Chapter 117: If I can protect only you, that alone is enough

Summer entered the 1st floor of the World Tree dungeon, rapier in hand.

Inside the dark and humid dungeon.

Faintly sparkling magic between the moss-covered brick crevices illuminated the surroundings.

“Alright~ Let’s see if the combat style has improved a bit?”

Not long after, a small group of goblins appeared before her.

Summer nimbly stepped, thrusting her rapier to pierce a goblin’s body.

Puhak-

A short, sharp impact spread from her fingertips throughout her body.

Compared to the VR TRPG, there was a more physical feel, making the combat much more dynamic.

“Wow~ This has a real kick to it, doesn’t it? When this officially opens, I’ll be playing only this all day until the server closes.”

Watching Summer completely engrossed in the game, the viewers could only feel envious.

[-Streamers are so lucky]

[-Official release prayer 1 try Official release prayer 2 try Official release prayer 3 try…]

[-She ‘won’t’ log out LOL]

[-No, developer-nim! Can’t you seriously release this!!]

Just as Summer was excitedly hunting goblins and the viewers were flooding the chat with desperate pleas for an official release.

[ChatRPG_Rozy has donated 100,000 won]

[I also want to officially release it if it were up to me ㅜㅠ… But the server is on the verge of overload with just 20 people in the world…]

The very developer many had been looking for appeared in the donation notification window.

Summer paused for a moment and blew a sudden kiss towards the empty air.

“Wow~ Rosy-nim! Thank you for the 100,000 won donation! No, but is it okay for you to be doing this here? You have a lot to do! The donation link API isn’t even connected yet.”

At Summer’s cheerful nagging, the viewers burst into laughter.

Then, Rosy’s donation immediately followed.

[ChatRPG_Rozy has donated 100,000 won]

[The API was obviously finished from the start. I’ll connect it for a moment.]

Simultaneously with the voice message echoing, a faint light emanated from Summer’s body.

The feeling of power overflowing throughout her body was refreshing.

“Oh! What’s this? Feels like a proper buff has been applied?”

Rosy’s donations didn’t end there.

[ChatRPG_Rozy has donated 100,000 won]

[Since it’s a beta test, I deliberately didn’t connect it. It’s not like this is difficult. Ahem!]

[ChatRPG_Rozy has donated 100,000 won]

[For now, 100,000 won, as you can see, gives a random buff to the streamer.]

[ChatRPG_Rozy has donated 100,000 won]

[But it doesn’t stack, only one at a time. Just for 5 minutes.]

Each time a donation came in, colorful lights flickered on Summer’s body.

[ChatRPG_Rozy has donated 100,000 won]

[Got]

[ChatRPG_Rozy has donated 100,000 won]

[It!]

[ChatRPG_Rozy has donated 100,000 won]

[Right!]

‘Yes, Unnie.’

‘Unnie has a lot of money.’

‘She usually doesn’t donate less than 100,000 won.’

[-Aww Rosy-shichi!!]

[-The 100,000 won punch is new LOL]

[-Now stop and go do some work!]

[-No, don’t spend money, go earn money!!]

But Rosy’s donation punch wasn’t over yet.

Following the light(?) 100,000 won jab.

A powerful straight punch!

[ChatRPG_Rozy has donated 1,000,000 won]

[And this is what everyone knows!]

With a cheerful sound effect, Summer’s vision turned pitch black.

Soon, Summer’s body collapsed in an instant.

-[World] 1,000,000 mana has been injected into Summer’s body!

-[World] Summer-nim, unable to control the mana rampaging in her body, collapses…

-[All] Woogi: Congrats congrats congrats

-[All] Han Ari: Summer-nim, congratulations!

-[All] Kamishiro Rei: This had a donation link system too??

-[All] Kero: ??? Don’t know what it is, but congrats anyway

Summer blinked blankly in the darkness, then belatedly exclaimed.

“Aigoooo~ Rosy! How much is all this? 100 and then 20, 40, 60… 1.8 million?! Thank you so much!! This, what kind of reaction should I give?”

Summer has become a pro streamer.

“Aish! But I just entered the hunting ground! Isn’t killing me off right away too harsh for a newbie, developer-nim?!”

Of course, even if the opponent is the chairman and a sponsor, she’s the type to speak her mind freely if she has something to say.

[ChatRPG_Rozy has donated 100,000 won]

[The donation reaction is fine. Instead, you have to play this world deliciously too.]

[ChatRPG_Rozy has donated 100,000 won]

[I’ll be off to work now~]

Rosy neatly rounded off the number to 2 million and coolly departed.

“Ayu~ Of course! Look forward to it, sponsor! No, developer? Anyway, I’ll do well!”

Summer smiled and straightened herself up.

Soon, her vision brightens.

Looking around, it’s an unfamiliar space.

