Chapter 13: Vtuber is too harsh for communicators

August had begun, and ten days had already passed. In the meantime, I had been enjoying a devoted otaku life, lounging around at home.

Going out? Except for a trip to Akihabara to buy Nacchan goods, the only other outing was a quick visit to the

convenience store near my house to buy cola.

Thanks to that, the only people I had interacted with were my mom, Tateyama-chan, and the convenience store

clerk. Truly, the world is too delicate to accept me as I am…

However, there is one difference from before: thanks to the streaming, I’ve been consistently talking. Last year,

during vacation, there were times when I didn’t speak for over two weeks because I had no one to talk to. My mom

was busy with work, so we only communicated through text. When vacation ended and I spoke again after a long

time, I was both miserable and amused, thinking, ‘Oh, so my voice sounds like this.’

But the past is just the past. What matters is now. In the real world, I’m an otaku, but in the online world, I’m a

popular virtual YouTuber?!

…Of course, I haven’t done a single collaboration since Ko’s suggestion, but anyway, I am now a virtual YouTuber,

Kaiono Izumi, with countless Izutomo fans.

Now, the only thing I’m worried about is sudden collaboration proposals or the manager bringing up collaboration ideas.

Ding!

As soon as I thought that, the notification sound of my phone rang out.

“…Huh?”

I felt an uneasy sensation. My intuition is sometimes disturbingly accurate, and I felt a drop of cold sweat trickle

down my back.

The sender was my manager.

Seeing the name, my heart began to race.

No way, could it be?

Even though I thought that, my mind was already imagining the worst-case scenario.

And the message was:

[Manager: Izumi-chan, the monetization has finally been approved. Congratulations!]

“…Huh?”

Thankfully, the message was about my channel’s monetization being approved.

Finally.

“It’s finally done.”

The manager had said it would happen soon, but now that it’s actually approved, it doesn’t feel real.

…So, I guess I need to adjust today’s streaming schedule a bit. I was originally planning to do a gacha stream for a

mobile game, but before that, I’ll do a short celebratory stream for the monetization.

As I was adjusting the schedule in my mind, Ding, my phone lit up again.

This time, the sender was, of course, my manager.

[Manager: And tomorrow, we’ll have a monetization celebration collaboration stream with all the 2nd generation members!]

“…Was that a surprise attack?!”

[[Monetization Celebration] Short Chat Stream #KaionoIzumi #StarsFlow #MonetizationUnlocked]

“C-C-Conzumi~. From Stars Flow, the mood maker dreaming of a world where everyone can smile, Kaiono Izumi…”

• Hi-Zumi!
• Hi-Zumi!
• Another lackluster greeting, as usual

Easily passing over the now-familiar greeting and the viewers’ reactions, I immediately got to the point.

“Today, we’re celebrating the… the final 2nd generation member to unlock monetization…”

=Water Spirit Mei-chan JP¥ 50,000: Mei-chan, congratulations on monetization! Let’s stream for a long time!

“Eh?”

A 50,000 yen hyperchat right at the start.

My head almost turned white with shock.

“T-Thank you, W-Water Spirit Mei-chan? I-I’ll work hard?”

• Why the question mark?
• It’s been a while since Mei-chan stuttered and had such a soft voice
• I kind of miss that time…

[ ] JP¥ 50,000:

Another 50,000 yen hyperchat came in, decorating the screen in red.

And there were no words.

“Eh?! A blank message? I think this kind of wasteful spending… isn’t good?!”

Seeing such hyperchats from the viewer’s side was often seen as a creative use of money, but being on the receiving end is scary.

Of course, it’s not that I dislike money. As our black cat said, no one dislikes money!

But getting no words is a bit scary, so please, send something like curses or criticism instead!
“I’m used to this kind of thing!”

=Gakigaki JP¥ 3,000: Fighting, the so-called mood maker Kaiono Izumi!

“W-Wait, I’m not just ‘so-called.’ I’m recognized by everyone, okay?! I’m popular, you know?! Anyway, t-thank you!”

• Recognized by everyone (Hasn’t done a collaboration since Suzu-chan)
• Do you have conversations with your peers and say that?
• Popular (Refers to classmates as peers)

“Shut up! If I say so, then it is!”

Why do they always criticize me for not sticking to the RP and then try to undermine my efforts when I try to stick to it?

Do you guys really want to see me suffering that much?

It’s been over two weeks since I started streaming properly, so can’t you cut me some slack?

=Byulmuri JP¥ 5,000: So, Mei-chan, what is the life of a hikikomori like?

Faced with this hyperchat question, I frowned and began to speak.

“…You know, there’s something you guys sometimes misunderstand.”

It’s better to correct this misunderstanding.

“Being an otaku and being a hikikomori are completely different things, okay?!”

• ??

The chat was flooded with question marks, showing their confusion.

But I couldn’t back down now.

I took pride? in my life as an otaku, after all?

“I-I just don’t have any friends and am a bit of a recluse, but I’m not a complete hikikomori who stays locked up in

their room all the time!”

