The roles had changed.
The police, once the guards, and those who had lived as the ruling class of the city, living in luxury with their riches and their arrogance—now, they were prisoners, locked away in a detention center.
And the labor theorists, who had once been prisoners, were now managing the new prisoners as guards.
The first day in the detention center.
Mayor Biyase was fortunately not too lonely.
After all, the factory owners and police were all there with him as fellow prisoners.
“You bastard!! If you hadn't blown that, this wouldn't have happened!!”
“You traitor! Who do you think you’re talking to?!”
When the mont ca where there was no longer any benefit in maintaining dignity or decorum, the factory owners and the upper class of this city were no different from the lower classes they had once despised and looked down upon. They scread, hit, and shalessly grabbed each other by the collar, rolling around on the floor.
It was hell.
It was like a nightmare.
It felt as though if he were to wake up right now, he would find himself in the warm comfort of his mansion.
But that didn’t happen.
The first day in the detention center was brutal.
“Am I supposed to do this labor? ? Do {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} you think I’ll...”
“Frederick!! This person doesn’t want to work!!”
“Ah! Is that so?”
After a beating and a day without food, there were no prisoners who could remain defiant.
At night, the sounds of crying filled the air.
It seed that everyone was still struggling to co to terms with the shocking sentence that they would have to live in this place for the rest of their lives.
But the only one who didn’t cry was Mayor Biyase.
‘I’ll find a way out.’
He still believed there was a way to escape.
They say the rich can survive even when they fall—at least for three generations.
The knowledge, wealth, and expertise he possessed might still be useful.
Any small opportunity would be enough.
The important thing was to get out of here.
Once out, he believed he could grasp another chance.
“Number 982. Visitation!”
One day, when the guards shouted for a visitation instead of urging him to work, Biyase realized that the opportunity he had been waiting for had finally co.
He knew it.
After all, he had once run this city.
Soone like him wouldn’t be useless.
There was no doubt soone had co to ask for his help.
Biyase, with a confident expression, went to the visitation room.
And as soon as he entered, his expression stiffened.
“Ah, father.”
“Darling.”
His wife and children were waiting for him.
They were dressed poorly, unlike the well-kept appearance he rembered.
And there, standing behind his family, was Jonathan Karma, staring silently at him.
“Welco, Mr. Biyase.”
“...Why is my family here?”
“They said they wanted to co. They wanted to see their father and husband, and how could I stop them?”
Biyase’s hands began to tremble.
Jonathan calmly offered him a seat.
“Please, have a seat. The conversation won’t take long.”
Jonathan smiled at him.
“I’ll be direct. I’ll take care of your family. They won’t live luxuriously as they did before, but I’ll make sure they can live as an ordinary middle-class family.”
“.......”
“Hand over the entire company to .”
At those words, Biyase felt the world go dark in front of him.
A convulsive smile twisted at his lips.
“Are you threatening ?”
“Does this look like a threat? I believe this is a rather generous offer. Think about your family being cast into this cold world with nothing but their lives. I could very easily turn a blind eye, and no one would say a word.”
“.......”
“Refusing is an option. But based on what you’ve done up to now, it seems unlikely your family will live a pleasant life. You’ve made quite a few enemies, after all.”
Behind Jonathan’s relaxed smile, it felt as though a demon was lurking.
Biyase couldn’t hold out for long.
“...I’ll sign. Bring the papers.”
“Wise choice, Mr. Biyase.”
With trembling hands, Biyase signed the papers.
He had no choice.
And most of the other factory owners in the detention center were in a similar situation.
That day, all the businesses in Scrap Yard beca part of Karma Company.
****
I don’t know how many days passed.
I was busy treating the sick, one after another.
I had experience from my ti in the capital, so it wasn’t too difficult.
I didn’t have the ti to think about how things had turned out this way.
I didn’t have the ti to reflect on what had happened, what had caused to end up like this.
After treating the injured children and critically ill patients, I would have a simple al and then get so rest.
If there was an ergency, I’d have to get up quickly.
And so, I spent my days in a whirlwind.
One day, I was working when...
“Saint.”
Kal Lenaro and the labor theorists, dressed in their splendid uniforms, appeared in front of .
“Could you co with us for a mont? There is a place you must visit.”
“What’s going on?”
“The Emperor has provided us with a building that will beco the Imperial Ministry of Labor. Now that the city’s capitalists have received their just punishnts, we’ll be heading to the capital to officially begin investigating and managing the working conditions of the Empire’s laborers.”
At those words, I felt my strength leave .
“Is that so?”
If soone had told that things would escalate to this point just because I received so black bread, I wouldn’t have believed them.
Thinking about it now, it made want to laugh bitterly.
“Before starting the official work in the new office... I was hoping the Saint could give us an address.”
“Yes. All the comrades are hoping for it.”
“Would you do this for us?”
Seeing their earnest faces, I hesitated for a mont but nodded.
Well.
It was probably best to wrap things up properly before leaving.
In the end, it turned out to be a failure, but at least the people in the city would be better off...
I suppose that could be considered a success, right?
“Peter. Anna. Jim. Amy.”
I called the four mbers of my family who had been supporting up until now.
