Chapter 116: I also do thorough rehearsals

“…And defeat the mother of all demons, ‘Jina’!”

Unlike Rosy’s bright and cheerful voice, Winter’s face hardened, cold as her name.

Her eyebrows trembled, and the corners of her mouth drooped relentlessly.

‘What? Attack Jina?’

Even if it’s just a game, the thought of pointing a sword at Jina was horrifying even to imagine.

‘Rather, in line with the setting of being Mama’s daughter, as a legion commander of the demons, delivering this world into Jina’s hands…’

“B-but!”

Just then, Rosy, noticing the atmosphere suddenly turn cold, quickly added.

“We have no intention of forcibly burdening travelers who have come to Jinro World with heavy responsibilities! You all just need to enjoy this world freely!”

Whether it’s freely mingling with the natives of this world, the NPCs.

Or embarking on an adventure with other travelers to find the hidden secrets of this world.

Or, if not that, please, please just defeat the demons in the World Tree dungeon and become a hero.

Whatever it may be, it’s freedom, Rosy said, as if making an excuse.

[-Changing her tune immediately, right??]

[-Killing intent detected ON]

[-Upvote if Rosy sensed something was off LOL]

[-Please become a hero (Please)]

Despite this, Winter’s gaze remained icy.

Winter tilted her head askew, smiled gently, and said.

“So… it’s possible to side with the demons and destroy this world, right? Isn’t it?”

Her mouth was definitely smiling, but her eyes were coldly dead.

Winter was 99.99% decided.

At the voice, as cold and chilling as a winter wind, Rosy, flustered, cleared her throat, heum heum.

“Uh, uh… Y-yes, of course! In this world, you’re free to do anything. However…”

Rosy trailed off, deliberately pausing, then added in a suggestive tone.

“I’m only telling Winter this, but Jina has prepared a very special gift for the person who shows the most outstanding performance in Jinro World~”

It wasn’t much of a secret. Everyone would find out anyway once the beta test period ended and the server officially opened.

Nevertheless, the effect was powerful. Before Rosy even finished speaking, life returned to Winter’s dead eyes.

If it’s a special gift prepared by Jina herself, that’s a different story.

“An outstanding performance, you say, what specifically?”

‘Hey, Rosy-bro over there. Care to elaborate a bit?’

“Hmm~ Typically, defending a village from demons, or… landing the last attack on a boss-level demon?”

“…Could you perhaps just give me a little hint about what Jina’s prepared gift is?”

Though she tried hard to act nonchalant, her voice was laden with anticipation.

Winter is truly an easy woman.

Rosy sighed lightly, ehyu-, and shrugged her shoulders.

“Hah~ I’m really telling you too much… To give you a special hint, they say it ‘grants what you desire’.”

“Aha. So it’s a ‘wish ticket’, right?”

“Hmph~ I don’t know anything~”

‘World Tree-nim. Today, this Rosy has saved another fairy who was about to fall to demon corruption.’

‘Indeed, normalization is Shin-Rosy (God Rosy).’

“Then I’ll be on my way!”

After Rosy disappeared beyond the sky on her broomstick.

Winter slowly descended onto the meadow.

Green blades of grass swayed in the wind beneath her feet.

Before her eyes, a small village unfolded in a charming scene.

But Winter’s interest lay elsewhere.

“Beta testing is, after all, just a rehearsal before entering the main server.”

And Winter is the type to rehearse very thoroughly.

“Before the test period ends, shall I try finding a hidden piece? Anyway, I can just analyze other people’s full playthrough videos for the standard early game strategy.”

‘If it’s Jina, who loves Easter eggs, she must have hidden something somewhere in this world,’ she thought.

Winter spread her wings and flew towards the opposite side of the village.

[-Seriously persistent, so persistent LOL]

[-The moment she finds a hidden job or whatever, cuckoo (stream snipe) control immediately ㄱㄱ]

[-Kim Winter fighting!!]

---

“Jinro World! I’m hereeee!!”

In the middle of the road leading to the village entrance.

Summer raised both arms high above her head and let out a cheer.

[-Aww so loud LOL]

[-Hey, Streamer, don’t turn off donations this time saying you’re getting overly immersed]

[-Read the chat a bit too]

[-Let’s enjoy together, together!]

The viewer count rapidly increasing in proportion to the anticipation.

It hadn’t been long since the broadcast started, but it had already surpassed ten thousand.

