13

Human relationships are truly mysterious.

When hearts connect and time is given, bonds naturally grow closer.

Conversely, even after spending a long time together, a sense of distance can remain, while people who've just met might find themselves instantly in sync.

The relationship between Yongsaforming and Dayoung could be seen as resembling this kind of drift-like connection.

Thinking along these lines, the Light Warrior Friedé, Sehee, gazed at this shy, adorable guest with a steady look.

Having been invited to Dayoung's MS Room last time, Sehee felt it was only fair to return the favor this time.

But it seemed the impact of the invitation was stronger than expected.

Considering they had only met two days ago, idle chatter so early in the morning felt somewhat premature.

Unless it was an impromptu collaboration like last time, if they had made a prior promise, shouldn't they put their heads together to plan it properly?

Of course, this assumed their conditions aligned.

"Wow! Is this the limited-edition Moses 7+ MS Room? It's my first time seeing one!"

Dayoung, who had recognized the customizations from the start, nodded in satisfaction, as if confirming her assumptions.

Her plump cheeks looked so tempting that Sehee, holding back the urge to pinch them, recalled their previous collaboration.

Yongsaforming's MS Room had a vibe… somewhat like a slightly large studio apartment, didn't it?

"Oh, my! Look at me spacing out. Thank you so much for hosting me, Friedé."

"It's nothing. But if it's a collaboration, what do you plan to do?"

"Ah, I was thinking of focusing on Soul Warfare, like last time. Since both you and I are masters, we can aim for Grandmaster level together."

That was the rough plan for now.

Initially, Sehee had considered suggesting various other ideas.

However, given that they had known each other for less than two days, introducing heavy topics at this stage would feel burdensome.

Later, when their relationship had deepened further, she planned to request other types of content.

As Dayoung outlined her general ideas, Sehee took a moment to catch her breath before continuing with a question.

"If I collaborate with you, what's in it for me? I'm not a streamer, just a regular viewer."

Ah, it's finally here.

Well, it would've been odd if it didn't come up.

If she hadn't brought it up, Sehee would've initiated the conversation herself.

With topics like these, it's best to tie them up neatly from the start, or else they can become tiresome later.

The deal she was about to propose was the kind anyone might expect.

In truth, for someone affluent enough to set up an MS Room like this, the deal wouldn't even make a dent.

So that left only one answer.

'I'll have to tug on her heartstrings.'

It's pitiful, but what choice did she have?

Having fallen to the status of a small-time streamer, this was her only option now.

Suppressing her trembling nerves, Dayoung mustered her courage and began to speak.

"Ah, of course, I'll share a portion of the revenue with you. Even though I'm just a small-time streamer, collaborating with you has greatly boosted my momentum. If you continue to participate, I'm confident I can achieve better results. That means your share will grow accordingly."

Although she spoke with as much composure as possible, her eyes betrayed her anxiety.

"Even though I can't offer as much as big-time streamers, I hope you'll consider it positively."

Her moist, pleading eyes resembled those of a toad calling out to Kongjwi, pitiful and earnest.

When one's misfortunes and hardships are compounded by unfair outcomes, the burden becomes unbearable for anyone.

'If she originally had the talent to succeed, the sense of loss must be even greater.'

Unbeknownst to her, there were likely traces of a curse lingering nearby, driving her toward misfortune and despair.

As is often the case with these situations, something parasitic must be lurking near Yongsaforming, siphoning away her luck like a leech.

'To uncover the source of this curse, I'll need to get closer to Forming.'

And there was one more thing…

A matter not tied to her duty as a hero but to Sehee's deeply personal motives.

"Actually…"

As Sehee trailed off, Yongsaforming's eyes widened in anticipation.

Believing herself to be at a pivotal crossroads in escaping her life as a struggling streamer, Forming's heart began pounding rapidly.

'Would the next words be approval or rejection?'

"Actually, before I met you, I checked out your YouTube channel. Getting your message piqued my curiosity, or should I say, I wanted to learn more about you."