“Saint.”
“Yes! You called for us?”
I looked at my family, who ca to , with a warm smile.
The ones who ruined my secluded life.
But seeing them smile, I couldn’t feel all that bad.
“I’m heading to the capital now.”
“Yes?”
“Wouldn’t I be stuck here forever? I’ll make sure Karma Company and the Ministry of Labor take care of this place properly.”
I placed my hand on their heads.
“Please, never be sick again. Stay healthy and happy... I hope you can live like that. And please rember the heart you gave when you handed that black bread.”
At my words, they were on the verge of tears, their eyes reddening.
“We will rember it for life, Saint.”
“We will never take the life you gave us lightly.”
I nodded at them.
Then, I turned and followed the labor theorists.
“Saint!!”
“Saint! Are you leaving?”
“Yes. My work here is finished.”
With the cries of many people, I waved my hand in response to each one.
“Yodel.”
“Yes, Saint.”
“Please continue to take care of the sick and the poor in this city. I ask this of you.”
“Yes, of course.”
After making sure to give my thanks to the Grace Order, I left for the capital with the labor theorists.
I quickly returned to the capital through the teleportation set up by the mages of the Magic Tower, and the familiar cityscape of the capital ca into view.
A large building not far from Mars Tower caught my eye.
It looked more like a temple than a governnt building.
“I was given an old building from the Sun Church for free. We’ll be working here from now on, Saint.”
It was then that I understood the building’s appearance, thanks to Kal Lenaro’s explanation.
As I slowly walked toward the labor ministry building, which resembled a temple, I noticed the words “Departnt Operarium” elegantly engraved above the tall doors.
“Let’s go inside.”
Inside, there were many people gathered.
There were nobles who seed to be from the Senate, mages from the Magic Tower, priests and knights from the Holy Shrine, and judges from the Supre Court.
And at the most honored seats...
The Emperor and the Empress.
And Ione and Alne were also there.
It was a scene where all the key figures of the Empire were gathered.
“The Healing Saint is here!!”
As I entered, I could hear the thunderous applause from everyone.
I was led to the center with an awkward expression and received a small pair of scissors.
In the lobby area of the building, there was a long red cloth draped, and it seed the scissors were provided for to cut it.
“Please give a speech and cut the cloth with the scissors.”
After Kal Lenaro said this, he stepped back.
Everyone stopped clapping and began to gaze at intently.
The reporters were snapping photos, and both the nobles and commoners, the faithful and the unfaithful, all looked at with shining eyes.
A speech.
Even now, the only thought in my mind was to destroy my soul and return to Korea. What qualifications did soone like , a cowardly and pathetic failure, have to make such a grand speech?
I quietly looked at the scissors and shrugged my shoulders, then opened my mouth.
Still, if there was anything I could say...
It was only this.
“I don’t think I am soone great.”
I tried to hide the trembling in my voice as I stumbled through the words.
“Still, if there is one thing I think I did well in this world, it is that I tried to embrace those weaker than myself.”
I still often think about it.
If I had used these abilities in a way befitting of a typical adult ga... what would have happened to now?
Maybe it would have been fun in the beginning, but when I consider that the source of this power cos from the Demon King, I realize I would have eventually fallen into corruption.
The only thing I think I did well was to keep a heart of compassion for the weak. That alone.
“The future is not fixed. Depending on the mindset you live with, the sa person can either create hell or create heaven. That’s what I believe. So, I want to make sure to tell you this.”
I looked at the labor theorists.
“May the compassion for the workers never turn into hatred toward those who have power. You must be careful not to be consud by the sweetness of the power you now hold, for it may devour you.”
This ti, I looked at the nobles and the capitalists.
“Give as much as you have. Always rember that if those beneath you are gone, those above you will eventually falter. Just as I gave, I hope you too will have a heart to give. That is my only wish.”
It felt like such an obvious thing to say.
I swallowed a dry gulp, embarrassed, and quickly turned my body to lift the scissors.
With a snip, the cloth was cut.
At that mont, the Emperor stood up and declared loudly.
“From this mont on, I declare the establishnt of the Departnt Operarium! The Imperial Ministry of Labor has been founded!!”
At that mont, everyone stood up.
With thunderous applause.
“Stand up!!”
“Everyone, stand up!!”
“For the Empire!!”
“For the workers!!”
The labor theorists and the capitalists laughed and clapped together.
I stared blankly at the unprecedented scene, and only then did the reality of it all hit .
What am I doing?
Is this why I ran away?
When I think about the number of people I’ve converted in Scrap Yard, I can’t even imagine how much my soul’s Demon King has drained from their faith.
I realize anew how much I’ve ssed things up.
‘This ti, I really have to go sowhere with no people. Sowhere this kind of problem won’t arise.’
I sighed inwardly as I made that resolve. Just then, my eyes fell on Erfa, Ione, and Alne, who were standing and clapping.
The three won simultaneously pressed their lips together and said sothing.
‘Today. I’ll visit you.’
‘I’m waiting.’
...Right.
I had completely forgotten about those three.
Should I laugh, or should I cry?
I couldn’t help but give a faint, ambiguous smile.
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