Since I Became a Woman, I’ll Do Cosplay

“It’s not going well…”

To be precise, it wasn’t as if illustration uploads and outsourcing commissions began exactly on October 1st, so let’s assume the monthly income to be around 1.5 million won.

The maximum revenue collectible over three months is 4.5 million won.

Or rather, even that isn’t guaranteed income.

Most of the revenue came through outsourcing, and the membership income, which should have been the primary source, barely reached the 500,000 won mark.

“The number of patrons did exceed 50 since entering November, but…”

If asked whether it would be possible to increase these patrons to close to 500 within the month of November…

Frankly, there’s a reason to scratch one’s head in skepticism.

The growth in early November with 50 patrons was too slow, and illustrations uploaded to Pixiv weren’t receiving much traffic either, not benefiting from the algorithm.

And if you ask whether one can gather ten million won purely through outsourcing, that avenue seems no less bleak.

Perhaps the timing is just bad?

“2019 isn’t exactly the era when web novel authors were rushing to outsource illustrations.”

As far as Ha Yun knows, the greatest boom for the domestic illustration industry was right after the advent of Novelopia in 2021.

Around then was when authors were happily handing out large sums for illustration outsourcing. About two years later, AI illustrations became more common, diminishing the profits of web novel-specific outsourcing artists…

“As for this month’s outsourcing revenue of 800,000 won, it might decrease further. The odds of it skyrocketing are low, right?”

The market’s peak is near, but due to the time limit from the status window, it’s not possible to benefit from it. The popularity accumulated so far doesn’t hold much worth as of 2019.

To begin with, outsourcing income is too volatile to be relied upon, and the membership side is showing far too sluggish growth.

If, by the end of November, the confirmed profit is only around 1.5 million won, then what?

In just one month, seven million won must be earned, a daunting task even for Ha Yun to quintuple her earnings.

Besides, Ha Yun’s opponent is a Parichung status window that has transformed a perfectly healthy young twenty-two-year-old man into a girl.

Thinking idly along the lines of “It’ll work out somehow,” might result in losing human dignity completely and becoming a full-fledged perri.

“In this situation, the best course of action is increasing sources of income…”

Getting a job as an illustrator in a game company?

That’s tough.

It’s rare to find jobs with a starting salary of four million won, and minors wouldn’t pass the initial documentation cut.

Then, what about joining an indie game team?

No, that’s not easy either.

There might be some diehards that would want a female artist on the team, but the critical factor—profitability—is uncertain.

“Looks like I’ll have to earn by hustling…”

So then, the only remaining option is…

Hustling.

Precisely, participating in doujin events.

Seoul Cos & Comic Festival.

Commonly referred to as “Seofe,” that event.

Since today’s November 1st, there’s a fair chance to participate in the November event if things go well…

“Chewww…”

Unfortunately, the timing’s off.

“Deadlines have passed?”

Registration for booths at the November Seofe has already closed.

With that, it’s impossible to implement the strategy of building recognition in November and blowing it up in December.

Everything has to be burned in December…

“Firstly, let’s place orders for acrylic stands, tablet covers, and framed goods. The design plans have to be ready by at least November 10th…”

Primarily, the merchandise with the least polarized preferences.

Let’s start with the “Samshinki,” or the three essential goods.

Looking back, the status window didn’t say to “earn profit,” but rather simply “profit.”

In other words, there’s no problem with using premium materials and ignoring the cost of production.

Ha Yun isn’t in business to make money; she’s in it to not become a perri.

She can invest in more production costs compared to other booths, and that right there is the selling point.

Consumers, now as always, tend to have money, and they desire high-quality goods that satisfy them.

Understanding consumer needs is basic knowledge for illustrators of Ha Yun’s caliber.

With that, the rough plan is complete. It’s now time for a more detailed plan.

The moment has come to decide which character merchandise to produce…

“Girls’ Warfare?”

Coincidentally, just one title came to mind.

The game released in 2017.

Girls’ Warfare—commonly abbreviated as “Sowon.”

Nowadays, people are accustomed to academy games featuring characters with bell-shaped accessories shooting guns or games viewed vertically, where you watch swaying hips as characters handle firearms.

But Girls’ Warfare’s appearance back then was nothing short of shocking.

Moreover, its popularity in the 2019 doujin market is still a vivid memory.

Let alone, with the user-friendly nature of Girls’ Warfare’s business model, the purchasing power of hardcore users who come to doujin events is overwhelmingly high.

When they have spare money to spend on games, it naturally translates into a strong willingness to purchase merchandise.

“Girls’ Warfare is the perfect choice. Isn’t that Hong Guk character the popular one with the blue hair?”

After searching for the character named HK-M4, Ha Yun exclaimed, “Ah, this guy,” while bringing back vivid memories from past.

A character she’d drawn a few times as commissions.

