NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 73
Once the roles were more or less assigned, I found myself left with nothing to do. The three of them seemed ready to wrap up the discussion and started to get up from their seats. I quickly raised my hand.
“What about me? What do I do?”
Bael, who was still holding me, chuckled softly and gently patted my hair.
“Reshi, your role is to focus on growing up until you stop speaking with that lisp. Enjoying your childhood to the fullest is your responsibility.”
“So, that’s… basically just saying I shouldn’t do anything.”
Axel let out a dry laugh at my reaction.
“Of course. Right now, you’re just a kid. You’d only get in the way.”
“That’s… true, but… still….”
I tried to argue, but this child’s body came with too many limitations. To make matters worse, I couldn’t even use black magic or divine power properly in my current state. Knowing my limits has always been my strength, so I had no choice but to accept this for now.
‘If only I could clear my name from those murder charges, I might be able to use magic again.’
I stroked my chin thoughtfully and spoke to the three of them.
“I want to clear my name as a murderer. I don’t care about my reputation, but I need magic to fight.”
“…I was actually going to bring that up,” Axel said cautiously.
“There’s been a report from the Tower’s intelligence bureau about someone resembling Hazen, Greslin’s disciple. As they pursued this lead, it seems Hazen has ties to Duke Kreutz.”
“So… that incident might be related to the Mad Dragon too?”
“Probably.”
“Then even more reason to…”
“The murder charges,” Axel interrupted before I could finish.
“Kirke is already looking into that.”
“!”
I wasn’t the only one surprised by Axel’s words. Servian and Bael just smiled knowingly, as if they’d already been informed.
Axel lightly tapped my forehead with his finger.
“So, your job is really to focus on growing up and staying safe. Got it?”
* * *
Back in my room, I fell deep into thought. Focusing on ‘growing up’ as my top priority was the right advice.
‘With a body this small, there’s not much I can do.’
There were ten years until the prophesied day. I needed to grow steadily without rushing!
But to do that, I first had to extend my lifespan, which was now less than three years.
‘It’s such a hassle that I have to keep going to the temple to extend my lifespan through donations…’
I was an incredible lazybones who had devoted myself to magical research precisely to avoid such inconveniences. The mere thought of having to repeatedly go to the temple and go through the donation process was exhausting.
“Isn’t there any way to get around this? Going to the temple all the time is such a bother!”
I shouted this out loud, partly hoping someone would hear, and then opened the Heaven Market.
With a *pop*, the list of items appeared before me.
‘As expected, new items have been added!’
There’s no way those folks from Heaven would miss the opportunity to tempt me into spending my coins. I chuckled and selected the item that was perfect for a lazy person like me.
**[Portable Grand Temple Altar (Bundle Type)]**
*A portable grand temple altar designed for subscribers who find it burdensome to visit distant temples. It is crafted in the form of a bundle that can be folded into a compact size, making it highly portable. Whenever and wherever you unfold the bundle, it functions just like a temple altar! A must-have for subscribers who wish to make donations conveniently.*
– **Price**: 50,000,000 coins
– **Note**: It has the same functions as the grand altar in the temple.
– **Note**: The physical Heaven Coins will automatically be transferred to the temple.
50 million coins wasn’t a small amount, but the convenience of not having to rush to the temple every time I needed to make a donation was too enticing to pass up. Without hesitation, I purchased the item.
**[Message from Heaven]**
*(Notification)* You have purchased the **[Portable Grand Temple Altar (Bundle Type)]**. Would you like to receive it immediately?
– [Yes/No]
I selected “Yes,” and as soon as I did, a box materialized in the air and my coin balance updated.
**● Current Coins**: 3,060,363,200
I had spent 50 million coins following the previous purchase of the magnifying glass, reducing my total by 100 million. Still, seeing that the leading digit was 3 gave me a sense of stability.
I opened the box and spread out the portable altar bundle, mentally calculating as I did so.
‘How long should I extend my subscription this time?’
It seemed wiser to secure a moderate extension rather than donate all at once. After all, who knows when I might need to purchase an expensive item from the Heaven Market?
‘Those Heaven folks might suddenly offer something I absolutely need, and it could cost billions.’
Given their track record, this was entirely possible. Sure, I could earn more coins by completing quests, but being the lazy person I am, I’d prefer to manage with the coins I currently had.
‘Let’s go with a 10-year extension for now!’
Since I knew that as long as the subscription was active, I wouldn’t die, all I needed to do was keep extending it at the right times.
‘Plus, there’s the card draw bonus with each donation, and I still have four card slots left…’
I quickly did the math.
10 years equals 120 months.
The monthly subscription fee is 10,000 Heaven Coins.
So, a 10-year subscription would cost 1.2 million Heaven Coins.
‘I’ll donate 300,000 coins four times!’
Having devised my plan, I eagerly spread out the altar bundle. A mysterious energy emanated from the opened bundle.
“Oink, give me 300,000 gold coins right here.”
With a few taps on my hip, Oink obediently poured the gold coins onto the bundle. I clasped my hands together, recalling the donation procedure, and began to pray.
‘Hello, gods of Heaven. It’s my second time greeting you. This time, I especially want to express my deep gratitude to the God of Frugality. Thanks to you, I’ve become quite wealthy in coins! Please keep sending those delightful missions my way!’
As I poured genuine sincerity into my prayer, the air around me seemed to ripple. I ignored the donation confirmation message that appeared and continued my prayer.
‘And, by the way, would it be possible to have a second-hand marketplace in Heaven Market? Not that I’m being stingy about the magnifying glass I used just once, but resources are precious, and we shouldn’t waste them like this. Please consider it. And…’
Before I could finish all that I wanted to say, a bright flash filled my vision.
**[Message from Heaven]**
*(Notice)* Donation of Heaven Coins Complete!
– Donation Amount: 300,000 Coins
– Subscription Extension: 30 months
– Remaining Subscription Period: 5 years and 13 days
As soon as I confirmed the contents, another message popped up.
**[Message from Heaven]**
*(Notice)* Donation Reward Draw
You have earned a chance to draw a reward. The likelihood of receiving a higher-tier reward increases with the amount of coins donated.
**[Donation Reward Draw]**
Having gone through this once before, I didn’t hesitate. I immediately pressed the ‘Donation Reward Draw’ button. A small message window flashed quickly in and out, repeating the process. It was just like the last time.
But there was something different this time.
**[Blessing of Fortune: Active]**
**[Donation Amount Probability Adjustment: Complete]**
**[Draw: Complete]**
‘So, this time I have the Blessing of Fortune!’
I wasn’t sure how much of an impact this blessing would have, but I figured it would likely increase the chances of getting a better card compared to a regular draw.
As the final completion message faded, a card appeared before my eyes, glowing softly with a violet light and adorned with a sacred mark. I immediately flipped it over.
**[Half Price Coin Bonanza (Mythical)]**
You can purchase any item in the Heaven Market at a 50% discount. If an item is already discounted, the higher discount rate will apply.
– **Note**: You can hold up to 5 divine cards.
– **Note**: Only the highest-grade card of the same type will be effective. Any duplicates will be automatically destroyed.
– **Card Grades**: Common < Rare < Heroic < Legendary < Mythical