I Became a Raid Boss

‘…What’s with that?’

Since she was staring at me so intently, I thought maybe she wanted something to eat, so I generously offered her a leg. But all she did was continue staring blankly.

Could it be that she’s worried she’s been poisoned or something?

If she was going to worry about that, she should’ve just bitten the bullet earlier.

I knew she was following me, yet I closed my eyes and gave her food, and now she’s just fussing for no reason.

Anyway, if she dies, she can just come back to life.

“Uh, so… how do you say ‘Eat it’ in your language?”

The woman who had been mumbling to herself in Arkish cautiously accepted the meat.

Then she began to examine the meat closely.

‘Should I just snatch it away?’

As that thought crept into my mind, she finally took a bite.

Her eyes went wide, and she devoured it like a starved beast.

She was enjoying it so much that I found myself distracted, forgetting to eat.

Yeah, Cockatrice meat is indeed delicious.

I wondered if I was the weird one, but it turns out my taste buds are perfectly fine.

“Ah, cough! It’s so good that I lost myself there…”

The delighted woman noticed my gaze and laughed awkwardly.

There was no need to be embarrassed since I had given it to her to eat.

“It’s frustrating that we can’t communicate… If I had known this would happen, I would’ve studied a bit harder. Is there anyone who knows Granic here? …Right, of course not.”

The woman mumbled in an incomprehensible language.

Then, with a determined look, she pointed at herself and said, “Joanie.”

“…?”

“Did you not understand? Jo. Ni.”

When I tilted my head, she pronounced it slowly again.

So… is she introducing herself?

“Joanie.”

“…!”

Nodding, I spoke, and the woman who seemed to be named Joanie’s face lit up.

“….”

“….”

“…?”

In the ensuing silence, her bright expression shifted back to confusion.

In a proper introduction, it’s customary for both sides to share their names.

-But I have no desire to share mine.

Me? My name? Why would I?

It’s not like I can say it when I’m covered in a cape and not showing my face, and I have no desire to introduce myself to someone whose face I can hardly see.

I also don’t want to get more entangled with others.

‘You’re just too stiff. You look so cute, but your behavior is totally like a boy.’

…I know, Garid.

Still, no means no.

Unconsciously, I stopped my hand that was reaching for the choker around my neck.

Instead, I stood up and headed for the flower garden.

‘Why grow flowers? Because they’re beautiful! Why does there need to be a reason? You should be thankful for your appearance. If your face wasn’t cute… ugh, let’s not go there. …Ack! I’m just joking, joking!’

‘…And you said that.’

What a liar.

Pouting, I deliberately pulled a flower with force.

Holding a pink flower that Garid particularly liked, I walked toward the grave.

The Crimson Aegis planted in front of the grave felt particularly vibrant today.

“Grasis… best…. What’s the next inscription?”

The meat chunk she had been holding with care slipped from her hands as Joanie timidly followed behind me, trying to read the inscription on the tombstone.

“Grasis, the best shield. Resting here.”

I revealed that information, feeling a bit proud.

I wasn’t bringing a friend, so don’t get it twisted.

I just let her tag along because I thought she might enjoy knowing Granic.

I gently placed the pink flowers in front of the Crimson Aegis.

“….”

“….”

Unfortunately, there’s nothing left for the shield to protect.

Nothing at all.

*

“Doesn’t it look like there’s some story behind this?”

Joanie said, trudging down the mountain path.

I couldn’t see anyone else around to chat with, but she wasn’t going crazy.

There were viewers watching her.

“Let’s postpone figuring out what’s on the tombstone and decide what to do first?”

Even if the Gravekeeper read it to us, we still wouldn’t understand it.

Just reading out loud in an incomprehensible language doesn’t make the meaning clear.

-‘Grasis, the best shield. Resting here,’ they say.

“Oh, what? Someone already decoded it?”

-There are a lot of talented folks around.

-Considering how many are watching, it’s only natural. Haha.

-The best shield?

“Wondering where to investigate first sounds good. That title wouldn’t just stick on anyone.”

Of course, it could just be the opinion of the person who wrote the inscription…

‘But I have to grab onto whatever I can.’

On one hand, I felt a bit like a detective from a mystery novel, one hand on a pipe and the other holding a magnifying glass. It was somewhat thrilling.

More than anything, it felt exhilarating to be at the front of the road less traveled.

The crazily inflated viewership was a bit much, but Joanie had long since resigned herself to it.

-But why come down? Can’t you stay up there?

-I wanted to see the Gravekeeper.

“Even crashing at a friend’s house is awkward, how could I crash at someone I don’t even know? And it’s not like I can just stay because I want to. The Gravekeeper has to allow it.”

More than that, how could I approach someone giving off such an atmosphere?

Joanie remembered the back of the Gravekeeper standing in front of a grave of an unknown person.

