Chapter 209

209th Episode

Villain of the Newspaper Company

209 – Villain of the Newspaper Company #1

Chatter, chatter.

A fair number of people have gathered in the yard where Luna and I live. Because of them, I can see the potato field I’ve worked hard to plant over the past few days being trampled on in various places.

It feels like this has been happening quite often since the yard situation began.

Bang, bang.

Strangers don’t seem to care about the potatoes being damaged as they knocked on the cabin’s door or sometimes shouted while looking at the closed windows above.

“Is anyone inside?”

“Let’s talk!”

What the heck is going on here? Are they customers for the workshop? But their vibe seems a bit different from that of regular customers.

So, out of curiosity, I looked up. There, I met the emerald-green eyes peeking out of the slightly opened window on the second floor.

It was none other than Luna.

Luna’s anxious eyes met mine.

Even without words, her expression and eyes seemed to be saying, “Hassan, what should we do!” She looked a little scared.

Of course, anyone would be alarmed and scared if a large group of people suddenly came to the house where only one person is usually present, knocking on the door and shouting.

Thus, I had no choice but to speak up.

“Who are you people? This is private property. If you’re coming in, pay first.”

Thanks to my deliberate tone, the people who had been staring at Luna and the cabin turned their attention towards me.

The sudden shift in focus was palpable.

I’ve become somewhat accustomed to the fervent interest of others lately, but this situation still made my spine tingle a bit.

“Who are you?”

Some rather rugged-looking faces scrutinized me with curiosity. Since they don’t seem familiar with my face, they could be people unrelated to the Adventurer’s Guild.

Just then, someone spoke.

“Black hair, the Bronze Tier necklace of the Mars Guild. Could you be Hassan of Samaria?”

“Oh? That sounds about right.”

“Hassan of Samaria, what brings you here?”

“There’s only one woman in this cabin, if I’m not mistaken. I’ve heard about your fixed party, but you’re not living together or anything, are you?”

“Living together?”

“Sounds intriguing!”

They were like crows swooping down and attacking any weakness they could find. They would chatter incessantly without even giving me a chance to say a word, grabbing notebooks and scribbling away.

“Could you comment on this matter?”

“Who are you people to be doing this here?”

“I’m from the Melkus Association’s daily newspaper in Sodomora. I’d like to get your opinion on the current situation.”

“No, I was here first. I am Ferdichi from Banadis Weekly. Could you tell us about your relationship with the woman who lives here?”

All of a sudden, people were swarming towards me, all at once. Judging from their words, they seemed to be reporters from weekly or daily newspapers.

I understood immediately because I had experienced something similar after taking down a bunch of goblins. However, their visit this time doesn’t seem to be related to the goblins.

“We would like a statement regarding the recent potion controversy!”

I don’t know what this “potion controversy” is about, but I suspect that something’s gone awry with Luna and the potions she makes while we weren’t aware.

The moment I learned there was an issue with Luna, it felt like my vision turned dark, and my anger flared up.

So I turned to the journalists, or rather the vulture-like creatures scavenging for gossip in the yard, and said firmly,

“I’ll say this once: all of you, write it down.”

“Okay, we’re ready!”

“Get your pens out!”

Everyone immediately took out their feather pens and notebooks and looked at my face, as if they were seals eagerly waiting for fish to be thrown by a zookeeper.

I said to them,

“This is private property. If you don’t leave immediately, I’ll break your spines in half.”

“Tch, these bastards trashed everything.”

The yard, after the people dispersed like the tide going out, was utterly devastated.

The soil was torn apart and trampled on in various places, and the traps Luna had carefully set were all broken.

Just when things were getting well-organized, visitors or creatures like raccoons would come and mess things up, making me incredibly irritated.

Should I get a dog?

If I got a big pit bull and tied it up in the yard, perhaps no one would dare invade so easily?

My own pet shotgun pit bull.

While entertaining such thoughts, I reburied the potatoes into the ground. Since I’ve been doing field work for a few weeks now, it’s starting to feel natural.

