Chapter 99

Digging into secrets is human nature.

Because humans are animals designed to deduce.

Like treasure-hunting adventurers. Like kids rummaging under their pillows on Christmas morning.

Humans often flail around to get their hands on secrets, as if they were some grand gift.

In other words, it was only natural for me to start guessing why I was left alone in the accommodation.

Where did everyone go?

Did they all go to play beach volleyball without me?

Lost in this labyrinth of a situation, I turned on a voice chat app.

**Han Yoorim:** Pape, where are you?

**Pape:** I went grocery shopping.

**Han Yoorim:** Why did you leave me behind?

**Pape:** That’s what I want to ask. Where the heck were you?

**Han Yoorim:** At the beach.

I stayed up all night alone, got bored, and ended up watching the night sea until morning.

I even enjoyed a fireworks set, which was nice.

**Pape:** Why were you at the beach alone…? Anyway, we’re having barbecue for lunch. Stay put.

**Han Yoorim:** Got it.

After finishing the conversation with Pape, I headed outside.

I thought I’d take a short walk.

Walking around the hotel with the sea breeze hitting me made me feel at ease.

If someone asked me, as someone from the East Sea, if I ever get tired of the sea, I’d say the sea always feels new no matter how many times I see it.

Actually, everything felt new to me.

For someone who rarely leaves the house, everything outside is naturally new.

Save this homebody Super Developer.

After walking for a while, I suddenly ran into someone.

It was someone I saw yesterday.

The other person also paused for a moment before speaking.

“…Han Yoorim?”

“Oh, Mai.”

The hotel I booked is the best on Mayako Island. That’s why it was the most expensive. And Mai and Akane made a lot of money.

So it was only natural they’d stay at the same hotel as me.

“You’re staying here too?”

“Yes.”

“Oh.”

Mai answered indifferently and left.

I left too. I had a lot to do.

This hotel had… a top-tier spa.

I couldn’t not enjoy it. I’m not usually a value-for-money person, but thinking that the spa fee was included in the expensive hotel cost made me feel like I’d be wasting money if I didn’t use it.

I quickly went back to my room to grab my clothes and entered the spa, which felt more like a high-end ryokan.

…The layout reminded me of the ‘Novella Hotel’ where I first met Arena. Did Novella Hotel copy this place, or did this place copy Novella Hotel?

Either way, it didn’t matter.

As long as the sauna was refreshing, who cared who came up with it first?

I dipped into the hot spring.

“…….”

“…….”

And then I locked eyes with Mai.

The hotel I booked is the best on Mayako Island. The expensive price included facility fees. Not using them would’ve been a waste.

So it was only natural that hotel guests would run into each other while using the facilities.

Mai got up as soon as I entered the hot spring.

We just ran into each other outside, so she must’ve just come in too. Why, though?

Maybe she can’t handle the heat.

I leisurely enjoyed the sauna before leaving the hot spring.

After drinking coffee milk and feeling refreshed, I headed to the hotel restaurant.

This hotel had… an unlimited dessert service.

I couldn’t not enjoy it. I’m not usually a value-for-money person, but thinking that the dessert cost was included in the expensive hotel fee made me feel like I’d be wasting money if I didn’t indulge.

The quality was surprisingly good for an unlimited service, so I planned to load up on a decade’s worth of sugar today.

Are you using the word “unlimited” lightly?

Let’s make you take a loss.

Arriving at the restaurant, I piled my plate with desserts and sat down.

“…….”

“…….”

And then I ran into Mai, who was already there.

Mai spoke up.

“Are you following me?”

“There’s only so much to do at this hotel. It’s a coincidence.”

“Sigh.”

Mai sighed as if giving up and inhaled her dessert.

I, too, devoured chocolate cake, castella, tiramisu, croissants, blueberry muffins, macarons, éclairs, gelato, panna cotta, crème brûlée, soft ice cream, and fig tart.

Mai stared blankly with her fork in hand.

She muttered softly.

“Did you die in your past life from not being able to eat dessert?”

“You have quite the imagination. That was an interesting take.”

“What’s interesting is your appetite. How are you not gaining weight?”

“Super Developers always maintain perfect physical condition. We don’t gain weight.”

At my words, Mai shook her head in disbelief and took a bite of her scone.

Seeing her attitude, something suddenly piqued my curiosity.

I asked Mai.

“I’ve been curious since yesterday. Did you happen to play my gacha game?”

“…What brought this up?”

“You seem like you have something to say. It’s fine. Speak freely. So, how many trucks did you spend?”

“…….”

Mai closed her mouth.

This reaction… at least 10 trucks?

That’s quite a lot.

“From a physiognomy perspective, you seem to like characters who work hard but don’t get rewarded. It’s a rare taste. Did something happen when you were young?”

“I don’t play gacha games.”

“You don’t?”

Then why do you seem so dissatisfied with me?

Is it because you’re worried I’ll evolve from a Super Developer to a Super VTuber?

As if answering my question, Mai slowly spoke up.

“That.”

“That?”

