I don’t want to do anything.
Actually, I’m not doing anything, but I want to not do anything even more passionately!
“Guaaaak…”
I rolled around on my bed, letting out a strange roar as if to express my mood.
If I showed this to those who claim to be my fans, they’d probably lose interest and run away.
Lately, those viewers (borrowing a phrase from the chat) have to see me like this. They clearly have way too much of an illusion about me.
No, maybe they’d actually like it as a gap-moe thing? After all, this body looks just like Camilla.
I think I’d have to like it too, seeing a cold beauty that looks exactly like Camilla doing things she wouldn’t actually do.
Anyway, a slump? Burnout? I feel like something similar has come back again.
I’ve had this feeling before, but this time it feels different. Last time, I lost my affection for Camilla, falling into a kind of monotonous rut; but now, I really feel exhausted.
Thinking about it, I’ve been working hard recently. I haven’t just been playing games at home; I’ve been going on air, learning to dance at an idol planning agency, doing cooking shows, and cosplaying at G-star…
“Wow, I really have done a lot.”
When I counted all the things I’ve done while sitting on the bed, I nodded with a somewhat satisfied face.
Yeah, I’ve worked hard enough, so it’s okay to lounge around a bit now. Recently, I’ve been doing various types of content, so the viewers’ sentiment has been pretty good.
Just as this sense of reward was kicking in and I was comfortably lounging around, I received a message from someone claiming to be the game director of Eonix.
[Oh Hong-kyun: Hello, Kayak.]
[Oh Hong-kyun: I’m Oh Hong-kyun, the general director of Eonix.]
[Oh Hong-kyun: I’d like to talk about the Abyss supporters. Do you have a moment for a call?]
“What the heck is this?”
Unless he’s impersonating someone, he must be quite a famous person.
Regular folks might not know him, but for users playing Abyss, he’s basically a notable figure to me.
Oh Hong-kyun, the general director. Known among users as “that damn Hong-kyun,” or, more famously, “Balgyun-hyung.”
He’s a central figure at Eonix, conducting user meetings for Abyss and coordinating in-game patches, making him absolutely indispensable.
He was truly an indispensable figure within Eonix, coordinating patches and all that jazz.
So, why on earth did this person contact me?
Supporters? What are supporters supposed to be?
“Oh.”
A light bulb went off. Was it last night? I received a call from someone claiming to be an employee of Eonix, asking if I would be interested in being a supporter.
Just like today, I was mentally exhausted yesterday and turned it down. It wasn’t exactly an enticing offer.
Given that I had already mastered the Abyss, I could easily guess what supporters do.
So, once again, I texted Oh Hong-kyun to let him know I wasn’t really interested in being a supporter.
[Oh Hong-kyun: Could we meet up and at least discuss it?]
[Oh Hong-kyun: Please. Kayak won’t be disappointed either.]
But why is this person so desperately texting me? What could someone referred to as the core of Eonix possibly be missing?
Oh Hong-kyun’s messages piqued my interest, even in my state of burnout.
“Yeah, Hyung Baek-kyun is right….”
[Kayak: Where should I go?]
Before I knew it, I was sending back a reply saying I would go and stepping out of the house.
*
“Okay….”
Meanwhile, Hong-kyun, with a fatigue-ridden face, clenched his fist after receiving a positive response from Kayak that she would at least hear him out.
As luck would have it, Kayak lived not too far from the company, so he sent her the location of a nearby café.
To be honest, Director Oh Hong-kyun’s actions were slightly over the top. Some might scoff at the notion of going to such lengths just to recruit a mere streamer and a supporter at that.
But if faced with such critiques, Hong-kyun could confidently declare that his actions were justified.
This wasn’t just some streamer. According to the data he analyzed, Kayak was a being capable of bringing about another shift in the Abyss.
In reality, a few of his subordinates watched Hong-kyun’s excessive obsession with Kayak with slightly skeptical eyes.
If you were to put it bluntly, they thought, “Isn’t he just a fanboy for Kayak, smitten by her goodness, or whatever?” They thought they were discreet, but after over 15 years in the working world, Hong-kyun could clearly see through their thoughts.
“Talking about it would just be a pain.”
Veterans are bound to rot. Being at the top doesn’t mean you should rest on your laurels. If you have such a complacent mindset, you’ll soon be caught up by the relentless newcomers hot on your heels.
