Loads of Titles.
Well, I mean, I have treated that many people.
At this point, it's not just the townsfolk anymore — people from neighboring towns have apparently heard rumors about me and come looking for treatment.
But as expected, when you get that many people, some of them are just insufferable.
Like the ones who demand treatment with an arrogant attitude.
Oh, I still don't understand the words, mind you. I just roughly grasp what they're saying based on the vibe alone.
Needless to say, I don't treat anyone who talks down to me.
Who the hell would voluntarily treat someone who pisses them off like that?
I only ended up running this whole treatment shop without even realizing it. It's not like I'm doing this because I enjoy healing people.
Besides, I'm probably not getting any more Titles at this point. Honestly, there's no benefit in it for me anymore.
Sure, I've got the Savior Title, but underneath it all, I'm a pragmatist.
If someone treats me with genuine respect, then fine, I'll consider helping them out.
I've never been fawned over in either this life or my previous one, so I don't exactly hate the attention.
Heh heh heh.
Praise me more. Praise me some more.
But anyone who comes at me like they're my equal or above? No thank you.
Do you people even realize something?
I could massacre everyone here on a whim?
So why on earth do you act like you're above me?
Are you stupid?
When those types show up, I just retreat into my base or teleport somewhere else.
I don't want to get involved.
Even a brief interaction is enough to fill up my anger gauge.
At this point, I just want to quickly kill them off.
But this whole revered-and-worshiped status quo is hard to give up, too.
So in my boundless generosity, I settle for simply ignoring them.
I'm so kind.
And yet, even among those people, there are some who are absurdly persistent.
There's this one middle-aged guy who, after being ignored for a whole week straight, still shows up without learning his lesson and starts spouting off at me all high and mighty.
Honestly, it's annoying.
Most people, after being given the cold shoulder by me, apparently end up getting icy stares from the townsfolk and either stop coming back the next day or change their attitude. But there are always these persistent types who just won't quit.
And of course, it's always those persistent ones who happen to be powerful officials or filthy rich.
Everyone around them looks visibly troubled, but nobody dares to say a word.
Nobody knows what might happen if they do.
That said — power, money, even brute force — none of it means a thing to me.
Power? That only works on humans. I'm a spider.
Money? Can I eat that? If it's not edible, I don't want it.
Brute force? You think you could beat me? You'd need at least a hundred dragon-class humans to take me down.
Today I'm once again ignoring some blowhard shouting in the middle of town and retreating into my base.
With human power, no matter how hard they try, there's no way they can destroy my current home.
But fire — you're off-limits, buddy.
If you push it much further, I'm really going to pop you.
Everyone around that guy must be having a miserable time, too.
As long as people like him keep showing up, I'm going to keep retreating, which means people who genuinely need treatment end up going without — all because of that one jerk.
Well, not my problem. The one to blame isn't me — it's the kind of person who goes out of their way to piss me off.
I'm treating you for free. Surely you can tolerate a little selfishness on my end.
I use my Clairvoyance to check up on the guy afterward. He's beet red, stomping his feet, screaming at his entourage and lashing out at everyone in sight.
Wow. What a pathetic sight for a grown man.
Can he seriously not pick up on the cold stares from everyone around him?
Ugh, no, no, no.
I never want to become an adult like that.
Come to think of it, can I even call myself a child right now? It hasn't even been two years since I was born, but my mind is technically still that of a former high schooler.
How old does a spider Monster even have to be to count as an adult?
I have no idea. I don't even know if we have a lifespan to begin with.
I've got Immortality anyway.
With that, I banish the image of the middle-aged guy from my mind.
I'd be fine with a classy gentleman, but I've got zero interest in a grimy, pudgy, greasy old man.
Night.
Multiple people creep closer without making a sound.
They're either extremely well-trained or they produce no noise and no smell whatsoever.
Still, they can't evade my Detection.
All of them are clad head to toe in black.
Not quite, but they give off a ninja vibe.
The group of ninjas swiftly slips into my base.
They used tools to shift the threads aside just enough to create gaps and slipped through.
Idiots.
The moment you touch my threads, I know about it. All that careful Stealth work goes to waste the instant you make contact.
They're probably skilled in their own right, but they've never fought a spider before.
Fought. Right — these ninjas are here to fight.
Me, specifically.
Assassins hired by that middle-aged guy from earlier?
The plan is to rough me up a little and make me compliant?
Or maybe they want to capture me and tame me?
Well, whatever.
At my core, I'm not the kind of "savior" who's all warm and fuzzy.
If you're the ones picking a fight, I won't hold back.
The ninjas advance carefully through my base.
Eight in total.
They haven't noticed me yet.
I could take them out in a surprise attack, but I'd rather wait for them to make the first move.
That way I can claim self-defense.
So, I boldly reveal myself.
While activating the Tyrant Skill I normally keep turned off.
Ohhh. They're scared. They're totally scared.
Huh?
The guy who seems to be the leader is saying something to me.
But I don't understand the language. Sorry.
I tilt my head.
I have no idea what gesture that came across as, but the ninjas immediately snap into combat formation.
Four of them charge toward me.
The remaining four are preparing magic.
Oh? Four people casting a single spell together.
A combination spell?
I didn't know magic could be activated this way.
It's a bit similar to how I cast Abyss Magic using Parallel Will on a regular basis.
Well, I'm not going to let you fire that off inside my home, though.
The four who were preparing magic get impeded by earthen lances.
I've been tormented by Alava myself, but when your opponent can use earth-element magic, you have to assume the entire ground is a weapon and act accordingly.
Standing there motionless while you prepare a spell? You're just asking to be a target.
Huh? The remaining four who charged at me?
They ran straight into the Slashing Thread I'd strung up invisibly right in front of them and basically self-destructed.
Ninjas must die.
No mercy.
Just kidding.