I Became a Raid Boss-Chapter 161: Business trip

"...A business trip?"

"Yeah."

Da-eun, upon hearing my words, gave me a confused look.

After a moment of contemplation, Da-eun chose to ask me directly.

"Did something happen at Demonis? What’s with this sudden mention of a business trip?"

"Didn't I tell you?"

"As soon as we got home, you said, 'I might be going on a business trip,' but when would you have had time to say that?"

"Oh, right."

That's right.

Nodding, I slowly began to explain.

I told her about the warning I received for possessing a sword without permission, and then the conversation I had with Edel.

After hearing the whole story, Da-eun stretched out her response, saying, "Hmm..."

"To summarize, the government found out that the sword Kana pulled out during the broadcast was a real sword."

"Yeah."

"At the same time, they found out that Kana doesn’t have a permit for possessing a sword."

"Yep."

"And Edel speculated that the illegal possession charge is just an excuse, and the real reason is to put a leash on Kana and control her however they like?"

"Exactly."

Thud!

Da-eun slammed the table as she finished speaking.

"To think they want to control Kana like that...! How dare they do such a envious... Ahem! ...ridiculous thing!"

"...Da-eun?"

"I'm the only one who gets to pet and mess with Kana!"

"Now you're not even trying to hide it. If that’s the case, wasn’t there no need to change your words?"

"Not to mention a leash. As a gentleman, I absolutely cannot forgive that!"

"...Sigh."

At least I knew for sure that Da-eun wasn’t listening to a word I said.

How could she come to such a conclusion from our conversation?

I don’t know what thoughts are running through her mind right now, but I didn’t ask, and I didn’t want to guess.

I had a feeling it wouldn’t do any good to find out...

After Da-eun had been ranting for a while, she suddenly noticed I was staring at her, and awkwardly smiled.

"...Just kidding! Hehe, you were surprised, right?"

"I wasn’t surprised."

Da-eun is always like this, so there’s no reason to be surprised.

"Then was the 'I can’t forgive it' also a joke?"

"No. That was serious. What parent would be happy about someone treating their child like a toy?"

"Why am I your child?"

"...?"

"Why?"

"Because when you said 'child,' the tone sounded a bit off..."

"You said 'child,' so I just called you a child?"

"Ugh, fine! I’ll call you my daughter! So stop already! Got it?"

Even if I call her a child...

No, that still feels strange.

Da-eun muttered, her voice barely audible.

Of course, I heard it all.

"So, your solution is the business trip?"

"Yeah."

"Hmm... I get the situation."

Then she tilted her head again.

"How is that the solution?"

"Yeah, that’s a valid question."

When I first heard it, I thought exactly the same as Da-eun, so I could understand her reaction perfectly.

As I nodded in agreement, Da-eun suddenly covered her mouth.

"Wait... does the business trip mean...?"

"Huh?"

"Are you using a roundabout way to say you're going to find people you don’t like?"

"Do you think so?"

"Well, Kana is shy, so I guess that's not likely?"

"...?"

Am I shy?

I’m not sure about that, but anyway...

"Actually, it’s not a real business trip."

"Yeah. I thought so."

"...What does that mean?"

"...Oh? Ah, nothing! It’s not like I thought, 'Kana, who always lazes around at home, going to work outside? I can’t even imagine it!' I never thought that!"

"Da-eun, you really have a unique way of expressing yourself when it comes to wanting to die."

"Ahhh! You little rascal, you’ll kill me! Grrr..."

I punished Da-eun, who was still speaking rudely.

I sat on the squirming body on the floor.

Just like how the warning from the government was only a pretext, the business trip suggested by Edel had another purpose.

Right now, my official position is as an employee of Demonis.

That’s why the warning wasn’t sent to Da-eun’s house, but to Edel.

If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.

To put it differently, my identity as a Demonis employee takes precedence over my nationality as a 'citizen of a country.'

"After Demonis made an official statement, other countries began to reach out."

I had heard that contacting Demonis was something that had been happening for a while.

After 'Cilia Online' became a huge success, there had been offers from all over.

Other game companies asked if we’d consider collaborating, and there were many who wanted to buy our technology.

Some even wanted to acquire Demonis entirely.

"Ugh... reaching out...?"

Da-eun, seemingly interested, struggled to lift her head from where she was lying down.

"They asked if we would consider moving our company to their country."

"Move the company...?"

"Yeah."

They promised tax cuts, citizenship, residency, and even religious establishment and missionary work.

"Huh? Why the religion?"

"Probably because of Edel being called the apostle of the gods."

"Ah... now that I think about it, Kana was introduced as a hero called by the gods, right?"

