Chapter 3. Throne of Madness: Lunance Abervich (3)

The next day. It was only in the morning that Gahyeon woke up.

When he got up and stepped out of his room, breakfast was already set, and Gahyeon naturally sat at the table.

"Son. Why did you sleep so deeply? You didn't even twitch."

When Ayeon asked Gahyeon with concern, Gahyeon reassured her by saying he was fine.

"It's nothing. I was just playing a game and got exhausted."

"Oh my. Your stamina hasn't recovered yet, so take it easy."

"Yes."

While he was taking a spoonful of rice, Taehwan rushed over and shoved his phone in front of Gahyeon.

"Dad. I'm eating."

"No. No... That's not the point, son! Is this you?"

"...That's me."

The video contained the scene of Gahyeon fighting Lunance, and even the scene where he received a kiss on the forehead, all intact.

"Oh my. Our son received a kiss behind our backs?"

"It's a game, Mom. The character did it to me."

"Isn't it a multiplayer game?"

"It's single-player."

"Oh, my."

While Ayeon showed her disappointment, Taehwan kept staring at the screen on the smartphone.

"...Son."

"Why, Dad."

"How... did this happen."

"...."

A brief silence.

But that moment between the two was incredibly long.

Just as Gahyeon was about to tell them what happened to him while he was in a coma, he remembered the reactions of the Tusu during his broadcast.

He thought they wouldn't believe him even if he told them.

Furthermore, he decided to tell a white lie, thinking his parents would worry for no reason.

"After waking up from the coma, my swordsmanship skills improved. Please just believe that."

"...Son...."

Taehwan hugged Gahyeon without a word.

He seemed to have more to say, but neither parent asked any further.

Gahyeon felt Taehwan's warmth without saying a word.

In the past, the shadow of his older brother, Yeom Seong-hyeon, had been too large.

Ayeon also took the smartphone from Taehwan, watched the video, and soon her face stiffened as she stroked Gahyeon's hair without a word.

After a short while, the actions toward Gahyeon stopped.

"...Son. This video is currently trending in the gaming category on Nutube."

"...Pardon?"

"It seems someone edited it. The sword fighting and the forehead kiss."

"Cough!"

He didn't mind the swordsmanship, but the forehead kiss was embarrassing.

Besides, who on earth uploaded it?

The copyright strictly belonged to Gahyeon.

Someone must have illegally saved and edited it before uploading.

"Dad. Please take care of that. I never uploaded it."

"I will. I'll contact the legal team to have it taken down immediately."

"...Ah. Come to think of it, Dad. Silas wants to use my video as a promotional video...."

"What? Can you show me the contract?"

Gahyeon, feeling unsure, went into the email he had given to Michael, and found that Michael had sent a contract related to the promotional video.

"This is it."

Taehwan, having received Gahyeon's phone, looked over the contract for a moment and nodded.

"It's good. The terms are favorable. However, I think we should ask the legal team for the details. Can you send it to Dad's email?"

"Yes. I'll send it, so please look into it."

Gahyeon sent it to Taehwan via email immediately and continued eating his meal.

Meanwhile, Taehwan kept talking, seemingly finding the situation amusing.

"Wow. Our son. Are you debuting as a streamer? This. We should have our company handle the advertising too!"

"Is it that big of a deal? Honey?"

"Of course! The main director of Silas's Ancient Booklet has tweeted about Gahyeon several times!"

"Isn't it three times?"

"...I don't think so?"

"...Pardon?"

Gahyeon, having quickly finished his meal, went into his room and checked Michael Garcia's tweets.

Aside from the one posted earlier, a new one had been uploaded.

[Michael Garcia]

It is a truly amazing battle!

God and human. A confrontation between human and god!

To see that historic match, please watch it on the official Ancient Booklet Nutube soon!

[Michael Garcia]

It seems our Lunans has taken quite a liking to 'Sura'!

To think she even revealed her true identity!

We will meet for more details in the Ancient Booklet promotional video coming to Nutube soon!

"This guy. He's already assuming I'll accept the contract."

Gahyeon thought positively.

Seeing that he was saying this much, he figured he wouldn't be able to refuse no matter how high the terms were.

Gahyeon came out of his room and asked Taehwan.

"Dad, you saw the tweet too, right? This. I think I need to go to the Silas Korea branch."

"Yes. That seems to be the case. I'll assign a legal team employee to you. First, could you send an email to Michael saying you'll go to the Korea branch?"

"Hmm. That would be better."

Gahyeon sent an email to Michael via his phone.

It was roughly about wanting to discuss the contract at the Korea branch and, if possible, doing it within the day.

It was currently night in the US where Michael was, but he replied immediately.