“This time, they have to grow properly.”

Just as I was muttering these words and patting the soil with my palms, the sound of a lock being opened could be heard.

Chirp, creak.

Then Luna peeped her face out from the tiny gap in the door.

“…Hassan, are they all gone?”

“Yeah, they seem to have left.”

“Hmm, what on earth happened….”

Luna trembled as if she were frightened. Looking at her face, she seemed pale and spiritually drained to the point that she looked pitiful.

Swoosh, swoosh.

Luna looked around and only after confirming that all the people had truly left did she slowly step out into the yard.

Was she so flustered that she even stepped on the dirt barefoot without wearing her sandals?

“The yard’s completely destroyed!”

“I know.”

“Hassan, do you know what happened? They said there’s something wrong with my potions!”

Had she overheard the journalists’ discussion through the cabin door? I suddenly felt quite awkward because she might have caught on to something.

“Hassan, it feels like you knew something. Tell me the truth!”

Since Luna appeared genuinely distressed, I had no choice but to show her the weekly newspaper I had seen earlier.

Sure enough, it contained stories about Luna’s potions being disrespectful and detrimental to health.

“What, what is this? Hassan, if you knew about something like this, you should’ve told me earlier. Ugh, they’re saying I used impure ingredients — it sounds like a total smear campaign…!”

“There’s…”

I had kept this hidden with her feelings in mind. But Luna seemed extremely upset that I had kept it from her. Perhaps she was reflecting on whether I, too, was upset with her.

There was nothing to say, even with a mouth ready to speak.

It felt foolish to start jabbering excuses like “I didn’t want to upset you…” so I just stayed silent.

If I said anything now, it felt like Luna would snap uncontrollably right at this moment.

As if my thoughts connected with hers, Luna also decided against saying any more to me and closed her mouth.

“…”

“…”

A brief silence fell between Luna and me.

Since we knew each other, we had spent a lot of time together without speaking. However, this was the first time the silence felt so long and stifling.

This moment of silence between us felt like broken bars, creating a sense that the distance between Luna and me was growing.

Right in that moment, I realized it.

Luna and I, who until now seemed like people who could never argue, were fighting right now.

I could understand why couples who supposedly had no time but to love each other would fight, get angry, hurt each other, and sometimes even go as far as breaking up.

Of course, it was my fault this time.

If I had known this would happen, I would have told Luna truthfully. Even though I thought I was considering her feelings by not telling her, now it just feels like an excuse.

Apologizing and saying sorry would be the right thing to do.

Only, the words were hard to form on my lips. I was considering Luna’s feelings in my own way, but I didn’t expect things to go so wrong.

Thinking about it, the biggest fault lay with the reporters who rudely invaded our space or that certain potion master who slandered Luna’s potions.

Our prolonged silence made my thoughts feel numb.

Suddenly, the fear struck me that if we kept silent like this, an unfixable chasm might form between us.

“Luna… you…”

I usually didn’t find it hard to say “thank you,” but for some reason, “I’m sorry” felt impossible to say.

It wasn’t about pride or anything; it was just that the words got stuck in my throat, unable to break out.

While I was fumbling awkwardly like this,

Luna, who had been taking deep breaths, spoke first.

“I guess I got a bit mad earlier. Hassan must’ve kept quiet because he was considering my feelings. If I hadn’t been so scared of reading that newspaper, none of this would have happened. This is my fault.”

“No, it’s me who’s sorry.”

“Next time, just tell me without hiding things. I’m not weak enough to fall apart just from seeing this kind of thing! Being misunderstood is part of daily life.”

“…”

From now on, I resolved that I wouldn’t lie to or hide things from Luna.

Still, how infuriating it is that articles can spread such baseless rumors! Potion Master? What kind of person is this? I have to go confront them!

Luna was about to rush out of the yard in a real fury.

But with the sky already growing darker and the evening and night sure to come soon, the only thing I could do was calm her down.

Eventually, Luna went to bed early.

