Tap… Tap…
December 25th, 10 PM.
I was sitting in a small villa on the outskirts of Elbrite, gazing at the campfire.
Lying horizontally like a bench around the campfire were long logs cut in half, and within the roaring flames were delicious foods laid out.
Though I hadn’t anticipated today, I had kept some food reserved for such an occasion.
Just as I prepared to start the broadcast with the most special and precious ingredients, a group of people approached me.
“Ah, you’re here? Sit down. Sit!”
“Hello, boss~”
“Wow… totally awesome.”
“Did you really do all this alone?”
“It wasn’t that hard, really.”
These were my editor and manager, also known as the staff of Lily’s Group who help me out.
They assist me with editing my NewTube content, managing the chat window and cafe, and filtering the countless emails that come my way.
Though they get paid, we occasionally travel or gather to enjoy delicious food and have fun together.
“Though it’s been a bit sparse lately.”
With the disaster raid, multidimensional strategies, and preparations for upcoming disasters, I’ve had too much on my plate to go anywhere.
After all, the editor and manager have serious jobs, and we hadn’t gathered to play.
It just wasn’t that kind of atmosphere, so we naturally spent time doing our respective tasks.
“The Battery said they had something urgent come up and can’t join us. Did Hyuji not come either?”
“They went to meet their girlfriend. They said something about handling the aftermath.”
“How dare they refuse the boss’s summons? Shall I dock their pay?!”
Choi Ah, the manager who is slightly shorter than the editor called White Autumn, clenched their fist and shouted.
Choi Ah was also a thumbnail artist, the youngest at just 20 years old, showing a playful demeanor of a little brother.
I chuckled and lightly tapped the log I was sitting on.
“Should we?”
“Yes! The manager should always be present in the chat window. Yum yum!”
“I’ll consider it. Everyone, sit down. Apple Flavor, you sit too.”
“Understood.”
Apple Flavor nodded and sat next to Choi Ah, who was beside White Autumn.
Apple Flavor was an editor-cum-manager similar to White Autumn, but when I first met them, they dressed like a guy, even though they were indeed a girl.
There was no need to mention or ask why they were disguised, but as time passed and trust between us grew, they naturally unveiled their true self and appeared as a woman.
It seems that trust had formed, as she naturally shed her disguise and appeared as a woman.
As I got out the alcoholic drinks that were welling up with intoxication even in Deoen, White Autumn suddenly darted her head around as if something had come to her mind.
As if to confirm something.
“What’s wrong?”
“Now that I see, it seems only the women from Lily’s Group are gathered, huh?”
“Hmm? That’s true?”
Joah also looked around, clapping her hands.
Lily’s Group consisted of 2 men and 3 women, but the two men, Battery and Hyuji, were absent from the gathering.
The ratio was off, but about a year ago, Apple Flavor was half-acting as a man, so it wasn’t a major issue.
It wasn’t something I was particularly trying to balance out.
“What’s this? Did you all gather here on purpose today?”
“Don’t be silly. We just gathered those who could come for the broadcast.”
I didn’t expect the two of them to skip out.
Even if they did, I thought there would at least be one woman who couldn’t come too.
It was somewhat fun to have a gathering on Kiki Island, but since then, I had heard from some editors and managers via email.
I thought there would be someone hesitant about appearing on the broadcast.
Even though Battery and Hyuji said they couldn’t come for their own reasons, there must have been some influence of the broadcast appearance as well.
‘After all, I did get kidnapped on Kiki Island once…’
Thinking back to that time, it was quite absurd.
I was surprised on the island and suddenly got kidnapped by the island owner; how ridiculous was that?
“Is everyone okay? Ah, of course, it’s not like we’re doing anything significant.”
We’ll just eat something and give out gifts and call it a day.
But even if it was just a simple eating broadcast, it’s understandable if someone is a bit hesitant to appear.
When I asked like that, White Autumn gave a thumbs up, as if it were a matter of course.
“If the boss is going, even if it’s hell, we should follow.”
“Agreed, agreed.”
“…I agree.”
Joah and Apple Flavor also nodded their heads.
If they’re okay with it.
As mentioned before, it really isn’t anything grand.
Unlike the rankers or academy students I knew, these were pure regular users.
To speak frankly, they were almost civilians with combat ability close to 0.
They had made badges, but they were a group that didn’t fight against disasters.
“Speaking of which, I heard the badges are half and half. Me and White Autumn are on the black side, and the remaining…”
“Wait! Boss, before that.”
“Yes?”
White Autumn had suddenly stood up, holding another bottle of alcohol.
I was wondering if she was about to do something strange again, but her expression was quite serious.
“I think the chat window is going wild, and you need to start the broadcast quickly.”