[Michael Garcia]
Of course that's possible! Thanks to Sura, I have work to do, so I decided to pull an all-nighter tonight :) I'm not blaming you!

As expected. It seemed that being glued to the office was a tradition for game companies.

Gahyeon exchanged a few emails with Michael to coordinate the time and decided to have the meeting in the afternoon.

"Is this the place?"

Gahyeon, who had driven the car Taehwan lent him to the Silas Korea branch, looked up at the large building in front of him.

Just then, a person standing next to the building entrance waved at Gahyeon and approached.

"Ah! Are you the employee my father sent?"

"That's right. Let's go, Gahyeon-nim."

"Ah, but your name is..."

"My name is Cha Dong-su."

"Ah, yes. Dong-su-ssi. Let's go."

Gahyeon entered the building with the legal team employee Taehwan had assigned to him.

Then, he went straight to the information desk, stated his reason, and a moment later, a person approached from the entrance, waving.

It was a person with a typical office worker's build and appearance. However, the unique point was that he was bald, with his hair shaved clean.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Han Jeong-man, the person in charge of this contract."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Yeom Ga-hyeon, and this is Cha Dong-su-ssi, who will be advising on the contract."

"Yes. Understood. Then, please come this way."

They took the elevator to the place he directed them to, and they immediately entered one of the meeting rooms.

Inside the room, a projector was on and transmitting a screen, and there was the main director of the Silas corporation. Michael Garcia's face was visible.

"Michael?"

"Ah. Michael said he wanted to talk in person as well. I apologize for not informing you in advance."

Han Jeong-man's face was full of smiles as he said this. He probably wanted to surprise him.

"Yes... Well. I can hold a conversation."

Since Taehwan had taught him English properly from a young age, Gahyeon's English skills were excellent enough to communicate with foreigners without any issues.

The contract discussion was not as long as expected, and it went smoothly.

Michael Garcia came out with a low profile, saying he would accommodate as much as possible, and when Gahyeon asked, puzzled, it seemed he had taken quite a liking to Gahyeon.

'No, everyone believes it's a concept.'

It wasn't a concept, but Gahyeon's sincerity, but it was clear that no one would truly believe it.

Sighing inwardly, Gahyeon started from the story of his past.

"My past is... um. I used to do kendo."

At that, Gahyeon made a complex expression and slowly opened his mouth.

"...I was third-rate."

He was truly third-rate. A third-rate who wasn't recognized by many and was teased.

At those words, Michael spread his arms wide and was surprised.

Gahyeon clenched his teeth for a moment and then relaxed.

That past. The brother who was always ahead. And the master who awakened his potential.

"...I tried insanely hard. Truly."

Michael clapped and cheered.

"Bravo! That's amazing. But I don't quite understand. Could I hear a specific explanation?"

Gahyeon stroked his chin for a moment, thinking, and then opened his mouth.

"Michael, have you ever been immersed in one thing for 24 hours straight?"

Michael waved his hands.

Surely everyone would say such behavior is impossible.

"I did it. 24 hours a day. Even while sleeping. I kept thinking about it even in my dreams.

How can I get better? How can I beat my opponent?

Insanely. I researched, thought, and pondered insanely.

And I kept that up for days. Weeks. Months. Years."

Gahyeon chuckled at Michael's fuss.

"It wasn't just simple effort. That was... a human's desperation, wanting and wishing somehow."

Michael chimed in and made a finger-gun gesture.

"That's right."

Gahyeon smiled.

Very brightly.

As if he had finally achieved it.

"I achieved it."

After about an hour and a half of the meeting, Michael turned off the video conference.

Michael scratched his head for a moment, then jumped up from his seat and ran somewhere.

The place he arrived at was the PR department.

"Work might get tough for a while!"

The PR team members, who were chatting and taking a break, clamored.

"What does that mean? Michael?"

"Boo! The main director must guarantee our right to rest!"

Michael winked and smiled.

"Hahaha! Don't worry! The development team is going to die too!"

One of the PR team employees, who was drinking bitter coffee, asked.

"What's going on! What guaranteed our overtime!"

At that, Michael laughed like a child.

"Hahaha! It's the World's Best! 'THE ONE!' A one-of-a-kind existence has appeared!"

The employees clutched their heads at the strange noise again today.

"Wow. Is this you?"

"Yeah. How is it? Is it cool?"

"It's fucking awesome...."

Four days later, Gahyeon met Su-han and showed him the video of himself uploaded to the Silas Nutube.

The swordsmanship video lasted for 25 minutes, and the entire original was about 25 minutes. It meant there was practically no editing.

