NOVEL WEB Chapter 16
[So, shall we start by hearing everyone’s thoughts on monetization and their determination for the future? Let’s begin with Nekoto!]
M-chan smoothly overlooked the fact that I bit my tongue during my self-introduction.
Of course, the chatroom was still buzzing with that topic, and Suzuha Koga was giving off worried vibes, but we couldn’t just halt the broadcast over one little tongue-biting incident, right?
Is this what you call the seasoned touch of a working adult?
It’s on another level from a pseudo-40-year-old like me.
[Um. I’m really grateful for the servants who support a broadcast that I don’t even fully understand… Please continue to take care of me…]
-Our Master is sleepy again
-(*＿ ＿)Z z z
-That’s true. Usually, she won’t broadcast because she’s sleeping
-So cute…
The way Ayaka Utsumi perked up her ears sleepily while speaking, honestly, was incredibly cute.
Is this why they became servants?
I strangely understand it.
[Now it’s my turn! Monetization is just the beginning! Soon, the world will be painted red, so servants, give it your all for me!]
-You’re amazing, Princess!
-Is this really the red witch, Yukari Akabane of a different dimension…!
I’ve felt before that Yukari Akabane is really good at RP, right?
It’s not just that her avatar fits her; it’s that she easily spits out those lines without a hint of embarrassment—how impressive!
In real life, she didn’t give off that vibe at all.
And the servants really accept that easily, huh.
The supportive players are only trying to tease me, though…
[The reason I can try my best despite being unworthy is that all of you are here. So please continue to support me!]
-Mom…
-Help me!
Ayaka Utsumi, ma’am….
[Star’s Flow is a wonderful opportunity given to me, so I’ll keep working hard! I want to be praised a lot from now on!]
-I think Suzuha-chan deserves plenty of praise! ლ(・ヮ・ლ)
-Suzuhachi is amazing~
-The pillar of the second generation of Star Flow!
Everyone, that person is my friend.
You know what they say about like attracting like?
That means I, with amazing Suzuha Koga as my friend, must be an amazing person too.
Don’t you all think so? I know.
[Alright, now for the final turn, Izumi!]
“Um, um….”
So, what should I say?
Honestly, it would probably be best to express my aspirations honestly, right?
“F-from now on, I’ll do my best without any… um… issues. T-thank you all for always supporting me…”
-?
-If Mei-chan doesn’t have issues, is she just a gloomy outcast self-proclaimed ultra-cool JK VTuber? (lol)
-I’m always looking forward to what kind of issues Mei-chan will show…
“Yay!”
I thought I was saying something really nice, but isn’t that too harsh?
★
[Today’s collaboration content is an association game!]
An association game?
I’m the youngest among my peers, after all.
“…Hehe.”
-?
My sudden laugh raised questions in the chatroom, but M-chan and my peers didn’t show any reaction.
What a relief.
If they had asked why I was laughing, I’d have to tell them it was because I was thinking of a joke like this, right?
If that ruins the mood, I’d have to take responsibility and graduate…
[When I announce a topic, just answer with the first thing that comes to your mind.]
At that moment, M-chan sent me a link to my Discord DM.
As I clicked on it, a pure white whiteboard appeared on my monitor screen.
Somehow, a whiteboard was projected in front of our avatars on the broadcast screen as well.
It seemed like a system where whatever I wrote would synchronize with the broadcast display.
[Now, please write down the first impression of your peers! You have one minute!]
“…”
-Starting off pretty casual.
…What? Is that considered casual?
These guys don’t seem to understand how terrifying this question is.
I know.
You absolutely can’t write down your first impressions honestly and without hiding anything.
Even if you think poorly of someone, you have to gloss it over the best you can.
If I write down all my unfiltered thoughts, I could very well lose my first friend, Suzuha Koga.
Which means it’s a high-stakes question where a single mistake could cost me everything, so I have to walk the fine line between truth and falsehood.
Phew, I’m lucky to be a pretty perceptive outcast, which helped me catch onto the traps of this question immediately.
Okay then, let’s think.
How did I feel about my peers’ first impressions?
…Thinking about it, I think I liked everyone.
They were pretty, cute, and kind enough not to overtly avoid me even though I didn’t fit in with them.
So, I can write down the truth after all!
[Alright, let’s start with Nekoto’s response!]
[Um….]
B-but do I really want to see what the others think of me?
If they wrote something like “I don’t want to associate with this outcast,” it could hurt, right?
But the fact that I’m an outcast and have communication impairment is true, so eventually, I might just end up crying alone and graduating.
Suzuha Koga might see me and think, “She really is hopeless…” and scoff at me…
[Nekoto wrote this….]
“Yukari: 4 / Ayaka: 1 / Suzuha: 5 / Izumi: 2”
[…What does that mean?]
I tilted my head just like Ayaka did, unable to comprehend the numbers she wrote.
Why is 3 missing?
[I ranked how mature I thought you were based on first impressions. Ayaka is the most mature, Izumi comes second, Nekoto is third, Yukari is fourth, and Suzuha is fifth.]
[Ah!]
[That makes sense.]
[It’s not an “ah!” though! I’m older than everyone here?!]
-Haha
[It’s true that Suzuha-chan is an angel, so she’s probably older than the others.]
