Chapter 77: This Broadcast won’t work, If we don’t do something quickly.

[[15K Celebration Broadcast] Thank you, everyone! #Kainoisumi #StarsFlow

[Yahoo! Konaya~! First up is the kind teacher of the cult, Ayaka!]

“Konaya!”

• The teacher has arrived!

The first guest to join Miscord’s voice chat room was none other than my fellow cohort, Utsumi.

[First of all, Izumi! Congratulations on hitting 15K subscribers!]

“Hehe… T-thank you.”

I quickly updated the empty “current call participants” section by adding Utsumi’s profile picture.
Having Utsumi, who exudes a warm and mature older-sister vibe, as my first guest made the start of this stream feel smooth and reassuring. Or so I thought…

[While I do congratulate you… I must say, I feel a little hurt, Izumi.]

What?

• Huh? Utsumi?

[Why haven’t you invited me to any collabs? Every time I see Pure White Ocean, I shed tears!]

“Uh, w-well, that’s…”

[We’re in the same cohort, you know. Favoritism isn’t fair! Even during Ashen City, you barely hung out with me! That’s so mean!]

Wait a second. Something feels off.
Isn’t this supposed to be a celebratory broadcast for reaching 15K subscribers?
Why am I getting scolded?

• True, favoritism is unfair.
• This is about to spark a conflict rumor.

Even the Izutomo (Izumi fans) in the chat seemed to side with Utsumi, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
Hey, if you’re wearing the Izutomo badge, shouldn’t you be backing me up?

[Hmph. Anyway, promise me you’ll invite me for a collab next time! I’ll be leaving now!]

“Uh, w-wait…”

Ding! Miscord’s notification sound chimed.
When I checked the chat window, Utsumi had already left the call.

“She… she actually left?”

Hahahahahahaha

• Truly, this is the bond of second-years…
• Turning the saint of the Starlight Cult into an enemy.
• A prime example of why consistent behavior matters.

As expected, the chat was filled with a forest of laughing emojis.

“Uh, I mean… um…”

I had so much I wanted to say!
For instance, during the TLQ incident when I had to step back and self-reflect for two weeks after a controversy, Utsumi had told my viewers:

[Regardless, Izumi is working hard, so please keep supporting her!]

Hearing those words back then had deeply moved me, giving me the strength to push forward.
I had even prepared a touching anecdote to share during this celebration!

Was it really okay to let this celebratory broadcast, meant to commemorate reaching 15K subscribers, end like this?
If Utsumi leaves like this, rumors of a falling out might start spreading.

But no matter how much I stew over it, Utsumi isn’t coming back.
The most important thing now is to regain my composure.
We both know this is just playful banter, and so does everyone watching the broadcast.

So, let’s calm down and move on to the next guest.

“Well then, um… t-t-t-the next person…”

• She’s so flustered her voice is shaking. Hahaha.
• She’s probably realized this totsumachi is doomed.

Ding! Another Miscord notification sounded.
This time, the guest joining was—

[Konkoto… It’s me, second.]

It was another cohort member, Aki.

Should I be relieved?

Aki has a very natural and carefree demeanor.
But we do share a history of almost waging war against each other during Ashen City.
Granted, we were enemies at the time.

“Ah, hi, Aki…”

[Hi. Congrats on reaching 15K subscribers. I always enjoy watching your streams, so keep up the good work.]

Hearing Aki’s soft and soothing voice genuinely made me feel calmer.

“Ah, I’ll do my best to keep streaming content that everyone can be proud of…!”

[Good. Well, I’m sleepy, so I’ll go to bed now. Bye-bye…]

“Eh? W-wait a sec…?”

Before I could ask her to stay, Aki had already left the Miscord chat room.

What… what is happening here?

Originally, a Dotsumachi is content that shows how close the members are to each other, right?
We’ve barely even talked for 5 minutes, and it’s already over?

• The bonds of the second-generation members, is this starting to get really dangerous?
• The confused reaction is even funnier, haha.
  Of course, I’m flustered.
  I was supposed to exchange some good words, talk about future plans, and stuff like that.
  “Ho, is this the atmosphere we’re going for from now on…?”
• It looks like it.
• No matter how I think about it, there’s only destruction left.
  This broadcast isn’t going well. If we don’t fix it soon…

[Akakatsu! It’s my turn now! The Red Witch, Akabane Yukari, has arrived!]

While I was thinking about this, as if it was natural, Akabane-chan joined the call.

“Uh, A-Akabane-chan… hello…”

I need to think.

I need to find a way to return this atmosphere back to normal.

