Chapter 75

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 75

Chapter Title: The Mayor and Interpretation

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Monday morning.

My condition wasn't much different from the moment when the raw fish sashimi and spicy fish stew had come refluxing back up.

My stomach was sour, and my head was throbbing.

A perfectly natural conclusion.

The mental shock from the encounter with the S-rank monster and the physical aftereffects left by Nero-Boat's violent spins had collaborated in a fantastic symphony.

It was fortunate that it ended with just this level of muscle pain.

Fortunate? The dragon did it, so of course it was dragon-like.

The fact that I'm coming up with such a corny dad joke means I'm not in my right mind either.

I wanted to use the mayor's authority to call in sick, but as long as Seria Park—the power above all power—existed, it was an impossible dream.

I staggered into City Hall like a zombie.

The banner display installed in the City Hall lobby flashed as it spat out the headline.

Joint operation? Us? When?

Ah, no... right!

The S-rank monster was defeated, so of course it was worth celebrating.

The citizens would be relieved, the Hero Association's prestige would rise, and I'd suffer for a few days but it would soon be forgotten...

"Yesterday around 2 p.m., an S-rank monster Kraken suddenly appeared in the West Sea and threatened Neo Incheon. But our great mayor, Lee Garam, had already predicted everything!"

The announcer's voice coming from the TV in the lobby was filled with near-religious ecstasy.

Predicted? The only thing I predicted was yesterday's dinner menu. And even that had failed because of Jin Yeonhwa.

"Experts are unanimous in saying this operation was the most meticulous and bold decoy strategy in modern monster subjugation history!"

The screen changed, and a so-called expert in glasses pointed wildly as he ranted.

"Look! A few days ago, Mayor Lee Garam and Association President Jin Yeonhwa held a secret meeting at the summit of Gyeayang Mountain! This was the start of the operation! A summit talk! In other words, a symbolic act hinting at a top-level classified operation!"

No, we just went hiking to drink makgeolli. I only watched Han Sia get drunk.

"And yesterday! The two rode a fishing boat out ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to sea themselves! This was the crowning touch of the operation! An unprecedented strategy where they threw themselves as bait to lure the monster! The meticulousness of even preparing real fish as bait for the bait!"

That wasn't a strategy, it was an accident! A disaster!

The fish were prepared by Han Sia! To make spicy fish stew!

Of course, my inner screams didn't reach the world.

The world had already crafted the story they wanted to see, the narrative they wanted to believe.

I was nothing more than a third-rate actor forcibly cast in a role.

Today, the stares from the officials I passed in the hallway were anything but ordinary.

"Mayor, good morning! Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah."

"Did you rest well through the night? No nightmares of the Kraken?"

"Fine."

Their whispers wormed into my ears.

"See how calm the mayor is... That composure. Proof that everything was part of the plan."

"The mayor's usual lateness... Could it have been deep-sea sonar analysis to predict the Kraken's path?"

"Always approving documents five minutes before leaving work... Maybe training to hone the timing for striking the enemy off-guard?"

The whispers stabbed into my back like daggers.

No. No. No way.

No matter how much I shouted my triple denial combo, the world had already built a fortress of positivity. My screams were just cement smeared on the walls.

Doesn't logic exist anymore? Has this world's causality taken a vacation to Andromeda?

I opened the door to the mayor's office, and there was Seria Park as always, elegantly sipping her coffee.

Whether I had died and come back to life, or the world hailed me as a hero, it seemed not even worth gossip to her.

"Mayor, you've arrived. Your face still shows fatigue that hasn't faded. Dealing with an S-rank monster was no small feat, it seems."

"Tired. Exhausted to death. Wouldn't you be if an ordinary citizen suddenly became the protagonist of a disaster movie?"

"Not a disaster movie, more like a spy thriller. A top agent deceiving all citizens and leaping into the enemy's heart. Excellent acting."

"It wasn't acting, it was reality! We just! Went! Fishing! That's all!"

I emphasized desperately, but as expected, it didn't get through.

"The PR office has named this operation of yours 'Operation Neptune'. A fine name, isn't it?"

"Why name an operation without permission! That's the mayor's exclusive authority! I won't yield on that!"

At that moment, the screen of the tablet Seria was holding caught my eye.

It was a trending political wrecka channel.

A sensational thumbnail and my familiar face. I found myself focusing on the screen.

"Now, everyone! Look at this photo! The one Miss Polaris posted on SNS! A makgeolli party at the Gyeayang Mountain summit. But here! Focus on the tofu kimchi!"

A portion of the photo zoomed in. Tofu kimchi on a plate.

"How many tofu pieces are left? One, two, three... Exactly eight! Do you know what this means? Yes! It symbolizes the Kraken's eight legs! Even the white of the tofu represents the Kraken's soft belly, and the red of the kimchi symbolizes the blood the Kraken to be subjugated will spill—a perfect foreshadowing!"

Nonsense. Fabrication.

First, the Kraken had hundreds of tentacle legs.

