Media (1)
The newspapers in the Free City of Lindel could hardly be called newspapers at all.
That was the conclusion Jung Hayan and I had reached.
Of course, there were plenty of people who wanted to pick up a pen.
Press freedom was an ideal cherished by anyone who lived in a democratic country.
And yet there was an obvious reason the papers in a place like Lindel, where society already had some semblance of structure, couldn’t write whatever they pleased.
Because they were scared.
This continent was, at its core, a world ruled by force.
People died all the time, and everyone knew exactly what happened to those who crossed one of the large guilds in any way that mattered.
Writing an article was probably a nerve-racking business.
Not only did they have to avoid offending the powerful, they also had to think very carefully even when covering a murder case.
After all, no one could say whether some insane killer who read the article might decide to attack the media clan.
In fact, I understood the moment I first saw the newspapers sold in Lindel.
It would be an exaggeration to call most of them articles.
At best, they were mostly announcements about various matters, and sometimes they even ran pieces about what breakfast the head of a major guild had eaten that morning.
They must have felt some degree of self-loathing.
That was what it meant to be a journalist.
I couldn’t say how many of them really cared about their profession, but that wasn’t what I wanted.
I wanted the opposite.
People who were desperate for money.
Selfish people.
People willing to roll the dice.
I needed the sort of journalist people usually called tabloid trash, the sort of person who could keep up with the times.
Truth be told, the circumstances surrounding them weren’t bad at all.
Compared to the Lindel I’d heard about long ago, things were now becoming somewhat organized.
If hunting had once been the only way to survive, that was no longer true.
Those with the means enjoyed culture now, and more and more guilds were investing in things like restaurants and theaters.
Even the large and mid-sized guilds had reached a point where they had to pay some attention to public opinion.
You could almost call it lucky.
If I had fallen here in the early days, I wouldn’t even have considered going this route.
People were, by nature, terribly interested in other people’s stories.
To put it simply, what they needed was content that could soothe their boredom.
Looking at the number of people gathered inside, I had no choice but to realize how many of them agreed with my thoughts.
No, it would have been stranger if they hadn’t shown up in force.
For them, this was their livelihood.
“Oppa, it looks like most of them came.”
“Oh? Really?”
“Yes. With just a few exceptions… what should we do?”
“Leave them be. If this goes well, they’ll come around anyway. More importantly, thank you, Hayan.”
“A-ah, no.”
“Once this is over, I’ll make sure to repay you properly.”
“Y-yes!”
The only reason I’d managed this much in such a short time was because Jung Hayan had helped me.
After I lightly kissed her on the lips and stepped into the room, the people waiting inside came into view.
Just a moment ago, I’d thought the room was noisy, but now that it had gone a little quiet, I found that strangely amusing.
I figured they were watching my every move.
But there was no way I could let that show.
For now, I smiled faintly and offered my first greeting.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”
“Ah… likewise.”
“I’m Kim Seong-gyeong from the Lindel Daily.”
“It’s truly a pleasure. I’m Lee Kiyoung of the Blue Guild.”
Rather than wondering why they had been summoned, they seemed more interested in how much they were going to be paid.
Given that this was probably the only way they made a living in Lindel, that wasn’t unreasonable.
We exchanged the usual pleasantries.
As soon as a fairly respectable meal was served, I saw their expressions brighten.
Going straight to the point would have been fine, but this kind of time was definitely necessary too.
“Naturally, the reason I’ve gathered you here is because I’d like you to write a small article.”
“We guessed as much, but that does seem to be the case. Hahaha. Of course we’ll write it. The Blue party is riding the highest wave in recent memory. Honestly, it’s our pleasure to help promote you.”
Promote us, my ass.
Even if they ran the article, the publicity effect would be minimal.
Their papers had practically no influence anyway.
“I heard that just four people cleared the Tutorial Dungeon in record time and successfully completed the Garden of Terror as well. That’s great material for a feature.”
Of course, it wasn’t even that great a source.
Which party cleared which dungeon wasn’t something people needed to read a paper to know.
Honestly, it would probably be more effective for the guild to do its own promotion.
“Hahahahahaha. If you can tell us how you want it framed, we’ll do our best to match it.”
That kind of talk was the current state of the people running Lindel’s media.
Not that I disliked it. In fact, it was exactly the kind of line I wanted to hear most.
“Actually, the article I’d like you to write is a little different from what you’re expecting.”
“Pardon?”
“I’d like you to write an article about a woman named Jeong Yu-ra from Black Swan. The exact content is….”
I began explaining the article’s contents, slowly and very carefully.
I didn’t add anything extra or inflate it with unnecessary details.
I simply spoke matter-of-factly about the incident that had taken place in the dungeon.
And yet the expressions on the faces in front of me were getting steadily more twisted.
That was the normal reaction.
They couldn’t say it outright, but I could tell exactly what they were thinking.
I’m not suicidal.
Or maybe.
I’d still like to live a little longer.
