Chapter 54
The lighting in the office was low and dim.
On one side, piles of unknown books and documents were stacked high, and in the center sat a very large, wide table.
When Cheonma and Jang Chaewon entered, they noticed the silhouette of a man seated at the table. It was the inspector.
“Please, have a seat.”
Although the room was bright enough, the man’s face and body were completely shrouded in darkness, as if covered in black ink.
The man—shaped like a pitch-black shadow—looked at Cheonma and Jang Chaewon and extended his hand.
“Welcome, Sir Cheonma.”
Up close, only his lips and teeth were visible on the shadow-blackened face.
“And Miss Jang Chaewon as well.”
The man, who had spoken in a stiff voice, suddenly switched to a polite tone. The sudden shift made Jang Chaewon even more irritated.
The operator of Bokbok Interior—meaning the owner of the territory—was Jang Chaewon. But the inspector intentionally addressed Cheonma first.
“There’s no need to be nervous. Today is just a simple inquiry.”
“Hearing the words simple inquiry makes it feel like I’m being interrogated at a police station.”
At her comment, the inspector’s white teeth widened into a grin.
“If this were a matter for the police, that would be nice. Unfortunately, this is the Temple Administration Bureau.”
Turning his head, the man asked Cheonma,
“I’ll ask bluntly—why did you go to the ‘Black Tower’ dungeon at that time?”
Cheonma, who was sitting with his arms crossed, flashed his eyes.
“And who might you be?”
“…What?”
The inspector’s cold tone returned, wiping away all traces of the earlier polite act.
“Are you daring to speak so rudely to a divine inspector?”
“Oh, you’re a god? My apologies. I’m still unfamiliar with this world.”
Cheonma chuckled and clasped his hands together.
“Since I was dragged here without explanation, I didn’t know where this was, nor who you were.”
—If you drag someone in, isn’t it proper to first tell them where they are and what your role is?
That was what Cheonma was really saying.
‘Just as the rumors said—definitely not a normal human.’
A grin returned to the inspector’s shadow-darkened face.
“My apologies. You resemble the yokai so much that I momentarily forgot you came from another world.”
—So your face looks like a monster’s, and that’s why you forgot to follow protocol,
Cheonma’s sarcasm implied.
The inspector responded politely,
“I am the special inspector assigned to investigate this unauthorized dungeon intrusion.”
“Inspector—is that your name?”
“What does a name matter?”
Smiling faintly, the inspector rubbed his palms together.
“Now then, may I ask for your reason?”
“I simply wished to loosen my body.”
“You wished to… loosen your body?”
“I am someone from another world. I don’t know what kind of monsters are in these dungeons or how strong they are. While circulating my qi late at night, I felt stifled, so I simply went to the dungeon to look around.”
The inspector stared directly into Cheonma’s eyes, then his own eyes curved like crescent moons.
“You went to look around, and a Minotaur appeared? A rare hidden monster that’s only appeared once before?”
“That is correct.”
“Very well.”
The inspector clasped his hands again.
“Where is the treasure?”
“Treasure?”
“The artifact that drops from a Minotaur.”
“There was no such thing.”
The inspector narrowed his eyes as if trying to read Cheonma’s mind.
It was the expression of someone claiming to use mind-reading.
But if Dongwon was right, not even a god could peer into one’s mind. Knowing this, Cheonma smirked.
“You surely checked yourself, did you not?”
Indeed, no relic had been found. It couldn’t be found—most hidden monsters turn into light and vanish shortly after death.
If the awakened one hadn’t uploaded a video, no one would have known a Minotaur even appeared.
“…Then it can’t be helped.”
The inspector spoke calmly as if he had expected this.
He extended a blackened finger toward the nanobot resting on Cheonma’s shoulder—Mumyeong.
“I’ll have to forcibly extract the data from that nanobot.”
Cheonma’s eyebrow twitched.
To him, Mumyeong was not just a tool—it was like his cherished sword, Gukcheon, or even more. To rip apart something that acted as his hands, feet, and mind?
But Jang Chaewon simply smiled confidently.
“Sure. Try it if you can.”
“Oh, I know. I know exactly what that nanobot is.”
The inspector bared his white teeth again.
“No terrestrial deity on this land would dare forcibly dismantle it, correct?”
The shadow-darkened voice carried both admiration and contempt.
“The divine masterpiece crafted by Lord Hephaestus, defying opposition from the upper gods—a mechanical life-form.”
Jang Chaewon’s eyes cooled sharply, but the inspector chuckled.
“Most knowledgeable gods already know this. The only reason we don’t touch it is because the Divine Management Team has left it alone.”
“Then that’s good to know.”
“We can’t force it apart, that’s true. But we can issue an order to delete all its data and reset it.”
“…What?”
“Miss Jang Chaewon, you agreed with Lord Hephaestus’s principles, it seems. You registered this nanobot as an employee of your territory.”
Indeed.
Because Mumyeong was registered as an employee of the territory, it could not escape the corresponding punishments.
“As an employee, we can’t pry into its mind. But if it’s fired? Naturally, all data accumulated during its employment must be reset.”
The inspector’s voice grew colder.
“Just as we erase memories of any yokai or human who quits working in a territory.”
Only now did Jang Chaewon understand why the inspector had been so relaxed.
Full deletion of Mumyeong’s memories—essentially the destruction of its personality.
That was the card he had been holding.
“That’s absurd—”
At the exact moment Jang Chaewon shot to her feet—
[It is a reasonable statement.]
Mumyeong, perched on Cheonma’s shoulder, spoke in its mechanical voice.
