I Can See a VTuber’s Red Pills - Chapter 42

A delicate golden sheen bloomed from the tip of the tablet pen.

The cold yet dazzling bars of a cage. Within them, the girl’s eyes held a mix of emptiness, rage, and the faintest flicker of longing.

Kang Seha—no, Haru—held her breath as she added the final details.

Canary in a Gilded Cage.

It was an eerily personal piece, commissioned by a mysterious client who went by OrdinaryArtLover.

The work was nearing completion.

The hefty advance payment had already transformed into top-tier equipment that delighted her hands and eyes, yet a lingering unease remained in the corner of her heart.

Once this painting was finished, would this strange relationship end? Or would that be the moment he revealed his true, hidden intentions?

[Client1999]: Artist-nim, how’s the revision I requested last time coming along? Still not done?

The nuisance client’s message grated on her nerves again.

The disgust of reality, momentarily forgotten while she immersed herself in Canary in a Gilded Cage.

Seha furrowed her brow and moved her hand to the keyboard.

[Haru]: Currently delayed due to another project (high-value, long-term). Will contact you as soon as it’s completed.

High-value, long-term project.

She used OrdinaryArtLover’s commission as an excuse to push back the nuisance’s demands.

But she knew. This was only a temporary fix.

Once this painting was done, she’d have to return to the reality of pandering to these entitled brats for pocket change.

“Fuck.”

As she muttered the curse under her breath and tried to refocus on Gilded Cage—

― OrdinaryArtLover: It’s almost finished already.

― OrdinaryArtLover: It doesn’t just feel trapped—it’s like she’s shining in her own way inside there.

― OrdinaryArtLover: Like there’s both contempt and pride at the same time lol

Right on time—or perhaps, uncannily so—his message popped up.

As always, he read the emotions in her art with unsettling precision.

“Shining? Hah. She’s just losing her mind. Who the hell could stay sane locked up in a place like this?”

Seha scoffed, but she didn’t dislike his interpretation.

He was the only one who saw beyond the surface—beyond just pretty or provocative—and recognized the complex emotions woven into her work.

― OrdinaryArtLover: Isn’t losing your mind a kind of light too? Like a star burning itself to shine in the dark.

― OrdinaryArtLover: At least it’s proof you’re alive. That raw emotion is why I love Haru-nim’s art.

His words were always like this. Never outright contradicting her cynicism, yet offering another perspective that shook her framework of thought.

Haru: Shut up. You talk too much.

She typed tersely, but an unconscious, faint smile tugged at her lips.

A few days ago, he’d mentioned utopia.

A perfect environment where she could focus solely on her art. That unrealistic fantasy kept circling her mind.

― OrdinaryArtLover: Sorry. Got too excited again. Seeing the painting near completion, I couldn’t help but project onto it haha.

― OrdinaryArtLover: Still, I think I’ll really miss it once it’s done T_T.

― OrdinaryArtLover: I’ve enjoyed talking with you about art like this T_T.

Miss it. His sincerity was palpable. Seha felt the same.

Once this commission ended, so would this strange exchange.

The only thread connecting her to someone who truly understood her art would snap.

What does it matter? He’s just some faceless creep anyway.

She tried to console herself, but the cold sinking in her chest was unavoidable.

Just then, another message arrived from the nuisance client.

This time, it was far more persistent and rude—demanding a complete style overhaul while hinting at slashing the promised final payment.

[Client1999]: Artist-nim, sorry but I’m more into a different game character than the original concept now haha.

[Client1999]: Can you change the character even at this stage? Keep the pose similar though.

[Client1999]: Oh, but extra payment might be tough… Could you just do it as a favor? I’ll commission you a lot in the future ^^

“You goddamn piece of—!”

Seha finally exploded. She all but threw her tablet pen down.

Barely restraining the urge to smash her monitor, her fingers trembled violently.

Was this really worth enduring—this humiliation, this stress?

Was it okay for her talent to be wasted like this?

Along with the rage came a deep sense of futility. She wanted to quit everything.

― OrdinaryArtLover: ???

― OrdinaryArtLover: What’s wrong? Are you okay??

From beyond the chat, he instantly sensed her fury.

“Ugh. Mind your own business.”

Her reply was sharp, but the dam had already broken.

“It’s just—everything’s so fucking shitty! I’m sick of pandering to these assholes just to sell my art! My work doesn’t deserve this kind of treatment, goddammit!”

The words spilled out, beyond retrieval.

It didn’t matter who was on the other side of the chat.

Right now, in this moment, Seha needed to scream this rage and despair at someone.

― OrdinaryArtLover: Ah…

― OrdinaryArtLover: Another client problem, huh…

― OrdinaryArtLover: Haru-nim’s work doesn’t deserve that treatment. I mean it!

His messages were calm, but carried firm reassurance.

― OrdinaryArtLover: Do you remember what I mentioned before?

― OrdinaryArtLover: That place where artists can focus solely on creation, free from all worries.

Seha’s heart began pounding again.

A premonition—it’s coming.

“I already told you, that’s not fucking real.”

She feigned indifference, but her voice shook.

― OrdinaryArtLover: Right. You did say that. But what if—

― OrdinaryArtLover: Just what if such a place existed? What would you do, Haru-nim?

― OrdinaryArtLover: Would you keep letting yourself be drained by these nuisances?

― OrdinaryArtLover: Or would you dare to take a chance on a new possibility?

His question was no longer hypothetical. It was an outright temptation.

“…Who the hell are you? What do you want from me? Why are you going this far?”

Seha’s voice was razor-sharp, her guard at its peak.

― OrdinaryArtLover: Does who I am matter?

― OrdinaryArtLover: What matters is that someone recognizes your talent and wants to provide an environment where it can truly shine.

― OrdinaryArtLover: I’m just the bridge haha.

He deftly framed himself as a mere intermediary.

― OrdinaryArtLover: If you’re open to it, would there be a way for you to receive a very specific, unconventional proposal—anonymously?

― OrdinaryArtLover: No pressure. Just read it and decide for yourself.

― OrdinaryArtLover: It’s just… one possibility.

An anonymous document. No strings attached.

His words were too sweet—and yet, they felt dangerous.

Seha wavered.

Should she take the bait? Or turn away?

But the humiliation from the nuisance client and the suffocating reality pushed her forward.

She couldn’t stay like this.

What do I have to lose?

“…I’ll make a temp email. Send it there. If anything’s off, I’m deleting it and blocking you.”

A strained, reluctant concession. The smallest step forward.

Beyond the screen, I smiled in satisfaction.

Finally, she moved.

I immediately instructed Yoon Taesu to send the prepared proposal to the temporary email Haru provided.

The document contained airtight terms, meticulously crafted by Taesu:

Guaranteed stable income.

Top-tier working conditions.

Complete anonymity and security.

Absolute creative freedom.

Autonomy over her work.

This wasn’t just an offer. It was everything Haru had dreamed of—no, never even dared to imagine—laid out in tangible form.

I held my breath, waiting to see how she’d react.

The door of her cage was opening. The canary was about to take flight.

I hoped—no, I would ensure—that her choice led to her happiness.

That was the least I could do, after deceiving her all this time under the guise of collecting the red pills.