Chapter 106
Mashina (real name Kim Garam).
Though she’s active as a VTuber in SerenadeKR with the persona of a (loli-type) demon, her real identity is a second-year math student at K University.
Given her experience of taking a gap year and having previously retaken a year, she could be called the ultimate second-year student by virtue of her age.
And today was finally the long-awaited day of the Fantasy League Draft.
With only a few hours left until the draft began, Mashina was spending her time gaming.
She had a mandatory major class in the morning, but she didn’t attend.
She also had a general education course in the afternoon, but, of course, didn’t go.
Her F grade had been locked in a long time ago.
So, she didn’t really have a reason to show up….
‘…Alright, let’s become the King of VTubers.’
VTuber perk: You can do it no matter your age.
If she were a cam streamer, people would have seen her aging in real time, but as a VTuber, she was invincible, the ultimate force in this regard. Which means—hey, this is a lifelong career, isn’t it?
Having trashed her grades, Shina decided to bury her bones in SerenadeKR.
Of course… the history of the VTuber industry itself was less than ten years old.
In other words, it was uncertain and unpredictable whether VTubing would even exist as a career thirty years from now….
She was deeply worried about her retirement, but what could she do? She wouldn’t even be able to graduate college!
What if, just maybe, writing “VTuber” on her resume would make interviewers recognize her?
-“I cultivated customer service skills and social abilities while working as a VTuber for several years.”
-“What?! You’re Mashina from SerenadeKR! Our CEO’s favorite VTuber is applying to our company!”
-“You’re hired! From today, you’re the Director of this company!”
She allowed herself to imagine that scenario, but no matter how she thought about it, it didn’t seem likely that VTubing would be acknowledged as a career… This job has no future, does it?
Therefore, it seemed better to rule as the king of VTubers. If she became the strongest VTuber in the universe and established a VTuber kingdom to collect taxes from her citizens for a hundred years, she wouldn’t have to worry about her retirement.
The fortunate thing was that Shina’s subscriber growth had been pretty good recently.
But, to be fair, it wasn’t because of anything she did well.
“You’re short on lumber, huh? Move more wood.”
Laura spoke to her in an elegant tone.
“…Hey, Aurora. I’m not gonna bother with the obvious comments anymore, like how you’re overworking me even though you’re a senior, or if I’m just your porter. I’m done with those remarks.”
“But you’re saying them anyway.”
“But come on, isn’t wood too heavy!? Isn’t it too much to have me move it all by myself!?”
Shina yelled.
“There’s no other choice. Right now, you’re the only one logged into the server.”
“Do it with me! Do you not have hands?! Huh?”
“My porter sure is high-maintenance.”
“Hey! What did you just say?! Hey!!!”
Shina blew up in anger, but Laura just chuckled as she walked past Shina.
Shina was practically boiling over, but she’d learned something after playing Aseosal alongside Laura. Getting angry only hurt her in the end.
Aurora was like a rock; no matter what you said to her, she wouldn’t budge.
-Treating her like a porter lolol
-Fact: It’s all true
-Congratulations on being officially recognized as a porter
-Shina achieved what even Sora couldn’t!!!
-I want to be Lady Laura’s porter too—does it come with a salary?
The viewers loved it, though.
Ever since she started hanging out with Aurora, her viewership had strangely increased, and fans started pairing them up for some reason.
‘Why are people shipping me with Aurora!’
Shina really didn’t like Laura.
This was the lunatic who interfered with her promotion matches five times and even cut off her head twice. She never once treated her as a senior.
She was literally Shina’s nightmare.
However, Shina’s fans, known as the “ShinaJoFam,” were the kind of people who found pure enjoyment just from watching Shina suffer. Those wretched people….
‘Why does Senior Narin care so much about someone like her….’
But avoiding collaborations with Laura wasn’t an option, because, unfortunately, Son Narin had specifically requested it.
-“I watched your streams together. It was pretty intense.”
-“Even if you’re from different companies, you’re both in the same industry, so let’s get along.”
-“I’m going to ask to have Laura join the Revenge server, so Shina, look after her for me.”
-“Jungseok, you should make up with Laura too.”
For some reason, Narin seemed to want to protect Laura.
She couldn’t quite understand why a VTuber from another company would go out of their way to protect her.
But Narin was pretty close with Rinco, so maybe she felt a certain bond with Laura, Rinco’s successor.
Anyway, Narin had personally asked Shina for a favor.
Plus, Shina still felt a slight sense of guilt over the “vaccine incident” from before.
So maybe that’s why.
Playing games with Laura from an early hour.
“We might be a bit short on lumber. Could you pass me the axe?”
Laura subtly held out her hand.
…Does this woman really see me as just her porter?