Despite her bold declaration: “I’m not weak enough to fall apart!” Luna was clearly shocked and upset to learn such bad things were being said about her.

Unable to control her emotions, Luna curled up inside her blankets and sniffled.

“Why do you do this to me…? I’m just trying my best to live…”

It’s true; when someone starts succeeding, jealousy and envy tend to follow closely behind.

That someone maligns her is, in a way, a testament that Luna is on the right path to success.

Except, I didn’t want her to see this and get upset, so I chose to hide the truth from her.

Now I was angry at the journalists who had spread unfounded slanders.

While Luna calmed down and eventually fell asleep, I kept stroking her back from under the blankets. When her breathing became steady,

I resolved to visit the newspaper company and the journalists the next day.

“Hassan, another… another newspaper arrived…”

Early in the morning.

Luna trembled in fear as she looked at the leather newspaper in the simple mailbox, unsure what to find within.

“I’ll read it.”

“This time, you have to tell me the truth.”

“Alright.”

This time, I decided to clearly tell Luna exactly what was written in the newspaper, without filtering anything. Determined to pursue an honest relationship with no secrets or lies moving forward, I opened the leather newspaper as I made this decision.

The first page, which typically contained the most important stories, made no mention of Luna or the potions. I felt a mix of relief and tension as I turned to the next page.

A certain workshop selling vitality potions… attempts to approach were refused by the owners… are certain famous adventurers involved in making fake potions?

“Ah, d*mn.”

“Hassan, what does it say? What has someone written now?”

Luna was nearly wailing, covering her face with her small hands. For her sake, I began to read aloud the words printed on the page more carefully.

“Certain vitality potions being sold on the market by Ideope: they lack taste and effect, making them clear scams…”

“Hassan, stop it! Have people been thinking this about me all this time?”

Soon after, Luna slapped me on the back with her little hand. That hurt.

“No, no, it’s not what I think! This is what’s printed here in the article. It says that your potions, Luna, are blatant scams and that you’re selling false medicine and that the Alchemists Guild in Sodomora will take strong actions.”

“The Alchemists Guild!?!”

Luna screamed as if she couldn’t believe it.

Indeed, it was surprising.

The Alchemist Guild — a guild that gathers experts who specialize in the creation of medicine, potions, and elixirs.

In my case, since I rarely get seriously injured and have your potions, Luna, there’s not much reason for me to interact with them.

However, many adventurers and city citizens regularly buy ignition potions and healing potions from them. Thus, the Guild’s influence is immense.

If we use an analogy, while Luna is like a vendor selling mineral water on the mountain, the Alchemists Guild is like Coca-Cola.

A large corporation.

That’s right.

The current situation was akin to a major corporation attacking Luna, who was gradually expanding her presence in the local business.

Could someone be doing this on purpose?

Thus, Luna and I went to the Red Potion Association, which produces the morning newspaper. And the conversation we overheard in their reception room was rather shocking.

“That article was written by the Alchemist Guild. We’re in the position of receiving sponsorship from them, so we have to write the article as instructed. Our association is large because of potion distribution. The name says it all: Red Potion.”

The human Halfling with weasel-like facial hair at Red Potion Association, responsible for publishing the newspaper, acted helplessly as if there was nothing else to do.

“So, if you can clarify that it’s not true, we’ll issue a correction. Thus, that big stick of yours, put it down. You’re scaring me, so I can’t even speak.”

Of course, the reason he’s responding so willingly now must be because of the large stick I’ve drawn and am holding behind me.

At that moment, Luna, who had been frowning throughout the conversation, asked,

“If I can prove that my potions aren’t fake, you’ll correct the article?”

“That’s right. The Alchemist Guild wants details about the composition, ingredients, and manufacturing process disclosed. If so, the matter will be resolved neatly. It could turn out better for you. By the way, what is your relationship? Are you two dating? That would be a great scoop.”

At that, Luna’s face suddenly turned red.

“Why is that relevant!?”

“Because romance stories sell well, you know. Hehehe…”

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