Ch.42Broadcasting Guests Are Dangerous (1)

After that, I occasionally ran small dungeons with Song Hayeon.

Even though I had gained a minion in Kwak Minji, adding just one person didn’t open up any new possibilities. At best, she could only help with leveling up game accounts.

‘It would be nice to have three more people…’

With that many, we could get permission to tackle medium-sized dungeons.

The more I thought about it, the more I regretted killing Hong Yongtaek and his group.

‘Three people, three people.’

When I thought about it, a few people came to mind.

They were Kim Seungmin, Han Soeun, and Choi Eunsol, who had been on my team during the government-funded training.

I already had their contact information since I had invited them to my home before.

If I added all of them, I would barely complete the 6-person party I was aiming for.

‘But still, it feels a bit…’

While I might be fine with Kim Seungmin, who was a gaming friend, or Kwak Minji, whom I could freely command, the other two were still difficult to deal with.

I decided to put the thought on hold for now.

Just then, a message arrived from Song Hayeon.

Ding.

[Master.]

[Have we run about 30 small dungeons by now?]

[Yeah.]

It was probably around that many. I tilted my head in confusion as I waited for Song Hayeon’s response.

[Then, um, could you maybe grant me one favor?]

[Favor?]

I pouted in indignation. Times may have changed, but how dare a disciple ask for something in return from their master?

However, it was true that Song Hayeon had been considerate in many ways.

Having decided to improve her treatment after the temporary party incident, I conveyed my agreement, considering it as doing her a favor.

[What is it?]

[Well, you know. We’re both quite popular these days, so…]

It sounded ominous somehow.

Sure enough, Song Hayeon soon made a request I never would have imagined.

[Um, would you consider being a guest on my stream just once?]

I rejected it immediately without even thinking about it.

Ding.

[Oh, why not! You could do it just once. It doesn’t matter since they’re just people on the other side of the monitor, right?]

I shook my head at her typical extrovert thinking. I sent her a question filled with doubt.

[What would I even do there?]

[You could play games. Your rank is high anyway.]

Thinking about it that way, it didn’t seem impossible, but gaming was something I could do at home.

Song Hayeon then played her trump card.

[So you’re okay with people continuing to treat me as your disciple?]

That wasn’t okay. It was something that had been bothering me all along. As my resolve began to waver, Song Hayeon pressed her case more fervently.

[You could come on the stream, clarify our master-disciple relationship properly, and win over public opinion. You have no idea how much people are talking about you online these days. I’m sure everyone would go crazy even if you just showed your face briefly.]

[…Really?]

I had occasionally seen discussions about me, but they were mainly on gaming communities, so I wasn’t aware of reactions elsewhere.

Based on my experience so far, communication through chat shouldn’t be a problem. When playing other games, I had chatted without experiencing any side effects. If the public wanted to see me that badly, I could make an appearance once.

Ding.

[But I won’t do it for long.]

[Yes. Thank you!]

After finally agreeing to her request, a question occurred to me, and I asked Song Hayeon.

[But why are you suddenly making such a fuss when you normally don’t care?]

[Ah, well. I was drinking the other day and made a bet with viewers that I lost. The condition I set was…]

“…”

I had more or less expected it, but it was truly a trivial reason.

#

Song Hayeon was one of the hottest creators in the internet broadcasting industry recently.

She was not only beautiful but, most importantly, her broadcasts were entertaining.

On top of that, she was a B-rank hunter herself, and many believed her potential was limitless. With all these qualities, it would have been stranger if she wasn’t popular.

【Lately I only watch Song Hayeon’s streams.】

【For real. After watching her, I can’t stand similar concept streams anymore.】

【It feels like just yesterday when she was performing tricks with an apple on her head…】

Videos from that time were still circulating and being discussed everywhere.

Song Hayeon was already popular, but recently she had been mentioned even more frequently in related communities.

The reason was none other than Baek Eunha, known as her master.

【Shouldn’t she take responsibility as a master and bring him on?】

【This isn’t just anything else; this is neglect of duty.】

【Song Hayeon, what are you doing? Song Hayeon, what are you doing? Song Hayeon, what are you doing?】

Amid this ongoing trend, one piece of news spread across communities.

【Song Hayeon stream special bulletin: She got drunk, challenged Baek Eunha to a collab, made a competitive game bet, and lost.】

┗ Really?

┗ Not sure if it’ll happen, but she said she’d try.

It was like a signal flare.

Various sites immediately erupted into flames over this news.

It was potentially an opportunity to confirm the existence of the much-rumored Baek Eunha, so people couldn’t stay quiet.

【Holding my breath until the necromancer duo arrives.】

【Song Hayeon has lost her way. I’m dying waiting. Aigo.】

【For real, let us see this silver-haired, red-eyed, beautiful female hunter we’ve only heard about. Why should only you get to see her?】

After days of unrelenting public outcry, Song Hayeon’s stream, which had been quiet all along, finally went live.

