Creator’s Favoritism

“Hello. I’m Maeng Sun-woo.”

What was I supposed to say next?

Just as I tried to recall my strategy, my mind went blank the moment I stood in front of the camera. Words flowed out randomly before I could polish the prepared lines.

“Um… I’ve been admitted to the Korean Academy for Gifted Talents as a first-year student this year.”

-Gulp. 

The sound of swallowing dry saliva echoed loudly in my ears. I could only hope it wasn’t picked up by the microphone and broadcast throughout the gymnasium.

At that moment, my eyes met those of a woman standing in the middle of the reluctantly gathered crowd, arms crossed, looking directly at me with a relaxed demeanor.

Dressed in a white shirt with delicate features, the woman waved at me with a knowing smile, as if she knew me very well. Her eyes were blood-red, just like those of monsters.

Although she wore a completely different human disguise from when we first met, I could instantly recognize what lay beneath.

It’s a demon. She must have come to check if I was doing well. A chill ran down my spine in an instant.

I bowed my head, took a deep breath, and deliberately straightened my back with confidence.

Let’s see how far I can go, you demon bastard.

“I’m an F-class hunter with no talent, scoring overwhelmingly low on the entrance exam.”

Write the introduction first. Speak directly to the point.

As I openly revealed my weakness, those who had been disinterestedly fiddling with their phones suddenly looked up.

The physical education teacher, who had been anxiously watching me from next to the platform stairs, had a look of shock in his eyes.

“I don’t think many people would want to sponsor me.”

True to my words, most F-class hunters couldn’t secure proper sponsorships. The best they could hope for was working as researchers and receiving civil servant salaries.

The only reason I’m receiving any cynical attention from the public is that I’m the first F-class admittee in the history of Haniyeong.

“Still, I’d like to say this.”

My hands gripped the table tightly. I had to seize this opportunity no matter what.

“I will not accept any sponsorship.”

The room immediately erupted into chaos at this statement, something no hunter had ever said before.

I clenched my fists tightly, trying to steel myself against the shocked gazes of everyone. Finally, I looked straight at the camera and opened my mouth.

“If you were thinking of sponsoring me… I’m truly sorry, but I’d like to ask you to sponsor the Sky Children’s Foundation instead of me.”

It was bound to make a deeper impression to refuse sponsorship with a reason rather than being unable to receive it due to incompetence.

The former would 100% lead to turning evil out of an inferiority complex, but the latter at least left room for becoming a hard-working munchkin.

「Tito makes a “hmm” sound as he types in Maeng Sun-woo’s lines.」  

After I spoke, silence briefly filled the room. A few seconds later, the hands of reporters sitting right in front of the platform, typing on their laptops, began to move quickly.

“I’ve received a lot of help since I was young. For now, I think this is the best way to repay my debt to the children’s foundation.”

The faces of the teachers from the children’s foundation who had taken care of me since before I entered elementary school flashed through my mind.

It’s practically the same as using those teachers. I don’t know why I’m so despicable.

My clenched fists were trembling slightly. I tried my best not to show any signs of wavering as I continued speaking.

“I will continue to work hard until I become a hunter worthy of a sponsorship. Thank you.”

Despite all the guilt, I bowed politely in front of the camera.

The gaze of the camera director, which had been fixed only on the viewfinder of the broadcast ENG camera, shifted to my face. I could read a slightly surprised look in the director’s eyes.

But what’s important to me isn’t the reaction of these people. I have no interest whatsoever in hunter sponsorships from large corporations.

I just want to be favored by the gods and end this exhausting connection with the demon standing on the other side.

What I’m curious about is the expression of those watching this whole scene from beyond the monitor. The reaction of the gods.

[SYSTEM: Your abnormal status has improved.]
[SYSTEM: A buff has been generated due to the improvement in your abnormal status.]

An unexpected system message popped up.

I quickly lowered my head to avoid seeing the status window head-on, my eyes widening.

Affection Ranking: 13th place (↑18)

!!

The ranking had gone up. And by eighteen places, no less.

Trying not to show any signs of agitation, I managed my expression and opened the [Buff] section below the platform.

[Buff]
Likability Surge: Others’ liking for you temporarily increases significantly.
(Duration: 60 seconds)

I wonder if this buff applies to the divine realm as well.

The readers in the divine realm must be watching this moment. I steeled myself and raised my face.

-Flash.

Right after, a flash went off in front of me. I had deliberately kept my eyes closed for a moment, anticipating this.

「Tito hums a little tune while drawing Maeng Sun-woo’s resolute expression.」  

“…Now we will begin Maeng Sun-woo Hunter’s first sponsorship. Before we start, please note that all hunters are obligated to receive sponsorship from the Ministry of National Defense.”

I’ll work hard until I properly become strong.

