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The numbers on the “Quest List,” once stable, began to flicker and change, morphing into higher and higher amounts. 

‘Wow! The God of Judgment just raised the reward to 32,000… Oh, and as I speak, the Goddess of Peace has increased hers to 35,000!’

I grinned as I continued to narrate the escalating bids from the two gods. By openly pitting them against each other, the rewards, already substantial, climbed even higher without slowing down.

The God of Judgment: 38,000.

The Goddess of Peace: 40,000.

The God of Judgment: 45,000.

The Goddess of Peace: 50,000.

The numbers were changing so rapidly now that I couldn’t even keep up with them. It was clear that the two gods were locked in a fierce battle of wills. There’s an old saying about how when whales fight, the shrimp gets crushed. But sometimes, the shrimp ends up feasting when the whales are too busy fighting each other.

‘And today is one of those rare days!’

As I watched with great interest, the battle between the gods started to tilt in favor of one side. The victor was the God of Judgment, just as I had anticipated. After all, the Goddess of Peace wasn’t the type to relish a protracted struggle, and I figured she would back down first.

‘The God of Judgment has offered a reward of 120,000 coins.’

With a sense of satisfaction, I accepted the quest proposed by the God of Judgment.

◈Quest◈  

Let’s punish the arrogant maid who dared to disrespect the Saint. Spread the Saint’s majesty far and wide through a merciless retribution.  

– Requester: God of Judgment / Resa  

– Objective: Punish the maid, Hannah  

– Reward: 120,000 Heaven Coins

‘And the Goddess of Peace is offering 110,000 coins…’

I decided to accept that quest as well.

◈Quest◈  

The mercy of the Saint knows no bounds. Spread the Saint’s renown through the generous act of forgiving a sinner.  

– Requester: Goddess of Peace / Kodiah  

– Objective: Give the maid, Hannah, a chance to atone for her wrongs  

– Reward: 110,000 Heaven Coins

‘Truthfully, I planned to accept both from the start!’

Heaven’s quests usually outline only the main objective, leaving the specific methods up to the one who accepts the quest. This meant that I could fulfill the God of Judgment’s request by punishing Hannah appropriately, then go on to satisfy the Goddess of Peace by offering Hannah a chance to redeem herself.

‘This way, I can complete both quests!’

As I smirked to myself, Axel narrowed his eyes at me, clearly suspecting I was up to something crafty.

I pretended not to notice his suspicious gaze and tucked the “Quest List” back into my pocket, then turned my attention to Hannah.

“Return the Elpinard money you embezzled. If you’ve already spent it all, then you’ll need to work to pay it back,” I declared.

“You’re giving me a chance to work? Truly, you are a Saint!” Hannah exclaimed, her face lighting up with a hopeful smile.

“Yep, that’s right. Since I’m a Saint, I’ll generously give you a chance,” I replied, feigning a benevolent tone.

Axel frowned at my words, while Hannah beamed with relief.

“But who would hire a maid who dared to embezzle money from her master…?” I mused aloud, pretending to think hard about the situation. Then, as if struck by a brilliant idea, I clapped my hands.

“Oh! The Elpinards own a mine, don’t they? You can work there to earn the money back. There’s nothing to steal there, so it’s perfect. Right, Axel?”

“M-mine…?” Hannah’s face turned as pale as a sheet. The mines were known to be grueling work environments where even strong men struggled to endure. Moreover, the gold and diamond mines owned by the Elpinard family were located in the harsh, barren lands of the northern continent.

For Hannah, who had spent her life as a maid in a noble household, this would be an unimaginably tough ordeal.

“If she works hard for about ten years, she should be able to pay back what she stole, don’t you think?” I asked, throwing out a rough estimate.

“Ten years? She’ll need at least thirty,” Axel corrected me, his tone dry.

“Th-thirty years!” Hannah’s face turned from pale to ashen, the enormity of the time span draining her of any remaining hope.

“Yep, thirty years. Work hard, reflect on your actions, and after that, I’ll help you start a new life. I’m a Saint, so I’m merciful.”

I wasn’t lying. If Hannah truly repented and managed to survive thirty years in the mines, I’d acknowledge her tenacity and consider helping her start fresh. But realistically, I doubted someone who preyed on a child like Reshia had the grit to survive such a trial.

‘So, what do you think?’ I mentally asked the gods who were undoubtedly watching from heaven.

Sending Hannah to the mines was a clear form of punishment—practically a living hell for her. But at the same time, offering her a chance at redemption if she could endure the thirty years was an act of forgiveness. It fulfilled both the demands of the God of Judgment and the Goddess of Peace.

As if in response to my reasoning, two system notifications appeared before me, one after the other.

[Message from Heaven]

(Notification) Quest Complete!  

Congratulations. You have been awarded 120,000 Heaven Coins. Would you like to claim your reward now?  

[Yes/No]

[Message from Heaven]

(Notification) Quest Complete!  

Congratulations. You have been awarded 110,000 Heaven Coins. Would you like to claim your reward now?  

[Yes/No]

What started as a quest that I thought might net me 30,000 coins at most had turned into a windfall of 230,000 coins.

Grinning from ear to ear, I tugged on Axel’s pant leg. “Let’s go to the temple now, Axel!”

To extend my lifespan!

I hugged the piggy bank Axel had made for me, affectionately named “Oink,” as I climbed into the carriage bound for the temple. Some people who don’t understand magic think that we could just teleport everywhere, but that kind of magic is highly risky—something you’d only attempt if you were willing to gamble with your life. A single mistake could leave your head here, your torso there, and your limbs scattered somewhere else.

‘That’s why even mages prefer to use carriages or horses.’

As I watched the scenery zip by outside the window, I couldn’t help but hum a little tune. It’s true what they say—having a full purse really does give you peace of mind.

‘So, just how many coins do I have in my pocket now…?’

There were the 50,000 coins I got from the first quest reward, and now, with the 230,000 coins I just secured, that made a grand total of 280,000 Heaven Coins!

‘If I donate all of this, I can extend my lifespan by 28 months.’

Thinking about that made me feel much more at ease about my situation, even if I was still technically on borrowed time. 

Axel, who had been watching me with a mix of amusement and exasperation, finally spoke up. “You’re still on borrowed time, so what’s making you so happy?”

“Axel, why are you always so negative?” I countered.

“Huh? Of course I’m negative. How can you see the bright side of this? You’ve got less than three years left to live.”

Axel crossed his arms, his tone skeptical. I just shrugged.

“Oh, come on. Look at it this way—at least I’m guaranteed not to die during that time. It’s a subscription period guaranteed by the gods.”

“What? How do you even come up with an interpretation like that…?”

“Or maybe it just means that Reshia’s time is limited, and I’ll reincarnate again after that? That would be interesting.”

I shared my sudden thought, only for Axel to give me a light thump on the head, his expression exasperated.

“Interesting, my foot.”

I shot him a reproachful look, but Axel just chuckled and turned his gaze out the window.

“And stop talking about dying so casually. Coming from someone who’s already died once, it doesn’t sound like a joke.”

His voice was calm, almost nonchalant. Before I could think of a response, the carriage slowed as we approached our destination.

“The temple’s in sight.”

I leaned closer to the window, eager to see. At the end of the road stood a grand temple, its towering structure gleaming white, exuding an aura of holiness.