Chapter 3

I slapped my cheeks a few times to clear my head.

‘Let’s get out of here.’

If I wanted to avoid running into Daddy, I needed to go as far away from the capital as possible.

I recalled my conversation with God.

[I shall seal the connection between you and Dantellion Klein. He will completely forget your very existence.]

God had said that.

Daddy’s memories of me—even the memory that I had ever been born—had been sealed.

A complete erasure of my existence.

But—

[However, remember this, child. There is no such thing as perfect concealment in this world. You must avoid meeting him at all costs.]

“……”

[You now know how obsessive he can be when it comes to you. Even a small stimulus could weaken my power and allow him to remember you.]

“Yes. I will never, ever, EVER go looking for Daddy or meet him! I swear!”

In other words, I absolutely could not meet Daddy again because I didn’t know what kind of stimulus my existence might become for him.

That was fine.

I had already decided where I would live!

“Ungh!”

I opened the door of an old shack.

It was the ramshackle hut where I had lived for a while with the old woman who had taken me in.

“Where was that……? Ah! Here!”

I found the paper where I had been practicing writing, tucked away inside a small chest.

When I unfolded the crumpled paper and flipped it over, its original purpose became clear.

— Seeking New Residents —

Location: Northern Grand Duchy of Vertus

Basic Benefits: House provided, land provided, 100% tax exemption for the first year after relocation

Eligibility: Anyone

• The applicant is responsible for their own relocation. Please conduct a preliminary inspection before moving.
• However, the lord will not be held responsible for death, bodily injury, mental trauma, or other consequences resulting from reckless preliminary inspections.

This was it!

A relocation advertisement for the North that had once been distributed all over the Empire!

‘If I go there, they’ll give me a house and land.’

It was perfect for a six-year-old like me to live independently.

I clenched both fists.

“Okay. This life, I’m going to the North!”

Without Daddy.

All by myself!

I wouldn’t become a burden to anyone anymore, and I wouldn’t make anyone sad.

“I’m going to become independent and live well all by myself!”

At that moment, the white lights fluttered and flew up!

I had exactly two goals.

1. Eat well and live well without Daddy knowing!

2. And if possible, secretly help purify Daddy’s holy power!

I crouched on the floor and tilted my head.

“Hmm……”

The first one was something I’d have to settle after going to the North.

“I guess the first problem is meeting the Grand Duke of the North……”

Just thinking of the Grand Duke whom I’d seen briefly in my previous life made my chest feel tight.

‘Grand Duke Basil Vertus.’

He was the hero of the Empire who had reclaimed the land ruled by the Mad Dragon for five hundred years in a single sweep.

Basil was the strongest of the strong.

He was also the only person who could rival Daddy.

If Daddy, who wielded holy power, was the Guardian of Light, then Basil, who could sweep away everything around him with his innate physical strength, was like a destroyer who had risen from hell.

‘In short, aside from martial prowess, he and Daddy are TOTALLY opposite!’

Anyway, Basil had as many nicknames as the military achievements he had accumulated.

War Demon.

Sword God.

The Butcher.

The King of Slaughter……

‘M-maybe he’s a little scary…….’

“No! I’m independent now!”

I vigorously shook my head.

What was the basic principle of independence?

Solve your own problems!

So I had no choice but to face things head-on!

1. Eat well and live well without Daddy knowing! → Go to the North, settle down, and become a resident!

I scribbled in the dust on the floor and smiled in satisfaction.

The problem was the second one.

2. Help purify Daddy’s holy power! → ……?

How was I supposed to do that?

“I don’t have any purification powers……”

If I stopped Daddy from regressing, I could prevent his holy power from becoming even more corrupted.

But……

What about the holy power that was already corrupted?

Surely I had to do something about that too.

“Cough.”

For some reason…… my chest was feeling tighter.

I shook my head again.

“No. I’m independent now, so I have to solve this myself too. So…… uuuuuugh, you fruit fly! Why are you bothering me like this? When are you going home?!”

Unable to take it anymore, I spoke to the white light that had been flying circles around me.

Seriously, what was this thing?

A pet fly was definitely not part of my independence plan!

I could barely feed myself as it was!

Just then—

[ㅇ린@#,ㅊ독…ㄹㅂ#^!$#…@#%다!]

The white fragments suddenly began moving rapidly.

Then—

‘Huh?’

Bababababang!

They exploded right in front of me!

“Waaaah! The fly!”

I told you to go home!

I didn’t mean explode!

At that moment, pure white letters appeared where the fragments had disappeared.

[Frequency readjustment complete. Stabilization complete!]

“Huh?”

Pop!

[Child, congratulations on your first independent life!]

What…… was this?

[Children who decide to become independent early deserve special encouragement.]

[A ‘reward’ for novice independent living has arrived.]

[Child, would you like to receive your reward?]

“What is th—!”

I was so surprised that I flailed my hands around and accidentally pressed [Yes!] out of the choices [Yes] [Yep-yep :-)] [Yup!].

