A Basement-Dwelling Loser, the Inquisitor – Chapter 178

“So, when are you going to be in my room, sis?”

“My room doesn’t have a computer, you know? Just give in a little!”

“No, that’s not it! I said I’m sleepy and want to sleep… If you’re going to watch the Master’s broadcast, you can just do it in your room on your phone.”

“That’s inconvenient. Just deal with it and sleep.”

Sigh… “It’s been a while since I had a break, and I can’t even rest properly because of you.”

“…And I told you earlier, today is important, so I need to use the computer.”

At Seoyeon’s words, Eunho sighed, while Seoyeon ignored him and waited for Rene’s broadcast to start.

“What’s so important about revealing your face…”

“Do you still say that after seeing Rene cry like that? No wonder you don’t have a girlfriend and just act like an otaku.”

“…It’s not that I can’t, it’s that I won’t! I have to focus on my athlete career! And Natchan is my girlfriend!”

“Ugh, hardcore otaku, gross.”

“Who do you think put me in this position…”

Seoyeon’s words made Eunho momentarily lose his calm and get up from the bed, but he quickly composed himself and lay back down.

He knew he couldn’t win against Seoyeon anyway.

Since childhood, she had always looked after him while their busy parents were away and had helped him prepare for his pro gamer debut the most and the hardest.

“I really hope Rene does well…”

Eventually, Eunho slowly closed his eyes and fell asleep while listening to Seoyeon’s voice filled with anxiety.

And then.

“No, now that I think about it, this is totally unfair?! With those lights and cameras, how does she appear like that on screen?! Guys, Rene doesn’t even use conditioner or treatments on her hair, you know? That’s a crime! It’s insulting to me, seriously! Do you know how much effort I put into maintaining my hair…!!!”

Not even 30 minutes after falling asleep.

“Rene! I’m really sorry for suddenly blowing up just now… But please tell me that you’re lying about not using conditioner and treatments…!!!”

He had no choice but to wake up at Seoyeon’s scream.

“No, sis… I love the broadcast and all, but can you please keep it down…?”

“No, hey! Jeong Eunho! Think about it! Do you really believe that Rene’s looks could be maintained without any care?!”

Feeling Seoyeon’s fury, Eunho got up from the bed and sneakily checked the broadcast screen.

‘She’s definitely really pretty…’

Rene was without a doubt the most outstanding beauty he had ever seen among all the 3D women.

If someone were to suggest that such a beauty could be maintained without any care… Eunho could somewhat sympathize with Seoyeon’s words.

“…Like I said last time, it doesn’t matter how much you take care of yourself; you’ll never catch up. It’s like comparing Ex rank to… um, with a good performance, E rank difference?”

“Do you want to die or something?”

But even though he could sympathize, he had no intention of agreeing.

That’s just how siblings are.

The brother-sister relationship is one where you recognize from birth that ‘this guy is my worst enemy!’ and are programmed in your brain to ‘start killing each other from now on.’

Of course, Seoyeon and Eunho had a relatively good relationship, but the command programmed in their brain wasn’t something that could be easily erased.

Especially not in a situation like now, where he’d been disturbed from his sleep.

“By the way, did you really not think about Rene at all?”

Just as Eunho was trying to close his eyes again, Seoyeon asked him.

“What thought?”

“The request to introduce me. I thought you would definitely do it.”

“But you said you’d kill me if I did.”

“Yeah. I’ll definitely kill you no matter what.”

Seoyeon said that with a bright smile.

‘Is this girl really crazy?’

Eunho swallowed those thoughts and scratched his head.

“She’s definitely shockingly pretty, but thinking back to what happened in the New Dimension practice with the Master, I honestly thought it would be scary…?”

Imagining the scene where she would strike his head with a Warhammer, Eunho shivered and chuckled nervously.

“What could have happened to her for her to end up like that…”

“And above all, like I said last time, no matter how much of a Master she is, she’s already living in my heart, and there’s no way I can compare to her….”

“I said it last time too. I sometimes wish you would just die whenever you say stuff like that….”

“No way! I even lent you my computer, and you’re being this harsh! And don’t you know? Otakus can change the world.”

“Ah, right. Okay… Do your best….”

★

[Rene]

[Hello]

[Talk | 7851 viewers currently | 01:01:21]

“So, saying that Bel likes me really doesn’t make sense…”

─Hey, you guys in the Rebongi, please stop—don’t you get that it’s a never-ending story?

─People, Bel actually disliked Rene, okay? Just admit it!

─Seriously, what kind of idiot bothers a girl he likes just because he’s embarrassed? LOL

─Tuni: Exactly.

─If you like them, treat them well, that’s normal!

Over an hour had already passed since the broadcast started.

And I spent most of that hour providing evidence that Bel didn’t like me.

Tuni even acknowledged it; why do some Rebongi refuse to admit it till the end?

I just couldn’t understand.

Considering that kids are honest with their feelings, it doesn’t make any sense to bully someone they like.

Just look at Bora’s behavior, and you’ll see.

─I’m so frustrated I might die…

─I found out something amazing; just turn off the sound and look at the screen, it makes me feel better, LOL

─Whoa!

─Is this guy a genius?

