Game characters often sport unrealistic appearances that seem impossible to exist in reality right from their original designs.
Especially if the character is a stunning beauty.
Those who have a particular love for a character frequently express their affection through cosplay, yet no matter how high the accuracy of the cosplay, perfectly mimicking the original is an incredibly tough task.
It’s sort of obvious, really.
How could anyone replicate the flawless form crafted by game developers, manipulating polygons like a potter?
Our Creator made humans imperfect from the start.
Thus, it was impossible for an imperfect human to perfectly follow an idealized idol created with intention.
But I was different.
“….”
I paused for a moment to gaze into the mirror.
A flawless girl, devoid of any imperfections, stared back at me.
My blue eyes, now somewhat familiar, sparkled like threads woven by the hand of a deity; my silver hair shimmered without a hint of product.
My skin was pristine and free of blemishes, despite not having touched a single cosmetic.
Those unique eyes were emotionless yet seemed to draw you in with a subtle magical allure, suggesting that I could spend hours just staring into the mirror.
I faintly grasped what it felt like to be entranced.
Surely, this is what it means to be entranced. It’s funny that I’m entranced by myself, but anyway.
If I’m this amazing with this body, I can’t help but wonder how astounding others must be.
“Do you want to try something else on?”
With a bright smile plastered on her face that seemed a bit overwhelming, the Boss asked as our eyes met.
Her gaze felt like a snake with a frog in front of it. I’d never seen a snake, but it just felt that way.
Once again, I unconsciously nodded. My first mistake was getting caught in the sales pitch and stepping into this clothing store. They said they’d give me anything at half price, and I unknowingly went for it.
I thought I should buy some clothes before meeting potential editors. I had nothing decent to wear after all.
It was an interview, and as a Boss, I couldn’t just saunter out in a hoodie and sweatpants like I usually would.
Even from an employee’s standpoint, how could there be any trust in a boss who looked like that?
So here I was, already swapping outfits numerous times in the fitting room.
With an unusually sparkling gaze fixed on me, I asked for a few outfit recommendations, and in an instant, I became a doll for dress-up.
I’ve never really enjoyed shopping, even when I was a guy. Even during dates with my girlfriend, I would wrap up shopping within one to two hours.
I wasn’t exactly not tired. I mean, I was tired, but…
“Do you like it, dear customer?”
Even after going through the hassle of trying on various outfits, when I finally get to check the result in front of the mirror…
I find myself unconsciously thinking it was worth the trouble, that the time was well spent.
The finishing touch to fashion is the face. No matter what you throw on, you look beautiful.
Just like dressing my favorite character’s avatar, I started to drape bits and pieces of clothing onto Camilla’s figure one by one.
Pretty, really pretty.
“Hehe….”
As I stared into the mirror, a silly laugh slipped out without me realizing it.
Ah, I shouldn’t be doing this. At this rate, I’m going to become a shopping addict.
But there’s nothing I can do about it. Just how much money have I spent just to get the limited edition Camilla skin in Abyss? I matched her with all the skins.
And now, here’s Camilla standing before me in reality. They say you can’t resist the allure of your own favorite character.
In fact, I started to regret not shopping more often.
I don’t care anymore. I’ll just buy Camilla some clothes and splurge. Money can always be earned again.
Not spending money when I feel this satisfied would be foolish. After all, everyone spends money on their hobbies. From today, this is my hobby and leisure.
“You look so beautiful! Are you really wearing that outfit out?”
“Yes.”
“Just wait a moment. I’ll wrap up everything else for you.”
With a cheerful hum, the shopkeeper stuffed the clothes into a shopping bag. I, too, happily handed over my card loaded with cash.
It would be a lie to say spending didn’t sting at all, but isn’t this reasonable consumption? Isn’t this what everyone works for?
Besides, this spending had a sort of public reason behind it. I could say it’s a purchase for apparel that would give me dignity as a boss hiring employees.
Yeah, this isn’t just about fulfilling my private desire; it’s because I really don’t have any clothes. I can’t show up looking scruffy to meet people. Either way, living in this body means I’ll definitely need various outfits…
I nodded again as I glanced at the mirror.
*
In truth, deciding to meet the editor in person wasn’t an easy choice at all.
I certainly had my concerns. There were many reasons for my worries, but a significant factor was my changed appearance.