The moment I did—

The white letters turned red.

[Unable to receive!] [Unable to receive!]

[To receive the reward, you must complete an ‘errand.’]

Kyaaaaaaa!

The bright-red letters were scary!

‘More importantly…… an errand?!’

Wait.

That was a word I’d heard somewhere before……

“Th-then again!”

My eyes widened.

At the same time, the white letters began changing rapidly.

[Checking errand list……]

[An errand from the God of Fate has arrived!]

[Checking contents……]

Beep—beep—

The letters blinked.

For some reason, I swallowed nervously.

Pop!

[Errand from the God of Fate:

Drink water (0/1)]

“……?”

[“If you eat bread while running, it can get stuck in your throat, and your fate will be to die.”]

……Excuse me?

But after seeing the next message, I had no choice but to dash toward the cup of water.

[Errand Reward: 1 Pure, Pollution-Free Holy Power Sticker]

Yes!!!!!

Gulp, gulp, gulp.

I blew gently on the rainwater I’d collected before drinking it and blinked.

I could feel the lump of bread stuck around my chest sliding down.

‘That’s right. I can collect holy power!’

Come to think of it, that was true.

Near the end of my conversation with God……

[Child. Now go back to the mortal world. Go and live your new life.]

“Buuuuuh.”

[Go. Come on. I said go.]

“Buuuuuuuuuh!”

[What do you want?!]

“You said humans have to take responsibility for what they do! Then God should take responsibility too!”

[What?]

“You said my soul was originally supposed to be born in the divine realm. So why did you let me be born as my Daddy’s daughter by mistake?”

I had argued my case with God point by point.

Maybe because I’d spent so much time reading books while bedridden in my previous life, but I was fairly smart for my age.

“If you think about it, isn’t all of this because of God’s negligence? This is totally something I should…… sue you for?!”

[Ah, I am a god, and yet I have to listen to this…… What exactly do you want?!]

“Help me! Help me purify Daddy’s corrupted holy power! If you do that, I’ll do anything you tell me to!”

God had let out several deep sighs before saying that He would look for an appropriate method.

‘This must be that method!’

Gulp, gulp!

‘An item containing holy power.’

Gulp.

Pause for breath.

Gulp!

‘It’s perfect for me. My body doesn’t have a core capable of storing holy power.’

Gulp, gulp, gaaasp!

“I drank it all!”

[Congratulations! You have completed the errand!]

[Would you like to receive your reward?]

This time, I answered confidently.

“Yeeeeeeeees!”

Immediately, a bright cluster of light appeared before my eyes.

Then—

Plop.

A thumbs-up sticker neatly landed in my cupped hands.

“Whoa!”

[illu001]

[Sticker condensed with holy power from the divine realm]

• Its energy is pure.
• Excellent adhesion.
• Increases cuteness by approximately 20% when attached.
• Purifies corruption within a certain range.

My eyes became as huge as saucers.

—Purifies corruption within a certain range.

“This is it!”

With holy power this pure, I could save Daddy from corruption!

I could collect them little by little and then find an opportunity to secretly send them to Daddy?!

‘And maybe…… it could even be a huge help when I live in the North!’

I’d heard that it was difficult to do even basic farming in the North because of demonic energy.

Holy power could purify demonic energy too, so I could show the Grand Duke that I had some usefulness!

I wiggled my bottom excitedly as I stared at the sparkling space in front of me.

“Another one? Aren’t you going to give me another errand?”

Preferably something like ‘eat half a piece of bread’!

But no matter how long I waited, the white letters did not appear again.

“……Is that all for today?”

Well, it couldn’t be helped.

I tucked the thumbs-up sticker deep inside my old bag.

Then I scurried around the inside of the hut, packing my belongings for the journey.

‘It’s almost time to move!’

That’s right.

I actually didn’t have time to stay here.

Because……

‘The holy knights will soon storm into District Z.’

Just like in my previous life!

‘If the holy knights catch me, an orphan like me will be sent straight to the temple orphanage!’

And then the chances of running into Daddy would become WAY too high.

Of course…… Daddy wasn’t coming here today.

Looking around such a remote area wasn’t the job of a First-Class Holy Knight and Commander of the Holy Knights.

In my previous life, Daddy had come here solely to save me.

“Sweetheart.”

As I remembered those large, warm hands that had lifted me into his arms, I couldn’t help but sniffle a little.

“Gasp! No crying! I have to stay focused!”

Anyway, I needed to leave District Z immediately and head north.

Without getting caught by the holy knights!

Fortunately, I knew someone who could take me all the way to the distant North.

“Okay.”

I adjusted the strap of my bag and put on a solemn expression.

“Let’s go!”

I charged straight toward the door of the hut—

Knock, knock.

“……!”

Knock, knock!

“Is anyone there?”

At that moment, it felt as though my breath stopped.

Because it was a voice I knew far too well.

Knock, knock, knock!

“I am Dantellion Klein, a holy knight of the Central Temple. Is anyone inside?”

My face turned deathly pale.