Do you know what something that tastes burnt and makes you gag when you put it in your mouth is?

Ah.

That's what you call 'burnt meat'.

I really didn't want to find this out.

"How did this happen?!"

"Please stay quiet, junior."

Irene trembled as she carried the food over. Her hand, as she pushed the dish forward, showed a distinct lack of confidence.

The 'thing that used to be meat' on the plate seemed to be screaming.

Even a Necromancer would throw up their hands in dismay at this.

"Eat."

"If you eat that, you'll die!"

"......"

"Stop pretending like it’s okay! Don’t eat it! You'll really die!"

"Let go."

"I'm telling you not to eat it out of bravado!"

I barely managed to stop Irene from shoving the grotesque thing, supposedly meat, into her mouth. Just looking at it, you could tell it wasn't safe.

Just a few minutes ago, Priest Mierkant was smiling nostalgically, saying, "Oh, ho ho. I'm really sorry for doubting you, Jahad. I never imagined in my lifetime I'd taste such delicious meat..."

And now he was collapsed over the dining table, trembling!

"What exactly happened in the kitchen?!"

In the end, I rolled up my sleeves. I had hoped to just make do with whatever was served, but it seems that's not possible anymore.

This senior is no help!

I strode into the kitchen.

"It's charred on the outside, but why is it so mushy inside?!"

"I used high heat to get rid of the smell."

Right before my eyes, a fire suddenly burst up! Gathering all the fuel and scraps around, I stood there dumbfounded.

"This is an intense fire! You'll end up burning the whole place down!"

"Only more firepower can cleanse the world..."

Irene sounds like a mad cultist at this point.

"Stop talking like an arsonist!"

I opened the cookbook and quickly moved my hands.

All the world's knowledge can be turned into skills. Only when certain specific conditions are met!

For basic skills like cooking, just looking at the cookbook is enough!

[You have acquired Cooking Technique (F).]

I acquired the skill. This should suffice. Even though it's only F-rank, it's just meant to assist my hands.

Besides, I already had plenty of experience working part-time at a BBQ restaurant in the original world!

A meal like this is a piece of cake!

[Exquisite grilling technique!]

[You have acquired Lightly Grilled Meat (C).]

[Due to the Cooking Technique (F), the meat becomes slightly chewier.]

[The skill rank of Cooking Technique (F) increases!]

I tasted it.

It's done!

Yes. This is how meat should taste!

"Here, try mine!"

"It still has a lingering smell..."

"If meat didn’t smell like that, would it even be meat?! Just eat it!"

Hector swallowed a piece of meat. His body shivered, and his eyes rolled back.

"Th-this is...real...meat?"

"A taste from the heavens..."

"This is insanely...delicious!"

"Why does it taste so good?!"

Mierkant, who had been sitting weakly in his chair, placed his hand on the meat. Shivering from his trauma with Irene's cooking, he cautiously took a bite.

".......!"

Do you know the expression of a priest overwhelmed with emotion?

Mierkant was now, belatedly, meeting the divine.

"...Oh, my God."

[Ra expresses her discontent.]

[He chuckles, wondering what reaction they have for just a piece of meat.]

"Would you like to try it?"

[........]

A piece of meat disappeared. Chewing sounds could be heard nearby.

A brief mumbling.

It's been a while since I heard Ra's voice.

[Just one more piece, please!]

I knew it.

I really am a master at grilling meat!

Irene frowned deeply, clearly dissatisfied that her cooking had been pushed aside. As I slid the meat dish in front of her, she suddenly snatched the plate from in front of her.

"If you don't want to eat, then don't. It's rude to make faces at food."

Irene glared at me for a moment. Then, she took the plate forcefully.

"I never said I wouldn't eat."

She took a bite.

Irene's body trembled as if electric current shot through her. Her eyes widened, and her hands moved quickly.

"Tasty, isn't it?"

With sauce smeared on her mouth, Irene turned her head haughtily.

"It's decent."

Alright.

Even if you can't become a Blue Falcon, your talent with the sword is truly valuable!

Another slave added!

The church was changing rapidly. I led the orphans who I had fed plenty of meat.

"Let's start by fixing the wall."

We didn't have enough money to hire workers. However, we did have enough for materials.

