Chapter 12: Those who do not work should eat

“Is there any other way to make more money?

It’s not like I desperately need money right now. Fortunately, I can buy time with small gigs. But fundamentally, my financial problems aren’t solved.

“Hmm…”

In short, I need to make money now. To put it simply, I need to find a part-time job. Of course, I don’t plan to give up my small gigs even if I start a part-time job, since I’ve learned they bring in a decent income.

So, I need to divide my time between investing in a part-time job and in my gigs. And on top of that, I don’t want to completely give up my hobby, NewD.

So, let’s see… 8 hours for sleep, 3 hours for the gigs, 4 hours for playing NewDe, and 1 hour for house chores.

That leaves exactly 8 hours.

It would be great if I could perfectly fill these 8 hours with a part-time job…

“What do you think, Bora?”

“Just call me Bora!”

“I’ll try…”

Bora, who was sprawled out on my bed, laughed at my reply.

Since that day, Bora started coming over to my house around 2 p.m. Her mom said that Bora really liked me.

All we did was eat chicken together, so could the chicken have been that delicious?

I don’t really understand what kids are thinking.

Well, in fact, Bora’s mom told her not to bother me too much, but when I said she could come over anytime, she thanked me and started bringing me gifts.

“I just want you to keep playing with me!”

“Haha…”

I let out a nervous laugh at Bora’s bright smile.

To be honest, I find Bora a little… no, very uncomfortable.

It’s not because her innocent words occasionally sting my heart…

Well, maybe just a little.

For real, only a little.

After all, I find talking to anyone uncomfortable and tiring.

Seeing people’s hair and eyes turn red with blood isn’t something you can easily get used to, no matter how much you want to.

But still, I hope to fix this personality and make these hallucinations go away… All I can do is keep hoping that if I keep trying, things will get better one day.

That’s why, even if it’s uncomfortable, I told her she could come over anytime.

Anyway, how should I spend these remaining 8 hours?

I could keep investing in my gigs, but that’s really inefficient.

Even with a simple calculation, working a part-time job at minimum wage would make much more money.

…Of course, that’s assuming I can even get a part-time job in the first place.

*Sigh…*

There’s a saying, ‘If you don’t work, you don’t eat.’

But what are you supposed to do when you want to work hard, but no one will hire you?

Is that still the fault of those who don’t work?

I don’t think so. And that’s because *I* don’t think so.

If others were in my shoes, I’m sure they’d all think the same way.

Proven. Q.E.D.

“But, hey, sis.”

“Yes…”

“Come to think of it, couldn’t you make money with that, sis?”

As I cursed the world in my heart, Bora pointed to the reverse capsule with a curious expression and asked.

To think that a mere six-year-old knows about ‘salmok’ (making a living from games).

I felt like sighing at the reality of Korea.

“I think I’d have fun watching if you did OnTube, sis.”

But at Bora’s next words.

“OnTube?”

I found a new path.

Broadcasting.

According to the dictionary, it means “to transmit audio or video through a medium so that it can be widely heard or seen.”

And to me, broadcasting was something only “special people” could do.

Actors, celebrities, singers, comedians, and the like.

I thought it was something only people with talent for things like acting or singing could do.

For me, broadcasting was exclusively for TV or radio.

But broadcasting wasn’t like that in this era.

Nowadays, anyone could easily start broadcasting on the internet, and people could watch broadcasts from anywhere, easily.

“Internet broadcasting, huh…”

It wasn’t an entirely new term.

But it wasn’t something I’d ever had any interest in.

In my past life, I didn’t have the luxury of being interested in such things.

In that other world, there weren’t even concepts like “internet” or “broadcasting” in the first place—it was a fantasy world.

And even after I returned to Earth, as a shut-in, I was only interested in information about games and comics, not internet broadcasts.

Well, if you count the videos I watched to gather information, that would be a different story.

“Hmm.”

