The Mysterious Interviewee
YOLO Live was as busy as ever, buzzing through another packed day. Though the company only had three VTubers on its roster, it was steadily expanding its scale and pushing forward with various projects. Lisanne, the CEO of YOLO Live, sat at her executive desk, carefully monitoring the members' activities on her screen.
"Hmm. They're all good kids, but... something's missing. Yeah, definitely something's lacking."
It wasn't that the members lacked skill. Seria in particular, the second of the trio, was faithfully sticking to her nun role-play, delivering great streams and maintaining solid popularity. No, the deficiency Lisanne sensed was something else entirely.
"What we really need is at least one complete lunatic on the team."
Every VTuber agency had its own distinct vibe. Some places gathered nothing but weirdos, while YOLO Live was built around polite, mature members. The harmony was nice, but it somehow felt a little too safe. A little too bland.
"Maybe it really is time to recruit more."
Lisanne had been convinced they weren't ready to expand the headcount just yet, but as if the universe had overheard her, the phone on her desk rang. She picked up.
"It's me."
"Boss, an interviewee has arrived."
"What? What are you talking about? We haven't even posted a recruitment notice."
"I know, but she showed up saying she wants an interview anyway."
"Tell her to come back when we actually post the notice."
"I'm sorry, but... is there any way we could make this work?"
What was going on? Something felt off. Why was her secretary acting like this?
"Sigh... Fine. Send her up."
"Thank you!"
A knock sounded on the closed door.
"The interviewee has arrived."
"Let her in."
The door opened, and an unfamiliar figure stepped into the CEO's office.
"...!"
The moment the presumed interviewee entered her field of vision, Lisanne's eyes widened. Long, flowing golden hair that seemed almost too beautiful to exist in this world caught the light, reflecting it like liquid sunlight. Her milk-white skin was flawless, and her brilliant blue eyes were impossibly clear. Most striking of all was her perfect S-line figure—so breathtaking that even another woman could be captivated in an instant.
This absolute beauty, the kind of woman the term "peerless beauty" was made for, revealed her true identity when Lisanne noticed the pointed ears poking through her hair.
An elf?
But in this day and age, a slender, gorgeous elf like this? Even seeing it with her own eyes, it was hard to believe. She'd heard urban legends about an elf of unparalleled beauty living in some mansion somewhere, but she'd always dismissed them as nothing more than rumors.
The elf woman approached Lisanne with crisp clicks of her dress shoes, dressed in a sharp business suit.
"Hmm. May I sit?"
"Huh? Oh! Yes, please, have a seat."
Lisanne quickly stood and gestured to the chair across from her. The elf, impeccably dressed in her suit, casually crossed her stocking-clad legs and sat with perfect ease. Under normal circumstances, such an attitude from a job applicant might have seemed rude, but the elf before her was so stunning that the thought never even crossed Lisanne's mind.
"Are you here for the interview?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"I see..."
Lisanne still couldn't quite believe it. To think an elf with this level of beauty was still out in the world—it didn't seem real. She'd heard the stories, but this was beyond anything she could have imagined.
"This might be rude to ask, but... you are an elf, correct?"
"Yes, I'm an elf. And you're a minotaur, I see."
"Ah, yes, that's right. So... what brings you to our company?"
"Wait, didn't they tell you downstairs? I'm here for the interview."
"Um... what kind of interview, exactly...?"
"What else? A VTuber interview, obviously."
"............"
Why?!
Lisanne couldn't understand it. With looks like that, why would she want to become a VTuber? Someone this beautiful could instantly become a famous actress or idol. It made no sense.
"Let's start with introductions. I'm Lisanne Altraina, CEO of YOLO Live."
"As for me... hmm. Would this name make it easier to understand?"
After a brief pause, the elf woman spoke a name that hit Lisanne like a lightning bolt.
"Ddal-Syong."
"?!!"
There was no way she wouldn't recognize that name. Ddal-Syong, the legendary figure known as one of the biggest players in the internet streaming world. Anyone who had even casually touched internet broadcasting knew that name.
"N-no way... You're that Ddal-Syong?"
"Yes, that's me. So you can just call me Ddal."
"Wait, Ddal... What? Why would someone like you suddenly want to become a VTuber? And hold on—Ddal, you're a woman?!"
"Ah, I suppose that would be surprising. My usual behavior doesn't exactly scream 'feminine,' after all."
That was an understatement. Ddal-Syong's mannerisms were downright crude, more like a man in every sense. No one who had heard that voice or seen that attitude would ever have guessed Ddal-Syong was a woman.
"I even appeared on Seria's stream recently."
At those words, a memory flashed through Lisanne's mind.
"D-don't tell me! That was you?! The one who kept shouting 'ssong ssong'?!"
"So you did know."
"Haha... I can't believe it. The big shot of the streaming world is actually this gorgeous elf woman."
Despite still being dazed by the appearance of such a major figure, Lisanne pressed on with the conversation.
