Chapter 36

EP.36 The Net Cameraman Turned Saint Wants to Cover Up His Black History

I recalled a story I had once heard.

To conceive a dancing star, one must surely harbor chaos within oneself.

Put another way,

could it be that a person who harbors chaos within is destined to conceive a dancing star?

[Saint: Why are you following me?]

[Yang Taekjin: I've changed.]

[Saint: I'm going to report you.]

[Yang Taekjin: Kaiko...]

[Yang Taekjin: We used to be good, didn't we?]

[Yang Taekjin: Why have you changed so much?]

[Yang Taekjin: Let's play like we used to.]

[Yang Taekjin: Huh?]

[Saint: .]

If a person who harbors chaos conceives a star,

in my case, not only would I have conceived a star,

but the overflowing chaos would have made me so full that I would be about to give birth.

Pregnancy and childbirth.

These words have taken on a slightly peculiar atmosphere since I acquired this body.

I inadvertently looked at the Saint's lower abdomen.

Should I call it fortunate,

or inevitable?

Her smooth belly had not a single trace of excess fat.

While I was at it, I continued with the whimsical talk.

A boy's transition to adulthood is always sudden,

and as long as one is human, one is bound to regret the past.

I was no exception.

What seemed like an endless adolescence eventually met its summer,

and standing at the end of summer, looking back on the springs of the past ten years, I saw—

[Yang Taekjin: What happened in less than a month?]

[Yang Taekjin: Give me back my Saint who used to be so lively!]

The very embodiment of what I wanted to forget,

what I wanted to cover up.

"...."

[Who is that?]

[It's definitely Jin Taeyang's alt account lol lol lol lol lol]

[It's weird that you can't recognize him lol lol lol lol lol lol lol]

[The nickname is on point lol lol]

[Are you guys putting on a play lol lol lol lol]

[Is that an ex-boyfriend?]

[Was Jin Taeyang always like this? He seemed so calm and smart before.]

[This is completely different from his usual stream lol lol]

[It's true, but he only acts like this when he meets the Saint.]

[Why is he like this lol lol lol lol]

[Someone explain lol lol]

[I came from Jin Taeyang's stream, and he's been pretty serious lately...]

[What's so serious?]

[Every time he streams, he keeps saying, "My Saint wouldn't do that, my Saint wouldn't do that, my Saint wouldn't do that," and the atmosphere completely changes...]

[What kind of obsession is this lol lol lol lol]

[What does he mean by "my Saint wouldn't do that"?]

[More importantly, is the streamer his?]

[This is so exciting, I can't stand it.]

[The last time they met in the finals, when the Saint wielded a greatsword, Jin Taeyang was completely out of his mind, muttering to himself... It's funny but also scary lol lol lol lol]

[Is the streamer's reaction to the concept breaking that shocking lol lol lol]

[He barely communicates lol lol lol lol, always talking to himself about the Saint like a demented old man. It's pure shock and horror lol lol lol lol]

[He started playing the game because of the Saint, but now he's sulking because she doesn't play with him anymore. It's kill for lol lol lol lol lol]

[But who is Kaiko? Where did she come from?]

[This proves that Jin Taeyang only sees the Saint as a plaything.]

[The concept is really messed up.]

[I should talk to him. After the tournament, I was planning to snipe him with my main account, but since he's not leveling up, he's using his alt account. This is the current situation lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol]

Glancing at the chat window, I could roughly gauge the situation.

That's how it was.

Jin Taeyang, whose name is written in reverse, once again acted the same way when he met the Saint.

It was disorderly, but... at some point, it had become routine.

So,

he hadn't changed.

I had.

Not just physically, but mentally as well.

Though it might be a bit embarrassing to say, I had to change.

Until now, I had always thought that the vulgar words I spouted,

the strange actions I took, were not mine but my character's.

In other words, I had clearly distinguished between the real me and the Saint in the game.

The lewd priest concept play was just one of the means chosen by someone thirsty for attention.

But now, with the same face and body as my character, it was impossible to treat him the same way.

The current me couldn't think of the in-game Saint as someone different from myself.

Thus,

I was so embarrassed by the things my past self had done in chat and actions taken...

The worst possible person appeared.

A living black history was constantly enveloping me!

"Kyaaah...."

[Streamer is flustered lol lol lol lol lol lol]

[Jin Taeyang is really out of line. Even if it's a net cameraman, he wouldn't do this to a real girl lol lol lol lol]

[This might turn into a police report rather than an in-game report lol lol lol lol]

[What's he trying to do in an AOS battle game lol lol lol lol]

[This is the downside of having too much freedom in a game...]

