-Freya's Invitation
* * *
Before I knew it, the night had grown deep.
The smear post I had started reading first really hadn't amounted to much, but after reading the news articles linked by the poster, reading the comments, reading related news articles from there, reading more comments, watching an Incheon video someone had uploaded, and then freshly appreciating my old raid videos that came up as related videos, time had flown by.
"Oops. Did I get too absorbed?"
I took my hand off the mouse and gave a big stretch.
The smear post uploaded to the community seemed to have been written by X, the field commander of the biohacker group.
He had mixed in his own experiences from meeting me to some degree, but it was a story I knew.
That I hadn't stood on humanity's side but on the zombies' side, or something like that.
Of course, he had conveniently omitted the part about how he had been in the middle of kidnapping zombies to use as test subjects.
'Yeah, X. You must have a lot of pent-up resentment toward me. After all, I completely smashed those mechanical legs of yours.'
I could understand X's feelings. But that didn't mean I was going to let him off.
The smear campaign hadn't been very effective so far.
A few comments sympathized with him, but most were retaliatory comments telling him not to tear down a hero.
The atmosphere was one of people pushing back, saying things like, "Aren't you just an attention seeker, OP?"
But as I went around the internet via news and videos, I noticed several more posts similar to the first community post had popped up.
That meant they were hard at work.
Still, it was at a level that could be ignored for now.
On the other hand, there were far too many posts praising me to a cringe-worthy degree, hailing me as a hero.
Besides, I had no idea how people had managed to dig up so many of my old raid videos.
It seemed the Management Bureau folks had planted the first seeds, but after that, they had been endlessly copied and self-propagated.
"X, look. People love heroes this much. It's not like we created heroes for nothing, you know? To let people sleep peacefully at night, this country needs at least one hero."
I said this to X and the biohackers who weren't even in front of me.
I used to think they were just mold growing on society, but now that they had joined hands with a dark mage, I couldn't let them be.
I'd have to pay a visit to their headquarters tomorrow at the latest.
Since the night had grown late, I was about to close the internet when I noticed Freya's face floating on the news screen.
In the background, reference footage of Incheon Airport during the terrorist attack was playing. It seemed to be an evening news clip.
Curious, I maximized the window and played it.
"When Mage Odin dropped that meteor, I was truly shocked. That single meteor turned the situation around. If it hadn't been for Mage Odin, everyone there would have died. After that, we couldn't get close, but we didn't leave the airport until the end and watched from afar. The Mage's final attack exploded in a brilliant light—it was truly a heart-stirring spell."
Freya was praising me.
"Amazing. A true hero mage is truly on another level. But you and the elves who bravely went to such a dangerous place are truly remarkable as well, Assemblywoman Freya."
"We elves also have a grudge to settle with the dark mage. Last time, Yasin slaughtered the elves mercilessly. We may be lacking compared to the mages, but we elves will continue to fight actively going forward."
Freya expressed her will to fight.
It was something I had been curious about.
'Why did the elves join the raid on the terrorist attack? And with a National Assembly member leading the charge, no less. They aren't mages, so they have no duty to fight—why would they jump into life-threatening danger?'
They definitely had to be after something.
One could think they fought for the elves killed by Yasin that one time, but it was a little unexpected that they continued to burn with fighting spirit even after experiencing such danger at Incheon Airport.
There was definitely something they wanted to gain. What was it?
"Anyway, now that Assemblywoman Freya, who was at the scene, has told us, I can vividly understand how a hero was born in the Incheon raid."
"Yes. Anyone who witnessed that scene firsthand couldn't help but call Mage Odin a hero."
The praise continued for a while.
Even listening to it myself, I felt like praise for Odin would burst out on its own.
Freya, the beautiful elf assemblywoman, always had that power. The power to make people lean in as if drawn in, to make listeners believe as solidly as iron.
I wondered if she was using mind magic even now and secretly scanned for it. But this time, I didn't detect any mind magic in particular.
She was producing a similar effect even without resorting to magic.
For a moment, Freya looked straight into the camera as if looking at me and spoke.
"Mage Odin, I don't know if you're watching this interview right now, but I have a proposal for you. I would like to have a televised discussion with you. Of course, if the broadcasting station gives us the opportunity. If Mage Odin permits it, I would be deeply honored."
"Ah! Are you proposing a discussion with Mage Odin right now? That's a very fresh idea. I hope our broadcasting station can host it."
The clip ended there.
Perhaps because the video ended with Freya proposing a televised discussion with me, the comments under the video were filled with one request after another to make the discussion between Freya and me happen.
It was amazing. Freya was inviting me onto television.
'Is this something orchestrated by the Management Bureau too? Or something Freya is doing independently?'
