LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 14
Chapter 14 – I’m Really Sorry…
『What did I just see?』
『The gray observer is so sweet.』
『Wait, was that even possible? A rogue breaking through alone against guardians?』
『If the guardians are caught so easily, why bother building the tower lolololololol』
『Oh, this is the ‘opposing team’s rogue.’』
In the promotion match with 7 wins and 4 losses, they suffered a three-game losing streak.
“The first match was my fault for not picking properly…”
『Yes, even if we generously admit that the second match was also my fault for being greedy for the broadcast…』
After playing countless games together with GetDevoured, Ark just couldn’t accept the outcome of the third match.
“Wait, why on earth am I awakening in my promotion match all of a sudden? Why!”
『Why suddenly awaken in a crisis situation! That’s the norm.』
『Crisis situation (Ark seems likely to advance)』
『Did GetDevoured always play that well?』
『No way, if she always played like that, would she be below Master Gatekeeper?』
『Even as a gatekeeper, suddenly awakening enough to believe it lololol』
With her head in her hands, Ark buried her head on the desk, she felt like she could guess the ongoing chat without even looking at it.
How did it come to this?
After a clean victory, she had dreamed of conducting an interview infused with a hint of arrogance. But after the game ended, the self-blame doubled due to the questions that emerged on the notepad before her.
‘Was going to the second underground a strategic choice to showcase the rogue’s strengths? Oh, no, no, no!’
At this point, she began to wonder if going to the second underground might have been a strategic choice to really showcase the rogue’s strengths.
– Ding ding ding.
– Ding ding dong ding dong.
– Ding ding dong ding.
– Ding ding dong ding dong.
The ringing of the voice chat sounded like a song from hell.
『Ark, answer the phone~ Ark, answer the phone~ Ark, answer the phone~ Ark, answer the phone~ Ark, answer the phone~ Ark, answer the phone~』
– Someone donated 5,000 won!
-『Is it because of my mood that I can hear the sound of the teacher’s bell?』
『LOLOLOLLOLOLOLLOLOLOLLOL Do you want to receive it now if it’s you?』
『Ah LOLOLOL ‘Because I like rogues’ 5 seconds before casting』
『I’ve answered the interview question~ Please give me the next question~』
『Answer (Lose the promotion match)』
『As soon as she got hit, she got a call from her opponent… Seriously, I would smash the computer if it were me』
Ark, who had her eyes tightly closed, lifted her head with difficulty at the sound of the donation, checked the screen, and then lowered her head again.
“GetDevoured-nim… Please change your donation ID or pretend to be someone else… please.”
『LOLOLOLLOLOLOLLOLOLOLLOLOLOLLOLOLOLLOLOLOLLOL 』
『There’s no mercy LOLOLOLLOLOLOLLOLOLOL 』
『Ark~ Wake up! We need to do the interview~ Ark~ Wake up! We need to do the interview~ Ark~ Wake up! We need to do the interview~ Ark~ Wake up! We need to do the interview~ Ark~ Wake up! We need to do the interview~』
“Everyone… Just a little bit, please let me rest a bit…”
Although Ark was a full-time broadcaster, she never initially intended to seriously become one from the beginning. Her broadcasting started with the simple desire for more people to watch and praise her awesome plays while she was just having fun playing games.
This original intention still surfaced occasionally even now that she had become a passionate full-time broadcaster obsessed with broadcasting.
In other words, enduring the humiliating experience of being ruthlessly beaten in front of over ten thousand viewers as she confidently prepared to win, waving to the camera, was truly pushing her to the limits of humiliation.
No matter how used to being in front of the camera she was, it was too painful to just laugh it off.
She tried to convey these feelings and thoughts, doing her best with a voice that seemed like it was fading away, but the viewers, who were buzzing from the previous game, were not going to tolerate it.
『??Is the broadcaster taking a break?』
『Ark, if you play now, you can win-lose-lose-win-win-win-win.』
『Tsk, these days, they lack… determination! It’s a big problem.』
『Queue it right now! Queue it right now! Queue it right now! Queue it right now! Queue it right now! Queue it right now! Queue it right now! Queue it right now!』
Looking back, it had truly been a long day for Ark. Without any warning, she entered her fan cafe, her sanctuary, only to witness a scene of chaos. Then, trying to evolve a broadcast that was burning with a suspicion of a non-existent boyfriend, only to fail.
Climbing up the ladder holding onto a flimsy rope, then getting hit with it. It felt like she had used up all her energy for the whole week. In a state of complete exhaustion, Ark, struggling to gather her thoughts, let out a dry cough and presented her negotiation.
“Everyone, honestly, I don’t think I can continue playing games in my current state. Look, my hands are shaking…”
『???』
『Hey, watch how I’m flying awkwardly.』
『Is this a weird build-up or what?』
『Me』
『If you’re awkward, then you’re bound to end up with poop stuck on your pants.』
『Click』
『Looks like you’ve got the shakes, just take it easy on the drinks. Your trembling hands have nothing to do with it!!!』
“…I seem to have Parkinson’s. Anyway, I’ll ask if I could continue the interview with GetDevoured.”
