TFWSDW 11

Chapter 11

‘Ugh… this just feels like a way to avoid the situation.’

I wasn’t totally convinced, but I turned my head.

“So what happened with the walk?”

‘I’m no expert, but I know how to encourage someone with low or lost self-esteem.’

I’ve watched so many shows like “My Golden Child” and “There Are No Bad Dogs In The World.”

So I decided to treat this like:

‘I’m raising a depressed puppy!’

…Scary on the outside, soft on the inside?

“Dad, I asked what happened with the walk?”

“I… received permission for it.”

“Oh, really?”

Nice! Gotcha!

I clapped my hands like crazy and showered him with praise.

“Amazing, Dad! That sounded so hard, but you actually got permission!”

The committee really didn’t have a reason to reject our walk, but hey—who cares?

“You’re really awesome! So cool!”

Dad looked flustered.

“…It wasn’t a difficult task.”

“No way, think about it. Siara said all the new Pope candidates are super talented.”

Not an exaggeration, and definitely not a lie.

Just like the protagonist Kahn, the other candidates in this game are all outstanding.

Some become enemies, some allies.

“What does that have to do with anything?”

Perfect setup.

“Dad, you already know my secret, right?”

“……”

“So do you think someone as amazing as me would’ve made the wrong choice?”

His eyes flickered with hesitation.

I didn’t miss that.

I grabbed his hand—well, just one of his fingers, since his hand was huge.

“And Siara said you used to be really, really amazing. And now…”

“A madman.”

“No, you’re just a little sick.”

“……”

I could say it with confidence.

“For every illness, there’s a cure. And what you have can be healed too.”

I’m a veteran of this game. I chose you for a reason.

I chose you as my Guardian.

You’re not like those other candidates who betray or kill the protagonist.

You won’t sell me off for some reward.

In the game, Derrick eventually loses control and becomes a villain.

But even then, his end was both tragic and heroic.

He briefly regains control, takes out a group of cultists threatening the protagonist, then takes his own life.

‘He knew he’d lose himself again, so he chose death.’

As a player, I was obsessed with his storyline—but now that I’m living it, it just feels sad.

[Love is powerful!]
[Let’s save everyone through love!]

What the heck. This system message sounds more culty than the actual cult.

I forced down my twitching expression and looked at Dad.

“Anyway, I’m going to get really strong!”

Then I leaned in and whispered softly, just for him to hear:

“Then I’ll be able to fully fix you, too.”

Instead of reacting, Dad just quietly looked at the hand I was holding.

“…Why are you being so nice to me? You can switch Guardians anytime. It’s a candidate’s right.”

That’s true… for the others.

But me? My choice is final.

“Do I need a reason? It’s because God led me to you.”

The fact that I am that “God” is a secret.

“We’re connected by fate—by divine will. A family chosen by heaven.”

“……”

I pointed at myself with a proud thumb.

[Your “Dad” is a little touched! Let’s get some fresh air together!]
[Go for a walk!]

Only “a little”? So you’re still not fully convinced?

Geez, what a stubborn guy.

‘Well, he has been living corrupted for seven years… it’s understandable.’

But from now on, we’re together as Guardian and candidate.

‘Time will fix it.’

I smiled brightly at Dad.

* * *

We stepped outside—into the garden I had wanted to visit.

‘Wow… I’m seeing this scenery in real life, not just on a screen.’

Even for a seasoned gamer like me, it was a moving experience.

[You successfully went on a walk with “Dad”!]

To be honest, there wasn’t much in the garden. Just a lot of grass and a few scattered flowers.

‘Still, in this polluted world, even this much is rare.’

I looked around carefully.

‘I think there was a hidden training dungeon around here somewhere…’

The protagonist levels up purification skills by fighting corrupted creatures.

You need that power to save the world in the end.

The dungeon is for training. And any purification used inside leaves no trace.

‘That way enemies won’t notice. I guess it’s a kind of system protection.’

Anyway, I’d done all sorts of crazy things in this game before—this place is perfect for testing.

“Are you thirsty?”

“Umm, water?”

“The air outside the temple is more polluted. You’ll get thirsty faster.”

Now that he mentioned it, I was feeling a little dry.

“There’s a water fountain nearby. Go ahead.”

Dad pulled a small dagger from his cloak and handed it to me.

“It’s small, but can you hold it?”

‘Ugh, it’s heavy…’

Maybe it’s small for you, but for me? It’s a lot.

“If anything happens, swing it.”

“Huh?”

I blinked.

“I know you can summon me. But just in case, keep this with you. It holds my power.”

“Oh, okay. I’ll be right back.”

He said it like the fountain was far away…

‘It’s literally ten steps behind us.’

This is a bit much.

Still—it felt nice.

This is the kind of world where you die the second you slip up. So this kind of overprotection?

I’m not complaining!

‘Man… this is luxury, compared to when I had those cult freaks or corrupt priests as Guardians…’

It felt great.

[You’ve earned a reward. Special Event!]
[Let’s find the Black Slime in the “Hidden Training Dungeon”!]

The system message made me grin.

I was just thinking about that!

I watched Dad walk to the water fountain, then quietly moved a bit to the side.

Didn’t need to go far. The place I was looking for was right in front of me.

‘Ah, there it is.’

I stood before the third pillar among the nearby temple columns.

The pillar had carvings like a mural. I focused on a few specific ones.

It was the second image, right?

A beast with ten horns—I pressed on its eyes and nose at the same time.

[“Hidden Training Dungeon” discovered!]

‘Ooh.’

A soft light glowed, revealing a gate with bars. Normal people wouldn’t be able to see it.

Only the protagonist with “God’s Eye” could see it.

The bars rose with a grinding sound.

Once the gate lifts, others can see it too.

‘In the game, this is where a confirmation message would pop up, asking if I want to enter…’

But this is real. So I guess I’ll just walk in.

I glanced back.

The fountain was still in sight. I could see Dad walking back toward me.

‘I should explain first and go in with him. I’m still low-level.’

…Or so I thought.

[You are now entering the “Hidden Training Dungeon.”]

…HUH?!

Wait, wait, wait! I didn’t say I was going in!

I was just checking!

HEY! HEY! SYSTEM!

A black mist flowed from the opening, grabbed me, and yanked me inside.

In the game, you had to accept the prompt to enter!!

‘If you were gonna change that, YOU SHOULD’VE SAID SOMETHING, STUPID SYSTEM!!’

I saw Dad sprinting toward me from not far away.

‘Oh no…’

This is how it’s supposed to happen, but from his point of view…

…it’s totally gonna look like I’m being kidnapped.

‘This is bad!!’

Even as I thought that, I shut my eyes tightly.

‘Damn it, if my emotionally fragile Dad breaks down again, it’s all YOUR fault!’

* * *

When I opened my eyes again—

I was inside a dark cave.

‘Ugh. I really got pulled in.’

I worried about Dad, who was left outside.

But my eyes still scanned the area instinctively.

‘It’s just like I remember.’

Thankfully, my “God’s Eye” skill let me see clearly in the darkness.

I looked around carefully.

[Welcome to the Hidden Training Dungeon!]
[Objective: Find 10 Black Slimes – 0/10]

Good, same mission the protagonist got.

“Looks like this part didn’t change.”

I crouched near a wall and scraped something off.

[You’ve obtained the item: “Black Moss.”]