I Can See a VTuber’s Red Pills - Chapter 18

A week flew by in the blink of an eye. Since Jeong-yeon joined as my secretary, my life had regained its structured rhythm once more.

No—perhaps it was even more meticulously organized than before.

The minor tasks I used to handle personally had now become Jeong-yeon’s responsibility, allowing me to focus entirely on my pleasures—namely, watching A-jeong’s streams and scouting for new "collectibles."

Of course, problem-solving and final decisions still fell under my authority, but the process itself had undeniably become far smoother.

---

"President! President! Do you have a moment right now?"

Just as I was peacefully sipping coffee and admiring the Han River view outside the window, Jeong-yeon burst into the living room with an excited voice.

She was clutching a tablet, her face a mix of exhaustion and pride.

"What is it? Did the artists contact you again?"

I furrowed my brows slightly as I asked. Over the past week, Jeong-yeon had been swamped, wrestling with artists from around the world who had taken the bait I’d cast.

Thanks to their relentless enthusiasm, preliminary drafts had started pouring in much faster than expected.

"Yes! But—it’s not just a few messages anymore… Drafts are flooding in like crazy right now! And the quality of every single one is… Wow, this is no joke!"

Jeong-yeon turned the tablet toward me and rapidly swiped through the screen. It was filled with early sketches and concept art of avatars, each drawn in distinct styles.

From 2D illustrations to rough 3D models, the variety was impressive. True to their reputations, these artists didn’t just draw pretty pictures—each piece carried its own unique flair.

"Hmm… Not bad."

I studied the screen with interest. Among the countless drafts, a few stood out.

Especially the ones commissioned for A-jeong’s concept. Some had masterfully captured the keywords I’d provided—pure, cute, gaming, with a subtle touch of menhera—translating them into stunning visuals.

One illustration, despite never being shown A-jeong’s real face, eerily resembled her aura while retaining the charm of a VTuber character. Another 3D model had perfectly replicated her signature precarious gaze.

"Look at this, President. This artist expressed the menhera vibe through slightly unstable-looking eyes, but the overall atmosphere is still incredibly lovable, right? And this 3D one—when the expressions shift, it’ll probably move like it’s alive!"

Jeong-yeon, with her self-proclaimed VTuber expertise, swiftly analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of each draft, adding commentary. Her eyes sparkled with reverence and awe.

This wasn’t just about appreciating expensive artwork—it was like admiring fine art.

"Hmm… This artist’s good. Make a note of their name."

I pointed at a few particularly appealing drafts. To others, they might just be well-drawn images, but to me, the most crucial criterion was how harmoniously they captured A-jeong’s true essence.

An avatar was merely a shell, but only when that shell perfectly complemented its core did it truly shine.

"Got it! I’ve marked them all! But… How do we even give feedback on all of these? There are already dozens of drafts…"

Jeong-yeon scratched her head, looking troubled. The result of commissioning dozens of top-tier artists at once was sweet, but the sheer volume to manage had grown exponentially.

"Simple. First, pick the ones I liked, add your input, and send feedback. The rest? Either cancel the commission, repurpose them as drafts for your avatar, or let the artists develop them into whatever avatars they want to make."

"Huh?! Just cancel them? But the quality is this good?!"

Jeong-yeon looked aghast at my casual remark. To her, each piece was a treasure, but to me, they were just options—steps in the process of selecting the best one.

"No need to feel wasteful. If it’s not the best, it’s meaningless. And you’ll need an avatar too. If any of these fit your concept, we can develop them further."

"But… Are you really sure? The money—"

"Enough about the money."

I cut her off firmly. Her practical concerns were starting to grate on me.

"Pay the artists as promised, and only give clear instructions for additional revisions. No wasted time."

"…Yes! Understood!"

At my decisiveness, Jeong-yeon bowed her head, unable to argue further. But her eyes still held a mix of confusion and awe—an expression I’d grown quite familiar with.

---

While Jeong-yeon refocused on the tablet, I absentmindedly opened an internet community tab.

Unsurprisingly, the forums were buzzing about me again.

---

[Jjijik VTuber Gallery]

Title: Is Naga-Ham seriously building a corporate empire? ㄷㄷ

Saw Rinne’s stream yesterday—apparently, they’re receiving drafts from artists like crazy.

At this scale, it’s not just a personal hobby anymore, right? ㅋㅋㅋ

Fr, are they planning to start a VTuber company?

A-jeong as the main + Rinne as secretary/1st gen + @

- These madmen are at it again ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

- But honestly, isn’t it possible? The way they’re spending money is insane.

- If it becomes a corporate thing, won’t A-jeong’s streaming hours decrease? That’d suck…

ㄴ You think they’d reduce stream time after pouring money like this? Naga-Ham would literally sit down the second A-jeong goes live.

- When’s the audition? I’ll chop my dick off and apply ㅅㅂ

- But why would Naga-Ham start a company? It’s not like they’re in it for profit.

ㄴ Since when were corporate empires built for profit? 99% of them collapse after running out of funds.

- No, this is actually possible, right??

---

A corporate empire.

Even after Jeong-yeon explained it, the idea hadn’t appealed to me. More hassle, more responsibility—I’d thought a flashy business card would suffice.

But… Watching the inefficient back-and-forth with dozens of artists made me reconsider. If just one avatar required this much effort, what about improving stream setups, planning content, or producing merch?

Would I have to personally recruit and direct people every single time?

‘Having a system would be convenient.’

Of course, my idea of a corporate empire would differ from the norm. Profit wasn’t the goal.

It would be an efficient system built solely for my satisfaction—for my "collection."

A kingdom of my own, providing the best environment for A-jeong and any future VTubers in my collection, allowing me to fully savor their perfected forms.

A small organization that moved exactly as I wanted, free from outside noise. The more I thought about it, the more appealing it seemed.

It might even be cleaner than micromanaging Jeong-yeon and monitoring community reactions.

"Jeong-yeon."

"Yes, President!"

She looked up from the tablet.

"About that corporate empire discussion from before."

"Yes?"

"Look into it—properly this time."

"…Huh?"

Her eyes widened further, now filled with shock and bewilderment.

"Wait… You’re seriously considering establishing a company?"

"Just considering. No decision yet. So just research for now. Keep it small—a structure where we can work efficiently. Legal requirements, minimum personnel, operational plans. Summarize it in a simple report."

I spoke as casually as if asking about tomorrow’s weather. But in my mind, the blueprint of my corporate empire was already taking shape.

"…Understood, President! I’ll do my best!"

After a brief hesitation, Jeong-yeon responded with loyal determination.

Perhaps she sensed she couldn’t resist this tide of change—or maybe she was starting to find excitement in being part of this grand project.

---

That evening, I watched A-jeong’s stream as usual.

[Woo! At this point, you’ve got to have a real talent for games!]

A-jeong, blissfully enjoying high-spec games on her new PC. Her laughter was as bright and refreshing as ever.

Seeing her radiant positivity fill the screen made my afternoon plans feel even more concrete.

Giving A-jeong the best avatar, the best streaming environment, letting her focus solely on broadcasting without a single worry—

That was the best I could do for her. For myself.

And perhaps building my own "small kingdom" was the most efficient way to achieve that.

The community was still ablaze with theories about my corporate empire.

Speculation, expectations, and concerns swirled together in endless posts. I scrolled through them expressionlessly, quietly smiling.

‘Well… I told Jeong-yeon to look into it, but maybe I should research what a corporate empire needs too.’

Even if I delegated the prep work, I needed to understand the basics to follow her explanations.

Motion-capture studios, exclusive artist contracts, and more.

There was so much to learn.