Crash!

We rebuilt the walls that had collapsed in places. Though they were roughly made by the children's hands, it was much better than before.

"Paint it too. Use it generously."

"Wh-why do we have to do this kind of work!"

Not everyone listened to me. Occasionally, there was a kid who would challenge me.

I chuckled softly. I approached the kid with a friendly smile and patted him on the shoulder.

"Now, think about it, my friend. You remember the meat we ate not long ago... Do you know where it came from?"

"Well, it was from donations!"

"That's right. That's from donations. But where do you think those donations come from?"

I whispered like a snake.

"They come from the believers. The more followers we have in the church, the more abundantly we can eat. So, what should we do?"

"...Recruit more followers?"

"Exactly! That's it! But think about it, if you were a believer, would seeing a church in such disarray make you want to believe? Wouldn't it actually shake your faith?"

"...Ah... um..."

"You see what I'm saying, right, my friend?"

"Y-yeah."

Kids are easier to handle than adults. They have simpler thoughts, and if you talk to them like you respect them, they quickly come around.

"Then go ahead and work. We need to eat well again tomorrow."

"Wh-what about you?"

"Either I'll do the painting, or you give the orders."

I snatched his paintbrush away. Yet, he only took a few steps.

"W-wait!"

There it is. I knew you'd react like that.

"I-I'll do it! I really don't know how to do that stuff!"

When someone suddenly has a burden thrust upon them, they're bound to refuse, especially if they've never done it before.

"You should have said so earlier. No complaints then, right?"

"Mhm..."

Great!

Work! Slaves!

Let's live like human beings!

"Friends! Overhaul the kitchen! Make everything sparkle! If you do well, I'll cook dinner myself tonight!"

Amidst the following cheers, I started transforming the entire church.

"Clean up the garden! You little brats! It's too filthy to live here!"

Pulling out weeds, we finished with a neat and shiny ground.

"Tidy up the rooms! Dust them off! Let's ventilate! Move, you slaves!"

"S-slaves..."

"Even your tone is..."

"If you have complaints, get out! No dinner for today!"

"F-fine, I'll do it!"

The room became spotless. Not a speck of dust remained.

After a series of thorough cleanings, we finally created a place fit for living. The broken parts were fixed, and even the annoying door panels were completely mended.

I took a deep breath of fresh air. By sealing the holes and making repairs, the warmth that used to escape now stayed inside the building.

It's no longer cold. I'm full. We now have a warm place to sleep.

Overcome by the three consecutive miracles, Mierkant shed tears of gratitude.

"It feels like we've returned to the old days... Jahad... it’s all thanks to you... I have no regrets even if I die now..."

Looking into his eyes, I could tell he would believe me even if I said I made soy sauce out of feces. That's right. Yes. I’ll tame you well.

Hehehe.

Irene was looking at me with disbelief. She seemed about to say something but then decided against it.

"...Junior, this place doesn't suit you."

What?

Are you still against me?

"The Cult Headquarters would suit you better."

Ah, it wasn't that.

You're a good guy who knows how to judge people properly!

"Senior, would you like another piece of meat?"

"...Yes, sure."

After the major cleanup was completed, I could finally stretch my legs. The members of Hector’s group will be hanging out with the gangsters as I instructed for a while... and we can meet for training in the early evening.

Hmm.

I've put out all the urgent fires, it seems.

Is it time to start discussing it?

"Lord Ra."

[......]

"I know you're listening. Let's talk. Why did you bring me here?"

[You're quick to ask, you troublesome one.]

I heard Ra's voice.

I lay on a bed that felt like a private room of my own, staring up at the ceiling.

"You mentioned something about a doomed world line before... You're not seriously talking about some hero story straight out of a fairy tale, right?"

[......]

"Oh, come on. Really? If this were a cliché novel, people would criticize it. If I were a reader, I'd quit right away."

[...This brat, always running his mouth…]

"Are you serious? You're not, right? If you're going to make me do something like that, I'd rather just live here leisurely, shaking down kids for cash and living comfortably."

[Why did I end up with someone like you…]

"What do you mean someone like me? Who brought me here when I was living just fine? Honestly, if it hadn't been me and you'd picked someone naive or clueless, they would've frozen to death by now."

