The Keyboard Culprit
It's all rigged against me. Yesterday, I became Moteok's teacher and explained everything super diligently. And if only I'd had some common sense. But nope, no common sense, so I didn't spot the trap at the end, and we ran a boring raid. One run was fine, but we didn't clear it. Total misfortune. So we decided to try again.
The problem is, she does gear checks out of nowhere. I'm broke now. Spent every last won.
Yesterday, I went ham on the spending spree, and my bank account's wiped clean. At least the silver lining is I've got the full collection—no regrets.
"Hoo..."
Just looking at the codex fills me up. This is gaming. Staring makes me happy. I zoned out admiring my character for 30 minutes straight.
I never get tired of it. Can't stop staring. It's so sparkly. My account shines brighter than jewels. Ehehe. Good. So good.
I kept staring, then Discord pinged. Message from the editor.
A PDF file came with the message. Opened it, and bam—huge warning notice right on the front page.
Read it: No swearing, be on time, say only nice things. All stuff that doesn't apply to me. Still, I read it a couple more times and nodded.
Gotta add her as a friend. Not to monitor her or anything! No way! Just... it'd be fun to play together. I'm strong, so it'd be easy for her if she uses me as a friend.
She's probably f2p or low spender, so I'd be a huge help.
What...? My jaw dropped without thinking. Too busy? Why? It's a mobile game—just download and play. One tap of the finger.
I was so shocked I staggered. Was it fun only for me again? Was I the only one excited? No way. I thought we'd play together, but. Again. Just me having fun. My lack of common sense strikes.
Dizzy like vertigo. Hands shaking, hard to type. Forced one letter at a time.
Tastes differ. She can like other stuff. I reopened the codex to browse character art. Healing... ehehehe.
Healing along, then a message from the editor.
Great nickname. 'SenaYouTubeSubscribeLike'—so responsible, works hard too. I grinned and added her as a friend.
After some more art browsing, I logged into Arena World. Honestly wanted to spend the day just twiddling with my account, but prior commitment.
Raid party day. From a VTuber angle, not bad. Invested a ton over the week—way stronger than start.
Never thought I'd drop 4.59 million won on Arena World. Who could've guessed? No one. Moteok kept saying "must-buy essential," so I only got the real must-haves, and it added up.
I had her memo open beside me, swapped gold, geared up hard.
Wanna save money, but couldn't resist temptation. Seeing my char get stronger, her cheering along—feels too good.
Scanned auction house. With Moteok's help all week, almost complete. Just one piece left.
Couldn't buy the most important weapon. She said keep holding out, so I was always DPS last. Time to escape. Paid mage scraping bottom is embarrassing. If f2p, I'd shrug, but... sigh.
Checked auction house hard. Weapon caught my eye.
Don't know gear, but looks good. All memo stats match. Pass. If it looks good, buy... wait, inspect first.
Bought impulsively before, got special measures. But auction buys get stolen post-inspect. Fresh 1-min-old listing. Hesitating might lose it—bought like enchanted.
"Agh... mistake..."
Think twice... didn't, just bought.
Anxious, sent Moteok a screenshot. But like I just saw it in auction, not that I bought.
Reply in 3 mins.
Ehehehe. Felt amazing. Already bought, and right choice. Heart pounding from nerves, now adrenaline rush, excited.
My eye for gear's legit now. I get games! Gotta brag ASAP!
So excited, went live early. Cracked open gear window, eyed chat slyly. Moteok-approved full set.
Cost a fortune. Gear connoisseurs know: oh snap reaction, like fancy watch or bag.
Live earlier than usual, viewers slower to pile in. Fished patiently, eyes on reactions only. Hurry and notice!
Perfect reaction. Slow chat made one message shift whole vibe to gear focus.
"Ah, hi everyone!"
Once all eyes on gear, mic on, greet. Perfect timing.
"Welcome all. Saw this, right? Bought it today."
Wanna brag naturally, no tryhard...
How'd they know? Viewers spot it instantly.
"Wanna show gear?"
Even if chat says no, gonna show. Beat them to it.
"Here we go! Ta-da. Popped up in auction, snagged it right away. I'm a big spender now too."
Bragged each piece I'd stocked. RPGs aren't about loving chars. Love the gear.
My philosophy shines today. After 2+ hours boss showcase.
"That's it for now. Uh, yeah... yep."
