Chapter 32. Entering the First Year-End Party
Chapter 32. Entering the First Year-End Party
[Sun]
[Clear]
[Sun]
[Clear]
[Sun]
Chat messages started flooding in without end.
Max had barged in, stirred up trouble, and then left.
"He just came to troll and took off."
[ Saintess's Foot Wiper has donated 10,000 Watts! ]
- You think a fucking S-rank would actually troll???
[I think he might worship demons...]
[Gah... Lord Demon, please form a contract with me...]
[I'm converting religions as of today.]
"You sons of bitches... By that logic, I'm S-rank when it comes to being strong."
"Hero, your language!"
"Ah, sorry..."
[You're just a clown]
[Seriously, what a loser lol]
[He thinks he's on the same level as Max?]
Discriminating bastards...
Truly malicious scumbags that made me recoil in disgust.
But I was a pro streamer, a veteran who had accumulated years of experience in the broadcasting world.
I slipped my hand around Laila's waist and pulled her tightly against me.
Then I drew her face directly into my chest.
"So, what can you even do about it?"
[Gyaaah!!!!]
[I think I'm gonna go eat lunch I think I'm gonna go eat lunch I think I'm gonna go eat lunch I think I'm gonna go eat lunch I think I'm gonna go eat lunch]
[Hero, you'd better take your hand off while I'm asking nicely since I'm being this polite right now]
I could practically picture the viewers shedding tears of blood on the other side of the screen.
Of course, this was all just some playful WWE-style acting with the audience.
"Anyway, see you all tomorrow at the year-end party. Although, I'm not sure yet if I'll turn the stream on then."
With those words, I ended the broadcast.
It was getting late, so it was time for us to sleep in preparation for tomorrow...
"Laila?"
"Just let me stay like this a little longer. Today was tiring."
Saintess, you see... Even those innocent actions of yours make it unbearably hard for me...
A heavy wave of holy power pressed down firmly on my body.
To suppress any honest physical reactions, I mentally recited the national anthem all the way to the fourth verse—something I hadn't done in ages.
---
We moved diligently from the morning onwards.
The party wasn't until early evening, but we fixed up our hair and bought clothes.
Of course, the clothes were only for Laila.
"I've already got the suit I bought last time."
"Hmph... You should buy something different too..."
"But what do people usually wear to a year-end party?"
"Well... I'm experiencing a party on Earth for the first time, so I wouldn't know."
This was also my first time at this kind of party on Earth...
No matter what I searched online for party attire, it was all just dresses and suits.
It's not even an international event, just a casual gathering for socializing. There was no way people would actually wear stuff like that...
After agonizing over it for a while, I finally decided to borrow the power of collective intelligence.
[World's Strongest Hero: !help]
[What is it? Leaving already?]
[Why'd you turn it on so early?]
[!help lol get a load of this guy]
"No, not that. What do people usually wear for year-end parties?"
A dizzying array of clothing names flooded in.
Hanbok, suits, armor, school uniforms, etc... And then.
'A bikini swimsuit? Were you an actual lunatic?'
"Hmm... Is a suit the safest bet?"
[Yeah]
[You gotta wear a suit lol]
[Since you're at it, rock a full tuxedo and even a bow tie, let's go]
I honestly couldn't tell if these chats were trying to help me or just clown on me.
The advice I'd previously received from Nudungji was 'neat attire that isn't too casual'.
What kind of cryptic spell was this, like 'dressed up but not trying too hard'...
[ Saintess's Foot Wiper has donated 30,000 Watts! ]
- But I'm not curious about you, what is the Saintess wearing?
"Ah, right. I remember you now, you bastard."
As soon as the harsh words slipped out unintentionally, Laila frowned and pinched my side.
And she even infused it heavily with mana...
"Gah!!!"
Why did that hurt?
I genuinely couldn't figure it out.
I couldn't sense it, couldn't block the attack...
"Anyway, you're coming today to sing, right?"
No chat messages came from the nickname 'Saintess's Foot Wiper'.
He probably thought I couldn't catch him among this flood of messages, but what did he think my dynamic vision was capable of?
To the Room of Truth.
"Answer me."
[Saintess's Foot Wiper: ...]
I gently hovered my mouse over the permanent ban button.
Then pressed down firmly.
In this state, if I let go of the mouse button, it was a permanent ban.
"5, 4, 3..."
[Saintess's Foot Wiper: Wait a minute! Can a Hunter even threaten an ordinary person like this??]
"Uh, yeah, I can. If you don't like it, get stronger than me."
[Saintess's Foot Wiper: Bro... Please, just this once, spare me. I'll use nicer words from now on...]
"If you're unhappy with the venue, should I just personally rent out the Gocheok Dome or something? I'm pretty rich now, you know."
The chat was still laughing, thinking this was just someone else's problem.
But among them, there were two others who couldn't laugh.
"You two are next."
[Resignation Letter Always in My Pocket: ...]
[Overflowing Holy-Power Pouch: Fuck...]
"Right. I'm not going to make you sing and dance or anything. Instead, come running whenever I call you for a stream segment."
