The Cult Leader's Guide to Cult Counseling

Contrary to the misconceptions of my followers, I am not a cult expert.

To begin with, the Church of the Shining Stars isn't a cult. It’s barely even a religion. It’s a one-person group that worships a god that actually exists in this world. And, of course, the only member is me.

As my broadcast's popularity has grown, I’ve had a sudden influx of followers ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠recently, but... surely none of the people watching are praying to the Shining Stars as seriously as I am, right?

In that sense, I’m just a "cult-wannabe" who happened to get stuck with a cult leader RP. I started to worry whether I could actually handle this person's tragic story.

Honestly, I don't really know what cults do. I've heard they forcibly extort property, dictate your daily life, and force mindless proselytizing, but surely that varies from case to case.

...Ugh. Pull yourself together, Jia.

If I run my mouth and say the wrong thing, this is the kind of topic that could send me straight into the abyss. Rationally speaking, skipping this story would be the right choice a hundred times over.

Any other Vtuber—no, even a streamer who specializes in "visible radio" and covers sensitive issues—would usually avoid a story like this. From a streamer's perspective, there's no need to take unnecessary risks.

And for a Vtuber? Forget about it. Corporate Vtubers would have their management block this kind of story before it even reached them. Independent Vtubers don't need to take such risks either.

You might ask, "Can't you just click the reincarnation button if you hit rock bottom?" That’s something only people who don't understand Vtubers would say. Reincarnation isn't easy. Who’s going to pay for the new avatar?

Even if you replace the avatar entirely, you can't change your voice. Since your identity is bound to be exposed eventually, the saying "Vtubers can just reincarnate if they hit rock bottom" is clearly false.

Besides, I can't even reincarnate. I’ve already been reborn from a man into a woman; if I were to be born again, I’d be immortal.

...Regardless, I decided to take the risk and accept the story. Why? Because I have to play a game of chicken with the platform.

It's true that this story carries massive risks, but it's also a rare and entertaining topic that could easily land me on the front page of every community site. The viewers' reactions were good, too.

There were a few loyal followers who seriously advised me to reconsider, but they were a tiny minority. Most viewers were so excited by the chunk of dopamine dropped right in front of them that they were going wild.

Oh, whatever. It'll work out somehow.

Eventually, I began to listen to the cult member's tragic story with a serious heart.

"First, before we start, I have to ask just in case—are you really okay with this? If something happens to your personal safety..."

[Yes, it doesn't matter. This is the only way to escape, so I came here on purpose. I'm prepared for my identity to be exposed.]

"..."

The storyteller had started with some ominous words. A moment ago, the followers were spamming "Let's go!" and filling the chat with dopamine, but as the serious confession began, they seemed to be feeling fear instead.

I had to hear it out, at least.

The sinner continued.

[...Jia-nim, do you know about the proselytizing activities of cults?]

"Uh... not really."

[The religion I'm attending is...]

"Stop, stop! D-don't say the actual name of the religion!"

[Ah, I apologize. Then, for convenience, I will refer to it as the Euncheop Church.]

"That's a very good idea."

[Yes, the Euncheop Church I attend mainly uses 'honey traps' for proselytizing.]

"Honey traps...?"

"I-I'm listening seriously, so don't ruin the mood!"

I scolded the followers who sent useless donations, but... ugh. Why do I feel so guilty?

As the donation said, to put it bluntly, I technically used a honey trap to proselytize, didn't I?

It wasn't my will, but the will of the Shining Stars. The Shining Stars wanted my broadcast to grow day by day, and in reality, I used the "half-cam"—a honey trap—to increase the scale of my broadcast to meet those expectations.

Of course, I only increased the number of viewers and followers, so it's a bit of a stretch to use such a grand word as "proselytizing," but even I have to admit I used a honey trap.

My concentration was momentarily broken by the followers. I shook my head and focused on the sinner's story.

The sinner said the reason he fell into the cult was because of a female college student. The protagonist, who worked part-time at a convenience store near his university, was lucky enough to get ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠close to a pretty female student who was a customer. They were the same age and had great chemistry.

[She was pretty. Seriously, f***ing pretty. Thinking about it now, I should have been suspicious from the start. There's no way such a pretty woman would talk to me.]

"..."

[We got close rapidly.]

He said that female student was a very ordinary college student, to the point where he never thought she was a "cult proselytizer." Or perhaps that was just the sinner's delusion. He was already so blinded by her looks that he couldn't make rational judgments.

One day, the student told him: "I'm going on a retreat with my friends next week, do you want to come along?"

[At the time, I just thought it was a normal retreat.]

"Uh-huh, I can see why you'd think that. You said you got close rapidly, right?"

[Yes, we were texting for over three hours a day... there was no room for suspicion.]

"Crazy... w-was she that devoted?"

"So, what happened?"

I and the followers, who had become completely immersed in the sinner's story, waited for him to speak again. This drama was fascinating.

[What happened next is the beginning of the despair chapter of my life.]

The place he was called to under the guise of a retreat... was actually the Euncheop Church's "Welcoming New Family Event."

Ugh. Euncheop bastards, it's you guys again?