355. Whisper of Starlight: Fragment of Creation
355. Whisper of Starlight: Fragment of Creation
***
Tuesday, September 7.
8:03 p.m.
By now, only the final Phase 5 of Zervallua, Beast of Destruction, remained.
The three women, gathered once more, lit up the screen dazzlingly. Thanks to their distinct beauties, Sua's viewership had surpassed 100,000. And after that, the numbers had only kept climbing.
Then, at Sua's word, Serin turned her stream back on. She gave a rough explanation of what had happened, but when she looked at the chat window, she was a little startled.
[😭😭😭😭😭😭]
[What's this feeling of being abandoned...!]
[I was watching Plea's stream instead, but I was going crazy wondering about Rin...]
[Wait, what kind of game ends a stream on its own??]
[Rinnnnnnnn]
[Rin, don't abandon your viewers!]
[But seriously, what did you do to succeed the moment you entered Phase 4??]
[fr tho lol]
[The quest complete notification popping up right as Phase 4 started and Plea's dumbfounded face was so funny lmaoooo]
[With Rin's looks, that alone is convincing enough lol]
Just looking at the chat window made me feel a strange sense of disconnection, as if I had returned to reality.
As if this was reality now. As if the me running this stream was the truth. It felt like it was forcing me to realize that.
The meeting with Princess Cecilia had certainly been brief.
In terms of time, it couldn't have been more than an hour. Yet this atmosphere felt harder to adjust to.
I felt strange, as if I had gone to another world and come back in the span of a moment.
Even so, the chat window in my field of vision seemed to hold me here, insisting that this was reality.
"Seriously, Rin! It was insane. Phase 4 had enough breathing room that we streamed together, but... I honestly thought the stream was going to blow up the whole time."
When Sua shook her head and whined that it had been exhausting, a soft laugh escaped me.
"You really must have had a hard time. I'm sorry, Sua."
"No... I’m not saying this to hear an apology. Seriously, why are you apologizing too, Rin? They said the stream ended because the imperial palace is a restricted streaming area. Then it couldn’t be helped, right?"
As Sua hurriedly shook her head, I felt this reality in a peculiar way.
Living a life completely different from the isolated Black Ark now. Because there was someone who cared about me like this.
"Tch... what's this? Are you two just talking among yourselves without me? I think I'm feeling a little hurt?"
When Yujeong, who had been listening quietly, cut into the conversation with an odd tone, I looked at her and asked.
"Of course not. Ah. So, Yujeong, who did you earn trust from?"
"I met someone named Claudia and we agreed to cooperate later."
'Claudia...?'
I had never heard the name Claudia before.
The Phase 4 description had clearly stated that the Grandelia Empire was in turmoil.
Even though she was surely one of the key figures, there was a new existence I didn't know about.
And setting that question aside, I turned my gaze to Sua. She smiled as if it were her turn and opened her mouth.
"I met an imperial knight named Aselin and we agreed to cooperate. He didn't tell me the specifics of the support, but it ended up being a contract after he saw my skills. The conditions were completed more easily than I expected, so I was a little surprised."
The moment the name Aselin came out of Sua's mouth, I froze for a second.
—Imperial Knight Order Commander Aselin.
The former Imperial Knight Order Commander, Zernati.
Originally, even before Zernati joined the rebels, Aselin had been the vice-commander. He had been a knight who followed Zernati early on, valuing unwavering conviction and people above all. That was why he had clashed with me countless times, our opinions colliding. But in the end, he was the knight who had followed Cecilia and bent his convictions.
He was also the direct superior of Vice-Commander Leira, whom I had spoken with in Phase 4.
"...I see."
I nodded, hiding my outward surprise, and Sua's eyes lit up.
"Then what about you, Rin!? You said it was the imperial palace. Didn’t you meet someone amazing?"
"That's right. Rin, who exactly did you meet?"
Following Sua's playful tone, even Yujeong asked with curious eyes. I hesitated for a moment, wondering how to answer.
But the hesitation was brief. I soon decided to speak honestly.
"I met... the Imperial Princess."
I barely suppressed the urge to say "Your Highness the Imperial Princess" as I spoke.
"What? The Imperial Princess!?"
"Wait. If it's the Imperial Princess..."
When Sua and Yujeong startled in surprise, I smiled faintly and told them the truth.
"The First Imperial Princess, Cecilia."
"Wow... that’s insane, Rin! If she’s the First Imperial Princess, isn’t she basically the one who’ll become emperor?"
"No, Rin, how is even the person you earn trust from so different? Anyway, how did you earn the Imperial Princess's trust? If she's an imperial princess, she'd be impossible to even talk to."
At Yujeong's words, Sua nodded and furrowed her brow.
"Right, seriously. In Another World, even if someone’s just the prince of some minor kingdom, they act like their pride is higher than the sky. And if she’s royalty, she must have been really awkward for you to deal with too, Rin."
At their words, a laugh escaped me involuntarily and I shook my head.
"She was just... someone I could talk to easily. I got lucky."
Princess Cecilia was one of the few proper figures who had shattered my preconceptions about the highest-ranking nobles and royalty I had known.
I understood why they said that, but I still laughed.
...
How much longer did we keep talking after that?
Once we had interacted with the stream enough and taken a break, I quietly signaled Sua with my eyes.
I figured it was about time to wrap up the stream.
—Five Million Project.
A project to be uploaded to NewTube, with the decision not to reveal everything on the livestream.
That was what had been said before the raid started.
Sua nodded as if she had caught my meaning and opened her mouth in a soft voice.
"I think we’ve interacted for a long time now and the stream was really packed. As I said earlier, today is the Five Million Project raid. Since it’s a project receiving massive support, the final Phase 5 will be revealed on NewTube. To all the Plea-lings who’ve watched so far! Thank you so, so much. The reactions today were really great too, so I think I had fun, and I think Rin and Yujeong did too!"
