I Became a Raid Boss

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“…Are you really coming after hearing that?”

“Of course. Have you been living a lie?”

“Um….”

It’s not like I’ve been completely deceived, but I’ve certainly been tricked more times than I can count.

There have been plenty of instances where I took the words of the nobles at face value and ended up in trouble.

In my inexperienced days, I didn’t know their ways and got completely played. Later on, I just accepted it.

“Aren’t they the same?”

“No, it’s different. I’ve gained power since then.”

The fights among the nobles are dirty yet meticulous, glamorous yet quiet.

I once had the chance to hear about their underhanded schemes, and after listening, I realized that my decision to stay out of it was the right one.

What looks completely unrelated is actually just part of a painstakingly detailed underground operation; conversely, what you thought was certain is nothing more than a mere decoy hiding a trap.

Then, they unleash everything at once with a bang!

The way to avoid getting caught up in this is simple.
You either disrupt their flow or gain enough strength so that they can’t even dare to create a current.

Like the duke who controlled the factions of the nobles.

There’s always a reason why nobles hold banquets and attend parties day after day.

So, I built my own strength.

In a direction different from theirs.

“…What kind of strength?”

“This!”

I tapped the Crimson Aegis I brought from Silia.

Building that strength gave me some leeway, allowing me to react more generously to their words.

With the mindset of, ‘I feel a bit uneasy, but since it’s a bother to think about it, I’ll just listen for now.’

And if they ever show their true intentions and try to screw me over, I’ll just turn the tables on them.

“Is there no law in Grasis?”

“Can a nation exist without laws?”

“…That’s true. It’s a valid argument, but…”

Da-eun, who had been hesitating, finally spoke up.

“Isn’t that something you shouldn’t say if you’re the kind of person who would flip everything upside down if things went wrong?”

“…”

While using clever reasoning to counter valid arguments is one method, the most effective weapon against a valid argument is law itself.

How sly it is to play with facts.

I puffed out my cheeks.

“Fight back with righteous persuasion and fabrication.”

“Kana, what are you even saying…?”

“Laws must always be accompanied by force, right?”

Why do people follow the law?

Isn’t it because of the coercive power behind it?

“So, I’m just cultivating the most primal strength.”

“That doesn’t sound like something a civilized person should say… Anyway.”

Feeling that there was no end to this line of conversation, Da-eun changed the topic.

“Forget the part about living a lie! Let me correct it to asking if I ever deceived you.”

“That’s not something you can just brush off!”

“…Anyway! Just trust me this once. Yuki will definitely come.”

“…Alright.”

Even though she said it with such confidence about something she claimed wasn’t frequent, I couldn’t quite believe her, but I nodded anyway.

‘I really doubt she’ll come.’

But, well…

Her confident expression suddenly turned into a sulky one.

And the thought of laughing at that face crossed my mind.

I popped a chocolate in my mouth and waited for the future…

… I waited, but—

In front of me, there sat someone familiar if I was used to sitting or lying on my sofa, and unfamiliar if I wasn’t.

Those black eyes staring at me.

Since the moment the door opened until now.

Except for the brief moment when Da-eun greeted me, that black-eyed person hasn’t taken their gaze off me for even a second.

“Why is this real?”

“See? Wasn’t I right?”

This is the wisdom of adulthood.

I couldn’t say anything in response to Da-eun’s proud smile.

We were given the same test.

Da-eun answered correctly while my response was marked wrong.

“Sometimes a single word can stimulate curiosity more than an elaborate explanation.”

“Got it.”

“Explaining from one to ten can even spoil the interest. It’s like the art of minimization, I suppose?”

“I said I got it.”

If you’re going to talk about the art of minimization, you should stop right there.

Does she not realize that saying that makes her argument less convincing?

“…Is that really what a master would say?”

I wondered if that was the case.

As Yuki, who had been sending me intense stares, finally broke her silence.

“Yep. Want me to show you proof?”

The moment she drew the Crimson Aegis, a terrifyingly bright red light spilled across the room.

“Ah! What are you doing, pulling that out!”

“There’s no one watching, so what’s the problem?”

“Still! If you keep suddenly drawing it out, what if you do it on the street?”

“If you’re at a point where you’re walking around with a sword, you’re already in big trouble.”

Sitting casually, just like any other day, with a guest, Yuki suddenly chimed in.

