The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 525

523. My Portrait Rights (2)

[I’ve been waiting! Would you like some tea?]

The newbie [referring to the system administrator] bustled about, creating a white table and plush chairs in the middle of the beautifully decorated garden. The trees were lush, and colorful flowers bloomed in the flowerbeds. The light brown and dark green tiled floor felt as soft as fine soil underfoot. To the right was a fountain adorned with calyxes [the sepals of a flower, forming a protective layer around the bud] and doves, and to the left, a large swing chair hung from thick branches. Bright blue butterflies fluttered past my eyes.

“…So you do know there’s a problem.”

You put some effort into this. Volleyball Guy grinned.

“You can go back to your original size now.”

Yoohyun and Yerim were still small. Sung Hyunjae had completely disappeared into my pocket. Is he that uncomfortable around the Old Man? Yoohyun jumped off my shoulder and landed on a willow leaf. The willow leaf glided across the water, spinning in a circle, and came closer.

“Hyung likes it, and he’s in a much better mood.”

“Well, hmm.”

Was it that obvious that I liked it? No, but it is really cute. Irin, now the size of a fingernail to match Yoohyun’s size, popped up. Well, there are only a few minutes left anyway.

“Uncle, look at this!”

Yerim, who had already climbed onto the table, shouted while grabbing the handle of a large teacup.

“It would be nice if we could take a picture. Volleyball Guy!”

[Yes?]

“Chatterbox does broadcasts too, can’t you take just one picture? It’s okay if you can’t.”

[I can! Of course!]

The newbie jumped up high and spoke confidently, and Yerim gestured for me to come quickly.

“Uncle, sit here and hold the teacup. I’ll pour you some. Hanyoo Hyun, you hold that fork over there. Put the cake plate here and stand next to it. Hurry.”

Yerim, wanting to take the picture before time ran out, lifted a teapot several times her size and flew over. Yoohyun obediently cut a piece of cake with a fork.

“Uncle, smile naturally! Hanyoo Hyun, are you looking only at Uncle again? Okay, that’s natural. Volleyball Guy!”

[Yes! Click! Click!]

The newbie made the sound of taking pictures with his mouth. And then, suddenly.

Tear─

I heard the sound of my pocket tearing and Sung Hyunjae popped out.

“Ugh!”

“Hyung!”

Sung Hyunjae, who had eaten the cookie first, grew the largest first and ended up sitting on my lap. Unable to withstand the sudden appearance of a 190+ cm [over 6’2″] man, the chair tipped backward, but Sung Hyunjae quickly got off and lifted me up.

“You should come out on your own when the time is up!”

“Couldn’t I have eaten one more and stayed hidden?”

Then Yoohyun and Yerim returned to their original sizes. Yoohyun came down from the table and quickly caught me.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“It’s not like I’d get hurt just because that human sat on my lap. You could sit on me and I’d be fine.”

It was just that the unexpected weight made me lose my balance. I suddenly remembered feeding Yoohyun while he sat on my lap when he was little.

[Here are the pictures.]

The newbie handed us three photos. They turned out well. It looked like a concept photo that had been photoshopped. Since the newbie created them, they were in my inventory.

[I’m glad Honey seems to be feeling better!]

“I’m not okay. Didn’t that Chatterbox guy break the rules? Why is he acting like that?”

[Well, he didn’t break the rules. He is Chatterbox, after all. That’s the pseudonym we use to reduce interference.]

“He even showed up on the broadcast?”

[He was recognized as a human, not a transcendent.]

…Certainly, the Chatterbox that appeared on the broadcast had a human physique. He was tall and thin, but not to an unusual extent.

[The humans on Chatterbox’s side didn’t talk about transcendents either.]

“That’s true, but……”

The Prophet only spoke about himself and didn’t mention the god they served. I wondered why the cult didn’t engage in religious activities even while appearing on a good medium like broadcasting, but it seemed to be to hide Chatterbox’s existence.

[Diarma and the King of No Harm also interfered to this extent. They are our substitutes who have the system.]

Certainly, all the previous filial piety addicts [devotees who prioritize their deity above all else] directly contacted and used hunters. Yoohyun and Sung Hyunjae had also made contracts with Diarma, and they had tried to control Riette. They even sent powerful dragonkins and… Rauchitas, though it was inside a dungeon.

The King of No Harm also seemed to have helped catch and use the Goblin King in China.

