Streamer Crazy About Slaughter - Chapter 128

If asked whether I had any thoughts of spending time together until evening, honestly, I only met out of curiosity, and that was as far as it went.

But then again, why is there such a saying?

They say you can’t refuse someone who smiles at you when you see their face.

Even that, surprisingly.

The way someone who seemed indifferent and expressionless towards others would brightly smile and show joy every time they looked at me had a compounded effect.

Yeah.

Because of that, I couldn’t refuse Ms. Eunha’s suggestion to have dinner together.

……

The moment Serin stepped into the luxurious upper level private space of the restaurant, she felt a slight sense of dissonance.

No, rather than dissonance, it was more a question of how she ended up spending so much time with Ms. Eunha.

“When did you make a reservation for the restaurant?”

She asked casually.

“Just now…? I happen to know the restaurant, and it was lucky that I confirmed there was a spot available.”

Serin noticed something untrustworthy in the awkward nod of Ms. Eunha in response to her words.

Looking back, from the café to now, it felt as if every part of the route and course had been pre-planned.

Such a dinner reservation at a high-end restaurant. Could someone usually secure a private space right away when they contacted the venue?

Even as such doubts arose, she resolutely said,

“Then I’ll say it in advance. I’ll pay for dinner.”

While saying that, her gaze drifted toward the item she had received surreptitiously in the car on the way to the restaurant, the wallet she was holding now.

The wallet, softly ivory in color, seemed like an ordinary design at first glance, but the stylish JJ logo affixed to the bottom of the center stood out.

Ms. Eunha had suddenly handed it over, saying it would suit her, but when she asked about the price initially, Ms. Eunha did not answer.

She just turned her head, saying it was reasonably priced and that there was no need to worry.

From the way Ms. Eunha acted, it was undoubtedly an expensive item. To be honest, it wasn’t so much that the price burdened her, but rather that it felt subtly strange that someone she was meeting for the first time was overwhelming her with gifts like this.

No matter how much she liked someone, it was unusual to give so many gifts on a first meeting.

In some ways, Ms. Eunha felt like someone who didn’t quite know how to express her feelings.

It felt like a child blindly giving gifts.

The feeling that she was giving everything she wanted to give, not knowing what might appeal to her.

However, while doing so, the way Ms. Eunha seemed to observe how Serin felt about those gifts was so obvious, like a cute little animal shaking when a small person moves. Serin couldn’t view her negatively.

No, in fact, it was strange to suspect the intentions of someone giving a gift.

Clank.

Clunk.

After Serin and Eunha settled into their respective seats at the restaurant, a staff member came to take their order, and Serin silently gazed at Eunha while Eunha smiled modestly and ordered the B course.

The way she directed her gaze towards her without saying anything made Eunha laugh for no reason. The look, as if she didn’t know the menu and was asking “Please order for me,” only increased Serin’s fondness for her.

So they waited for their food.

As yet another brief silence enveloped them, it seemed they were both enjoying the atmosphere without saying anything.

Eunha, who generally enjoys a quiet ambiance, liked the solitude of just being there with Serin, and Serin, having not been in such a high-end restaurant for a long time, looked around or watched the people strolling by outside the window of their private space.

The first to break the silence was Serin.

“Ms. Eunha, will you be returning during the season?”

The information she had gathered about Ms. Eunha before their meeting—specifically, the fact that she was currently on a break—was in her mind as she asked quietly.

“Ah, yes, I’ve already mentioned I will be returning. I’ll be going back to my accommodation in exactly three days.”

“I know it’s playoffs now, so Ms. Eunha will be quite busy.”

“Yes. Probably…After returning to my place, it will be hard to find personal time.”

As Eunha nodded slightly and responded in a somewhat regretful voice, Serin thought about how it made sense.

In the articles she had glanced at, Ms. Eunha had been a player for three years, and it was known that even during her personal break, she practiced by playing solo and team matches in Another World.

– Severe workaholic.

– Overwhelming practice amount.

– The combination of talent and effort creates perfection.

– A player who is not satisfied even while sitting on the throne.

– A titan who maintains perfection amidst a relentless schedule of advertising and matches.

There were many ways to describe the player Joan of Arc, but almost all the terms used to describe her as a professional player revolved around the idea of ‘perfection.’

Most descriptions were accompanied by her brilliant talent and constant effort.

However, it was surprising that such a player suddenly mentioned she was struggling and had taken a break.

While she thought about how sweet this break must feel, Serin couldn’t help but wonder how relentless she must have been to declare a need for a break all of a sudden.

