Give Me Back My Pride
I absentmindedly repeated the words Rion had just spoken. "Channel monetization meeting."
Only then did it hit me. Even though I'd become a VTuber, my daily life hadn't really changed all that much. The reason was simple: I was still unpaid. Of course, I'd heard that corporate VTubers received some kind of base salary. But since I'd only started a week ago, I hadn't received even my first paycheck yet.
"Once your channel is monetized, the views and donations get settled, and you'll receive a certain percentage. …Though honestly, that percentage isn't as high as you might expect."
First, iTube takes about thirty percent of the revenue as a commission. Then, how the remaining seventy percent gets split between the company and the VTuber varies by agency, but the VTuber usually ends up with roughly ten to thirty percent of that seventy.
"So I won't actually be taking home that much money."
"That's how it is for all corporate VTubers. Indie ones keep the full seventy percent, though."
"Oh my, then wouldn't it be much better to be an indie VTuber?"
"Earning a million and keeping seven hundred thousand is still less than earning ten million and keeping three million, you know."
Apparently the gap between indie and corporate VTubers was that significant.
"And even the portion you don't receive directly eventually gets used for you. Later on, there will be expenses for new outfits, 3D modeling, and so on."
"It's more complicated than I thought."
Still, there was no downside to making money. After all, the fundamental reason I'd become a VTuber in the first place was because my bank account had hit rock bottom.
Ah, so that's why people say that when you quit being a VTuber, you become a streamer?
Anna's words suddenly came back to me. Why people switched from VTuber to streamer, or why they quit one VTuber persona to become another. Indie VTubers kept a much larger share for themselves, but with fewer subscribers they couldn't earn as much. Corporate VTubers kept a smaller share, but with far more subscribers they often earned more than indies. Which meant that having both a high personal share and a huge subscriber count would be the ultimate combination.
In that case, wouldn't it make sense to build up a massive subscriber base as a corporate VTuber, then leave the company and go indie to rake in the real money?
"There are people who do that… but of course the company isn't stupid, so there are all sorts of clauses in the contracts."
"I suppose that makes sense."
Anyway, I had no plans to leave the company anytime soon. Even if I eventually switched to streaming, I intended to properly learn about both VTubing and streaming first.
"Anyway, that was the monetization talk. If it's about channel monetization, feel free to proceed as you wish. I won't object."
"Good. That's exactly what I needed you to say in the meeting."
"Is a meeting really necessary? Do you intend to make a noble duchess like myself travel such a long way?"
"Please save the character roleplay for your streams…. We also need to prepare the contract documents. Electronic contracts would work, but this is also a chance to let the sixth generation members meet each other in person."
"Why?"
I tilted my head. Was it really necessary to go that far? Rion answered,
"We're thinking of producing an MV for the sixth generation."
Music filled the room.
[I had my convictions too.]
[I kept writing about you endlessly.]
[Even if it didn't make money, I didn't care♪]
At some point, most of my life had become filled with song. I could no longer stand the unbearably quiet world. From the moment I woke up until I fell asleep—and even after falling asleep—the music never stopped. This was also the reason Seo Sola had become Ayanokouji Sora.
There were many ways to make singing your profession. You could become a singer, or an idol. But I knew it wouldn't be easy. Besides, performing J-POP would be difficult too. What had been decisive was one particular song.
[Touch me and you'll be arrested☆ Roll call in prison!]
…Who would have thought a VTuber's song would dominate the world. Having already passed twenty years of age, it felt a bit late to start doing something like becoming an idol. And if VTubers had songs that could rule the world, then the industry clearly had potential.
Just by gaining a certain level of popularity as a VTuber, you could release original songs. Once you received 3D modeling, you could participate in various live events and sing. Eventually, you might even hold solo concerts. And if one of the songs you performed became a hit, that would be a jackpot.
Of course, things wouldn't go that smoothly. So I decided to keep my expectations just a tiny bit in check. If your hopes were too high, the disappointment when you failed would be that much greater.
But even that modest goal wasn't being met, which made it all the more frustrating.
Tsk. Was this some kind of barrier? Why couldn't I even break through the ten-thousand-subscriber wall? Had I underestimated VTubers too much? But it's not like I hadn't put in effort. That was what made it hurt even more. If I hadn't tried at all, I could at least accept it.
After failing the document screening for last year's fifth generation audition, I'd studied what it meant to be a VTuber quite thoroughly. People always said effort never betrays you, but this felt like a truly magnificent betrayal.
But that was how the world worked. Effort didn't always lead to success. In fact, it seemed failure was far more common.
