183 - How Can Someone's Name Be NoName?
Language always causes pronunciation problems. But English, the global lingua franca, respects native pronunciations everywhere, so there's hardly any room for confusion in reality.
Lmao, Kariri gasped in shock.
'No, please don't cross that river! That's not just some nickname!'
She had no power to convince the 550,000-strong crowd.
"Ah, so your nickname is pronounced NoName, not NoName!"
At the caster's misunderstanding, NoName shook her head and corrected him.
"No, you're free to call my nickname whatever you want. What I meant was my real name. NoName—these three letters are a precious name left to me by my late mother, so I wanted everyone to know it."
"Uh... uh, yes...! What a really pretty name! So... that means NoName—no, NoName has been selected for this glorious Total MVP spot thanks to her incredible performance... And they've just prepared the highlight reel...! Let's all watch it together now! Whew..."
The caster hurriedly pulled a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his brow. It was virtual reality, so he wasn't actually sweating, but the reflexive action came from sheer fluster.
On the stadium's central screens stretching east, west, south, and north, NoName's highlight compilation began playing with grand music.
Each clip was a super play that someone might only pull off once in a lifetime, but no one was paying attention.
Unusual names come with buzz. Especially since the default NoName given in VR if you don't set one turned out to be someone's actual name—it's astonishing and surprising.
"Not a concept, but real...? For real...?"
Sia, who'd been in the same clan as NoName for years, replayed the interview in shock.
"What, you didn't know? You always called NoName 'Nami'!"
"No, she told me to call her that, so I thought it was a joke—how can someone's name be... Gasp! No, wait, that's not it!"
Sia clamped her hands over her mouth. She'd nearly committed a huge faux pas against NoName.
Naturally, the channel with the next highest viewers after Letterbox Official was Kariri's stream.
"Shh...!"
Kariri quietly pressed a finger to her lips.
"Let's listen quietly."
Her reaction was different from usual. Her coldly sunken eyes gave nothing away.
As the highlights ended, the caster's voice echoed through the now-chilled stadium.
"NoName—no, NoName! Congrats on the win! Arseria Forest... insane, honestly. Stealing the healer kill at the end had everyone on the edge of their seats. You just did it all yourself! We have to do an interview. How are you this good at the game?!"
"Uh... I think my reflexes are pretty good."
"Reflexes! Totally! That's the secret to your fearless plays!"
"To all the fans who cheered so passionately, and everyone who joined us, please share your thoughts at length! Uh, one sec, what?"
The caster pressed the in-ear firmly, focusing on the message from central control.
"First time for this. Yes! Streamer NoName apparently foresaw getting Total MVP and pre-recorded a thank-you video! We saw Harasho-san's promo last year, but a vlog like this is new! Such overwhelming confidence!"
"Here! Eat up, kiddo!"
A modulated male voice. A grandfather's wrinkled hand held a street crepe piled high with strawberries and ice cream.
The camera angle dipped low to the ground, then the food stall reappeared as the protagonist took it.
"Thank you. Have a good sales day, Grandpa."
This time, a child's voice that melted the ears came from off-screen. Also modulated, it seemed.
It was a scorching sunny day. Cloudless blue skies and cars whizzing by now and then formed an utterly ordinary cityscape.
Heat haze rising from the asphalt hinted at the sweltering weather.
"Hello, NoName here. Tried to shoot a short vlog, but of course it's on a day like this."
The child's voice again. The screen shook slightly. Still no view of the protagonist.
The camera vibration matched walking steps, so she was probably holding it in one hand while strolling.
"Today is June 6th—the day before the finals. I've prepared hard, so no jitters, but I'm a bit worried if I'll actually get to show you this video. Oh, this is crepe. Vlog's a vlog, can't skip food, so I got my favorite."
She had to eat quick before the ice cream melted. The slurping of the drips was striking.
"First, thanks to everyone watching this. Looking back, it's been a string of fun days. Preparing for the tourney reminded me that the process matters more than results. This event will stay as a sweet memory in my heart forever."
The corner appeared; camera turned 90 degrees toward the alley.
"Reasons for this video are many, but here's one. My stream has tons of foreign viewers. Among them, not a few are parents, siblings, or kids waiting anxiously for soldiers deployed abroad. Personally, the 'Hibiscus Incident' in Sudan lately fills me with dismay. I hope for no more tragic losses worldwide and send deep condolences from afar."
Events unrelated to Korea that could be ignored—NoName addressed them squarely.
"And to viewers in Korea, if I may overstep: Lately, just living feels tougher. I feel more and more viewers coming to my stream after grueling days."
A light mosaic covered the screen. Entering an apartment complex, minimal privacy measures.
"Your quiet push toward a better future amid uncertainty and hardship is admirable. I vow to burn myself out in tomorrow's finals, hoping it sparks a bit of hope for you. May the days ahead be happier than those past—for me and for you."
Into the elevator, home, out of the shoe closet, into the room next door. NoName trailed off shyly as she introduced it.
"This is my room. Even somewhat cleaned, some might find it messy. Most proofs I uploaded to VTube were made right here."
As she said, post-its with messy equations clung precariously to the walls.
She slotted the camera onto a pre-set tripod. In the room's center, a small child's chair faced it.
An odd, discordant setup.
As the shaky screen steadied, a tiny palm waved in the air a few times before vanishing.
Soon, a child toddled in from the right, sat on the chair.
The room's soft lighting flowed over her jet-black hair.
Long hair nearly brushing the floor fluttered over the chair back.
Pale, almost ghostly skin contrasted sharply with dark clothes.
Her frame seemed like it'd blow away in the wind.
Everything—head, body, arms, legs—was tiny without exception, but her facial features asserted presence sharply.
Not fierce, but weary half-lidded eyes gazed at the camera, the screen, the 550,000 viewers.
A flat, dry voice followed immediately, devoid of inflection.
"Hello. I'm NoName, a second-year in the elementary division of Seferon Academy."
What she'd thought was modulated was unmistakably NoName's real voice.
"Nice to meet you."