Massacred yesterday's uncleared bosses, wait for party. They'll freak at my specs. Ehehe. Total awe, right?
"I really..." "Hi everyone~" "Huh? What's up Sena-nim hi." "Hello." "What? Sena-ni~m hi~" "Paranoia. Sena-nim. Saw gear. Good buy. Welcome to the club with open arms." "Thanks!" "Oh right. Finished story yesterday—what now?"
Moteok's so kind. Respects expert opinion. Passion for game shows. That's it.
"Then now... hm. No real content yet, just raid farming comps—so rest! Light farm till real stuff drops?" "Already? Wait, didn't open yesterday?" "Yep. But reality."
Raids are given, not content—already princess-locked. Only twiddling left.
"No way, Sena-nim that big? Authority figure?" "Yes. Totally."
Proof in achievements. Answered proudly.
"Ehehe. Yep. Right?" "Ooh, I'll learn from you then. Trustworthy. Going. Feels reliable."
Strategy teacher—aka StratSam—joins. Sadly, can't accept even with guides.
"Um... sorry, my room's meat-only... nothing for StratSam-nim."
Cut him off. Fixed viewers 150-300, all meaterinos—policy for them.
"Oh? Hahaha. No, yeah can happen. Hahhaha. Got it. Will remember."
"Thanks." "Agh, Sena-oppa I'm pure fun? I watch for fun, not you?"
Moteok voice-chats her usual chat intrusion.
"Ah, JjangBro seriously~ No interest in you~ Go outside~"
Moteok reads my chat again. Knew she was watching. Epic.
"Why JjangBro? What's Jjang?" "Whoa, StratSam wants smackdown? Don't know almighty JjangBro?" "Huh? Famous one~ Know." "Right? Last Ragnarok official cafe almighty bro. Made sensation Kraken guide, #1 noobstomper. Fought ops in official. Don't know? Learn first. Or get hit." "Heehee."
Burst laughing, covered mouth with hands. Too happy. Yeah. Amazing feats even hearing again.
"StratSam. Zomboid sobber. SDubber sobber. TalKob sobber. Not like you. Born different. #1 is #1. Know #1? Wanna die? Memorize."
Moteok rampaging for some reason.
"Can't memorize? Gimme two letters? Spoonfeed? Wanna get hit?" "Whoa~ whoa~ why snapping?" "Snapping? You... hah. You're hopeless."
Brain-melting bootcamp till party full. So intense, head throbbed.
"All here? Let's clear today~"
Over 2 hours tries, no clear. Sad, but others had schedules, left. Discord just Moteok and me.
"You did great. Tough difficulty. Normal. Everyone at first. It's okay."
Moteok stays, mental care. Mid-care, StratSam crashes.
"What you two doing? Not leaving?" "Just here? Why?" "Ah, me too... till here." "Hm... don't push it."
I know. I keep dying, wiping. DPS no damage, just deaths. Hard tho. Can't see well. Monitor issue. Yeah, bad monitor. Wait, monitor fine. All excuses. I know what I know.
Monitor weak. Char too trash... OP char full gear... weak too.
Practice? Cycle memory, hands used—clicks not hard. Sometimes flub speed-pressing, but fine.
Not just me. Self-objectify starts improvement, but pride won't. Blame elsewhere.
Found culprit. Presses fine usually. Sometimes keys stick.
Keyboard's 5 years old. End of life.
Dunno if 5 years. Think so. Scapegoat hunt. Fancy excuse found.
I'm culprit, maybe not. Gotta brave up.
"Gotta buy good keyboard... me..." "Huh? Suddenly?" "Eh?" "Key... board issue...?"
Keyboard problem. Yeah, blame it. Know I'm bad. But gaming life's everything. Hate confirmation from others. Won't admit. Self-mock sigh, not critique wanted.
"Good... keyboard fixes... can clear..."
Last hope, grasp straw.
"Ah~ keyboards do that. Yeah, keyboard culprit." "Found the perp. Keyboard bastard. Evil." "Yup. Good one ends it~ Caught!" "Kyaa~ Fact tho, old ones stick, need focus. Not cope, real. I swap periodically."
Moteok and StratSam agree. As expected.
Chat wild agreement.
"I... tomorrow buy keyboard... tomorrow different me..."
Straw-grasp desperation. Not my fault. Really. Gotta mental-win or quit gaming.