And as she pondered that, she became somewhat curious.

‘Is she meeting me during such an important break?’

She looked at Ms. Eunha without the intention behind it, and at that moment, Ms. Eunha was also facing her.

“Isn’t it true that you’re really resting comfortably now?”

“…Yes?”

Ms. Eunha looked as if she didn’t understand what she meant with that question.

“I mean, since it’s your break, I was wondering if it’s okay for you to spend the day with me.”

A professional player whose worth among the players in Another World was virtually beyond currency.

Realizing that such a player was actually spending a day with her felt quite extraordinary.

Somewhere unbeknownst to her, she had searched online; she was driving a hypercar worth tens of millions, casually using the VIP lounge of a department store.

She was even having dinner at a restaurant.

It was a life so far removed from ordinary life, truly upper class.

However, opposite to Serin’s thoughts, Eunha looked surprised.

With a face of genuine surprise at Serin’s self-deprecating manner, she calmly continued speaking.

“Honestly, I can say that today is the most comfortable I’ve felt during this entire break. I haven’t smiled this much in a long time… Spending time with you feels really nice.”

Serin looked back at Eunha, taken aback by such an unexpected remark.

“…Really?”

“Yes. To tell you the truth… Up until recently, even when I was resting, I felt somewhat empty. I came out of my accommodation, wanting to say I needed a break, but I didn’t really feel like I was resting. Rather, I felt a sense of confusion about my player life. Even winning the league, at some point, those results felt like they were taken for granted, and performing in matches no longer brought me joy. Everything was just… empty.”

As she said this, Eunha slowly brushed her hair back, seeming a bit embarrassed, but Serin looked at her with curiosity at her sudden confession.

The sweet break. She had thought that someone who had been constantly running as a player would be relaxing and enjoying their time, yet the words coming from Eunha were incredibly surprising.

That even after declaring a break, she hadn’t felt that she was truly resting.

In fact, she felt a greater sense of emptiness.

“Then I happened to come across some videos about you on NewTube.”

“If it’s about me…”

It must surely be something regarding Another World, but she was slightly surprised.

It astonished her that even such a famous professional player had watched her videos.

“Yes. Videos regarding Lin in Another World, now it’s about you.”

When Eunha spoke with a firm gaze at Serin, as if she were certain, Serin looked at her, a bit flustered.

“I was captivated by your performances within Another World, like how freely you wielded the difficult weapon Crescent Moon Blade or enjoyed the duels with others, and even your relaxed demeanor when facing users like Plea and Gosu. It was so impressive that my gaze naturally kept returning to you. The more I watched, the more amazed I was…”

While saying that, Eunha smiled softly as if all those words were sincere.

“…Hearing compliments about Another World from Ms. Eunha feels quite surreal.”

Knowing what Joan of Arc was like in matches, Serin felt a bit shy while responding.

Certainly, she had performed quite impressively against ranked players, but the person making this statement was none other than the current top-ranked player in Another World.

Moreover, she was a woman uniquely in a dominant position even at the professional level.

“And what’s even more surprising is that watching your videos gradually filled the void I felt. It’s like I saw someone entirely different from everyone I had been facing.”

“…That’s quite embarrassing.”

Eunha’s demeanor, seemingly genuinely expressing herself, made Serin feel ticklish inside as she replied.

Hearing that watching her filled Eunha’s sense of emptiness was oddly awkward.

It felt like receiving a confession, or something akin to a confession…

As Serin blushed, the look in Eunha’s eyes sparkled with a soft warmth, as if she were expressing everything she had within her.

“So I watched every single one of your broadcasts during my break without missing a single one. And in fact, I was able to get a proper rest since I discovered you, so my opportunity for relaxation started from knowing you. The fact that I started supporting your broadcasts held significant meaning.”

“Ah, so… the large sums of donations you’ve given me were all for this reason…”

“Yes. Exactly. Although I called it a break, I hadn’t felt in the mood or driven to do anything. I simply spent time idly in my officetel. Watching your broadcasts diminished those feelings of emptiness and laziness gradually. Instead, I think I regained my passion for Another World, a slightly embarrassing thing to say…”

‘…What is she saying?’

Pure intentions.

Her sincerity was conveyed so plainly that it made Serin’s heart race.

It was an entirely different sensation than hearing someone praise or compliment her.

“Therefore, I truly wish that you, Serin…”

Serin was so taken with Eunha’s words, she couldn’t bring herself to interrupt, merely sitting still with her heart racing.

Knock knock.

—The food has arrived.

The savior appeared.