Both Dayoung and Ajin tilted their heads in confusion.
“Collecting? Sister? Collecting us? Why? For what? Why use the word ‘collecting’?”
Countless questions followed one after another.
The more they struggled to find an answer, the more new hooks seemed to emerge from nowhere.
“Wait, I don’t get it… What does that mean?”
After running numerous calculations in her head but failing to reach a conclusion, Dayoung was the first to ask. All eyes turned to Sehee.
“Well, I can’t explain it in detail yet because it’s still in the planning stages….”
Sehee mumbled the last part and popped a snack into her mouth.
Watching her, Dayoung thought, ‘Could it be that my sister is feeling shy?’
It struck her as odd.
‘When was the last time Sehee had avoided a topic so blatantly like this?’
***
After three minutes of suspenseful hesitation, the growing frustration was palpable.
Just as everyone seemed about to lose their patience, Sehee broke the silence.
“Hmm, before I explain, let me ask first. None of you are currently affiliated with an agency, right?”
“Well, I’m a freelancer streamer, so no.”
“Same here. I don’t belong anywhere.”
“Got it. That makes things easier.”
Sehee took a sip of tea to steady herself, then calmly declared her intention.
“I’m thinking of starting a streamer agency.”
“An agency? Like an MCN?”
Dayoung asked for clarification, and Sehee nodded.
“Sort of. Not exactly like that, but I want to recruit all of you. If I had to describe it, I’d call it… scouting?”
“I’m all in! With my skills, I can handle editing for a hundred streamers on my own, so please exploit me to your heart’s content!”
Ajin’s enthusiastic declaration left Dayoung deep in thought.
‘That Ajin can say that so easily because she’s an editor. Whether it’s a streamer or a company, she’ll just get editing requests. But for me, already being a streamer, this is a topic that requires careful consideration.’
‘I didn’t want to think this way, but…’
‘If I joined the agency, what benefit would it bring me?’
These pragmatic thoughts left a bitter taste in her mouth.
First, she needed to assess the current state of her channel.
She had regained her former glory, and with a bit more effort, she could reach an even greater level of fame.
However, there was an issue: Sehee’s streaming channel, “Friede,” was growing at a far faster rate than her own, “Forming.”
‘If I joined under her, what would happen?’
There would inevitably be overlapping streaming times.
‘Would her streams get overshadowed by Sehee’s?’
‘On the flip side, it could increase my audience… but still, this is tricky.’
Another doubt lingered, and finally, Dayoung couldn’t resist asking.
“Sis, you don’t really need an agency. Even if you keep streaming as an independent creator, things will work out just fine. Why are you doing this?”
Dayoung’s question was straightforward: Sehee, the owner of the rising Friede channel, had no clear motive to undertake such an effort.
Friede’s content was solely focused on “Soul Warfare,” yet it was thriving.
Starting from the tutorial phase to max-level challenges, Sehee was considered a cheat-level streamer.
As long as she didn’t make a major blunder, the Friede channel was destined for continuous success.
Among gamers and streamers, those regarded as “legends” received nearly celebrity-level treatment.
‘With such a rosy future ahead, why go through the hassle of managing an agency?’
Sehee scratched her cheek and averted her gaze.
“I’m not planning to make it a big operation. I just want to do something small with people I know. But if you need a reason… it’s this.”
Sehee pointed her finger at Dayoung and Ajin.
“Heroes deserve workplace injury insurance.”
“What?”
“Is this some kind of weird prank, Sehee?”
“Hold on. Calm down and listen.”
Sehee raised her hands to settle the group before continuing.
“After watching what Dayoung and Ajin have been through, I’ve been thinking. We heroes have suffered so much. If I had been summoned to a different world, I might have endured similar hardships or worse.”
“That’s true…”
“So, a thought occurred to me. What would happen if a hero, unable to cope with reality, went on a rampage with nothing to lose?”
Dayoung and Ajin fell silent at her words.
The laws of Earth restrained the power of heroes, likely to prevent them from causing chaos.
Otherwise, it would’ve been impossible to suppress their abilities so thoroughly.
But as the saying goes, even worms will wriggle when stepped on.
There were ways for heroes to temporarily regain their original power, though it came with significant risks.
“Let me ask you. If you were to use that power, how much damage could you cause?”
“Well…”
Neither wanted to answer.
“A hero going on a rampage was no different from a Demon King’s actions.”
