Chapter 8
Chapter 8
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Microphone
-----------------------------------------------------------------
As soon as the broadcast ended, a sudden notification chime rang out.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Ding! "Ding?"
A letter-shaped icon popped up in front of my eyes along with the system notification sound.
When I reached out to touch the sudden letter icon, a single sheet of paper unfolded before me.
"To my dear Contractor, I extend my thanks for taking your first steps as the Saintess. This letter is my second arrangement, a small help for you. I have exhausted most of my power just opening the 'possibility' gateway called the Shop, and now I pour all my strength into merely sustaining my life. I apologize for not being able to offer more aid. Please use the enclosed item with care. May it aid your great journey. Your friend, Par—" Reading the letter from Par, it seemed this was one of the helps she had prepared.
It looked like it wasn't just that malnourished fruit piece, soaked in what felt like Par's saliva after she'd stuck it in her mouth and pulled it out.
The emotions were vivid even in the letter, so Par must be in a really tough spot.
Why had she bet her entire life on me like this?
As I read through the letter from Par, I noticed a square piece of paper drawn in the empty space at the bottom right.
"Is this what she meant by enclosed?"
When I touched the drawing, the letter vanished from sight, and a neat rectangular piece of paper materialized in front of me.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Ding! [Skill Level-Up Voucher]: Applicable to skills level 5 or below A Skill Level-Up Voucher with a simple description.
"Hmm..."
It was clear where to use it.
I didn't have the money to raise any other skill to level 5 right now, and using it on low-level skills would be a waste of efficiency.
So, it had to go on a skill already maxed at level 5 for the best return.
"Is it really telling me to go all-in on Voice?"
I considered taking out a loan, but who would lend to someone without a proper job?
These days, you needed skills just to get a loan.
If not a bank, then loan sharks—but they weren't doing charity work. Even they wouldn't lend much without a job.
Without a job, you'd need a house or car in your name, or at least rack up credit card debt.
"Man, reality is such a bitch."
Despite the curse slipping out, my hand was already moving toward the voucher.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Ding! ─── [Usable Skill List] [Voice Approaching Heavenly Peach] ★ ─── A simple list unfolded. Just one skill, no other choices.
"Should I save it?"
I wondered, but harsh reality hit too close to home—I felt like I had to use it now.
I moved my paused hand again, touching it to the Voice skill, and changes began.
"Here we go!"
A clear, transparent pink light swirled fiercely.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Ding! ─── [Voice Gently Resounding in Heavenly Peach] ★★ Your voice begins to faintly reach Heavenly Peach. The voice becomes even more beautiful, with a richer peach scent added. Skill level increases with repeated purchases. [Price: 50 million won] ─── As the pink light gradually faded, the upgraded skill appeared before my eyes.
"Whoa, 50 million won? Heop!"
I was startled by the price, then shocked again by the sound coming from my own throat.
Beautiful yet cute.
Lovable yet seductive.
Ripe yet fresh.
A voice hard to put into words.
The kind of voice where slapping someone thousands of times for calling it good would still get an innocent verdict.
The peach scent wafting from the voice had grown even richer.
"Ah, ah."
My ears delighted in the sound from my own throat.
A hum slipped out naturally, lifting my mood. I grabbed the cigarettes and lighter from the desk and headed outside.
I pulled out a cigarette, put it in my mouth, and lit it with the lighter.
—Flick, flick.
"Hoo— Ah, that's good."
I smoked two in a row, then went back up to my room.
After washing up and lying down, drowsiness washed over me.
📰 Thread Title [Super Scruffy Hako Streamer] 💬 Comments — Dullureuya The Hako girl stream some gallery dude recommended earlier is so charming lol Doesn't seem like she's pretending to be laid-back, that's just her personality Mic was trash, but she ordered a 40k won one during broadcast Comes tomorrow, she's super hyped Follow since broadcast's off now — ㅇㅇ That one with the insane noise huh — Dullureuya ↳ Reply Come tomorrow after I get the mic — ㅇㅇ ↳ Reply Broth kid already promoting lol — Dullureuya ↳ Reply Just come watch, you punk — ㅇㅇ Panic wasn't her strong suit lol, but she's hyped for the mic too — Dullureuya ↳ Reply Were you the first to promote her? — ㅇㅇ Yeah ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ I woke up in the morning and checked my phone first—messages had piled up from all over.