That would probably be more accurate.
“It’s fine if you just write what happened. Of course, adding your own spin is entirely up to you. Personally, I’d appreciate it if you made it a little more provocative. Readers do tend to prefer sensational articles, after all. And don’t worry about the gold. I’ll make sure you’re generously compensated.”
“…….”
“…….”
It was only natural that the room fell silent.
I’d already expected that reaction.
“Th-this is a bit difficult….”
“Pardon?”
“It’s hard for us to write an article like that. I think I understand roughly what kind of intent you have in mind, but… the content is a little….”
“I’m not asking you to write about Black Swan as a whole. I’d like you to focus on Jeong Yu-ra as an individual….”
“Even so….”
The way they kept exchanging glances was almost comical.
More and more of them were dodging the question or making it obvious they felt uncomfortable being here.
If I hadn’t been Lee Kiyoung of the Blue Guild, a few of them probably would have cursed at me, called it bullshit, and stormed out of the room.
“I understand what you’re worried about.”
“Pardon?”
“Your safety, I assume. I know it’s only natural to fear retaliation. But you don’t need to worry. I’m not saying this for no reason. It isn’t really my will, so to speak—it’s more….”
“Ah.”
“Cha Heera’s wishes.”
Of course, that was a lie.
Still, I understood that they would be afraid. Not only of Black Swan, but of Jeong Yu-ra’s personal retaliation as well. Even if the Mercenary Queen promised to protect them, this wasn’t something they could easily decide.
“…….”
“If you do write the article, it will be published under your real names.”
“Ah….”
“Some of you are probably already anticipating the impact this would have once it goes public. One way or another, an article criticizing a large guild is going to cause quite a stir. People will want to know why this happened in the first place. Your sales will rise beyond anything you’ve seen before, and that means a lot more gold in your hands.”
“Gold isn’t the issue….”
“The more people read your work, the safer you’ll become. The more articles and columns with your names attached sell, the more influence you’ll gain.”
Some of them understood.
Of course they did.
There had to be people among them who had worked in media back on Earth, too.
“Just because someone holds power doesn’t mean they can ignore public opinion. Large guilds care about the way people see them, too. The more they have to protect, the less freely they can act. I’m sure everyone here understands that. Lindel already has a fairly established social structure. The days when the city could be run by hunting and dungeons alone are long over.”
Their faces showed that they understood.
But that didn’t mean they were eager.
“Even so, it still makes me uneasy. Honestly, even being in this place is extremely uncomfortable.”
“The Red Mercenaries are backing you. There’s nothing to fear, is there? Lady Cha Heera thought long and hard before deciding on this.”
“But to write it under our real names….”
“That’s the important part. If anything happens to you, it’ll be hard for Black Swan Guild to dodge the blame. Right. Naturally it would.”
The anxious faces of the reporters came into view.
Which was only natural.
For them, even a meaningless gust of wind was enough to make them tremble.
What they were afraid of was obvious.
Even if the Red Mercenaries were watching their backs, writing an article against a major guild was still terrifying.
I let out a small sigh, then continued immediately.
“Why is it that the media organizations in Lindel haven’t been able to function properly until now?”
“Well… retaliation….”
“Yes. Of course you were afraid of retaliation. That’s why you’ve only written subpar articles up to now. And let me be clear, I’m not criticizing or insulting what you’ve done until now. The situation made it unavoidable. This continent is a place that runs strictly on the logic of power, and I understand that writing freely here is anything but easy.”
“Yes.”
“But that’s not the answer.”
“Pardon?”
“The fact that the media can’t function properly on a continent ruled by the logic of power is not the answer. That isn’t the reason.”
“…….”
“The biggest reason is that you haven’t chosen a line to follow. People who worked as journalists back on Earth will probably understand what I’m saying. What matters is that you haven’t properly decided where the media should go. Which side will you stand on? That is the question. If I had to put it in political terms, it’s just as important as choosing whether to stand with the ruling party or the opposition. In this kind of environment, that decision gives the media enormous leverage.”
“You’re telling us to take the side of Blue and the Red Mercenaries?”
“Yes. Exactly. You just need to write the articles we need. The media can never be completely free anyway. Being half free is enough. Just half. Write against the enemies of Blue and the Red Mercenaries, and support us. Move public opinion for us. Even if you go another route, there won’t be any disadvantage. If you choose Black Swan or some other faction, and that path is available, then by all means, go that way. Of course, you might occasionally face threats to your life. External pressure will become part of daily life. But for the people living in Lindel, that’s perfectly normal. Those who enter dungeons and those who stand on the front lines all risk their lives.”
“Ah….”
“And the more threats you face, the more you’ll gain in return.”
“What’s that…?”
“Gold.”
“…….”
“And.”
“…….”
“Power.”
Of course, that didn’t mean they would truly gain power.
Still, I could make them think they would.
Among the dazed nods around the table, I bowed my head once more and opened my mouth.
“Thank you sincerely for joining me.”