“You made me weird in the game.”

“Me?”

“In that climbing game, the ultimate skill of the character based on me… was summoning Akane!”

Ah.

Now that I think about it, that’s true.

As if relieved to finally say it, Mai poured out her words.

“What was that? My only trait is being Akane’s friend?”

“So, there’s no ‘go’? Because of you, I got stuck with this weird meme.”

“But it turned out well, right?”

“…Yeah, definitely.”

Mai, who was stunned after finally obtaining her character’s unique skill, [Summoning the Yellow Emperor], was currently pulling in massive views and attracting a flood of new viewers.

Thanks to this, Mai’s broadcast was experiencing an unprecedented upward trend, almost like a second golden age.

“Still, my ultimate skill isn’t ‘Summon Akane,’ right?”

“But it turned out well, right?”

“…Yeah, definitely.”

Mai was caught in an endless loop.

She couldn’t even break out of this lighthearted loop.

You don’t have what it takes to be a developer. Just focus on broadcasting.

“It was something I cared about…”

Mai muttered in a slightly lowered tone.

People think Akane was the one who built Novel Live.

And they weren’t exactly wrong.

Even when there were only 10 viewers, or none at all, and when Novella had coldly decided to shut down the business, it was Akane, who kept broadcasting with a smile, that led to the Novel Live we have today.

But the same could be said for Mai.

Even when there was only one viewer, or none at all, and when Novella had coldly decided to shut down the business, and when Akane, her fellow classmate, became a Heavenly Demon and flew away, and when their classmates conspired against Akane, leading to only two of the first generation remaining.

Mai kept broadcasting diligently.

That effort undoubtedly became the foundation for the current Novel Live.

But people only remember Mai as Akane’s classmate or friend.

This is why impact matters.

People only remember the number one.

I stared at Mai.

Even though she was constantly compared to her best friend, she never showed jealousy. She knew that hard work didn’t always pay off, but she still didn’t want to be betrayed by her own efforts.

Kurohina Mai.

She was an interesting character.

Maybe my tastes are twisted, but I found it fascinating to see her work hard and end up with no reward, falling into despair.

It sparked inspiration.

Travel. It was the most commonly used technique for summoning the muse.

As a way to repay her for the help, I made a promise to Mai.

“Next time, I’ll add a skill that buffs your summons.”

“Or you could just not add the ‘Summon Akane’ skill?”

“But it turned out well, right?”

“…Yeah, definitely.”

Still stuck in the loop?

I’ll keep going until you break it, so hurry up and awaken your developer abilities.

*

We had a proper barbecue with Akane and Mai.

I was staying in a detached house at the hotel, which had a sort of pension vibe, so I could really enjoy the feeling of being on a trip.

Maybe it was because we had barbecue for both lunch and dinner. Everyone went to bed early. They must have been tired from playing at the beach all day.

Which meant, from now on, it was my time.

For Legendary Rank 0, 1 AM was the perfect time to have fun.

I picked up the Plum Highball that Bbangbbang had bought. *Click*. I popped open the can and poured the contents into my mouth. It felt great.

But this alone wasn’t quite enough. Hmm.

This won’t do.

I lit up the barbecue equipment in the yard.

*Crackle*. Watching the flames rise calmed my mind. Truly, fire-gazing was humanity’s greatest invention for mental cleansing.

I loaded up the grill with meat, cooked it, and then stuffed it all into my mouth in one go.

“What are you doing?”

Then, someone spoke to me.

It was Pape.

I said,

“Amul aji anumyeon giga geugi anuye.”

“Finish eating first. Then talk.”

“If you don’t sleep, you won’t grow taller, Mr. Pape.”

“Who are you to say that?”

Pape let out a disbelieving laugh, then grabbed one of the Plum Highballs I had stacked up and drank it.

My Plum Highball.

Thief.

“Would the righteous thief Mr. Pape like a skewer?”

“I’m good.”

“If you’re not hungry, why are you wandering around like a sleepwalker instead of sleeping?”

“Just because.”

Pape answered indifferently. I placed a plate of skewers in front of him.

He immediately started eating. Guess he was hungry after all.

After finishing all the skewers, Pape sipped his Plum Highball and then spoke.

“Why aren’t you sleeping?”

“Can’t sleep.”

“Insomnia?”

“It’s a Super Developer’s privilege. Why aren’t you sleeping, Mr. Pape?”

“It’s a Super Carry’s privilege.”

Pape chuckled, then stood up and continued.

“If you’re done eating, let’s go to the beach. You were planning to go alone anyway, right?”

“No? I was planning to stay home all day today? Honestly, beach walks aren’t that fun. Can’t do it every day.”

“…Then how about playing <Eternal World>?”

“Playing <Eternal World> even at a travel destination? You’re really obsessed with games, huh?”

“So, you don’t want to?”

“Log in right now.”

And so, we played games all night.

Even Bbangbbang, who got kidnapped on his way to the bathroom, joined us.

Feels like we’re back in middle school.

Inspiration is sparking, sparking.