Ideal Type World Cup: "Why Do You Watch My Stream?"

After turning on the stream, I sometimes wonder about it.

Why do you watch my broadcasts?

It started as a way to casually earn enough for potion costs because time in the capsule felt ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like a waste. But looking back, my streams had become too self-centered.

At some point, it became a habit to turn off the chat window and cut off all communication. It wasn't just in World of Arceria. It had been like that long before...

A modest 3-pyeong space in virtual reality. Back then, it only had a bed, a table, and a chair. Structurally, it hadn't changed much. But streaming alone meant I needed space to jot down formulas, so I'd bought chalkboards and such from the paid shop.

Between my toes, I could see the fluffy animal fur woven into the carpet. It was the exact same product No Seola had sold me before—down to the hash value—bought at 100 times market price under the guise of server restoration costs. Even the atomic structure would match another carpet with the same name. It meant nothing, I knew... but sometimes reason just surrenders.

During streams, I'd only scribble down scraps of magical knowledge I remembered and mutter to myself. My past life's knowledge wasn't complete. Like forgetting a long dream unless I desperately recalled it upon waking, I was piecing together the puzzle of my previous life bit by bit.

Once I awakened those dormant magical insights from my subconscious, all that remained was regret. Ah... if only I'd used this spell back then. If only I'd known a way to conserve mana at that moment. To soothe the soul of my past life mired in regret, I researched and ranted. But who was that rage from my throat directed at?

Maybe that's why I shut off the chat during my self-indulgent "lectures" disguised as monologues. I didn't want criticism. The moment someone else pointed out my choices were wrong, I wouldn't be able to bear it. It made me want to think of nothing at all.

Especially on days like today.

And today, instead of the usual piano or violin classics, a somewhat mind-scrambling tune was playing.

In pitch-black darkness, the clear, high voice of a honey badger girl passionately singing a foreign song echoed like a reverberation.

"..."

I'd meant to filter out viewers, but the problem was I had to listen to it too. At first, I thought it fit since her voice resembled mine, but it was more uncomfortable than expected.

Is it the trend now for VTubers to sing too?

"That's enough for now."

I closed the VTube window entirely and turned the camera back on.

Time to return to the calm atmosphere. Under the dimly lit, not overly bright lighting, I sank into the armchair.

The chat's heat remained, but now directed elsewhere, giving me a slight sense of pride. I glanced at the viewer count.

Viewers had halved compared to before, but the intimacy between me and the remaining ones had deepened. One mudfish muddies the water, one rotten apple spoils the barrel.

The room, purged of aggro-pullers and haters, wasn't perfect but suited me well.

The cheerful donation sound of coins clinking, followed by a voice message in the same tone as the girl who'd just sung.

Had Kariri even commodified her own voice in this capitalist world?

"Thank you."

The loyal viewers now demanded in unison what came next. Ending the stream right away would sour the mood, so I rocked the armchair back and forth, pondering deeply.

Lecturing on magic as usual wouldn't fit the short time left. I'd avoided interaction beyond donations, making this awkward—like class ended but everyone still sat waiting for the professor.

Still, the kids who waited patiently deserved a sweet marshmallow.

"I'll do the free talk in an hour. In the meantime, if there's content you want, I'll consider it."

"Doesn't seem appealing. Then the stream ends here..."

"Ideal Type World Cup?"

Ideal type and World Cup coexisting? Ideal type was the most perfect abstract form for an individual—comparing it to others was contradictory from the start.

Half curiosity, half skepticism, I clicked the link. It featured World Cups in various categories.

Ah, a World Cup to find your ideal type. Not preset ideals, but selecting from examples to narrow down to one. "Ideal type" ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was almost unnecessary—food World Cups, life movie World Cups, Pokéxmon World Cups ranked high too. Just VS games in tournament format, hence "World Cup."

Viewers wanted different categories, so the once-quiet chat exploded.

I scrolled popular ones. I hated judging people by looks—despised it, really.

Scrolling further felt pointless when one term caught my eye like a spell.

An unpopular category no one likely wanted. A good idea struck.

"This content will be viewer participation. The three who match my choices to the end will get manager privileges in my room."