The story proceeded seamlessly.
After all, it’s a broadcast scheduled four days a week.
Even if you exclude weekends, there’s still room for missing an extra day without issue.
The person who contacted me through the MS Room was Ryu Ajin, the woman who would become my editor.
‘The purpose of our meeting?’ Well, it was officially to draft a co-working contract, but…
‘It’s pretty transparent.’
Since I’m holding the reins here, there’s no concern about being swayed.
That much was clear because we had already negotiated everything during our first meeting.
All that was left was for both of us to sign the finalized contract.
The contract, with advice from Dayoung, included basic pay and incentives based on view counts.
I didn’t know the exact workings of this industry, but according to Dayoung, this was a deal far more generous than most.
So, there was no issue on that front.
In short, the contract wouldn’t be a problem.
The only thing I was contemplating was how to approach her naturally.
As I leaned back on the sofa in the MS Room, deep in thought, I suddenly chuckled to myself.
‘What am I doing?’
The plushness of the sofa embraced me as I closed my eyes, and her image naturally came to mind.
That mischievous pink hair, slightly eerie yet glowing eyes with a distinctive sparkle.
‘She’s definitely not ordinary.’
‘Ryu Ajin, following Park Dayoung—another warrior, huh?’
My heart beat rhythmically.
Though I was also looking forward to meeting her, my anticipation was slowly shifting into something else.
Looking back now, I don’t think my actions were solely driven by a resolution to “save warriors.”
If she truly turned out to be a warrior like Dayoung… I’d want to keep her by my side no matter what.
Romantic feelings? Attraction?
‘No…’
I shook my head in denial.
‘If those were my motives, wouldn’t I have made a move on Dayoung long ago?’
Even though I was exasperated with myself for agonizing over this after the broadcast, I wanted to act only after my heart and intentions were clear.
“Frustrating.”
Wanting to feel the cool breeze on my bare skin, I disconnected from the virtual reality.
Emerging from the capsule device, I leaned against the balcony, savoring the late-night wind.
There’s nothing like cold air to clear a cluttered mind.
If only I had a refreshing drink to go with it.
‘Should’ve grabbed a beer.’
Regret came too late, but my now-relaxed mind wasn’t motivated enough to head back to the kitchen.
I simply leaned against the balcony, letting my body hang loosely.
As my head tilted downward, my hair cascaded like a waterfall.
The sensation was oddly fascinating.
‘How much time had passed like that?’
When I opened my eyes, half-drowsy, countless stars were twinkling in the sky before me.
Not one, not two, but so many that I couldn’t count them all…
“Beautiful.”
Suddenly, I found myself thinking I wanted to collect all those stars.
Though it was a ridiculous notion, my body seemed honest enough to respond.
My outstretched hand reached upward, fingers spreading wide as if to grasp the stars.
Of course, nothing was caught, only empty air.
As I gazed absentmindedly at my open hand and the stars beyond, I unconsciously let out a soft exclamation.
“Otōt!”
‘Was it a stroke of luck that the late winter night sky remained so vivid?’
Seeing the starlight filter through my fingers allowed me to reflect on my own heart.
Yeah. Let’s be honest.
I want to collect warriors…
“I want to gather them all,” I muttered, letting the words lay bare my feelings.
Realizing that even my resolution to “save warriors” stemmed from a desire to collect them, my face flushed with embarrassment as if I’d exposed a deep flaw.
Still… it felt liberating.
The cold wind didn’t just cleanse my body; it seemed to wash away my heart as well.
Yes, I want to gather warriors.
It’s not like there’s a rule saying there can only be three warriors.
There’s already me, the first.
Park Dayoung, the second.
And Ryu Ajin, the third—a potential new addition.
If there are three, then there could certainly be a fourth or even a fifth.
Just like recruiting skilled allies or collecting rare items in a game, I want to gather these warriors as trophies for my broadcast.
“If they’re like Dayoung and Ajin, with problems of their own…”
I could help them and draw them into my broadcast.
‘Money?’ If I revealed my rank in Korea’s wealthiest list, it’d be clear I have more than enough.
‘A curse? A debuff?’ My abilities as a warrior and holy knight make my healing skills rival those of a saint.
Whether it’s extraordinary powers causing trouble like with Dayoung or Ajin, or practical issues after returning to Earth, I can care for them all.
