NOVEL WEB Chapter 13
The next day.
Choi Seon-ha, CEO of Blue Art, was in a good mood.
She woke up feeling refreshed and was still in good spirits while getting ready and heading to the office.
Lately, it seemed as though nothing but good things were happening.
She had a feeling that only good things would continue to happen.
And… it really did happen.
“…”
Choi Seon-ha couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
As soon as she arrived at work, Jin Se-yeon burst into her office, shouting “President! President!” and immediately held out her smartphone to show a video—the news.
[Next story. Have any of you heard of the virtual idol company ‘Blue Art’?]
After watching the entire news segment, only one word escaped Choi Seon-ha’s lips.
“Really?”
“Yes, it really aired on the 9 o’clock news.”
It wasn’t just an online article—it had been featured on the morning live news.
“What the hell is this?! It’s like a morning thunderbolt!”
Involuntarily shocked, Choi Seon-ha’s next action was one of uncontrollable excitement.
“AAAHHHH!! AAAHHHH!!”
“AAAHHHHHH!!”
She immediately started jumping up and down, holding hands with an equally excited Jin Se-yeon who also couldn’t contain her joy.
“Wow… has our No Mi really become a full-fledged idol?”
The news content was related to yesterday’s explanatory broadcast by Inaring.
The focus was on the marksman known as the Charge Knight, Inaring, Karin, and even my own voice were broadcast live on the news.
On top of that, another news segment highlighted the Charge Knight’s marksmanship.
It was as though the attention toward the Charge Knight had reached its peak.
It’s like a massive blessing has just rolled in.
“No, this isn’t the time for that, right? Did we request the avatar already?”
“Of course, President.”
“Great, let’s get the introductory video editing underway right away.”
“Understood!”
Choi Seon-ha was quick-thinking when it came to broadcasting.
Perhaps this was the reason why she had managed to succeed in the live streaming industry for seven years?
When an opportunity came, she seized it.
You should always paddle hard when the water flows in your favor.
Choi Seon-ha already had a full plan in mind.
* * *
Even though the Charge Knight provided comprehensive explanations in an effort to quell the controversy, the Blue Art Café community was oddly even more inflamed than before.
[Title: Seriously, what is Inaring doing?!]
Your broadcast talent is completely ruined, right!?
After a clarification broadcast, there should naturally be a follow-up broadcast, right!?
But you announced a hiatus immediately after!
Are you feeling too full of yourself!?
Are you mocking us!?
— Ugh, it’s already been 43,200 seconds since I last saw Inaring…
— Kyyyyaaa! This is an ice age!
— Inaring, I’m cold… come back…
[Title: Blue Art President Choa, listen carefully!]
Make the Charge Knight debut as a VTuber when you have the chance!
If you don’t, the café will continue to burn with flames!
— Right! Right!
— President Choa, make the Charge Knight debut as a VTuber immediately!
— True! Hurry up! By the way, a cute Lolita avatar would suit him/her!
[What…]
[What.]
[Get out]
It’s burning uncontrollably.
Not only was it covered on the 9 o’clock live news, it even topped the N search trends. There’s nothing more to say.
With only 2,000 members originally, the café surpassed 10,000 members in just a day, continuing to increase in real-time.
As Inahi (real name: Hanam Mi, stage name: Inaring) quietly observed, she thought:
“Wow… look at the activity in our café.”
That quiet café is now bustling with noise beyond recognition.
On top of that, there were even fan arts.
The fan art board is filled with pictures of Paladins in cosplay alongside Inaring.
Could this be an unprecedented golden age for our Blue Art Café?
And they’re asking to debut the Charge Knight?
Inahi couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle involuntarily.
Indeed, our president’s foresight…
She might have anticipated the audience’s enthusiasm and suggested that No Mi debut beforehand.
“If I start broadcasting now, it’ll be chaos…”
Yesterday, as many as 100,000 people tuned in for the clarification broadcast.
So, how many will watch today?
Rather than nervousness, Inahi is filled with anticipation.
President Choi trusts in Inahi’s talent, the ability to maintain her groove in any situation.
And with anticipation in mind, the broadcast begins!
[1,260 viewers]
[2,683 viewers]
[5,781 viewers]
[10,691 viewers]
[12,784 viewers]
In no time, the number of viewers surged past the ten-thousand mark—a number that’s several times higher than the café’s usual average.
With just these words from Inaring:
“Wow, look at all the people!”
— Hahahahaha
— Hahahah! This is the first thing she says as soon as she starts her broadcast!
— Hahahahaha! Hahahahaha!
— This girl never changes, does she?
No matter how quickly the viewer count increased, Inaring maintained her trademark composure.
Though slightly taken aback, she had faced a much larger audience yesterday during the clarification broadcast.
Inari simply proceeded with her stream as usual.