If it was orchestrated by the Management Bureau, the reason was obvious, but if Freya had proposed it independently, the reason wasn't easy to guess.
I thought for a moment but couldn't find the answer.
I'd find out if I just met her. There was nothing bad about having a discussion with Freya. If there was something to gain, all the better.
So now I had to show my face on television too.
I just had to think of it as one of the roles a hero had to play.
Either way, I would receive contact from one side or another by tomorrow.
I turned off the computer and went up to the rooftop for a moment.
Now that it was late at night, a cool breeze was blowing.
It seemed like busy days would continue from tomorrow onward.
I had to deal with the biohackers immediately, and in cooperation with the Management Bureau, uncover and finish off the racketeers.
On top of that, I'd have to play the role of a hero.
I didn't know when the Magic Tower would carry out another terrorist attack. Banaheim was undoubtedly scheming something as well.
As I was looking at the brilliant lights of the Hall and thinking about the things I had to do going forward, crows suddenly flew in with a flutter.
"You're only coming now?"
How long had it been since they left the herb shop? The crows were only now returning home. Free-spirited fellows, as always.
[You haven't slept yet? I thought you'd be asleep.]
[What are you doing on the rooftop? Eyeing the Hall of Magic? You're not casting some spell with just your eyes, are you?]
[Oh! You're a hero, so you'd be more than capable of that.]
[What, is there someone in the Hall you don't like? Or do you dislike all of them?]
The free-spirited crows were chattering freely.
I pointed at the rooftop table and called the crows over.
"You guys, sit here."
The crows flopped onto the table in something resembling a sitting posture, doing as I said.
[You called us over with a stern face, so I'm getting nervous for no reason.]
[Why? Do you have something to say to us?]
"Yeah, I do. Didn't you guys say you'd bring me news of the world as you traveled around? But you haven't brought me any useful information so far, have you?"
At my words, the crows flapped their wings and cawed noisily.
[What do you mean? Are you saying we're useless?]
[Why do you say we've never brought information? We sometimes told you news about the Hall, news about the terror attacks, and rumors circulating among people!]
[We even found Ren for you!]
[Even if you're our master, isn't this too much? Can you really dismiss us like this?]
The noise was loud enough to kill me, but listening to them, it seemed true that the crows hadn't been completely idle after all.
They spent so much time wandering around doing as they pleased that I had assumed they hadn't done anything at all.
Well, even so, it didn't seem like they had done anything particularly useful.
"Fine. Let's say you brought me some world news. But that doesn't make you great intelligence agents, does it?"
[Well, we're not intelligence agents.]
[Are you asking us to go do spy work somewhere?]
[Actually, we're not on the intelligence side but the wisdom side. It's our duty to tell you the hidden truths of the world and the wisdom of life.]
[Ah, right. That was it. I had forgotten too.]
[Me too, actually.]
[Anyway, we're very amazing crows.]
Listening quietly, it was a sight to behold. Crows filled with arrogance.
"What? Hidden truths of the world and the wisdom of life? Forget it. From tomorrow, don't wander around as you please—stick right by me."
[Suddenly?]
[Why? Are you anxious because we're not by your side?]
"Stop the useless talk. From now on, perch right on my shoulder and move as I command. Take after Ren. Didn't you see what Ren did in Incheon? He delivered exactly the news I needed at the exact moment I needed it."
[Wait! You mean when Yasin sneaked up to attack, and Ren told you to save Cheon Danbi and Gil?]
[We were with Ren then too! We called for Odin too!]
Listening to them this time too, the crows were right.
Back then, it hadn't been just Ren—Huginn and Muninn were there too. They had been circling above my head trying to tell me.
But why had I only remembered Ren?
"Anyway! You just need to get the gist... From now on, stick with me and do as I say. Got it?"
[Got it.]
[If you insist.]
[Aha! I get it. It's because you're a hero now, right? Since you're a legendary mage, you need a magical animal to accompany you?]
[You should have said so from the start. Don't worry. We, the amazing crows, will fulfill that role.]
They were crows who never stopped at just one verse, anyway.
"But are you guys even magical animals? You don't seem to have any particular talents."
[How dare you say something so rude!]
[If we weren't magical animals, would we be talking to you like this right now?]
[Have you ever seen such smart crows in this world!]
[Shall we show you even greater talents?]
Whether they chattered or not, I turned around and went back inside.
I had gotten enough fresh air, and it seemed the crows' discipline had improved somewhat.
Then the crows quickly followed me inside.
[Oh! You're going into the magic space now?]
[Time to feast after so long.]
Like ghosts. How did they know I was thinking of entering the magic space now?
"Yeah. All you guys think about is eating. Feast, feast away. Your master will be training hard."
I opened the portal.
The crows flew into the magic space even faster than me.