Chapter 22: From now on, I will take over this place.

For professional gamers, living together in a team house is almost a necessity.

Basically, they have to go through scrims, solo queue, and sometimes even match schedules until the end of the season, so commuting from home every day is impossible.

Moreover, if there’s even an internet connection issue at home, that day is practically a write-off.

Therefore, from the Master League, where you can clearly have the title of ‘pro’ after passing the academy, living together was not an option, but a requirement.

And my parents’ biggest concerns about my professional life were similar.

‘It’s a private room, right?’
‘Each room has its own door lock, and hired people take care of laundry. Of course, they are women. Personal time is naturally guaranteed.’

I heard that in the 2nd division league, 3rd division league, or overseas leagues, there were occasionally female professional gamers, so each team had its own rules.

But from my parents’ perspective, ST had never recruited a female professional gamer before, so they were even more concerned.

“How can a girl’s luggage be so simple?”
“Should I bring some of the merchandise in my room?”
“What are you saying? I saw that the team has plenty, why would you pack that?”

In fact, the team gave me a set of jackets and uniforms worth hundreds of thousands of won, saying I could use them freely and give some as gifts.

If I wanted to, I could probably wear the same clothes throughout the season.

Of course, if I did that, our Mrs. Jang, who would come to check on the situation within a week, would drag me back home.

Anyway, we headed to ST’s building with our very simple luggage.

The lodging provided right next to the building boasted an even larger size, along with the changed status of LOC.

Honestly, if someone hadn’t told me, I would have thought it was just a high-end officetel.

“You’re Eunseol? You’re as pretty as I heard!”

The ST3 manager, who looked to be in her mid-forties, greeted me with a warm smile.

“Here’s your room key card for now. It’s best not to lose it, but if you do, you can get a replacement at the lobby, so don’t worry too much. Okay?”
“Thank you.”
“Well, let’s go drop off your luggage first. You’re busy starting today, right?”

We had to go to the first scrim without even having time to unpack our luggage in the room.

Fortunately, I could at least put my belongings in the room.

‘I won’t even have time to greet my teammates…’

For reference, this is a problem that occurred because our team, which is considered the weakest, couldn’t choose the scrim time arbitrarily with little time left until the opening day of the Master League.

I wanted to get some minor revenge later by getting good grades and getting scrims at a time that suits us.

Anyway.

So, we checked the number written on the card key and waited for the elevator.

Checking the purpose of each floor attached to the wall next to it, it seems that ST3 stays on the 5th floor, ST2 on the 6th floor, and ST1 on the 7th floor.

Below that, there were various things from cafes to academy classrooms and practice rooms.

“I was actually very worried about a girl coming here. As you know, they’re all boys and going through puberty…”
“That age is all like that.”
“But looking at you, Eunseol, I get a feeling. You’re mature, so I think there won’t be any problems.”

Actually, from my perspective, there is no one who is difficult to deal with except for Fraud.

Even Fraud was only difficult to deal with in official settings, and in private, we always got along without any formality.

“Should I tell them if the boys bother you?”
“They, me?”

When I raised my face and looked at the manager with a smile, she soon corrected herself.

“Oh my. Cancel the bothering part. It would be a relief if they don’t fight over Eunseol.”
“Right?”

It’s definitely a face with many useful corners.

“But you know that dating within the team is prohibited by the rules, right, Eunseol…?”

The manager looked at me with a somewhat anxious look, but I waved my hand, saying there was no need to worry at all.

“Hey. I’m not that kind of person.”

Besides, even if it wasn’t for this reason, there were plenty of reasons why the manager’s concerns didn’t even apply.

“If we fight, I’ll just crush them.”

Originally, the one who’s good at games is the king—or queen—in a team.

And I had no intention of giving up the initiative in conversations to the Master League guys, let alone the 1st division.

“This is originally that kind of place.”

Whatever it is, the basis of all sports clubs is competition.

You might wonder what’s the point of competing with teammates, but in a situation where everything can change with a single order, I had to take control of the team.

‘…Especially since the team’s condition is serious.’

Looking at the scrim videos that Coach Ahn Jaehoon gave me in advance, I couldn’t see anyone other than Fluke, and even he was overloaded with taking on the sole initiator role.

“If I’m going to keep my promise to win, I think I’ll have to work hard.”

When I was in the 1st division, I won LOCK even in a squad where all the players except me were 2nd division players, because of rebuilding.

Compared to that, the stink coming from ST3 right now wasn’t to the point of being non-recyclable.

“I think Eunseol will do really well. You’re clearly the same age as the other kids, but you think differently. I don’t know how to put you together with those mischievous guys…”

I wanted to tell her that she really didn’t need to worry about that.

Anyway, the elevator we were on had stopped at the floor where my room was.

My room was a simple structure with one room in the form of a studio apartment and one bathroom.

