Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Countdown to the Premiere (2)
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Since my stepbrother came barging in at the crack of dawn, making a huge fuss, I figured I'd hear him out. Turns out, he saw a ghost in the middle of the night. What is he, a kid crying over a nightmare?
And if he's going to whine about something like that, he should go to our parents. Nah, scratch that. If he tried dumping that sob story on them, all he'd get back is a hundred times the side-eye for being an idiot. At least with me, it only doubles. Coming to me is the rational choice.
It's summer anyway, so entertaining him with a little ghost story isn't a big deal.
"Alright, big brother. Your sweet little sister will listen to your tale, so go ahead and spill it."
I drawled it out nice and sarcastically, and his face rotted to sewer-level disgust. It's surprisingly effective for occasional teasing.
At first, I listened to his story like it was just some summer ghost tale, but as it went on, I couldn't help narrowing my eyes more and more.
"...So, it said you'd get kicked out of the house, get your spine sucked dry at work, and get betrayed by your lover?"
"It called me 'big brother' one minute and 'you' the next. Which tune am I supposed to dance to?"
"Cut the crap. Did it happen or not?"
"Yeah, it did. It seemed to know a bit about me—not totally clueless, but kinda superficial. Like it picked up some rumor and mistook it for the truth."
I sank into thought after hearing his account.
He treated the mystery man's ramblings like nonsense, but from my perspective? Not so much.
For one thing, I knew our parents had nearly kicked him out for real once.
I'd covered for him back then, so it blew over, but flip that around—if I hadn't been there, he could've easily been out on the street.
The work thing tracks too.
Right now, he's contracted with Kaedics under the theory that if you're offering tribute anyway, might as well hand it straight to the dinosaurs. But without my involvement?
He never would've dreamed of making a gacha game, and with no standout results, Kaedics might've ignored him. A guy with zero social experience like him getting sucked dry by some shady company and tossed aside? Totally plausible.
The lover betrayal? I'll skip that for now. But those first two alone? Without me as the wildcard, they could've happened anytime.
In other words, "the original story." I never read it myself, so it's all guesswork.
Is there someone else who knows the original? Another person in my position? Or is this part of the original too?
"Too many possibilities. All speculation, no solid leads."
"The ghost? Yeah, trying to logic it out does spawn endless theories."
He misunderstood what I meant, but I wasn't about to clarify. No point explaining it.
What good would spilling this do? It'd just confuse and creep him out. Better to keep my mouth shut forever.
"For now, beef up your security. Don't mention the ghost crap—they won't buy it. Just say there was an intruder using some weird tech. They'll figure it out and investigate from there."
"Nebula only picked up noise—no hard evidence. You think they'll bite?"
"Cops need proof to move, but bodyguards run on cash and contracts. If something happens to you, Kaedics takes a hit too. Upping security isn't a big ask—they'll do it."
He looked a bit flustered, like he hadn't expected it to escalate, but he nodded eventually.
"Oh, heading to work? I'll come along."
"...Again today?"
"Obviously. School's basically self-study now anyway, with graduation right around the corner."
This game's creator might be him, but I'm the first player. Gotta keep the feedback coming.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ When a game launches, the quickest way for an average player to experience it first is getting picked for beta testing.
Why beta, not alpha? Alpha's internal staff only (mostly).
Think restaurant new menu: alpha's the chef and crew tweaking it in the kitchen. Beta's handing samples to neighbors for feedback before the big sell.
But who am I? Blood relative to the creator, his exclusive secretary, top advisor, and invincible femboy-bait little sis.
Okay, maybe that last one's irrelevant, but looks matter—a lot—in life.
A scruffy dev kid showing up daily for tests? "Game addict." "Doesn't he go to school?" But a pretty girl? Lady? Whatever the term, everyone bends over backward to interpret it positively.
"Miss Ye-rin, back again today?"
"Yeah. Watching the game evolve day by day makes me too antsy to stay put. Am I treating it like my own baby?"
"Haha, age doesn't matter when it's fun. Our other test players started off reluctant, but now they're showing up on weekends voluntarily."
Internal reviews for Beyond Elysion were glowing.
Not just good—everyone involved was dead certain it'd blow up.
"The testers we made for Starving Shadow and Dance of the Dragon Sword scored high too, but this one's next-level. Downside: other departments that ignored us before are suddenly nosing in."
"Really?"
"Yeah, especially on the monetization structure. Lots of demands to Ryu Advisor, but he's stonewalling them all."
Makes sense.
Squeezing max profit's business instinct.
But from a player's view, heavy cash grabs are more con than pro.
Plus, his obsession with the game is off the charts.
He didn't scrap monetization entirely, but benefits are cosmetic: flashier skill effects (same power), appearance changers (stats unchanged).
Whales get prettier, not stronger.
Favors Bill Gates of Time over Bill Gates of Money, but no fixing that. Login limits are the bare-minimum safeguard anyway.
After some chit-chat with the staff, I reclined into what looked like a massage chair rigged for gaming.
Pure login? Helmets or headsets work, but they're just "access"—these chair or pod types win on comfort.
Built for long sessions without moving, full support.
I settled in, eyes drifting shut like falling asleep. Moments later...
I stood alone in a vast plain.
Like a lucid dream, but overwhelmingly realer.
Ground underfoot, grass scent, distant wind—all too vivid.
VR games have been around awhile here (minus massive online), but with my past-life memories, it's pure fantasy.
I checked my reflection in a nearby stream.
Like real-life Kang Ye-rin, but different.
Biggest changes: eyes and hair color. Features tweaked sharper, haughtier.
Villainess vibe, basically.
Body specs match reality.
Customization exists, but I skip it.
This body's half-character already... half-joking. Mostly, switching bodies IRL and in-game breeds dissonance.
Not just me—martial artists or athletes rarely tweak builds.
Plenty make pretty avatars regardless.
Especially casuals. Even in flatscreen games, folks beautify chars. Some go grotesque on purpose.
"Nebula."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 「Yes. How may I assist you?」 "Recommend opponents matching my level. Non-humans last time, so humans today."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 「'Reincarnating Saint Iris', 'Valkyrie of Obsession Brynhildr', 'Silent Sword Hector', 'Swamp Monster Grendel' match your criteria. Shall I suggest new candidates?」 "Nah, Iris it is."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 「Understood.」 Soon after, a massive pillar of light erupted before me, and a stunning woman emerged.
Long silver hair, blue eyes. White battle dress. Slender frame belying a huge shield and longsword.
Purity, sanctity, nobility incarnate—this holy knight smiled gently at me.
"It's been a while, Goddess."
"...Told you to drop the goddess bit."
"But you two are our creators, makers of me and this world. Calling you goddesses isn't so strange, is it?"
Grinning impishly, this was Reincarnating Saint Iris—key NPC in both Beyond: The Lost Era and Beyond Elysion. Huge time gap between stories, but her reincarnation loop makes it work.
"I'll play as a regular user later. Special treatment then? Other players will riot."
"Won't matter. Once the 'main story' kicks off, I'll lose memories of you anyway. Until then, indulge this creature's whims."
Nebula's a straight-AI extension of my brother—insane specs, basic personality. But her NPC offshoots? Personalities so vivid, you forget they're data.
Advanced tech indistinguishable from magic? Exhibit A.
I shrugged and drew my weapon.
Iris smiled.
"Sword this time? The scythe last round suited you well."
"Felt thematic, but handling sucked. Axe might've been better."
Small talk over.
I charged casually. She raised her shield like she'd seen it coming.
Time to test combat.