Anyway, I was completely clueless when it came to the culture of internet broadcasting.

To be honest, even after researching a lot, I didn’t feel confident that I fully understood it.

But I felt it was worth a try.

After all, I had plenty of time on my hands.

Until I found a part-time job, it would be good to at least challenge myself with something.

Moreover, after some research, I found that reverse capsules were quite expensive, making them hard to access, so just using one on a broadcast could draw some attention.

At the very least, I could probably make enough to cover some pocket money.

…Yeah. One of my mottos is not to hesitate once I’ve made a decision.

It’s better to move forward a little than to stay still.

With that mindset, I began preparing for the broadcast based on the information I had gathered.

The internet broadcasting industry is a red ocean, no need to explain that.

Anyone can easily start broadcasting, and anyone can watch broadcasts from anywhere, so it’s only natural.

To survive in this red ocean of the internet broadcasting industry, of course, you need to highlight something that sets you apart from others.

Some do it with their wit, some with their gaming skills. Some with their voice, and others with their appearance, constantly showcasing their strengths.

But it’s also obvious that excelling at just one thing won’t guarantee success.

In the end, when introducing yourself to new viewers, having just one strong point isn’t enough to leave a lasting impression.

Internet broadcasting is all about showcasing countless aspects while building around one standout feature. In other words, internet broadcasters in this era are versatile entertainers who must master all elements necessary for broadcasting.

[René]

[NewD Play]

[New Dimension | 0 viewers | 3:13:02]

However, René, who started broadcasting for the first time today, had no clue about such a basic and obvious truth. She simply turned on the broadcast while enjoying *NewD*, just as she always did.

No matter how popular *NewD* is among gamers or how skilled the player is, without any preparation, few viewers would come to watch.

– Hello!

Even the occasional viewers, known as the “deep-sea explorers” or “box enthusiasts,” received no response from René, who silently continued her gameplay.

No one would stay to watch a broadcast that offers no words or reactions. As proof, over the span of more than three hours, not a single viewer stayed for more than five minutes. It was an utterly failed broadcast that needed no explanation.

“Hmm…”

Is this right?

That was her first thought after finishing nearly four hours of streaming. Of course, she didn’t expect to achieve big success on the first day, but there was no point in clinging to something hopeless either.

Or could it be that *NewD* isn’t as popular as she thought?

If that’s the case, it would be quite troubling…

“Hmmm…”

But as if mocking her concerns, there were already plenty of streamers playing *NewD*. This confirmed that the problem wasn’t with *NewD*. So, what exactly was wrong with her stream?

While pondering, a familiar nickname caught her eye.

“Alright, everyone, tuba~!”

– Tuba

– EH

– Don’t go, don’t go, don’t go, don’t go, don’t go!

**

“I’m exhausted~.”

After ending her broadcast, Tuni slumped against the cushion of her reverse capsule chair, letting out a tired sigh. Over three hours of streaming, along with endless backseat gaming from the viewers—it would have been strange not to be tired.

Even so, Tuni had genuinely come to enjoy *NewD*.

“When I first started, I thought I’d quit soon…”

It had originally been a punishment game. Given her tendency to get motion sickness, Tuni initially thought she would only play *NewD* for at most two days.

But standing in front of the landscapes *NewD* offered, those thoughts quickly dissipated.

As a result, Tuni had become a full-fledged *NewD* player, eagerly enjoying the game even outside of her streams.

“Hmm.”

Letting out a small hum, Tuni stretched slightly and quietly logged back into *NewdD* once again. *NewdD* was a game that offered no special perks to new or returning players—some might even call it overly unfriendly. But that only made it more enjoyable for Tuni, providing endless challenges and things to explore.

“What should I do by myself today?”

With that thought in mind, Tuni logged back into *NewD*.

[Inquisitor]

“…Huh?”

For some reason, death stood before Tuni.

〔The Inquisitor has requested a one-on-one conversation.〕