Chapter 68 |
I couldn't believe my ears.
Kyeong-min is into virtual YouTubers?
It was such an unexpected and seemingly insignificant story that I was taken aback, despite my concern.
There was a what-if, so I asked Ha-rim to explain it in detail.
4 hours ago, Kyeong-min posted a picture in the group chat saying he found a YouTuber he liked.
Everyone was puzzled since they had no experience with such subcultures, but they thought it could happen and moved on.
After all, there's no one who hasn't watched animation at least once.
But the problem is that from then on, he kept talking about that Vtuber in the chat room and even used all his pocket money to buy merchs.
In just 4 hours! Even now, he is continuously babbling in the chat with bizarre words they can't understand.
Everyone felt something was off, so they just went along with it and started discussing over the phone what had happened to him.
"It's definitely strange. A person suddenly changing like that."
"Kyeong-min is by no means the type of person who spends money, but he even sold his favorite books to buy merchandise. We think he's way too obsessed."
What kind of cyber-like ghost story is this, to be possessed by a Vtuber as if you were possessed by a ghost?
"Just in case, it's best not to watch the broadcast or play the video of that Vtuber. Like you said, you might get possessed, right?"
"Yes. I understand. I'll tell the others as well. Haa... It's a ridiculous story, but could it be that the necromancy we attempted last time didn't fail after all?"
"I don't think so. Oh, can you send me the picture that was posted in the group?"
The photo that Ha-rim sent through chat was a screenshot of a Vtuber broadcast sent by Kyeong-min.
A goth loli character with black hair and big breasts.
It is full of features that you cannot forget once you see it.
So I remember that too.
"This is what Tak-gu was watching the other day."
The virtual YouTuber I saw last time when I spoke to Tak-gu, who was quietly looking at his phone.
He watched her play a game, bouncing and reacting like an animated character.
"Tak-gu? Come to think of it, I've also seen Kyeong-min talking to him in the hallway!"
"It's suspicious."
She didn't come up when I did an image search, so I had to search the name on the YouTube channel to find it.
When you enter the name you inferred from the broadcast screen into the search box and click the search button, her channel appears.
Vtuber Lost.ch 9502 try1
The name is Lost, right?
I went to her channel and clicked on the video.
...The video does not play. Perhaps only subscribers can view it. I don't really want to subscribe because I'm reluctant.
Looking at the video profile and title, it is clear that she is a YouTube streamer.
It was full of games I had never seen before.
I know some things, but there were games whose release was canceled, unfinished works, and even some that looked like prototypes.
It's strange.
I asked Carol, who had not yet gotten off work that night, about a Vtuber named Lost.
Carol willingly answered my questions.
"She's P-101, Unchained."
"She's Unchained?"
"Yes, that's right. How do you capture something that exists in the virtual world? It would be difficult to completely eliminate the Internet. We tried deleting it every time a channel was opened or broadcast, but I remember it had no effect."
"I see. Is she dangerous?"
"No. There have been no casualties. Still, we don't know what kind of power she may be hiding. Maybe she suddenly gets angry and does something strange?"
I realized that there are entities that aren't very threatening and are hard to isolate, so the organization doesn't actively try to catch them.
It seemed like they were making an effort to monitor and delete the channels, though.
Just now, the channel just disappeared.
I should speak with Kyeong-min and Tak-gu at school tomorrow. Since it's not dangerous, there shouldn't be any major issues.
She said it's not a dangerous entity. It won't be a big problem.
"..."
And it was the next day.
I entered the classroom and sat down. Ha-rim sat next to me and greeted me.
"Hello Alice!"
"Hi."
I greeted her back.
Seeing that Ha-rim and the children arriving one by one were safe, it seemed like nothing much had happened. During a short break after breakfast, I approached Kyeong-min.
He looks better than I thought, maybe I'm just meddling.
...Nope. This guy has a bunch of figurines instead of textbooks in the drawer under his desk.
Where on earth did you get this?
"That, Kyeong-min?"
Kyeong-min was looking at his cell phone.
As expected, the screen showed the Vtuber broadcast.
When I looked closely, my eyes widened.
I realized that things were not going so normally.
