Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: Iseulbi's Fight
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I think Rain had a peaceful day today.
'Rain' just needs to live and enjoy the heart-pounding adventures in the Astria Continent, the freely moving body, and the vivid sensations.
Because I couldn't burden Rain with the same worries, I, Iseulbi, decided to take on all the anxieties and concerns.
I'll handle it.
It'll be fine.
Rain, don't think about anything.
I pushed myself up from the capsule and wiped away the cold sweat.
Today, Rain had freely 'bussed' with Chris, and they explored a mountain range where a path to the next region might be.
A major expansion pack update for 'Astria Online' has been announced for the near future.
Since the game is modeled after the Astria Continent, the next region itself already exists. But it will require an update to polish the instance dungeons and other content that users will encounter there.
Having logged out and returned to this world, it was already time for dinner.
I sat up, staring blankly at my smartphone.
[Direct Message]
[Hana Corp. Team Leader Han]
[To: 'Drizzle Rain']
I hadn't checked the message content yet.
What could it say?
There were a few possible scenarios.
I don't know the extent of what the management can see with their authority, but they probably don't look into the information of every single user.
However, there must be a system that detects hacks or cheating from the packets sent from the user to the server.
In a way, the fact that I've been using the cheat key of a 100% synchronization rate without any trouble so far could be considered a very lucky case.
If that's the case, there are two main possibilities to consider.
Either the packets sent from my capsule to the game company showed no issues for some reason, or they discovered the issue but ignored it at some level.
The former would mean I'm lucky, and the latter would mean the game company gave me special treatment.
But what if the high synchronization rate had caused a serious problem for my body?
Last time, I was lucky to be found by Chris and survived.
Fortunately, it was resolved by linking it to my frail body's nutritional state and mental issues, rather than its connection to playing 'Astria Online'.
What if, at that time, I had lost my life or ended up in an irreversible state?
In that case, it would be past the stage of blaming it on the individual user who hacked the capsule. The game company wouldn't have been able to evade responsibility either.
They just let it be?
Even though they knew about my abnormal synchronization rate?
Would there be any reason for them to risk facing legal responsibility, potentially to the point of not being able to service the game at all, just to ignore my synchronization rate?
"Hmm...."
No matter how much I thought about it, that didn't seem right.
For some reason unknown to me, it was highly likely that either no abnormal packets were sent from my play data, or the game company simply hadn't detected them.
And now that I've revealed myself to so many users, it's also possible they sent the message to directly investigate my character's state and my capsule.
After all, Rain's gameplay is hard to explain without a high synchronization rate.
Still.
I have to face it.
To continue living in the Astria Continent I've found again.
To protect 'Rain'.
Just as I steeled myself and was about to check the message from the game company.
Knock, knock.
"Hah!?"
Startled, I looked toward the door where the knocking sound came from.
"...Rain? May I come in?"
It's Chris.
I relaxed my stiff body, let out a deep sigh, and answered.
"Come in."
Chris entered my room hesitantly. She looked at me with a slightly worried expression.
"...Why the long face?"
I tilted my head.
Chris gently helped me sit up on the bed, then sat down beside me.
"While we were bussing today, you seemed to have a lot on your mind, Rain."
"......."
I thought Rain hadn't shown any sign of it today.
Chris had read 'Iseulbi's' worries from deep within 'Rain's' heart.
Chris's eyes were looking right into my heart.
Her gentle heart brought me a small sense of relief.
I didn't have to worry about this alone.
I opened my mouth.
"I'm... scared."
"What are you scared of?"
"I'm afraid Rain will disappear."
"The synchronization rate."
I looked at Chris with a slightly surprised expression.
I had a vague suspicion, but as I thought, she also knew about my abnormal synchronization rate.
I nodded.
"Yes. I... have a high synchronization rate."
"...It must have hurt a lot, didn't it?"
Her gentle tone warmed my heart.
Of course it hurts, but it's something I have to endure. Pain is one of the sensations that makes me feel alive, after all.
It's just inconvenient that the pain Rain feels puts a strain on Iseulbi's body.
Chris pulled me close, holding my head against her chest.
It was soft. It was warm.
"Yesterday, I got a message from the game company. I haven't read it yet, though."
"They might take measures or impose restrictions regarding your synchronization rate."
"Yes. ...But, I..."
"I know. You don't want to give it up, do you?"
I gave a small nod.
Legs that move freely.
The vivid sensations I feel through them.
The refreshing air of the Astria Continent.
The realistic adventures I experience there.
I didn't want to give up a single one of them.
If 'Rain' were taken from me, I felt like I would lose myself again in this colorless world.
Chris's presence here has brought a little color back to this world, but...
Still, I was fulfilling most of my reason for living through 'Rain' in the Astria Continent.