[For a stream segment???]
[He's not even treating us like people anymore...]
[You tools, come when you're called (literally what he said) lolol]
"Hiss... No answer again?"
At that, a chat finally came in saying they understood.
A warm and fuzzy mutual agreement was forged between the streamer and the viewers.
I was also genuinely curious.
Who exactly were these guys who practically raced to be the first to join whenever I went live?
'That one guy was an office worker... but I had no idea what the other two do for a living?'
In any case, I accepted some of the viewers' advice.
It wasn't quite a full suit, but I wore some slacks, a plain shirt, and threw a jacket on over it.
Laila coordinated an outfit with jeans, a sheer white knit, and a brown cardigan.
"Um... Laila, won't you be cold going out like that?"
"Why would I be?"
"Never mind..."
[Fucking hell, look at you trying to keep your eyes pure lol]
[That look in your eyes is lewd as shit, for real lololol]
[I've seen that look from this bastard plenty of times in porn yeah]
↳ This was a temporarily blocked comment.
[Like some bald middle-aged guy ogling the married woman next door...]
↳ This was a temporarily blocked comment.
I'd often been told that I had a fierce look in my eyes.
But believe it or not, deep down I was a timid and affectionate man, you see?
"Anyway, we'll be heading off now. The year-end party stream might be on, or it might be off."
[What is this, Schrödinger's cat?]
[Fucking speechless lolol]
"No, I want to turn it on, but some people might be sensitive about having their faces shown."
[ Saintess's Foot Wiper has donated 10,000 Watts! ]
- Don't worry, I'm gonna go around to every room and tell them to stay the hell away from your stream so just put it on yeah
"Still haven't come to your senses, have you?"
To the Room of Truth.
[Saintess's Foot Wiper: I'm sorry...]
"If saying sorry was enough, why would we even need laws."
[He's right lolol]
[He only listens after he gets a beating lol]
---
After many twists and turns, Laila and I took a taxi to the Pajijik headquarters.
Normally, I'd have driven myself, but there was a chance I might end up drinking.
Honestly, even if I drank and drove, I could just burn the alcohol away with mana...
"But still, the sun hasn't even set yet and the party's starting this early?"
"It is, isn't it..."
When we arrived at the Pajijik headquarters, there was already a large crowd.
Surprisingly, they'd rolled out a red carpet just like a scene from a movie awards show.
'That person looked like a streamer... and those people must be fans?'
The streamers were moving inside the safety line while the fans were outside taking photos.
"Oh!? It's Hero!"
"Wow, it's the Saintess!!!"
"Seeing her in person, she's really beautiful..."
I had steeled myself for the awkward possibility of no one recognizing us, so I was relieved that there were people who knew who we were.
Laila smiled at the fans and waved back at them.
"Saintess, I'm your fan!"
"Please take just one photo with us!"
"Big sis, what kind of makeup do you use?"
"Big sis, you're really so pretty!"
This was so damn unfair...
Still, some fans did approach me too.
"Brother, what's your workout routine like?"
"Whoa... Are you all natural?"
"I thought you came from some kind of organization..."
Instead of fresh-faced young fans, some sturdy, burly older guys came up to me.
But it was still nice since they approached with genuine fan interest.
"Hunter! I'm a fan!"
"Just one autograph, please!"
The unexpected part was that I had fans who were Hunters, not just ordinary people.
As I was getting surrounded by them, Laila naturally walked over and linked her arm with mine.
"Something about this scene feels weird..."
"Hiss... It's a composition I've seen a lot somewhere..."
"I kind of feel like something was stolen from me by a pretty boy?"
Calling someone "a pretty boy" was a bit harsh, isn't it...
Still, it was a relief that the fans, who were no different from Lü Bu in the chat window, liked us this much in person.
As we headed to the first-floor lobby of the main building, staff members were waiting up ahead.
They handed out name tags to us and instructed us not to lose them.
"Have an enjoyable time~"
We received their greeting and proceeded into the event hall.
Somewhat dim lighting combined with loud pop music blaring from the speakers.
"Hm..."
"..."
Looking around, there were drinks and simple finger foods placed everywhere.
We settled into a spot at a decently sized bar and had a simple cocktail each.
"Hero! Saintess!"
Turning around at the voice calling us, I saw Nudungji approaching with another fellow streamer.
My body was already starting to stiffen up at the prospect of new encounters.
"What are you doing here? You should go greet the other people."
"Ah, it was a bit awkward..."
"Pfft... Someone who's always so confident gets awkward only at gatherings like this, huh?"
When Nudungji glanced behind him, the streamers with him offered their greetings.
Hearing their stories, I realized they were the streamers I had hunted with the other day.
"Nice to meet you! I'm Ellim!"
"I'm Heeju!"
"Hello~ I'm Geum Ihyeon."
"Have you eaten yet, by any chance?"
"Ah, no?"
"That's great. There are only simple snacks here... Would you like to go out and eat together before the sun sets?"
A legendary situation had occurred.
I'd just received a high-difficulty mission to share a meal with people I was meeting for the first time.