I Can See a VTuber’s Red Pills - Chapter 21

There was only a single day of rest.

Jungyeon, who had taken a brief breather with me coinciding with Ajung’s day off, plunged back into a storm of work the very next day.

Revised drafts poured in from artists, research into legal and administrative procedures for establishing the corporate entity continued, and on top of it all, she had to report everything to me and receive instructions.

Time flew by as if it had wings.

Despite the promised large sums of money and my demanding requests, the artists delivered results with astonishing speed and quality.

Just two weeks after the initial draft review and feedback exchange, avatars close to their final completed forms began to arrive one after another.

“Sir! Finally! The final candidates are here!”

That day too, Jungyeon, bustling about as usual, stood before me with a tablet in hand, a cheer escaping her lips.

The screen displayed the finally selected 2D and 3D avatars.

Five sets for Ajung, and three sets for Jungyeon.

Although they were called final candidates, they were practically all at a finished-product level.

Choosing the best among them was a happy dilemma, but the answer was already decided for me.

I stared silently at the screen.

The avatars, born from the hands of numerous experts, were all perfect enough to be called works of art.

But my standards were different.

How closely did every detail, movement, and facial expression resemble the ‘real Ajung’ I knew?

“For Ajung-ssi… let’s go with this one. For the 3D, use this as a base and enhance the movement and facial expression details. For the 2D, this will be the main.”

What I chose was not the flashiest or most trendy design.

Rather, it might have seemed relatively plain, but it was the design that could most perfectly synchronize with Ajung’s real appearance—her pure yet somehow precarious atmosphere, her seriousness when concentrating on games, and her bright smile when she laughed.

In my eyes, that avatar looked like a living Ajung.

The subtly trembling corners of her mouth and the slightly shadowed expression in her eyes were particularly masterful.

“Huh? Oh… Understood! This design is, of course, excellent, but there are many other flashier drafts….”

Jungyeon looked momentarily puzzled, but seeing my confident demeanor, she raised no further objections.

She had grown somewhat accustomed to my unique aesthetic sense by now.

She might have vaguely noticed that I wasn’t just looking at superficial appearances.

The avatar I chose for Jungyeon retained the cuteness of the existing Rinne but exuded a somewhat more mature and intelligent atmosphere.

However, it was designed so that certain facial expression options could perfectly realize the ‘hyperactive secretary’ persona I had ordered.

The contrast between her professional demeanor at work and her usual vivacity seemed like it would be amusing.

“Whaaat?! Are you really going with this concept?!”

Jungyeon protested, her face flushing, but I just grinned, cementing that the decision was already made.

Teasing her was quite fun.

Once the avatar selection was complete, things progressed even more rapidly.

While final revisions and optimization work were underway, I instructed Jungyeon to coordinate Ajung’s debut broadcast schedule.

It wasn’t just a simple avatar reveal; it was to be a spectacular showcase heralding the beginning of the ‘Zelnaga company.’

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Han Jeonga… Ajung was enjoying her streams these days.

Thanks to the new computer Zelnaga-nim had gifted her, she could play all the games she had wanted to, and she could feel the viewers enjoying themselves much more than before as they watched her character move smoothly without stuttering.

Her viewer count had also steadily increased, now often exceeding 500.

It was something she couldn’t have imagined in the past.

That she, who had suffered from malicious rumors and shut herself away from the world in her room, was now laughing, talking, and communicating with so many people.

Everything was thanks to Zelnaga-nim.

If not for his sudden appearance and unconditional support, she might still be crying alone in a dark room.

Of course, if there was one thing she regretted, it was her own avatar.

The so-called ‘clay’ avatar she had barely managed to acquire by scraping together every penny she had at the beginning of her streaming career.

Now that her computer specs could handle it, its crudeness seemed even more pronounced.

Viewers would sometimes jokingly say things like ‘face replacement urgent.’

She tried to laugh it off each time, but it always bothered her inwardly.

Zelnaga-nim had promised to create the ‘best avatar’ for her, but she didn’t know the specifics of how it was progressing.

She could only wait vaguely.

It was one afternoon, when the anxiety that perhaps he had already forgotten was beginning to creep in.

[Knock knock]

A messenger notification chimed.

It was an unfamiliar ID.

When she cautiously checked, it was the VTuber named ‘Rinne’ whom she had seen on Zelnaga-nim’s stream a few days ago—no, Yoo Jungyeon-ssi, who had now become Zelnaga-nim’s secretary.

[Rinne (Yoo Jungyeon)]: Hello, Ajung-nim! This is Yoo Jungyeon, Zelnaga-nim’s secretary. I’m contacting you because I have something to tell you regarding the avatar!

[Ajung]: Huh? Ah, yes! Hello!

Her heart pounded at the sudden contact.

Was it finally news about the avatar?

[Rinne (Yoo Jungyeon)]: Yes! The final avatar for you, Ajung-nim, has finally been completed! It’s a 2D and 3D set, and the design was personally chosen by the Boss! Would you perhaps have time now to receive the files and get some help with a simple setup? I can assist you remotely!

Her hands trembled, making it difficult to type.

It was already completed?

And a 2D and 3D set, no less.

