Chapter 20

After the broadcast, Bunny Run said.

[Sis. The game was fun.]

“Glad to hear that. You cried in the middle of it, so I was really surprised.”

[…I didn’t cry.]

I uploaded a clip of Bunny Run’s broadcast to the voice chat. It was something I picked up from the VR broadcast gallery.

These days, technology is so advanced that when a person cries, their avatar automatically cries too.

Maybe she saw the clip of herself shedding tears while staring at the corpse of a high-level Water Spirit. Bunny Run stayed silent for a moment, then asked.

[I have a question.]

“Go ahead.”

[Do you only make PC games?]

“No? <Excel Busters> is a VR game.”

[Really?]

“Try it later. It’s fun too.”

[Since <Fantasy Life> was fun, <Excel Busters> must also be fun… no. That’s not it.]

Bunny Run quickly continued.

[You know <Fantasy Life>, right?]

“Yes.”

[Wouldn’t it be better as a VR game…?]

“…….”

I have a personal philosophy about games.

It’s the belief that game developers must possess a craftsman’s spirit.

And craftsmen are usually stubborn. To become a craftsman, you have to strongly push forward what you believe is right.

But that doesn’t mean a developer should only be armed with a craftsman’s spirit.

If you’re doing business for the public, flexibility is essential.

In other words.

You should stick to your guns about making a PC game if that’s how you envisioned it, but you also need to know when to bend.

Usually, games conceived for PCs are optimized for PCs.

For example, isometric view games. This genre has disappeared from the gaming world because it’s not suitable for VR.

Generally, when the hardware changes, the game should change too. That’s why I completely abandoned my previous ideas and concepts.

However. <Fantasy Life> was an exception to this rule.

It would work perfectly as a VR game. No. It was beyond good—it was optimized.

Why didn’t I think of this before?

It was a blind spot.

“That’s a great idea.”

[Right?]

“If it goes well, I’ll treat you to something delicious. At Geumtaero.”

[Wow.]

Seeing Bunny Run happy made me happy too.

[How long will it take? A few years, right?]

“No. It won’t take that long.”

[Really?]

“Yes.”

Converting an already-made PC game into a VR game might just be manual labor, right?

I’ll have to check.

By the way.

“Bunny Run. Can I ask you one thing?”

*

The VR version of <Fantasy Life> was successfully released.

It was released just a few days after our conversation, leaving Bunny Run flustered. She thought I was pranking her by having the VR version ready in advance, but since that wasn’t the case, she planned to treat me to a lot of delicious food.

The VR version of <Fantasy Life> sold 500 copies on its first day.

Streamers really are the answer. My name got out there, and with Bunny Run promoting it, 500 copies sold instantly.

Even if it was 500 copies in total, not per day, it was still the best record in my game development history.

So, I decided to enjoy a small party.

I planned to buy a box of potato chips and plum-flavored highballs and binge-eat them, but…

Bunny Run barged into my house, forcing me to change my plans.

She took me to the omakase place we went to last time.

And to celebrate, she pulled out her card.

Weird. I was supposed to treat her. She even promoted the game, so I should’ve been the one paying.

But my hands moved on their own, contrary to my thoughts.

I’ll treat her to something even better next time.

After eating to my heart’s content, planning DLC, tweaking the balance, visiting Bunny Run’s house to chat, and even doing some part-time work, almost a week flew by.

It was the first time in a while that I truly enjoyed life.

But why do I feel so uneasy?

It felt like I was an elementary school student who enjoyed vacation without doing homework.

I definitely missed something.

What did I miss?

After thinking for a moment, the answer came quickly.

I hadn’t watched the new anime.

I logged into an OTT site and watched the first episode of the trending anime about game developers.

I turned off the anime when the protagonist went crazy while debugging bugs. By then, it was evening. I drank the plum-flavored highball I had bought earlier and logged into MTube.

Why hasn’t Bunny Run uploaded a new video yet?

I was annoyed, so I left a comment.

-Han Yoorim: Where’s my dinner side dish?

The likes surpassed 300 in an instant. That many people agreed with me.

I lost my appetite.

What should I eat for dinner? Mos MTube? But Mos’s hobby broadcasts are too infrequent.

No choice.

I replayed Mos’s <Excel Busters> broadcast.

As I watched Mos’s chat while finishing my third can of highball, it hit me.

My last broadcast was 10 days ago?

No wonder I felt uneasy.

Problem solved!

[Let’s communicate]

I immediately started a broadcast.

The newly composed OST for <Fantasy Life> played through the speakers.

It was a cheerful and bright tune, like walking through a fairy tale, and it was a tribute to Bunny Run.

I made it because she seems to like this kind of thing.

It was the theme for the seemingly unbeatable final boss, so Bunny Run would love it. It was placed in the most impactful part of the game.

