"You want me to plant the seed and grow it?"
─ Yes.
"Me?"
─ Would you rather I do it?
"......"
When you plant a seed, a plant grows.
If I planted the Seed of the Seocheon Flower Garden, the flowers of the Seocheon Flower Garden would grow.
The Flesh-Restoring Flowers, Blood-Restoring Flowers, Bone-Restoring Flowers, and Breath-Restoring Flowers I'd seen in the Hidden Piece.
It was something anyone could deduce through the simplest intuition.
In other words, common sense.
However, there was another piece of common sense I knew.
Gardening, the art of planting seeds and growing flowers, wasn't nearly as easy as people thought.
I had no talent for gardening.
I was certain of it.
I'd once managed to kill an unidentified cactus that someone had given me as a gift, complete with its own flowerpot.
Was it really right for someone like me to plant such a precious seed obtained from the Tower?
I could confidently say it wasn't.
"Are you really telling me to plant it?"
─ Yes.
"Really?"
─ Ahem. Are you doubting the words of your Ancestral God?
Absolutely not.
How could I possibly doubt the Ancestral God's words?
Rather, it would be more accurate to say that I doubted my own abilities, which had already been thoroughly tested.
"Ancestral God."
─ What is it?
"Forgive me, but your descendant possesses no talent whatsoever for gardening."
─ I know.
I'd suspected as much.
How could the Ancestral God, who could even foresee the future, fail to recognize my extraordinary talent for being the natural enemy of plant lovers—a veritable plant killer?
"Then I'll do as you say?"
─ Just trust me and follow my instructions.
"Yes."
That reassured me.
After all, I knew that the Ancestral God's guidance always offered a path forward.
If he'd instructed me to do it despite knowing my abilities, that must mean he had a solution.
─ Let us go over there.
"Yes."
Our family owned ten thousand acres of forest land.
There were debts attached to it, but in any case, it still belonged to our family for now.
Planting a seed and cultivating a flower garden wouldn't be a problem.
─ This place will do.
The Ancestral God selected a site for the flower garden.
It was simply an ordinary patch of flat ground near the shrine.
"Should I plant it here?"
I still doubted myself.
─ Descendant.
"Yes?"
─ Spirit Herbs are not ordinarily cultivated by human hands. They grow through the power of the earth and spiritual energy. You need not concern yourself.
His words reassured me, but another concern arose.
The location the Ancestral God had selected looked far too ordinary.
"In that case, wouldn't it be better to find somewhere with stronger spiritual energy?"
After all, I'd originally wanted to bring the flowers of the Seocheon Flower Garden out of the Tower in my inventory.
Even though I didn't know their exact value, I could tell that it was anything but insignificant.
Who knew?
Perhaps this single seed could do more than clear our family's debts. It might even make us wealthy.
In any case, the Ancestral God answered my question.
─ Where could you possibly find a place more spiritually powerful than this? This is the very land upon which the Divine Shaman Family has offered prayers and devotion for ten thousand years.
"Ah."
Now that he mentioned it, he had a point.
─ If you understand, plant that seed already.
"Yes."
I carefully planted the Seed of the Seocheon Flower Garden on a low hill a short distance from the ancestral home.
"Should I water it?"
─ From this moment onward, you are absolutely forbidden from touching it.
"Yes."
As expected, the Ancestral God must have been able to see my plant-killing aura.
"I hope the flowers bloom."
─ They will. As long as you do not touch them.
It was only a single seed, smaller than my thumb, but for some reason, I had a feeling that a vast flower garden would eventually spread across the surrounding area.
***
─ Now that everything is more or less settled, it is time for me to receive my reward as well.
"Pardon?"
The Ancestral God said something terrifying.
─ Why? Did you think I would do all that work without receiving any compensation?
"......"
To be perfectly honest, that was exactly what I'd thought.
[Trait: Spirit Command
─ First Spirit: Ancestral God]
As I'd mentioned before, the Ancestral God currently existed through my skill.
'Ancestral God, you're my skill, so you're supposed to do whatever I tell you!'
I squeezed my eyes shut and swallowed those words.
As the legitimate heir of the Divine Shaman Family, I simply couldn't muster the courage to say something so disrespectful to the Ancestral God.