Chris hugged my head tightly once more, then pulled back to meet my eyes.
Her eyes were filled with determination.
"Don't worry. I'll take care of it somehow."
"...You will?"
"Of course. I may not look it, but I have quite a bit of power in the virtual reality industry, you know?"
Chris grinned.
With that confident smile, I could feel my anxiety slowly fading away.
"I don't know the cause, but your synchronization rate has been high from the very beginning, right?"
"Yes. But, from the game company's perspective, they have to take action, don't they?"
"That's true. Whether it's a bug or a hack, it's not something the company can just ignore."
Chris nodded.
After all, I had been in a dangerous situation, enduring the pain from the high synchronization rate.
"But you can't give up the synchronization rate, Rain."
"I know it's just me being stubborn. But..."
Chris looked very worried, but she still respected my opinion.
Of course, if they take measures regarding the synchronization rate, my body will be safe.
But at the same time, I would return to being the old Iseulbi, who was no different from a living corpse.
For me, giving up the synchronization rate was simply not an option.
"It won't be easy. I wonder if it would be enough to persuade them by promising to care for your real body to prevent any major strain, and to always monitor you so we can take immediate action if anything happens. Hah, if only we had more time."
"......?"
Before I had a chance to think deeply about Chris's last words, she pointed to my smartphone.
"First, we need to check the message."
"Okay."
Thankfully, with Chris beside me, I could muster up the courage.
I looked at the smartphone with Chris and opened the message.
[Direct Message]
[Hana Corp. Team Leader Han]
[To: 'Drizzle Rain']
[Content]
Hello. This is Team Leader Han Yeo-reum from the Hana Games Marketing Department.
....
....
As Chris read the message, her expression turned strange.
"...This is an offer to be a commercial model."
"Huh!?"
*
"As expected of a rapidly growing game company. That's some aggressive marketing."
"I've... never had an advertising contract before."
"You're an entertainer signed with my company, so if we decide to go ahead with the contract, I'll handle it for you."
"...An entertainer?"
Today was my first time visiting Chris's company.
We were currently at the headquarters of the 'Klaus Capsule Corporation', located in Gangnam.
The Klaus Capsule Corporation is an enormous company. It's also the company that made the capsule I'm using.
So this is the amazing place where Chris works.
I was waiting with Chris in a meeting room in this building for the person named 'Team Leader Han Yeo-reum' from 'Hana Games'.
"Do you think an advertising contract is really their only objective?"
"Well, who knows. We'll have to see what they say when they get here. Still, if she's from the marketing department, I doubt she'll pick a fight over your gameplay."
"R-Right?"
As I'd heard from Chris before, in this future world, metaverse avatars are privately owned.
Even if you use the appearance of your own new avatar, created according to the international standard program for metaverse avatars, in-game, it doesn't mean it belongs to the game company.
If they want to use a personal avatar as a commercial model for their game, they have to make a direct contract with the individual.
"Rain's gameplay is really cool and you're pretty, too, so it's not unreasonable for the game company to want you as a model."
Chris nodded.
I felt unnecessarily shy at the compliment and fidgeted.
I'm still not used to being complimented on my looks.
"We're meeting them because you said you wanted to, Rain, but are you sure? If you become a model, your face will be exposed through all sorts of media."
"I'll listen to what they have to say and then decide."
This is the first time the game company has tried to contact me directly.
I don't know if a modeling offer is truly their only objective.
But there is one good thing about becoming a model.
They'll probably pay a lot, right?
To pay back the gold I owe her, I can handle putting my face out there.
"Team Leader Han Yeo-reum has arrived."
"Yes. Please show her in."
A voice came from outside, and Team Leader Han Yeo-reum entered.
"Oh."
A gasp escaped my lips unconsciously.
She was tall, with straight, bright blonde hair that fell below her shoulders.
A beautiful woman who looked to be in her early to mid-twenties.
Her figure was incredible, too. Her large chest asserted its presence even through her office attire.
In terms of chest size alone, she surpassed Chris.
I tugged on Chris's collar and said.
"Wow, she's so pretty."
"Urgh."
Chris looked down at her own chest with a frustrated expression.
Looking somewhat dejected, Chris fidgeted with her fingers and asked.
"Rain, do you prefer them big?"
"Huh?"
I tilted my head.
What does she mean?
I answered honestly.
"Yours are the prettiest, Chris."
"Heh, heheh. Right?"
Chris's face brightened up again.
While we were chatting, the woman named Han Yeo-reum sat on the sofa across the meeting room table.
I watched her with a tense gaze.
She might be from the marketing department, but she was definitely from the company that made Astria Online.
She might bring up the topic of my synchronization rate.
This was a problem that I, here in this world, had to overcome.
This was Iseulbi's fight.