Understandably so, as Summer plays this kind of atmospheric RP content most deliciously.

Moreover, this time, since she brought her original 3D avatar almost as it is, the immersion was doubled.

Jinro World is a world where VTubers feel much more realistic than general streamers.

Summer entered the village with a leisurely gait.

The small buildings gathered charmingly were cute, but the somewhat desolate atmosphere was unavoidable.

“Hmm~ If there were more people, the atmosphere would really liven up.”

Since it was still the test period, there were few streamers in the world, and NPCs were also lacking.

Still, since there were NPCs guarding the shops in the commercial district, it didn’t feel completely empty.

Summer fiddled with the 10 clinking coins in her pocket, wondering where to go, then headed towards the sound of hammering iron.

In front of the blacksmith’s shop stood a muscular female elf, striking a red-hot piece of metal with a sledgehammer.

“Wow~ Unnie! Your muscles are so cool~”

At Summer’s natural comment, the viewers burst into laughter all at once.

[-Here we go again LOL]

[-The class to even hit on NPCs LOL]

[-Even if the opponent is an NPC, even if they’re a woman, Summer the simp doesn’t discriminate, girl~]

However, the NPC’s reply was unexpected.

“…Huh?”

Summer froze for a moment.

Normally, an NPC in a commercial district would give a moderately businesslike and moderately friendly, mechanical response.

But the one in front of her…

‘Looks just like a real person?’

It wasn’t as shocking as when she first encountered Yoo Da-hee.

But still, it was a refreshingly new shock.

Flustered only for a moment, Summer smiled pleasantly and said.

“Ayy~ We’re both elves, too stiff, unnie~”

It’s sudden, but dating simulation is one of the game genres Summer is most confident in.

Sure enough.

This blacksmith awkwardly clears her throat and slightly avoids Summer’s gaze.

Though she acts cold on the outside, her ear tips were slightly red as if embarrassed.

At the cute appearance unbefitting her large build, Summer chuckled kuk kuk.

‘Oh, there’s a certain taste to conquering these NPCs!’

“…So what brings you here, traveler?”

“Came to get a weapon. But as you can see, I don’t have much money~ Any way to get it cheap?”

She didn’t know the currency unit of this world, but she didn’t think she could buy the weapons here with just 10 coins.

Therefore, she naturally tried to haggle.

“Basic grade weapons are provided free of charge to travelers.”

The creators of this world, fortunately, had implemented a newbie consideration concept.

“Wow, really? You’re giving this good stuff away for free?”

At Summer’s blatant praise, the blacksmith cleared her throat again.

This woman is shyer than expected.

“Ahem! These are just practice items that couldn’t be sold anyway. Just kept them because it was a waste to throw them away.”

The blacksmith’s gaze, as she said that, wavered subtly.

The viewers, who had thought she was merely an NPC, were astonished by her vivid reaction.

[-The detail is f*cking insane, seriously]

[-Can’t even distinguish between AI and real people anymore?]

[-Highly developed AI is no different from humans]

[-Are you even creating humans now, Mama…]

The blacksmith, as if trying to shake off the awkward atmosphere, hurriedly continued.

“There are various types, so take your time and choose.”

Summer scanned the weapons on the floor one by one.

Starting with straight swords, greatswords, rapiers, daggers, spears, and even warhammers. Various weapons were displayed.

…But for some reason?

The ‘that weapon’ that first comes to mind when thinking of elves is nowhere to be seen.

“By any chance, are there other weapons, unnie?”

“Other weapons… what do you want?”

“For instance, a bow or something.”

At that moment, the blacksmith’s expression contorted fiercely.

“If it’s that, look for it at another shop.”

The blacksmith snapped in an annoyed voice, then brought her hammer down on the red-hot iron again.

The jjaeng- sound of metal strangely echoed sharply.

Summer unknowingly scratched the back of her neck and, switching the microphone to communication mode, muttered.

“I think I just heard the sound of affinity dropping drastically… Am I mistaken?”

[-Yeah~ You’re f*cked~]

[-Later when upgrading weapons, you’ll probably get the ‘Oops, my hand slipped’ treatment]

[-Dating sim master Summer’s form is all dead]

Summer, glancing at the blacksmith, cautiously picked up a rapier.

It felt like a botched start, but on the other hand, she also felt like she had discovered something incredible.

“The NPCs here might each have their own stories.”