Chapter 8: Contract

“Hello~ I heard from Rea, you’re truly beautiful.”

“Ahaha… Thank you.”

With an expensive-looking tablet placed on the desk, the one-on-one meeting with the illustrator began.

Because the previous meeting ran a little late, it was already slightly past 4 o’clock.

“I’m Lumi Live’s main illustrator, Lu. Just call me Lu.”

Some people in the art industry prefer not to reveal their real names.

But, the pink hair really suits her.

She even pulls off glasses fashionably…

Does having good artistic sense mean you also have good fashion sense?

“Have you heard about the theme for the 3rd batch?”

“Huh? No…?”

“The 1st and 2nd batches didn’t really have a theme, but this time, they said they’re going with ‘paradox’.”

She showed me the tablet screen, displaying several character drafts.

***

“These are designs I made based on what came to mind after listening to Eunseo’s resume and song.”

“Oh… Is this level of exposure okay?”

Numbers 1 and 2 show a lot more skin than I thought?

…It’s big, though. Like my body.

“Ahaha~ Of course, the outfits haven’t been confirmed yet, but you can just look at the appearance.”

All three designs shown were of demons with horns.

What kind of role am I supposed to play within the ‘paradox’ theme to look like this…

***

Honestly, all three designs are so good that I don’t know which one to choose.

“Hmm…”

“It’s hard to choose, isn’t it?”

“W-Well, yes…”

Upon closer inspection, I started to establish some criteria.

What if I were to voice a character with this design?

What factors should I consider to successfully lead that character?

Numbers 1 and 2, with their overtly revealing outfits, would be good for making a strong first impression.

However, I believe a character’s completeness ultimately comes from the ‘gap moe’.

What if they seem one way normally, but at some point, unconsciously show a different side?

In that sense, number 3 is a standard character, but it seems sufficient for developing the story ahead.

“I’ve decided. I’ll go with number 3.”

“Oh? You’re faster than I thought. Yujin pondered for an incredibly long time.”

Perhaps it’s because Yujin is also an aspiring artist and has an eye for design.

Honestly, I don’t know much about design.

But, isn’t it enough to know how to make a given character three-dimensional?

“Why did you choose number 3? I’ll use it as a reference for the character design.”

“First, I thought it would fit the theme best.”

“Did it suit the ‘demon’ character best?”

“Yes, that too, and I thought it was an appearance sufficient to show a contrasting charm.”

“Hmm~ Since the theme is ‘paradox,’ you thought a contrasting charm was important.”

I quietly nodded.

I want to see what designs the others chose, but I can probably see that later.

“Alright, I understand! Are there any other elements you’d like to add?”

“Um… Honestly, I don’t know much about design, so I think whatever Lu does will suit me well.”

She suddenly clapped her hands and let out a sigh of admiration.

“Really… I had such a hard time in the previous session.”

“Huh? Did something happen?”

“We had a discussion so heated you could feel the passion for several hours without a break… It wasn’t bad, but it was tough.”

It seems two people who are surprisingly unyielding in their respective fields came together.

From what I saw of Yujin yesterday, I didn’t get that impression at all.

“Ahaha… That must have been tough.”

“Then the design meeting is over. Thank you for trusting me with it.”

She put away the tablet and told me the next location.

“If you go to the end of that hallway, Rea’s office is there. You can sign the contract and then leave.”

“Yes, thank you.”

I bowed my head and walked towards the end of the hallway.

Perhaps because the sound of my heels echoed throughout the hallway, an eerie atmosphere lingered.

Creak-

“Hello…”

“Ugh…”

Rea’s office was cleaner than I expected.

Numerous manga were lined up on a large bookshelf, and on a well-organized sofa…

Rea had collapsed.

And in an incredibly haggard state.

“W-What happened?”

I hurried to her side.

I was worried she might have collapsed suddenly.

“Ugh… my head… Ah, Eunseo, you’re here…?”

Rea’s energetic voice was gone, replaced by a tremor that felt like she could faint at any moment.

Regaining her senses, she clutched her head and slowly rose from the sofa.

I supported her in case she might fall.

“Haha… I was in a meeting with the CEO until morning… I meant to take a short nap, but I ended up…”

She had meetings straight through from after we dispersed yesterday until morning?

What on earth was the agenda…?

“Uhm… Well, let’s proceed with the contract as scheduled…”

“Ah, yes.”

Rea handed me a thick stack of documents.

It’s always important to read contracts carefully.

“First, read through it slowly, and I’ll explain the contents as well.”

“Yes, yes.”

It’s a thick stack of documents, but honestly, the only important content is ultimately related to money.

The most important settlement ratio.

Conventionally, it ranges from 5:5 to 6:4…

I doubted my own eyes.

Is this settlement ratio correct?

A structure where the company takes 2 and I take 8?

If you give this much away, what’s left for you, dear Miyu-nim…!

I read through the entire content carefully, but there were no particular sticking points.

Moreover, the company even provides full support for song production.

How on earth does the company maintain a profit then?

“Have you read it all?”

“Yes, yes!”

“First, is the place Eunseo is currently living in a studio apartment?”

