* * *
[**Soul Warfare Gallery**]
[**Concept Post Board**]
[Wow, Friede really has some buzz going on, damn!] [39]
[Is the update speed of the Forest Wiki controversy for real?] [52]
[Friede, tell us why you’ve been acting up!] [48]
[If you think Friede is the problem, give it a thumbs up!] [69]
[Wow, Friede really has some buzz going on, damn!]
Author: PpaePpae
Lol, he showed up and straight-up dunked that Challenger gatekeeper, and now it looks like he’s about to go toe-to-toe with the editor.
[Friede meme giving a serious look at the editor’s sudden action]
What’s the buzz on day five of the broadcast?
If they ever meet, they’ll end up grabbing each other by the hair and throwing down.
Zikgaterbelt: The sun is the king of aggro, right? With stars orbiting around it 365 days a year.
N/A: Isn’t that guy just a broth dude hanging around Friede’s stream?
N/A: The sun is nothing but a black hole sucking everything in.
N/A: What I’m saying is that anything can go into Friede’s sister’s hole.
[Is the update speed of the Forest Wiki controversy for real?]
Author: N/A
These crazy folks have been fighting for fifteen hours straight without any sleep.
Can they even function in real life, you lunatic broth people?
It’s a showdown between Friede’s shield that blocks everything and broth’s snake-like skills that penetrate everything.
It’s a fight that tightens the rear end.
Yup: It’s potent. Really potent.
BribedOrc: Yeah, that’s how our broth crew should roll.
WomenEatingMidir: Don’t go overboard, you know.
Yup: Live in reality, you fools. Don’t make your mom’s back ache.
N/A: Yup, I’ve got a job now, and my mom’s back is fine.
[If you think Friede is the problem, give it a thumbs up!] [69]
Author: N/A
If you’re gonna pick an editor, just quietly choose instead of getting all dramatic with contests.
You stepped in it while trying to grab broadcast footage, tsk tsk.
Yup: Nah, our sister hasn’t done anything wrong. It’s all the editor’s fault.
N/A: That’s utter nonsense.
N/A: If you’re upset… then… pick the editor… wisely…
N/A: For real, lol.
“Whoa….”
It’s true that once a fire ignites, it turns into an endless brawl on this board.
But to be running full-time since the broadcast—where does that stamina even come from?
Whether it’s on the board or in discussions, it’s a mad frenzy of just pitting their opinions against each other.
Eventually fed up, Dayoung quietly pressed the back button.
She turned her gaze forward, watching Sehee sit and sip coffee while waiting mindlessly.
“Sis.”
“Yeah?”
“I’m really not your manager, right?”
With Dayoung’s question, Sehee couldn’t immediately deny it.
What can she do? It’s her first time signing a contract with an editor, so she needed guidance from someone with experience.
Being a 5-day-old top-notch streamer, Sehee needs to be protected.
In that sense, Dayoung could be seen as a solid bodyguard and manager.
“If we’re just looking at skill, they’d be a decent editor…”
She probably didn’t expect a response anyway, so she turned her attention to her smartphone, starting to look over someone’s profile.
“Looking at the video, it’s like pulling an S-rank gacha. But it’s all limited to skills, of course.”
“… Limited to skills?”
“Of course. You know that too… I was shocked when I saw that last part.”
“……”
Sehee nodded, sipping her syrup-laden café latte and looking around.
A small café tucked away in the neighborhood alley.
The seats being obscured by corners made it even more appealing.
Since it’s a neighborhood area, it was empty except for the owner during lunchtime.
It felt as if she had rented out a personal space, the snug atmosphere of the small but well-decorated café was comforting.
The reason they came out to spend time like this is… to finalize a contract with a woman who introduced herself as the editor “Ajin.”
Initially, she seemed hesitant, but in the end, she couldn’t easily refuse Sehee’s request.
I wonder what kind of person she is, and the curiosity grows.
“I can’t confidently say I’ve grasped everything just from this.”
Dayoung tapped on the profile screen with her finger and calmly continued her explanation.
“Editors process the videos provided by the client. Naturally, various discussions occur in the production process, so it’s essential to check if the communication lines up well.”
“Hmm, for example… someone messing around in a game could totally derail things?”
“That’s a pretty extreme example, but the nuance is similar. It’s preferable to get a good team member while gaming. The same goes for work.”
Her throat was getting sore from explaining, so she took a sip of coffee.
And Dayoung recalled yesterday’s incident again.
“You saw it live, right? What the editor said at the last moment.”
Originally, she would’ve thought about saying not to choose that editor…
Yet it’s probably best to meet first and wait for her sister’s decision. That’s what Dayoung concluded.
“Hmm….”
Well, they indeed weren’t normal.
Even Sehee thought the editor’s behavior didn’t look good.
Still, since they were selected through such a grand event as a contest, it wouldn’t make sense to dismiss them outright.
It wouldn’t be logical not to face a partner they’re going to work with directly.