‘Personally chosen by the Boss.’

Her heart swelled at those words.

Zelnaga-nim had personally chosen it for her.

[Ajung]: Yes! Yes! I’m completely free right now!! Thank you! Thank you so much!

Soon, the files Jungyeon sent began to download.

The file size was quite large.

The moment the download completed, she unzipped the file and clicked on the preview image, and Jeonga held her breath.

On the screen was not Ajung, but ‘Jeonga.’

It was a face she had never seen before, yet strangely, it felt incredibly familiar.

The feelings she had when looking at herself in the mirror, aspects of herself that others didn’t know, seemed to be perfectly captured in that character.

Was this what Zelnaga-nim meant when he said, ‘the inside must be beautiful’?

The delicately drawn eyes seemed to hold the anxiety and sadness she sometimes felt, and the slightly upturned corners of the mouth conveyed the brightness she tried so hard to show on stream.

The 3D modeling was even more astonishing.

Smooth movements, a lifelike quality that seemed to perfectly mimic her real expressions.

This wasn’t just an avatar.

It was new wings given to Ajung… no, to Jeonga.

“Heuk, heuk……”

Tears burst forth unknowingly.

It felt like a warm comfort settling over her past wounds, loneliness, and the anxiety about a bleak future.

[Ajung]: Jungyeon-ssi, this… really… thank you so much… Please also tell Zelnaga-nim… thank you so, so much!

Jungyeon remotely accessed her computer, skillfully installed the files, and set up the tracking program.

Thanks to her kind explanations and help, the seemingly complicated process was over quickly.

[Rinne (Yoo Jungyeon)]: Ta-da! Now, turn on your webcam and run the program!

With a trembling heart, she ran the program and turned on her webcam.

The new avatar that appeared on the screen perfectly followed Jeonga’s movements and expressions in real-time.

When she tilted her head, the avatar tilted its head slightly, and when she smiled brightly, the avatar’s eyes curved beautifully.

This… was a miracle.

[Rinne (Yoo Jungyeon)]: Wow! It suits you so well, Ajung-nim! The Boss has an extraordinary eye! Ah, and the Boss said he’d like this avatar reveal to be done in a special debut broadcast format..

A debut broadcast.

The thought of standing before her viewers with a new appearance made her nervous yet her heart pounded with excitement.

[Rinne (Yoo Jungyeon)]: So, about that, the Boss would like to make you a formal offer, Ajung-nim.

[Ajung]: Huh? An offer?

[Rinne (Yoo Jungyeon)]: Yes. We… haven’t decided on a name yet, but he’d like you to join the ‘Zelnaga company’ as its first member.

Her mind went blank.

Zelnaga company?

Member?

What on earth did that mean?

[Rinne (Yoo Jungyeon)]: Ah, you were surprised by the sudden news, right? To put it simply… the Boss is planning to create a company that can support talented VTubers like you, Ajung-nim, and grow together. Just as he provided you with the best broadcasting environment and avatar, he plans to systematically support all aspects necessary for your activities in the future. Of course, your broadcasting autonomy will be guaranteed as much as possible. Wouldn’t you like to… advance to a bigger stage with us?
Jungyeon’s explanation was tempting.

Stable support, systematic management, a bigger stage… but at the same time, fear crept in.

Being affiliated with a company.

Becoming a member of some ‘group’ again.

Past trauma faintly reared its head.

What if strange rumors about her started circulating again, or if she faced unknown pressure within the group?

But… Zelnaga-nim was different.

He had pulled her out of darkness and given her wings without any conditions.

His ways were sometimes hard to understand, but at least to her, he had always been sincere.

If it was a company he was creating… couldn’t she trust it?

[Ajung]: Um, will I… be signing a contract or something? Can I know the specific conditions?

Jungyeon replied to Jeonga’s slightly hesitant response.

[Rinne (Yoo Jungyeon)]: Yes, of course. A detailed contract hasn’t been drawn up yet, but the basic direction will be to make it as advantageous as possible for you, Ajung-nim. Activity support will be top-notch, and as for profit sharing… considering the Boss’s style, Ajung-nim will probably get to keep almost all of it. It will likely just be to clarify that the company owns the avatar usage rights. I’ll organize the details and tell you again soon.

Avatar ownership.

That part bothered her a little, but it was something Zelnaga-nim had created for her anyway.

If she thought of it as temporarily borrowing his creation, it seemed acceptable.

More importantly, the fact that Zelnaga-nim needed her was significant.

The fact that she had been invited to be the first member of his ‘group’ made her heart race again.

[Ajung]: Yes. I’ll do it. Zelnaga Group… I want to be a part of it.

At Jeonga’s firm reply, Jungyeon’s bright voice came through the phone.

[Rinne (Yoo Jungyeon)]: Wow! Really? Thank you, Ajung-nim! The Boss will be really happy too! Welcome! Our Zelnaga Group’s number one member!

Even after hanging up, her heart pounded rapidly for a long time.

A new avatar, and a new beginning.

It was now truly time to leave the past behind and move forward.

With Zelnaga-nim, it felt like this time, it would really be okay.

Anticipation far outweighed the fear.