"Oh, really? I hope you found it enjoyable."

"Yes, I didn't watch everything, but I selected a few. Whether it's your current broadcasts or…"

Pausing briefly, Sehee locked eyes with Forming and said decisively, "Even the broadcasts you did three years ago."

"I don't know what happened during your two-year hiatus, but after watching your content, I made my decision."

Softening her expression, Sehee smiled gently as she spoke.

"Let's do it together. Let's collaborate."

"Huh?"

"Let's collaborate. But let's tweak the conditions a bit. I have two requests. Is that okay?"

***

Unable to contain her trembling excitement, Forming sprang to her feet and exclaimed, "Please, tell me anything! I'll try my best to accommodate!"

Seeing her huffing like a bull, Sehee waved her hand to calm her down.

Anyone would think she was about to make some grand demand.

"It's nothing big. The first is… I'd like you to teach me about being a streamer."

"What?!"

"I've been interested in streaming myself. Even with all the information out there, I need someone to guide me directly. And I thought you'd be the perfect fit."

Sehee's proposal was clear and firm, showing no hesitation in her voice, as the revised terms were undoubtedly favorable to her as well.

"Being a streamer isn't just about broadcasting, right? There's planning, editing, and channel management—lots of details to consider. I'm sure you're well aware of all that."

"Of course… I can definitely help you with that."

"Great. And the second is…"

With a serious expression, Sehee pointed at Forming with her finger.

"I'll ask for it later. But you have to promise to agree."

"Huh?"

With a deeper smile, she added, "Don't worry, I won't ask for anything strange."

When Sehee's pale, slender finger touched her rosy lips, a sense of unease crept over Dayoung, as though she were the one being ensnared.

'Is this really okay?'

***

[General]

"What is this stream, lol?"

"Yongsaforming? Small-time streamer, but this broadcast is fun."

"I saw her duoing with that crazy woman, the Beach Warrior."

"She even massacred monsters in high-rank zones with a broken greatsword, lol."

ᄂ [Light Warrior is pretty famous in high-rank zones, lol. She wrecks with those troll weapons.]

ᄂ [Wasn't that area too strong to be trolled with those weapons?]

ᄂ [If you watch the clips, her reaction speed is insane.]

"It's been a while, Forming. I didn't realize you were back! Heueung!"

[Is this really Forming?]

"Yup, yup! She used to have so many viewers. What happened that caused her to fall? The two-year break with no announcement was a critical blow, wasn't it?"

[Why did she stop streaming when she had so many viewers?]

"Who knows? Lol."

"Ahaha, no matter what, going silent for two years without notice was crossing the line."

"I wanted to watch her streams back then, but for some reason, I couldn't get into them. Is she popular now?"

[Wait, you too?]

"The guest appearance was a massive hit, and now she's rowing as hard as she can to ride the wave."

[What wave is there to ride, lol?]

"The Light Warrior's voice… Heueung uwu."

"Forming is adorable too."

[An elegant elder sister and a cute little sister duo… This is a rare treat.]

[You're nuts, lolol.]

[Crazy bastard, lololol.]

[We've collectively agreed to call people like this insane.]

***

[General Chat]

[Warning: Dizziness ahead! Experience the Light Warrior's insane POV!]

"At first, I thought she was some bug trying to grab attention with a broken greatsword, but nope.

After Forming died, the perspective shifted to the Light Warrior's first-person view. You've got to watch it.

It's like sprinting at full speed while riding a bike—absolutely wild."

[SB: The screen is making me so dizzy. Is this that Newtype thing or whatever?]

[Newtype? What kind of old-timer slang is that, lol?]

[SB: With skills like that, she could be a pilot. The multitasking is insane.]

"Forget being a pilot; she'd make a killing as a delivery driver, lol."

[What was that move at 1:20? How did she block and counter a sneak attack to the back of her head without seeing it?]

[If I knew, my rank wouldn't be where it is, lol.]

"Exactly, SB, that's why I called her a Newtype."