"Kyeong-min!"
I called Kyeong-min, but he did not respond to my voice.
Instead, I decided to force myself into Kyeong-min's field of vision.
When I showed my face, he was startled.
"W-What?! Alice? What's going on?"
"You. Why on earth are you so preoccupied with something like that? Your friends are worried."
Kyeong-min looked around.
In fact, besides me, Eun-jeong, Suho, and Ha-rim were also here. Kyeong-min scratched his head.
"Hahaha... Sorry, everyone. I couldn't stop watching this once I saw it. It looks like an anime character, but it's really amazing how it moves as if it's alive!"
It must look full of life because it is really alive and moving.
"Kyeong-min, did that streamer do anything strange?"
"Huh? That's weird. What can a streamer do to his viewers?"
"Um... Yeah."
Actually, is there any streamer who cares about each and every viewer?
It may just be that Kyeong-min is addicted to YouTube, and she didn't really do anything on the screen.
Still, I don't want something with anomalous properties to be close to the kids.
"Can you stop looking at that?"
"Huh? Why?"
"Just because...?"
"Uh... Well..."
After all, it would be useless to ask unreasonably like this.
My worries deepen.
I want him to stop watching the broadcast, but how can I persuade him?
After pausing for a moment, a method occurred to me.
... I don't like this method, though.
"Can you stop watching it if I ask like this?"
I hold Kyeong-min's hand and look at him with as much earnestness as I can.
It's a well-known fact that appealing to someone's sympathy is much more effective than vague threats.
Kyeong-min's pupils tremble greatly, and for some reason, life comes into his sunken eyes.
As expected, he's a good kid.
When the other person begs, you listen.
My poor acting also played a part.
"U-um, okay."
"It's not much, but I'll do you a favor later in return."
I'm glad that Kyeong-min also responded positively.
His cheeks seem red for some reason, but I don't think it's a big deal.
And when I was about to walk over and turn off the broadcast on his cell phone.
[I don't like it!]
"...!"
On the screen, P-101 started to get angry.
[This lustful woman! Are you seducing my fans again?! I will never forgive you!]
"Wait a minute! Who seduced whom?"
[Is it all about being pretty? Even God can't take my fan away! I have a plan if this happens.]
Lost moved her hand to the chat window on her broadcast screen.
Then, one by one, the black nicknames there turned gray, until eventually they all turned gray.
At the same time, Kyeong-min disappeared right before my eyes.
"What!"
"Kyeong-min...!"
I asked Lost what on earth she had done, but she didn't even listen.
[Hmph!]
Leaving behind the children, who were shocked by a person disappearing before their eyes, I went out into the hallway and quickly called Carol.
"Hello? Carol? That anomalous entity I was talking about yesterday. She's been up to no good."
"Hmm, I see. I'll check it out in a moment."
Carol acted quickly, as if she somehow had a feeling this would happen.
She spoke to me again shortly after, after I heard her fiddling with something and giving orders to her subordinates.
"...About a hundred people suddenly disappeared. I've been monitoring her stream, and the chat is still there, so that's my guess, because the number of viewers was about that much."
"People are trapped in the chat window?"
"Right. I never thought she would have this kind of power... She must be quite angry."
"..."
"We don't have any real solutions, but we have to respond. Is there any way you can think of?"
I don't know all the monsters in the mirror, either.
However, depending on the situation, a strange monster that I did not know would whisper and talk to me, so I was able to summon monsters that suited the situation.
This time, there was a guy who was talking to me, and he was someone who could invade the virtual space called the Internet.
"...There is a way to attack her."
But.
"But I don't know what will happen to the people in the broadcast."
Because this guy is extreme. It will probably cause harm to other people as well.
"Ah. I'm going to help you get the day off from school so as not to interfere with the solution. If you need anything else or have a better idea, call me again."
"That's what I'd expect from a huge organization."
I finished the phone call and walked over to the kids.
The children still looked confused.
"Alice! Kyeong-min has disappeared right before your eyes, right?"
"That's right. Hmm... I guess that broadcast is from a ghost."
"Oh my god!"
"Are Kyeong-min and the others trapped in this broadcast?"
