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Chapter 34

"...Why do you look so exhausted?"

"It's nothing..."

Before the Crown Prince, who'd come to receive a report, I sat with a dazed expression. I couldn't even bother with formalities. It was just too shocking.

The Prophet is Mr. Park Geo-seong...

Not an 18-year-old Korean high school girl, not a working woman whose only hobby is reading romance fantasy novels after work because she has no family or friends, not someone who died in an accident...

But Park Geo-seong, the CEO of a trash company with fewer than five employees!

What the hell was wrong with this world? It wasn't mysterious at all! It didn't feel like a romance fantasy! There was no tension!

Now, the Temple no longer seemed majestic or impressive to me. It just looked like a crazy trash company.

So that's why...

Now it made sense why the Temple had such a black-company vibe. If they took Mr. Park Geo-seong's essay as their doctrine...

That essay was basically him inflating himself as an incredibly great being while justifying his unfair actions.

"Temple work must have been tough after all."

"Yes...?"

"Ahem, nothing."

As I stared blankly up at him, the Crown Prince hesitated before speaking.

"June 3rd is coming up. You know the Temple holds a festival every year on this day."

"Ah, the Great... Festival? That's it, right?"

"Yes."

Every year on June 3rd, the Temple held the Great Festival.

Originally, it was a festival with some deep meaning, but I didn't know much about that—it had just become a day for fun, like Christmas in my world. Thanks to it, we got a public holiday.

"They also hold various events in the Temple's front yard to commemorate the Great Festival. I'd like you to come with me."

"Is there something to investigate there?"

"Yes, I want to check if any suspicious activities are taking place."

"Ah, but I've entered as an intern priest, so some people might recognize me."

"Don't worry. During the Great Festival, people wear masks for amusement."

"Oh, perfect!"

"I want to see if the Temple might be using the festival as cover for suspicious activities."

"Yes, I'll help you too, Mr. Rian."

"As expected... you also hate the Temple..."

"Excuse me? Right, I did swear an oath last time."

Why was the Crown Prince looking at me with such pity?

It was a bit unsettling, but I said.

"Then I'll make preparations until that day."

---

Finally, the day of the Great Festival arrived. Perhaps because it was a rare holiday, the streets were bustling. A festive atmosphere filled the air, and cheerful music seemed to flow from somewhere.

As I was looking with interest at the various green decorations symbolizing the Great Festival, the Crown Prince appeared on horseback. I accepted his help and mounted the horse behind him.

We were both wearing green-decorated masks suited to the Great Festival.

Arriving on horseback at the wide square in front of the Temple, I saw numerous tents set up, with a large decorative structure in the center. People from the surrounding area had gathered in the square, already enjoying the festival.

Fortunately, there were quite a few other masked people besides us, so we probably wouldn't stand out.

"Oh."

Seeing a festival in this world for the first time, I marveled, then dismounted with the Crown Prince's help.

"Oh, Mr. Rian. Just in case, please call me Od."

"I'll do that."

Temple priests had come out to oversee the festival. From what I'd heard at the Temple last time, lower priests were in charge of managing it.

"Everyone, let us enjoy the spirit of Saint Great together!"

To blend in as ordinary citizens, we approached one of the tents. There, they were running a simple game where you popped balloons to win dolls.

"Would you like to try?"

"...Sure."

The Crown Prince, who'd suddenly paid money and taken a bow, aimed at the balloons.

He threw the darts at the balloons. Pop—pop—pop—they burst in succession.

...Wasn't he suspiciously good at that?

Apparently aware of it himself, the Crown Prince deliberately missed the last two. Still, he'd scored well enough to receive a doll as a prize.

"...It would look odd if I took this back with me. Od, would you take it?"

"Ah, yes."

I received the doll from him. Strange—in romance fantasies, this was supposed to be a romantic moment...

Unfortunately, the doll he gave me was far from cute. It felt like a forcibly created local mascot. Aware of the surrounding gazes, I took the doll and let out an awkward laugh.

"Where shall we go next?"

"Toward where the priests are."

The priests were gathered where the most people were. Peering through the crowd, I noticed the priests were telling fortunes for the day. The Temple did that sort of thing too?

"The Temple offers fortune-telling? ...Oh, I guess they do."

"Yes. The Temple considers money-making activities to be virtuous."

Thoroughly capitalist and Korean-style...

Soon, it was our turn. We took seats in front of one of the priests.

Fortunately, it was a priest I'd never met before. I wouldn't have to worry about being recognized by voice.

"What kind of fortune would you like? Financial luck, love luck, career luck, moving luck, business luck..."

"Business luck."

"Business luck."

Surprisingly, the Crown Prince gave the same answer at the same time. I looked at him with unfamiliar eyes for a moment. Well, running a country could be seen as a kind of business too.

"Then Mr. Rian, you go first..."

"No, let's see yours first, Od. Your business luck affects me as well, doesn't it?"

Ah, was he talking about the development of my information guild? Grateful for his consideration, I gladly asked about my business luck.

"I'm the CEO, and I'd like to know my business luck."

"Yes, let me take a look."

After drawing something like tarot cards, the priest began explaining my business luck.

"Oh, your company has a benefactor. Thanks to this benefactor, your company will grow greatly in the future."

"Huh? A benefactor? Who?"

For some reason, the Crown Prince gulped beside me. At that moment, I realized.

"Ah! I'm the benefactor!"

I was also a member of the company! There's no way there's a benefactor other than me!

I felt both the Crown Prince and the priest looking at me strangely, but I shrugged.

"It seems I'm the benefactor."

"...Anyway, your company will grow, and there's a lot of work coming your way."

"Oh, a lot of work—that's great."

"...Hmm."

The Crown Prince seemed to let out a sigh, but I listened intently to the priest. The gist was that things would go well.

When we tried to leave after that, the priest stopped us.

"Don't you want to see yours, sir?"

"Yes, Mr. Rian, would you like to see your business luck too?"

"No, I..."

The Crown Prince hesitated, then said.

"I'll have my love luck read instead."

Ah, had he already met the original heroine? It wasn't quite the right time yet, but maybe he'd developed an interest?

When the Crown Prince drew a card, the priest's eyes widened. He exclaimed in wonder.

"Oh, your love luck is just arriving right now! It seems you'll fall for the other person before they fall for you!"

"Who on earth would I..."

"I don't know either, but the other person's energy is very strong. They seem to be above you, sir."

Was the original heroine's energy that strong? As expected of a female-protagonist-centered story.

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