[They can also interfere with the system or use parts of it depending on their abilities, but they can’t manage it as a whole like we do. Thanks to that, Honey’s information is thoroughly protected.]

“Still, if he comes out like that so openly, we’ll be at too much of a disadvantage.”

[It’s not necessarily the case. The reason why filial piety addicts hide themselves and operate is that they are likely to be recognized as universal evil. Imagine there are villains trying to destroy the world. Then the people of that world will naturally cooperate.]

…Certainly, it’s easier to unite if there’s a clear enemy.

[It’s not for nothing that evil forces become secret organizations. The filial piety addict side hides its forces to easily achieve destruction, and we select only a few people to prevent information from outside the world from spreading. As I said before, if too much information spreads, the protective power of Honey’s world weakens.]

“Then Chatterbox is……”

[I contacted him, and… he just said it’s a funeral. He keeps insisting on it.]

“…Just a funeral?”

[Yes. A flamboyant one, so that everyone in the world where the King of No Harm fell can know.]

I roughly knew it, but I was absurd again. The scariest opponent is the one who rushes in without thinking about the future, and Chatterbox was exactly like that. If he says he’s just going to hold a funeral without knowing about filial piety addicts or the origin, it’ll be even more dangerous.

I’d rather he have other intentions.

“…Why is he doing that?”

[Well, I don’t know because I’ve never been in love. Wouldn’t Honey know better?]

Me. When I think about it, I also want to hold a funeral… I can’t let go of my lingering feelings.

“What do the filial piety addicts say?”

[In Honey’s neighborhood, most of the transcendents are like, ‘Let’s watch the gut [ritual] and eat the rice cake [enjoy the benefits].’ It’s just one of many worlds, and it seems there’s a unique being, but Chatterbox is willingly sacrificing himself to target him. He’s getting attention and there’s a lot of curiosity, but they’re not going to jump in directly. It’s hard to interfere.]

“Hard?”

[We’ve been in conflict for a very long time, and naturally, several tacit rules have been created. One of them is matching numbers. There are several transcendents on our side, but I’m the only one who mainly comes forward to contact them because of that. Chatterbox didn’t do more than assist when the King of No Harm stepped in, either.]

“…What about the Old Man? Is it because he’s neutral?”

[Yes. He doesn’t belong to any force. He’s closer to being the ruler of the worlds belonging to the first origin.]

“Then the Puppeteer must be neutral too.”

[The Puppeteer?]

The Volleyball Guy tilted his head.

“So……”

I stopped talking. I was still reluctant to tell the newbie about Director Song and the lunar eclipse. The same goes for Sung Hyunjae’s situation. The Old Man seems to have already noticed, though.

“A transcendent called the Puppeteer approached the King of No Harm’s drawer.”

[Drawer… You put a transcendent’s contractor in the drawer?!]

“It just happened.”

The Volleyball Guy jumped about 3 meters.

[Are you okay, Honey?]

“He wasn’t a transcendent hostile to me. He even told me it was dangerous if I did this.”

[Another transcendent’s contractor… I didn’t know there was such a thing. Chatterbox can’t directly harm Honey, though. The Puppeteer……]

Who is it, the newbie spun around.

[They have several aliases. The Old Man is like that too. Puppeteer is relatively common, so I’ve been called Puppeteer before.]

“Because of those dolls before?”

[Yes. It’s one of my specialties. Is there anything else distinctive about him?]

“He had human hands, but he could change his appearance as he pleased. Old Man? The Old Man might know.”

He said he helped create the lunar eclipse with the white bird and the snow-falling tree. With that level of ability, he must be an old transcendent, so he might know the Old Man.

[He’s probably watching a drama.]

“…Huh?”

[I told him about the internet and streaming services because of this incident. It’s not that he doesn’t know about developed worlds like Honey’s world, but he hasn’t had much chance to experience them directly. He said he’d watch just one to learn about Honey’s world.]

What is he watching? Please don’t let it be a makjang drama [Korean melodramatic television drama].

[I’ll tell him to come here.]

“Please do. And Chatterbox, starting a broadcasting station is one thing. But my portrait rights……”

[Yes?]

“He broadcasted it without permission, that bastard! I need to resolve this for sure! It’s illegal!”

[Well, on our side……]

“When in Rome, do as the Romans do. If you’re going to imitate humans, follow human law! If you’re profiting by using us, you should pay the price! He never said he was going to put me on TV when he consulted with me! It’s a breach of contract! And what about publicity rights! How much are S-ranks worth, and he’s using it all for free?!”