[First, congratulations on 150k subscribers! As expected, you’re the rival I’ve acknowledged!]

“Thank you….”

[When I first saw you, I was honestly really worried, but seeing you come this far, I think you’re amazing.]

“I… I think I was just lucky…”

If I think about what Akki-chan did earlier, Akabane-chan will probably leave now.

But I can’t have her leave three times in a row.

I need to stop it somehow…

[Hmm? I don’t think you, Izumi, just got lucky. It’s not that you didn’t have any luck, but the reason you hit 150k

subscribers is because you grabbed the opportunity that was given to you. It’s your effort that made this possible.

Your efforts have borne fruit. Be confident.]

…042?

Isn’t Akabane-chan being really kind?

I always thought she had that ‘rival’ kind of vibe, so I thought she’d stir things up more than Utsumi-chan or Akki-

chan, but…

I think I’m going to be moved…

★

[Hmm. Anyway, congratulations on 150k. Let’s talk about the fateful battle next time.]

“Yeah. Well, goodbye, Akabane-chan….”

After that, Akabane-chan left the call.

• Why is this normal?
• It’s boring because it’s normal.
  “I… I’m moved…”
  Akabane-chan is really a kind person.
  Well, I had already known she was kind because she kept hanging out with someone like me, but today, the wave of emotion is so strong.
  “Now, I think I can even recognize Akabane-chan for the ‘Mama’ position. Hehe….”
  But Utsumi-chan is out for the future Mama position.
  Sorry, Utsumi-chan.
• What is this child even saying?
• Isn’t she just the same as usual? What’s the problem?

Anyway, thanks to Akabane-chan, the atmosphere of the broadcast returned to normal.

Next, it’s probably Koga-chan’s turn.

And thinking about Koga-chan’s personality, I’m sure it’ll be a very normal progression.

I’ve seen Koga-chan’s vibe in other members’ Dotsumachi broadcasts many times.

Above all, even yesterday, when we were alone, she gave me a lot of compliments, so I think today will be the same.

Ding!

[Hmm, Suzuhai! As you might have expected, it’s me, Izumi.]

• Finally, Suzuhai has arrived!
• Suzuhai!
  As expected, it was Koga-chan who joined.
  “Yeah. Hello, Koga-chan….”
  Just hearing her voice calms my mind.
  As expected, a true Mama is different.

[Well, first, congratulations on 150k…]

“Thank you!”

[Hmm… I don’t have anything else to say. Can I leave now?]

“…Eh?”

Wait a minute? What did Koga-chan just say?

Did I hear that wrong?

“Koga-chan?”

[Hm?]

“Are you… joking…?”

[No, I’m serious.]

The cold-hearted truth of Koga-chan made cold sweat start running down my back.

What’s going on, Koga-chan?

Did our bond, even with the unit “Pure White Sea,” come to an end here?

“Did… did I bore you?”

“Huh? What kind of strange thing are you saying? The viewers are going to misunderstand!”

• “I sometimes think Meichan is saying things on purpose.”
• “If it’s not that, wouldn’t it be even more terrifying?”
  “But, but it was Koga-chan who said we should do the Do-tsumachi… and that if we did it, we should definitely call her…”
  [Well, that’s true, but honestly, if you think about it, other than saying congratulations, what else is there to say?!]
• “Is it possible that the Pure White Sea was a fake friendship?”
• “Is this the end of the 150k celebration broadcast?” ᄏᄏ
  [We’re doing regular collaborations once a month, and we talk every day. So it’s natural that there isn’t much else to say other than congratulations!]
  “…Oh.”
  Listening to this, it does feel that way.
• “Oh no.”
• “So it was actually the Tete situation with Suzu, huh?”
  Natural Tete is nice, like this.

Wait! Suzu-chan is…

“Ah, um, then… ah, goodbye…”

[…Okay.]

In the end, Koga-chan left the Miscode call room.

It feels like a disappointing conclusion…

• “But at least all the second-gen members joined.”
• “The bond of the second-gen is strong.”
• “At first, I thought it was totally doomed, but ᄏᄏ”

Is that right…? Strong…

Still, it feels like it ended well, so…

“My victory, by surviving…”

I didn’t say much, but thanks to Utsumi-chan, Aki-chan, and Koga-chan, my throat is dry, so I grabbed some water.

Luckily, all the classmates joined the Do-tsumachi, and now only the seniors are left.

“Well then, shall we start over?”

• “I wonder who the next one will be.”
  I think the one who said it was hard to join because of family was Yuzuki-senpai…
  Ding!
  [Oh-ho-ho-ho! This time, it’s me!]