Second, I didn't order that tofu kimchi—Jin Yeonhwa did.

Third, we just left it because we were full!

But truth is powerless. Interpretation rules all.

"Unbelievable... Absolutely mind-blowing."

While I was lost in confusion, the TV screen changed.

A video from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠yesterday was playing. A small boat swimming toward the rescue ship.

It was Nero-Boat.

Myaa!

Nero, who had been rolling around lying down, straightened up when he saw himself on the TV screen. He stiffly raised his tail and lifted his chin.

'Did you see that, human? This is my majesty.'

Full of pride. Smug as can be.

Yeah. As long as you're happy.

I finally gave up everything and leaned back in my desk chair.

"Whatever... Think what you want. I'm the great mayor, a meticulous strategist, a legendary fisherman. Happy?"

"You've finally admitted it."

"Not admitted, given up. Given up."

"Either way, the result is the same. The citizens are thrilled with your new image."

Seria handed over a new report. Progress on the 'West Sea Dragon King Kraken Subjugation Operation' and analysis of its political effects. The first line read:

[Under the thorough plan led by Mayor Lee Garam...]

"Rewrite all this. 'Regarding accidentally going fishing, encountering an S-rank monster, but luckily surviving because the accompanying Hero Association President was the world's strongest.'"

Seria lightly ignored me and briefed the next schedule.

"At 3 p.m. today, Association President Jin Yeonhwa will visit City Hall to celebrate the success of this operation. A joint interview with major media outlets will follow, so please prepare answers to expected questions."

I faceplanted onto the desk. The cold wood touched my forehead.

"...Should've just let the Kraken eat me..."

3 p.m. City Hall briefing room.

The world was full of light.

No. Precisely, flash light. Continuous explosions from dozens of cameras.

Click. Click.

The sound of birds flapping wings. No, machine guns firing.

The target of that light and sound overload was me, Lee Garam.

I had to flip public opinion somehow in this interview.

I was the victim. The witness. The powerless Citizen A.

Imprint this simple, clear, irrefutable fact into the citizens' minds.

Association President Jin Yeonhwa had solved everything. I was just lucky to survive.

All thanks and praise to Jin Yeonhwa. I was merely part of the background.

How perfect, humble, and beautiful a scenario.

"Mayor! One word on the secret to the success of the Kraken subjugation operation!"

The first question flew.

Secret to success? If survival was success, then Nero-Boat's mobility and Jin Yeonhwa's overwhelming firepower.

I grabbed the mic with a gentle smile.

"There's no real secret. I was just one ordinary citizen enjoying fishing on a weekend. In the sudden disaster, I barely survived thanks to Association President Jin Yeonhwa's heroic exploits and Polaris's devoted protection. All credit belongs rightfully to the heroes."

Perfect. A 100-point answer.

Humble virtue and fact-based statement.

What more could one ask for?

The reporters' eyes subtly changed.

Yes. Doubt it. And confirm it. My incompetence and powerlessness.

At that moment, Jin Yeonhwa, who had been yawning next to me, grabbed the mic.

Please. Just don't say anything weird. Oh dragon...

"Ah. Kraken?"

She opened her mouth in a drowsy voice like someone just woken from sleep.

"Garam figured all that out himself. I just helped a bit on the side. So annoying."

...What?

...What did she just say?

Are my ears wrong? Or has this woman finally lost her mind?

Clickclickclickclickclickclickclick-!

The camera flashes erupted three times more intensely than before.

The temperature in the briefing room seemed to rise by 2 degrees.

The reporters' eyes began to burn with fervor. The eyes of beasts scenting a scoop.

No. No way.

What is this woman saying right now?

I figured out what!!

"No, that's not it. Everyone, this is a misunderstanding—"

"Why thank me so much? If you're grateful, just buy me a meal. With beef."

Jin Yeonhwa lightly brushed aside my desperate clarification and tapped my shoulder.

The gesture was so natural it seemed like a planned performance.

I let go of the reins of reason.

"Why are you doing this! Just tell the truth as it is—why push credit that isn't mine onto me!"

My scream echoed through the briefing room.

Silence fell.

Everyone held their breath and stared at me and Jin Yeonhwa.

Jin Yeonhwa looked at me with a baffled expression, then smirked.

"Look at this guy. Even when I praise him, he's got complaints."

The next moment.

Ugh!

A powerful arm wrapped around my neck.

A technique from pro wrestling. Headlock.

Humanity's strongest delivering her signature headlock.

Squeeze-!

The sensation of my face being crushed by flesh and oxygen to the brain being cut off.

My vision turned white.

"Guh... Guh... Surrender... Unconditional surrender...!"

"Hahaha! Mayor Lee Garam and Association President Jin Yeonhwa look so close!"

"This is the bond of the two giants protecting Neo Incheon!"

"Perfect partnership complete with wit and humor!"

The reporters gleefully pressed their shutters like mad.

Where is this an embrace!!

This is assault! Clear sexual harassment and physical threat!

