Chapter 36: Awareness, and

Embarrassed by yesterday’s events, Sephie slipped out of bed quietly early in the morning. Touched by her consideration, I pretended to be asleep.

Hearing the sounds of her preparing breakfast, I immediately picked up my phone and called Jang Baek-do.

“[H-hello?]”

He answered right away.

“Tell me.”

“[T-tell you what?]”

“Hurry up.”

“[If… if my visit last night was an inconvenience, I’ll get on my knees and beg for forgiveness, so please…!]”

Thanks to his overly eager offer, I managed to find the source of the animated GIF Jang Baek-do had shown me.

Surprisingly, it originated from a forum I’d briefly visited before starting Eftarel Verden, hoping to glean some information.

After accessing the [Eftarel Verden Forum], Sephie came in to wake me up, catching me in a mortifying moment.

And then, even after breakfast and while Sephie was doing the dishes, telling me to put my phone down,

“Wh-what’s so strange about this?!”

I couldn’t put it down. I tapped on a post with a black star next to the title.

[Eftarel Verden Forum]

[Title: Our ‘Hero’s’ Greatest Moments (★)]

(Yu-jin sitting on the floor, sobbing)

(Yu-jin repeatedly hitting her thigh, apologizing profusely)

(Yu-jin delivering ‘those lines’ to Holcop)

(Yu-jin talking to herself in front of Anastasia)

I don’t know why the Hero is a symbol of hope, but she’s definitely proven she’s a cringey nerd lol

[Comments]

-Ah lol

-Sigh… This is the last one…
ㄴ Seriously, a guaranteed popular post;

-Can’t stop upvoting lol

-I hope the streamer sees this someday lol
ㄴ Upvote if you think she’ll act all nonchalant lol
ㄴ Even she would be embarrassed about crying in a game lol

-Over-the-top concepts lead to dark pasts~
ㄴ She’s being ‘sincere,’ you idiot
ㄴ Our Hero doesn’t know concepts like that…
ㄴ She’s the one spouting cringey lines in real life lol

-Seriously, who is she lol
ㄴ Seriously lol

-I hope she streams soon;
ㄴ You’re a legend for hoping she streams this early in the morning;

Since the post was recent, uploaded early in the morning, the views were skyrocketing.

Most of the comments mocked the things I’d said in Eftarel Verden, calling them ‘lines,’ or criticized my behavior as being over-the-top and overly committed to a ‘concept.’

There were a few comments praising me, though they were difficult to find amidst the negativity.

Seeing strangers call me by my name from the other world, saying things like “Noona…” or “Ashilis is a baby…” made me cringe.

Just as my head started to spin from the sheer volume of comments anticipating my next stream,

I typed a reply, my face burning red.

-Why would you post something like this? And mocking someone you don’t even know, have you no shame?

A short comment, but it contained all my frustrations. Feeling a sense of relief after posting it, I scrolled through the comments and refreshed the page several times.

And each time I refreshed,

-Who is this idiot;

-Super awkward lol

-Why do we do this lol? Because it’s fun lol

-That tone is so try-hard; cringe;

-But wait, why does that comment sound so familiar lol
ㄴ Seriously lol That familiar ‘flavor’ lol

-Isn’t that the streamer herself lol?
ㄴ She’s the one who doesn’t even know she’s streaming;
ㄴ Since the streamer is ‘sincere,’ the impersonator has to create a concept lol

More and more replies piled up, none in my defense. Some even speculated that I was the one who wrote the comment, based solely on its tone.

I knew firsthand the ugliness of human malice, but the blatant display of it was so overwhelming that I dropped my phone.

“…H-huh… Calm down.”

Hadn’t I endured far worse tragedies?

Mobidik’s death.

Anastasia’s despair, and Keliata’s mockery.

Of course, the Hero’s burden had been heavy, and it wasn’t as if I’d never cried during my arduous journey in the other world.

‘Being mocked for crying in a game is nothing!’

I steeled my resolve. My will, as the Hero, was unshakeable as a mountain, and my composure as vast as the ocean.

With newfound determination, I picked up my phone, and…

“Yujin-nim…? What are you doing?”

Sephie, returning to the living room after finishing the dishes and starting the laundry, tilted her head, looking at me sprawled on the floor, seemingly lifeless.

