Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Manipulation and Truth
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Nearly flattened against the ground, the spider.
I snapped a photo of that rare sight first.
'A monster begging for its life... that's a first.'
Its appearance was still hard to look at, but with it groveling like that, I hesitated to fire the Flame spell clutched in my hand.
It felt like I could sense the creature's desperation, especially after it had even spat out its magic stone as if it possessed that level of intelligence.
For now, I recalled Dal-i, who had snatched up the magic stone, and stepped back outside. Taking that as permission, the spider bobbed its body as if nodding its head.
'Don't do that... it's creepy.'
First things first, confirm if the floor was cleared.
If not, I'd have no choice but to go back in and finish it off. Sorry to the creature that seemed so thrilled, but that's life.
Thankfully, a Tower alert appeared, accepting the spider's surrender as the clear condition.
Or... was it really a relief? A spider in my frame?
Staring at the frame with a queasy feeling, I saw the creature scurrying across the desert painting.
Hm, from this distance, it might even be a little cute.
Still kinda gross, though.
My subspace held precious mana grass that would one day make me filthy rich.
To tend and grow it consistently, I'd have to pop in now and then, but seeing that thing every time would be tough.
Ah! Since it surrendered, couldn't I just call it back out here and part ways?
Back into the desert.
But in the short time I'd been gone, the spider was nowhere to be seen.
What? Where could it hide in here?
Regretting not finishing it off regardless, I ventured a bit farther and spotted a black hole beneath a sand dune.
A burrow in the desert? How'd it manage that?
Approaching in astonishment, I saw it had used its spider silk to anchor the sand, weaving multiple strands together to solidify the structure.
"When the hell did it do this?"
I knew it was quick, but building a house that fast was impressive. Seeing this, it looked like it planned to settle here... Could this thing actually live in my subspace?
"Shi, shi, shi— Shiii—"
An excited echo rang out from the darkness beyond.
I knew next to nothing about monster ecology, but if it seemed satisfied, whatever....
And since its creepy form was out of sight—the biggest issue—that wasn't so bad.
'Think of it as a guard dog for the house.'
This was a world I'd created, after all.
If problems arose later, I'd deal with it then. For now, I headed out and posted on the Tower Gallery.
The post devolved into chaos between those two in seconds. But separately, recommendations piled up fast.
My inaugural promise post and wrap-up hit 10 recs, updating the quest.
Instantly, 2 stacks banked!
My first steps toward the top were pure Tetonomo style—skipping stairs two at a time.
Experience gained!
Experience gained!
Hidden reward: Experience x2!
Amid the barrage of alerts, the creation limit increase and first S-Rank skill stood out.
It seemed a bit weak to water, but the new skill was top-tier in range and duration.
Though terrain-dependent, on normal flat ground, it could sweep most foes.
Back home, I flopped onto the bed, satisfied with my gains, when my phone—plugged into the charger—flashed nonstop.
What? Five missed calls, all messages from Jin Tae-san and Seol A-yun. Something up?
I went to call back just as Seol A-yun rang me.
"A-yun, what's going on?"
"Lady Iroha. Sorry to disturb your rest. The media's airing a manipulated video right now. The Association's handling it swiftly, so don't worry about the lies—they wanted me to pass that on."
"...Manipulated video?"
"If you haven't seen it, stay off TV and online communities. No need to see trash talk from worthless scum. Lady Iroha, mind if I come over?"
What the hell? Sudden manipulation? Why?
"No, it's fine. You should rest too. See you at the Association tomorrow."
"No, Lady Iroha. I'll be right there—"
"I'm really okay. See you tomorrow."
Ending the call with the pleading Seol A-yun, I headed to the living room and turned on the TV. What could possibly warrant that reaction?
Cable and broadcast channels alike blared titles like "The Saintess's Dark Side" and "Her Hidden Truth," panels yapping away.
One freshly started channel played aerial footage from afar.
Me leaving the scene, edited with Chae Jeong-ah rushing in and getting choked, then her treating the Zeus Guild Master, me passing shattered drones under Seol A-yun's protection and getting into the car—all spliced to their liking.
Whoa, insane....
Surprise hit before anger.
They stitched it together like that? And so skillfully, barely any seams. A deliberate, malicious hit piece.
"As you can see, the Association's so-called Saintess abandons the injured and leaves. Meanwhile, Hunter Chae Jeong-ah stays to heal till the end."
"Yes, I was shocked too when I first saw it. Completely opposite the rumors."
"Everyone knows the Association-Federation rift, but ditching the injured like that? Not a good look."
The exaggerated cable TV voices filled the room unpleasantly. The Zeus Guild Master got let go because Chae Jeong-ah stuck around... huh?
Community reactions were as expected.
Not AI, obviously. Just spliced clips.
Communities were a mess: confused users, diehard defenders tanking dislikes, spewing curses, opportunists fanning flames.
...How am I supposed to ignore this?
Part of me wanted a press conference to scream it was bullshit.
The Association said they'd handle it, but this fire wouldn't die easy.
Didn't they block all media filming? Some distant drone survived? They think we have no evidence, so they're going all out.
Federation-backed or drone revenge, this crossed the line hard.
Daring to mess with my honey pot like this with cheap tricks... Tomorrow, confirm with Jin Tae-san, then ask the Zeus hunter I healed for testimony.
Federation ties might mean they've been silenced, but someone with shame might step up.
If not... might disillusion me on humanity. Then I'd quit healing, sell mana grass, and play billionaire.
The next day, 9 AM.
Two hours before the Association Chairman inauguration and press conference.
A video uploaded to a small news site's homepage, crashing it from traffic surge soon after.
Then it reappeared on NutTube, views skyrocketing—hundreds, thousands, millions—hitting top trending instantly.