Unlike the merciless figure who frustrated countless players, there was an air about her that felt like she could fly away at any moment.

Sometimes, people need time to be alone with their thoughts without any interruptions.

Joanie turned back down without a word for that reason.

“Studying Granic, exploring Grasis’s history, collecting information… Wow, I have so much to do.”

Joanie ticked off her tasks with her fingers and licked her lips.

No one was pointing a sword at her, insisting she had to do these things, so if she didn’t want to, she didn’t have to.

[Donation of 10,000 won from ‘Anonymous Supporter’! Thank you!]

-Can’t you just go back? I’m getting dizzy here. ;

[Donation of 100,000 won from ‘Atomic’! Thank you!]

-I’m curious about her identity.

-Didn’t that person already spend 500,000 won?

-Is that really Atomic?

-It looks like it.

-This broadcast is being watched by many renowned streamers.

‘…I feel like I’m being pressured with something similar to a sword.’

If I retreat now, I could open a new chapter in my life.

Goodbye, streamer Joanie. Hello, ordinary person Shin Da-eun.

With that same feeling.

Of course, it doesn’t carry any good meaning.

Maybe when time has passed and I’m older, but Joanie doesn’t want to retire just yet.

Though her spirits had dwindled, the sun was still shining in the sky.

As she wandered through the somewhat dark woods dotted with dense trees, Joanie spotted a flower she didn’t recognize.

A red flower with sharp thorns on its stem.

“If you come at four in the afternoon, I’ll start to be happy from three.”

-??

-What?

-Oh, is she a desert fox?

Caught off guard by her unexpected statement, the chat exploded with confusion.

Joanie grinned without caring.

“From today, my goal is to train foxes!”

If you want to get close to someone, hang around them.

Depending on the case, you could be labeled as a bother, but nothing comes to you if you do nothing.

“I’ll also squeeze in some studying of Granic.”

Since Joanie had experience in learning multiple languages, she felt confident in learning Granic.

After all, she wouldn’t be stuck in the mountains with the Gravekeeper all day, so time wouldn’t be an issue.

“I trust you’ll help with the information gathering, too.”

-We?

-???

-Do we get paid?

“You guys must be curious too. Let’s help each other out. Money? That’ll be covered with enthusiasm.”

-

-You’re saying we’ll do the work and you’ll take the cash…

-Guess it’s time for a revolution..

-

-If I say you’re a typical streamer from Hell Korea for mentioning passion payments, would I get banned?

“Hey now, let’s keep it civil.”

I knew the flames would rise, but the heat was more intense than expected.

‘But it looks like other comments were silenced.’

Even after I made it clear I wouldn’t go back, the stubborn ones disappeared.

Chuckling to myself as I was off-camera, I cleared my throat.

“Alright. If you post useful information on the fan cafe, I’ll send you a gifticon. Not all of you, but about fifty people who give more effort than others.”

-Hmm, not bad.

-Fifty people sounds pretty generous.

The public opinion was quite good.

Who wouldn’t want to receive a gift from a streamer they liked?

With fifty participants, the odds of being picked were non-negligible with just a little effort.

-But what kind of gifticon?

“Hmm… Good question. What would be nice? Ideally, something related to Silia Online. Oh, wait!”

As she pondered for a second, Joanie’s eyes lit up with a good idea.

“How about a Silia Online access pass? A ten-month subscription.”

-Oooh.

-Oooh.

-555.

The monthly subscription fee for Silia Online is 10,000 won.

Even with discounts for buying multiple months, ten months is close to a whopping 100,000 won.

Giving that away to fifty people ignited a passionate response from viewers.

It was quite a sum for Joanie too, but considering the public goodwill gained through the investment, it was absolutely worth it.

There would surely be new viewers joining through the event, making it a clever move in the long run.

However, there was something she hadn’t considered…

[Joanie is holding an event?]

Heard she’s giving away a ten-month access pass to Silia Online for writing useful posts about Grasis on the fan cafe.

The period is from today for a week.

It doesn’t have to be only about Grasis but anything that could be a clue about the Gravekeeper would be allowed.

Since she’s picking fifty people, if you’re interested, go for it!

[Where can I watch the Korean streamer?]

I can’t find her anywhere even with searching.

I need help.

[A chatter is being super loud for a mere unknown streamer.]

In that time, just play the game—

That’ll increase my chances of being picked!

A ton of people had been tuning in to her stream.

Not only Koreans but folks from East Asia and Western countries alike.

People with every nationality interested in the Gravekeeper were watching her broadcast.

While not everyone participated in the event, even a fraction represented a significant number.

People wanting the prizes, those wanting to unravel the Gravekeeper’s identity quickly, and those who simply wanted to support Joanie out of fandom—

With so many different purposes, it was only natural that Joanie’s fan cafe had become a global gathering place.

---