The statement I just made was such obvious bait that it would be strange if I didn’t get stronger. If Tito values such bait, he won’t miss this.

And from now on, I’ll reject all sponsorship offers that come in. It wouldn’t be cool at all to suddenly accept sponsorships after what I just said.

“Please submit your sponsorship proposals within 5 minutes. Proposals will have the opportunity to be concluded on a first-come, first-served basis.”

As soon as those words were spoken, the screen being broadcast from behind changed. A giant stopwatch now occupied the background.

Sponsorship proposals had to be made within 5 minutes. However, regardless of what they were saying, people were just whispering with serious faces.

‘Even though I’m going to reject the sponsorship anyway…’

Although I said I wouldn’t accept it, having no proposals at all would freeze any coolness in its tracks.

I wish anyone, even a neighborhood convenience store, would make a request.

‘Rejecting the sponsorship request and exiting is the best scenario.’

With no proposals coming in, there were only 3 minutes left. Although I maintained a nonchalant expression on the outside, I was dying of anxiety inside.

The people from ‘High Study’ were having an enthusiastic private conversation but soon shook their heads as if disappointed.

Damn it, just apply even if I’m going to reject it anyway.

That’s when it happened. A small commotion arose from a seat isolated in the corner.

An old man stood up, shaking off a man trying to restrain him, and raised one hand high.

Ignoring the man who covered his face in frustration, the old man’s voice could be heard speaking to an administrative staff member.

Soon, the logo of a company I had never seen before appeared next to the stopwatch graphic.

“Hunter Maeng Sun-woo. The first sponsorship request has been confirmed. The requesting company is Hong Kyung Foods.”

A spotlight shone on the seat where the representative from Hong Kyung Foods was sitting. Naturally, all cameras and eyes turned in that direction.

The old man, looking deeply moved, was waving his hand enthusiastically in my direction. It seemed that he was the president.

“Thank you, but I’ll have to decline.”

As soon as the official sponsorship request was confirmed, I spoke the words of rejection I had prepared in advance.

The president of Hong Kyung Foods dropped his shoulders, looking greatly disappointed. The principal nodded once, as if he had expected this.

Right after, someone’s hand went up from the opposite side. Another sponsorship request. The badge of the woman who appeared to be in her 30s was hard to see due to light reflection.

“Hunter Maeng Sun-woo. The second sponsorship request has been confirmed. The requesting company is TI Entertainment.”

“…Thank you, but I’ll have to decline.”

I said, shaking my head firmly.

I had learned during the remaining time by frequently browsing internet news that the CEO of TI Entertainment had recently been embroiled in a drug scandal.

For a company that had caused such a big incident as to appear in the social section, using a young hunter was solely for the purpose of cleaning up public opinion.

After that, until less than a minute remained, no more sponsorship requests came in. Although not from major corporations, receiving sponsorship requests from two places was an unexpected harvest.

For an F-class, this was a great performance. It reduced the possibility of becoming a character full of inferiority complex due to a lack of ability. I let out a sigh of relief, trying not to show it.

Just as I was pulling back my chair to return to my seat, it happened.

The administrative office staff member who had just received the proposal from Hong Kyung Foods rushed up the platform stairs.

He said something to the principal with a serious expression.

The principal, who nodded while listening, immediately looked in my direction.

“Hunter Maeng Sun-woo. A third sponsorship request has been confirmed. The requesting entity is the Sky Children’s Foundation.”

What?

“What did you say?”

I was so surprised that I couldn’t even close my eyes properly when a rectangle of light formed in front of me. The principal reconfirmed his previous statement in the same stern voice.

“The Sky Children’s Foundation has officially requested a first sponsorship for Hunter Maeng Sun-woo. Do you wish to conclude the sponsorship?”

My mind went blank in this completely unexpected situation.

It meant that the teachers had been watching my admission ceremony live all this time.

And despite their tight budget, it took them less than 5 minutes to boldly propose a sponsorship.

I turned to look at the background. The mere 5-minute sponsorship request time had now completely ended.

The faces of the foundation teachers who had visited my home since childhood with side dishes, Children’s Day gifts, and Christmas cakes flashed through my mind.

-“They’re really good people, Sun-woo. Really good people…”

The words my grandmother had spoken as I excitedly received clothes with brand logos as gifts echoed faintly in my ears.

After hesitating, I slowly opened my mouth.

“…Yes, I’ll accept the sponsorship.”

My voice, resonating through the microphone, sounded particularly foreign to me.

It was the only sponsorship request I couldn’t refuse.

T/N: I’m pretty sure there was something called Haneul something something foundation in the previous chapter but I don’t remember which, if you can find it please ping me so I can change it to Sky Children’s Foundation. Haneul means “sky” in Korean.