219. A Hot Topic Stream
219. A Hot Topic Stream
***
Serin had been inwardly surprised at how Sua brought up Zervallua as if by chance, but outwardly she was able to keep her composure and continue the conversation.
After that, just eating the ramyeon they'd made and chatting about this and that was enough to send lunchtime slipping by.
The conversation proceeded as if the raid monster had already been set as Zervallua, and I didn't particularly object to it either.
She'd had a nightmare of a dream, and she did have an unpleasant past with Zervallua, but there was no real need to change the raid monster.
It had been quite a long time since then, and at this point, I felt it'd be ridiculous to consciously avoid Zervallua.
The Great Demonic Beast Zervallua she'd met in Black Ark and the Zervallua she would meet in Another World were surely going to be completely different.
Besides, it was a demonic beast I had personally subjugated.
Whatever price I'd paid in the process... the fact remained that it was a demonic beast I'd killed.
As the conversation seemed to be slowly winding down, Sua suddenly glanced at Serin's expression and cautiously added.
"Serin, if there's anything you don't like or anything bothering you, please feel free to tell me."
"Huh?"
When Serin gave her a puzzled look, Sua slowly continued.
"Honestly, you did agree with what I said, but your eyes were kind of... how do I put it...? A little reluctant? That's how it looked to me, at least. Was the raid topic not really your thing?"
Serin smiled faintly and shook her head.
"No, I really do think it's fine. I didn't have any particular topic in mind for the project, and a 3-person raid has a fresh feel to it, so I'm sure the reaction will be good."
"Well, as long as you really feel that way."
As Sua trailed off as if something was still nagging at her, Serin answered as if settling the matter.
"Sua, I really am fine with it."
"If you say it like that, then okay."
Sua had hesitated, as if she'd picked up on Serin's subtle feelings about Zervallua, but Serin just kept saying it was fine.
Right after, Sua showered and slowly got ready to leave, then tidied herself up a little and got up without lingering.
With a light cardigan draped over her, Sua looked at Serin with an expression that was more refreshed than anything.
"I really enjoyed yesterday and today, Serin. When I'm with you, I lose track of time."
"Well, I had fun too. So you really don't need to feel that sorry. It's not like you were a burden. Meeting up with someone isn't a burden or anything like that."
When Serin emphasized the word burden, Sua smiled playfully.
"Serin, you're emphasizing it on purpose to make me feel bad, aren't you?"
"...I tell you it's really fine, and you still say that?"
"No, Serin. I just said that because I'm really grateful you said it at all. And from now on, I'll be more mindful too."
Serin walked with Sua as she headed to the front door.
"I'll message you again once I feel ready about the raid schedule and the number of people."
"Yeah. Got it."
When Sua, with a bright expression, waved and slowly let go of the door, Serin waved back to see her off.
Click.
With the sound of the door closing, Sua left, and Serin slowly turned around.
The house she looked at again somehow suddenly felt empty.
Just moments ago she'd been chatting warmly with Sua, but now that she was alone, it just felt quiet. As if the space had swallowed the silence whole, an endlessly still feeling.
At that, Serin laughed for no particular reason.
"So being alone feels unfamiliar now, huh."
It was a strange feeling, a little wistful but also fascinating.
It felt like just the other day that she'd taken being alone for granted, but now she could feel someone's absence.
She checked the time, and it was approaching 1 p.m.
She hadn't really done much, but broadcast time was approaching fast in real time.
"Should I get ready for the stream?"
Today's stream was, in a sense, close to a highlight, so there was a lot more to pay attention to.
The stream had cut off, so the proper ending hadn't been revealed, and she knew it had caused a big controversy in the community.
***
August 25, 3:59 p.m.
One minute left until 4 p.m., streamer Rin's regular broadcast time.
There was a woman who had already opened the tweetie streamer Rin channel on her tablet and was waiting for the stream.
A woman who had belatedly watched yesterday's Serin broadcast through the replay, and who was using her time to watch Rin's stream despite her busy schedule.
A beauty with a cold impression beneath glossy, jet-black hair.
Another World nickname Jeanne d'Arc, Yoo Eunha.
"I hope Serin won."
Eunha murmured her wish and watched the time pass in her private room.
As if she were the first person to ever feel how slowly a single minute could pass, Eunha was hoping Serin's stream would turn on quickly.
Then, the moment the number on the screen changed from 59 to 0, Eunha quickly pressed refresh.
The channel status that had said "Not currently streaming" changed to "Live," and the stream was on.
Smiling as if pleased, Eunha could soon see the chat scrolling up actively.
[She's heeeeeere!]
[I seriously almost died waiting]
[Why didn't you turn on the stream right away yesterday!!!]
[Hiiii, Rin!]
[Hi, Rin!]
[How did it end!?]
[Who the hell won??]