─ Are you afraid?
The Ancestral God asked with a mischievous grin.
That's right.
I was afraid.
The reason was simple.
The Divine Shaman Cheon Family's fortune had been completely squandered.
Even if I wanted to scrape together an offering at the cost of my life, I didn't have anything valuable enough to present to the Ancestral God.
─ You bastard. Do not worry. Do you really think the Ancestral God of this family would swindle his debt-ridden descendant?
"Of course not, right?"
As expected, the Ancestral God was merciful.
─ You already possess the offering I require, so there is no need to worry.
"Pardon?"
I was a penniless beggar.
"Ah!"
No, I wasn't.
There was something valuable in my inventory.
"D-Don't tell me you want the Magic Crystal?"
That would put a serious dent in my plan to sell the Magic Crystal and cover this month's interest payment.
─ I have no need for that worthless lump of rock.
"Phew."
Along with a sense of relief, I finally understood.
There was something else in my inventory.
The Dead Ones' Resentments.
That was what the Ancestral God wanted.
─ You dull bastard. Have you only just figured it out?
"Should I place them on the altar as an offering?"
─ That will do.
I headed toward the altar in the shrine's inner courtyard.
Clatter.
I took all the Dead Ones' Resentments out of my inventory and carefully piled them on the altar.
Each was no bigger than a fingernail, but when seventy-seven of them were piled together, they formed a respectable little mound.
For the first time in a long while, I felt as though I was making a proper offering to the Ancestral God.
As I'd said before, I didn't know the rituals and procedures of shamanic practices.
But that didn't matter.
I pressed my palms together.
"Thank you for your benevolence, Ancestral God."
I spoke with complete sincerity.
Rustle.
The Dead Ones' Resentments placed on the altar disappeared.
[You have offered 77 Dead Ones' Resentments to the Ancestral God's altar.]
[Divinity accumulates at the altar.]
[The Ancestral God's authority has been partially strengthened.]
The system's voice informed me that my sincerity had reached the Ancestral God.
At precisely that moment...
Pop!
I had no idea that the Seed of the Seocheon Flower Garden had sprouted at the same instant as my offering.
***
A day had passed since I cleared the Tower.
[Tower Entry Ticket (46:37)]
The Tower Entry Ticket would only refresh three days after clearing the Tower.
Even if I wanted to enter the next floor, I'd have to wait another two days.
What was I supposed to do with all that free time?
What else?
Live diligently, of course.
"Ancestral God."
─ What is it?
"Should we reopen the shrine like in the old days?"
─ Keep it open. Those who are connected to us by fate will naturally find their way here.
"Yes."
Although I'd never learned the methods and procedures of shamanic practices, that didn't mean I was ignorant of their principles.
Shamanic practices and divine power weren't tools for making money.
They must never become such things.
Of course, the Divine Shaman Cheon Family had accumulated wealth and prestige because its miraculous abilities were widely recognized.
But the important thing was that wealth and prestige were supposed to follow naturally, not be actively pursued.
This wasn't merely my personal philosophy.
It was the very essence of being a Divine Shaman.
Miracles and divine power were ultimately connected to heavenly energy, and using them recklessly for personal gain was practically inviting Spiritual Backlash.
A Divine Shaman's divine power wasn't meant to be used to make money.
It was something naturally bestowed upon those who were connected to him by fate.
"How peaceful......"
Normally, this would have been the time for me to rack my brain desperately, searching for ways to make money.
Otherwise, I'd have been trembling in fear while agonizing over how to deal with the debt collectors who would eventually come knocking.
But now that I'd Awakened, I had some breathing room.
After all, I'd already decided to climb the Tower, whether to save the world or make money.
I'd earned at least a million won from clearing Floor 1.
Since I'd heard that the amount of Magic Crystals awarded increased as you climbed higher floors, it made more sense to diligently climb the Tower and repay my debts than waste my time on unrelated work.
Of course, that didn't mean my days were entirely leisurely and comfortable.
─ Ahem? Is that dust in the shrine?
"Yes, sir!"
I scrubbed the shrine.
And then I scrubbed it again.