「Please beware of the belated cold snap」
"What a crazy winter."
We were past February heading into March, yet here was a cold wave alert.
「Delivery complete」
"Guess the mic arrived."
I got up to fetch it, and my pants slipped down.
How long did I have to wear these sagging sweatpants without even underwear? A sudden frustration surged.
My shrunken body made the T-shirt hang like an off-shoulder top, slipping to my shoulders, and the pants dragged on the floor without a cinch.
Gripping the pants, I waddled outside.
A delivery box waited at the door.
"Bigger than I thought."
After using a tiny stand mic I could cover with two palms, this ordered one looked huge.
"Let's see, clamp it to the desk."
Following the manual step by step, setup was easier than expected.
After finishing TripleNet options, as I went to hit start broadcast, my heart pounded.
Why was I so nervous? A few deep breaths calmed me down gradually.
Click.
<Han Ga-eul has started broadcasting> <Day 2 Broadcast: The Hot Newbie Monster Streamer> I'd kept yesterday's title, just changing the day number, and hit start.
Viewers: 0
I stared blankly at the viewer count stuck at rock bottom, unwilling to budge, when suddenly it shot up.
Viewers: 35
💬 Live Chat — Non-Participating Mayo Rice hi hi — Military Secret 1q2w3e Streamer hi — Non-Participating Mayo Rice Why no talking? Where's streamer — Dullureuya Baby, your jerk buddy's here♡ — Non-Participating Mayo Rice No streamer rn — Dullureuya Started broadcast but not here? What Over thirty viewers had flooded in suddenly, leaving me speechless, but even amid that, they were looking for me.
— Han Ga-eul Come on in, kids — Non-Participating Mayo Rice What? Streamer was here. Why no talk? Mic broken? — Dullureuya Fuck baby where's the mic — Han Ga-eul Mic's here. Was waiting for you guys to hear it — Butterbean Cankang Now that it's here open that mouth, hako bitch gathering viewers lol — Han Ga-eul But why so many already? Where'd you all come from The number thirty-five kept catching my eye even as I typed chats.
It might seem small to some, but in the red ocean of personal broadcasts, starting a debut without buzz meant struggling for a month or two to hit thirty.
— dhgkaak Open your mouth before I smash your head — Dullureuya Baby I promoted you Seeing the chat that the jerk buddy had promoted, my vision went dark.
If Demon Realm friends were promoting, where else but among themselves?
They'd called all their own kind.
A ton of them.
My head spun.
"You punk, where'd you promote?"
The viewers, who had been cursing and giggling among themselves, fell silent for a moment.
Then the chat exploded insanely fast.
— Butterbean Cankang ???? — PC Bang Treadmill Machine Radelri Whoa mic voice wtf insane for real — Dullureuya Voice queen!!!!!!!!!!!!! — dhgkaak Fuck thought the shitpost about good voice was bs but wtf insane — Non-Participating Mayo Rice Voice queen I believed!! — Dullureuya Voice queen voice is nuts melting here — Eong Base Meat Eong Eong Whoa shit voice god? Voice actress? — Butterbean Cankang That ain't voice actress level insane pure fire — dhgkaak Feels like sweet fruit juice spraying straight into my ear hole so damn sugary — Non-Participating Mayo Rice Fr feels like tangy sweet slamming into ear hole I was dumbfounded watching the chat speed rampage in seconds.
Even I thought it was insane, but I hadn't expected one word to cause this chaos.
— Butterbean Cankang Look at chat speed lol faster than 1k viewer rooms lololol "Guys, calm down a bit. You're making my heart race all sudden like this."
One more line, and it went even crazier than before.
— Non-Participating Mayo Rice Nyaa!! Everyone shut mouths — Eong Base Meat Eong Eong Noise aside yesterday was good too but new mic totally different voice — Dullureuya Love you voice queenㅠㅠㅠㅠ gonna cum one more line pls — Military Secret 1q2w3e Mic still can't keep up with voice "Ugh, you punks. Won't listen, gotta shove it down your throats."
— Umbrella Rel Voice queen curse one more time pls — Dullureuya Baby it's me your jerk♡ Forgot? [Clang!] [Military Secret 1q2w3e donated 100,000 won] [Streamer get new mic, mic's a limiter go go] "...Huh?"