[Enough! Let me talk!]

A flame burst into life right before my eyes. I sat up straight.

"I'll listen."

[Just look at this monkey-like guy. I'm tired of talking too much, so I'll keep it short.]

A planet-like image appeared before my eyes. I tried to grab it, but my hand passed right through. An illusion.

[This is the place. We call this planet A-12.]

"Suddenly we're talking about space?"

[Shut up and listen.]

The planet-like image split. In an instant, it divided into hundreds of identical planets emerging before me.

[Each of these planets is a fake world line split from the original. I call them simulations. My primary task is to run these and choose the best scenario among endless possibilities. As the world's administrator, it’s my role to select the correct world line.]

"...Isn't this re-rolling? Like choosing the best account from a gacha game to play."

[It's similar. The game you played was part of a game simulation another god made for me. It was a move to see whether there was another way for me when I faced a situation with no answers.]

"Is that person an Earth God or something?"

[I think that's enough about my junior. If I go into detail, it will never end. Just listen. The game you played was originally designed to be unbeatable. However, several individuals managed to clear it against all odds. Those individuals were the candidates I chose. I had to select someone from among them to save my world.]

"It sounds like a story about a hero summoned to another world... But why me?"

[Because you were the most persistent.]

"...Pardon?"

As Ra spoke, all the other planets disappeared, leaving one that grew larger.

[You were the only one who cleared all the achievements. You overcame an incredibly slim chance and completed scenarios filled with SSS-rank dangers. You eagerly fell into all the traps I laid, yet you managed to see them through to the end. I had no choice but to choose you, who had shown the most potential.]

"What?! Is that why the difficulty suddenly spiked?! Do you know how hard I worked to beat it?!"

[It wasn't a game to begin with! It was akin to a test I set! Talk back one more time, and I'll set your hair on fire!]

"...Okay."

[Don’t pout. I just want to give you a solid punch to the face.]

Ra cleared her throat, suddenly lowering her voice.

[Originally, I was managing this world without any issues. But at some point, a huge hole appeared. This hole grew bigger day by day, and now it's almost to the point of swallowing my entire world.]

"Can you summarize that in three lines, please?"

[...Do you really want to get burned?]

"Instead of a long story, just tell me the results. Didn't you say you don't want to talk for long? The 'In the beginning, there was nothing' kind of stuff is a bit boring."

[Why did I have to bring someone like this…]

Ra sighed.

[Fine. I'll do as you wish. First, I manage this world. Second, an unavoidable catastrophe scenario has landed in the original world line, not as a simulation.

By the way, this is not something I caused. It's because of something that came from 'outside.' Anyway, the third point is that you have to solve it.]

"How am I supposed to do that?"

[All the simulations I've run resulted in disasters. Those coming from outside have polluted those who were originally supposed to live in this world. I call them the Corrupted.

According to the simulation results, the corrupted beings are... the Immortals, the Weeping Nuns, the Royal Knights, Astina's Dogs... All names you've heard before.]

"...Aren't they all characters from the game? Sometimes they're enemies, sometimes they become allies. And sometimes... they even become the Final Boss as main NPCs, don't they?"

Ra nodded in agreement.

[That's right. The destruction of my world is certainly brought about by some 'Corrupted.' No one knows how it will happen. But the important thing is that from a certain point, only an endless void will greet me.

You've always managed to win even in places where you didn't know who would be corrupted or who would become an enemy, haven't you?

So, I want you to help me. You need to guide the ones who have a potential to become corrupted. Your purpose is to kill those who are corrupted by my name and save this world.]

"Wait a moment."

Hmm.

Let's get this straight.

"This world is real, right? It’s not a simulation, so there’s only one chance?"

[Correct.]

"It'll be similar to a game, meaning a scenario I've never experienced will unfold before me, right?"

[That’s right.]

"...In a situation where anybody might backstab, I have to weed out and kill the corrupted among important NPCs?"

[You have quite a way with words. That’s a rather impressive summary.]

I laughed.

"And what do I get in return?"

[Infinite glory and the chance to serve me…]

"No way. Damn it."

I sprawled out on the ground.

"Do you take me for a fool?"

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