『Could it be…?』
『Go go go go go go』
『Let’s do the interview~』
『Honestly, playing a game and conducting an interview simultaneously was quite hectic.』
『But can we really do this…?』
With a few skeptics excluded, the chat room was generally supportive. As viewers, initially, the combination of gaming and interviews was entertaining, but later on, it became too chaotic.
And above all, after witnessing the ridiculous super play by the rogue just now, most viewers wanted to hear a calm explanation of how that was achieved. Reading the atmosphere of the chat room, Ark nodded heavily and brought up the messaging screen.
“Honestly, if you had any human feelings, you wouldn’t have done something like that in the game just now and then asked us to play again.”
『Human feelings (absent)』
『The heart of a non-person』
『GetDevoured is a fox, not a person…! GetDevoured is a fox, not a person…! GetDevoured is a fox, not a person…! GetDevoured is a fox, not a person…!』
『Just hearing the voice, it’s so full of dialect. These crazy people for real, lol』
『Let’s ask anyway』
“GetDevoured, are you watching the broadcast?”
There was no response. Letting out a deep sigh, Ark began typing a long message slowly:
『Teacher, could we take a break from the game for a moment and do the interview?』
『It could be the deciding match of the promotion series, so it’s too regretful to do both at the same time』
『And sharing thoughts on the previous game together while reviewing would be great』
『Even the viewers are going crazy saying how cool the rogue was in the last match and they want to learn the rogue’s tricks』
『While we saw why the rogue is a god-tier character in the game, it would be even better to hear the explanation in a calm setting』
『???』
『Who on earth is that?』
『Wait, who said it was cool? Who even wants to be a rogue?』
『This isn’t just annoying, it’s downright creepy』
『The one who wants to learn rogue tricks, get out of here~』
『I don’t exist, how do I leave?』
『Anyone who calls a rogue God-Tier will have rogues on their team in three generations.』
『There’s no such person.』
『Teacher, please don’t force embarrassing words into the viewers’ mouths.』
Leading the charge with arguments against rogues, such as the futility of rogues, the moral decay of rogues, and the necessity of eradicating rogues, Ark was particularly challenged when it came to praising rogues.
It was undeniable that the most effective way to lure in the damned was through provocative comments.
She chewed on her lips, waiting for about three minutes. Soon enough, the awaited sound echoed through.
– Ring ring.
“Yes, GetDevoured-nim!”
As soon as the signal rang, Ark answered the phone, and a familiar lazy voice reached her ears.
“Hello, Ark-nim.”
Letting out a shallow sigh of relief, Ark clung on with a trembling voice.
“First, well done on the play…”
“Thank you.”
“Then… may we proceed with the interview?”
“I’m really sorry, but…”
It is commonly said that one’s mental state bursts when overwhelmed mentally.
And indeed, as Ark listened to the drawn-out voice of GetDevoured, if she had something called mental fortitude inside her, it felt as though that something had exploded into pieces like a bursting balloon and scattered throughout her body.
“Oh, please…! No, right? It’s not true, right? You’re not asking me to do that final promotion match again like earlier, right? Or are you planning to ambush me again? No, right? Seriously, no? No?!”
『Uh-oh. It’s broken.』
『Mom, this broadcaster is broken.』
『I don’t like things being broken!』
『Hey Ark, seems like you’ve really lost your mind haha』
『Unnie, calm downㅠㅠㅠ』
– User 『ㅇㅇ』 has donated 10,000 won! –
【Ark, calm down】
– User 『ㅇㅇ』 has donated 300,000 won! –
【Let’s take a breath】
With the support coming in, Ark, who was piecing back together her shattered mental state, heard GetDevoured once again apologizing sincerely.
“I’m sorry. I truly have an urgent matter to attend to right now.”
“Oh. I… I’m sorry. I… misunderstood.”
While Ark reflexively apologized, she couldn’t help but wonder if the misunderstanding was really cleared up, with no energy left to entertain multiple thoughts at once.
“Okay. I’ll definitely do the interview next time.”
“Really? Yes! Thank you!”
“Okay. Good luck with your broadcast.”
-Click.
As the lackluster voice of GetDevoured yelling “fighting” disconnected, a silence enveloped Ark’s broadcasting studio.
“So, what do we do now?”
The departure of GetDevoured made the broadcast feel like something had been extinguished.
After the festival ended and fireworks painted the sky in brilliant colors, the event seemed to have concluded, yet people lingered, chatting and bubbling with an inexplicable energy.
“Are we going to finish the promotion series?”
“So, what do we do now? Part 3.”
The main reason for creating such an atmosphere was Ark himself. Due to her drained demeanor, the broadcast lost its momentum and viewers dwindled to about 7,000, mostly her fans.
Ark took a sip of the coffee beside her, let out a shallow sigh, and suggested, “I’m really exhausted… How about we just chat and watch the replay of the last match together?”
『Sounds good.』
『Let’s save the climax for the end.』
『Why do you keep saying it’s the end? There could be 4 more matches.』
『Let’s do it now.』
『We’ve lost three in a row, it’s a turnaround point for the promotion series.』
『Chatting sounds nice.』
– Viewer ‘ㅇㅇ’ has donated 100,000 won! –
『Let’s take a break and watch the last match.』
Despite varying opinions from viewers, ultimately, it was up to the broadcaster’s decision. Ark smiled weakly and ended her broadcast, taking off her VR gear.
It had been a long day. But it’s not over yet.