Season 4: Chapter 143. Public Interview (2)
Around an hour earlier, when people first began gathering in front of the Order, the very first to arrive had been none other than ForeverAlone.
“What the... is that ForeverAlone?”
The residents could hardly believe their eyes.
“What? I had a girlfriend, okay? She was... 2D, but still!”
“No, not you. ForeverAlone came.”
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
After all, ForeverAlone had been the greatest victim of the conflict between the Knight Order and the Nonghyup Union.
‘No way. No matter how much he likes money, why would he side with the very people who burned him alive?’
According to The Farmer's Daily, the Order had committed arson and directly ruined ForeverAlone’s land. And yet, here he was to take their exam. The more the crowd grew, the more stares burned the back of his head.
‘ForeverAlone is here?’
‘What the hell? ForeverAlone??’
‘Wait, ForeverAlone?’
Everyone couldn’t help but ask themselves the same question.
‘Was he threatened?’
‘Is he spying on them?’
People came up with their own scenarios, trying to make sense of it. At first glance, it made no sense at all.
ForeverAlone looked overjoyed. “Wow, so this is the Knight Order’s headquarters...!”
He felt excited, venturing into Cheese Village for the first time. Even better, people actually recognized him.
“W-Wait, aren’t you... ForeverAlone?”
ForeverAlone wasn’t famous enough to be recognized often, but he had suddenly become a celebrity here in Cheese Village.
“In real life, I’m a nobody... but here, I’m famous!?”
— Lmaooooo
— Change your mic channel, bro
— You really said that out loud, lol
— Harry Potter vibes, fr
— ForeverAlone Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
More and more people came over, startled.
“Huh? ForeverAlone?”
“It’s... ForeverAlone.”
His shoulders puffed up.
“Hello! Hello! Ahaha!”
‘Was I really this famous?’
— Why is everyone recognizing him??
— He’s big time, apparently
— ForeverAlone streams on a global level
— But seriously... is this a prank?
Some viewers already knew the truth and teased him while others had no idea what was happening. After all, ForeverAlone’s loyal fans knew better than anyone that he wasn’t actually that popular.
ForeverAlone himself had no clue. He didn’t know why he suddenly became famous, or why everyone kept looking at him.
“See that? I know how to greet people, huh?”
He simply felt thrilled about it.
— Lmaoo...
— Sure, bro
— What even is this?!
— True alphas don’t greet, people greet them, just like ForeverAlone
— Beautiful
ForeverAlone had never read The Farmer's Daily. He had never even been near the plaza. Even if he had, he wouldn’t have believed it.
He had been the very first subscriber to The Bubble Daily. Ever since Bubblegum was just an herb gatherer, ForeverAlone had trusted his news. Someone like him couldn’t possibly believe The Farmer's Daily.
However, the other villagers didn’t know this and spun their own stories when they saw ForeverAlone looking so bright and carefree.
‘He likes the Knight Order this much?’
‘If even the victim is here, doesn’t that mean the Order never set the fire?’
‘So, the Union really faked everything?’
If ForeverAlone liked the Order, that meant they had a good relationship. Then, the Order couldn’t have burned his land. The Farmer's Daily had lied. That was the only logical conclusion.
***
ForeverAlone’s joy didn’t last long.
“The first trial will be a self-introduction!”
Dun-dun.
The interviews had begun, and nerves hit him hard.
‘Of all things...’
Because of where he stood, he would be judged by Almond himself.
Almond was closing in fast. “Next.”
He cut people off in under three seconds.
“Thank you.”
Applicant after applicant was eliminated.
“We don’t hire interns in their forties. Thank you.”
Thump, thump.
ForeverAlone’s heart pounded louder.
— Holy shit
— Of all examiners, Almond, lmao
— He’s screwed
— Lord Almond, nooo
— Funny how he never came when Gi-Chan called, but now...
ForeverAlone stiffened.
‘Wait. Even good people are getting cut?’
A no-question self-introduction was the worst possible exam for someone like him. When had a loser ever been good at introducing himself? Even the bright and talkative ones had dropped like flies.
‘Is there any chance I pass this?’
Dun-dun.
The shadow of Almond’s massive head fell over him.
Gulp.
ForeverAlone swallowed hard.
“Next... hm?”
For the first time, Almond’s expression changed.
‘What the... ForeverAlone?’
He lowered his sunglasses, as if doubting his own eyes.
Then, in a hushed voice, he said to his viewers, “Everyone... It’s really ForeverAlone.”
— Lmaooooo
— Like he’d be fake?
— What the hell?
— Why is he even here? lol
— No way, it’s actually him???
— Did he come here after The Farmer's Daily article???
— So you only trust The Bubble Daily, huh, ForeverAlone... sigh
— Gi-Chan, bro... hahaha
— I’m losing it
Bam!
[RubySword has donated 120,000 won.]
[If you have any conscience, let ForeverAlone pass!]
— Please...
— Princess... he’s beyond saving...
