Chapter 24: You’re Asking Me What the Gem of Desire Can Do? Well…
Chapter 24: You're Asking Me What the Gem of Desire Can Do? Well…
my favorite sister Bronya: "I didn't expect a new viewer to join right now... what a coincidence!"
pink fairy lady: "Hi~ Judging from the username, it must be a lovely young lady, hehe~"
today's performance was less than perfect: "Welcome."
Since the viewer count was still very low, the three regulars immediately showed interest in the newcomer.
However, the new viewer remained silent.
And it wasn't just her—Hokuto was also awkwardly silent, unsure of how to react…
『Maintaining elegance is a maid's duty』…
This ID… It's Rita, isn't it? It's absolutely, 100% Rita.
WHY IS SHE HERE?!
Hokuto ran a hand through his hair, internally panicking.
She's literally spoken to me in real life… just recently too!
She might not care about some random temporary worker like me, but if she hears my voice and recognizes me…
I'M DEAD.
She's gonna kick down my door, tie me to a chair, and hit me with every interrogation method in the book—!
Hokuto shuddered. Gotta do something. Quick.
"Hey, System!" He quickly called out in his mind. "Can I adjust my voice for a single viewer?"
『Yes. Please specify the target viewer.』
"『Maintaining elegance is a maid's duty』—change my voice to sound younger!"
『Voice adjustment complete. The selected viewer will now hear a modified version of your voice.』
Haaaah—thank god.
System, you might be a freeloading gacha scam machine, but you've finally done something useful.
Now then… let's see what kind of reaction Rita will have to my "new voice."
"Umm… big brother streamer, a new viewer joined. Shouldn't you welcome them?"
Seele's message floated across the chat.
Hokuto snapped out of his thoughts. Right.
Time to welcome this… unexpected guest.
"Hi! Welcome to my livestream!"
…Still no response.
The entire chat went awkwardly silent.
Even Hokuto was starting to sweat a little.
Finally, just as the cutscene was ending, a message appeared.
『Maintaining elegance is a maid's duty:』 "Hmm? Oh… thank you for the welcome."
Rita was quiet for so long because—
—the streamer's voice was too young.
Strange… very strange.
A moment ago, she heard a teenager's voice.
But now, it sounded like a child.
What kind of eleven or twelve-year-old boy would be livestreaming?
He must be from some very extraordinary background…
Rita narrowed her eyes.
"It's a pleasure to be here. I hope we all get along well."
"Hehe, I'm sure we will."
Hokuto replied cheerfully, though internally, he was still on edge.
『Why is Rita even here?』
『Did Otto send her?!』
Damn that old green snake…!
Well, looks like this livestream won't be peaceful anymore.
With that thought, Hokuto focused back on the game.
---
The screen displayed a lush, green environment with New Zealand-style houses scattered around.
Red roofs, stone chimneys, ivy creeping up the walls, and various blue windows.
The camera followed a small pathway enclosed by a wooden fence.
A familiar character appeared on the comms—
[Major Himeko, reporting. Kiana, have you arrived in New Zealand? Let's go over the mission.]
[Wait, Himeko! I wanna know what you guys found out about that ghost battleship…]
[Mission first, Kiana. Bad news—one day ago, a powerful Honkai outbreak occurred in New Zealand. The area is now overrun with Deadwalkers and Honkai Beasts.]
[The Oceania Branch has collapsed, and the [Gem of Desire] was lost during the chaos.]
[Thankfully, Hyperion's sensors have located the gem. Your mission is to retrieve it.]
---
『Maintaining elegance is a maid's duty:』 "The… the Gem of Desire?!"
The moment those words appeared, Hokuto smirked.
Hook, line, and sinker.
『today's performance was less than perfect:』 "It seems this 'Gem of Desire' is an important artifact?"
『pink fairy lady:』 "It must be~"
"Definitely." Hokuto nodded, playing dumb. "I mean, our main quest is literally to find it, so it has to be important!"
Of course, as an experienced player, he already knew exactly what it was.
But to keep up appearances, he let someone else ask the next question—
『today's performance was less than perfect:』 "Once we find it, what will it do?"
Hokuto nearly burst out laughing.
What does it do? Oh, you know… just SUMMON A HERRSCHER.
Not that I can say that out loud.
Instead, he casually replied—
"Maybe it lets you summon Shenron and make a wish~?"
『today's performance was less than perfect:』 "..."
The entire chat: "..."
『my favorite sister Bronya:』 "...Big brother, you have a talent for cold jokes."
"Pfft, that's a polite way to put it."
Though the entire chat was collectively facepalming, Rita, on the other hand, wasn't even paying attention anymore.
She was too focused on the mission briefing.
If the Gem of Desire was lost in New Zealand… then Schicksal's retrieval squad must have already been dispatched.
Yet, this streamer… seems to know a bit too much.
…I'll need to observe him carefully.
Hokuto had no idea.
He thought he escaped being recognized…
But in reality, he had only made himself MORE suspicious.
End of Chapter 24