I Got a Gallery in the Wild - Chapter 80

Title) The Orange Badge is invulnerable.

Wild Grylls

Her authority is invincible. Praise the Orange Badge.

Now that the trade restriction is lifted, I am free!

└ Heavenly Demon: I congratulate you. You have shed the restraints that bound your body.

└ Sword Matstar: Congrats! So, no commemorative gift or anything?

└ Heavenly Demon: Tsk tsk. What a wicked creature, trying to wring blood from a stone. Do you possess no conscience?

└ Sword Matstar: Can’t I even make a joke? Geez, you’re so harsh;;

└ Heavenly Demon: Jokes must be made at the proper time. You lack tact.

└ Sword Matstar: I’m someone who even engaged in high politics, you boomer martial artist;;

└ Wild Grylls: Now, now. Calm down, both of you. Once I cook the fish, I’ll share a bit with you. It’s super delicious.

└ Passing Dwarf: Give me some too.

└ Wild Grylls: You ate some last time too;;

└ Passing Dwarf: Asking for more because it was delicious, lol

└ Wild Grylls: Don’t tell me you’re having it with alcohol again?

└ Passing Dwarf: Why ask the obvious?

└ Wild Grylls: ;;

└ Are you really giving fish to all the fixed handles?

└ You’re gonna run out of fish completely lmao

└ Wild Grylls: I have to give some to everyone who helped me. There’s a ton of it, so handing out small portions is fine.

└ Starlight Lady: I’m fine. I dislike fish because of the fishy smell.

└ Wild Grylls: It doesn’t smell fishy at all and tastes just like meat though?

└ Starlight Lady: That changes things a bit... Is fish good for working out?

└ Princess Chaenggu: If you’re working out, white meat like fish is much better than red meat!

└ Starlight Lady: Is that really true?

└ Princess Chaenggu: Yep! Even athletes who get injured frequently use this kind of diet to reduce injuries!

└ Starlight Lady: I see. Thank you for the great information!

└ Allfather: Fish raised in the Forest of the Four Seasons... I am truly curious about its flavor. My knowledge increases thanks to you.

└ Wild Grylls: Considering how much you’ve done for me so far, this is the least I can do.

└ Praise the Sun: Sounds delicious. I’d love to try crab later too, is that possible?

└ Wild Grylls: I’ll try my best. Before I set up new fish traps, I might have to survive solely on crabs anyway.

"Hee-hee."

A secluded alleyway with hardly any foot traffic.

Someone draped in a robe that was practically rags let out a quiet giggle.

Because her entire body was wrapped in the robe, discerning her appearance was difficult, but her outline gave away clues.

Slightly narrow shoulders along with curves that highlighted feminine charm.

The orange hair spilling out from under her hood made it fairly obvious she was a woman.

’I’m glad he’s happy.’

She smiled as she gazed at the Gallery window visible in her field of vision.

The fixed handle user receiving immense attention lately, Wild Grylls.

Lifting his trade restriction had sparked numerous debates, but it ultimately received an overwhelming vote of approval.

Judging by this, it was clear how much trust Grylls had built up.

’After all, I’ve never seen him break a promise.’

She too had been keeping a close eye on Grylls’s moves.

Not only had he ended up stranded in the Forest of the Four Seasons, but he also discovered all sorts of rare creatures.

While crises arose occasionally, he overcame them through his own abilities and the assistance of the fixed handle users.

With each passing day, he encountered even stranger creatures, and his own strength steadily increased.

It was an extreme reality rarely seen on the Gallery, giving it a peculiar charm.

’Someone like Grylls-ssi won’t abuse the trading feature.’

Grylls fundamentally belonged to the good-natured sort. Extremely so.

Even in the Gallery where anonymity was guaranteed, he maintained politeness and refrained from insulting others recklessly.

When someone insulted him first, it was a different story, but that was closer to an exception.

He couldn’t possibly harbor hidden motives either, given his location in the Forest of the Four Seasons.

He focused purely on ’survival,’ so there were no points of concern.

’And he said he’d forfeit the privilege himself once he escapes.’

She was a stickler for rules. As a rule, she avoided breaking established frameworks.

However, Grylls sought ’equity’ rather than strict ’equality,’ and his words were remarkably persuasive.

Above all, the unique environment of the Forest of the Four Seasons was the decisive factor. It was a place where only Grylls could open the Gallery.

The Orange Badge, Don’t Abandon the Hero, made up her mind to monitor Grylls’s movements even more closely.

’He gave me this too.’

She pulled a round sphere from her pocket. It was the gift Grylls had given her.

Even though it was practically a bribe rather than a gift, she had accepted it.

’Are things like this really lying around everywhere in the Forest of the Four Seasons?’

She examined the round sphere back and forth in awe.

The energy emanating from the sphere was extraordinary. Consuming this alone would surely grant immense power.

’Though it doesn’t mean much to me.’

To her, however, it was at best equivalent to a high-grade mana potion.

