The Saint Wants to Rest - Chapter 66.1
Ian closed his notebook with a satisfied smile. A task he thought he could not accomplish alone began to function properly once he brought Choi Jae-heon and Vermouth into the fold. From that hour on, the living room of the pension became a venue for discussing the establishment of a formal religious order.
“To set up a religious corporation, you need a certain number of promoters and believers. Not just people who put their names on paper, but people who possess a sincere faith strong enough to manifest divine power. What we need can be summarized as administrative procedures, setting up initial capital, and purchasing a building to use as a sanctuary. Of course, if we mobilize Stigma’s legal team, we can wrap this up within a few days.”
At Choi Jae-heon’s detailed plan, Ian leaned back against the sofa and nodded.
“However, Ian. No matter how much I cherish you, I cannot pour 10 billion or 20 billion won of Stigma’s public funds into your private religious project without any questions asked. Stigma is a guild created by awakened ones who were hurt and pushed to the edge of a cliff, risking their lives. As a guild leader, I cannot privately embezzle their blood, sweat, and tears. You understand that, right?”
Ian nodded. It was a natural point to make. Rather, he felt more at ease because Choi Jae-heon drew such a rational line.
“I know, Hyung. I’m not asking you to take money from Stigma’s public funds. Lend me the initial capital from your personal fortune. I’ll pay it back once the order is established and donations start coming in.”
“If it’s from my personal funds, I wouldn’t mind giving you my entire fortune. You don’t have to pay that back. I can at least do that much for my brother.”
Choi Jae-heon smirked and adjusted his posture.
“Then I will handle the money issues. You need to create a clear motivation to draw believers in. You will need an overwhelming miracle sufficient to paralyze people’s reasoning at once.”
Ian’s eyes sparkled as if he had been waiting for this.
“Exactly. That’s why I plan to scale things up. I won’t just move as a member of Stigma; I need to go out and provide support to the Phoenix Guild and the Management Bureau as well. We should gather all the reporters, too.”
At those words, Choi Jae-heon’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“You’re going to involve Hong Seo-yun and the Management Bureau? I’m against you poking your nose into everything when your safety isn’t even guaranteed.”
“Hyung, if I stay tied only to a specific guild, people will just think of me as Stigma’s exclusive healer. To gather believers from across the entire world, I need the image of an overwhelming savior who is strictly neutral. Besides, if Tae-gyeom Hyung helps me utilize the media, it will be much easier to create the right picture.”
For that reason, he would have to leave the Stigma Guild soon. If he didn’t, a situation might arise where a massive religious order became a subsidiary of Stigma. In order to help many people, the order had to be operated separately from the guild.
Choi Jae-heon let out a short sigh at Ian’s logical rebuttal. It was because he knew he could not break his brother’s stubbornness. The same fierce determination he had when he built the guild was visible in Ian. It was clear they were family. Although they were not related by blood, the years they spent together could not be faked.
“Only move within the limits of what you can control. The moment I feel you are overexerting yourself, even a little bit, the plan stops immediately.”
“Got it. I’ll try.”
Ian answered brightly and laughed.
“Well then, I guess the vacation is over.”
He wouldn’t be able to rest more right now, but he would truly rest well later. Making that vow to himself, Ian stretched.
***
A few days later. An A-grade Gate site located near Seoul.
While dozens of reporters and broadcast cameras were stationed outside the police line, a strange silence was flowing inside the temporary waiting room of the Stigma Guild set up within the restricted area.
“……”
Ian stared blankly at his reflection in the full-length mirror.
It was an outfit specially commissioned by Choi Jae-heon from a luxury designer, made through an all-night work session. The pure white coat, a modern reinterpretation of the Saint’s uniform he had worn on the Lancia continent, emitted a faint glow with every movement, maximizing his holy aura.
“Is it… a bit much?”
As Ian toyed with the collar of the coat and muttered, Vermouth, who was standing behind him, approached silently.
“Not at all. It should be at least this much. If anything, I am worried that it lacks splendor.”
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