• Another RP breakdown
• Is the mental weakness something that can’t be fixed…
• But considering Mei-chan keeps streaming despite hearing this kind of stuff, maybe her mental strength is actually strong?
• To ordinary people, being an otaku and a hikikomori might seem like the same thing ᄏᄏ
• Mei-chan, being an otaku and an otaku without friends seems like a hikikomori to me…

“Shut up! If you’re watching my stream, then empathize with me! Whether it’s you or me, we’re both friendless otakus, okay?”

Oh ᄏᄏ

• Oh, YABE ᄏᄏ
• Still suffering today…
• Burning up, burning up
• Aren’t you guys too natural at this? ᄏᄏ
• This is already ‘everyday life’…

“OO….”

Clearly, everyone from my peers and seniors to Nacchan’s viewers are all kind, but I always end up in this kind of atmosphere.

This must be what they mean by the first impression being important.

I had hoped for a Nadenae-type experience from TS internet broadcasting genre web novels when I started as a

VTuber, but that dream seems impossible now.

Goodbye, Ray Penber…

Half an hour had already passed.

During that time, the hyperchats had come in… I was too scared to even count how much.

So, it’s about time to end the stream.

“I-I’ll turn the stream back on a little later for the fateful gacha draw, so see you then….”

=Yesterday JP¥ 10,000: By the way, Mei-chan, is it okay for tomorrow’s 2nd generation group collaboration?

“Thank you for the red hyperchat, Yesterday. …Huh?”

• Yeah. The news was posted on the official Stars Flow account earlier
• Finally, Mei-chan’s second collaboration!
• Will our Mei-chan be able to talk properly there?
• I foresee endless suffering tomorrow…

Wait a minute. It’s already been posted on the official account?

Seeing this unbelievable news, I immediately checked the official Stars Flow account on my phone, and as everyone

said, there was a post.

[Stars Flow (Official) @StarsFlow. 33 minutes ago] Breaking News! August 19th at 17:00, Stars Flow 2nd generation full monetization celebration collaboration! Guests: All 2nd generation members! Content to be revealed tomorrow! Stay tuned! https://ontu.be/XXXXXXX #StarsFlow2ndGeneration #AkinokoTo #AkabaneYukari #UtsumiAyaka #KogaSuzuka #KaionoIzumi

“…It’s real.”

I wish someone would say it’s a joke or a lie.

I mean, they’re asking me to do a broadcast with four people I’ve never properly interacted with. Isn’t that the same

as telling me to die?

Of course, I became friends with Koga-chan, but since then, we haven’t really talked much. I’ve just been listening to Koga-chan talk unilaterally.

Isn’t that what friends are for?

What do you guys know? To me, Koga-chan is a precious friend.

• ᄏᄏ Tomorrow is the day of VTuber community destruction
• I’m looking forward to it, Mei-chan

“Is… is there no way to opt-out?”

• Are you really asking that?
• Don’t run away, face it head-on!
• Even if you run away, you’ll suffer; even if you participate in the collaboration, you’ll suffer.
• It feels like hell no matter where you go.
• Isn’t that Mei-chan’s charm, though…

I know. I’m a virtual YouTuber affiliated with Stars Flow.

In a subordinate’s position, I have to handle whatever tasks come from the higher-ups. But just imagining tomorrow’s group collaboration makes me feel sick. What should I do?

“Y-You know, I really wish someone would teach me how to run away?!”

ᄏᄏᄏᄏ

• I feel sorry for the other 2nd generation members who will be collaborating tomorrow…
• Let’s trust that Suzuha-chi will take good care of us.
• Seems like we can only trust the angel…

=Anima JP¥ 5,000: It’s definitely too hard for the (self-proclaimed) mood maker to do a group collaboration…

“Ah, I said I’d like some help, didn’t I?!”

• How are we supposed to help with that? ᄏᄏ
• Hang in there, Mei-chan! (^~^)
• We’re just viewers, after all.
• Overcoming this trial is something Mei-chan has to do herself…

Of course, that’s true!

But right now, I don’t want to hear that—I want comfort!

The world is too cruel to me….

“Should I just ask if I can skip out?”

-M-chan’s neck-grabbing sounds can be heard even here ᄏᄏ

• What kind of sins did M-chan commit in a past life to be assigned as Mei-chan’s VTuber?
• Poor M-chan

“You guys! If you’re true fans, you should be on my side!”

Why is it that everyone is against me on my own stream?

Isn’t it normal to want to protect a beautiful girl like me who’s streaming?

Of course, you can’t see my face because I’m using an avatar!

• The fans are just a group that wants to torment Mei-chan 4 (7) 4 But
• Mei-chan’s charm, recognized even by Suzuha-chi…

“It’s too much!”

=Love&Roll JP¥ 3,000: Just accept your fate!

“C-Can you accept that you’re going to die tomorrow if you knew it beforehand…?”

• ᄏᄏ Is the collaboration that bad?
• What does this child think of people?

“D-Do you know? For bad incidents that happen on Earth, if there are no people, most of them disappear….”

• What kind of negative remark is that?
• I’ve seen a new darkness inside Mei-chan (…)
• It’s definitely true, but……

“…I-I don’t know! Today’s stream is ending here! See you again, next time!”

• ?
• What about the gacha stream?

I’m not doing it!

You guys made me this way, so it’s not my fault.

• As expected, Mei-chan was born with the destiny of a suffering artisan, wasn’t she?
  Shut up!