Chapter 61

There was one way to avoid getting a game over when the required amount wasn’t met.

It was to offer one of the party members as food for the monsters.

After sacrificing people one by one like that, if even the final remaining person failed to meet the required amount, it would be a complete game over.

‘But doesn’t this require five people?’

The Sla2Plate I knew required a party of five before the game could begin.

There were parts of the structure that made progressing with fewer people impossible.

The trial would probably require five people to enter as well.

As I waited quietly, Samra explained exactly as expected.

“Because this trial requires five people to enter, we will add one suitable person and enter the trial.”

After saying he would bring an appropriate person from among the suitable candidates of the Trial Response Agency, Samra looked at me silently.

“Why did you not use Escape?”

“Ah, that… I thought I could clear it, so I saved the item.”

“Items can be created as many times as necessary. From now on, please make sure to use them. As I said before, there is no one more important than Han Goyo-ssi in the current Republic of Korea.”

The wall of electronic devices behind him moved like a wave, surrounding me from all directions.

Inside the countless screens were horrifying disasters.

Scenes created by trials that had hatched around the world.

Samra, who had approached me before I knew it, quietly added,

“Now, it would not be an exaggeration to say the entire world.”

“……”

“In fact, countries around the world have begun to recognize Han Goyo-ssi’s existence. From now on, you will need to be even more careful about your safety.”

“Yes… I’ll be careful.”

“What happened to the NPC that caused the system error?”

He is currently moving energetically from my left shoulder to my right shoulder.

I made sure not to look at Dominic and answered with something different from what I was thinking.

“He seems to still be trapped inside CallOVo.”

I could hear Dominic laughing.

He did not interrupt my conversation with Samra, as befitting a gentleman, but he was clearly enjoying watching.

Actually, I had considered telling Samra that I had made a contract with Dominic.

However, I couldn’t completely trust Samra enough to do that.

He could not perform actions that harmed humanity.

But Dominic was obviously an existence harmful to humanity from anyone’s perspective.

If Samra decided to eliminate Dominic immediately, it would become troublesome.

And if Dominic ended up being taken away to the research division…

I could easily imagine Dominic being shocked by the rudeness of Earth’s people and wiping out the Trial Response Agency.

‘If he got a little more shocked after that, he’d probably destroy Earth too.’

I had gone through so much trouble to turn him into a pudding slime. That couldn’t happen.

For now, the proper order was to try and reform Dominic as much as I could myself, and if I truly couldn’t handle him, ask Samra for help as a last resort.

“Han Goyo-ssi.”

“Yes…?”

The problem was that Samra had recorded all of my physical reactions, making it far too easy for him to detect lies.

When he stared at me again with his holographic eyes shining, I had no choice but to add,

“Samra. Please trust me.”

Hearing the same words he had once said to me, Samra narrowed his eyes.

He let out a quiet sigh.

“The Trial Response Agency is observing the continuous occurrence of abnormal phenomena surrounding Han Goyo-ssi.”

It was also a warning that I wouldn’t be able to hide these abnormalities forever.

And that was a problem I had already considered.

Especially the incident that occurred in Clean3 was at a level where I wouldn’t have been able to say anything even if I had been dragged into an interrogation room immediately.

‘So that’s why he didn’t remove the restraints.’

Perhaps Samra was protecting me from suspicion as much as he could.

Showing obvious favoritism toward me would not be beneficial, so he was probably deliberately acting according to the rules.

‘Lieutenant Colonel Je and the captains too… did they take my side?’

If they had reported everything that happened, I wouldn’t be discussing entering another trial right now.

I would already have been locked inside a special containment facility.

The question came first.

Samra had a clear reason for protecting me.

Even setting aside Je Hyun-oh, who never said anything anyway, I couldn’t understand why the captains would support a one-month trainee like me.

I slowly opened my mouth.

“…If I close Sla2Plate this time.”

And then I explained my plan to Samra.

“I’m going to negotiate with the Trial Response Agency. I’ll properly establish my position and share the information I have in more detail.”

At my determination to escape the status of a one-month trainee, Samra finally relaxed his expression.

In a surprisingly gentle voice for an android, he said,

“All members of the Special Mission Team were worried about Han Goyo-ssi’s safety.”

“I’m sorry…”

After hearing my apology, Samra stared at me silently, as if something still bothered him.

Then he added one more thing.

“Han Goyo-ssi. I am also part of the Special Mission Team.”

I looked at him, wondering why he was stating something so obvious.

Samra repeated himself more clearly.

“That means I was also worried about Han Goyo-ssi.”

It seemed like he was telling me not to do anything reckless and to stay safe, so I apologized again.

Samra still looked dissatisfied, but he promised me his support.

“For now, focus only on closing the trial. Do not worry about anything else. I will assist you.”

Samra really was a kind android.

Of course, he was probably being kind because I was a necessary existence to him, but results mattered more than the process.

After adding another lie—that I had not received the item rewards from CallOVo because it was an unhatched trial—I finally managed to move on to another topic.

When we had finished discussing the current situation of the Trial Response Agency, Samra asked,

“Is there anything you need?”