Even if they were to dismiss them, it wouldn’t be too late to meet and find out what kind of person they are before making a decision.
If they have a proper chat this time, they’d surely find out what kind of person she is.
“Dayoung, I finished the cookie.”
“Geez, pick up on things. What if someone sees?”
“Quick, give me something tasty before I squeeze one out in my bag.”
“Ugh, seriously.”
She was already on her fifth piece of cookie, and Dayoung thought about how good her appetite was.
‘Where does that all go in such a small body?’
She had the vibe of wiping out all the cookies sold in this tiny café.
As she brought the additional cookies towards her bag, PpaePpae’s hand quietly reached out and snatched them all.
“What if that editor doesn’t meet your standards?”
“Well… probably pick another one. I’ll try contacting the next candidates from the previous contest in voting order.”
So she wasn’t overly attached to that editor.
‘That’s okay then.’
This was almost like a broadcast accident, not Friede the streamer’s foul play.
Although it is like this now, it’s an issue that would swiftly fizzle out.
Besides, the viewers who voted, didn’t they feast on pizza with gifticons?
That’s when it happened.
—Ding!
As the door opened and a presence approached quietly, Sehee and Dayoung’s gazes shifted toward the door.
Standing there was…
“Sis, no way… is that person?”
Wearing a cap low and an added hoodie with the hood up, her head buried like a turtle’s in a bizarre way…
She looked as suspicious as it could get.
“Not sure?”
Sehee shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.
She didn’t know. It wasn’t that there weren’t any methods.
—Have you arrived?
Sending a message to the contact information provided like this.
And….
—Uh-oh!
Right as she sent the message, the other person was checking their smartphone.
Sehee smiled brightly and said.
“She’s here.”
Bingo.
* * *
“The reason you said that back then….”
“… Uh, that, um…”
“……”
“……”
“You can just speak comfortably….”
“… Yes, um….”
Dayoung downed her iced coffee in frustration, while the person in front of her had brought the ordered coffee but was just fidgeting with the cup without taking a sip.
Only after sitting down together was I able to learn the name of the person who could potentially be or be replaced as my editor.
Even fumbling like that… she managed to get her name out properly.
Her name was Ryu Ajin. She was 20 years old.
Did her name being Ajin lead to her nickname “Ajin” I wonder?
For an editor, she was relatively… no, she was quite young.
I would have thought someone in their late 20s would have had enough skills to reach that level.
Unlike the chaotic behavior shown on stream, her impression was indeed bright-eyed, and she exuded an endearing vibe that could easily elicit affection from others at a glance.
Whereas Dayoung was lively and cheerful, Ajin felt more like a fragile little one that needed to be looked after?
Which made it even harder to shake off that feeling.
“…Well, the thing is… it’s not like I wanted to do it… it just happened suddenly….”
Stumbling over her words, her eyes darted around like marbles rolling in fear.
I shouldn’t have these thoughts while facing someone, but… she looked pretty pathetic with her head bowed so low.
—Tap, tap.
Dayoung poked her side lightly, signaling with her eyes.
—Are you really going to choose her?
She probably thought this was a dud…
Well, if judging by the standards I mentioned earlier, the editor in front of me would indeed fall into the difficult category to work with.
Still, they’ve come this far, and it seemed a shame to cut the interview short just like that.
“Hmm….”
Basically, if the problem lies in that timid heart…
“Ajin, could you stretch out your hand for a second?”
“… Huh? That, um….”
“It’s nothing special. They say shaking hands can stabilize your psyche, right? You seem to be struggling right now, so I thought it might cheer you up a bit….”
Taking a deep breath, I calmly spoke to Ajin, who seemed to be refusing eye contact.
“Is it too sudden of a request?”
“Oh, no. Then….”
Even after answering, she hesitated, then, as if making a decision, she squeezed her eyes shut and took my hand.
* * *
This woman is Friede.
An incredible beauty that’s hard to come by, I was quite surprised when I saw her in person for the first time.
Moreover, I thought I’d get seriously scolded for her outburst yesterday, yet surprisingly, she was making an effort to lead the conversation softly.
“Ajin, could you stretch out your hand for a second?”
“… Huh? That, um….”
Fumbling and hesitating, she was the first to extend her hand.
“It’s nothing special. They say shaking hands can stabilize your psyche, right? You seem to be struggling, so I thought it might help a bit….”
Since her return, she hadn’t had proper contact with others.
There was a communication barrier, and if physical contact occurred, she’d feel dizzy or even experience vomiting.
“Is it too sudden of a request?”
Her beautiful golden hair and gentle smile effortlessly disarmed the onlookers’ wariness.
Normally, I would have withdrawn, but the thought that she might be fine made its way into my mind.
“Oh, no. Then….”
It felt a bit awkward, like patting a dog! but… well, it was just an extension of a handshake.
So when I held Friede’s hand,
“…?”
Ajin’s eyes widened in surprise.
* * *