Shina opened her mouth to say something but instead quietly handed over the axe. If she didn’t give it to her, she’d probably just end up chopping wood herself.
Laura took the axe and immediately began chopping at the wood.
Her stance was neat and skilled.
It was evident that she wasn’t just relying on brute force. She swung with precise angles, slicing cleanly, and adjusted her position meticulously to continue chopping away.
She wielded the axe like a seasoned lumberjack.
“…What kind of noblewoman is this?”
-For real lol
-Totally fake noblewoman
-Ducal Lady (physical expert)
-Did the Ducal Family live in the jungle or something?
Laura quickly felled a tree, and while she was at it, trimmed off the branches right then and there.
Even after chopping down several trees, Laura didn’t look particularly tired.
Afterward, Laura moved the wood with Shina and began constructing a new house with the gathered lumber.
“Wow….”
Shina couldn’t help but let out an exclamation. …Where in the world did she learn to do this?
To be precise, it wasn’t something that could really be called a “house.” More like a cramped refuge, perhaps.
It was more like building a nest between trees, big enough for a person to enter.
High up in the trees, a wooden floor was already installed. How did she even manage to build something like that with just string and rope?
And with a load of lumber on her back, Laura lightly climbed up the tree and started finishing the walls.
It seemed it would take a bit more time, but maybe by today the “aerial shelter” would be complete.
“Shina, you applied for the draft too, right?”
Laura, possibly bored with the building process, started up a conversation.
“Yeah, I applied.”
“Then there’s a chance we might be on the same team.”
“What!? No thanks! If we’re on the same team, you’ll just overwork me again!”
“But if we’re on opposing teams, I’d just slice you up.”
“Ugh….”
Shina couldn’t argue.
She’d learned her lesson. It wasn’t like Laura hadn’t killed her a few times.
“…Just wait and see. Next time, I’ll definitely kill you! I’ll get my revenge!”
“Your voice seems to be trembling. Anyway, hand me some more wood.”
“O-Okay.”
Shina, straining a bit, handed over the lumber to Laura, who was up in the tree.
“I plan to watch the draft stream with Anna later. Are you planning to watch along too?”
“I’m not going to… Honestly, I don’t have the confidence….”
“Is that so? Then I might not see you again.”
“Huh?”
Momentarily not understanding, Shina blinked.
‘Ah, I see.’
She must not be planning to enter the Revenge server anymore.
Aurora was quick to notice things.
She probably already figured out why she was partnered up with Shina to join the Revenge server.
She had also made up with Jungseok.
SerenadeKR’s relationship with EYEAI had improved a lot, too.
You could say there was almost no reason left for EYEAI fans to insult SerenadeKR or for SerenadeKR fans to criticize EYEAI.
Rather, both fanbases were now desperate to ship Laura and Shina. …And she found out while ego-searching that there were even fan-made, inappropriate yuri art pieces of them. Unbelievable.
With their relationship improved to that extent.
This collaboration had pretty much served its purpose.
“It’s done.”
Laura had come down from the tree at some point.
When Shina looked up, a small cabin had been constructed in the air.
Laura pressed a button on a remote, and an automatic ladder lowered from the entrance. When did she even install that?
“Here.”
Laura tossed the remote to Shina.
“You can take charge of the remote. Inside, there’s a gun and a vaccine shot, so use them however you want.”
“…Are you telling me to escape there in case of an emergency?”
“You understood well. The more shelters, the better, right?”
She said.
So that’s why she’d called her over on the morning of Draft Day.
“Hey, Aurora. Come by again.”
Shina blurted out.
“Hmm?”
“…You’re ridiculously strong. Later, when we form a raid party to go on an expedition to North Korea, make sure you join us.”
Feeling as though this might be the last time, she quickly said it.
Laura grinned,
“Then practice your driving a bit more until then.”
…She really was so annoying.
***
And so ended what might be Shina’s last day on the “Aseosal Revenge Server.”
After resting for a bit, I started my stream.
【#FantasyLeague2024】 Draft Watch-Along 【Aurora/Shiroki Anna/Tanabe Ainatsu】
[The Fantasy League 2024 first-tier draft selection has concluded.]
Since there might be a risk of being blocked, viewers couldn’t see it, but the draft broadcast screen was visible only to us.
The league’s host and the draft broadcast MC, Kaiser, began the draft announcements in a solemn voice.
[Now, I will announce the first-tier draft picks.
Team Cerberus First-Tier Pick: EYEAI’s ‘Aurora’
Team Behemoth First-Tier Pick: ‘Asahina Hikari’ (Individual VTuber)
Team Griffin First-Tier Pick: EYEAI’s ‘Aurora’
Team Leviathan First-Tier Pick: EYEAI’s ‘Aurora’
Since Aurora has been selected multiple times, a draw will be held.]
Oh my.