Chương 71: Chapter V — Mundanity Amongst Divinity

Galan passed the village's wing grooming district, noting with a cynical smirk how the angels in their velvet-lined palaces were paid for the very feathers being plucked from them, while the local ten-gu queued at modest wooden stalls to pay for the same service. Even in paradise, some souls were simply worth more than others. And after auditing the island's accommodations for the fairies and dragons, Galan reached the venue and checked the time. 3: 42 PM. There should still be at least one ticket booth open.

He scanned the entrance, but instead of attendants, he saw only large signs hanging from the anchors: Sold Out. Ugh, fine, he thought, crossing his arms. Time for plan B. There are always resellers. He put on a look of exaggerated distress.

"Oh no... The tickets are out! How am I supposed to get in now?" A short distance away, a suspicious-looking local man was shoved forward by two equally dubious guards. The man stumbled, clutching a wooden box to his chest, before begrudgingly making his way toward Galan.

"Upasu undanon," the man mumbled, his thick accent causing him to give Galan permission instead of asking for one. Galan paused, his eye twitching. His mind instantly rewrote the mangled phrase into the correct form: "Upas, éndanon." Satanvujoang, that was terrible, he thought, invoking Satan's backside. Can't believe he's trying to resell me tickets with a line like that. He reached out with his mindcast, instantly learning everything about the man and his plight.

"How much?" Galan asked in Japanese, his voice low and tough. The man hesitated, glancing around nervously.

"What do you mean, sir?"

"How much? Double? Triple?" Galan nodded at the box.

"What will it be?" The man's grip tightened.

"T-the tickets?"

"Yeah. Make it quick." He opened the box.

"The cheapest ones are 200 kogan, and the most expensive are 1300." Galan's mindcast confirmed the prices were only marked up by 30%. Despite not expecting it to be so cheap, he remained focused.

"Those prices are a bit steep, don't you think? How are people supposed to afford this?"

"I—I don't know..." The man started shaking.

"They just told me to sell these before the show starts, or... they won't let me go home." Galan grinned.

"Tell you what. I'll take all of them for free, and I won't report you to the Council. Deal?" The man looked down, terror etched on his face.

"But, sir... my boss will kill me... Please..."

"Nah, he won't."

"What?" Galan snapped his fingers. In an instant, his mindcast stretched out like an invisible web, locating every person the man owed money to, from small villages to bustling cities within Japan. His power then erased the memories of the debts and commanded them to burn the written records. It was an act of reckless financial administration. if he didn't already know that the man was too deep in the hole to give the money back regardless.

"He and everyone you owe money to have forgotten all about your debts," Galan said.

"Their subordinates won't recognize who you are, and you can safely return to your family." This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. He placed a firm hand on the trembling man's shoulder.

"Enjoy living a free life again, Takahashi. Just... avoid the wice wine and gambling from now on, got it?" Takahashi froze, the weight of his debts vanishing in an instant. He dropped the box, his heart racing.

"I—I… I'm free! I'm debt-free!" He collapsed to his knees, bowing low.

"Thank you, Dear God! I promise—I swear—I'll be a better man!" He scrambled up and ran, shouting, "Naoki! Chiyoko! I'm coming home!" The onlookers were stunned, whispering among themselves. Galan watched him go with a faint grin, then bent down to pick up the box. A distance away, Takahashi's ex-guards exchanged panicked glances, their minds still in a slight haze from Galan's influence.

"What's wrong with that guy?" one guard asked.

"I don't know. Must be late meeting his family."

"Wait, what are we doing here?"

"Shit," the second guard panicked.

"We should head back before the boss thinks we're slacking off again!"

"Y—yeah, let's go!" They dashed off in a panic as Galan laughed softly to himself. And after opening the box, he stored the best ticket for himself, took another one to give away, and then stored the box. He then raised the ticket high above his head.