“?”
Chat Window?
I quickly turned on the streaming system and checked the chat window.
The broadcast might be off, but the chat wasn’t, so I could still use the chat window.
[Me]
[Lock]
[Me]
[Lock]
[Hey, when’s Lily turning it on? I think I’m going to die.]
[LOL LOLOLOLOLOLOL]
[Ah, she said she won’t turn it on today, LOL]
[Lily not streaming on Christmas is a crime… right? Right? Right? Right? Right?]
[Lock]
[Me]
[Extreme]
[Hmm, Lily… Hmm, Lily… Hmm, Lily…]
[I’m going to lose my mind. I’m going to lose my mind. I’m going to lose my mind. I’m going to lose my mind. I’m going to lose my mind.]
[What’s this chaos, LOL]
[Is the manager not managing?]
[For real, LOL]
[So dizzy]
[Ah, LOL, the manager said she won’t come because it’s Christmas too, LOL]
[Have we been betrayed?]
[Me]
?
“…Looks like a riot, huh?”
“Right? I was shocked when I saw the report.”
“The Christmas broadcast is a big deal, you know.”
Joah nodded with skewers in both hands.
Well, there’s only 1 hour and 40 minutes left until Christmas.
I did delay starting a bit, considering my viewers were waiting for me.
I thought about being playful and delaying it even further, but…
“Looks like malicious chatting is starting to show up?”
“Should we start slicing, boss?”
If it went on any longer, the chat would really go off the rails, so I pressed the broadcast start button.
[Me]
[Lock]
[Lock on]
[Oh]
[Oooooo]
[Shit, it’s on!!]
[LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL]
[Great Lily]
[Damn, I was counting on you!!!!]
[Wow]
[Did she really turn it on]
[Extreme]
[Lock]
[Extreme]
[Lilha!]
[Where’d all the nonsense from just now go?]
[What’s a ‘hate nothing’ village?]
“Merry Christmas~ Did you all wait for me?”
As I waved my hand in greeting, the chat window sped up even more.
If it were real, I wouldn’t even be able to see it.
With so many viewers, and since the managers weren’t doing any management here, some strange chats popped up.
But they weren’t enough to overcome the overwhelming firepower of ‘Lilha.’
After a while, as greetings and random chats filled the chat, it started to calm down, so I slowly turned the camera that was filming me outwards.
[Why did you start so late?]
[I thought you weren’t going to start, LOL]
[Oh]
[The chat is super fast, LOL]
[Where even is this?]
[Oh?]
[Is this a campfire?]
[I received the gift well, Lady Lily ㅠㅠ]
[What did you prepare this time, ah, LOL]
[Great Lily]
[Who are you with? I hear sounds?]
[It’s a woman’s voice]
“This Christmas, I’m preparing things a bit quietly. As you know, it’s going to get noisy soon, right?”
Now, there’s less than a week left.
When the world gets engulfed in turmoil again, there won’t be time to enjoy this ease.
“So, I prepared to cook with Lily’s Group and to give a few gifts.”
“Hello~!”
“Nice to meet you.”
As I turned the camera, the three already munching away nodded their heads.
For someone who hasn’t watched the broadcast before, it might be quite unfamiliar, but if you’re a fan of my show, you must have heard of them at least once.
Among them, White Autumn waved her hands energetically.
[Oh]
[White Autumn lolol]
[What’s with the manager?]
[So jealous, damn it]
[ㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷ]
[Is it just those three?]
[No guys, phew]
[What about them?]
[Just the editor and managers]
[Lily’s having a feast lolol]
[I thought she’d be with Yena, damn it]
[Where did the battery and that guy go?]
“Two others couldn’t come because they were busy. Don’t worry too much because the gifts are being sent equally.”
Isn’t it a bit unfair if some receive gifts while others don’t?
Of course, the chat window was in uproar saying ‘Gifts for a guy?’ but I had done the same last year.
Most of the chat wasn’t really angry but more like a joke.
“Hey, you all received your gifts too. I shared them with everyone who visited Elbrite.”
“Right, right.”
“I got mine too!”
The three pulled out a gift box each.
They each got gifts from the tree in front of Elbrite.
Elbrite visitors always get a gift and a buff for one time, so pretty much every average viewer would have received a present.
[Huh]
[But it’s a bit different when Lily gives it directly…]
[Seriously lol]
[So envious…]
[What’s today’s dish?]
[So what are we eating, Lily?]
“Today’s dish is…”
“Oh.”
I pulled out something purple and crispy from the fire.
This was the reward for defeating this year’s disaster, something I had saved for when I’d finally eat it.
“It’s grilled Kraken leg. Looks delicious, right?”
Today’s ingredient is Kraken.
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