Chapter 85: Chapter 85

Gawol laughs.

She looks far more delicate than she does in the game, making her seem even more fragile.

With just the elegant curve of her neck, she exudes an allure, and she giggles as if overwhelmed with happiness.

The Gawol who revealed her face appeared dangerous in many ways.

While her mischievous side was always more pronounced, professional players who had met her had a different opinion.

To them, she had an eerie quality.

Even Camellia—Shin Eun-chae—when she looked back on it, could see how each move Gawol made in her swordplay had a dark and damp undertone.

That’s why, without a doubt, this woman was Gawol.

And at the same time, there was some relief in that realization.

So, you had a shadow within you too.

It wasn’t that you took our dreams lightly, but rather that there must’ve been some circumstances.

As Shin Eun-chae saw the shadow of Gawol, she shuddered, feeling a strange sense of decadence mixed in.@@novelbin@@

Please, stop making lewd comments. Should I… put my mask back on?

A question about the game? Hmm, should I answer it or not…

Nah, I won’t. Hehe… but if everyone behaves, maybe I’ll consider it?

Your tongue? Why do you want to see that…?

Oh, my sister says no to that one.

Camellia stood watching Gawol’s stream for a while.

It was different from Soolbbang’s streams in the past.

Back then, Gawol was dynamic and lively, but now, in reality, she carried an air of melancholy.

She was breathtakingly beautiful, but fragile—like she could disappear with just a touch.

Was that desperate craving just my imagination?

Even as she stammered and fidgeted with her fingers, glimpses of the in-game Gawol would peek through.

When she’d suddenly smile, Camellia found herself caught between a desire to protect her and an urge to torment her, experiencing both simultaneously.

Sis… I’m sleepy. Maybe I drank too much.

Should I say goodbye to the viewers…? Hmm, what should I say?

Oh, that’s a good idea. Well, it’s a bit embarrassing but…

I love you. Please come see me again next time.

Camellia clamped a hand over her mouth.

She squeezed her lips shut, stopping something from slipping out, and then, unexpectedly, did something she hadn’t planned.

[Dongbaek donated 500,000 KRW]

[I’m a fan. Sweet dreams.]

She gripped her spear tighter in her right hand.

It felt as if energy was surging through her entire body.

The jealousy that had been gnawing at her turned into a powerful driving force, pulsing through her wildly.

Thus, the warrior in white took a few more steps forward.

The progress she had paused was resuming.

[Warning. This entity ‘Father’ is responsible for protecting this cradle.]

[Please retreat. Further approach will result in the use of force.]

The dry, emotionless voice that she had only heard in videos before now echoed in her ears.

[Author: Cross]

[Title: I will not let this go lightly.]

I have been with Gawol for quite some time now.

I tried to let things slide, but this time, you’ve crossed a major line.

……

Until our guild is wiped out, Gawol will be on our permanent kill list.

I know Gawol is skilled, but you’ve gotten too arrogant.

We will show you the power of the collective.

[Comments]

We’ll show you the power of the jibe team!

Haha, scrub.

Baldy smoothhead.

Leafy, when the last hair on your bald head falls, I’ll die too.

Ugh, the smell of the elderly…

[Author: Anonymous (510.117)]

[Title: Cross, I have a request.]

(Attached Image: Han Da-eun revealing her armpit.gif)

(Attached Image: Han Da-eun taking off her mask.gif)

Please, just apologize to Gawol.

I’ll even suck her toes for you if I have to.

I’m begging you, seriously.

[Comments]

I’ll join too.

└ Right foot for me. I’ll take the left one.

└ Confirmed.

Is there a waiting list?

When I woke up, I was staring at an unfamiliar ceiling.

It was a little past 2 a.m.

Looks like I had fallen asleep at someone else’s studio.

Was it because I had taken over the only sofa?

Elderen was asleep, hunched over the desk in the corner of the studio.

I felt a little bad about waking her up now, and there wasn’t any transport available to quietly leave.

So, I just buried my head back into the pillow.

Before I fell asleep from the alcohol, memories of what I had done came flooding back.

“Ugh… oh no…”

I pounded my forehead into the pillow until I felt like I couldn’t breathe anymore.

When I finally lifted my head, the redness on my face wouldn’t go away, no matter how much air I gulped down.

Should I just die?

It feels like dying would be better.

What’s the point of living with this kind of humiliation?

If only I didn’t remember what happened.

But the truth is, I didn’t completely black out—I remembered exactly what I did.

Even the feelings I had while doing it.

“I got carried away… again.”