“Um… Yes, it is a studio apartment.”

“Could you look at the 12th line on the first page? It’s the part about support for streamers.”

[The company will provide material and moral support for the streamer to conduct optimal broadcasts.]

Aren’t they supporting things like a microphone, audio interface, or maybe a computer?

“If Eunseo wants, you can move to an office room. The company will provide the deposit.”

“Huh? Really?”

“Yes, you can move and then pay it back later when you’ve earned some money. Ah, of course, there’s no interest.”

“Heeek… But, if you do this, what’s left for the company…?”

Rea chuckled and said.

“It’s a precedent we’ve maintained since the 1st and 2nd batches, and we still make a lot of profit even with this.”

“Wow… I see…”

Thank you, seniors.

Thanks to you, this junior can live in a comfortable environment.

“What are the specs of the computer you’re currently using?”

“It’s at a level where high-spec games don’t run…”

“Hmm, then should we add all the options when you move?”

“Huh? Ah… what about the cost…?”

At this point, she seemed less like a company and more like an angel.

Providing the deposit, and adjusting the settlement ratio as much as possible in the streamer’s favor…

“Hmm, the computer, microphone, soundproof booth, and various other things… it’s within the company’s support range, so it’s fine.”

“No, really, does the company make any profit…?”

“Usually, we turn a profit within 6 months.”

Until now, I didn’t know the exact amount VTubers earn.

It was just a rough guess?

But, now that I’ve dipped my toes into the industry and heard about it, it’s beyond imagination.

After finishing my conversation with Rea, I signed the contract and officially became a Lumi Live 3rd batch member.

“Where would you like the room to be? Do you have a specific area you prefer?”

“Um… As long as it’s within Seoul, I don’t think it matters.”

“Alright. Then I’ll contact you as soon as I find one, so please pack your things in advance. I think I’ll find one by next week.”

“Yes! Thank you!”

I repeatedly bowed my head to her in gratitude.

I was ready to call her an angel just for providing the equipment, but she’s even providing housing?

Leaving the office, I couldn’t hide my happy smile.

The previously eerie hallway just looked bright.

Ka-talk-

The sound of a KaTalk notification echoed through the quiet hallway.

I turned on my phone and checked the time along with the message content.

It’s already past 6 o’clock…

(Park Sejeong) : – Are you at the company by any chance?

(Me) : – Yes, yes, I just finished signing the contract.

(Park Sejeong) : – Oh! That’s a relief. Want to watch the LoL World Championship finals together tonight? At my place….

I should be leaving around now to get back to my place…

I hesitated for a moment.

Until now, I’ve always watched tournaments alone, enjoying the solitude. What would it be like to watch with someone?

Honestly, I’m a little curious. And also why she likes LoL so much.

(Me) : – Yes, okay. Should I wait in the company lounge?

(Park Sejeong) : – Uh-huh, I’ll finish up quickly and go. My place is right nearby, so I won’t be late.

I waited in the company lounge, reading a few webtoons.

“…Was this always this boring?”

A Saturday webtoon I had been following for a long time suddenly felt uninteresting.

It was a traditional fantasy that resonated with men, so I had been an avid reader.

***

Is this all because I became a woman…?

Then, would I find female-oriented webtoons interesting?

“…Wow, this is really fun.”

Female-oriented romance webtoons that I usually wouldn’t even glance at.

I had only read the prologue, but I was already so engrossed that I was curious about what happened next.

‘Kkheuuk… I need to read that traditional fantasy webtoon…!’

However, I can’t give up on the traditional fantasy webtoon.

I absolutely must see the ending of this webtoon.

Putting aside the female-oriented webtoon, I once again read the traditional fantasy webtoon.

I can’t lose my masculinity…!

It was already 8 o’clock.

It should be about time for Sejeong unni to come out…

Tap tap-

“Um, are you Eunseo…?”

A peculiar voice, laced with a low-lying weariness.

Sejeong unni tapped my shoulder and spoke.

I turned my head and looked at Sejeong unni.

Her appearance matched her voice quite well.

Her bobbed, beige-dyed hair looked like it had undergone immense care.

“Sejeong unni? Yes, I’m Eunseo.”

“Waaah… Eunseo, you’re really pretty…”

She exclaimed in admiration, her eyes scanning my body.

As I stood up from the chair and stood next to her, I found something unexpected.

I thought she had a definite ‘older sister’ vibe, but she looked to be around 150cm tall.

“Watch with me today, and give me some commentary too…”

“Ah, yes, yes. If you have any questions, I’ll let you know anytime.”

Outside, it had already become pitch black.

Sejeong unni tapped her phone and then abruptly called a taxi.

“Didn’t you say it was right next door?”

“Ah… I’m too lazy to walk…”

…Was she the daughter of an incredibly wealthy family?

I always took public transportation to save on taxi fare…

Taking the taxi she called, I was even more surprised when we arrived at our destination.

A street overlooking the Han River, and even a newly built apartment.

It looked like it would cost at least 2 billion won…

Sejeong unni’s wealth was jaw-dropping.

Why on earth would someone like her like LoL so much?

“L-Let’s go in…”