For when discussing the strongest beings in the world, she was someone who was always mentioned.

A being blessed by the Goddess, a sword forged directly by the Order to oppose the Demon King.

The Hero, Asella, looked over the Inner Core before popping it into her mouth.

’It’s better to eat it right now than to sell it.’

An Inner Core’s energy fades over time. Even so, selling it was awkward.

Coincidentally, her mana was on the brink of exhaustion, making consuming it much better.

"Phew."

Asella exhaled deeply. The energy of the Inner Core began circulating throughout her entire body.

Her completely empty mana hole (dantian) filled up with mana, washing away all her fatigue.

She hadn’t even been able to sleep properly lately, but with this, she could endure longer.

’When will the misunderstanding be cleared up?’

Asella glanced outside the alleyway.Read the latest chapters at novel​ping.com.

Unlike the dark, deserted alley, the street outside was bustling with people.

The sound of children running past. The sound of parents laughing while telling them to be careful.

And other sounds rich with the warmth of human life.

’It seems they haven’t reached this city yet.’

Asella felt relieved internally. It seemed she would have some breathing room for the time being.

However, she couldn’t let her guard down. There was no telling when the Order’s pursuers might burst in.

’May the Goddess grant her blessing. It must be happening because of a misunderstanding.’

Muttering to herself internally, she logged into the Gallery.

Whenever she logged into the Gallery, she was not the Hero, but the Orange Badge.

Although she lacked time due to being hunted, she remained faithful to her assigned duties and obligations.

’This too must be a task bestowed by the Goddess.’

The day the Order branded her a ’traitor’ and began hunting her down.

Asella had become the Gallery’s Orange Badge the moment she fled the Order.

Since she hadn’t even known the Gallery existed, she had been quite bewildered, but by now she had adapted.

Well, even so, the disgusting pictures that popped up occasionally were hard to stomach.

Every time she saw them, she prayed to the Goddess.

Wild Grylls-nim has requested a trade. Do you accept?

"Huh?"

It was just as she was carrying out her duties as the Orange Badge under the Goddess’s guidance.

The fixed handle user causing a storm lately, Wild Grylls, initiated a trade.

After a moment of wondering if he had sent it by mistake, Asella accepted the trade.

Hello, Orange Badge-nim.

[Wild Grylls: It’s just that I have one more thing I want to give you.]

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: What do you mean something you want to give!]

What is it! Bribes are a no-no!

Unlike her gloomy reality, Asella always spoke energetically.

She wondered what Grylls was offering.

Having just received an Inner Core, he shouldn’t have anything left to give.

I’ll give you a little bit of the fish I caught.

[Wild Grylls: It tastes really great.]

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: Ah! Shouldn’t you be eating that yourself, Grylls-nim?!]

Besides, you must have shared it with others too!

This much is fine.

Things became much easier thanks to you, Orange Badge-nim, so please accept it.

If it makes you uncomfortable, you don’t have to accept it though.

However, Grylls offered neither a gift nor a bribe, but pure ’goodwill’.

Asella was quite bewildered by this rare gesture of goodwill, something seldom seen even on the Gallery.

What kind of place was the Gallery? Was it not a den where users bit and tore at each other or vented their desires at every opportunity?

Furthermore, she was the Orange Badge. Holding immense authority, yet constantly reduced to a punching bag.

Whenever certain anonymous users targeted her with a barrage of disgusting images, she wanted to give up on everything.

’It’s intriguing.’

Even considering that, the power of the Orange Badge was strong. That was an undeniable fact.

Thus, users sometimes tried to build close relationships with the Orange Badge to gain advantages.

If intensified, it degenerated into clique mentality, carrying a high risk of turning into corrupt favoritism.

In fact, there were many incidents and accidents born from clique behavior.

The initial stage of such behavior often started with sending favors like this, but...

’Grylls-ssi can’t engage in clique behavior anyway, right?’

Grylls was stranded in the Forest of the Four Seasons. Becoming a bit friendly on the Gallery couldn’t possibly translate into real-life favoritism.

Therefore, Asella could accept his goodwill as purely genuine.

A kindness she could rarely experience, not just on the Gallery, but even in real life.

Grumble~

Right on cue, her stomach sent a signal.

Contemplating what to do, Asella reluctantly accepted.

’This too must be... the Goddess’s guidance, right?’

The moment she accepted the trade, a pair of chopsticks was placed in her hand.

Skewered on the chopsticks like a kebab were thick chunks of fish meat.

Not just one piece, but three whole chunks. It looked mouthwatering just staring at it.

"...Nyam."

Without hesitation, Asella took a bite. The distinct salty taste of seasonings washed over her tongue.

Following that was a rich, savory flavor spreading throughout her mouth. There was zero fishy odor.

Thanks to its savory, meat-like umami, a smile naturally formed on her lips.

’It’s delicious!’

It was truly delicious. Especially since she was starving, it tasted even better.

Along with that, a sense of vigor spread throughout her entire body.