I cleaned so thoroughly that I practically removed every trace of grime accumulated over the past twenty years.
Naturally.
Didn't I need to stay in the Ancestral God's good graces?
After all, he was the Ancestral God.
Even if he had never bestowed a single benefit upon me, I would still have been obligated to serve him with the utmost devotion.
And now that I was benefiting enormously from his blessings, it was only right that I devote myself wholeheartedly to him.
While waiting for the Tower Entry Ticket's cooldown to expire, I cleaned harder than I ever had in my life.
Then, in the middle of all that...
─ Descendant.
"Yes, Ancestral God."
─ A guest will arrive. Make preparations.
The Ancestral God foretold a new encounter.
***
Kim Chil-gap was a debt collector.
Describing his occupation in legal terms made it sound somewhat respectable, but in truth, it wasn't anything particularly impressive.
If you saw one of those stickers advertising, "We Collect Your Unpaid Debts," and went to the address printed on it, Kim Chil-gap was exactly the sort of man you'd meet.
His profession walked a precariously thin line between legality and illegality.
If one had to choose, it leaned closer to the illegal side.
Of course, Kim Chil-gap generally tried to handle his work as legally as possible.
As legally as possible, that was.
Although he hadn't been in the business for very long, Kim Chil-gap had already earned a fair amount of recognition within the industry.
He had a naturally intimidating face and an imposing physique that could instill fear in others.
Despite his rough appearance, he possessed a meticulous personality that overlooked no detail.
And he was diligent enough to visit people relentlessly until they were thoroughly sick of seeing him.
Kim Chil-gap possessed practically every quality necessary for successful debt collection.
"You called for me?"
Of course, being good at the job didn't mean Kim Chil-gap enjoyed it.
Hadn't it already been mentioned that he had relatively little experience?
He was a man who'd once run his own fairly respectable business before somehow ending up in this line of work.
Was there any other reason?
Money, of course.
"Oh, Boss Kim! You've arrived!"
Boss Kwon, a private moneylender, welcomed Kim Chil-gap.
Boss Kwon was a shrewd moneylender.
For reference, when the words "private moneylender" and "shrewd businessman" were combined, the result was a creature commonly known as "human garbage."
Boss Kwon was the sort of man nobody should have anything to do with, but Kim Chil-gap greeted him with a smile.
After all, Boss Kwon was Kim Chil-gap's most valuable source of income.
In truth, he had little right to criticize Boss Kwon.
As the saying went, those who stayed near ink eventually turned black.
Wasn't he now practically the same kind of person as Boss Kwon?
"Do you have a job for me?"
"Yes. I've prepared the documents right here."
As mentioned, Boss Kwon was a capable businessman.
He handed Kim Chil-gap a neatly organized set of documents.
Kim Chil-gap flipped through the papers, taking in the information he needed.
Outstanding debt: two billion won.
A big job.
Since his commission amounted to ten percent of whatever he collected, successfully handling this case would free him from money worries for quite some time.
Even if he recovered only part of the debt rather than the entire amount, it would still be profitable.
"I'll take care of it."
Kim Chil-gap gathered the documents and tucked them away.
It was his way of accepting the job.
"Oh, wonderful. I'm counting on you again."
Kim Chil-gap cast one last glance at the smiling Boss Kwon before walking away.
After some time, he took the documents out again.
The debtor's information was right there.
What stood out was the debtor's youthful appearance, which seemed at odds with the enormous debt.
'Twenty years old......'
It wasn't that he looked unusually young.
His appearance simply matched his age.
The debtor was only twenty.
"Tsk."
There was no way someone so young had accumulated such an enormous debt himself.
He must have inherited it.
"Tsk. He should've just renounced the inheritance."
Even as he said it, Kim Chil-gap knew perfectly well that things weren't always so simple.
How could he possibly know what circumstances the young man was facing?
Just as Kim Chil-gap himself had been forced into debt collection to pay for his wife's surgery, that young man probably had his own reasons.
"What a fucked-up world."
To cover his own wounds, he had to carve away at someone else's.
That was what Kim Chil-gap did for a living.
"Tsk."
Once again, a bitter taste filled his mouth.