“Let’s just drop off your luggage and go straight to the practice room. If you go now, you can say hello and then have a scrim.”
“I will.”
“Should Mom do it for you?”
“It’s okay. I’ll do it slowly in the evening.”
“I’m just worried that you’ll just leave it roughly because of your personality.”

Our Mrs. Jang, despite my calm appearance, seemed to be worried about something, and she said goodbye to me, giving me words of advice several times.

“It’s not like I’m only going home on weekends, I can always go home when I have time. Don’t worry.”
“When did our daughter become so independent?”
“Because I’m a pro who gets paid. I have to be worth the money.”

It was a phrase that Coach Ahn Jaehoon always used to say, so it stuck with me.

‘If you’re going to get that salary and not even provide fan service, get out of the team, you bast*rds.’
‘Aren’t we losing because we keep throwing?’
‘Go die.’

Come to think of it, it seems like LOCK isn’t the only thing I learned from ST.

Anyway.

After putting down my luggage, I wanted to take a look around the enlarged lodging, but I already had a set schedule.

“You’re here? Then let’s get ready for the scrim right away.”

When I arrived at the practice room without even unpacking my luggage, it wasn’t the ST3 coach, whom I had previously checked online, who greeted me.

“Coach Ahn Jaehoon?”
“Oh, Eunseol is here. Fortunately, we don’t need to postpone the scrim.”

Only the coach was standing in the quiet practice room, as if everyone had already logged into the game.

“But why are you here?”

I remember that he wasn’t free enough to be involved in the scrims of the 3rd division team.

“Because, I’m the official coach of ST3 this season.”
“What?”
“Why, don’t you like it?”
“No. It’s the best.”

Ahn Jaehoon’s ban-picks were already well-known.

The best if possible, the second best if impossible, and the second worst in the worst case.

There was never a problem with ban-picks in the 1st division, so there’s no need to mention the 3rd division.

‘Should I raise the probability of winning a bit?’

No matter how good the ban-picks are, they don’t have more influence than the in-game performance of the players.

But the foundation for players to show off their skills, and the performance of the champions chosen in the ban-picks, give them a second and third chance when they make mistakes.

So, paradoxically, in the Grand League, where there are bound to be more mistakes than in the 1st division league, the influence of the coach can be said to be large.

Of course, that’s only under the premise that they can catch the opponent’s mistakes, but I’m not worried about that.

Because I’m here.

“Since we don’t have time, let’s have a scrim first and then have time to introduce ourselves to our teammates.”
“Yes. I’ll win first.”

Of course.

Victory comes first.

I didn’t want to have a gloomy and awkward greeting after losing.

“Is our team’s mid really a girl?”
“It’s on the official YouTube video, so it can’t be fake.”
“Jihwan, tell us something. You’re in the same class, right?”

The previous mid laner had disappeared, but since they hadn’t been together for even half a season and were in different lanes, their attention was already focused on the new mid laner.

In a situation where Eunseol had not yet arrived, it was a foregone conclusion that they would pester Jihwan, who at least had some contact.

And that attention was transferred to her as soon as the person in question appeared.

“It’s the first scrim, so let’s do well.”

With that one sentence, the noisy atmosphere immediately became quiet.

“That’s not a custom skin, is it?”
“Are you stupid? Where would our practice room have that kind of feature?”

Due to the nature of game broadcasts that transmit the appearance of the virtual space, all such functions are removed from the practice room equipment.

So, True’s appearance that popped out now was the same as reality.

While staring blankly at the new teammate.

“So, if there’s anyone here who’s won the LOC World Cup, raise your hand.”
“……?”
“She’s doing it again…”

Everyone except Jihwan, who was used to Eunseol’s sudden outbursts, was embarrassed.

“If not, shut up and follow my lead from now on. You know?”
“What are you talking about? You haven’t either.”
“The butcher…talking back?”

Tyranny.

It was such a violent remark that it could only be described as tyranny, but since the scrim time was soon, they had no choice but to swallow their objections.

It definitely wasn’t because they were distracted by Eunseol’s appearance and missed the timing to speak.

Anyway, the scrim that started right away with the prepared ban-picks.

True started with a solo kill in the lane.

“Hunter, come gank here and get a kill.”

Getting kills for other positions.

“Get out of there. You have to get out within three seconds to not die.”

Prophecy of death.

“We can end it, so follow me.”

Even the angle to end the game.

[ The opposing team has surrendered. ]

Eventually, WD, realizing that they couldn’t stop True, quickly pressed the button to be happy for the next scrim.

Clearly, the screen displayed words indicating that they had won.

But the ST3 players, who had rarely won, let alone received the opponent’s surrender, in the past few months, were just bewildered.

Except for True.

“I told you, right? Listen to me.”
“……”

It was in the same context as what she had said less than thirty minutes ago, but there was no one left to refute those words.