I Gain Infinite Gold Just By Waiting-Chapter 215: Episode 3-1_Maintenance (1)
Episode 215
Chapter 3-1. Maintenance (1)
1.
The world ran just fine without him.
Kim Buja knew that, which was why he could enter the Gold Mission with a clear conscience.
In the month he had been gone, a simple method of entering the Ice Castle had spread, the number of hunters had increased, and the dungeon was no longer an object of fear. For those at the top, it had simply become a place they needed to hurry to and farm points.
All that had changed in just a single month.
Even just watching the videos—seeing the Arctic turned into a marketplace and people streaming out of the Ice Castle—was reassuring.
So he hadn’t bothered to go himself.
’They’ll handle it.’
Jeong Seora was a capable player. And the Jeong Cheol Guild was more than qualified as a guild, given that they had held the uncontested number one spot since the national competition.
’As long as the Ice Castle Lord doesn’t suddenly throw a tantrum or something.’
There was one thing that worried him, but if that worry were going to become reality, things wouldn’t have stayed quiet for over a month.
More than anything, this Gold Mission was one he was sure would be a healing Chapter.
[Maintenance]
▶ Grade: Chapter 3-1
▶ Objective: Officially establish the “Black Magic Cult” religious order
▶ Reward: SVIP Promotion Stone (2), 200,000 Gold
If the founding of the cult hadn’t involved that semi-forced negotiation with the Pope, this Chapter might have been difficult as well.
Religion wasn’t something you could create just by declaring it; it only flourished when people believed. And even if you had believers, you still had to build an order and gather enough power to represent the strength of that religion.
That part could have been a problem.
Right now, the Black Magic Cult had the imperial princess and the saintess, both of whom were being rejected by the continent. Who would believe in such a cult and build an order for it?
’Without Cassius, this would have been completely impossible.’
It was entirely thanks to his Gold that he had been able to bring out Cassius and win the holy war, but even if he wanted to brag, he knew the single most important factor had been the dragon.
The Calamity of the Continent.
Even if the battle had ended the same way, there was a world of difference between the Pope submitting to Kim Buja’s power and submitting to a dragon’s. In the former case, the Pope would never have surrendered.
Either way, thanks to that, things had gone smoothly, and he intended to squeeze every last benefit he could out of it.
“I’m here!”
“Buja!”
With those plans in mind, he entered the Gold Mission. When he arrived at Tehran Castle—not the imperial capital, but a place that held even more meaning for the imperial princess after the fall of the Empire—she came out to greet him.
It was no longer a stretch to call it a “castle.” Enough people lived there now, and the air was warm. It had become a residential city, gloomy in some corners, but filled with people praying for the Black Magic Cult and many more sending supplies in hopes of the Empire’s restoration.
If you just removed the words “Black Magic Cult,” the scene actually looked warm and full of affection.
It was probably because the imperial princess and the saintess were there.
“I think Seria has finally let go of any lingering attachment to the Temple.”
“Seems that way.”
Her absolute faith in God and the resulting aversion to the Black Magic Cult had been her defining traits. But the saintess’s initial prejudices had been worn down considerably as the imperial princess dragged her around. The pure smile she offered him suggested she had come to trust him as well.
The few remaining imperial knights, including Kallis, were once again donning clean armor and rebuilding their order.
“So we’ve at least laid the groundwork?”
Of course, this wasn’t the end. No one inside these walls thought it was. They weren’t dreaming of lofty ideals as they reminisced about their glorious past.
This was about reconstruction. They had only just opened the tiniest path toward the obvious goal of rebuilding the dynasty that had been unjustly toppled and shattered.
So there was no room for joy. This was nothing more than a small crack they had driven into the alliance between the Allied Nations and the Temple.
More importantly, the true enemy they needed to topple had not even shown itself yet.
The Temple was powerful and large, but not truly strong. They had simply shared the name of the God that formed the basis of that strength and been more widely recognized for it, which was why they had been easy to defeat.
The Allied Forces were different. For them, their justification was their power. They had an army more powerful than any religion or god’s name.
So this was only the beginning. This place was the tiny force that would stand against them. The place where that power would gather.
“It would have been nice if it were the imperial capital, though.”
This was the only land they had gained through the dragon Cassius’s power.
“Let’s build the order.”
They just had to keep moving forward, one step at a time.
The castle was livelier than ever.
* * *
One day passed, then two.
Time on the continent felt distinctly different from time on Earth.
“You can see the stars, the air is clean, there are mountains, tons of bugs... it’s nice.”
It was only natural. On Earth, if he wanted a change of pace, he could just enter a dungeon, but this was something else entirely.
Another world. A reality like Earth, but with a completely different landscape. A place where he could climb onto the castle wall at night, lie down, use the sky as his blanket, and enjoy the night view without a care.
“What is happening in your world, Buja? Is it as dangerous and frightening as the continent?”
Beside him, the imperial princess sat with bright, sparkling eyes, chatting to keep him company. The thin dress that shimmered in the moonlight didn’t look the least bit provocative, tempered by her noble bearing.