Indeed, like the big-name streamer she was, Sua spoke without hesitation. When she first turned her gaze to Yujeong, Yujeong straightened herself up for a moment and then responded.
"Ah. This is my first time sharing my thoughts with viewers like this, so it feels unfamiliar and still really surreal. But I think today was just really fun. I was honestly a little nervous doing content with Plea and Rin, two of the hottest people these days. Please also look forward to the videos that will be uploaded to both of their NewTube channels!"
Yujeong finished her words with a wink at the end, composed. When she turned her gaze to me, I smiled faintly and opened my mouth.
"...Honestly, I'm a little sorry that the stream ended right after I turned it on. Still, I'm grateful to the viewers who've watched until now. I think you'll be able to watch the final Phase 5 on the NewTube channel. We'll definitely clear it."
Having finished my relatively brief remarks, I turned my gaze back to Sua and took in the chat window before ending.
[asdfasdf]
[Nooooooooooo]
[Ah, I knew it, but it's still so disappointing]
[fr cutting it off at the end like this is so toxic]
[Then you have to upload the video quickly 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭]
[I'm going to hold my breath until the RinTube upload!]
[gasp!]
[I'm so disappointed, seriously]
[RinTube editor, do your jobbbbbbbb]
[I believe you'll clear it. Upload the video todayyyyy!]
[Seriously, please upload it by tomorrow]
[😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 abandoned again]
The more I looked at the chat, the more laughter escaped me. This time, I moved my hand to the end-stream button myself.
Click.
Then, as the chat window turned gray, a notification appeared saying the stream had ended.
"So the stream is over now?"
When Yujeong asked cautiously, Sua and I nodded at the same time, as if we had coordinated it.
"Yes."
"It's over."
"Hoo. Seriously... you two work harder than I imagined."
When Yujeong let out a big sigh and said that as if it had just hit her, I shook my head.
"Sua worked harder than me. From running today's stream to covering for me during Phase 4... And honestly, I think you're even more impressive, Yujeong. Streaming must still feel awkward for you... but you're so natural."
"Oh, you don't have to go that far. Honestly, streaming was more fun than I expected. Yesterday and today both, it felt a lot like playing with kids."
"If that's how it feels... you're completely suited for it. Yujeong, why don't you try becoming a streamer yourself? Seeing how composed you were yesterday and today, I think you'd really fit the role."
"Right. Yujeong, just become a streamer. Today alone, what was it, tens of thousands. You passed 100,000 just like that. Seeing you stay this composed, Yujeong! That's talent, you know?"
When Sua and I encouraged her, Yujeong gave an embarrassed smile.
"I don't know. For me, well. My main job is still busy. And I think I'd fall far short of the two of you when it comes to professional streaming... I'll think about it as a hobby later."
...
After the stream ended, we chatted comfortably and naturally rose from the safe zone.
The Subjugation of Zervallua, Beast of Destruction, Phase 5, would begin soon.
It was the finale that would cap off the raid, and time to go meet the final boss.
"Ah. Then I'll hand out the elixirs right away."
With a sudden announcement, Sua began handing out elixirs. I could see a green crystal and a red crystal, each glowing as if radiating its own light.
"Oh. Now that I think about it, what kind of elixirs are these that you're giving them out in Phase 5?"
As Yujeong accepted the elixir and asked, I also glanced over without thinking.
I had refused Sua's offer to gear me up and asked her to buy elixirs instead.
I had assumed they were top-grade, quite expensive elixirs, and I wanted to hear it directly.
Uncharacteristically for Sua, she clouded her eyes and spoke carefully, as if whispering.
"Refined Whisper of Starlight and Fragment of Creation."
"...Wait. You're giving one of each?"
When Yujeong heard the names, she startled and asked again. I, too, found myself staring blankly at the green and red crystals in my hand.
—Whisper of Starlight: Fragment of Creation.
Both were unusual names, elixirs that even I had only encountered a few times.
And the fact that she said they were refined meant the effects had been maximized. I couldn't believe these existed in Another World.
'Unprecedented Might and Fragment of the Transcendent.'
Those were the other names these elixirs went by.
In the past. A being I hadn't been particularly wary of had consumed this elixir and displayed a level of performance that shattered common sense. The effect was temporary, but the power of the elixir that had flipped the tide of the battlefield could never be ignored.
One of the few moments in the late game when I had felt death was against an opponent who had taken the elixir.
"Yes. So take them now and we'll head right in. I really invested without holding back!"
When Sua spoke confidently, Yujeong and I nodded blankly.
Then, carefully, the two elixir crystals were brought to our mouths.
Gulp.
The sensation of the elixir crystals sliding down my throat wasn't exactly pleasant, to put it kindly.
——————!!
In an instant, as if my field of vision expanded, a brilliant burst of light and a strange, seething sensation swirled through my entire body.
It felt like using my Awakening Skill, True Moon Princess. No, it was a different, enormous power.
Sua was enveloped in a radiant golden aura. Her golden hair floated in the air as if it could feel the aura, and Yujeong beside her was no different.
As if submerged in a vast darkness, Yujeong's entire body was wrapped in an even deeper black aura.
I, too, had completely changed as I looked at them, now bearing immense power.
A light so warm it was nearly transparent wrapped around my whole body, along with an indescribable power.
Ding!
*
————
[All stats greatly increase from the effect of 'Refined Whisper of Starlight'!]
[The power of all skills greatly increases from the effect of 'Refined Fragment of Creation'!]
————
*
Amid the notifications popping up one after another, Sua grinned and launched herself forward. Yujeong and I followed, confidently entering the final stage.