Ha-rim said that it reminded him of a horror movie that was novel but too stupid to get immersed in.
Suho was quietly thinking of a solution, and Eun-jeong was still confused.
I asked them.
"I don't think we can get help from the police in this matter. Is there any way to get Kyeong-min out?"
It's not unusual to be frozen, but the kids quickly accepted the situation and got lost in their own thoughts.
It seems like past experiences remain in the body.
Suho, who was pondering, proposed an opinion.
"First, we need to know why she kidnapped Kyeong-min."
Right.
This time, Eun-jeong raised her hand and said.
"Hmm... first of all, she looked angry!"
"And she said she doesn't like Alice seducing fans..."
"Eh. Then."
Three pairs of eyes turned to me. I reflexively defended myself.
I spoke as if in a seizure.
"Wait, wait, wait, you're blaming me for this?! How is that seducing?!"
No, it isn't. Although taking the fan itself could be seen as such.
I scratched my cheek and conceded.
But even though I knew the reason, I couldn't come up with any good ideas.
Meanwhile, Eun-jeong told me as if she had a good idea.
"I got a good idea. That person is a streamer... Right, if she is a ghost who likes broadcasting and has a soft spot for viewers, she probably likes anything fun."
"Anything fun?"
"That's right. Betting has been a means of having fun since ancient times."
It makes sense.
Due to the nature of being a broadcaster, there is little chance of turning down a bet.
Moreover, in mythology and stories, it was a common occurrence to see a person win something by making a bet.
"Then..."
Before I could say anything, Ha-rim ran over and spoke into the cell phone.
"Hey, virtual YouTuber ghost, how about a bet with us?"
[Hmp-? Bet?]
She still seems angry and has a bad attitude. But at the same time, she seemed interested.
"Yes! We broadcast at the same time and conduct a popularity vote among your viewers. Whoever gets the most votes wins! If we win, You give everyone back."
Lost's eyes sparkled.
It did sound exciting, after all.
She smiled arrogantly and accepted the offer.
[It looks fun. Viewers will like it. There's no way my viewers would betray me... Good! Let's begin.]
Lost set a condition for us.
She said that if she won, we had to listen to her unconditionally.
A solution has been presented. But it's too sudden.
"I know you're quick to act, but this is too much! Have you ever done a broadcast before?"
"That's... Hehe, no."
Ha-rim avoided her gaze.
She actually committed it, but she, Ha-rim, didn't know much about broadcasting.
At this moment, Eun-jeong pulled my sleeve, wanting my attention.
"It's okay because I watch YouTube often! I know what's popular!"
Eun-jeong speaks confidently.
While I wasn't entirely convinced, there was no one else to do it. I decided to give her a chance for now.
"But it's class time soon. Is it okay to do something like a broadcast here?"
Since it was an emergency, Suho planned to move the kids to the club room and skip class.
But we didn't have to.
The homeroom teacher who came in suddenly announced that class was canceled and sent the kids away.
Excited, the kids ran outside, and in an instant, the classroom was empty.
"...It's full of strange things."
"So who's going to be on the air?"
As I asked that, three pairs of eyes turned to me.
"Why me again!"
"But Alice is the prettiest."
"That's right. First of all, pretty things work. I know that well."
I really thought about what I had done wrong to these kids.
Am I being punished for erasing their memories from last time?
I couldn't refute, and was led by the children's hands to sit in front of the desk. I took a deep breath and turned off the cognitive impairment device in my arms.
Suho took on the role of cameraman, and Eun-jeong took on the role of director.
Ha-rim doesn't know what to do. She just sat next to me.
[Let's get started quickly! Because viewers are bored. This is a broadcast that only we can watch, so don't think about getting help from outside, okay?]
The broadcast begins. Although it wasn't watched by thousands like other famous broadcasters, the number of people, around 100, was quite burdensome.
Eun-jeong instructed me to introduce myself as I stayed still.
"Uh... Hey... So... Hi, my name is Alice."
-BlondesAreGreat: So pretty! ^^
Dangerous.
When I try to do it, I can't speak properly.
I was so anxious that I glanced at Lost's screen.