“Probably should go with a bunnygirl theme for the tablet cover. Maybe with the posture of lying on a poker table? For the acrylic stand, a set of kimono and hanbok will give it a distinctive flair. Sure, and the rather revealing swimsuit should be made into a framed good, offering the merit of being easily hidden during regular times…”

It’s clear that this is a character she’s drawn several times before, allowing her to proceed fluidly.

Humming a tune, Ha Yun began sketching on the iPad her parents had authorized for use, starting to create artwork meant for the Girls’ Warfare users’ heartstrings.

#

“Hummm…”

Recently, Ha Yun’s mother, Yun Soo-Hee, had noticed some significant changes in her daughter’s lifestyle.

Last year, she had already decided to quit an art academy she had been attending regularly, which was odd. Lately, the frequency of her staying up late and sleeping in has risen.

As a mother, Yun Soo-Hee was worried if her daughter was going through some sort of psychological change during adolescence.

“Is there any problem?”

“What problem?”

“Well, Ha Yun’s been staying up late and sleeping till late recently. If that’s not a problem, what is? She’s in her prime of schooling…”

“At the end of the day, even the high school is all already decided. What’s wrong with being a bit negligent during middle school? Now is the best time to do what she wants without harming her health.”

Ha Yun’s father, Min Jeong-Kyun, looked at Yun Soo-Hee as if to say, “Is this really a big deal?”

Min Jeong-Kyun is nonchalant in demeanor but has clear values when it comes to parenting.

Money.

The most important thing to survive solo in this harsh world is money, and should either Min Jeong-Kyun or Yun Soo-Hee meet an untimely end, money would ensure their child could keep moving forward quietly.

“Our daughter has already been accepted to Meister High School. She’ll easily get hired as an illustrator at game companies after graduation from high school. Let her play around a bit now.”

Currently, Ha Yun has been accepted to the Meister High School, which is renowned for its highest employment rate after high school graduation.

Though Ha Yun herself is clueless about which school “she” applied to, in light of the recent change in gender, she’s been busy adapting her life.

Nevertheless, Min Jeong-Kyun, as a guardian, had long been informed by the high school confirmation notice that his daughter’s admission had been finalized.

“Our daughter isn’t as naïve as you think. It’s rare to find someone so clearly decided about their career path as early as middle school.”

“Indeed, it’s rare.”

“I approve of her leaving the unprofitable exam-focused art training. Nowadays, the trend is illustrations, illustrations! When I checked, there’s such a demand for skilled illustrators right now.”

“Is that…”

Yoon Soo-hee, utterly perplexed, shook her head and pulled out a pear from the refrigerator, cutting it into bite-sized pieces.

As her child didn’t eat much, she thought of providing some snacks…

“Daughter, eat while studying.”

“No, I am going out!”

“Huh?”

“Ah, I’ll take care of eating, just go already!”

However, her daughter, who has recently been on edge, suddenly shoved her away irritably.

“Uh…”

Thus, as Yoon Soo Hee was turned away at the door, she blankly stared at it closed.

“See, I told you not to push too hard, right? Our daughter has her private life too, doesn’t she?”

“Puberty…”

Min Jeong-Kyun chuckled lightly while asking why she stimulated a child who was doing fine on her own, and Yoon Soo Hee pouted her lips, feeling a bit hurt.

“I’ll take it, let me have the pear.”

“Alright.”

Still, seeing her husband eating heartily gave her some relief from her worries.

#

“Phew, phew… That was close…”

Actually, Ha Yun’s reaction had a good reason for it.

“I almost got caught…”

At the moment, she had been in the zone drawing a swimsuit sketch of HK-M4.

While applying shading to the triangular marks left by the torn swimsuit bottom to create a sense of the ‘Enkous,’ her mother Yoon Soo Hee had walked in, forcing her to panic and rush her out.

“I should apologize later…”

Though it was rude, Ha Yun realized that. Later, she intended to properly apologize as a filial daughter…

Despite the minor hiccup, the initial planned budget-friendly Samshinki merch and framed goods had their illustrations completed.

Just one small problem remained…

“The production cost…”

All the money Ha Yun had was the 1.5 million won from the past month’s earnings and her pocket money.

It was a lot of money for a third-year middle school student to carry, but it was far insufficient for large-scale merchandise production.

Once orders were placed for 50 acrylic stands and 50 tablet covers, there wouldn’t be enough funds left for anything else.

“Even if I only sell 50 units each, it can work, but even then, I wouldn’t earn 2.5 million won.”

Based on October’s revenue, predicting membership profits for November and December, adding 2.5 million won wouldn’t be enough to reach ten million.

On the other hand, raising merchandise prices feels like crossing a barrier, with acrylic stands at 15,000 won and tablet covers at 30,000 won being the “national rules” limits.

“What else can be done?”

Ultimately, since there seemed to be no other viable options, Ha Yun decided to take the forbidden path.

She created a permanent nickname and headed directly to the Girls’ Warfare gallery.

If there wasn’t enough budget, then a pre-order would work.

This method is professionally known as “funding.”

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