VTuber RP Is Not a Concept - Chapter 15

Around the time between breakfast and lunch, I climbed the familiar mountain behind the apartment complex. The moment I grabbed the pull-up bar, I heard a voice from behind.

“Oh!”

It was a somewhat familiar voice, so I let go and turned around.

“Miss, what brings you here? Have you been coming to the mountain all this time?”

It was the middle-aged man I had met a few times before.

“No, I had some things to rest for a while. I decided to start moving my body again from today.”

“Right? I thought you might have changed your schedule, but I came during the day and never ran into you, so I thought it was a bit strange.”

“Princess…”

A little girl came walking over with her mouth agape.

“Is she your daughter?”

Perhaps a hint of doubt was evident in my voice. The man smiled wryly as if he understood.

“Even if it doesn’t seem like it, this little one is my eldest. My wife and I have a considerable age gap, so when I’m out with my daughter, people always ask about it.”

I felt like I had been a bit rude, so I quickly tried to smooth things over.

“Ah, I was mistaken for a moment. Your daughter is really adorable. Now that I look again, the two of you make a special harmony.”

“You’re so kind with your words, miss. It makes me happy. Eunseo-ya, remember I told you last time? About that hero, who was it? The person who looks like Angel Nova that I saw on the mountain.”

“It’s not Angel Nova. It’s the princess.”

The little girl, who had run over, stood right in front of me and looked up. I thought her neck might hurt, so I crouched down, placing my hands on my knees.

“Princess. Can I call you Princess Unnie?”

“Just call me Unnie, please.”

“But… you’re a princess sister… Then, Unnie, can I touch you?”

“Eunseo-ya!”

I lightly shook my head at the man who was about to come forward from behind.

“Yes, you may.”

The little girl’s hand slowly approached. The moment her small fingertips touched my hair, it felt like a butterfly had

gently landed. She gently stroked my long blonde hair with her fingertips, then quickly moved her gaze to my

eyelashes. The little girl’s eyes sparkled brightly.

“Wow… they’re really long.”

The child, who whispered, traced her fingertips over my nose and lips in turn. It was as if she was afraid I would break. It was a cautious movement.

The careful yet curious touch felt strangely warm.

“Pretty…”

The man, who had approached at some point, picked up the child.

“Eunseo-ya, Unnie needs to exercise now. We might be disturbing her…”

“No, you’re not disturbing me.”

I answered briefly and grabbed the pull-up bar. One rotation, two rotations… Every time my face came down, it was a bit awkward to meet the eyes of Eunseo, who was squatting.

After completing 50 rotations, Eunseo, who seemed to be excited, came hopping over.

“Unnie, you’re amazing! You’re so cool!”

Eunseo, who had been hopping around for a while, only moved away when the man led her by the hand again.

“Alright, we have to go down now.”

Eunseo, holding her father’s hand tightly, waved her other hand vigorously.

“Unnie! Bye!”

“See you again, miss.”

Watching the two of them slowly walking down the mountain, I was still standing in front of the pull-up bar. The silence that returned was strangely unfamiliar.

But in that silence, I felt strangely at peace.

After a moment’s hesitation, I grabbed the pull-up bar again. Round and round. Hanging and spinning, I looked up at the sky.

The sunlight shone brightly through the swaying leaves.

***

Without logging into Ori, I had so much time.

Too much time to fill with exercise alone.

I resumed exploring VTubers, which had once occupied my daily life.

“Everyone, listen. I decided to go to my parents’ house this time, right? Yes. Of course, I also decided to install a soundproof booth in my room. But you see…”

“Ring Ring! Luna Ring tried buldak for the first time yesterday! It was the spiciest food on Earth I’ve ever eaten!”

Whether it was thin or thick, being a VTuber was ultimately a job that involved wearing a mask.

When I decided to try internet broadcasting, I chose a no-cam, no-mic stream. Even though I was only watching VTubers.

It was because I didn’t have the energy to wear a mask.

A look that suits an elf. A look that suits a hero.

Knowing the weight of the mask, I didn’t want to hide behind it anymore.

But in the end, maybe I was trying to hide more than just wearing a mask.

I was afraid of how I would be received if I revealed my true self. I believed that only battle could tell who I was.

The battlefield was simple. If you fight well, you’re recognized. If not, you die.

You can’t fake a battle. It was a world where you were judged solely on your skills and efforts. I believed it would be the same here.

It was the only pillar that supported me. The moment it shook, I lost my reason. I became unstable.

I wanted to change a little. I wanted to move forward.

Be a little more honest. Be a little more courageous.

I wanted to start over like that.

The moment I made that decision, what came to mind was the 3rd recruitment announcement for Blooming Core VTubers.