[The White Devil of Soul Warfare, DD.]

***

"Looking at her stats, she's got a win rate of over 90%, with 18 wins in her last 20 matches.

She's not just a gimmick player with a broken greatsword—she's insanely skilled."

[It seems like a concept she's running with, but if you give her any other OP weapon, it'd be game over.]

"I'd actually like to see that."

"She's basically playing a completely different game solo."

The response wasn't bad.

When it comes to interest in streamers, the more, the better—assuming the subject isn't controversial.

For a streamer like Yongsaforming, who was drowning in a sea of irrelevance, this was like rain during a drought.

Come to think of it… Scanning the Hero's Outfit turned out to be a smart move.

Apparently, the virtual reality device recognized the Hero's Outfit as mere clothing, which made it possible.

'I wanted to present myself properly as a Hero, whether in real life or online, and it seems to have worked.'

Yongsaforming's stream had been a stagnant pond.

Without new sources of interest, it was bound to remain a lifeless puddle.

The few loyal viewers were struggling to keep it afloat, but it was a textbook example of a small-time streamer going nowhere.

But then, a viewer named "Light Warrior Friedé" threw a metaphorical stone into the pond, creating ripples that stirred the waters.

"Hoo…"

A subtle excitement echoed in Sehee's chest.

After her collaboration with Yongsaforming, she felt she would soon walk the path of a streamer herself.

She had been interested for a while, having mastered the skills necessary, but the first step was always the hardest.

Even though she hadn't started yet, not even preparing or announcing a broadcast, the thought alone was nerve-wracking.

Ding!

The alert broke her train of thought—it was Yongsaforming's stream starting.

"Hello~! Good evening, everyone!"

[Hello~!]

[You're glowing today, teacher.]

[Teeing~ Mom, I almost froze to death outside.]

"Is this really the Forming we knew? My chest swells with pride."

[Did she lose her small-time status already?]

[Look at the chat! So many people here now.]

[Forming is on the rise!]

[Is today's broadcast special? Important announcements?]

Dayoung, who had just greeted the stream and saw the bustling chat, blinked in surprise.

The current viewer count was 1,780. Just three days ago, breaking 500 was a challenge.

'Is this the power of a Hero?'

"Ah, the weather was so nice today! On days like this, you should be outside enjoying yourself, not stuck in a stream."

[You're ditching us? Who are you going with? You're ditching us? Who are you going with? You're ditching us? Who are you going with?]

"Forming wouldn't abandon us, right? That would hurt me a little…"

[Welcome the newcomers!]

[Not a Dullahan. She's lovely.]

[Don't forget your loyal fans from the small-time days.]

[What's this stream? The host is adorable.]

***

"But I, Yongsaforming, couldn't leave my beloved viewers to ascend to paradise alone.

So here I am, starting the stream. And… big news!"

Dayoung paused dramatically, her lips curling into a mischievous smile.

It wasn't a lack of words—it was deliberate suspense to keep her audience hanging.

Naturally, the chat exploded like a boiling pot overflowing with steam.

[Thump thump thump thump thump.]

[Hey, newbies, just watch quietly.]

[Something big is coming… splat.]

[The guy above is nuts, lolol.]

[Announcement? What's coming?]

[Hey! Tell us already!]

Satisfied that the hype had built enough, Dayoung secretly sent an invite to someone in her friends list to join the MS Room.

When the acceptance was confirmed, a bright light illuminated the room, revealing a new figure.

Those who had seen the previous broadcast would recognize her immediately—the pinnacle of customization, clad in a silver-white armor with a golden cape.

Dayoung spread her arms wide as she welcomed her savior for small-time streamers.

"Ta-da! I've invited Light Warrior Friedé! Everyone, please give a warm welcome!"

"Hello. I'm Light Warrior Friedé."

As her voice echoed in response to the welcome, the chat froze as if overwhelmed.

Well, how to describe it? It was simultaneously cold and fiery—a response that couldn't have been better.