But to them, it apparently looked like a prank between close friends.

How does a mayor flailing with his neck choked look reliable!!

In the end, I had to buy beef.

At a top-grade Hanwoo specialty restaurant. On my personal card.

Sizzle.

The sound of beautifully marbled sirloin cooking on the grill sounded pathetic.

Of course, I was the one grilling the meat.

Jin Yeonhwa naturally snatched and ate the meat I grilled.

"Hey. Too burnt. Grill again."

"This is the best I can do."

"Tsk. No wonder you can't handle being mayor. Can't even grill basics."

I became a servant with tongs, delivering meat to Jin Yeonhwa's plate.

"Why did you do that, anyway?"

"What?"

I flipped the meat and asked Jin Yeonhwa.

"The interview. Why push the credit onto me? It could've been simple—you as the hero alone."

Jin Yeonhwa chewed her meat with a vague expression before answering.

"Too annoying."

"...Pardon?"

"Annoying. Being the hero. Spotlight. Interviews. Events. All of it. Way easier if you handle it. You're a politician for that stuff."

How clear and selfish an answer.

Irresponsibly passing the spotlight she deserved like hot potato because it's annoying.

She continued while eating a well-done piece.

"Me? I'm just the balance weight of this land. Not a ruler."

Her eyes drifted far away for a moment.

"A role to nudge when balance starts to tip. That's enough. The world is beautiful as is. I just want to watch."

Pretty profound philosophy.

The reason she doesn't step to the front usually.

I admired for a moment.

The nobility of not seeking to rule the world despite that overwhelming power.

But that admiration shattered with her next words.

"Plus, no worries lately. Since humans ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like you handle it well. Conclusion: I can play carefree now."

Conclusion? What kind of conclusion is that!

I set down the tongs and yelled.

"So ultimately, you're dumping everything on me!"

"Oh. Quick on the uptake."

Jin Yeonhwa nodded in satisfaction.

There are many kinds of torture in the world.

Using water, using fire, sleep deprivation.

And the most horrific torture I'm enduring right now.

The torture of 'being praised regardless of my will'.

The next day.

"We're here at the heart of Neo Incheon! The engine toward the future! Garamland Research Cluster! Look at this vitality! This passion!"

The reporter on screen was on the verge of tears.

Behind her, people in white lab coats from all nationalities and races hugged and danced in a bizarre scene.

Like a cult festival.

But they were scientists. World-class ones at that.

"Oh my god! A perfect S-rank monster biosample! Every cell alive and breathing! This base sequence! God's blueprint! With this, the Nobel is mine!"

Dr. Johnson from MIT hugged a Kraken tentacle fragment like a baby and sobbed.

"Wunderbar! This black liquid! Not mere ink! An aggregate of nanoparticles absorbing magnetic fields and converting energy! The deep-sea dark matter that only existed in theory! German science will analyze this perfectly!"

Prof. Schmidt from Max Planck Institute was bowing to the ink in a beaker.

"Hao! Lee Garam jao! This scale's strength and organ energy efficiency! One year's research solved in a day! Report to Beijing now—revise the Third Superpower Development Five-Year Plan entirely!"

Dr. Wang from Kunlun Science Academy roared into his phone in incomprehensible words.

I read massive national ambition on that excited face.

Damn. One mayor's fishing trip affecting international politics.

I sank deep into the sofa.

"Seria. Can you turn off that channel? Too mentally exhausting."

"Time to recap your feats and instill pride. A right and duty you must enjoy as mayor."

The remains of the Kraken left after Jin Yeonhwa burned it—severed tentacle pieces and flesh floating on the sea.

To researchers, no different from the Holy Grail.

The tentacles would open new paths in regenerative medicine, the ink samples would found unprecedented new materials for humanity, and the tough exoskeleton would evolve heroes' armor to the next level.

I resented Jin Yeonhwa.

Why leave it half-burned instead of incinerating to ash! Do you know how much more annoying your laziness has made my life!

Talents from Korea—no, the whole world—began flocking to Neo Incheon.

Bio labs, new materials teams, pharma companies rushed joint research applications to City Hall.

People gasped, saying all the puzzle pieces fit now.

The questions people had when Mayor Lee Garam (Seria did it) poured massive budget into inviting world-class scholars for the recent Garamland underground ruins discovery.

"It was all the mayor's big picture!"

"Used the underground ruins research as excuse to gather the world's top brains in advance, then went to sea at the right time to fish up S-rank research material himself!"

The reaction was explosive.

"As expected of Mayor Lee Garam! Revived the city economy with one fishing trip!"

"Researchers flooding in—local businesses booming, jobs increasing! Business is great!"

"Thanks to Mayor Lee Garam, Neo Incheon is now truly a world-class research city!"

And in my office.

Seria silently handed me a tablet.

A familiar line graph on the screen.

My approval rating.

It was soaring relentlessly, piercing a new peak.

I slammed my head on the desk.

"Aaaah! It's gone up again!"