It was the same as when I had requested a neat appearance during Clean3. He was asking whether there was any item I needed.

However, I asked for something else.

After hearing my request, Samra’s expression became strange, but he promised to provide the item.

After leaving Samra’s virtual space, I moved to the quarters inside the Trial Response Agency.

Even while being escorted to the containment area, I was still wearing the restraints, and they were only removed once we reached the door.

Leaving behind the soldiers who looked at me unfavorably, I entered the room.

Maybe I had gotten attached after only using it for a few days. Even though it was called a containment room, it was simply comfortable and pleasant.

I placed the pudding slime on the table and took off my uniform first.

Dominic crawled around on top of the table and asked,

“What kind of existence is Han Goyo-ssi here?”

I was about to take off my shirt, but I hesitated for a moment.

I understood the meaning behind his question.

It seemed Dominic had noticed that the door to my containment room could only be opened from the outside.

This time, I had no excuse.

After thinking for a moment, I honestly explained my situation.

“Actually, I… am considered a dangerous existence.”

I confessed that although I was a young god here, I was not in a position where I was worshipped.

Dominic crawled over to the edge of the table.

Even if he fell, nothing would happen to him.

Even if he broke, it would probably just be the floor of the containment room that broke, but I instinctively held out my hand.

It was a side effect of making him look far too cute.

Dominic seemed to interpret it as an invitation and slowly climbed onto my palm.

“……”

I held my breath.

The sensation was too pleasant.

If I didn’t put strength into controlling myself, I felt like I might just start squishing him without thinking.

‘I heard playing with soft, squishy things like this is popular these days.’

For a moment, I enjoyed the latest trend.

“Han Goyo-ssi.”

The pudding on my palm spoke to me.

“Please do not be too discouraged. Their actions are an entirely normal defensive mechanism.”

A faint glow flowed from the pudding.

The impossible, unrealistic sparkle that resembled starlight shining during the day created a comforting feeling.

“Humans cannot endure Han Goyo-ssi’s true nature. It is an enormous amount of information that they cannot comprehend, so they instinctively feel fear toward you.”

The voice that reached me was low and deep, making me feel as if I had sunk into a comfortable bed in a quiet counseling room.

I looked down at Dominic for a while before calling his name.

“Dominic-ssi.”

“Yes, Han Goyo-ssi.”

Dominic seemed like he was about to continue speaking, but he stopped himself and waited for me.

His advice was helpful.

Helpful enough that I felt like I could rely on him.

But I recalled the deranged patients I had seen in CallOVo and reminded myself to stay cautious.

‘Be careful.’

Before Dominic could continue his counseling, I quickly offered him another distraction.

“I brought something interesting. It’s something that will let you learn about this place’s culture.”

It was the tablet PC I had asked Samra for.

It did not have an internet connection, but it contained a wealth of data.

The audiovisual materials I prepared so Dominic would not be bored while I slept were various transformation hero shows.

The reason I chose them was simple.

Most of them were stories about fighting for dreams, love, friendship, and justice.

Either way, Dominic regaining his memories was an unavoidable disaster waiting to happen.

Until then, I planned to guide Dominic toward more positive thinking as much as possible.

Additionally, my goal was to make him develop a favorable impression of Earth.

‘So that when Dominic’s memories return, he won’t destroy Earth.’

“Please watch this for a while. I’m going to wash up.”

“Understood, Han Goyo-ssi.”

I left Dominic on the bed and set up the tablet for him.

After taking a leisurely shower and coming back out, I found Dominic watching the audiovisual educational material with great interest.

When I sat on the bed wearing my pajamas, Dominic greeted me.

“You came at a good time. I have many questions.”

With his soft body, Dominic tapped the tablet and moved the scenes to the parts he wanted.

Even though I had never taught him how to use it, he was already skilled at handling machines.

After playing a scene where the heroes transformed, Dominic asked,

“Han Goyo-ssi. Why do their enemies wait while they are changing forms?”

“It’s something like a rule. Attacking someone while they are introducing themselves is considered a very dishonorable act.”

“Courtesy, then. In that case, Han Goyo-ssi, why do they fight while wearing such inconvenient clothing? It does not seem suitable as attire for soldiers in battle.”

“The more flashy the design of the clothing, the stronger the attack power becomes. If you look there, the more like a supporting character someone is, the more ordinary their clothes are, right?”

“Hmm, I understand. Then, Han Goyo-ssi.”

The slime threw itself against the tablet again.

This time, it was the scene after the transformation where they struck a pose and shouted their lines.

Pointing at the colorful heroes, Dominic asked,

“Are their personalities determined by their colors?”

“Uh… I think their colors are determined based on their personalities.”

“Is that so? Heroes are beings formed with fixed personalities.”

I answered Dominic’s questions while watching the video together for a while.

‘Aren’t villains way too cool these days?’

I worried that Dominic might end up finding the villains more appealing than the heroes.

But I couldn’t take the tablet away from the slime that was watching so attentively.

And if I went down to children’s videos, I felt Dominic would probably find them boring.

While glancing at the slime, I eventually fell asleep at some point.

And the next morning.

I woke up to the sound of gunfire and explosions.