The game video ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠saved in the capsule could be filmed and viewed from various angles, and thanks to that, the directing angles were excellent.

Su-han, who had been staring blankly at the video for 25 minutes, patted Gahyeon's shoulder.

"You succeeded. I knew you would."

"Bullshit. You always teased me, saying I wasn't as good as my brother."

"...I was joking!"

Su-han sipped his coffee for a moment and continued.

"Like I said last time... do you feel relieved?"

"...."

Relieved.

Gahyeon ruminated on those words.

After being reincarnated in Murim and living there, Gahyeon saw the humans living in the heaven above heaven.

Overwhelming martial arts prowess.

Watching that, Gahyeon thought, 'Couldn't I become like that too?', but that was nothing more than the immature thought of a person living in the Central Plains.

Just like himself, who tried to surpass his brother on Earth.

And the one who made that immature thought come true was his master.

The self-proclaimed World's Best, and the martial artist acknowledged by the Cheonma. It was Han Ga-hwi.

[Don't make me laugh! Did you truly try? Did you immerse yourself in martial arts like a madman?]

[Effort is! Madness! To beat a genius who breaks through walls insanely without any frustration, you must be crazy!]

[You! Have a talent for effort! I, the World's Best Han Ga-hwi, declare it!]

Thinking of his master for a moment, Gahyeon laughed.

Because the days with his master were a series of hardships, but at the same time, they were enjoyable.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Thinking about my master."

"...Was there a master in the place you said you lived?"

"Of course. He's the one who made me the World's Best."

"Wow. A top-tier martial arts instructor. Seeing as he made you like that."

"You bastard?"

He tried to put him in a headlock like last time, but this time Su-han quickly ran away.

"Hick! Manager! Tell him to get out!"

"...Boss. This is not a playground...."

Su-han, who had been bothering the innocent cafe manager, returned to his seat and sat down after a while.

Then he picked up his smartphone again and checked another video, the one of the castle viewing with Lunans and the forehead kiss.

"...Oh. You envious bastard."

"I told you to only watch the duel video!"

"Ah, shit! Let me watch it!"

The area around the two became noisy, but the cafe was already loud, and above all, this was Su-han's cafe.

"Wow. It's amazing. They said AI and capsule technology have advanced lately, so NPC freedom and story freedom have increased tremendously."

"Yeah. I didn't expect it either."

"...Hey. But are you going to stream?"

"...Actually, that's why I called you. You said you watched some internet broadcasts."

"What? Are you really going to do it properly?"

"...I don't know. But my heart is leaning towards it a little. I'm going to keep doing it while I'm resting."

He hadn't done it much, but he was always happy inside the Ancient Booklet.

A series of moments where he ran wild as if he had regained his Murim self, which he had forgotten for months.

In the unexpected space of virtual reality, Gahyeon saw Murim.

Gahyeon thought, wouldn't it be fun to have a job where he keeps experiencing things like this?

"...Honestly, after coming back from Murim, I'm not sure if I'll adapt to the company properly.... Virtual reality was fun, wasn't it?"

"...True. If what you said is true, you went through such things. I don't think company work will stick. Hey. But this isn't easy to do as a job. I looked into it, and it's a pretty difficult field."

"Ah."

Of course, Gahyeon wasn't trying to broadcast without something to rely on. He had his own grounds.

Recently, Gahyeon's Twinkle channel surpassed 3,000 followers, which was a good upward trend considering he had only broadcast a few times.

"Along with this. I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠saw that my peak viewership recently hit 2,000. Isn't this level of metrics okay?"

"Hmm.... That's true. Ah. Then should I help you from the side? I've dabbled in streaming on Nutube a few times, so I know all the related programs and such."

"Then help me out. That. Manager? When I turn on the broadcast next time, you be the manager."

"Well. Of course I can help with that much."

"Yeah. Thanks."

"I'll help you right away. Let's go to your house today. Since you don't have a computer, I'll take my laptop for support."

These days, many houses didn't have computers because of capsules.

It was because most tasks could be done inside the capsule.

Gahyeon's house only had Gahyeon's capsule and no computer, so they decided to take the laptop that Su-han often carried around.

"Yeah. Please. I earned some money, so I'll pay you."

"Well, let's think about that later. It's not like I don't have money."

Su-han and Gahyeon, who finished talking at the cafe, came to Gahyeon's house.

Su-han exchanged greetings with Gahyeon's mother, who was at home, and then entered Gahyeon's room.

"Hey. First, let's divide the broadcast into Part 1 and Part 2."

"Huh? Isn't it better to just play the game right away?"

Su-han shook his head at that.

"That's not bad either. But right now, the spotlight is on you. People will be secretly curious about things. You're just resolving that. It'll take 30 minutes? It won't be long."