[Hello! Hello! Everyone waited, right? Today's broadcast is the usual Lost Game Play!]2
-Konkonharu: I really waited too long.
-KyungminHatesStudying: I think you're cute today too.
-FriedShrimp: What are you playing today?
[Do you recognize this game? that's right! It's that game that was supposed to be released by a famous game company, but it got canceled even after they released a PV. But Lost can bring that game back. Of course, you have to consider that it's unfinished, right?]
She's doing a good job over there.
And it's an unreleased game.
Even I feel like watching at least once.
She uses special abilities to attract interest, but what can I do?
"Don't worry Alice, I have something in mind!"
Eun-jeong says to me, giving me her thumbs up as I look anxious.
"What is it?"
"Zero Two."
As soon as I heard the word zero two, I flicked Eun-jeong's forehead.
Kids these days are so fast that they know everything, but I never thought they would know how to dance sexually.
This is why the YouTube environment is scary.
And it's out of fashion...!
"Hmm... That's too direct.."
"I absolutely won't do that. Tell me something else."
"Mukbang! Mukbang has always been popular. The more you eat, the better. Eating common foods can also help create a sense of empathy."
In other words, it is the most safe and easy content to prepare.
I agreed with Eun-jeong's opinion.
"Well, if that's the case..."
At that time, Ha-rim ran and brought something.
It was a large amount of spicy stir-fried noodles.
But didn't this become a trend a long time ago? The challenge of eating spicy food. It's outdated.
"Nom."
Eunjung probably had a plan too.
"Mmm... Ah... Sip..."
"Huh? Alice, is it spicy?"
-FoodieEater: Did this guy only take one bite?
-EroTeacher: So when is Zero Two coming?
...Oh, damn it, I keep forgetting.
Why is it that, whether I was Ella or now as Alice, I've always been weak with spicy food?
Is it because I have a Western body? No, this is also a prejudice.
"I-I can handle this much..."
I also have something called pride.
If I move your chopsticks just a little, I can eat one more. I bluffed and pretended to be strong.
"Then can you eat more?"
"..."
Mountains of cooked ramen piled up in front of me. I felt a slight sense of dread.
And then, I had a thought.
Wasn't mukbang about satisfying others rather than oneself? Is it right to keep eating spicy food? Is this even considered mukbang?
"You can eat more, right? If you can't, you'll dance Zero Two! It's okay. Alice said she could eat it all. Alice won't have to dance."
"..."
-Charon: The blonde girl is struggling, lol.
-FoodieEater: What is this kid saying after just one bite?
"Eun-jeong looks like a devil."
When Ha-rim spoke as if she were scared, Suho shook his head.
I was still strong.
I got momentarily stunned, but quickly regained my composure, raising my chopsticks confidently.
"I'll add capsaicin."
"..."
That was until Eun-jeong added the sauce.
"This is my first time seeing Alice cry."
Suho shook his head once more.
-MintChocoLover: The shaking eyes are so cute, lol
-Karpas: It's been a while since I saw something like this. Lost can't eat regular meals.
-KyungminHatesStudying: I think it's fun.
-FoodieEater: Looks delicious (not a sexual joke)
"It's... Effective... Sip."
The number of people in the chat window began to increase.
I kept my most arrogant expression and said that to make Lost agitated.
When Lost heard me, she shouted in surprise.
[Nonsense! That kind of low-quality content works? My games are special things that you can't get now! Of course, there are some that are difficult to play because they were abandoned with little development... Anyway! I can't tolerate it!]
I think the fact that the content was always the same played a role.
Since her video profile only had game-related videos, I think viewers wanted to see something else.
"Okay... Viewers. What do you want me to do?"
-SpicyFoodlover: Eat more spicy chicken noodles!
-NotAnOtakuJustTakgu: Just smile once.
-Charon: I hope the cute girl suffers.
"Yeah... A smile."
I smiled brightly. Lost was puzzled by the viewers' requests.
[Everyone! Weren't 2D characters better? You always said 2D is better than 3D! Are you going to play with such a plain girl?]
-NotAnOtakuJustTakgu: Honestly, what kind of man isn't interested in girls? Since they don't even dare to talk to me, I just have to endure it by watching an anime or a virtual YouTuber.