-By that logic, Mei-chan is a deity, right?
-She’s superficially (self-proclaimed) popular and a mood maker high school student.
-But looking at Suzuha-chan’s appearance, you wouldn’t think so at first.
-Oho
-Suzuhachi’s charm lies within!
-By the way, it’s surprising that Mei-chan is second!
[Izumi is extremely mature when she stays quiet. She has a graceful aura.]
-Definitely, when she’s quiet, she gives off a sweet popular vibe.
-But once she opens her mouth, it becomes a different kind of graceful…
Unexpectedly, it seems like Ayaka acknowledges me highly.
My heart felt slightly light.
“Hehe…”
[And when she speaks on the broadcast… I think she’s cute.]
[Yeah, definitely has that vibe.]
[It feels a bit like watching a pet, right?]
[Ah, I get it.]
…Huh?
Isn’t my treatment a bit strange?
Or not?
Maybe being a pet that’s amusing to watch is better than being an outcast with communication impairment?
But wouldn’t that raise issues regarding human dignity?
“T-thank you?”
Let’s think positively since it seems like a compliment anyway.
[Now it’s my turn! Here’s mine!]
Next up was Yukari Akabane.
“Nekoto: Servant Candidate / Ayaka: Subordinate / Suzuha: Rival / Izumi: Master”
[Not a sister but a subordinate. So Yukari, huh.]
[Sorry, but Nekoto doesn’t serve under anyone…!]
[A rival? That’s a good meaning, right?]
[Of course! Just think about how grand it is that you can stand against me.]
…Me, Yukari’s master?
Why?
“W-why am I Yukari’s m-master?”
[…I’ve believed from the start that you would cause a big storm in the VTuber world. So I thought I should learn from you.]
-Definitely caused a huge storm from the start…
-You shouldn’t be learning from someone like that, Princess! (」°ロ°)」
[However, I feel like our directions are so different that I gave up. But since we are discussing first impressions, I just wrote what I felt.]
“Is that so?”
Wait a second. Does that mean there’s nothing left for me to learn from now?
Well, after all, what could an outcast like me teach her?
[Well, I still think there are things to learn from you, but like I said, our directions are a bit different.]
There are still some!
Thank goodness!
[Now, it’s my turn. Ta-da!]
And then it was Ayaka’s turn.
“Nekoto: Cute Younger Sister / Yukari: Rebellious Younger Sister / Suzuha: Lovely Younger Sister / Izumi: Daughter”
-They fundamentally feel like they should take care of everyone.
-Indeed, that’s Ayaka for you!
[Ayaka, once again, I’m the oldest here?]
[But just like Yukari said, that’s the first impression~. I can’t help it if I felt that way at first!]
[Hey, what do you mean by rebellious younger sister? What does that even mean?]
[Yukari was kind of prickly from the beginning when we collaborated, right? Isn’t it accurate?]
[Hmm. To me, Nekoto is more like an older sister at home, not a younger sister.]
[Then, let’s treat Nekoto’s younger sister as my younger sister too!]
-So far, that seems to be the most accurate impression.
-Help me, Ayaka nee!
-If the teacher says so, then it’s true… ヾ(^ω^*)
“T-everyone has little sisters, but I’m the only one being treated like a daughter…”
Is it a special treatment?
As I expressed that doubt, Ayaka Utsumi’s avatar suddenly sparkled and looked at me.
[The first time I saw Izumi, I felt a maternal affection that made me want to protect her? If I had to categorize it, it’d be similar to Yukari, but Yukari gives a stronger vibe of being okay on her own.]
I can do well on my own, Mom.
Actually, I’d prefer being alone!
But having a mom like Ayaka Utsumi watching over me might be nice, right…?
Oh no. Does that mean Ayaka Utsumi would become my mom’s wife?
Help me.
[Now it’s my turn!]
Finally, it was Suzuha Koga’s turn.
If Suzuha thought poorly of my first impression, I might just die…
It’s only natural to hope that the first impression of my first friend is good.
First impressions are just that—first impressions, and you can get to know someone better and develop a good bond, right?
That kind of story applies only to people who have a lot of friends, so keep that in mind…
“Nekoto: Airhead / Yukari: Professional / Ayaka: Arrogant / Izumi: Want to Get Closer”
[It’s true that I’m aware of my professionalism, so I always act professionally. You saw right through me. You’re certainly the rival I acknowledged.]
[Airhead?]
[Arrogant?! That’s too harsh for my sister!]
[Ayaka?]
[I’m sorry…!]
-After all, even the teacher can’t win against the pillar of the second generation…
-It’s true that Suzuha feels more like the older sister among the second generation.
-Of course, their appearances are the complete opposite…
[Just remember the name of the person who just mentioned appearance!]
-Ah lol
-That’s dangerous hahah
“…”
While everyone was joyfully chatting on the broadcast, I, on the other hand, couldn’t say a single word.
And understandably so…
“Izumi: Want to Get Closer”
My gaze fixated solely on those words written by Suzuha Koga.
“Phew…”
What a relief.
If there had been something written like “Difficult to Talk To,” I might have cried.
Of course, it’s true that I struggle with conversation, but sometimes, facts can hurt someone’s feelings.
That aside, for someone like me to want to get closer…
Suzuha Koga really is an angel.