I Became a Raid Boss

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“Everyone has a desire for recognition. It’s just a matter of degrees.”

The lawyer pushed up his glasses, which had no prescription.

“If someone had no desire for recognition at all, they wouldn’t enjoy being acknowledged and praised by others, right? But there’s no one like that, is there?”

“Uh, I think I know someone who is.”

“….”

“…I’m sorry.”

No, but isn’t that true?

There are people who remain indifferent even when praised.

I don’t think that’s entirely wrong, though…

However, Da-eun didn’t counter the lawyer’s statement any further.

She was having a conversation with the lawyer to seek advice, not to win an argument.

“The person who wrote this appears to have a strong desire for recognition. And the stronger that desire, the less they can tolerate being labeled a liar. The best method would be to completely ignore it, but since that seems difficult, we’ll have to resort to a secondary option.”

“Have you studied psychology before?”

“I studied a bit, but not professionally.”

“That explains it. So, should we issue a statement declaring it’s not true?”

“No. Doing that could make me appear nervous, so we need to find another way. Didn’t you come to me because you think the same way, Da-eun?”

“That’s right.”

If they were causing a ruckus on fan cafes or broadcasts, it would be acceptable to respond that way, but for now, they were just whispering in their own community.

Yet, it’s hard to ignore knowing that a storm is brewing beneath the surface.

Da-eun was not the type to watch weeds grow and happily cheer them on.

“So, we need to move discreetly.”

That’s what they call a comment army.

“We’ll write something stating that the original post was manipulated, and get people to create supportive comments. Once we break the ice, the rest will follow along in the current.”

“Wow, that sounds totally like a mastermind.”

“The ‘mastermind’ you’re thinking of refers to someone behind the scenes, right?”

The lawyer readily admitted it.

“Since we’re hiding our identities and concocting schemes, it does qualify as a mastermind.”

“Sounds like something out of a comic. …Ah!”

Da-eun covered her mouth, sensing that her unintended words might have slipped out.

It wasn’t exactly a slip of the tongue, but it was certainly out of place.

However, the lawyer didn’t pay any mind to her words.

This wasn’t Da-eun’s first time seeking his counsel, and he had long since grasped the disposition of his clients, so there was no reason for concern.

Moreover, he was somewhat interested in that sort of thing as well.

“I happen to know a firm. If you’re okay with incurring some expenses, I can introduce you.”

“A firm? What kind of firm?”

“A firm for public relations.”

“Ah… But will it be effective? They have photos on their side…”

“If a single photo could change the outcome, I wouldn’t be able to make a living either. It’s easy enough to cleverly edit or incite outrage suggesting it’s fabricated.”

“That sounds… scary…”

“Scary? This is just the tip of the iceberg. Should I tell you what I dealt with last time?”

“Wait, can you really share that with me?”

“Of course, you shouldn’t tell the general public. But if you’re planning to use this firm, you should have some level of trust, right? Consider it like a portfolio.”

“…That’s fine.”

If he knew that much, wouldn’t “I just happen to know a firm” be quite the understatement?

As the saying goes, you see what you know. Da-eun felt strongly that she could no longer look at the online world with pure eyes.

Not that she ever really had those pure eyes before.

Still, stepping into the shadowy side of the world brought a sinister thrill and a bizarre sense of conquest that began to consume her thoughts.

‘…What am I saying.’

Thrill and a sense of conquest?

She couldn’t possibly feel that way.

If she misstepped in a place like this, she would end up submerged, completely unaware as the waters rose to her head.

“Please help me.”

So let’s keep it to just this.

There won’t be any further missteps.

At Da-eun’s words, the lawyer’s lips curled into a smile.

“Excellent decision.”

Watching that, Da-eun recalled a past conversation they’d had.

It was during a time when they’d started sharing small talk beyond just work, having developed a bit of rapport.

One day, while he was looking over papers without his glasses on, she asked if he couldn’t see. He replied that it didn’t matter since his glasses were just non-prescription frames, worn to give others an intellectual and gentle impression.

Back then, Da-eun just accepted it as is, but now she realized the deeper meaning behind his words.

‘Without glasses, he really would look like a villain…’

Or does wearing glasses make him appear even more villainous?

Da-eun shook her head, remembering characters in comics who shed their glasses and became the final boss.

“Please tell me I haven’t mistakenly come to a detective agency, right?”

“When I’m tired of being a lawyer, I might consider working in that line.”

“Really?”

“Of course, I’m joking.”