"First of all, why did you suddenly decide to apply to our company as a VTuber? If you wanted to do this, you could have started your own agency or joined a much larger corporation."
Ddal-Syong answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, her expression completely calm.
"I wanted to work at the same company as my oshi. Is there any other reason I need?"
"Ah, so it's because of Seria."
"Yes. And I personally like the other two members here as well."
"Well, thank you for that."
More than anything, being a VTuber was a job that planted dreams and hope in viewers. It was similar to being an idol in that sense, but VTubers offered a different kind of subcultural dream. There was no greater reward than creating something that others could fall in love with so deeply.
"I understand your desire to become a VTuber with our agency. With your voice and existing fame, Ddal, I think your chances of success are very high."
"Then—"
"However, we're not currently prepared to bring on a fourth member."
"Why not?"
"We split revenue 80:20. We made that contract to show our respect for the VTubers themselves."
While some agencies used a 70:30 split, those were rare cases. These days, most companies operated on a 60:40 basis. An 80:20 split was an incredibly bold ratio that defied common sense. As a result, the company wasn't generating as much profit as one might expect.
Hmm, even with all the donations I've given them, it still isn't easy for them.
The thought briefly crossed Ddal-Syong's mind. Still, every company had its own circumstances, and at this profit ratio, it was understandable. Even if the company looked small on the surface, once you factored in advertising costs and other expenses, it added up quickly.
"Hmm, just a moment."
Ddal-Syong pulled out her phone and began tapping away at the screen. Once she was done, she put it away and spoke matter-of-factly.
"That should take care of the problem now."
"I'm sorry? What do you—"
"I just purchased ninety percent of YOLO Live's shares."
At that moment, Lisanne's eyes nearly popped out of her head.
"Whaaaaat?! Wait! Hold on a second! What the hell did you just do?! How is that even possible in such a short time?!"
Normally, something like this would be impossible. But since this was a fantasy world, it was totally possible! In her previous life it would have been out of the question, but here it just worked.
"If you don't believe me, check for yourself."
Suspicious, Lisanne immediately stood up and typed away at her magic computer. Sure enough, the records clearly showed a massive stock purchase. The buyer ID was unmistakably Ddal-Syong. In effect, Ddal-Syong had just become the majority shareholder.
"Haah... To think you'd pull off something this ridiculous as casually as online shopping."
"If any additional procedures are needed, I'll send an agent. You can discuss the details with them."
"Ah, yes. Understood. Since you've essentially become the largest shareholder, I suppose I can't exactly treat you casually anymore."
As Lisanne broke into a cold sweat, Ddal-Syong smiled playfully.
"Come on, let's keep the whole majority shareholder thing a secret. Right now, I'm just an interviewee."
"This feels incredibly strange. The idea of bringing the majority shareholder in as my subordinate... the disconnect is insane."
"Why? Should I pull out the investment then?"
"No!! Please take good care of us, Ddal!"
Lisanne couldn't let this opportunity slip away. This was the Ddal-Syong, after all.
Ddal-Syong. Just where does all this person's money even come from?
She had always wondered what kind of rich person casually spent money like water. But she never dreamed they would buy up ninety percent of the company's shares.
"Drop the formalities and just speak comfortably."
"Ah, yes. Understood, Ddal."
"Hehe, that's nice. So I can use my main channel as-is, right?"
"Yes, of course. Let's start by drafting the contract."
"It's a hassle, so I'll send an agent. Take care of all the procedures then. I'll just accept it verbally for now."
"Understood."
Whatever Ddal-Syong wanted, Lisanne was now in no position to refuse. Still, bringing a major figure like Ddal-Syong onto their side was an enormous gain. At that moment, a good idea occurred to her.
"Ddal. Since you're debuting as a VTuber anyway, why not make it a bit more impactful?"
"Oh...?"
Ddal-Syong's ears perked up with clear interest, a smile spreading across her face.
A VR stage created with cutting-edge technology. For the first time, a collaboration stage between VTubers and female cam streamers had been prepared, drawing countless fans watching online or through broadcasts.
"Everyone! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking time out of your precious schedules to join us today!"
Amid high expectations and the murmurs of the crowd, Lisanne appeared in her adorable SD character form and continued energetically.
"Today's event is none other than Female Cam Streamers VS VTubers! A battle of pride between the two teams is about to unfold!"
Under brilliant lights and rising special effects, both the VTuber team and the female cam team made their entrance. The female cams had their real appearances displayed on separate screens while connecting to the VR channel with temporary avatars.
"Now then! We'll need judges to determine the winner of this battle of feminine pride!"
"We've invited a very special guest for today!"
"The big shot of the internet broadcasting world! The living cosmic horror! Also known as the Boss~~! The famous Clipper! It's Ddal-Syong!"
At the announcement, Ddal-Syong walked out wearing the "culprit" avatar from a certain crime manga.
In that instant, Ddal-Syong's appearance sent the crowd into a frenzy of wild cheers, and the atmosphere exploded with excitement.