“From the looks of it, you must be a master.”

“…Is that how we determine that?”

Da-eun interjected.

But Yuki didn’t seem to care about her interruption at all.

Perhaps feeling reassured by what she just said, the tension in Yuki’s gaze melted away.

Finally, she returned to the eyes I knew.

Eyes that sparkled with interest yet held a deep sense of boredom.

While Yuki was looking me over, I was observing her, so I could feel the subtleties of her transformation.

“Your image is a bit different.”

First, her hair.

Both Yuki from Silia and Yuki now have silver hair, but delving deeper, there are numerous differences.

Yuki from Silia appeared more natural, smoother, and shinier… well, those sorts of things.

Then, as my gaze slightly shifted downward, I saw those eyes full of boredom, as I had mentioned before.

They weren’t the familiar red eyes I knew but rather the common black eyes of a Korean.

The fact that those eyes felt somewhat dull isn’t just because of their color.

There were other things like her clothing and her muscle mass.

There were many observations I could make, but my scrutiny of Yuki ceased there.

“I hate lenses because they hurt my eyes.”

Just then, Yuki spoke up.

Well, given that I had been staring, it was pretty obvious I would have noticed.

“Lenses?”

“Objects that you wear in your eyes for corrective vision or cosmetic purposes. Depending on the type, they can even change the color or shape of one’s iris.”

“…I know at least that much.”

I’m already a proper Earthling.

…Though it’s a stretch to say that honestly, I’ve still learned more than before.

I shot a teasing remark at Da-eun.

“Why did you suddenly bring up lenses?”

“Ah?”

“I thought you were curious about something. Wasn’t it?”

“That’s true.”

Those strangely blank-looking eyes were actually quite sharp.

“I dyed my hair. I wanted to feel a sense of unity.”

“A sense of unity?”

“There are times when I’m moving my body in the game, and I see my hair fluttering in front of me. Since the color is different from reality, I don’t like the feeling of disconnection.”

“…Wow.”

Da-eun exclaimed.

Her sound mixed admiration with an indescribable emotion.

I didn’t say it, but I felt pretty much the same as Da-eun.

“Couldn’t you have just started with black hair from the beginning?”

“Then it wouldn’t be fun.”

“Oh, I see what kind of person you are.”

“Aren’t you supposed to keep that kind of comment to yourself?”

“Honestly, you’re not really paying much attention, are you?”

“That’s true.”

“So, what do you think?”

Da-eun smirked.

“I didn’t lie, did I?”

“True.”

At Da-eun’s question, Yuki’s gaze shifted slightly.

Her eyes were now looking at me with a touch more curiosity than before.

“I can’t believe the master would show up here. I’m truly surprised.”

“Aren’t you going to ask how this happened?”

“I’m curious, but…”

Yuki stood up from the sofa she was sitting on.

She was already taller than I was, but now that she was standing up straight, it felt like she was looking down at me from a considerable height.

Not liking that feeling, I frowned slightly, and I could see the corner of Yuki’s mouth pull up into a smile as if someone were tugging it.

“Let’s fight first.”

The moment I heard that, I spoke without thinking.

“Oh, I see what kind of person you are.”

“Did you sense it, Kana?”

“Yeah.”

Even if her appearance has changed, Yuki is still Yuki.

Saying that, her behavior is not any different from how it was in Silia.

After losing my dad, I was told by Aaron to get my act together, but I don’t think I would’ve been that reckless.

What on earth has led Yuki to become like this?

I had my questions, but there was something more urgent than resolving my curiosities.

That was to calm the wild horse thrashing in front of me.

“Calm down.”

The spirited little horse settled down.

In fact, it was so subdued that it ended up lying on the floor, unable to get up.

“?”

Judging by how she was blinking in confusion and forgetfulness about thrashing, it seemed she didn’t understand what was happening.

I hadn’t done anything particularly impressive.

It was clear that she wouldn’t listen to words alone, so I employed a bit of force.

Yuki’s face pressed against the cold marble floor.

And as I sat on her back, I turned my head towards Da-eun.

“See? There’s no power as certain as physical force.”

“…Then again, that’s not really something a civilized person should be saying.”

What’s wrong with that?

Besides, why is this chair wobbling so much?

With my weight alone having its limits, I pressed down using Mana, and only then did the chair stop moving.

Okay, now it’s comfortable.