The Birth of a Hero
Hundreds of fabric swarms unleashing merciless violence. Their destructive power was formidable enough to fell even the strongest world boss.
Cha Eun-joo, Yunsia, Tier. After enduring trials and tribulations, the glorious attire the three had chosen for me to wear to the medal ceremony was... my usual white sleeveless dress.
If this was the plan, why put me through all that hell!
Fuming with resentment, I shot them a glare laced with betrayal. But they ignored me, giggling as they peered at their smartphones.
"Whoa, this photo turned out amazing!"
"Should we set it as our wallpaper?"
I stomped my foot once in surging rage.
"Urgh!"
Somehow surviving a near-subjugation that day, two days of twists and turns later, the medal ceremony arrived.
"Are all those people?"
"They said it'd be grand, but this is no joke."
From Cha Eun-joo's airship, I gazed down out the window. The National Assembly lawn was packed with a massive crowd.
Eterna Guild members gathered to celebrate, players from other guilds, reporters shouldering broadcast gear and huge cameras. Giraffe-necked jib cams, massive screens and speakers visible from afar, honor guards in navy tops and white pants, and crowds of citizens beyond the barriers.
Ah-rin...? Isn't this way too many people?
She'd said I just had to stand there casually! Even someone without camera shyness would get it now. No exaggeration—this was the scale.
"I wanna go home..."
Feeling dizzy, I slumped against the window frame.
"Hey now, no. You have to get the medal first."
At Cha Eun-joo's firm scolding, I quietly shut my mouth and nodded. No way did I want to be carried there in her arms all the way to the ceremony.
As Choi Ah-rin had promised, the medal ceremony unfolded on a grand scale. The honor guard played trumpets, and colorful fireworks lit the sky.
Boom boom boom!
Choi Ah-rin read the commendation aloud, reciting my achievements one after another. A calm, composed demeanor unlike her usual phone chats.
Who are you? The Choi Ah-rin I know isn't like that.
I stood beside her on the podium. As she pinned the ornate medal to my dress, applause erupted and camera flashes blazed.
"Wooooaaah!"
"Sertina!"
Excited guild members bounced and waved. To create a free-spirited vibe, there was no real reining them in.
Even amid the barrage of shutter sounds, my mind fixated on one thought.
I just wanna roll around in bed already...
Humans are at their best as jobless, idle layabouts. This stuff? Way too exhausting.
Still, some global showmanship was needed, so I played along as best I could.
Choi Ah-rin patted my shoulder and whispered in my ear.
"You've done well."
We shook hands for the cameras, then headed to the buffet set up in one corner of the lawn for the banquet.
They'd cleared some people for a quieter vibe, but it was still lively. Around a round table draped in white cloth, we piled our plates high.
As expected from a presidential event, the food looked mouthwatering. But it wouldn't go down.
"Feels like it'll give me indigestion..."
The stares were burdensome. I felt like a monkey in a zoo enclosure, peeling a banana while perched on a log. How do you eat here?
Sensing my mood, Choi Ah-rin spoke first.
"What have you been up to lately, Sertina?"
"Hm..."
Chin in hand, I recalled the past week. Lying in bed fiddling with my phone, more phone... what else?
"Got tortured over outfits."
"...Pardon?"
Choi Ah-rin blinked in confusion. Just then, a broadcast camera approached. Definitely live feed.
I opened my mouth to hype her up on cue.
"You know too much and you'll get hurt. Anyway, that Yalu River southern advance strategy? Brilliant. Your approval ratings skyrocketed."
A strategy with zero casualties. Even I, who'd figured some sacrifice inevitable, had been stunned hearing the news.
For a natural look on camera, I speared a cube steak and popped it in.
Whoa! The flavor's insane. Maybe ask for some to-go later?
But Choi Ah-rin scratched her head with a heavy expression and sighed deeply.
"That... no casualties is a relief, sure."
"Yeah?"
"I was kinda hoping approval ratings would drop..."
Thud!
My heart sank. Hoping for lower ratings? Wait, isn't this live right now?
Sensing doom, my pupils quaked like in an earthquake. I glanced sideways at the camera lens and pressed on to salvage.
"N-no, that's not right. Without you, the damage would've been irreversible. No need to stress over high ratings."
I chugged orange juice. The fresh pulp burst with tangy sweetness, but my anxious hand trembled faintly.
"Sigh... that's not it."
"Th-then what?"
"This job's insanely tough! Nonstop all-nighters, incidents popping up constantly, can't relax even in sleep, the mental strain is huge!"
Ah, her real personality's out.
The live reporter's face twisted in dismay. I reached to stop her as things went south, but...
Choi Ah-rin boldly declared even more.
"If I could, I'd quit being president right now!"
...In front of the whole nation on live TV.