you leave here?”

“I have to go back to the church.”

She had left the church impulsively, but in the end, the only place she could go was back to the church.