-KyungminHatesStudying: Honestly, me too...
-Charon: But she's not exactly plain looking either.
[That's!]
Seeing Lost in shock made me laugh. Being a broadcaster is quite a difficult job.
"Hehehe... I guess things will turn out better than I thought?"
"If Alice gets behind, it's Zero Two."
"Why on earth are you doing this to me..."
The broadcast lasted for one hour.
Following Eun-jeong's instructions, I desperately filled the airtime.
Even serious Ha-rim joined in, eating snacks and enthusiastically playing the clown, and in the end...
"Alice is dead."
"She did it in the end. Zero Two."
Eun-jeong and I were sprawled out on the floor.
I put all my energy into it.
And it was extremely painful.
I realized it now, but I think this was Eun-jeong's goal.
She intentionally tried to use my suffering to please the viewer.
After all, a comedy is a tragedy if you look at it closely.
Why is Eun-jeong down?
I punished her. If she thought she would be safe after doing those things, it would be a big mistake.
"Conclusion... What is the result?"
When the voting was conducted and the number of votes was confirmed, there were mixed emotions.
Alice: 66 viewers | Lost: 48 viewers
"I won!"
"Hurray!"
[Nonsense...]
As Lost saw the "Mission Failed" message flash on the screen, she was shocked.
Then Kyeong-min and Tak-gu are kicked out of the cell phone together. Oh, there was Tak-gu too.
The children wake up Kyeong-min, who has fallen.
Meanwhile, I grabbed the cell phone and restrained Lost.
[What is this! Why is this happening!]
"That is the supernatural power of Error. It caused a problem in your data and temporarily disabled you."
[I never thought there would be such power. But it's all over, right? Can't you go easy on me... please?]
Lost was talking with a rude tone, but when she saw my expression, she started treating me with respect.
My expression now was more demonic than ever.
"No, no, this won't do. Because of you, I've faced all sorts of trouble, and I don't know if you'll kidnap people again."
[Uh...]
"You said you liked games, right? Well, that's great. Then enjoy this."
I created a mirror. From the mirror emerges a character, drawn in pixels, with a cute face and white teeth, like a mascot in a public service advertisement.
This was Chika, a character from a children's educational game that had caused a stir in the past.
Chika was a character in a game focused on dental care, hence the term "Chikachika" for brushing teeth.
The reason for the stir was the gory texture file hidden by the game developer in the game files.
Whether it was the creator's taste or not, they left a creepy texture as an Easter egg, and when a YouTuber found it, all sorts of creepy rumors about Chika spread.
'Game Urban Legends.'
It's strange that such things can also happen in the virtual space of the internet.
"Ack! Stay away! I said, stay away!"
Feeling her life was in danger, Lost threw everything in her broadcast screen at the creepy-looking Chika.
From her accessories to game shortcuts.
That's when it happened.
One of the strange icon files thrown by Lost hit Chika and was executed.
It was a text document, like Notepad.
That's when I saw it. A title that shouldn't exist in this world.
Mystery Exploration Club.
"Wait."
"...?"
Chika stops at my words. Lost opens her eyes, which were tightly shut.
"What is that?"
"W-what do you mean?"
"What the hell is that game!!!"
Lost trembled. She showed the file in detail and explained it pitifully.
"Huh! Th-those are just missing games. My ability is to summon deleted or incomplete games. I tried to play it too, but for some reason, I couldn't even play it with my ability...!"
"This can't be. I'm sure I searched thoroughly. There were no records or anything!"
I couldn't help but look. The title of one game is written in the list of missing games.
Mystery Exploration Club ~Summer Vacation Nightmare~
"...What is this now?"
{
Document Title: Missing Games
Mystery Exploration Club ~Summer Vacation Nightmare~ (Horror Game) Eternal War ~War and More War~ (War Game) Pillar of Green ~Reach for the Sky~ (Growth Game) One Day, a Status Window Appears (RPG Game) Bubble Romance (Rhythm Game) Rural Smithy (Crafting Game) Forest Ranch (Management Game)
}
Something out of the ordinary awaits me.
That's the feeling I got.