[The Saint and Jin Taeyang lol, they fit so well lol lol lol lol]

[Shouldn't you stop chatting and focus on the game lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol]

[We're doing everything lol lol, there are two enemy stealth thieves, so it's right for the warrior to protect the priest lol lol]

[The concept players are different, but what's the difference lol lol lol lol]

I wanted to get rid of this black history generator right away,

but the situation wouldn't allow it.

It would be absurd to end the game and avoid him when the match wasn't over.

I had no intention of trolling.

Then, why not just block the chat?

I did consider that option,

but the viewers were the problem.

The viewers found this situation very interesting and entertaining.

As evidence, the number of viewers, which had been hovering in the hundreds, exploded and surpassed a thousand.

If I broke this situation on my own, the reaction wouldn't be good.

『Thank you for the 10,000 won donation from OtakuA!

The flustered streamer is so cute lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol』

Most importantly, money was coming in.

Donations kept pouring in as the streamer narrated the situation with a chuckle!

It's not like someone was holding a knife to my throat. If I could endure the embarrassment for a bit and get paid,

no matter what, blocking the chat...

[Yang Taekjin: Really? Then call me 'Master'.]

[Saint: I'll block you.]

[Yang Taekjin: Oh no!]

...

...

I said that, but I didn't actually press the block chat button.

As I mentioned earlier, the viewers found this situation entertaining.

I didn't want to betray them.

That doesn't mean I was willing to endure the embarrassment to the end.

Thinking there was no other way, I decided to use the last resort.

I aimed at the top of Jin Taeyang's head, which was now close enough to fit a collar-like magical choke.

The Saint, sensing my will, subtly took out her mace.

[Jin Taeyang: Let's go for a walk like before, wearing this.]

[Saint: Be quiet!]

Clang.

Jin Taeyang's head caved in.

***

The Saint in the screen reached out her hand.

Her graceful fingertips moved like they were swimming,

and just as they seemed to touch the roughly dyed, spiky golden hair, they traced down the temples and cheeks.

The tanned, coppery skin, as if he had been sunbathing, looked rough,

and the contrast with the smooth, sliding fingertips was striking.

Some people always want someone who will take their side, no matter what the situation.

But it's not easy to find someone who will always look out for you, even if it's perfectly matched.

Especially if you fear forming relationships with people.

So, some of these lonely souls turn their eyes to non-human things.

Pets, for example.

Hmm...

I recalled a thought I had when I was shivering from loneliness one day.

Maybe keeping a dog would be nice.

But it remained just a thought, never put into action.

A person with no attachment to the world wouldn't have a sense of responsibility,

so I had neatly folded away the idea of raising anything.

It would be too pitiful to have it starve to death along with me.

The fingertips traced the jawline like raindrops sliding down a roof,

gently scratching the chin.

There was no sign of the courtesy one would show to a peer,

only the clear praise for something clearly beneath oneself.

Jin Taeyang.

He was a fervent follower of mine, or rather, of the Saint.

I'm sure I met this guy over five years ago.

It was time to seek a change in our relationship.

If he were a dog that wouldn't starve because it knew how to behave,

wouldn't even a mess like me be worth raising?

So, I typed.

[Saint: Woof woof woof.]

[Yang Taekjin: What a crazy woman.]

Jin Taeyang didn't resist the actions of my character.

Oh.

Isn't this how a trainer feels when they finally catch a legendary Pokémon?

Satisfied.

After throwing the Poké Ball over ten times, even the prickliest of creatures would have no choice but to be caught.

It meant that Jin Taeyang's head had caved in over ten times.

The rebellious spirit was now quelled,

and Jin Taeyang had become a slightly prickly dog.

A bit too big to be called a dog...

But good is good.

However, he eventually moved his character away from the Saint.

He clenched his fist, which had a knuckle guard, and looked down at the Saint with his height advantage.

It looked like he was about to swing his fist.

I didn't like it.

When a dog shows its claws to its owner, it's because the training is lacking.

They say that in training a dog, the whip is more important than the carrot.

But I had no whip.

I had no choice but to take out the mace.

The brilliant sunlight, as if embracing the earth, shattered brilliantly upon the blunt end of the silver weapon.

It was a situation that had repeated over ten times.

Jin Taeyang's character,

after staring at my mace for a while,

and then alternating between looking at my mace and my approaching figure,

finally said,

[Yang Taekjin: Woof.]

"Phew."

I couldn't help but laugh.

He had finally accepted my proposal for a change in our relationship.

Author's Note (Author's Afterword)

Thank you, Park Youngjun, for the 100 coins donation!

Thank you, Nord, for the total of 110 coins donation!

...

...

I'm sorry I couldn't come on weekdays :(

:((

I got a part-time job to get a cover for the novel... The intention was good, but my body couldn't keep up :(

But now it's over, so I'll focus on writing...

Thank you for reading.