"Oh... that sounds plausible."

Saying that, Gahyeon went into the capsule and entered the prepared virtual reality 'Life'.

Watching that, Su-han turned on the laptop and set up the broadcast environment with the manager authority he had received in advance.

Meanwhile, the broadcast turned on.

"Hello!"

Gahyeon checked the number of viewers and people's reactions for a moment.

The number of viewers kept rising and reached nearly 800.

[Su-hanSu: Ahem, no harsh profanity.]

"Ah, yes. My friend is doing it for a while. Han Su-han."

Then, reactions from some Tusu came up.

"Ah. Yes, that's right. It's that Su-han who does Nutube."

Then, some Tusu who knew this reacted.

Tusu who didn't know asked questions.

It was Su-han who answered.

[Su-hanSu: I'm Su-han, who does a humble daily vlog Nutube.]

[Su-hanSu: You don't need to pay attention to me. I came to assist him today.]

Tusu reacted, but Sura and Su-han didn't bother to react.

Because the broadcast was more important right now.

"Yes. Well. As you can see, he's my assistant. Today, before playing Ancient Booklet 8, I'm just going to have a light chat with you all."

As he changed the subject, the content of the Tusu's conversation changed.

"No. That. It's not certain. I was actually going to ask you all a little bit."

Sura decided to ask the Tusu gathered here. What it's like to be a streamer.

Sura thought for a moment and opened his mouth.

"Since I started streaming, I've gotten a little interested in it, you know? So ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I'm thinking of doing it for a while.... But leaving that aside.... Does this streamer job suit me?"

Sura asked because he was genuinely curious. He thought that if it were the Tusu who watch streams every day, they might look at Sura's situation and give him some advice.

But the Tusu all started typing question marks together.

"Huh? Is it not good?"

Then, the Tusu's chat came flooding in.

"Is that so...? By the way. How is the outlook for streamers?"

Sura answered the chat asking about his family situation.

"Uh... that's not it."

Then Su-han's chat came up.

[Su-hanSu: He's a silver spoon. He's the only one who doesn't realize it. Please scold him, Tusu.]

Then the Tusu's chat came up.

"No. It's not flexing or anything. I really didn't know, so I asked because I was curious. It's definitely not flexing."

The Tusu, convinced by Sura's words, typed that it was okay.

"Hmm. Then... I'll try streaming a bit. I've gotten a bit interested in the game."

"Ah. Nutube? No, wait a minute. This is getting serious."

The Tusu's advice continued in the chat.

In fact, the Tusu were secretly forming public opinion.

'There's no one else but Sura who can clear Hard Mode.'

'No, just do it! Why is someone with such insane talent hesitating!'

'If we form public opinion, will he do it? It seems everyone thinks like me.'

I want to see Hard Mode. It's a national loss for someone like that not to be a streamer. Etc., etc.... Various thoughts arose in the Tusu's hearts. And the purpose of those thoughts was unanimously Sura's debut as a streamer.

Sura was slowly being caught in the public opinion formed by hundreds of people without realizing it.

'...Tsk. It feels like I'm being caught without knowing it. Actually, I want to do it because it's fun....'

It felt a bit uncomfortable, but in fact, Sura's heart wasn't against it either. Rather, he just thought about Murim and liked fighting.

And Su-han....

'You just have to hold a sword. You finally got that skill, does it make sense to be a company employee?'

He was just watching Sura being persuaded without saying a word.

"Hmm.... That.... Are there cases where people look for an editor... even for a hobby?"

The Tusu answered that.

"...Oh. A side job?"

Finally, the Tusu's public opinion formation bore fruit.

If a side job exceeds the salary of the main job, doesn't that become the main job!

The Tusu, who were sincere about Sura's streamer debut, finally achieved their goal.

"All right. Let's think of it as a side job. Then, first, I'll try recruiting an editor."

At that, the Tusu cheered inwardly. They finally succeeded in leading Sura into the streamer world!

The Tusu were cheering outside the screen, but inside the chat window, they calmly answered Sura's words.

"Hmm. Then. I'll talk to Su-han and write it on the Nutube community where I uploaded the video! I would appreciate it if those who see it spread the word!"

[Su-hanSu: For those who might not know, here is his Nutube address. There isn't much there yet.]

{Address Link}

The chat window became noisy at Sura's editor recruitment and Nutube operation declaration.

Sura, who had been thinking for a moment while looking at them, opened his mouth.

"Shall we play the game? Let's talk about the rest after we're done!"

Then, Tusu from Elderbook cheered.

Gahyeon turned on Ancient Booklet 8.