That hardly sounded like a joke.

Da-eun forced out a half-hearted smile as she looked at his gleaming glasses.

*

“Yawn…”

“Tired?”

“Not really.”

“Eh? Then why are you yawning?”

What’s wrong with yawning now?

With a frown, Da-eun immediately waved her hands, as if she had just read my mind.

“Oh, no… I was just wondering if you were sleepy.”

“Not sleepy.”

“You’re just bored.”

I was so bored of rolling around on my bed that I came out to the living room and laid on the sofa.

Da-eun pointed out that it was the same to be lying down, whether here or there.

“Just don’t know any better, I guess.”

It’s totally different!

Last time Da-eun had mentioned something about how the air felt different when you go on a trip.

My lying down on the sofa is in the same vein.

The open living room and the cozy room have completely different atmospheres.

“Uh, really…? I don’t know about that, but if Kana likes it, then fine. Should I open the window?”

“I’d rather not.”

“Why not? If you open it, it’ll feel more refreshing.”

“Not really…”

Honestly, I can’t say that the air in Seoul is refreshing at all.

As I shook my head, Da-eun halted in her steps toward the window.

“So judging by your boredom, you must be an outdoorsy kind?”

“I don’t think that’s the case.”

“Huh? If that’s not it, then why are you bored?”

“I’m not doing this by choice.”

If I wanted to stay cooped up at home, I could have been fine pent up for weeks, not just days.

The truth is I’ve recently been going out more because of the dimensional beings and Yuki, but up until then, I barely stepped outside.

But it’s like some kind of rebellious instinct.

Hearing Da-eun say I shouldn’t go outside for a while made me feel oddly resentful.

Maybe it was more pronounced because I was considering asking her out.

“You’re totally being a rebellious teenager! That sounded just like one!”

“I’m sorry. Given my environment, I can’t just take others’ words at face value.”

“…Aah, stop with the excuses!”

In an instant, she turned into a mess…!

My careless remark made Da-eun twist away.

“Just kidding.”

“…You know, even a small comment can send someone spiraling down into despair?”

“Uhh, I don’t know.”

I don’t want to know either.

“This annoying brat…!”

What followed was exactly what I had expected.

Breathing heavily, Da-eun lunged at me, and I rolled away to avoid her.

She tried to catch me several times afterward, but she always missed.

“Huff… huff… why are you rolling so… huff! …fast…?!”

In the end, after exhausting herself, Da-eun threw in the towel.

“How can rolling be faster than my running?!”

“Running around the house isn’t good manners. You have to consider the people living below us.”

“…Don’t be so righteous at a time like this! And I wasn’t even running that much!”

Da-eun said that, but she sidled a glance at the floor.

It’s embarrassing for someone who’s been on Earth for a short while to not know that.

“Da-eun is an idiot.”

“…Grrr!”

As I mockingly pointed out her foolishness, Da-eun huffed in frustration.

But realizing what had just happened, she didn’t try to pounce on me like usual.

Instead, she plopped down beside me.

Having moved away from the sofa during our chase, she ended up sitting on the cold marble floor, but it didn’t seem to bother her much.

“Just hang in there, I’m working on it, so be patient.”

“…It’s not that I can’t stand it; it’s just…”

“But your face looks like you’re dying of boredom right now?”

Unlike before, her hand slowly approached me.

Not bothering to dodge, I stayed still as her hand softly brushed my hair.

“I’ll resolve it as quickly as possible, okay?”

“I wasn’t trying to rush you.”

“Hehe, really? You’re a patient little one~”

“…”

“…Ugh!”

But this, I can’t tolerate.

Da-eun bumped into me and fell back.

As she flailed from the sudden surprise, I couldn’t help but scoff at her.

Who said I treated her like a child?

Ding-dong-!

Just as we were playing around, a sound I had never heard before echoed through the room.

Raising my head in confusion, Da-eun sprang up and cleared my mystery.

“The security office called.”

“Ah.”

So that’s why it sounded foreign.

But they called from the security office?

“Why?”

“Well, we won’t know for sure until we pick up the phone, but… they’re probably notifying us that a fish has been caught in the trap?”

Da-eun said this with a grin.

And as she did, I nodded in understanding.

“Ah, got it.”

“Really? Kana picked up on that too? Finally—”

“-You’re talking about eighth-grade syndrome, aren’t you?”

“…No!”

Given how she tries to act cool, it definitely seems so.

Da-eun stubbornly refuted my words right until the moment she left to answer the call.