【She’s here!】

【If Baek Eunha isn’t there, we riot.】

【For real lolololol】

What viewers who immediately clicked saw was a giant skeleton blocking most of the screen and Song Hayeon’s completely wrecked studio.

[No, how could you suddenly summon that! This is a wooden floor!]

[S-sorry. I got a bit nervous when you said we were going live…]

And the rumored hunter, Baek Eunha, was somehow getting scolded by Song Hayeon.

#

Sitting awkwardly in the now-tidied studio, I scratched my head in embarrassment.

Song Hayeon gave me a disapproving look as she announced the start of the broadcast.

“I’m sorry. It was a bit chaotic from the start, wasn’t it?”

Like the professional broadcaster she was, Song Hayeon smoothly continued her introduction, beginning to introduce me sitting behind the Skeleton Masher.

“Yes, this is the person you’ve all been waiting for. Since they’re quite shy, please understand why there’s a skeleton in front.”

I didn’t appreciate Song Hayeon mentioning my shyness, but I couldn’t say anything due to the nervousness I felt in this unfamiliar situation.

It wasn’t that I was experiencing side effects. I simply hadn’t adapted to the atmosphere yet.

‘…This is more uncomfortable than I expected.’

But I was someone who had maintained a lord’s dignity even when facing tens of thousands of undead in my youth. I couldn’t lose face over something like this.

“Um, hello everyone.”

Not even noticing that I had naturally used formal speech, I quickly scanned through the numerous chat messages.

– What’s with that voice.

– She really does have silver hair

– Remove the skeleton! Remove the skeleton! Remove the skeleton! Remove the skeleton!

– You must have a hard time managing your inadequate streamer.

“What do you mean managing? Do you know how well I take care of her usually?”

Among those trivial chat messages, a question I had been concerned about appeared.

– Is it true that you’re the master of our Song Hayeon, who seems too embarrassing to acknowledge?

Finally, my opportunity had come. I swallowed hard and proudly declared:

“She, she is my disciple, and I am her master.”

But strangely, there was no reaction. Seeing occasional messages saying I was making an unreasonable claim, they probably thought it was a joke born from nervousness.

– When did you become her disciple?

– Before her promotion to C-rank?

– I can’t imagine this mindless skeleton enthusiast being a master no matter how I think about it.

In response, I took the mouse from Song Hayeon, disabled the entire chat temporarily, and walked toward the camera.

Then, making eye contact, I said once more:

“…I am the master.”

After I re-enabled the chat, countless question marks flooded in.

#

Contrary to Song Hayeon’s expectation that communicating with viewers would be difficult, Baek Eunha adapted surprisingly well to the broadcast.

No, it was almost problematic how well she had adapted.

“C-conditional dungeon difficulty? It’s nothing special.”

– Low-rank hunters collectively weeping in real-time.

– Well, those who can’t clear these “nothing special” dungeons should reflect on themselves, for real

– Her confidence is insane lol

– Is this Korea’s holy maiden?

Although she had struggled with phone conversations before, somehow Baek Eunha was communicating with viewers without much awkwardness.

‘Is it because she’s not actually having a conversation?’

Well, if you exclude the chat, it’s no different from talking to a wall by yourself.

Perhaps because of this, Baek Eunha had been excitedly chattering away like a fish in water for a full 30 minutes.

“Twenty-seven? Then you’re younger than me.”

– What kind of character concept is this lololol

– I didn’t expect this kind of character lol

Now she was ignoring even Song Hayeon beside her and only conversing with the viewers.

Song Hayeon cautiously spoke up.

“Master? Maybe we should stop talking and start playing the game…”

– How dare you! The venerable elder is speaking.

– Wait, is a disciple allowed to speak without permission?

– For real, the code of honor in martial arts has fallen. Sigh.

Backed by such viewer support, Baek Eunha grinned and responded to Song Hayeon.

“Th-that’s what they’re saying?”

Then she turned her gaze back to the monitor and nonchalantly continued the conversation.

“Right. In my day, speaking without permission meant immediate dismissal. That’s right. Kids these days have so many complaints…”

Finding that face somehow irritating, Song Hayeon felt her fists clenching involuntarily.

‘…Sigh, getting all excited just because I built her up a little.’

Song Hayeon had accumulated her own karma from similar situations in her younger days.

Sure enough, Song Hayeon froze in shock at Baek Eunha’s next bombshell statement.

“Jackson? Who’s that? Whatever, he’s nothing special. If we fought, I’d obviously win.”

Jackson, America’s next top prospect and current A-rank hunter.

Known as the Tireless Gladiator, he had suddenly been targeted by Baek Eunha.