"...I didn’t say 'hero.'"

Although I don’t know much about religion, the things I mentioned earlier probably caught Edel’s attention.

For Edel, who isn’t human, things like money and status don’t really matter.

That’s why I said I wouldn’t be moving the company.

"However, we are considering setting up a branch overseas."

Edel said that.

Whether by coincidence or fate, until now, dimensional invasions had only occurred within Korean territory.

But when the full-scale invasion begins, it’s likely that similar incidents will happen worldwide.

Even though the contract with the Administrator is in place, if we just let dimensional beings run rampant, it would take too long to clean up.

And that would delay the recovery of Cilia, which was inevitable.

Edel, who more than anyone wants to reclaim Cilia, wouldn't welcome that.

"Setting up a branch would make it easier to respond to dimensional invasions, no matter when or where they occur."

"Like the Adventurers' Guild?"

"Adventurers...?"

"Right, in Cilia’s terms, mercenaries."

"Ah, yeah, that’s right."

Liberi and Sedes operated in a similar manner.

Though their goals were slightly different.

"Other countries are attempting to reach out for the same reason."

"They judged dimensional invasions as a threat. They think if Demonis’s headquarters is in their country, they’ll be able to stop the invasions more easily."

"Oh..."

Pretty sharp, huh?

As expected, Da-eun isn’t an idiot.

"Even if we set up a branch, we don’t have fighting personnel ready right away, but it’s better to prepare one in advance than scramble to create one when the time comes."

"I see. I completely understand now."

"Huh?"

Is it just me, or did that sound familiar?

I vaguely recall hearing something like this before.

It felt strangely familiar.

"So, you and Edel are planning to go on a business trip overseas, and if things get messy, give the hint that you could just leave for another country? Or show that you’re treated like a state guest, proving you’re not someone to be ignored."

"...Yeah."

Da-eun spoke almost exactly the same as Edel, with only slight changes.

I couldn’t deny it and nodded reluctantly.

"How about it? Aren’t I smart?"

"I wish you hadn’t said the last part."

"Hehe, thanks. It’s all thanks to Kana explaining things so well."

"Well, you sure know how to talk."

It was an obvious flattery, the kind that even a three-year-old could notice, but I didn’t mind.

I glanced at her and didn’t say anything.

With a smug smile, Da-eun jumped up.

"When I first heard about the business trip, I was going to throw a fit and tell you not to go, but if that’s the reason, I guess I can’t stop you."

"Do you think I wouldn’t go if you threw a fit?"

"Kana’s so nice, I thought you might, but if you really tried to go, I’d lie down at the airport to stop you!"

"Ugh..."

I couldn’t bring myself to ask if she was joking.

Somehow, I thought Da-eun would really do that.

"It’s a joke, okay?! I do have some sense of shame!"

"You had... shame...?"

I just learned an astonishing truth, as shocking as the secrets of the world itself...

I widened my eyes in shock.

"Ugh... no, but this isn’t the time for this!"

Da-eun, who had been grumbling, shook her head and started moving busily.

She went in and out of the room where she usually broadcasts, looked at her phone, and kept moving around in a frenzy, making it difficult to focus. After several minutes, she stopped.

Then, with a face full of joy, she ran to me and shouted.

"I cleared my schedule! I can go whenever now!"

"...Go?"

At the sudden statement, I blinked, then understood what Da-eun meant.

"You’re saying you’re going to follow me?"

"Of course! I’m in sync with Kana!"

"Who decided that? I’m not going to be stuck with someone like you."

"Are you going to keep saying that? I’m so useful!"

Da-eun pulled glasses out of her pocket.

With an exaggerated, poised motion, she put them on and said.

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"Who am I? A polyglot, Shin Da-eun. So, I’m saying you won’t regret bringing me along!"

What do you think? Are you finally going to take me along?

Da-eun said confidently, but...

"Do I really need to bring you, when I can understand everything you’re saying?"

"...Ah."

Da-eun let out an exclamation.

I can’t speak as many foreign languages as she can, but I can communicate.

I learned it from the Purifiers, and more naturally than Da-eun.

Realizing this, Da-eun puffed up her cheeks.

"That’s cheating! I worked so hard to learn!"

"I struggled too. And you can learn it too."

"If I could, I’d have learned it by now! What do you want me to do?"

Da-eun yelled, then began to throw a tantrum.

"Ah, forget it! I can’t let Kana go alone, so I’m going too! If you don’t take me, I’ll just lie down and refuse to move until you do!"

"...Sigh."

I looked down at Da-eun, flailing her arms and legs on the floor, and sighed.

These days, they say that parents visiting their children's workplaces is a problem.

Now, I think I understand why.