She was beautiful. It almost felt like she shone brighter than the starlight as she met his gaze.
Before he knew it, he found himself talking.
“Earth is... about as much of a mess as the continent these days. Dungeons started appearing outside, too.”
Just as he had told Jeong Seora about the continent, telling the imperial princess about Earth gave him a thrill that went beyond simply talking about his life.
’Maybe this is how it feels to be the one spreading new culture.’
He was telling them about things they could never experience, and the trust that came from someone who believed every word only made his own trust in them grow.
It was true that his feelings as a man were developing with Jeong Seora, so at some point, he had started treating the imperial princess more like a cute little sister. Even so, that didn’t change the fact that she was precious to him.
She was the only person on the continent he could truly open up to. The one person he might even tell the most important secret about his class—something he couldn’t bring himself to tell Jeong Seora.
So he said, “This could turn into a long fight.”
“Yes. I know.”
It wasn’t just because he worried about her or wanted to protect her. Just as she had watched him, he had watched her and knew how strong she was. If it had been him in her place, he might not have been able to endure the reality she had faced. But the imperial princess had endured it, overcome it, and was still moving forward.
He wanted to know if that resolve had crumbled.
Anyone who finds a small refuge in the middle of despair tends to settle there. Most people are satisfied with the little haven they finally managed to secure and give up. Not because they are weak, but because it was so incredibly hard to obtain.
If something you had fought so desperately to build was taken from you again, could you really keep fighting?
Because she wasn’t fighting alone, he worried about it even more.
“I will not break. I will rebuild the Empire and restore peace to the continent. For the imperial citizens who were sacrificed, and for those who are still being sacrificed.”
The imperial princess worried, but she did not compromise. The root of that unshakable trust, that certainty, pointed straight at him.
“Please, stay with me until the end, Buja.”
Her expression was earnest. There was one thing she could not afford to lose. The only thing that could shake her.
It didn’t feel burdensome. He was the one who had made her this way in the first place.
He averted his gaze in mock embarrassment and replied, “I’m kind of expensive, you know. I’m going to need some extra pay. When you rebuild the Empire, am I getting a cut of the spoils?”
He heard a soft laugh. She, more than anyone, knew he was joking. She had already been making her feelings clear, hadn’t she?
Her plump lips tightened as she got a little worked up. She grabbed his face and turned it back toward her.
Their eyes met. Her resolute gaze came right up to his as she enunciated each word.
“Did I not tell you last time?”
Her gentle voice carried a faint, sweet scent as it brushed his nose. Her unwavering eyes conveyed her will.
Smooch.
Softness brushed his lips.
“I said I would give you everything.”
The smiling imperial princess was no longer a girl.
Without realizing it, Kim Buja nodded.
* * *
Building the Black Magic Cult’s order went smoothly. It was simply a matter of restoring a castle that had fallen into disrepair and setting up shop inside.
It wasn’t that big, either. The castle itself was large enough to hold a decent number of people, but compared to the imperial capital, it had been built more as a strategic fortress and was on the smaller side.
Still, no one complained.
“What’s the point of making it big? Just throw something together. Later, we’ll take the Temple in the imperial capital and make it ours.”
Since the cult leader, Kim Buja, didn’t put much weight on it, it was only natural that no one else did. It might be a religious order, but its leader and elders were people who prioritized rebuilding the Empire over believing in a god.
“The cult is meant to be a modest one, right?”
“Exactly. What does size have to do with faith?”
“The temples just fleece people for money to build their gaudy monstrosities. The Black Magic Cult is different.”
This philosophy resonated deeply with the cult members.
As a result, they threw themselves into the construction with genuine enthusiasm, providing unwavering support that saw the buildings rise in no time.
There was no real interference to speak of.
From what he’d heard, the Allied Forces were too busy carving up power among themselves, and their falling-out with the Temple gave them plenty else to worry about.
One day passed, then two.
For Kim Buja, who spent his time on dates with the imperial princess, this was a rare moment of pure relaxation.
’If only things could stay like this forever.’
Though he’d suffered as a miner on the third floor of the Tower of Trials, smashing eggs in agony, he had since reaped the rewards and was now on the verge of a rank-up.
In the end, a good result forgives even the most grueling process.
And when the process itself wraps up, will it be comfortable? Even better.
’Unless the demon race suddenly invades the continent or something, I should be able to cruise all the way through Chapter 3.’
Looking back, Chapters 1 and 2 had been nothing but one grueling day after another.
The moment he set foot on the continent, there had been no time to rest—just nonstop battles, wars, and even a dragon.
The future would likely be the same.
There were still plenty of dangers he had yet to face, and as he’d just thought, he had to keep the possibility of the demon race showing up in mind.
For now, however, it was time to rest.
Or at least, it should be, through Chapter 3-1.
To make that happen, all he needed to do was hurry up, finish building the cult’s base, and go back.
That small wish was shattered by the sudden appearance of a red-haired woman who materialized before Kim Buja and the imperial princess during their late-night walk.
“What happened to the lord?”
The woman appeared out of nowhere, grabbing Kim Buja by the collar as she spoke.
* * *
