It's Time to Face the Problems I've Been Avoiding

Humans cannot survive without money. That includes me, a noble lady from the Duke's house.

Of course, I have certain advantages over others: my extraordinary beauty, often hailed as the most beautiful noblewoman in the Empire, and my physical prowess, which surpasses even that of most adult men.

But I also have some serious disadvantages.

“Working at a restaurant isn’t an option,” I thought to myself.

Cooking and cleaning were out of the question for me. And let’s be honest, working in an office might not be feasible either.

I once collected taxes from the citizens of the duchy and was offered high rewards by people eager to have me, rewards greater than those offered to mercenaries.

Could you imagine a proud noble lady being bossed around by someone else? Nobles are nothing if not proud.

In this sense, teaching was one of the few things I could barely tolerate. After all, only nobles can teach other nobles. The tutors who taught me back at the Duke’s estate were all aristocrats.

It’s laughable to think of a duke’s daughter working as a tutor, but when it comes to making money, sometimes pride has to take a backseat. I’m flexible enough to understand that.

And then there’s the matter of streaming.

I hadn’t considered it until now, but with my bank account running low, it suddenly seemed like a viable option.

I had been thinking about becoming a professional gamer, but most pros are men. I could imagine how awkward living in a dorm with them might get.

And when pros reach the end of their career, many of them become streamers anyway.

“Maybe it’s time I learn more about being a streamer,” I thought.

To clarify, it’s not because I’m broke.

I’ve still got enough savings to get by for a few months, and if it comes to it, I can always dip into my emergency funds.

This is purely about planning for my future. I’m just curious about what kind of profession streaming really is.

That’s all.

"Should We Charge 1 Million Won for the Game Coaching?"

[I'm not sure how game coaching fees are usually set, but they’re suggesting 1 million won. Does that sound okay?]

"I’ll accept."

The words slipped out formally before I could stop myself.

How could I possibly turn down 1 million won?

Virtual YouTubers (Virtubers) Require a Lot of Manpower

To create a Virtuber, many people are involved.

For example, when designing a Virtuber's model, it’s common to hire illustrators from outside the company. It’s not feasible to have a whole team of in-house illustrators if you’re not a game company.

But what happens if you only rely on a few illustrators for all the modeling work? Naturally, the work slows down.

Managing just one Virtuber wouldn’t be a problem, but EYEAI manages about 20 Virtubers.

As their tenure progresses, Virtubers need new outfit designs. It’s impossible for one or two illustrators to handle outfits for 20 different models.

On top of that, this year’s new Virtuber recruits have been confirmed, adding another 3 to 5 models to the workload. If the illustrators are expected to handle that too, they’ll be completely overworked.

So outsourcing becomes a necessity for managing Virtubers.

Modeling, recording and mixing, music video production, video editing—there are many outsourced roles that Virtuber managers coordinate.

“But is game coaching considered outsourcing? I’m not sure.”

Anna pondered the thought, tilting her head in confusion.

It didn’t really matter whether it was considered outsourcing or not. She had heard that some Virtubers even hired dance or vocal trainers, so this was probably similar.

“The call’s done. She agreed.”

Leon came back into the room after finishing her phone call.

Anna glanced at her briefly before shifting her focus back to the monitor.

"That’s good to hear," Anna said.

"But… are you sure? Isn’t 1 million won a bit steep?"

"Yeah, it is."

The company rarely covers the costs of outsourcing for Virtubers.

For instance, Virtubers who focus on singing often release music videos because they’re advantageous for drawing in views and new subscribers.

But does that mean the company will cover the costs for music video production only for singing Virtubers? What about Virtubers who focus on gaming?

To avoid issues of fairness, the basic principle is that Virtubers are responsible for their own expenses.

The company provides basic broadcasting equipment like computers. But if Virtubers want ASMR microphones, they have to buy them with their own money.

The same goes for music video production—Virtubers pay for it themselves, although managers help connect them with external creators.

That’s why Anna was paying the 1 million won out of her own pocket.

"But it’s fine, really," Anna said, brushing it off.

Anna had never worried about money. She had never been in a situation where she needed to.

Her friends often called her "born with a silver spoon," and she never bothered denying it because it was true. Her family was well-off.