How do our editor candidates feel about someone who looks just like a character from the game?
After thinking and thinking some more, I finally took action.
– The door is opening.
The rattling train came to a stop, and with a hissing sound, the doors opened.
Maybe it was the weekend afternoon, but the subway wasn’t as empty as I expected.
I squeezed through the crowd, slowly made my way to the door, and stepped off the train.
So many people were staring at me.
While pushing through the crowd, I witnessed a young man bump into me while frowning, then his eyes bulged when he saw my face.
Well, to be fair, even when I was just wearing a hoodie and sweatpants, I still drew a lot of attention. It would’ve been weirder if people weren’t looking at me now that I was dressed properly.
And there were also middle-aged men sneaking glances at my chest and butt, probably thinking I wouldn’t notice. A female student was staring at me with her mouth hanging open, and there was a bashful guy blushing and fidgeting like it was his first time seeing a girl.
Camilla’s senses pick up on all of this without me even trying. It’s like I have a radar that naturally detects my surroundings.
I couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.
At first, this sensation made me reluctant to go out. I remembered how uncomfortable it was to feel people’s eyes on me everywhere.
But I couldn’t just hide away forever because of people’s stares. Even though I wasn’t someone who particularly enjoyed going out, choosing to isolate myself felt completely different from having that option taken away.
Still, most things get easier with time. I deliberately increased my outings, and surprisingly, I adapted to the gazes. My life clearly didn’t suit being a recluse.
– Kim Jae-jun: I’m almost there. Is everyone on their way?
– Yusia: I’m about halfway there. The bus is slower than I thought! T_T Kayak, where are you?
I replied to the editor candidates’ messages while walking.
The destination was a cafe located at a midpoint between our three residences.
I worried for a moment about how far everyone lived from each other, but maybe the heavens were smiling on me because no one lived too far from my place.
Thanks to that, it seemed I was the one who arrived first.
According to my phone’s map app, I just had to go one more block to get there. As the café’s scenery gradually came into view, I heard someone call out to me.
“Excuse me.”
I turned around to confirm the identity of the voice.
“Oh. Wow, jeez….”
This is out of the blue—
It was a man I had never seen before. When he recognized my face, he momentarily trembled and muttered softly.
He quivered for a moment and mumbled softly.
I let out a slight sigh inwardly. I had experienced this enough during the process of getting used to people’s gazes.
The man’s next move was obvious. He would come up to me and ask for my number, waving his phone.
“You’re totally my type. Could I have your number?”
Just as I expected. My response, already simulated in my head, was also predictable.
“I’m sorry.”
Without showing even a hint of hesitation, I bowed my head. I had learned through experience that it’s best to reject with precision in moments like this.
However, the man’s subsequent actions deviated from my expectations in many ways.
“Oh, I really like you, so could you please give me your number?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Just once. Huh? I’ll contact you, let’s meet just once. I’ll treat you to a meal. No, how about we grab a drink right now? I know a charming café around here—.”
Camilla was incredibly beautiful, but when she was expressionless, she appeared quite cold.
I could call it ‘the cold beauty’ vibe. Like a pretty rose with thorns, slightly prickly.
So when I rejected him firmly like this, really seriously, it was the first time a man clung on like this.
The man was quite good-looking. So, of course, he would bravely attempt to get my number. Unfortunately, he had picked the wrong person this time.
“I’m busy right now. I’m sorry, but I can’t give you my number.”
How many times had I coldly rejected him now? The man’s attitude suddenly shifted.
“…You’re really playing hard to get.”
“What did you say?”
“That you have plans? I can see that’s a lie. You just don’t want to give me your number. Is it that hard to ask for a number?”
The guy’s face twisted in annoyance, as if he felt offended. The one who should be offended was me! Why was he clinging to someone who said they weren’t interested?
“No, I really do have plans. And what do my plans have to do with your number—?”
“Oh, who are you meeting? You’re lying because you don’t have any plans right now!”
Meanwhile, he was quite annoying. I felt like if I simply ignored him and walked away, he might cause trouble.
While I was thinking about how to get rid of this guy, I heard a deep voice from the side.
“You have plans with me, this person.”
This was also a voice I had never heard before, and it caught my attention.
When I turned to identify the source, my eyes went wide.
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