I Became a Raid Boss-Chapter 184: law-abiding citizen (2)

"Everyone has a desire for recognition. It's just a matter of how much," the lawyer said as he adjusted his glasses.

"If there were no desire for recognition, people wouldn't enjoy being acknowledged or praised. But isn't that something that everyone has?"

"Well, I've seen some who don't," Da-eun responded.

"..."

"Sorry," she quickly apologized.

But honestly, aren't there really people like that? People who are indifferent even when they get praised?

It didn't feel like an entirely incorrect statement, but Da-eun chose not to argue further. After all, she wasn’t here to win a debate; she came to receive advice.

"The person who wrote this seems to have a strong need for recognition. And people like that can't stand being called liars. The best course of action would be to ignore them entirely, but since that might be difficult, we’ll have to go with a backup plan."

"...Did you study psychology before?" Da-eun asked.

"Just a bit. Not professionally though," the lawyer replied.

"I see. So what do we do? Should we release a statement denying everything?"

"No. Doing that might make us look defensive, so we need to find another way. Isn’t that why you came to me?" he asked, smiling.

"Exactly."

If they had come to the fan café or disrupted a broadcast, responding in that way might have worked. But for now, they were still just whispering in their own community.

However, ignoring it wasn’t an option, especially with the undercurrent of things brewing beneath the surface.

Da-eun didn’t like watching weeds grow, knowing full well what was happening.

"So, we need to act subtly," the lawyer suggested.

This was what they call the "comment army."

"We write a post claiming the original one was fabricated, then use others to write supportive comments. Once the floodgates are open, others will follow suit."

"Wow. This feels like something out of a conspiracy."

"Isn’t it what you meant by a hidden agenda?" the lawyer asked with a smile.

He acknowledged it without hesitation.

"It is, in a way. You could say we’re hiding and plotting."

"Sounds like something out of a comic book... Oh!" Da-eun caught herself before she said too much, realizing her slip-up.

The lawyer wasn’t concerned about it. After all, this wasn’t their first time working together, and he had long understood Da-eun’s nature.

"Well, I know a firm that can help with that. If you're okay with the costs, I can introduce you to them," the lawyer offered.

"A firm? What kind of firm?" Da-eun asked.

"A firm that specializes in public opinion manipulation."

"Oh... But will it work? They’ve got photos..." Da-eun hesitated.

"If a single photo could mess things up, I wouldn’t even be able to make a living. Manipulating or stirring up claims that something’s been doctored is easy."

"That’s... pretty scary," Da-eun remarked.

"It’s nothing. This is just the basics. Want to hear about what I worked on last time?" the lawyer offered.

"Huh? You’re allowed to tell me that?" Da-eun asked, surprised.

"Of course not, I wouldn’t tell the general public. But if you're going to use the firm, you need to have a certain level of trust. Think of it like a portfolio."

"...I’m fine with that."

At this point, though, didn’t "knowing the firm" mean it was far more than just "a company I happen to know"?

Da-eun had a strong feeling that she wouldn’t be able to look at the online world with innocent eyes anymore.

She had never looked at it with innocence, but now that she had dipped her toes into the darker side of things, she couldn’t help but feel a strange thrill and a bizarre sense of conquest.

'That’s not right.'

Thrill and conquest? She shouldn’t be feeling those things.

If she wasn’t careful and misstepped, she could end up sinking into waters she hadn’t even noticed, drowning without realizing it.

"Please go ahead with it," Da-eun said, shaking off the feeling.

So, just here. No further.

The lawyer smiled at her decision.

"Excellent choice."

That expression reminded Da-eun of a conversation they had had earlier, when a slight sense of familiarity had started to develop between them.

One day, when he took off his glasses to read some papers, Da-eun had asked him if he couldn’t see properly without them. He had explained that they were non-prescription glasses and that he wore them only to give a more refined and approachable image.

At the time, Da-eun had simply nodded and moved on, but now, she understood what he meant.