That’s why she could even consider being a Virtuber in the first place.

"I saw some clips online. She’s pretty good. I think 1 million won is worth it."

"She’s good, sure, but we don’t know if she’ll be good at teaching… Maybe we should look for someone else? Pro gamers might be hard to get, but a retired pro…"

"The game’s only been out for three years, hasn’t it? How many retired pros could there really be?"

Besides, just because someone is a good player doesn’t mean they’ll be a good teacher. Whether they’re retired or still active, it didn’t make much difference to Anna.

"Also, isn’t it better to stick with your mentor’s family? You’d feel safer with a fellow woman, wouldn’t you?"

"If that’s how you feel, then let’s proceed with this."

Leon’s attitude seemed a bit odd. It was almost like she was being cautious, maybe even defensive.

But Anna shrugged it off. Taking an interest in others was exhausting.

Whatever. There must be something going on with her, Anna thought, leaving it at that.

"Oh, by the way, she said she’s hit a login restriction. We won’t be able to meet in VR just yet."

"A login restriction?"

"She’s been in Gate Conquest for over five hours… So that means she’s spent 25 hours straight in-game."

"That’s insane."

"What should we do? Should we just talk over the phone? Or would you prefer to wait?"

"I don’t want to wait."

Anna's goal was to participate in the LabyrinthosVR streamer league.

The tournament hadn’t been announced yet, but judging by last year’s and the year before’s timeline, it was likely to start in three to four months.

Three months.

Anna wasn’t sure if three months was enough time to get good at the game.

If she wasn’t sure, then starting as soon as possible was the only logical choice.

"It might be weird inviting her here. I’ll just go to her place."

"Huh…? You want to go to my house?"

"You live with her, right? I’ve been curious about your place anyway, so it works out."

And so, Anna and Leon got into a taxi together.

"…Should we keep our jobs a secret?"

As soon as they were seated in the taxi, Leon suggested it.

"Our jobs? You mean being a Virtuber and a manager?"

"Y-Yeah… Let’s just say we’re regular streamers."

"I don’t mind, but why?"

"My family doesn’t know that I’m a Virtuber…."

"Ohhh."

Anna understood immediately.

Right, wasn’t her concept something like a cat-eared princess from a feline planet? Something about running away from her duties because she didn’t want to inherit the throne.

Virtuber concepts often range from quirky to bizarre, but Leon's was especially out there.

She would even add "meow" to the end of her sentences sometimes. Anna had often wondered how her senior wasn’t embarrassed by it.

"Let’s just say we’re school acquaintances… No need to mention the company name."

"Why did you take on a concept you couldn’t handle? Honestly, when I first saw it, I thought you’d lost your mind."

"…I’ll punch you."

A Guest Arrives at Our House

"Leon, bring the guest to the living room, then come to my room."

[…What?]

I hung up the phone and waited for Leon to come.

"Why are you still hiding in your room?"

"I can’t greet the guest looking like this. Help me tidy up my hair."

"Do you have to…?"

Leon asked with a puzzled expression.

Instead of answering, I simply sat down in front of the vanity.

Leon sighed and moved behind me to start fixing my hair.

"We have scones and macarons in the kitchen, don’t we?"

"The ones you bought? Yeah, they should still be there."

"Make sure to serve them with tea. But ask first whether they prefer tea or coffee."

"…Are we running a café now?"

Leon looked at me with a mix of disbelief, but this was unavoidable. First impressions matter, after all.

Come to think of it, this is the first time we’ve ever had a guest at our house.

While our parents had visited before, no one outside the family had ever come.

It’s better to go a bit overboard and make a luxurious impression than to respond inadequately.

Would wearing a dress be too much?

Wearing a dress would be traditional, but this wasn’t a medieval fantasy world—it was Earth. Besides, I’d already had my hair done, and changing now would be a hassle.

After finishing the preparations, I brought Leon out with me.

"Welcome. Thank you for coming all this way."

I greeted her with a warm smile.

A woman was waiting in the living room.

She looked at me with wide eyes, seemingly in shock.

After a brief moment of staring, she spoke,

"I’m sorry to say this when we’ve just met, but could you please insult me?"

…Excuse me?