Chapter 2: I am the heir? (2)
Three days had passed. Naturally, his father didn’t return again. There was no hidden luggage of his in the storage unit. Ha So-young searched the entire house, but his father’s personal belongings were neatly gone. It would’ve been impossible to pack everything overnight. Even the lighter that he secretly hid during his childhood disappeared. he dug up the spot where he buried it years ago, only to find a piece of paper instead of the lighter.
“In Seok-ah, did you think I wouldn’t know if you hide something here? I’m taking this too.”
Ha So-young stared intently at the note and let out a disheartened sigh.
“Is my father truly a god?”
It was physically impossible for such a massive tree to grow overnight. Moreover, it wasn’t transplanted from elsewhere.
“But this is considered his legacy?” Ha So-young stood before the magnificent tree, gazing up in awe. From this perspective, its enormity was even more striking. Based on appearance alone, it seemed at least several hundred years old.
“I’m not sure what kind of tree this is.” It didn’t appear to be any common species. While he wasn’t a botanist, he had a strong feeling that this tree did not naturally fit our country’s climate.
“If my father truly was a god, this could be a unique species not found anywhere else on Earth.”
he pondered whether identifying the type of tree might only complicate matters further. Ha So-young cautiously approached the tree.
“So, what am I supposed to do with this thing?”
his father had been adamant about this tree. He claimed that with this one possession, he would never have to worry about his livelihood again and urged his to make good use of it once he was gone.
“If I utilize this tree well, can I fulfill my lifelong dream of becoming a landlord in Cheongdam-dong? But how should I go about it?”
As he muttered these words, the branches suddenly swayed violently. Startled, Ha So-young took a step back.
“What’s going on?”
There was no wind, yet the branches shook fiercely. Feeling uneasy, he narrowed his eyes and scrutinized the tree closely when…
[My son, can you hear my voice?]
“A-Ah! F-Father!” Ha So-young recoiled in shock at the sudden clear voice of his father.
“W-Where are you? From where is your voice coming, Father?”
-Yes, I am here. Right in front of your eyes.
“D-Dad, this tree is you?”
-No, not exactly. This tree is the legacy I left for you. The voice you hear now is just a messenger embedded within it.
“A messenger?”
-A sort of residual thought that I left behind. Since I’m not truly present, my ability to communicate with you is limited. This audio message was added because I worried you might not know how to use the legacy. Think of it as a user manual. After all, we’re living in the era of 5G, and machine learning AI is trending these days, so I decided to give it a try.
The voice resonating in his mind sounded clear and vivid. Ha So-young’s cheeks flushed, and he clenched his fists tightly.
“You really were a true god, Father!”
–Then again, I am not just any ordinary god but the God of Franchises, the supreme among gods.
“God of Franchises?” Ha So-young was momentarily stunned by the naming that sounded like it came from a coffee shop benchmarking exercise.
-I found similar stories in Earth’s mythology as well. In ancient times, they were called the main gods.
“But why suddenly become the ‘God of Franchises’?”
-The term “ancient main god” felt too solemn, insensitive, and overly authoritarian, don’t you think? Hence, I opted for a more sophisticated expression. Does it not appeal to you?
-Let me reiterate once more: The voice you’re hearing now is not truly me but rather a messenger and user manual for the AI voice support system, designed to assist you in utilizing my legacy properly. Remember this.
“You don’t need to emphasize it so much. Then what should I call you? Can I speak casually?”
-In Seok-ah, this is still your father’s voice so show some respect!
“You seem quite emotional for an AI instruction manual?”
-I am the lingering thoughts left behind by the only Franchise God in the universe, so it is natural.
”…Can’t you just say ancient main god? It sounds more appropriate. By the way.” Ha So-young regained his composure to some extent. Talking with his father’s familiar voice seemed to stabilize his emotions. he gently stroked the tree and asked, “If I utilize this legacy well, can I become the landlord of Cheongdam-dong?”
-That’s why I left behind this voice messenger. The ‘Galactic Divine Tree’ isn’t something trivial. It is a magnificent medium that can help you grow into the next generation Franchise God.
“Huh? What?”
-I saw potential in you. There is a one-in-ten-trillion chance that you will succeed me as the Franchise God. You possess tremendous potential.
“No, Father. Isn’t one-in-ten-trillion practically zero?”
-In this infinite universe, do you think one-in-ten-trillion is small?
-The fact that it isn’t zero already signifies its enormity. After a journey spanning ten billion years, I finally encountered you.
“Then why did you leave instead of staying nearby to nurture my growth?”
-Leaving behind my legacy allows for your development, while I must depart to seek another possibility. Only my true self can discern the potential of a Franchise God, leaving me with no choice.
“Then father…or rather, your main body is currently traveling to find another successor?”
-Indeed. You understand quickly. As expected from a successor with one-tenth of the possibility.
The tree began shaking vigorously, seemingly expressing its joy.
-Now, my son. Accept this gift. Quickly extend your hand.
Ha Su-young hastily held out both hands. Surprisingly, a branch moved gracefully towards his as if guided by eyes. The tree spoke with his father’s voice and moved like an animal on its own.
‘This is truly no ordinary tree. I wasn’t hearing things.’
At the tip of the branch, a golden glow appeared, gradually forming into something resembling liquid gold.
Slowly, it deepened and finally dropped onto Ha So-young’s palm.
“W-What is this?”
-The elixir. It is currently the only growth supplement that the Galactic Tree can provide at your level.
“My current level?”
-The Galactic Tree possesses infinite training courses and great power to develop you as a franchise god, but most of its gifts are beyond what you can handle right now.
Did this mean that, for now, one drop of liquid was all he could handle?
-The elixir has the effects of promoting physical and spiritual growth, complete healing, and resurrection capabilities. It is exclusive to ancient gods, no, franchise gods. Ahh, even after changing my title 100 million years ago, old habits still persist sometimes.
“No matter how I think about it, ‘ancient god’ sounds better.”
- One drop per day, consistently consume the elixir to quickly transcend humanity. I don’t recommend taking more as it could greatly harm your body and soul.
“Then you will give me one drop each day from now on?”
- Yes, indeed. Overuse can truly cause significant damage, so do not save them up and drink multiple drops at once. You must take exactly one drop daily without fail. Remember this well.
With those words, his father’s voice disappeared. Ha So-young tried calling out several times, but there was no response.
“Could there be a daily usage limit for the voice messenger?” Murmuring this, Ha So-young suddenly noticed a warm sensation in his palm.
A golden liquid, resembling a translucent mercury droplet, asserted its presence within his hand. It felt like he had just experienced a vivid dream.
This chapter is translated using Omni Translator, Omni's state-of-the-art novel machine translation LLM, and corrected by human editors. If you'd like to read ahead, you can try using our translator webapp to translate the raw text or link for free.