Just because you’re at the top doesn’t mean you can rest on your laurels. If you have that lazy mindset, you’ll be quickly caught up by the competitors hot on your heels.
Just like how a swan looks all graceful above water but is paddling furiously beneath the surface, Eonix’s consistent first-place standing is thanks to the unrelenting efforts of Honggyun and the employees, all of which was happening behind the scenes.
Recruiting Kayak as a supporter is part of those ongoing efforts. Each of these small actions contributed to the birth of the current Eonix and the newly launched game, Abyss.
And as Honggyun stood before Kayak, he was certain that his choice was the right one.
“She really looks just like Camilla…”
How can someone in reality look so ridiculously perfect? They say the designer, Yoo Seong-min, was so amazed by her appearance that he nearly fell over. One glance and it was clear why.
Honggyun’s shock was not any less than that. As a longtime friend of Yoo Seong-min, he had been right there, witnessing the design process of Camilla.
Finding the masterpiece his friend created come to life was a mixed bag of emotions. At the same time, he felt relieved because Kayak’s stunning appearance was definitely needed for the new and improved supporter program.
Mainly to catch the attention of the users. After all, standing in front of her, Honggyun couldn’t seem to take his eyes off her.
“Uh, Director?”
His daydreaming was promptly interrupted by Kayak’s puzzled gaze.
“Ahem. I’m sorry. Yes, the reason I called you, Kayak…”
Honggyun quickly pulled out the tablet he had prepared and got right to the point.
The tablet displayed a neatly organized presentation covering the overall overview of the supporter program, what would change, and what was expected of the supporters.
Honestly, there was no need to go this far with a presentation. This was just a way to show off his dedication.
It was like a way to indirectly show Kayak how serious he was about this project.
“Ah, I see.”
But for some reason, Kayak seemed rather indifferent.
Even when he laid out the vision for the future of Abyss, she remained unfazed. He could tell her she’d be the first among users to catch the latest patch notes, but she still didn’t look very thrilled.
To Honggyun, who thought he had a decent understanding of her, it was utterly baffling.
‘Wasn’t she supposed to be the one who loves Abyss the most?’
Honggyun briefly entertained a horrifying thought. Perhaps Kayak’s affection for Abyss was just an act for image-building.
“I did something. Perhaps Kayak’s affection for Abyss was just for image building.
Or maybe they’ve played for so long that their interest has completely faded. It wouldn’t be strange if Abyss had simply become a broadcasting content for her now. In fact, there are plenty of streamers in such cases.
Convincing them was simple.
‘…I’ll offer a better pay. Enough not to feel sad.’
The answer was money.
More money! It was enough to make even a gamer who’s lost interest in the game smile with capitalistic glee.
Honggyun felt a bitter taste in his mouth as he spoke. As someone who loved games, joined a game company, and became a director, it always made him a bit melancholic to see situations like this.
However, contrary to his expectations, as soon as he uttered the word ‘money,’ Kayak frowned intensely and mumbled something incomprehensible.
‘Are you trying to buy me with money!’
‘What?’
‘…It was a joke, and you didn’t get it. Anyway, money is fine. I think the pay is more than enough.’
Then what’s the problem? If it’s not a lack of money, then why?
‘Is there something else, a condition you wish for?’
‘Hmm. Well, there is something I want….’
Kayak smiled meaningfully, trailing off. Surely, it seemed she wanted something other than money.
‘What could it be?’
No matter how many times he asked, Kayak only smiled and seemed unwilling to answer, leaving Honggyun to contemplate deeply.
What could Kayak possibly want? Something worth turning down money for. If it’s something they desire regarding Eonix, regarding Abyss…
Suddenly, a lightning bolt struck Honggyun’s mind.
Kayak was a user who liked Camilla to the point of obsession. A gamer who adored Camilla, who looked just like her.
Realizing the answer, Honggyun squeezed his eyes shut and spoke.
‘Ah, no matter what, a Camilla buff is out of the question. It hasn’t been long since she got nerfed…! The balance of heroes is a domain that users should not interfere with!’
Even if Kayak turned away disappointed at this answer, there was nothing he could do.
As a game director, there are lines he must not cross. No matter how desirable Kayak might be, some things just can’t happen.
However, moments later, the voice that returned was one of Kayak’s incredulity.
‘A Camilla buff…? What do you take me for?’
Ah, was that not it?
Honggyun scratched his head, feeling awkward.”
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.