No matter how I looked at it, I was way too weak to compliments.

No matter what I did, people praised me, and I got too swept up in the mood.

My brain melted under the combined influence of alcohol and flattery.

But wait.

There was still hope.

If my mind wasn’t fully intact, then maybe my memories weren’t either, right?

Yeah, maybe I wasn’t even part of Elderen’s stream.

Maybe I just chickened out, and my desperate desire to stream created some sort of delusion…

[Search results for ‘Gawol’]

[Title + content]

Gawol’s stream is legendary, legendary, legendary.

‘Korean Teabagging Girl’ goes viral overseas.

Gawol’s “I love you” in high-definition.

So when and where is Gawol’s next stream?

Elderen’s stream hits record viewer peak.

Ugh, damn, Gawol’s armpits are driving me crazy.

I want to bury my face in Gawol’s nape and die.

Upvote if you want to drink from Gawol’s collarbone, lol.

Of course, it was real.

I had noticed that people had been talking about me more recently.

But I didn’t think it would be this much.

I hadn’t searched for myself in a while.

Ever since I couldn’t open my webcam, I’d been scared of the growing gap between Gawol and Han Da-eun.

I never expected things to be this bad.

It felt like no matter where I went, people were talking about me.

It wasn’t just the Infinity Black game site—it was on streaming communities and even foreign sites.

People around the world were seeing my body and my embarrassing broadcast.

“Haa… huh.”

But something felt off.

Shouldn’t I be mortified to death right now?

Instead, there was a strange warmth in my stomach.

I pulled the blanket over my head, hiding my face and body.

My thighs pressed tightly together as I curled up.

If I put my hand down there, something bad would happen, so I hugged my arms instead.

This is dangerous.

I feel like I’m about to awaken something strange.

Because of this weird sensation, my big toes kept rubbing together.

I wonder how long I fidgeted like that.

“Ugh, bathroom.”

I must have had too much to drink, or maybe too much water last night.

Luckily, my crutches were right by the sofa.

Elderen must have set them there for me in advance.

I already knew where the bathroom was, and it was immaculately clean.

Every time I sat on the toilet, I was reminded that I was a girl now… wait a second.

My underwear felt sticky. It was warm, smooth, and had a faint smell.

“Huh? Huh?!”

I let out a sound without realizing it.

No, no way.

This… this didn’t happen.

Nothing happened.

Nothing at all happened to me.

There was nothing wrong with my body or my clothes.

I chanted that to myself as I finished up.

Once I cleaned up and came out, I looked normal again.

Elderen, who had woken up at some point, was rubbing her eyes at the desk.

“Da-eun… you’re awake.”

“Oh, sorry. Did I wake you?”

“No, it’s fine. I usually wake up around this time anyway.”

She stretched with a yawn.

I even heard a faint crack, so it must’ve been uncomfortable for her.

“Are you hungry? Want to eat something?”

“Uh… yeah, a little.”

It was obvious that we couldn’t cook up anything fancy this late at night.

The familiar sight of instant ramen ended up on the table.

Considering I had passed out from drinking earlier, it wasn’t too bad.

But is this really what women’s meals are like?

Even though it was just ramen, she skimmed off some of the oil and added bean sprouts for a twist.

I used to think anything other than an egg in ramen was sacrilege.

But it tasted much cleaner than the ramen I usually ate.

Maybe this was another effect of my body changing.

“So, what’s your plan now, Da-eun? Have you cleared your mind a little?”

“Yes… thanks to you.”

“If you ever decide to stream seriously, I’ll help you out.”

“I think I’ll take a little more time to think about it. I can still use my VR device for now.”

I was definitely glad I had gone through with it.

I had thought I was backed into a corner, but now it felt like there was a way out.

With some breathing room, I had a chance to think things through calmly.

What’s done is done.

Now I have to either start streaming with Elderen seriously, or… find another way.

But just like in battle, it’s not over until I’m dead.

“Let me know when your staff sets a date.”

“Will do. Are they coming?”

“They have to. It’s better than going alone, right? Besides, we need to show them that you’ve got backup in case we need to file complaints.”

“Thanks. For today too. I appreciate you looking out for me.”

Elderen smiled, clearly satisfied.

I think I finally understood why so many people liked her.

It was surely because they had seen this radiant smile of hers.

The jealousy I had felt was slowly transforming into admiration.

“I’ll drive you home, but are you going straight to bed once you get back?”

“No, I’ve got something to take care of.”

“Something?”

“That bald guy—I'm going to keep harassing him until he loses his last hair.”

“Oh… well, good luck.”