Chapter 10: Meeting

“Act natural. And please stop looking around nervously.”

“……”

“Good. Now, let’s head inside.”

With the cold steel of a gun pressed against my back, I followed the mysterious woman away from the park. 

But when I saw where she was leading me, sweat started pouring down my face.

“Haha…”

An empty back alley. 

The kind no sane person would willingly walk into.

“You’re serious about going in there?”

“Do I look like I’m joking?”

“…Ugh.”

“If this looks like a toy gun to you, then I’m sorry to disappoint.”

Trying to muster up some resistance, I hesitated—but she quickly pulled out a knife with her other hand and pressed it to my neck. 

Then she aimed at a nearby soda can lying on the street with the gun.

Thunk!

In the blink of an eye, a hole ripped through the can, sending it flying and rolling away.

‘What the hell?!’

I was shocked she had a real gun in Korea, but even more baffling was the complete lack of sound. 

There was no gunshot noise.

I mean, sure, modern suppressors are impressive, but eliminating the entire firing sound?

That’s insane.

Not to mention, getting kidnapped in broad daylight in 21st-century South Korea is already totally absurd.

“…What exactly are you planning to do to me?”

Rustle…

“Hey? Can you answer me?”

Feeling even more anxious at the endless surprises, I tried asking again. 

But with her gun still pressed against my back, she silently pulled something from her coat.

“I’m sorry, but could you place your hands behind your back?”

“……”

“Good. Now, stay still.”

I did as instructed and soon felt something being wrapped around my wrists—rope. 

She’d pulled out rope.

“Target secured. When will you be arriving?”

“Wait, hold on—”

“Five minutes? Understood. Things are unstable on this end, so if you could hurry…”

So it wasn’t a solo act. 

There were more of them.

At this rate, I was definitely going to be taken somewhere while tied up.

‘But why…?’

I was still dazed, but I had a hunch.

It must be because of the extra-dimensional being that showed up at my house a few days ago.

If the VTubers in this world are real, then of course there’d be some kind of organization managing them.

And if Shia is their enemy—no very hostile to them—then it makes sense they’d come after us.

And targeting a weakling like me instead of the actual interdimensional menace? 

Yeah. 

Makes perfect sense.

‘…Like hell I’m letting that happen.’

I wasn’t about to let things unfold like this.

I wasn’t afraid of dying. 

I’d kind of prepared myself for that.

But there’s something I absolutely must accomplish before I die.

That’s why I poured all my savings into starting a VTuber MCN.

In short, I’m not going to get dragged off and subjected to god-knows-what in some mystery van.

Which means, before I’m completely restrained—this is my only shot.

“…Hoo.”

Taking a deep breath, I gathered all the strength I could into my body.

“Hey— I told you not to—!”

“HRAAAH!!”

“…Kgh?!”

I ducked low, then launched my entire body weight backward—slamming my head into the woman behind me.

“Ugh…”

She staggered, caught off-guard by the full-force headbutt.

“HELP ME!!!”

Seizing the moment, I screamed and sprinted toward the exit of the alley with everything I had.

“I’M BEING KIDNAPPED!!!”

“……”

“I’M RIGHT HERE— GAHK!”

But I only got a few steps before a rough hand grabbed my shoulder and yanked me around.

“I told you not to move.”

She had already caught up and was gripping me with terrifying strength, face cold as ice.

“I told you I’d be nice if you behaved.”

“……”

“You’re the one who broke that deal.”

Then she shoved me down and straddled me, narrowing her eyes with a freezing stare as she whispered:

“Ah…”

Yeah, I could already picture what was coming next.

I was definitely getting bruised. Maybe even losing a tooth, with how jacked she was.

Tremble tremble…

My recently improved gynophobia was flaring up again. Just great. Most VTubers are women, you know?

And if I want to keep running this business, I have to deal with them regularly…

“What’s the matter?”

“……”

“Did you think I was going to hit you? I’m not. I’m just giving you a warning…”

But to my enormous relief, her fist never made contact with my face.

“Hello?”

“……!?”

“Hey, can I ask you something?”

Just before her hand, which had been reaching slowly toward me, could touch me—Shia appeared, grabbing her arm with a tentacle and smiling coldly.

“Were you the one who tried to harm my apostle?”

In the next moment, tentacles erupted from all directions, enveloping the woman who had frozen in place with a blank look on her face.

***

A few minutes later, in the now-empty back alley—only Shia and I remained.

“Uh… excuse me.”

Munch, Munch…

“Shia?”

Looking nervously at Shia, who had returned to her human form and was chewing with a satisfied smile, I asked in a low voice:

“You didn’t… eat her, did you?”

“I did. She’s currently digesting inside me.”

She paused her chewing and rubbed her stomach with a content expression as she replied in a cheerful tone.

“…You really can’t do that.”

“Why not? She tried to hurt you.”

“Even so, killing people is wrong.”

“I’m not killing her. I’m becoming one with her.”

“That’s still the same thing.”

Sure, she was a criminal who tried to kidnap me—but I couldn’t just let my company’s VTuber devour someone whole and call it a day.

“Fine. I just won’t fully digest her.”

“Well… I guess that’s something.”

“Besides, we can’t just let her go, can we? It’d be better to keep her in here and extract information.”

“Haaah…”

“Don’t worry. I’ll slurp out her memories so thoroughly she won’t even remember what day it is before I spit her back out.”

Thankfully, I managed to convince Shia not to fully digest the woman. 

Still, things were definitely getting more complicated.

And for some reason, I kept noticing her belly squirming, which sent a chill down my spine.

“Can you still turn into a cat like this?”

“Hmm? That might be tricky. I’ve never transformed with someone inside my stomach before.”

“Hmm… then it can’t be helped.”

We couldn’t afford to waste any more time here.

“From now on, please try to act like a normal person.”

“Why would you ask for something so difficult?”

“…Because I have a meeting nearby.”

“A meeting? That thing where humans risk their lives to copulate?”

“No, no! I mean a business meeting.”

Out of all the messages I’d received over the past few days, this was the most urgent one. 

I had to meet with that contact—immediately.

“Hmm…”

Seeing the desperation on my face, Shia watched me with a sour expression, then suddenly smiled gently and, in the most normal tone I’d ever heard from her, said:

“Then shall we go?”

She’s actually cooperating this easily? 

Could it be because she’s in a good mood after her big meal? 

…No, probably just my imagination.

“Haaah…”

Still, a small worry crept into my mind—would she ever try to eat me too someday?

***

About 30 minutes later, at a café near the park.

“So… when is the person you’re supposed to meet going to show up?”

“Hmm, good question…”

“I’m running out of energy to pretend to be normal.”

Shia, who had been playing a strange game where she repeatedly dropped her cup off the table for the past half-hour, finally frowned and spoke up like she’d hit her limit.

“Yeah, they are really late. I’ll try giving them a call.”

I was getting tired of waiting too, so I picked up my phone from the table and dialed the number of the person I was supposed to meet today.

“……”

A brief silence.

♪♪♪ (Tiring Tiring)

Then, a phone ringtone I’d never heard before started to ring.

Looking around, I wondered if the person I was supposed to meet was already inside the café.

“Ah.”

That’s when I realized something—and stared ahead in shock, my mouth slightly open.

“Human.”

♪♪♪ (Tiring Tiring)

“My stomach itches.”

The phone ringtone… was coming from inside Shia’s stomach.

The person I had to meet today was in there.