— Lmaooo even she’s begging
— For real, just let him through
If Almond dropped ForeverAlone now, the viewers would riot. Even RubySword had openly declared support for ForeverAlone.
‘Hmm...’
Almond hesitated. The memory of burning ForeverAlone alive flickered by. If he had any conscience, he would pass him.
‘More than anything, it’ll make us look good.’
If ForeverAlone joined the Order, The Farmer's Daily’s attacks would lose all credibility. According to them, ForeverAlone had been the biggest victim. What if that victim shook hands with the supposed perpetrators?
Almond’s lips curled.
‘So, this is what the execs meant when they kept saying that things look good.’
Running an organization had shown him that one’s image mattered more than he thought. The problem was ForeverAlone himself.
“Uh... um... ahaha...” ForeverAlone looked completely out of it.
‘If he does too poorly, I can’t justify it.’
— Please do well!!
— ForeverAlone, snap out of it!!
— Can’t he just get in automatically like the chaebols?
***
Meanwhile, the other applicants felt stunned by the fall of so many notable names.
“Kim Forty failed?”
“What!?”
Now, another headline act had stepped up.
“F-ForeverAlone is taking the interview!”
The rumor spread like wildfire.
“ForeverAlone?”
“No way. That’s really ForeverAlone?”
“He’s being tested right now?”
“Weren’t he and Almond enemies?”
To the villagers, it looked like bitter rivals meeting on a narrow bridge. All eyes turned toward their standoff.
“Please, ForeverAlone... do well.”
“Show them your flow.”
Naturally, Servant Lemon appeared where the crowd gathered.
“Oooh, now this is the clash of the century~~ Chikicha~!”
— Lmaooooo
— Why is ForeverAlone even here?
— Chikicha, lol
— What even is this?
The production crew followed her and swarmed in.
PD Jang barked out orders, “Get three more cameras on them. This is the main trailer.”
Whsshh.
Cameras zoomed in and captured the two from every angle.
‘W-Why is everyone staring at me like this?’
ForeverAlone’s eyes darted left and right. He had no idea why every lens and villager was focused on him.
— Why’s the mood so heavy? lol
— The pressure is unreal
— Are they insane?
— Harry Potter vibes
— This feels like a prank
— Chikicha showdown
ForeverAlone accidentally locked gazes with Almond.
Click, click, click.
The shutters fired in rapid succession.
“Ugh...” His stomach churned.
“Please introduce yourself.” For the first time, Almond actually requested an introduction.
Up until now, he’d only said “Next” or “Thank you.” Sometimes, he tossed in a curt reason. No one knew that better than ForeverAlone, who had stood in the same line.
‘He... he asked me to introduce myself...’
Crack.
ForeverAlone clenched his jaw and forced himself forward. “H-Hello! M-My name is Fo-Fo-Fo-ForeverAlone! A f-farmer who quietly tended his fields a-alone in Cheese Village...!”
— Lmaoooo
— Ah... goodbye
— Buffering flow, lol
— F-F-ForeverAlone I’m s-s-sorry
His eyes shook as much as his voice, but Almond didn’t cut him off.
ForeverAlone kept going. “A farmer aiming for the th-third harvest...”
Swoosh.
Almond raised a hand, signaling him to stop.
‘Ah. That’s it.’
ForeverAlone’s face crumpled.
“Pass.”
He passed? Gasps broke out all around.
“What!?”
“With a buffering flow?”
“He didn’t even finish!”
“What the hell?! Fucking Nutillion!”
Almond, as always, had a reason. In fact, he had been laser-focused on catching one thing.
“Farmer class gets bonus points. See you in round two.”
— Extra points for certifications, lol
— Lmaooo
— How can you beat a farming license?
— This is it
Clink.
They handed ForeverAlone the pass necklace.
He jumped up, ecstatic. “Y-Yes! I passed! I paaaassed!!”
Servant Lemon and the cameras swarmed him for an interview.
— Lol, you still have round two
— This is insane
— Worth every coin he sunk into that job
— Didn’t know the farmer class had bonuses, lmao
Just like that, ForeverAlone moved on to the second round.
***
Meanwhile, deep inside a dark mine, only the lonely sound of pickaxes rang out.
Clang...! Clang...!
Suddenly, a cry rang out. “O-Ohhhhhh?!”
Zelo was filled with awe, reverence, and disbelief.
“H-Here... here! I found it!!”
— Holy crap
— Wow
— Insane
— Unreal
He had finally discovered a mineral stronger than steel.
[Obsidian]
A vein of Obsidian had appeared.
“W-Wait! Is it real? Zelo? Waaah!!” Choco Shroom rushed in first, followed by the Paprika guards.
“No way.”
“All those nights guarding were worth it... sniff...”
“At last... we can fight them!”
The radiant glow of Obsidian filled the Paprika villagers with excitement. If they had this, they could challenge not only Cheese Village but even that unknown stranger. At that very moment, every Paprika villager received a message.
Ding.
[Reveal your identity and begin streaming during the next Cheese Village invasion.]
They, too, would soon go live.