My capacity to help is as vast as the sky above, so recruiting them under this pretext shouldn’t be a problem.
After all, back on Earth, I had no clear purpose in life and lived only for the fleeting attention I received.
‘If I’ve now found a firm goal, isn’t that surely a blessing from the goddess?’
Youthful(?) energy surged through me.
“Yeah.”
Let’s do this.
Find the warriors… and collect them!
With a rare burst of motivation, countless thoughts swirled in my head.
If someone could read my mind, they’d surely be overwhelmed by the sheer chaos within.
Yet, my thoughts were clearer than they’d been since returning to Earth.
“Let’s go!”
Bouncing to my feet, I headed straight for my computer.
***
The sky was overcast with heavy clouds that others might find unpleasant, but Ajin liked it.
Eeeek!
“I-I’ll be back.”
Even as the words left my mouth, a wave of self-consciousness made my face contort.
I pulled the hood attached to my sweatshirt over my head and masked my face to hide the lingering embarrassment.
‘But seriously—what was I doing, saying goodbye to an empty apartment as I left?’
“…I didn’t lose my mind… not yet,” I muttered, the price of a moment’s lapse in vigilance feeling oddly cruel.
‘Still, what could I do now?’ The ship had sailed, and I was stuck with this situation.
At least Ajin’s rather pitiful life seemed to have finally found a clue to escape its endless monotony.
“Sehee.”
A grin spread across my face, and my hunched shoulders shook with laughter.
Slipping a thumb into my mask, I nervously bit my nails.
Excited yet anxious.
Relieved yet uneasy.
I couldn’t wait to see Ji Sehee, the streamer who went by the nickname “Friede.”
Until she was standing right in front of me, I doubted I could calm my racing emotions.
‘I want to see her, I want to see her, I want to see her,’ I repeated like a mantra, her name and face vividly forming in my mind.
Ah, how torturous the last few days had been.
That fleeting peace when I met her felt like a dream…
I wanted to relive that sweet sensation.
This obsessive, twisted feeling had long since transcended normal fixation.
It wasn’t true madness, just a pitiful shadow of it—weak, fake madness.
“Mom, that lady’s weird.”
“Shh, don’t look.”
Passersby whispered and steered clear of me, their voices tinged with discomfort.
As I walked along, grinning oddly, everyone avoided me.
Not even the infamous characters on the subway’s Line 1 could rival my menacing aura.
But no matter how tough you think you are, the world always has an opponent you can’t handle.
“Meow!”
“Meow!”
A party of stray cats suddenly appeared to confront me, the awkward hero.
“What’s this? Why are you stopping me?”
“Are you minions of the Demon King?” I whispered.
“Meow!”
“Ugh…!”
If only I had my warrior powers, I could wipe them all out in one go.
I couldn’t afford more delays on my way to see Friede—Sehee.
Though my powers were sealed in this world, I was still the warrior who had defeated the Demon King.
‘If there’s an obstacle, I’ll face it head-on!’
Summoning every ounce of strength, I extended a hand toward the stray animals.
And then…
“Go away~ Go away~,” I whimpered, waving my hand timidly in what had to be the most feeble gesture ever.
Life, as always, has a way of tripping you up with unexpected obstacles.
***
I had arranged for the meeting to take place at my house.
But as the appointed time approached, I suddenly felt uneasy and hurriedly finished preparing to go out.
Considering Ajin’s overly cautious nature, going out must have been a monumental effort for her.
‘Could she even make it here?’ I started to worry.
Still, since we’d already set a time and place, there wasn’t much I could do.
I thought about calling to check and possibly meeting her halfway.
But…
“Why isn’t she picking up?”
No matter how many times I tried, her phone remained unanswered.
Could her shyness be so extreme that she couldn’t even take a call? No, based on her response when we exchanged numbers, that didn’t seem likely.
Tilting my head in confusion, I stepped outside and walked along the path she would most likely take.
Unless she was driving, the route to my house using public transport was fairly straightforward.
I just needed to get to the intersection where the paths diverged.
That’s when I heard it.
“Ahhh!”
“Meow!”
The familiar sound of a scream, growing closer with every second.
Straining my eyes, I spotted a group of cats rushing in my direction, followed by…
“What the—?”
There she was—being chased by the cats.