I spent five whole days logged into Icarus, just spinning cubes over and over. I reached a state where I couldn’t tell if I was the cube or the cube was me—a true oneness with the cube.
“It’s here!”
After tens of thousands of cube spins, thankfully, it ended with a happy ending. I spun cubes day and night for five days straight. In the end, all that effort paid off, and I successfully achieved a 36% perfect option.
I spent so much money on cube spinning that I couldn’t even count it. On top of that, I even used what’s called the “Miracle Cube,” which is known as the lower-tier cube. I also successfully completed the perfect options that could only be achieved with the Miracle Cube.
It’s safe to say that an item unique to the entire server was completed. I stared at the dazzlingly shiny item with sparkling eyes. It felt like it was glowing enchantingly.
I decided to only enhance it up to +22, where the success rate was in the 30% range. From +23 onwards, the enhancement success rate dropped drastically. Plus, if it failed, the equipment would go *boom*. So, I thought I’d do that later if I had time.
– Wow, you actually succeeded lololololol
– For real, the dedication of spinning cubes for five days straight is insane
– I wouldn’t even do it if you paid me lololol, like, eating only rice and spinning cubes? Seriously?
– Bro, you probably sold an apartment to spin those cubes, right???
The chat reactions were fiery. Even though there were less than 30 people, it was a huge improvement compared to the past when I couldn’t even get 5 viewers and had to quit streaming. So, compared to then, this was a massive leap forward.
But this was just the beginning. I’d have to repeat this dozens of times more. I took a deep breath and stretched for a moment. This was a game I loved, and the hope of becoming a top-ranked player was more thrilling than anything else.
– Streamer, how long are you gonna keep doing no-cam, no-mic streams?
– For real, just having a voice would probably increase viewers, and showing your face would be even better
– There’s a 99% chance you’re a 40-year-old dude, your nickname alone screams boomer vibes
“Hmm…”
I typed on the keyboard.
– I’ll quickly prepare the cam and mic.
Because I typed so fast, I made a typo. It definitely wasn’t because my Korean skills were lacking.
Clearly, a cam and mic were essential for streaming. Internet streaming relies on two-way communication between the streamer and viewers. Since the gameplay happens in real-time, the streamer’s immediate reactions are crucial.
After ending the stream, I got up from my chair. I moved my feet because I had something to say to Bora. I needed to ask Bora to buy me a cam and mic. I was sure she’d listen to my desperate request.
—
I rushed to the office. Inside, only Bora was there. The Bald Man and Haru were gone. Seeing that, I tiptoed over to Bora’s side.
I couldn’t tell what Bora was doing, but she was focused on something to the point where she didn’t notice me.
When I got close enough, Bora seemed to sense my presence and turned her head toward me.
“Huh…? Hana, what’s up?”
Bora looked at me and asked. I fidgeted with my index fingers, feeling like I was making an unreasonable request. I got nervous for no reason.
“Bora.”
“Yeah?”
“There’s something I want…”
“Oh? Did new Lumi merch come out?”
Bora misunderstood, thinking I wanted to buy merch of the Little Magician Lumi. New merch wasn’t coming out until next month, so there was no need to buy it now…
“No! Bora, can you buy me a cam and mic?”
Of course, I could just order the cam and mic online, but since Bora always checks the packages first when they arrive, I needed to get her permission beforehand.
“A cam and mic? Why do you suddenly need those, Hana?”
From Bora’s perspective, she probably thought I wanted something related to the Little Magician Lumi. But since I suddenly asked for a cam and mic, Bora was taken aback.
“I want to do internet streaming, so I need a cam and mic…”
“Internet streaming?”
Bora’s eyes widened as she spoke. She looked completely surprised by the unexpected request.
Bora slowly got up from her seat, hugged me, and said.
“Suddenly you want to do internet streaming? What’s going on, Hana?”
Bora looked at me as if urging me to answer. Her gaze made me feel pressured, so I looked down and said.
“I’ve wanted to do it for a while…”
“Is this really something you want to do, Hana? No one’s pressuring you, right?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s what I want to do.”
Somehow, it seemed like things were going better than expected. I thought Bora might have some prejudice against internet broadcasting, but lately, she’s been granting almost everything I want.
“Then let’s just use the mic for now. We’ll do the cam later, and Hana’s face reveal is a bit… nah.”
“Can’t we do it like last time when we filmed the NewTube video?”
“Back then, there were circumstances… Now, all of Hana’s videos are down, right?”
Come to think of it, ever since my ID came out, Bora hasn’t personally filmed any videos.
Still, getting permission for the mic is something. It could’ve been worse—no mic or cam at all. I felt good knowing I got a clear answer from Bora.
I tried to squirm out of Bora’s embrace, but she wouldn’t let go easily. She buried her nose in my head and took a deep breath—such a weirdo move—and I screamed.
——————————————
– Guys, looks like mic streaming might be possible soon.
I shared the good news with the viewers.
The reaction was instant.
– Finally, gonna hear the streamer’s voice?
– Thick, old-man voice incoming lol
– Gonna spin cubes today too?
– Most of his gear is trash, but that one piece is god-tier. How much money did he pour into that?
Some were in awe of my flashy cape.
Honestly, I’m pretty sure this cape is one of a kind across all servers.
I equipped the cape, laughing as I saw the stats go up. But I felt like I’d only taken one step forward.
Based on past experience, getting the best stats is a huge pain, so I decided to settle for decent stats for now.
I had enough money but not enough time. I spent five days spinning cubes just to max out one piece of the cape. Some said I was lucky it only took five days. But even with unlimited time, I hit a wall.
The problem was, I’d have to start elementary school next year. Even if I spent every moment from now until then spinning cubes, I wouldn’t have enough time to max out all my gear.
So, I compromised with reality. But I still needed to spin cubes, so I prepared my card without hesitation. My phone, sitting next to the computer monitor, kept buzzing with payment notifications.
———————————————-
“Bora, there’s some mail at the company addressed to Hana. I brought it over.”
“Oh, that’s probably Hana’s check card bill. I made one under her name.”
“Ah, really? I’ll leave it on the desk here.”
“Thanks for bringing it over.”
An employee from the building handed Bora the mail and left. Bora glanced at the mail but quickly went back to work.
She had a report to finish by today. The mail could wait. How much could Hana have spent anyway? Last time she ordered a mic, it was like 20,000 or 30,000 won, right?
Completely ignoring the mail, Bora focused on her work. Hours passed. After finishing the report, she stretched in her chair, her shirt riding up enough to show her belly button.
She grabbed the cup of water on her desk and decided to step outside. Being stuck in the office was suffocating, and she needed some fresh air.
Then, her eyes caught the mail. Bora slowly opened it, sipping water as she read the bill. She was curious about the amount.
After a moment, she reached the total at the end of the bill. Seeing it, she spat out her water.
She quickly set the cup down and sprinted toward Hana’s room.