'Without the glasses, he really would look like a villain...'

Or maybe it was just the glasses that gave him that look?

She imagined a comic book scenario where a character who had a kind image took off their glasses and appeared as the final boss, and Da-eun shook her head.

"Am I in the wrong place, visiting a detective agency instead of a lawyer’s office?"

"If I get tired of being a lawyer, I might try that," he responded.

"Really?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course, I’m joking," he replied.

It didn’t sound much like a joke, though.

Da-eun gave a reluctant smile as she looked at his glinting glasses.

"Yawn..." she stretched.

"Tired?" the lawyer asked.

"Not really."

"Then why are you yawning?"

Was she being criticized for yawning now?

Da-eun, sensing the mood, quickly waved her hand.

"Oh, no... I just thought you might be tired."

"I’m not tired."

It was just boring.

Having grown tired of rolling around in bed, Da-eun had moved to the living room to lie on the sofa.

She said it was the same as being on the bed, but Da-eun was missing the point.

"I’m not like that," Da-eun thought to herself.

She remembered how Da-eun had once told her that when you go on a trip, you feel like the air changes.

Even though she was lying on the sofa now, it wasn’t the same as being in the cozy room.

"The air here is different," Da-eun admitted.

"Really? I don’t know. But if you like it, that’s what matters. Want me to open the window?"

"No thanks."

"Why? It’ll be fresher if we open the window."

"Not really..."

Honestly, the air in Seoul isn’t exactly refreshing.

Shaking her head, Da-eun paused in her steps, halting by the window.

"From how bored you seem, I guess you're an outdoor person?"

"I don’t think that’s it."

"If that’s not it, then why are you so bored?"

"It’s not like I’m doing this on purpose."

If she had wanted to rest and stay indoors, she could’ve stayed inside for weeks without an issue.

Recently, she’d been going out more, thanks to the dimensional creatures and Yuki, but before that, she barely went outside at all.

But the rebellious feeling was still there.

When Da-eun suggested not going out, it made Da-eun feel uneasy, like there was something wrong with it.

Maybe it was because she had considered going out but then heard that.

"You're such a contrarian. Sounds like a teenager talking!"

"Sorry. I can’t take things from others easily, given my upbringing."

"...Aah, stop with the reverse psychology!"

In a flash, everything fell apart!

At my offhand remark, Da-eun twisted her body.

"Just kidding."

"...Do you know that careless jokes can send someone spiraling?"

"I don’t care."

"Such a cheeky brat..."

At that moment, Da-eun, usually quick to tackle me, hesitated.

She had likely realized that, instead of charging at me like usual, it would be better not to do anything.

So instead, she sat beside me on the floor.

She ended up sitting on the cold marble instead of the sofa she had been near, but it didn’t seem to bother her much.

"Hang in there while I resolve things," Da-eun said.

"...I’m not that frustrated."

"Then your face says otherwise."

Her hand slowly approached me, and I stayed still, letting her gently stroke my hair.

"I’ll fix things as quickly as I can. Got it?"

"I wasn’t trying to rush things."

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"Hehe, really? Such a good child, waiting patiently~."

"..."

"Ugh!"

But this, I couldn’t stand.

Da-eun tackled me, and I collapsed backward with a loud thud.

As she struggled beneath me, I smirked.

"Don’t act like a child."

Ding-dong!

While we were playing around, a sound I had never heard before rang out.

I tilted my head, and Da-eun immediately got up, explaining.

"It’s the security office calling."

"Ah."

Now that made sense.

The security office?

"Why?"

"They probably want to let us know that there’s a fish caught in the trap."

With a grin, Da-eun spoke, and I nodded in understanding.

"Ah, got it."

"Huh? You figured it out? Finally—"

"—It’s a classic case of middle school syndrome, right?"

"...No!"

It seemed like she was trying to make a joke, but I was pretty sure it was spot on.