Chapter 104

“… That’s how it happened.”

A man on the other end of the phone was explaining the circumstances leading up to the offer for me to provide commentary.

I had roughly grasped the situation, but I didn’t expect the aftermath to be this significant.

Just like the flutter of a butterfly’s wings on the other side of the Earth can affect things here, I never imagined that something starting from me would have such an impact on the league.

I felt as if I was some kind of influencer.

“… Do you have any thoughts?”

The man, who introduced himself as being from the league’s direct sales department, spoke cautiously, as if he were trying not to disrupt my mood even slightly.

If he shows that much caution, it only makes me more uncomfortable.

On the other hand, I thought it was understandable.

I had heard that at this critical time, there was no one better than me to revive the league.

But there was no need for him to be so restless.

It took a long time to hear the explanation, but the decision was made quickly.

“I’ll do it. The commentary.”

“Ah, thank you. Do you happen to have time tomorrow? We’ll host you at our association.”

The reason I accepted the offer was simple.

It wasn’t because I felt sorry for these people or wanted to do it for esports fans or because the pay was good.

It was simply… I was very displeased with the fact that our country’s league was falling behind on a global scale.

I didn’t have much sense of patriotism, but I could certainly claim to have pride in gaming.

This pride in gaming extended to international competitions.

Having dreamed of being a pro, I had affection for the league, so I hoped our players would excel on the international stage.

That hope seemed to be coming true, for a time.

The decline started relatively recently. But thinking that this disadvantage might continue only frustrated me.

How long had our country, known as the nation of gaming, been treated so dismissively?

Perhaps due to the increasing viewership, there were often foreigners showing up when I was playing Eo War.

With seemingly nothing else to do, they would spam phrases in their language, which when translated would be along the lines of:

“LOL, this is Challenger level in the third division?”

As a gamer, that was extremely, extremely infuriating.

In the end, even if I soared to the top of the Korean server, I wouldn’t shake off the stigma of being in the third division.

That was the biggest reason, and another reason was simply that I thought I should engage in more external activities.

I thought that if I showed my face at various places, I might get more comfortable with streaming.

It was a complicated mix of reasons that led to my decision.

“Then, see you tomorrow.”

“Yes. Take care.”

After ending the call, I thought.

Hmm, but will I be able to commentate on a broadcast seen by tens of thousands?

I’d be lucky if I didn’t tremble. I’ll just keep a low profile and say only what’s necessary.

The person I spoke to earlier said they wouldn’t expect anything grand from me.

I lay down on my bed with a racing heart.

“Hello, Mollu.”

“We’re not acquaintances… Or we aren’t, but we participated in one tournament together, right? Haha.”

Two people shook hands.

The caster Bang Hyeong-jae and commentator Kang Seong-hoon met during the Switch Eo War streamer tournament.

“Hello. I look forward to working with you today.”

“You look much better in real life.”

“Thank you…”

Compliments about my appearance never become something I get used to.

I wonder if that day will ever come when I do get used to it.

As I shook his hand, I thought about how small the world really is.

Despite the unfamiliarity, we exchanged stories and looked around the venue.

“This will be the broadcast booth, and Mollu, you’ll be in the center.”

“… Why am I in the center?”

“Haha, you know why. It’s better for the scene that way.”

Usually, the caster would occupy the center, with the commentators flanking on either side.

Today, however, it seemed that I, who was not an official commentator but merely a guest commentator, was positioned in the middle.

Glancing toward the sales department person accompanying us, he cleared his throat and avoided my gaze.

Ugh, I know, you’re not to blame. This was all ordered from above.

Since I received quite a bit, I’ll let it slide.

Contrary to my expectations, the contract terms were surprisingly favorable to me.

While the number of appearances was set, there were no specific dates or schedules defined.

Just a few times throughout the season. I just needed to notify them of the days I’d like to participate.

The pay was also more than I had anticipated… quite generous.

Since Si-young, an expert in this field, verified that our side had good conditions, it was certain.

When I asked why the terms were so good, they told me that the newly appointed officer had a strong affection for the league.

I wanted to ask if the previous person had no affection, but it would be a bit psycho-like to ask that here.

They probably pocketed a little on the side, just like most in high positions do.

In any case, it was good for me.

“First, since you lack experience, Mollu, just respond appropriately to our commentary, alright?”

“Yes. Will there be a script or something?”

“There’s no script; just be aware that simple remarks will be made at certain timings. We tend to do some ad-libs based on the atmosphere. You’re welcome to join in whenever you like.”

Ad-libbing? I thought such a thing was beyond my ability.

That was how I felt.

[Mollu’s recognized guys, wow.]

[That’s a huge deal;]

[Fck, I should’ve been a pro gamer.]

[I’m kinda envious of this;;]

[Wow, now we’re getting Yuksu in our matches as well.]

Mollu’s commentary debut was successfully achieved with the title of the Goddess of Public Matches.