I checked the date. Today was the deadline.

***

I downloaded the application form.

Name, age, contact information… I filled in the simple personal information and moved on to the last request. I wanted to deal with it first, as it seemed like it would take some time.

*Please feel free to submit materials that showcase your strengths and charms. The following materials are acceptable:

・Portfolio

-Previously created content (videos, clips, etc.)

-Self-introduction video

– A recording of a song you sing well

You may submit one of the above items, or you may submit multiple materials together. In the materials, please freely express your abilities and potential as a virtual MyuTuber.

Portfolio? I only had about two weeks of streaming experience, would that stand out?

Content or videos? I had nothing prepared. I didn’t even know how to edit videos.

In the end, the only option left was a recording of a song, and fortunately, I wasn’t bad at singing.

Spirits were more sensitive to continuous melodies or patterns than to static words or sentences. Therefore, the spirit language basically had a similar character to a song.

There were times when I had to sing in earnest. Simple conversation or requests were sufficient with rhythm and intonation. But when deeply stimulating the spirit’s emotions or making special requests, a song was necessary.

I turned on the recording function and cleared my throat.

I chose a song for a life that had met its end.

A song of mourning for hunted animals, sometimes for those I knew. A song sung to return that life to nature in the blessing of the spirits.

“Ah-”

I open my mouth. Although I can no longer feel their presence, the language and rhythm that I used to communicate with them spread like ripples in the small room.

A song that had to be sung with the utmost sincerity and with all my heart. That’s why I could choose it without hesitation.

Although it was expressed entirely through my voice, I hoped that the emotions were properly conveyed. I ended the recording.

Now that I had created the material, I wrote down the answers to the remaining questions.

*If there is a VTuber you usually enjoy watching, please introduce them. What do you find most attractive about that VTuber’s content?

After Sarubi, I found it difficult to pick just one. But Sarubi had quit streaming. So I wrote down all the VTubers I was watching. I spent a lot of time on this.

*If there is a trend or changing flow in the VTuber industry that you are paying attention to, please write it down.

Based on my extensive viewing experience, I pondered and wrote down my own answers.

After filling out a few more items…

*If you have any experience in broadcasting activities in the past, please briefly describe it. However, even if you do not have broadcasting experience, you will be fully evaluated if you show your potential and passion as a VTuber.

It wasn’t exactly a failure, but it was a memory of not being able to control myself. I didn’t want to reveal it that much.

It said to just briefly describe the content, so I did.

I have experience streaming Origin Rift.

As I wrote without hesitation, it was already the last question.

*If you have any RP (Role Play, character setting) that you have devised, or RP that you would like to try, please explain in detail.

For the first time, my fingers, which had been typing on the keyboard without hesitation, stopped.

With what kind of feeling, with what kind of determination, am I trying to take this path? I quietly looked into my heart.

***

I was anxious.

As if I had been dropped alone in an unfamiliar world. I was afraid that I would end up trapped on my own island, unable to blend into the world.

Still, like others. As if the old days never happened. I didn’t want to blend in as the human ‘Shin Cho Ah.’

There was pain, there were many wounds. But I survived and reached this point… I wanted someone to acknowledge me.

At the same time, I was also afraid.

What if I remained a stranger even after revealing everything about myself? Like the last world where I couldn’t fully immerse myself until the moment I returned.

Maybe I wanted them to figure it out on their own.

I didn’t even think about changing my way of speaking. I showed the figure of an elf who was good at handling a bow.

I was being childish. Even if I don’t say everything… even if I don’t show everything…

Accept me as I am.

Now I’m trying not to do that.

If I have the courage in the future. If I tell you my honest stories…

Will you, at that time, embrace me?

I know. This method isn’t completely honest either.

But, right now, this is all I can do.

Even so, I want to start like this.

And also, I…

I was lonely.

I desperately wished for someone like me.

Even though I knew it was impossible, even though I deceived myself. Even though I felt my hope gradually diminishing.

There were times when I couldn’t give up until the end and wandered in search of a true understanding.

In the end, I couldn’t find it.

But if there is someone out there who was as desperate and lonely as I was. Even if it’s not now, if they are coming here from far away.

To that person, I want to show. I want to tell.

I want to be hope.

Someone who has had a very similar experience to you. So someone who can fully understand you. That person you’ve been searching for is right here.

So… even if all other VTubers create masks, at least for me.

At least for me.

VTuber RP is not a concept.

And so, I write.

There was a half-elf born between an elf father and a human mother.

The place where that elf grew up is the home of the elves where the World Tree is, the sena Forest.”

Author’s Note

I would like to apply for a plus.

I sincerely thank the readers who have been interested so far.

If you continue to read, I will always try to show you fun and good writing.