Viewers quickly poured in, and the chat started rolling.

―――

Finally showed up?

At least leave a notice, you crazy girl

If you’re busy making games, you should at least say something

―――

It seemed the viewers thought I hadn’t been broadcasting because I was busy making games.

I guess my position is uniquely set.

Hobby streamer, side hustle streamer. That’s the vibe.

Hmm. Weird. Even if game development is my priority, I’m not a hobby streamer, so why did this frame pop up?

“I didn’t stream because I had to catch up on anime, novels, and comics. The game was released last week, right? Structurally, I couldn’t stream because of game development.”

First, I corrected the wrong assumption.

If you honestly say you dropped an iron axe, they’ll give you a silver and gold axe too.

Alright. Mountain spirit. Now’s the time.

Give me the silver and gold.

———

This crazy girl, I knew she’d do this lololol

The game was released 10 days ago, you think she was too busy developing to stream? You idiots lololol

Already stage 4? Already stage 4? Already stage 4? Already stage 4? Already stage 4?

———

The fairy tale was wrong. Even if you’re honest, people won’t give you a silver or gold axe.

Feeling disappointed, I spoke up.

“Can I at least get a bronze axe?”

———

Yeah, I’ll smash your head with an axe.

———

Feeling down, I cracked open a plum-flavored highball and chugged it. It felt good.

While munching on potato chips, the viewers started chatting.

———

Are you eating or streaming?

If you’re gonna do this, at least turn on the cam.

———

“I don’t have a cam at home. And check the title. It’s a communication stream.”

———

Communication? Lol

More like a no-communication stream.

———

The viewers’ distrust pierced the sky. It’s rare to find a developer who communicates with users as much as I do, what’s with this misunderstanding?

“Ask me anything you’re curious about. Even if it’s not related, it’s fine.”

It was the moment I opened my mouth to clear up the misunderstanding.

<ㅇㅇ님이 1000원 후원>

-I’m going to the military tomorrow, please cheer me on.

The donation notification popped with a bang.

…But the military?

“Isn’t today Wednesday? Active duty soldiers enlist on Mondays.”

———

Right?

I just got discharged recently, nothing’s changed.

———

“Be careful with your word choice. It’s not the military, it’s the training camp. Anyway, public service is tough too. Fighting.”

As I casually answered and ate chips, the chat reactions got weird.

Another donation popped up.

<ㅇㅇ님이 1000원 후원>

-You’re a girl but you know a lot about the military?

There’s a rule in the world. Only black people can mention black stuff.

Similarly, only guys can participate in military topics.

That rule exists.

“Of course I know.”

But I’m the exception.

“I’ve been there too.”

Active duty, you know.

The chat exploded.

———

You’ve been there? Lol

Are you a sergeant? Or an officer?

———

“A soldier. If I were a sergeant or officer at my age, I’d still be in the military.”

———

How are we supposed to know how old you are?

Wait, a soldier? There are really people who volunteer as soldiers? Lol

———

Didn’t I say before that even though I became a girl, my past, including relationships, didn’t change much?

My military discharge is the same. Even as a girl now, I was a sergeant who completed my service.

That’s why I only recently got a part-time job. The two years of pseudo-unemployment were possible because I saved money in the military.

All of this happened because in this world, girls can also volunteer as soldiers.

Even though the military is still mostly men, girls can enlist as soldiers if they want.

———

Are you super patriotic?

Lol, she really went.

Do you have too much time? Lol

———

Judging by the reactions, people don’t usually go to the military voluntarily.

Even in the U.S., where recruitment is tough, they use all sorts of tricks. In Korea, where the treatment isn’t great, the only people who become soldiers are those who are forced to go.

Except for me.

This seems to reflect my personality.

Even as a guy, I could’ve avoided active duty. I skipped meals at home and just focused on game development, so I was underweight.

But why did I end up in active duty?

Because I immediately gained weight when I heard I’d be assigned to public service if I stayed at my current weight.

Why did I do such a crazy thing? I was worried I wouldn’t be able to make a proper military-related game due to lack of experience.

I regretted that choice by the second morning of training camp, but still, it’s probably because of that tendency that I ended up going to the military even as a girl.

I cautiously speculate.

Even though I became a girl, my past didn’t change much, but the subtle differences are probably because I would’ve made those choices anyway.

“Any other questions?”

———

How old are you?

———

“23. I dropped hints here and there, so if you didn’t catch them, you haven’t been watching my streams closely, huh?”

Other than that, there were solid questions like why I don’t give stream notices, what my stream schedule is, and what my next project is.

I answered all the questions and glanced at the stream time.

Already over 2 hours had flown by.

“Shall we play a game now?”

The game to play was, of course, <Eternal World>.