Chapter 68 : Aggro (2)

-Dragon Slayer : I apologize for unintentionally causing a disturbance. It seems I was mistaken.

The easiest way to end a case is to reveal a trivial truth that everyone would just assume to be so.

Since Cain had not actually appeared in Bernhard, this trivial truth would soon imprint upon the Anonymous Bulletin Board users the fact that this incident and the aggro post’s originator, Dragon Slayer, were no big deal.

‘This should be enough for now.’

With this, Dragon Slayer would be remembered on the Anonymous Bulletin Board as a user with no real substance who just pointlessly pulls aggro.

Of course, Dragon Slayer’s credibility declining within the Anonymous Bulletin Board was something I wanted to avoid, but it could not be helped right now.

It was a case of choosing the lesser evil to avoid the worst.

However…….

Just as the lesser evil was also an evil, the situation did not just flow as I had thought.

-Anonymous64 : Ah, as expected.

-PleaseGiveMeMoney : How boring.

-Anonymous575 : Was it a mistake?

-JUN : Right, if Cain was there, rumors would have already spread everywhere.

At first, public opinion seemed to flow as I intended.

Simple aggro.

But unintentional aggro.

Thus, the post Dragon Slayer left, which had once risen to the popular posts, seemed to remain as just one of the ordinary aggro posts that were always present.

Until one of the Anonymous Bulletin Board users mentioned the existence of The Lightning Emperor.

-Magician114 : But if it was simple aggro, is there any reason for The Lightning Emperor to bother appearing in Bernhard?

-ImABabyNewbie : That's true. If even The Lightning Emperor appeared, isn't it right to assume Cain was there? I'm not so sure.

-Knight Commander : Hmm... It is famous that The Lightning Emperor throws a fit whenever he sees Cain.

-Anonymous55 : If Zappy-bro appeared, there must be a reason lol Am I the only one who sees Dragon Slayer urgently trying to fix this? Yup, already marked by Cain-nim lol

The absolute truth that The Lightning Emperor had shown himself in Bernhard.

That began to grab at my ankles.

Although The Lightning Emperor’s appearance was what I intended, people figured that since a figure of The Lightning Emperor’s stature had shown himself, there must have been a reason befitting it.

The error of authority that people often experience.

Although The Lightning Emperor, strictly speaking, was just one of the users who was merely high-leveled, the fame The Lightning Emperor had built up until now was obscuring that.

Surely, The Lightning Emperor wouldn’t have been swayed by something like bulletin board aggro to personally make a move.

Surely, The Lightning Emperor wouldn’t have personally moved, leading his symbol, the Thundercloud, without any basis.

Surely, The Lightning Emperor…….

-Anonymous33 : Surely, The Lightning Emperor wouldn't have moved for no reason? He must have moved personally because there was some definite information.

I was truly curious what kind of reaction they would show if they learned of The Lightning Emperor’s true nature, but unfortunately, it was meaningless for me to say it.

That being said, I could not recklessly deny The Lightning Emperor’s appearance itself, because there were already more than one or two testimonies from other users who had witnessed The Lightning Emperor in Bernhard, so trying to deny it clumsily would only backfire.

‘The situation is worse than I thought.’

Of course, it is difficult to see this as bringing any direct risk to me.

It’s just that, should I say it affects the anonymity within the Anonymous Bulletin Board that I had protected until now?

‘It doesn’t seem like the situation will improve by writing any more pointless posts…….’

I decided to observe the situation for now.

Rather than adding a few words and needlessly increasing the buzz, I decided to leave it to time.

Since sometimes, time would resolve certain things naturally.

“Be careful.”

At that time, Alicia, who was riding her horse next to me, brought my mind back to reality.

“Ah.”

My horse almost fell into the mud.

“What are you thinking about so much?”

“No. Nothing.”

“Is that so?”

Alicia tilted her head for a moment but did not ask any further.

“If anything is wrong, please tell me.”

“Alright.”

I answered as such, but there would be no instance of me consulting Alicia about this problem, at least.