Well, it’s probably a respawn area like a temple or something.

Summer got up from the bed, stretched wide, and checked her belongings.

Fortunately, her inventory was safe.

Well, if a ridiculously rich malicious viewer kept targeting her life like this, there wouldn’t be anything left.

Of course, it’s unknown how things might change with the official release.

“Ah! You’re awake?”

Just then, a voice came from the side.

A soft, and familiar voice.

At the nostalgic resonance, her body unknowingly flinched.

Summer’s neck creaked as it turned sideways.

At the end of her gaze, noble and clean pure white hair is etched into her retina.

‘Her face… has it changed a bit? Her already slender jawline seems even thinner.’

‘And her ears are pointy too, I almost didn’t recognize her.’

But more than her head, her heart recognized the other person first.

Her heart pounds.

Her breathing quickens.

…It feels like her breath will stop.

“You’ve regained consciousness. I’m so glad.”

An overwhelming emotion rising from deep within her chest surfaced on her expression, unable to be hidden.

The one who led Summer back to the path of a creator.

The face she dreamed of was right in front of her.

“…Yoo Da-hee?”

“You knew my name.”

Hearing her voice after a long time made her chest feel heavy, and tears welled up in her eyes.

In her increasingly blurry vision, she gazed at the gently smiling saintess from a past life.

Summer, with difficulty, moved her trembling lips.

“I really… really missed you.”

Barely squeezing out her voice.

Summer hugged Dahee with all her might.

As if not to lose her anymore. As if she couldn’t let her leave alone.

“…”

In Summer’s embrace, who had suddenly hugged her.

Dahee, with a slightly bewildered expression, carefully opened her mouth.

“Um, excuse me… but, who might you be…?”

Summer’s shoulders, which had been trembling as if sobbing, stiffened for a moment.

Summer slowly pulled back and gently placed her hands on Dahee’s shoulders.

With teary eyes, she gazed at her face for a moment, then slowly opened her mouth.

“You, don’t remember me…? Ah, right. It’s natural you wouldn’t recognize me in this appearance…”

Summer, looking awkward, scratched her head for no reason and let out a dry laugh, “Haha-“.

Pretending to be fine, pretending to be okay.

Nevertheless, her desperate gaze remained fixed on Dahee’s eyes, refusing to leave.

“It’s me… Summer. The one who played the lute and sang… Your exclusive bard…”

But Yoo Da-hee, with a troubled expression, merely shook her head slightly.

“I’m sorry. It’s really a name I’ve never heard before…”

That one phrase weighed heavily on Summer’s chest.

It felt like everything had vanished like a bubble in an instant.

“But… why is that?”

In front of the resigned Summer.

Dahee, looking puzzled, furrowed her fine brow slightly, then placed a hand on her chest and muttered.

“When I hear the name Summer, strangely, my chest feels warm.”

“…!”

“By any chance, have we met somewhere before?”

Life returned to Summer’s eyes, which had sunk in dejection.

‘Right, even if her memories are gone, Dahee is still Dahee.’

‘Memories? Whatever, I can just build them up again.’

‘Your thousands of hours embraced my one day.’

‘Now, it’s my turn for my months spent longing to wait for you.’

Summer forced a bright smile and took a step back.

Then, she bowed her waist and offered a polite greeting.

“Let me introduce myself again. My name is Summer.”

In her soft voice, the warmth of the day they first met in the previous world was fully dissolved.

Summer, Summer… Sum, mer.

Dahee mulled over the name the traveler before her had given a few more times, then smiled brightly and said.

“That’s a wonderful name. If it’s not rude, may I ask what you do?”

The same question as back then.

“I am…”

Therefore, Summer’s reply is also the same.

“Just, you know, an ordinary bard wandering here and there.”

A hero protecting the forest village, or a warrior defeating demons.

‘Who cares about that.’

‘If I can sing for you, and protect only you.’

‘That alone is enough.’

“I think I’ll be visiting often from now on, please take care of me, Yoo Da-hee.”

At Summer’s words, Dahee’s eyes widened, and she hastily waved her hands.

“You shouldn’t come here often! You must cherish your body!”

“Yeah~ I won’t spare my body~ I’ll get hurt here and there, and get comfort from the Saintess~”

“Wh-what are you saying?! Besides, I’m not a Saintess or anything?!”

Dahee’s cheeks flushed red as she retorted.

And Summer, watching her reaction, burst into purely happy laughter.

[ChatRPG_Rozy has donated 1,000,000 won]

[UheheohyuㅠㅠㅠThis is it, this is it uheongrlniaㄴmunhujbiaㄴbuyanaㅠㄴyangnuuuㅠㅠㅠ (excited gibberish)]

[-Ah, really ruining the mood!!]

[-But it’s f*cking delicious though LOL]

[-Aww Rosy Teacher!! Go do some work!!]