It’s not just the ability as a hunter. I have popularity comparable to a celebrity. Of course, the appearance fee is no joke, and it’s hard to get an S-rank to film a commercial even if you pour money into it. But for free! Just like that!

“How many advertisement offers do Yoohyun and Yerim get! It’s grounds for a lawsuit, grounds for a lawsuit!”

[S, shall I connect you with Chatterbox?]

“You can connect me?”

[Yes, for a short time. Honey is already… connected to Chatterbox, too.]

The newbie looked at my neck. I unconsciously raised my hand and touched my neck. I had put a bandage on it again today.

“…Is this dangerous?”

[No, it’s just like exchanging business cards. It’s impossible to track the location, and it doesn’t have any other effect. It’s the name that’s more important. You heard it, didn’t you? That will have a bigger impact.]

“…Really?”

[Yes. It’s better not to know a transcendent’s real name. They usually don’t reveal it……]

The newbie made a door while feeling uneasy. I said I’d be back in a moment and went inside.

“Welcome.”

Chatterbox was standing in the black room. With the same body as a human, as seen on the broadcast, and speaking with a human voice. The skin around the white mask that covered his entire face also looked normal. His short, white hair under the translucent black veil was neatly combed back.

If I had encountered him without knowing, I would have thought he was a theater or musical actor.

“How are you going to compensate me?”

I crossed my arms and glared at Chatterbox.

“In the first place, I don’t even want to attend the party if you’re going to overturn the board like this. It wouldn’t be strange if I, an F-rank, didn’t attend.”

I tapped the floor with my toe.

“I’m sure I’m the main character from your perspective, so go ahead and hold a funeral with the main character missing.”

Chatterbox wouldn’t be able to hold the party without me. Because then the meaning of the funeral he wanted would be tarnished. He approached me. Without flinching, I raised my chin and looked up at Chatterbox.

“Hanyoo Jin will have no choice but to attend.”

A hand wearing a white glove lightly pressed against my chest.

“Because if you can benefit from using Hanyoo Jin, you’ll jump into a thorny path.”

“…What nonsense.”

“Or is the pain not welcome? Don’t you want to sacrifice yourself?”

“I plan to live a long life. I have to live.”

“Really?”

I nodded, of course. Chatterbox smiled.

“Don’t worry. From now on, the editing will be left to the participants. I will only broadcast as the host.”

“You’re leaving it to the participants?”

“Yes. They can decide whether to send out the video, whether to include audio, and even the subtitles and broadcasting country if they want. They can change the options immediately depending on the situation. Even if there is no agreement with the other party, the other party’s video and audio, as well as information, will be appropriately processed so that the person’s video and audio are not exposed.”

Does that mean he’ll blur it out?

“Depending on how you use it, you may be able to lead it advantageously.”

“……”

“Compensation will be provided, of course. Regarding this advertisement─”

“Whether it’s a skill, an item, or other special benefits, at least SSS-rank or higher. I’ll tell you the exact compensation after discussing it. It’s not just me who was on the broadcast.”

“I accept.”

I tried to think calmly and rationally. If used well, we could create a board that would be advantageous to us. I have to attend anyway. If I back down in this situation, I’ll only lose and end up with nothing.

“Let’s have lawyers from both sides and draw up a contract accurately. Send an agent.”

As thoroughly as possible. When you think about it, it’s like appearing on an entertainment program, so I could openly get help from those around me and make a contract. Chatterbox nodded willingly. And then lightly flicked his fingers.

I saw my brother and me in front of me.

I was hugging my dying brother.

My brother was hugging me as I was dying.

I blinked. The illusion disappeared and the smiling white mask came into view. My body moved first and grabbed Chatterbox by the collar.

“…What are you doing?”

“Nothing. I only showed a part of Hanyoo Jin’s heart. I don’t even know what you saw.”

I’ll see you again. Leaving those words behind, Chatterbox disappeared. The exit appeared behind me, but I couldn’t move quickly.

If my brother hadn’t saved me and died, but the opposite had happened.

“…I really feel terrible.”

I gritted my teeth and turned around. When I came outside, in the bright garden.

“…Old Man?”

I saw the young Chaos and Sung Hyunjae kneeling politely in front of him. I don’t know why, but I felt a little better.