I was making strange noises,

“Sob, hic…sniff…”

My body trembling uncontrollably. Sephie approached me with a puzzled expression and poked my side with her finger.

“Eek…!”

I rolled over with a strange yelp, our eyes meeting. As Sephie blinked, I mumbled weakly,

“…Sephie.”

Sensing the distress in my voice, Sephie narrowed her eyes and replied sharply,

“Yes. Speak.”

She leaned closer, her senses heightened, trying to discern what had caused my sudden breakdown—and,

“Contact… the Association…”

She realized the gravity of the situation. Hadn’t we just met with them yesterday?

Judging by my state this morning, which had seemed normal, something must have happened afterward. My mechanical mumbling, even with her right next to me, confirmed it.

‘Those bastards…!’

What had they done to her precious Yu-jin? Sephie regretted not being more assertive yesterday, regretted melting under Yu-jin’s touch and losing her focus. She steeled her resolve.

“Kang Ma-jin… Tell him…”

“I’ll destroy the Association right now and bring that old man…”

Just as Sephie was about to utter a chilling threat—,

“Tell them… to delete everything posted on… the forum…”

“…What?”

I rolled over again, burying my face in the floor, and Sephie tilted her head once more,

“…Huh?”

In the end, my wish wasn’t granted.

‘Delete it immediately.’

‘What are you talking about…?’

‘Delete everything with my face on it! Erase it from existence!’

I still remember Kang Ma-jin’s bewildered voice over the phone. I’d lost my temper and yelled at him.

He’d sounded completely confused, which only intensified my embarrassment.

And Sephie’s expression as she watched me during the call was also etched in my memory. She looked at me like I was a child, doubling my shame.

‘Why… why would they do that—!’

I’d never felt this kind of humiliation before. In the other world, I’d suffered so much that no one in their right mind would dare to provoke me. This was a new experience.

If I could go back to my past self, I would tell her to turn off the broadcast, even while crying. I still couldn’t believe I had been streaming, that the footage of my gameplay was out there.

Regardless, ignoring the situation wasn’t in my nature. I might hesitate, but I wouldn’t back down.

‘I accept it. And then…’

I’ll figure something out.
With that mindset, I entered the capsule. My consciousness faded, and when I opened my eyes, I wasn’t at home, but in the brightly lit Cemetery of Rest.

I stared at Keliata’s lingering black soul.

‘Normally, I would continue from here.’

I overlapped the Holy Sword fragment, the one Mobidik left behind, with the beam of light descending from the sky. The two distinct lights merged, becoming one.

I retrieved the Holy Sword fragment and assessed my condition. To maintain optimal performance, I closed my eyes, arms crossed, and attuned myself to the environment.

They must be waiting.

I opened my eyes.

A cool breeze brushed against my face, and a warm light touched my hair. Looking at the light, I silently activated a ‘setting’ I’d discovered on my phone.

Then,

-What is she doing now? (Attempt 122)
-Donations are closed again today… Are Unnie and I not meant to be…?
-Lee Hae-min’s at it again lol
-It’s not like she’s a Hero broadcast notification bot lol
-So what’s she doing now?

Black letters began to fill the air before me. My enhanced dynamic vision allowed me to read the rapidly scrolling ‘chat’ messages, but the sheer volume and content made my head spin.

Just then,

-But doesn’t she look like she’s looking at something?
-Yeah… kind of creepy;
-Waaah…
-What is she doing now? (Attempt 123)

The 123rd question reached me.

“I’m reading your chat messages.”

-?????
-What the f*ck
-Unnieeeeeeeeeeee!
-What is happening?
-She was getting flamed in the forum comments this morning for being a fake Hero, is this her lol?

Remembering the comment I’d posted on the Eftarel Verden Forum,

And the countless replies, I added another comment.

And it said…

“You won’t be making fun of me anymore.”

It was a threat. Delete the pictures, GIFs, videos, and posts mocking me, or I would quit streaming altogether.

To make good on my threat, I raised my gaze to the top of the chat window, where,

In bright red letters,

-Uh oh? What’s she doing?
-Wait a minute, is she seriously going to end the stream, human?
-Don’t you dare, Unnie! If you end it here, we’re done! I’m serious!

The words [End Stream] were displayed. I slowly extended my finger towards it.