"Nyam nyam nyam! Nyam!"

With sparkling eyes, Asella devoured all the remaining fish.

It wasn’t enough to fully satisfy her hunger, but it didn’t matter.

Receiving such warm goodwill for the first time in a long while made her feel satisfied inside.

’It’s a pity there isn’t more.’

Having finished off the gift Grylls offered.

Setting her lingering regret aside, Asella sent a message to Grylls with a face far livelier than before.

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: Thank you for the food!]

It was really delicious!

Right?

Should I give you more when I catch some later?

Don’t Abandon the Hero:

No! I have some self-respect left!This chapter is updated first at NovelPing.

Thank you so much anyway!

He really is a good person, Asella thought.

Yet even in such a good person, there was one disappointing flaw. Namely, faith.

Just like before, Grylls had committed sacrilege.

It was fortunate it happened on the Gallery; had he done so in real life, he would have no defense against being hauled off as a heretic.

Asella herself had been horrified and warned him, but as far as she knew, he hadn’t listened at all.

’It’s precisely in times like this that one needs a steadfast faith...’

As a Hero, her faith toward the Goddess was as splendid as the Pope’s.

Though she had become a fugitive branded with the stigma of a traitor, she never abandoned her faith.

’Right. Let’s take this chance to evangelize to him.’

Grylls must have suffered hardships, and was suffering even now.

Asella was no different. Born without parents, she had endured countless hardships.

However, thanks to the blessing of the Goddess, Aris, she was able to stand tall as a Hero.

Holding onto faith enables one to endure; it’s precisely when times are hard that one must believe in God.

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: Grylls-ssi!]

Do you have any interest in worshiping the Goddess Aris!

Nope.

[Wild Grylls: Ah, can I curse at her by any chance?]

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: Cursing is NOT worship!!]

Then never mind.

Grylls was unchanged. He didn’t seem to have the slightest intention of worshiping a deity.

It was hard for Asella to comprehend. This was a god they were talking about.

Even in a world where gods clearly existed, Grylls’s behavior went beyond strange and crossed into bizarre.

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: Why do you curse like that?!]

Do you perhaps not believe in God?!

I believe in their existence.

I just curse at them.

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: That makes no sense at all!]

Cursing while believing in God!

There were occasionally people of that sort—those who challenged God to strike them down if He truly existed.

However, Grylls was in a class of his own. Separate from believing in the existence of gods, he actively hated them.

It was such a contradictory stance that it was confusing whether he believed or not.

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: Why do you harbor such thoughts!]

Then do you hate everyone who harbors faith?!

I hate gods, not people.

It was a sharp, clear answer, one that left Asella stunned.

Hating God, but not hating people. What on earth did that mean?

At first glance it sounded contradictory, but if one clearly distinguished between God and humans, it was an understandable answer.

Just as Asella’s head was spinning from the complexity, Grylls added another line.

I hate God because I don’t want to hate people.

[Wild Grylls: I’m the type of guy who needs to hate someone to feel satisfied.]

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: Have you considered NOT hating anyone!]

If you don’t hate, can you even call yourself human?

Jealousy doesn’t exist for no reason, after all.

Don’t Abandon the Hero

So that’s why you hate God...!

[Wild Grylls: Yes. It gives me peace of mind.]

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: What if God strikes you down with divine punishment for that?!]

What kind of god is so fragile they lack the courage to be disliked?

That’s just a narrow-minded petty bastard.

"Hiek!"

Asella let out a bizarre squeak and scanned her surroundings, looking terrified as if someone might see.

Although only the user could view the Gallery, one could never be sure about God. A deity might be watching all of this right now.

’W-What kind of blasphemy is this...! What on earth is he thinking!’

Asella stared at the chat log with trembling eyes.

Impoliteness—no, sacrilege—committed as naturally as breathing.

It was at a level where he would have no defense even if God smote him on the spot.

’B-But if this too is a form of belief, then it is a belief...!’

Believing in God in order to hate Him. Paradoxically, this too was a form of faith.

The problem was that it was a faith overflowing with sacrilege. It was beyond Asella’s comprehension.

Pitter-patter~

It was just as she was trying to organize her thoughts. Heavy raindrops fell onto Asella’s head.

Looking up, drops of rain were steadily trickling down from the cloud-covered sky.

’I should seek shelter from the rain first.’

Asella started walking. Yet her mind remained consumed by Grylls’s words.

I hate God because I don’t want to hate people. The phrase dug itself deep into her brain!

’He’s truly an incomprehensible person.’

Apart from that, though.

’He’s a strange person who happens to be kind.’

His goodwill warmed her heart.

Shwaaaaaa!

"Ah, seriously."

Was it because I cursed God earlier? The rain poured down heavily once again.

Gazing outside at the pouring rain, I muttered to myself internally.

’If it really is because of that, God is a petty little bitch.’

Kwarurung!

The instant I said that, a roaring thunderbolt exploded.