“Ah, that’s not what this is about! Hi everyone! How have you been?”
— I was extremely worried you know, you dumb Narin!
[1 mute given]
— We’re glad you’re alive, Inaring!
— It was so cold, you idiot!
— Why didn’t you start the stream?! WHY WHY WHY?!
“Excuse me, I did broadcast yesterday, the clarification stream.”
— After doing a clarification stream, there should have been a follow-up with the Charge Knight! Isn’t that obvious!?
— Inaring, explain this now!
— Right! Right!
— Clar
— iffication
— Clar
— iffication
— Clar
— iffication
To this, Inaring, with an unusually polite demeanor, bowed deeply.
“Hello, this is Inaring. Today I would like to explain why I didn’t do a follow-up stream after yesterday’s clarification stream…”
Then, raising her stiff back, Inaring delivered a double middle finger.
“What the hell, you guys! If I broadcasted for you, you should have said ‘Thank you oh precious Inaring for bestowing us with your stream’ and bowed in gratitude! How dare you set fire to the café for not doing a follow-up stream!”
— ???
— ?
— Hahahahahaha!
— Do you usually act like this?
— Hahahahahaha! This is how she always is.
A few viewers question whether Inaring’s reactions here are normal, while others laugh knowingly, already accustomed to her antics.
This is typical of Inaring’s broadcasts—honest but lacking humility. It’s impossible for her not to deliver crude comedy during her streams.
But this is also the charm of Inaring’s broadcasts.
A viewer donated 10,000 won.
[Will you talk about the Charge Knight’s follow-up today?]
“Hem hem, thank you for the 10,000 won. And yes, this humble person is here to personally discuss it.”
— Oh!
— Ohhhh!
— Tell us now, Narin!
— What does the Charge Knight look like?
Another viewer donated 1,000 won.
[Inaring, rush to Choa and make the Charge Knight debut as a VTuber!]
“Uh, be quiet! How dare you interrupt an elder’s speaking? Anyway, you asked about what the Charge Knight looks like, correct? Well asked. I’ve been itching to share the story!”
Of course, she obtained permission from No Mi first.
She asked if they could discuss yesterday’s events in the follow-up broadcast.
Surprisingly, No Mi readily agreed, so it was only natural to share.
“Let me clarify, there are personal details involved, so I’ll keep this brief. When I first saw the Charge Knight, I didn’t recognize them. There was a cute young actress-like individual standing outside the studio entrance.”
— ???
— ??
— ????
— ??
— ??
— ???
— Is this real life?
“At that moment, I exclaimed ‘Eek!’ in surprise. Contrary to what you might expect from the Charge Knight’s behavior during streams, they trembled like a small animal, and then said ‘Oh, uh, uh, i-is, Is that Inaring!? I, I love you!'”
Watching the stream, Hanam Mi said with surprise,
‘Hmm, I never said something like that…’
While she is a fan, she never said she loves Inaring.
Inaring didn’t stop there.
“Now that I know, our Charge Knight has been a genuine fan all along, huh? No wonder they’ve been so overly nice to me.”
A viewer donated 1,000 won.
[Don’t be fooled everyone! She’s exaggerating again! I bet 80% of that story is made up.]
— Hahaha, you’re pretending to be the Charge Knight?
— Seriously, you’re the real Charge Knight! Hahahaha!
— Anyway, how could a true fan say such hurtful things?
“In any case, don’t slander our Charge Knight. The Charge Knight doesn’t use such vulgar language… …or do they?”
— Hahaha
— Hahaha
— This woman has forgotten everything that’s previously happened.
Suddenly, something the viewers said made sense.
She had forgotten, momentarily mesmerized by No Mi’s cute appearance. But thinking about it, No Mi is that notorious sniper.
All the words No Mi said during the Duo match in the Time Click mode came rushing back to her.
[Charge Knight]: What are you doing, tool? You’re not healing.
[Charge Knight]: How dare the tool talk back?
Naturally, a suspicion arose.
“Uh… are you really the Charge Knight?”
— Hahahahahahaha
— Hahahahaha
— Hahaha
Thinking about it again, the Charge Knight is known to frequently use crude language.
Often, very often.
Especially during the time they’re the Charge Knight, they’re as aggressive as Lu Bu.
Hmm… but now that we’re friends, let’s forget the past and start anew.
“Hmm anyway, that’s enough about the Charge Knight’s story. Our cute one is still an ordinary person, after all, and needs protection.”
— Haha, the little one…
— Wait? Still?
— Still?
— Still?
— Still? Still? Still? Still? Still? Still? Still? Still? Still? Still? Still? Still? Still? Still? Still? Still? Still? Still? Still? Still? Still?
“A.”
Another viewer donated 1,000 won.
[Still? What does that mean?]
The moment she spoke, Inaring unintentionally broke out in cold sweat.
I unintentionally made a slip of the tongue.