Chapter 74 : Pachi -chun year -end awards ceremony (1)

Of course, just because Shigure agreed to call me Master, it didn’t mean she would start calling me that at the company.

“Such titles disrupt company discipline. It’s best to prohibit them within the workplace, Master.”

This was due to Miley sticking to me for over a month, constantly offering her ‘advice.’

“…Okay, I’ll prohibit it.”

I forbade Shigure from calling me Master at the company because it seemed like Miley would continue until I accepted her advice. I commend her tenacity.

What’s the big deal about a title?

Of course, Shigure had never called me Master at the company, as Miley worried. If she had, I would have been slightly concerned about her mental state.

‘I never actually allowed it in the first place.’

Master is just a title for the broadcast.

I’ll probably only use it when I share a room with Shigure.

But since Miley was worried, I added a rule to the company regulations (1. Wearing Ddu-bang-ddu-bang-kong-kong-bbyong-bbyong shoes is mandatory in the office) prohibiting the use of the title ‘Master’.

“……”

For some reason, Shigure gave Miley subtle looks after that.

‘Even if it’s forbidden, there will be plenty of opportunities to be called that.’

I would be sharing a room with Shigure quite often.

‘That’s why I picked her as a crew member in the first place.’

Naturally, Shigure wasn’t the only crew member.

The company’s goal for the next year was to continue training new broadcasters and signing them to TS Media. I’d make all of those broadcasters members of my party.

‘It’s the same method I used in the other world.’

Of course, I’d only choose carefully selected crew members. How could just anyone join a hero’s party?

Incompetent members not only negatively impact the party but also cause bizarre accidents that endanger everyone. I know this well from my early days in the other world. There were so many people who caused me grief in truly creative ways.

Of course, I later took care of them all myself.

However, since ‘taking care of them’ in that way wasn’t possible in the modern world, it was best not to accept them in the first place. I was confident that I could do anything to achieve my goal.

As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I took a deep breath.

“…A goal.”

It wasn’t that I lacked confidence in achieving my goal.

According to TS Media’s calculations, successfully launching just one of CEO Cha’s planned large-scale content projects would be enough to achieve the goal within five years.

So, in a way, achieving the world’s number one record was a predetermined future. There were many internet broadcasters who earned a lot of money, but there were none who would pour tens of trillions of won of assets into broadcasting like me.

‘Besides, David continues to make money.’

Honestly, I doubted I’d even be able to spend all the money I had. I earned it faster than I could spend it.

However…….

‘What comes after that?’

What happens after becoming the world’s best internet broadcaster?

At first, I didn’t worry about it too much because I enjoyed broadcasting. But as the confirmed future came into view, I felt lost again.

Once I achieve my goal, what should I do next?

“Master, are you alright?”

Miley’s question pulled me out of my thoughts.

“Oh, it’s nothing. What’s on the schedule today?”

“There’s a broadcast today, and also a vlog shoot. CEO Cha said the footage is for immediate upload to YouTube after the Pachichik year-end awards ceremony.”

“……Right, I have to broadcast.”

I stood up from my seat and walked off.

Thinking about it now wouldn’t give me any answers. So, it was better to focus on what I had to do at the moment.

But I still couldn’t shake the feeling.

How empty is a life without a goal, a destination?

* * *

A week later.

TS Media, Conference Room 3.

While Seongwon was at her regular live stream, three people were gathered in Conference Room 3. It wasn’t a group that could easily be assembled.

David Kim, CEO of Top-Star Inc., a rising star asset management company in the Korean-American financial world.

Cha Eunho, CEO of TS Media, the mastermind who had quietly taken over the Korean internet broadcasting scene.

And Miley Mackey, simply Seongwon’s housekeeper.

Miley started the conversation.

“Master has been acting strange lately.”

CEO Cha clicked his tongue at her words. He opened the lid of his yogurt and nodded.

“Indeed, the Chairman has been acting strange. Last time, she wrote some strange rules on the whiteboard.”

“CEO Cha, please focus on the conversation.”

“I am focusing, Housekeeper.”

CEO Cha poked a plastic spoon into the yogurt as he replied. The yogurt packaging was prominently labeled 0kcal. He’d been eating it as a diet snack recently because his wife kept nagging him about his belly.

“……No matter how I look at it, this doesn’t seem like zero calories. It’s sweet, are you sure you didn’t buy something weird?”

Miley frowned at CEO Cha as he chewed on the spoon. She slid the yogurt away from CEO Cha’s view. Only then did he look up.

“Hey, what are you doing? I’ll die if I don’t eat this. My wife only gives me chicken breast, you know.”

David Kim (still single) chuckled. CEO Cha didn’t have the courage to glare at David Kim. He could only grumble a little at Miley, who he was more comfortable with due to their frequent interactions.

“Oh, come on.”

“Everyone, please listen seriously.”

David Kim glanced at his wristwatch and asked,

“How has she been acting strange?”

“Lately, she’s been generally listless, skipping meals often. And she’s been having trouble concentrating on anything except broadcasting. She says there’s nothing wrong, but I’m with her all day, so I can tell.”

“Hmm. Certainly…….”

CEO Cha thought as he watched Miley’s serious face and David Kim nodding in agreement.

‘It’s kind of like explaining a pet to a veterinarian…….’

Even CEO Cha thought it was a rather mean comparison. So he kept it to himself. It would probably remain buried within him forever, eventually fading away naturally.

In reality, CEO Cha’s perception wasn’t entirely wrong. Seongwon’s ability to take care of herself was on par with a house pet. Just as a pet abandoned in the wild wouldn’t survive, Seongwon wouldn’t survive without Miley.

For a while, Miley explained ‘Seongwon’s condition.’ CEO Cha groaned and tilted his head.

“Isn’t she just feeling under the weather recently? There’s a lot to be stressed about these days. For example…….”

Trailing off, as if it was difficult to say, CEO Cha nodded as Miley seemed to understand.

“Hmm, indeed. Master has been overworked recently. I also confiscated her Zero Pepsi drinks for her health.”

“……That’s not exactly what I meant. Well, that could also be a cause for her low energy levels.”

“Enough of that.”

At that moment, David Kim’s eyes lit up.

“I know the reason.”

“Really?”

“Huh? Just from hearing that?”

CEO Cha was so surprised he gasped. Receiving a look that could rival Miley’s death glare, CEO Cha decided to focus on stirring his yogurt.

“Yes. After all, I met the Chairman first, and I’ve served her the longest, haven’t I?”

Miley slowly rolled her eyes. She parted her lips but didn’t say anything.

David Kim shrugged and continued his explanation.

“So, naturally, I know the Chairman better than you do. And from what I see, there’s only one reason. It’s the internet broadcasting.”

“Are you saying broadcasting is the problem?”

Miley’s eyes widened. Her gaze was filled with suspicion. CEO Cha’s eyes also widened, his filled with the thought, ‘Is that really something to put on such a serious face about?’

Contrary to CEO Cha’s thoughts, it was indeed something serious. David Kim had accurately pinpointed Seongwon’s inner feelings, something even Miley hadn’t grasped.

“Yes. To be precise, it’s because of the goal.”

CEO Cha frowned.

“You mean becoming the world’s best internet broadcaster? Why is that a problem? That’s going well right now.”

“I hate to admit it, but you’re right, CEO Cha. As far as I know, that plan is proceeding smoothly.”

“……Housekeeper. What do you mean, you hate to admit it?”

David Kim wiggled his finger. Then he gave a smile typical of a financial elite. More specifically, it was a ‘rather annoying’ expression.

“The Chairman isn’t worried about achieving the goal. She’s worried about what comes after.”