***
Debt collectors usually worked in groups of two or three.
It made them appear more intimidating to the person they were visiting.
"A shaman's house? No way. I'm not doing it. What if they send some kind of curse after us?"
"If they were really that powerful, would they have gone bankrupt and ended up in debt?"
"Still, I don't like it. I don't want anything to do with something that gives me the creeps."
This was a world that had experienced the Great Cataclysm.
A world where Towers had appeared and Awakening had become possible.
There were said to be all sorts of monsters inside the Towers, and Kim Chil-gap had heard that some even resembled ghosts.
Naturally, more people had begun believing in superstitions.
"Boss, what should we do? I don't think I can join you this time."
"Why not?"
"Something's come up."
"All right."
The same thing happened when he tried asking other people.
Strangely enough, he couldn't gather any companions.
In the end, Kim Chil-gap had no choice but to head alone toward a remote corner of Gangwon Province.
After following his navigation system down secluded roads for quite some time, he arrived at a house that gave off a peculiar atmosphere.
It was supposedly a shaman's house, and sure enough, there was nothing ordinary about it.
He parked his car and stood before the gate.
Just as he was about to announce his presence...
Creak—.
The gate opened.
"You're our guest, aren't you? I've been expecting you."
A young man greeted him.
His face looked familiar.
There was no doubt about it.
This was the twenty-year-old debtor.
"I'm Kim Chil-gap, a debt collector."
Normally, debtors would flinch when he introduced himself.
It wasn't merely because of Kim Chil-gap's intimidating appearance.
For people buried in debt, nothing was more frightening than a debt collector.
"Ah, I see. Please, come inside first."
The young man smiled brightly and invited him in.
"......"
Kim Chil-gap felt strangely unsettled.
***
Debt collection didn't always involve frightening or unpleasant confrontations.
If a debtor willingly repaid what they owed, the matter could be resolved without any particular disturbance.
Of course, such cases weren't common for Kim Chil-gap.
By the time a case was handed over to him, it usually involved a seriously delinquent debt.
"Isn't there still a little time left?"
The young debtor asked cautiously.
"Yes. The interest payment isn't due yet. I'm just here to introduce myself today."
Kim Chil-gap answered calmly.
There was no need to become confrontational right from the beginning.
"But if the due date arrives and you don't have the money ready, you know what happens, don't you?"
Kim Chil-gap lowered his voice as he added the warning.
That would be enough for now.
If the young man failed to understand even after receiving such a calm warning, Kim Chil-gap would have no choice but to become a devil.
Visiting beforehand and giving the debtor some time to prepare himself mentally was the greatest mercy Kim Chil-gap could offer.
"Yes, I understand."
The young man answered with a smile.
"Would you mind if I looked around the building a little?"
The young man's easygoing attitude had left Kim Chil-gap with nothing more to say, so he made that request instead.
Besides, he felt strangely drawn toward the building.
"Of course. Go ahead."
Whether he understood that feeling or not, the young man readily agreed with a smile.
***
"Holy shit, he's scary."
─ He certainly does not have an ordinary face.
To be honest, I was intimidated.
If the Ancestral God hadn't been beside me, and if he hadn't warned me that a guest was coming, my legs might actually have been trembling.
Thankfully, I knew that the Ancestral God wouldn't have called someone a "guest" if that person was going to bring me harm.
─ Hmph. In my day, men like him were nothing to fear.
"Didn't you say you weren't good at fighting?"
─ Why would a Divine Shaman fight personally? The children of the God-Serving Family would have been more than sufficient.
"Ah."
The God-Serving Family.
They were a family that assisted the Divine Shaman Family.
I'd heard that our families had maintained ties until the days when my grandfather was still the family head.
Of course, now that our family had fallen into ruin, those ties had been severed long ago.
I watched the debt collector inspecting the shrine from a distance.
─ More importantly, just as I suspected, that fellow is afflicted by an impending calamity.
The Ancestral God spoke casually, as though he'd known it all along.
A sudden calamity.
An unexpected accident or misfortune.
"What should we do?"
─ We must show him kindness. After all, this was how fate was always meant to unfold.
It seemed the Ancestral God had a plan all along.