The journey back to the Winter Castle continued.

***

“Don’t you think the weather has gotten a bit colder?”

Like those words, the surrounding scenery had changed a little.

Unlike Bernhard, which had a climate close to reality’s spring, should I say it had now changed to a climate of about autumn?

When we headed from the Winter Castle to Bernhard, we saw the spectacle of the surrounding seasons changing in real-time from winter to autumn, and from autumn to spring.

Naturally, on the way back from Bernhard to the Winter Castle, it was bound to change from a warm climate to a cold climate, the reverse of that.

“It’s starting to get chilly.”

“Hey Vell, how about we stop for a moment and change our clothes? The weather has changed a bit.”

With Edric currently absent, the 4th Special Task Force had implicitly assigned me a role like a leader, so they were asking my opinion.

“Let’s do that.”

Although I was not the official leader, there was no reason to refuse a reasonable suggestion, so we stopped our horses.

The sun was already setting.

Soon, darkness would arrive.

“The day has gotten dark too, so it would be better to just camp around here for today.”

Conlan questioned my decision.

“Already?”

“I think camping will not be easy for the time being. You wouldn't want to be in the severe cold of midwinter for long, would you?”

“Ah, right.”

If we go a little further with this place as the boundary, the northern zone will appear.

Once we entered the northern zone, I was thinking of breaking through it as quickly as possible and returning to the Winter Castle.

Because the northern zone outside the Winter Castle was that difficult for humans to endure.

“Everyone, let’s get ready.”

Thus, we, who had prepared for camping earlier than usual, immediately got ready to rest.

First, after checking if there were any traces of demonic beasts in the vicinity and confirming there were none, we sprinkled the demonic beast secretion powder we had prepared in advance around, and after that, we lit a bonfire and set up a temporary tent.

Preparing to camp was something we had done the entire time while going to Bernhard, so it was not particularly difficult.

As always, we took turns standing at night watch, and today, it was my turn to stand the first watch.

“Well then, good work.”

“Yeah, go on in and sleep now.”

“Yes.”

After Alicia bowed her head and entered the tent, Conlan, who was warming himself by the bonfire, spoke.

“It was your first watch today? I’m second, so wake me up on time.”

“Alright.”

“Then I should get to sleep, too.”

Now, only Albino and I were left in front of the bonfire.

“Not sleeping?”

At my question, Albino looked at me gently and spoke.

“You, do you know anything about where the leader suddenly went?”

“Well. I really don't know about that either.”

“Is that so? Hmm…… understood.”

“I didn’t know you thought of the leader that much.”

Normally, Albino would have grumbled that it was noisy at this point, but far from doing so, his expression hardened even more.

“……That fellow, his atmosphere when he left this place was unusual. I feel like he might not be able to return.”

Albino stood up from his spot with those words as his last and went inside the tent.

Those were not words to be taken lightly.

Because I had actually received a similar feeling from Edric before he left.

‘Still, I must believe.’

Edric will return.

At least, I believe so.

Thus, I, who came to stand the night watch alone, immediately turned on the Anonymous Bulletin Board while sitting on a log placed in front of the bonfire.

[Connecting to the Anonymous Bulletin Board.]

It was because I had nothing else to do while standing the night watch, and I also felt the need to check the atmosphere within the Anonymous Bulletin Board right now.

If I had a smartphone during the night watches I stood in during my military days, I wonder if it would have felt something like this.

-Newdeulbak77 : Where is the newbie who came last time? Please leave just one comment.

-Anonymous55 : Yodel-ay-hee-hoo Yodel-ay-hee-hoo~

-PrayingForShutdownDay-n : I want to go home...

First, the general atmosphere itself did not seem much different from usual.

If there was one difference, should I say it was that among the junk posts that were always present, posts mentioning a specific user were beginning to be seen sporadically.

It was precisely the mentions of Cain.

-Hesen : But if Cain really came, isn't a storm of blood going to blow once?

-Gusada : Cain, if you're watching the Anonymous Bulletin Board, you must-read.