─Seriously, I don’t care if they’re an idiot or a scumbag…I understand them all…

─Give that guy a Nobel Peace Prize!

But eventually, even the stubborn Rebongi began to start accepting the truth.

Well, it was only natural.

Just by looking at the chat window, everyone was on my side.

“Thanks to a few stubborn folks, an hour has already passed… I initially had quite a few questions that I wanted to get through quickly…”

Well, over an hour had passed now.

It was probably a pointless broadcast, yet it went on for so long.

So, I thought maybe…

─LOL

─Looks like this is the end of the broadcast, huh? LOL

─No way! Show more of Mamamoto! 😭 [deleted message]

How did they know?

But after repeating the same story so many times because of some toxic Rebongi, I was really tired.

So… um. Maybe if I just answer one more question and then end the broadcast, that would be fine?

“I think I might not have enough time to answer all the questions in the post from today… So let me answer just one more question, and then we’ll wrap up this broadcast… The remaining questions can be answered next time, right…?”

─If you say no, will you do more?

─Will you do it? LOL

─Interpretation) No matter what you guys say, I’m only answering one more and then logging off.

─Rene, Master’s degree? 😱😱😱

─────────────────

【Rene Galleryⓜ】

【Title: I’ll turn on the broadcast after I wake up】

【Written by: Rene🔸】

Honestly, I’m in such a shocking situation right now that I don’t really know what to say.

I’ll organize my thoughts after I wake up and turn on the broadcast.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment.

【Recommended: 231 / Not Recommended: 5】

Unicorn: What made you think of turning on the camera?

─────────────────

That decision brought to mind the question that caught my eye first among the comments.

“Are you curious about why I turned on the camera…?”

─So curious, LOL

─Honestly, considering how she usually behaves, it wouldn’t have been strange if she just took a long break.

─I thought she would take a month-long break for sure, hehe.

─Thinking of how she usually hides her identity, it seems she turned on the camera quite easily.

─I thought her self-esteem was in tatters, so she would never turn it on.

It seemed there were more than a few Rebongi who accurately predicted my actions.

Surely, if it had been the old me, I would have absolutely taken a break.

In fact, I even thought about taking a prolonged break until this whole thing blew over.

Despite that, the reason I changed my mind and turned on the broadcast was…

‘That kid started to take pride in her appearance instead. That she is different, something special. …So I hope you, Master, think the same way about that kid.’

‘Am I strange…?’

‘No. You’re not strange.’

It was those words from Tuni and Owen that gave me so much courage.

‘A person who cannot affirm themselves can never accept the praise of others. At least, that’s how I feel.’

Especially how much Owen’s remark had instilled courage in me.

“Well, I mentioned last time that… I attended the Sirius Team’s after-party with Tuni, right?”

…I really wanted to share this story, and now it’s perfect timing.

Even now, thinking back on it, it’s truly a wonderful story, so I’m sure the Rebongi would be touched by it.

─NAK, are you referring to that championship win thing?

─That time when you said you and Tuni grabbed a separate room to eat?

“Yes. It was that time… The meat itself was just between Tuni and me, but Owen came by briefly out of courtesy…”

─?

─Huh???

─Tuni: Hold on a second, Rene?!????????????

─??????????

“Because of what Owen said that day, I was able to gain some courage… So I really want to thank him in person later…”

I definitely need to thank Tuni again later too.

It’s probably going to be tough to say it right now because I’m embarrassed…

“So, I’m going to say goodbye for now…. Everyone, take care….”

〔Broadcast has ended.〕

★

[So, saying that Bel likes me really doesn’t make sense…]

‘I kinda get it…’

Seoyeon was watching the broadcast and could roughly understand why Rene’s self-esteem had fallen so low.

‘In the end, it must have all been a misunderstanding…’

In that story, the only bad ones were the biological parents, that was Tuni’s conclusion.

‘That look Rene mentioned, too, must have been something that arose from how hard it was to approach her because of her unique atmosphere.’

Seoyeon felt genuinely sorry.

Having suffered from such abuse since childhood and having lived a life akin to a ‘real mercenary’ once she grew up—it just felt too harsh for Rene, who was only 21 now.

But those thoughts were just temporary.

[Yes. It was that time… The meat itself was just between Tuni and me, but Owen came by briefly out of courtesy…]

“…Huh?”

Hearing Rene’s continuation of the story.

[Because of what Owen said that day, I was able to gain some courage… So I really want to thank him in person later…]

“…Huh?”

Seoyeon could only stare at her peacefully sleeping brother.

[So, I’m going to say goodbye for now…. Everyone, take care….]

〔Broadcast has ended.〕

─🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴 My horns hurt, my horns hurt, my horns hurt, my horns hurt, my horns hurt

─Damn it, I’ll kill Owen! Damn it, I’ll kill Owen! Damn it, I’ll kill Owen! Damn it, I’ll kill Owen! Damn it, I’ll kill Owen!

─Lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies!

─Owen, that bastard! Every time during tournaments, he was thinking of hitting on Rene while taking Ga-eun for rides instead! He’s really dead this time!

“Seriously… what a mess…?”

What should I do?

Seoyeon had no courage to wake up her brother, who was now peacefully asleep.