I Level Up With In-app Purchases

I Raise With In-app Purchases – 33

EP.33 Opened the Door (2)

The problem wasn’t the nails digging into my flesh. I never imagined the leader, who was always so kind and warm, would make such an expression. I was so taken aback that I couldn’t respond properly.

“I know you well, don’t I? You would have recklessly used your body, thinking you were understanding their pain. That’s the kind of kind person you are.”

“Ah…!”

His words made me unbearably ashamed. He really knew me well. Hadn’t I actually entered the alley for that very reason?

“Answer me, Fran. Did you really defile yourself?”

“That…”

I couldn’t easily confess to such a foolish action. Moreover, the sensation of being touched by those men in the alley came back to me. If the old man hadn’t saved me, I would have done something I would deeply regret.

“Ha, didn’t I clearly tell you? Your body is meant for something special. Tell me, did you disobey me?”

“What? No, I mean… I was touched, but the old man… I mean, the person I was doing missionary work with…!”

I couldn’t gather my thoughts, and my words came out jumbled. Seeing my confusion, the leader seemed to misunderstand and yelled in anger.

“Who did you give this precious body to?! Do you know how valuable it is?!”

“What? Leader, what are you saying?”

“This is outrageous. They say a quiet cat climbs the stove first. Isn’t that exactly what’s happened here!”

“No, it’s not like that.”

“Don’t lie! Excuses won’t work. How foolish can you be!”

“Leader!”

“After all the faith and favor I bestowed upon you, you betray me!!”

Betrayal? Did I betray him? Was it because I dared to doubt him?

“No, I didn’t. Please believe me, Leader! I was wrong.”

“You’d better brace yourself. Come inside!! Now!!!”

“Ugh!”

It was the first time I had seen the leader raise his voice so much.

When a person is too flustered, their mind goes blank. Watching the unfamiliar side of the leader, I couldn’t make any excuses.

‘I need to tell him it’s a misunderstanding..!’

At his call, the people outside came in. The leader, who was gripping my wrist tightly, shoved me towards them.

“Ah!”

“Lock up that harlot.”

“What? Are you sure? Isn’t she the Saintess?”

“Didn’t I just give you an order? Follow it without question. Stop talking back.”

His cold voice warned them, and the believers swallowed hard before grabbing me.

“I-I’ll go.”

These were believers who knew I was an awakened one. They seemed afraid that I might resist.

It was a familiar look, one I had seen when I was younger.

“……”

“……”

“……”

I didn’t want to use my strength against people who feared me. Without resisting, I let them lead me. I could have easily escaped if I used my strength, but I saw no reason to.

“This is the place. Will you go in?”

The place they took me to was a shabby cell, unfit for anyone to live in.

“Why does the church have a place like this?”

“…..”

Of course, they didn’t answer my question.

“Sigh, so I just stay here?”

“Yes. We’re sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. I needed time to organize my thoughts anyway.”

The leader, who claimed to be my mother and treated me like a daughter, changed his attitude the moment he misunderstood that I had lost my virginity. I couldn’t understand it.

“Come to think of it, he said, ‘Do you know how valuable this is…'”

Was he planning to sell my virginity for a high donation without my knowledge?

Why would the leader, of all people, do such a thing? What could possibly be the reason for such actions?

What was he lacking?

“So, is it true that the higher-ups are forcing prostitution?”

After leaving the old man’s house, I investigated the situation of the sisters in more detail. During this process, I realized that it was harder to find sisters who weren’t involved in prostitution than those who were. This was happening even in other branch churchs.

‘I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t understand why this was happening.’

Forcing the sisters into prostitution just for donations? The church wasn’t supposed to be like that. It was the warmest, coziest place in the world, her only refuge. Yet, the church was being tainted with filth. And I had been blissfully ignorant.

“Does running the church require that much money?”

Is that why they were told to earn money? To take in more unfortunate people out of necessity?

– Shaking head. –

That didn’t make sense. Suddenly, I recalled the luxurious appearance of the main church building that I hadn’t seen in a long time.

‘Anyone could see that the furniture and decorations were expensive.’

Even the leader’s clothes seemed to be made of silk, incredibly soft to the touch.