"Everyone! I have a free ticket to give!" The crowd surged forward, pleading. Galan's mindcast spread wide, sifting through memories to find the most deserving soul. In seconds, he found her. Her name was Yano Kazue, a woman of thirty years old born in the village of Asuka in the Yamato Province, now living on a nearby island. She stood shyly at the edge of the crowd, wearing a simple but worn-out cherry blossom-themed traditional dress with her dark hair tied in a messy bun.

But despite her poverty, she radiated resilience, dedicating her life to caring for children at a daycare and an orphanage. Her own quiet dream was simply to find a kind young man. It's time for her to get a little less lonely, Galan decided.

"You!" he shouted while pointing at Kazue.

"The woman with the cherry blossom dress! Come over here!" She approached, apprehension in her wide eyes. Galan raised a hand and snapped his fingers. Silence fell over the crowd as his mindcast swept across the island, searching for a partner. He found him: Nishiyama Makoto, a widower burdened by guilt and raising a young son alone. Galan gently planted a thought in Makoto's mind: Seek out the daycare.

"Kazue," Galan said softly.

"Listen. A single father named Makoto will come by the daycare to drop off his son. Treat the child as your own. And when the father comes back... talk to him. Spend time with them. His son misses his mother, and he misses his wife. Would you be so kind as to do this god a favor and fulfill that role for me?" Kazue stared at him, clutching her hands to her chest.

"Dear God, I... I don't know if I'm ready for that."

"Look, I know it's a lot," Galan said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"But think about how much joy you could bring into their lives. We both know just how much small acts of kindness matter." He used his mindcast to gently steer her thoughts to her happiest memories: the children's drawings, the shared tea, and the laughter. Then, at the end of the day, they waved and said: "See you tomorrow!" before dashing back home.

"Understood," she whispered, tears falling from her eyes.

"I will try my best to give them happiness."

"Good. Now take this ticket and enjoy the show, got it?" She bowed deeply.

"Thank you very much, Dear God." She accepted the ticket and disappeared into the crowd, walking taller than before. The crowd cheered, inspired by the interaction. Galan narrowed his eyes, searching for the next candidate. Nakata Sho. A fifty-four-year-old doctor sitting on a bench with his family, his hair streaked with gray from years of tireless service. He was a brilliant man who translated foreign medical texts and spread the knowledge for free, all while constantly seeking to improve his methods.

Now, on a forced break, he was lost in thought on how to save more lives.

"You!" He pointed his finger once more.

"The doctor in the purple jacket! You're next!" Sho looked up, surprised. He approached slowly.

"Sho, your dedication has transformed countless lives," Galan said.

"And now, I offer you the key to usher in a golden age of medicine for Japan." He summoned a leather-bound book from his divine vault. The title read: 'Exploring the Unseen World.'

"This is a study on the very tiny creatures that exist amongst us," he explained.

"A new medical theory. The book is old but revolutionary. It's a fresh starting point for your next breakthroughs." Sho's eyes widened.

"Dear God, I'm honored. But surely I could just find a copy of it..."

"No. This book isn't even permitted for mortal eyes yet," Galan said, handing it over.

"Showing it to the masses now would cause chaos amongst the medical community. But you, Sho, are one of the few who can handle it, the one that could reveal this knowledge to the world when the time is right." Sho took the book reverently.

"Then... I'll study it and try my best to save even more lives. Thank you."

"You've earned it. Just remember to take it easy, unless you want another month-long break." Sho rubbed the back of his neck, laughing. Galan embraced him warmly, then handed him three more expensive tickets.

"Oh, and go enjoy the show with your family. You've earned that too." Sho bowed again and returned to his beaming family. Galan checked the time. 3: 58 PM.

"Everyone," he boomed, deepening his voice. The crowd quieted. Galan bowed deeply.

"Thank you for your interest in the show. As a reward for your patience, I will now throw the remaining tickets into the air. The first person to grab one gets to keep it!"