Chapter 12
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: An Unscheduled Broadcast
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After Im Rua headed home, I had dinner and got ready to watch the stream.
If things had gone as planned, Lulu wasn't supposed to stream today. It was her Monday off, so of course she should rest.
But after yesterday's broadcast ended, she suddenly announced, "I'm just gonna do a quick stream tomorrow~," and posted the notice.
I was worried about Lulu giving up one of her precious two days off a week, but as her fan, I couldn't be more grateful.
It felt like getting a birthday present when it wasn't even my birthday. Something like that, anyway.
So, what's the important part?
"...Can I finish editing on time today?"
My editing.
Lulu's stream was obviously going to be fun. Of course it would be.
But my editing was the problem.
With my finger tendon torn, I wasn't even sure if I could add subtitles properly.
The good news was that with the AI's help, I could probably manage somehow.
These days, editing software's AI can even convert speech to subtitles. It's not perfect, but it's way easier than doing it all manually, so I figured I'd let the AI generate a rough draft and then tweak it myself.
Plus, for things I used to do with right-clicks, I'd memorize shortcuts now.
I had to edit while avoiding my middle finger as much as possible. That was the plan for my sake.
Anyway, I waited with bated breath to see how Lulu's stream would go today.
And then 8 PM rolled around...
"Lulu hai~ Hello~ My sacrifices~ It's Lulu~"
Lulu appeared, looking as bright as ever.
She seemed overly cheerful, but her voice tone was a bit lower than usual. Was something bothering her? Hard to tell.
But Lulu was a pro streamer, and pros don't bring real-life drama into their streams.
"So, the game for today is...! Endless Return!"
The surprise game for this unscheduled stream was Endless Return, a Korean-made game with solid recognition among subculture fans.
Three players form a team, and in a top-down survival game with eight teams total on an island, the goal is to be the last ones standing.
The unique thing was that Lulu didn't play games like this often.
While Lulu was a general gaming streamer, she mostly stuck to package games rather than online service ones. Aris handled the online games more.
So why was Lulu picking this? One of two reasons.
Sponsored, or someone talked her into it.
And sure enough, someone had convinced her. Someone totally unexpected.
"Hello~ It's Mei~ Meha meha~ Meee~"
I thought it'd be Aris dragging her into it, but surprisingly, it was Nemuru Mei who had roped her in.
"Today~ Lulu and I~ are gonna play~ Endless Return together~"
"Waaah~ Waaah~"
Mei naturally took the lead, with Lulu chiming in.
I loved the Lulu-Aris combo most, but honestly, Lulu-Mei pairings were fun to watch too. In some ways, they felt even more relaxing.
The chemistry between the tomboy maknae and the warm big sis who embraced her shone through.
"Before we start the game~ Does our Lulu know how to play~?"
"I've watched Aris play it a lot! And other streamers too!"
"Have you played it yourself~?"
"Up to level 10!"
Lulu declared it proudly, but level 10 meant newbie, straight up.
"Waaah~ You've played a lot~"
"Right right~"
But Mei played along, hyping Lulu up big time.
"So what character has our Lulu played the most~?"
"Me? I played this one a lot!"
"Hmm... Tough one for a newbie..."
"But it's ranged, so it should be fine, right?"
"In this game, melee's generally easier~ But if Lulu wants to, we do it~"
The character Lulu picked was one of the higher-difficulty ranged ones.
Poor mobility, and with so many melee dealers having great escapes, positioning was key.
"Sis will protect you~ You can do great~?"
"Heehee, I'll try~!"
"Fighting fighting~"
Boosted by Mei's cheer, Lulu beamed as they started the game.
And not long after...
"Sisiiiis... Sorry..."
"No no, it's fine~ Happens~"
Lulu got ambushed by an enemy assassin, sparking a fight that tanked the game completely.
They placed 7th. With 8 teams, basically dead last.
If it'd been Aris, she'd probably nitpick a bit. Aris held back before exploding these days, so just some tsk-tsking.
But it was Mei now.
And Mei wasn't the type to call out Lulu for sucking. Instead...
"Next time, better positioning, okay? And sis is sorry too? I could've covered you."
Mei comforted her.
Touched, Lulu nodded vigorously and replied energetically.
"I'll do better next game...!"
"Yeah yeah~ Fighting~"
"Fighting...!"
The next round started boldly, and the one after...
"Sorryyyy...!"
Lulu got caught again and died.
Lulu really was bad at games. Like, really bad.
Yet Mei said nothing about it. She just soothed her.
Mei wasn't a gaming god either, but she was better than Lulu and had more talent for it.
Maybe that's why she was even better at comforting than Aris. She got the frustration of sucking, and they were close in skill.
"Lulu, how about trying a mage instead~? Like this one."
"Ooh, she's cute...! And a vampire! Like Lulu!"
"Right~ She's a vampire, and Lulu's a succubus! So similar~"
"Hehe, I'll try her!"
The character Mei recommended now was an AoE mage that dove into enemy lines to wreck them—easy mode for mages, fitting Lulu's tastes.
Mei really knew how to run a stream.
Not forcing like Aris's "Play this!", but gently guiding Lulu naturally.
And with Mei's advice, switching characters, Lulu started winning.
How much? Well...
"Sis!? How was I!?"
"Aigoo, our Lulu did great~ Aris would praise you for that."
"Really!?"
"Really~"
"Kyaaa~"
Mei even said "Aris would praise you." I agreed.
Lulu earned it. Hiding unseen, then bursting out with AoE on enemies—it was highlight-reel pro level for that moment.
But this was Flub-Lulu's stream, and true to form, she couldn't let a good play be the highlight. She dropped the real one.
What was it?
"At this rate, I can do great on the homework stream too, right!?"
"...Lulu?"
"Ah."
Lulu froze after her "Ah," and then...
"Haaaa... Lulu?"
"Yes...?"
"After the stream, we need to talk, sis to sis?"
"E... hehehe..."
Mei's genuine rage.
Lololololololololololololol
She was prepping her homework lolololololololol
Lololololololololololololololololol
Mad Lulu lolololololololol
Baaa boooo lolololololololol
"I'm not an idiot...!"
She totally was—spilling the game company homework secret like that? Peak idiot.
From the game company's view, though, it wasn't bad.
If a streamer practiced and enjoyed it before homework streams, that proved it was fun, right?
Anyway, that's how I saw it.
No matter what, one thing was clear: this stream's highlight was that final moment.
Lulu accidentally spoiling her homework stream. That was the real deal.