-Anonymous55 : Thumbs up if Luna is all smiles right now lol

-Anonymous7454 : But even if Cain is really here, would he still be in Bernhard?

After I wrote the aggro post, a public opinion about Cain, which had been quiet until now, began to emerge within the Anonymous Bulletin Board.

As if it did not matter at all, despite the fact that I, the first witness, had denied Cain’s existence.

‘There is no need for me to react to posts related to Cain.’

That kind of trend will gradually quiet down anyway if Cain’s form does not appear.

As I was silently observing the Anonymous Bulletin Board like that, I eventually discovered one post.

-HongSungI : By chance, is there anyone who can give advice, I'm worrying about level 6 equipment setting? (Reward offered)

It was an equipment setting inquiry post that could be seen often.

Since I had nothing else to do, I wrote a comment on the post to earn some pocket money at a time like this.

-Dragon Slayer : If you tell me the detailed setting, I will give you an answer.

Before long, a reply was posted.

Not just the poster’s reply, but several comments.

-HongSungI : Wow, it's Dragon Slayer-nim ㄷㄷ I'll tell you the setting right away.

-Anonymous2524 : Oh, the great Dragon Slayer appears ㄷ

-Kuku : Dragon Slayer-nim, what is your relationship with Cain-nim?

-PeelingS : Kya, a named user appears.

It was a comment that was not much different from the comments I usually posted, but the reaction was distinctly different from before.

There was no need to even think about why such a sudden change had occurred.

Since there was only one change between the Dragon Slayer of before and the Dragon Slayer of now.

‘Did I gain some fame?’

It was something I had wanted to avoid for now, but it had finally become a reality.

I did not know why people were already recognizing me just because I hit the popular posts once, but for now, it was not necessarily a bad thing.

In any case, thanks to that, it seemed the poster of this question had a pretty good impression of me.

Should I say the process of earning pocket money, which I always did, has become a little easier?

I soon wrote the answer to HongSungI’s question as a secret comment, and immediately after, HongSungI's comment was posted.

-HongSungI : Wow... I see I can set it up like that. Thank you so much. I will send the reward through the Auction house right away!

Although it was definitely not much different from what I had been doing on the Anonymous Bulletin Board until now, the reply that came back was also distinctly different.

If it was suspicion, suspicion, and suspicion before, now, belief and trust were felt at the same time.

The comments from other users were also the same.

-PeelingS : Ah, it's a private comment. I wanted to see how a user of Dragon Slayer-nim's level sets up.

-Anonymous2524 : Seeing that he even does level 6 equipment settings easily, Dragon Slayer must really be high-leveled.

-Anonymous55 : I'm a fan, autograph please.

As if asking where the sharp reactions and suspicions that were directed at me before had gone, the Anonymous Bulletin Board users were pouring out their favor toward me to their heart's content.

‘Umm.’

Is that why?

I'm getting a strange feeling.

‘This…… might not be so bad, contrary to my thoughts.’

According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, humans have physiological needs, safety needs, love and belonging needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs, by stage.

In short, the desire for honor itself was very closely related to the 4th stage, the esteem needs, so it was said to be extremely natural to pursue as a human.

I want to be acknowledged.

I want to be famous.

I want to be respected.

Feelings such as those.

The me of my Cain days did not participate in separate communities, including the in-game bulletin board, but that did not mean I did not have a desire for honor.

No, rather, in a sense, it could be seen that I had boldly attempted the crazy act of a solo raid on the Destruction Dragon because I was crazy for the desire for honor.

Nevertheless, the reason that time I did not engage in such community activities was that I thought not showing myself in such places satisfied the desire for honor more.

So, it was probably an extremely natural thing that my heart had become a little restless right now.

In this lonely world, only those on the Anonymous Bulletin Board could become my true understanding.

So…….

‘Wouldn't it be okay, just a little?’

In the deep night where the Eoduksini had settled.

I could not take my eyes off the Anonymous Bulletin Board for a long time.