[What happened with the Cave of Trials!?]
[lolol the chat's already a total mess the second the stream turned on]
[Is it real that viewer count is going up the moment the stream starts lololololol]
[fr this seems record-breaking lolol]
[Feels like the viewer count's rising like when she collabed with Jeanne d'Arc;?]
Eunha let the rapidly scrolling chat pass by her eyes and waited for the soft voice to come through.
—Ah, ah.
Before long, Serin's distinctive voice came through as if testing the mic.
—The Wednesday, August 25 stream has started.
At Serin's voice, speaking in her usual manner, Eunha unconsciously smiled.
"Serin really is... just Serin."
How should she put it—she was just a charming person for no particular reason.
Yesterday's stream had ended in such a dramatic situation, yet today she was starting the stream in her usual calm tone as if nothing had happened.
As if reflecting Eunha's feelings, the chat began scrolling even faster, as if about to burst.
And when she turned her gaze to the viewer count,
Viewers: 7,638.
It had only been a few minutes since the stream started, but the count had already climbed to 7,000. The abnormally rising viewer count was clearly increasing faster than usual.
—There seem to be a lot of viewers today.
At the sight of Serin mentioning the viewer count in a calm tone, Eunha let out a laugh but stayed focused, waiting for her words.
[Rin's seriously toxic, asdfgh]
[She's just saying that all casually?]
[Who won!]
[She knows everyone's curious and she's dragging it out on purpose lolol]
[Daji won, right?]
[Who won??]
[Oh please... stop dragging it out]
[The stream's been on for less than five minutes, what do you mean dragging it out lolololol]
[Who won against Daji yesterday?]
[This chat is fr insane]
[Just tell us the result, I seriously couldn't sleep because I was so curious;]
The chat, scrolling as if about to explode, was full of curiosity about yesterday's result, and Eunha wasn't much different.
Yesterday, her scrim time had overlapped with the stream time, so she hadn't been able to watch Serin's stream, and she had belatedly checked the replay.
Eunha had even cut into her sleep to watch Serin's stream replay, but the result had been cut off at the end, so she hadn't been able to sleep properly.
That was why she had tried even harder to finish this morning's scrim earlier than usual, and it was no exaggeration to say that the reason today's TSJ scrim ended early was largely because Eunha wanted to watch Serin's stream.
—No more, no less, exactly 4:10. I'll tell you the result you're all curious about then, so that as many people as possible can see it. And to be honest, I didn't even realize yesterday's stream had turned off, and after everything was over, I just didn't have the energy to turn it back on.
"4:10, huh..."
The current time was 4:06 p.m.
Serin's voice saying she would reveal it in four minutes was understandable since she was a streamer, but Eunha still felt like she was on pins and needles.
The viewer count was climbing rapidly by the second, and the chat, in an uproar, looked almost impossible to control.
Serin had clearly said she was too tired to turn the stream back on, but seeing how many people were still typing toxic comments despite hearing that, Eunha frowned.
"People like this should just be banned from watching streams entirely."
After that, Eunha simply waited for 10 minutes to arrive.
Amid the donations and low-grade baiting chats, she didn't want to be one of the people pestering Serin.
Glancing at one side of the tablet, Eunha suddenly noticed the donation account.
— Donation account balance: 5,000,000 won.
She planned to donate after Serin revealed yesterday's ending.
If Serin had lost, as a gesture of consolation; if she had won, as a gesture of congratulations.
Then, as the painfully slow time passed and 10 minutes arrived, the black screen began to fade and slowly show a familiar sight.
A sight unmistakably unique to Another World the moment you saw it.
Then the screen began to show a silver-haired character slowly standing in place.
Rin, a silver-haired woman who looked so much like Serin, yet gave off a different air.
—Time's up, so I'll tell you now. Could everyone focus on the screen, please?
As Serin, speaking in a soft voice, moved her hand lightly, the screen on the tablet was soon dyed in brilliant golden light.
Then a single hologram that filled the entire broadcast screen powerfully seized the attention of every viewer watching, including Eunha.
*
————
【Cave of Trials - Hard Cleared!】
A massive trial spanning a total of 5 stages!
You have overcome every one of those trials!
Trial Reward: Guaranteed Mythic-Grade Item acquisition.
『Claim Reward』
————
*
The phrase "Guaranteed Mythic-Grade Item acquisition" sparkled brilliantly in gold, and the Claim Reward button was activated in green.
And all of it indicated that she had cleared it.
"She really won...?"
Eunha stared at the screen and murmured blankly.
Honestly, Daji's skill, which she had seen in the replay, was no ordinary thing even in Jeanne d'Arc's eyes. Moreover, the objective difference in equipment and traits had been severe... so she had actually thought Serin would have a hard time.
Serin winning had been closer to a wish.
But now that wish was filling the screen as reality.