“Of course, such a rampage wasn’t some convenient, easily accessible feature. But just thinking about it…”
“At worst, you’d end up like a pile of half-burned firewood—overloading yourself and dying before even starting a rampage.”
“Still, the possibility that innocent lives could be lost wasn’t zero. No one dared to voice such thoughts aloud.”
“So, that’s why. A sanctuary for heroes… Doesn’t that sound worthwhile?”
***
“Big sister!”
Ajin wiped her tears, clearly moved.
Watching her, Dayoung thought she was being dramatic but couldn’t help feeling…
‘I can relate to this.’
Considering the hardships she’d faced due to the remnants of the Demon King, she could understand.
There were already three heroes here, and there might be more out there.
It would be naive to assume all of them were in a comfortable situation.
Regardless of how the plan would proceed, Dayoung found herself resonating deeply with Sehee’s intentions.
“Then where are you going to get the capital? Most MCNs barely make a profit. There’s a limit to pouring water into a bottomless jar.”
Sure, Sehee owned a massive luxury villa in Gangnam, which meant she had money.
But whether it would be enough for her plans was a different matter.
‘If you’re going to do it, do it right.’
Dayoung had no intention of putting herself into a doomed project with a shaky future due to lack of funding.
At Dayoung’s concern, Sehee shook her head lightly as if brushing away her worries.
“I earned a lot during my time as a hero in another world. There’s plenty of capital.”
“How much?”
“Initial investment… about this much.”
The number displayed on Sehee’s smartphone screen was so massive that Dayoung, Ajin, and even Pepe widened their eyes in disbelief.
‘Why was she even streaming?’
“Alright, I’m heading out.”
“See you later, Sehee, you sly fox.”
“I’m going too, big sis.”
The meeting concluded since it was late, and the plan was still too abstract for further discussion.
But at least Dayoung had gained a better understanding of Sehee’s purpose, which was valuable enough for now.
***
As they stepped out of Sehee’s house, Ajin remarked, “Huh, it’s happening again.”
“Oh, you’re back to being Ajin, huh?”
“It’s because this house is under my sister’s blessing. Once you leave, the effect naturally disappears. So, what about you?”
“What about me…?”
“Are you going to go along with her?”
“O-Of course I will!”
“…Alright.”
‘Must be nice to just focus on editing work. No complicated decisions needed.’
Their bond wasn’t deep enough to have significant exchanges, as they’d only known each other for a short time.
Trusting Sehee this much was, in a way, strange.
***
“Let’s split up here. My direction is this way…”
“Fine, suit yourself.”
Without Sehee as a central point, they parted ways without much sentiment.
As Dayoung walked alone, Pepe, who had been stirring inside her bag, spoke up in a low voice.
“So, what are you going to do, Dayoung?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. I’ll have to think about it.”
“It had all come too suddenly, and the plan was still too vague to draw any conclusions.”
“But why is Sehee reaching into the streaming world?”
At Pepe’s question, Dayoung gave a small laugh.
‘She probably thinks it’s the job that best suits the diverse talents of heroes. She herself is a streamer, after all.’
“And you, Pepe? Do you think it’ll work out?”
“Why not? With the enormous capital our boss has, anything is possible.”
‘Yeah, right.’
***
Left alone in the silent room, Dayoung’s heart still raced from lingering tension.
Her face twisted strangely, though not from pain or discomfort.
No, this was probably exhilaration.
The kind of thrill you feel after overcoming a challenge in an extreme game.
“Those two will probably join in the end.”
She was sure they felt a deep resonance with Sehee’s idea.
Although no definitive answers had been reached, they weren’t at that stage yet.
Even shaping their hearts this much was already an achievement.
Now, she needed to tackle the tasks ahead, starting with the global STK Battle Tournament, also known as “Brawl.”
It was currently one of the leading games in global esports, and its audience engagement far surpassed that of ordinary amateur competitions.
This time, she had to win the tournament decisively.
‘Even against that pro gamer named Lotus…’
If she could do that, her stream would sail forward like a ship riding the wind.
From there, she could continue building her channel and fully activate her plan to gather heroes.
***
Sinking into the couch, she reflected on persuading Dayoung and Ajin earlier.
“To save the heroes….”
Even now, it sounded crazy.
‘How had she come up with such an idea?’
It was such a perfect justification, enough to convince Dayoung and Ajin.
Raising an imaginary glass, she praised her own brilliance despite it being broad daylight.
“Cheers~!”