"Aah."
I tested my voice. My throat wasn't in great shape today. Normally singing would help lift my mood in times like this, but even that wasn't allowed in this wretched body. How resentful I felt.
…Maybe I should just let it go. The reason I felt so tormented was because I'd attached meaning to everything. Wanting to be better than my peers, wanting to succeed with my songs, wanting more subscribers. Wouldn't it be easier to just take things easy?
But could I really let go just because I wanted to? The heart isn't something you can empty simply by deciding to empty it.
♪♬♩♪♪♩♬
Amid the music filling the room, a discordant sound rang out. When I reached out, my phone was vibrating. The name on the screen read Lee Jung-woo Manager.
With a sigh, Sora stopped the music and answered the call.
"Hello?"
[Hello, Sora. How have you been?]
"I'm doing well, thanks to you~. What can I do for you?"
Sora answered as cheerfully as possible. She didn't want to show that she'd been feeling down, nor did she want to appear weak. Her relationship with the manager was still superficial.
[The thing is, I'd like you to come by the office.]
"The office? Is something wrong?"
[Not at all. It's just that we need to monetize your channel as well.]
"That was fast? It's already been approved?"
[Yes, it has. In the past iTube was very strict about approvals, but these days they tend to approve most channels.]
Manager Lee Jung-woo explained. Sora already knew this. Back in 2018 when VTubers weren't properly accepted yet, monetization had been extremely difficult. It usually took one to two months, and even slightly suggestive content could get rejected. There were VTubers who waited half a year, and others who got their monetization revoked after singing a few songs.
Compared to then, this was an era where monetization could be approved within two weeks of debut. It was proof that society's perception of VTubers had changed dramatically.
[So we'll need you to come in and sign the relevant contracts. We'll also be holding a sixth generation meeting while you're here.]
"…A sixth generation meeting? In person?"
[Yes. The sixth generation has been more successful than expected, so we thought it would be good to have everyone talk about various things.]
"So I'll get to meet the other members?"
[That's right.]
"……."
That was a bit unpleasant. Before debut, hadn't she acted all superior toward Inagika and Chell? Because both of them spoke so little, she'd come to think of herself as the de facto leader of the sixth generation. As for Oh Lora… to be honest, the moment they'd met on Discord, her confidence had taken a hit. Ah, I probably can't beat her. There's no helping losing to someone like that. Still, she'd believed that in the long run she would win. After all, Oh Lora didn't seem to know much about VTubing.
She'd thought she could take the lead and claim the popularity for herself. …But now she was dead last among the sixth generation.
How ridiculous all her previous boasting must look. Honestly, it made her want to curl up in shame.
[Is something wrong?]
"Ah, no…. Everything's fine."
Sora could only answer that way. …What else could she do? If you were a working adult, you had no choice but to do what you were told. She let out a small sigh.
Sunday arrived. No matter how much Sora wished it, she couldn't stop time from flowing. …How cruel it was. If only time could be a little kinder. Why couldn't she break past ten thousand subscribers even now? Was it truly a barrier? Your limit is here. Don't even dream of going further. Your arrogant attitude was far too unpleasant, so crawl on the ground and lick the dirt. It felt as if the world itself was mocking her.
As the days passed, Sora gradually began to give up. …But couldn't she at least reach ten thousand? If only that much could somehow happen. For the past several days she'd grown increasingly pathetic, but people didn't change so easily.
That's right. Even if my subscriber count is a bit low, in real life I'm clearly superior. Inagika? I don't even need to meet her to know. I doubt she'll even be able to make proper eye contact. Chell? How different could she be from Inagika? Just like on Discord, she'll probably just stand there like a sack of barley in real life too.
That's right. What do I have to feel inferior about?
I'm prettier, after all. In real life, I can overwhelm my peers. That was how Sora tried to restore her pride. Lately, she desperately wanted her self-esteem back.
With a smile plastered on her face, Sora stepped toward the company building. Then she stopped in her tracks.
"……Oh Lora?"
The moment she saw her, the name slipped from Sora's lips. A woman stood in front of the company holding a parasol. She wore only a simple black dress, yet somehow it created an elegant atmosphere. Eyes with a hint of red. The face looking down at her phone with a bored expression—Sora knew it well. After all, it looked exactly like her plate.
"That voice must be Sora."
Oh Lora looked up a moment later and smiled like a devil. …So her ability to recognize people from voice alone wasn't just for show. She saw through me instantly.
Staring into those eyes that seemed capable of sucking you in, Sora let out a breath.
Self-esteem recovery… failed…!