‘The leader I knew would have used that money to serve the sisters…’

Now, it seemed the leader wanted to use the donations for himself rather than for service. What I couldn’t accept was that if the leader enjoyed peace with the donations, the sisters should also live happy and peaceful lives under the church’s protection. They shouldn’t be suffering in body and mind due to prostitution for missionary work.

‘That’s the role I believe the church should play.’

But now, the church was on the wrong path.

“The leader has changed.”

I felt the need to stop it. If there was time, I would try to persuade him, but it seemed the leader no longer wished to converse with me, as he had locked me up in a cell. This too was against the teachings the leader had once imparted.

“When there’s a misunderstanding, we should calmly discuss and discern right from wrong. But the leader didn’t do that.”

The church relied heavily on the leader. His warm heart and will had created the church, and under it, the believers had gathered.

But the leader had changed. The kind nature that once embraced everyone warmly was gone, replaced by someone who forced the believers to bring in donations through despicable means.

‘He pretended not to know, but in the end, he couldn’t hide his lies.’

A person’s evil nature can be corrected. The leader himself had said that even if someone is evil, they can change with enough guidance. That belief of his had changed me.

‘Just as the leader changed me, shouldn’t I also try to change him?’

Just as he had shown kindness to me. Perhaps the leader was hoping for that too.

“Ah…!”

The problem was that I wasn’t sure if someone as foolish and stupid as myself could guide the leader correctly.

“I should have been a better person…”

Hadn’t I almost made a wrong choice just a few days ago? With my current self, I wasn’t confident I could properly correct the leader.

“What should I do… What can I do?”

I needed to receive guidance from the leader… But the one who should be guiding me had fallen into corruption, making it impossible to receive any teachings.

I knew well how painful, difficult, and lonely it was to walk the wrong path. Thinking that the leader might be feeling the same emotions I had felt brought tears to my eyes.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”

I should have realized it sooner. When did the leader start walking the path of corruption? I hadn’t noticed when the sisters were suffering, nor when the leader was in pain. I had been acting childishly in his embrace.

It had to be fixed now. Things had to change.

– Creak—! –

– Clang—! –

Having made up my mind, I tore off the iron bars with my hands and escaped from the cell. The believers watched me in a daze, and I apologized to them.

As I stepped outside, it seemed the sky understood my sorrow, for it began to rain.

– Whoosh. –

I moved through the rain, determined to meet the leader.

“I can do this, right? I have to. If I don’t, the church might fall apart.”

I clenched my fists.

– Tremble. –

My hands shook with tension. I took a deep breath to gather my strength.

– Knock, knock, knock. –

Upon arriving at the leader’s office, I knocked politely first.

“Who is it? I said I didn’t want to see anyone because I’m in a bad mood.”

The leader’s voice came through, filled with irritation, likely due to what had happened earlier.

‘As expected, the leader…’

He was in need of guidance. I recalled the teachings he had imparted to me.

‘Since the leader taught me, I can do this too.’

After internally repeating “I can do it” ten times, I opened my mouth to speak.

“Leader, it’s me. Fran.”

“…..”

There was a flurry of movement inside, perhaps because he hadn’t expected me to come. I waited calmly for his permission.

“…I clearly ordered you to be locked up. How did you get out?”

“I’m sorry. There’s something I haven’t told you yet. It’s something I need to say in person.”

“I haven’t given you permission to come in. Go back. I don’t want to see anyone right now.”

“Leader, please allow me. There’s something I must tell you.”

“I’m warning you one last time. If you don’t leave immediately, you’ll never see me again.”

Never see the leader again? My heart sank.

Not being able to see the leader meant being abandoned by the church. It was a dreadful thought, one I couldn’t even imagine.

‘I’ll endure the pain, just like the leader did!’

– Knock, knock, knock. –

I knocked on the door once more.

“Please open the door. I beg you.”

“…..”

There was no response from inside. No sign of the leader either.

I sighed, thinking I might have to leave, but to my surprise, the door opened!

Thinking the leader had opened it, I smiled brightly.

“Leader… huh!”

– Thud!!! –

A burning pain in my stomach took my breath away.

It happened in an instant.