[As an employee of the territory, I used the dungeon for personal purposes. I even defeated a hidden monster. Punishment is unavoidable.]
“Punishment is one thing, but you’re a machine. Shouldn’t you act like one?”
The inspector studied Mumyeong’s human-like voice and mannerisms with interest.
“What I want is a clear explanation. There are countless dungeons—why the Black Tower? How did you summon a Minotaur? What were you trying to do there?”
[I will exercise my right to remain silent.]
“A fine choice.”
The inspector flashed his white teeth at Cheonma.
“I cannot see memories, but I can tell truth from falsehood.”
So that’s how it is,
Cheonma clicked his tongue.
The inspector had the ability to distinguish truth and lies.
“In that case, punishment is unavoidable.”
At those words, Mumyeong’s white eyes glimmered.
[Very well. I accept the data reset penalty.]
“What are you talking about?!”
Jang Chaewon shouted, but Mumyeong remained calm.
[It was my failure to warn Sir Cheonma about the illegality of entering the dungeon. At that time, he was ignorant of this world’s rules. I will make this clear at the disciplinary committee.]
The inspector tilted his head.
“You’re telling me you’ll accept full memory deletion? Mechanical life-forms are no different from humans as far as consciousness goes—this would essentially end you.”
He blinked in disbelief.
“What happened in that dungeon that you’d go this far?”
Mumyeong remained silent.
Because if the truth came out, it would implicate not only Cheonma possessing the rare treasure Gamroseok, but also Kim Hyewon—who had used it to cure her illness.
Restoration.
The divine world demanded everything affected by illegal acts to be restored to its original state. Mumyeong knew that very well.
“I see. You may leave.”
The inspector rose and spoke coldly.
“Until the disciplinary committee convenes in two days, Bokbok Interior’s business license is temporarily suspended.”
* * *
Returning to the shop, Jang Chaewon immediately took Mumyeong to her private quarters.
She could not understand why it was willing to accept such a punishment—erasing its memories entirely.
“What the hell were you thinking?! Letting them wipe your memories?!”
[I expected this outcome.]
“What?”
[Ten-day business suspension. And deletion of my data as a registered employee. That will be their final ruling.]
Mumyeong spoke with full confidence.
[But they will never revoke Bokbok Interior’s territory rank. Unless they’re fools.]
“You think I’m worried about the territory rank?”
[I know you’re worried about me, Miss Jang Chaewon. But this mistake is entirely my fault. I refuse to let you or Sir Cheonma suffer because of it.]
“…Fine. I understand your intention.”
Jang Chaewon stared at Mumyeong.
“Honestly, I don’t even care why you two went there. It’s true you went to a dungeon and killed a monster—that’s all that matters.”
She folded her arms, her expression grave.
“But now I need to know. I’ll handle everything else, so tell me honestly—why did you kill a Minotaur in the Black Tower?”
[My apologies.]
“So your answer is memory deletion?”
But Mumyeong’s voice did not waver.
[It is not that I distrust you. It is simply… a situation where I cannot speak.]
“So you don’t trust me that much?”
She held her head in her hands, looking heartbroken.
“Is that all I am to you?”
Mumyeong stayed silent, then shook its head.
[You are my first user—the one who allowed me to exist. I am not hiding this to hurt or doubt you.]
“Then why?”
[Because I have no other choice.]
Mumyeong had no alternatives.
To avoid territory revocation, to protect Cheonma’s employee status, and to protect Kim Hyewon, whose heart it healed—
If deleting its memories was enough to save them all, then it was a small price.
[It’s nothing. My existence won’t vanish.]
Mumyeong looked up at her.
[Only my memories will be deleted. I simply won’t be able to work at Bokbok Interior again.]
“You—”
[Miss Jang Chaewon, you have reasons—important reasons—to continue running this store and this territory. You cannot afford to lose it over something like this. Nor can you lose someone as capable as Sir Cheonma.]
Its white eyes gleamed again.
[With Sir Cheonma by your side, you will surely achieve everything you desire.]
Mumyeong’s resolve was immovable.
No words would change it.
A heavy despair pressed down on Jang Chaewon, and she slowly closed her eyes.
* * *
“You deceived this lord.”
When Mumyeong returned to the shop, Cheonma glared with solemn eyes.
“You said that if I told them I went to loosen my body, it would end without issue.”
[Yes. And because of that excuse, the punishment will end with mere data deletion. It is nothing serious.]
Feeling the weight of Cheonma’s stare, Mumyeong quickly changed the subject.
[Since the shop is suspended, the doors must remain closed. Miss Jang Chaewon told us to go home, but… how about spending the next two days in this storage room?]
“Because of the shop owner?”
[Precisely. In times like this, we, as employees of Bokbok Interior, should remain by her side.]
The sense of loss and betrayal Jang Chaewon must be feeling would be indescribable.
Even Cheonma felt deeply betrayed by Mumyeong.
“Very well.”
[Thank you. Then I will visit Miss Jang Chaewon now.]
“No. Do not return. Stay by her side for the next two days. I will fetch the bowl you lie down in.”
[The charging station? No need. As long as I’m not in battle analysis mode, I can last a month.]
Click.
Mumyeong extended arms and legs from its round body and opened the door to her quarters.
[Then excuse me.]
“Mumyeong.”
For the first time in a while, Cheonma called its name. Sharp lightning flickered in his gaze.
“Do not worry. Your memory will not be erased.”
[…I expected you would say that.]
Leaving those strange words behind, Mumyeong disappeared behind the closing door.
That short sentence carried two meanings:
That it knew Cheonma valued it deeply—
and that even so, it would not waver from its chosen path.
