Morning had arrived. Thankfully, I was still alive and in one piece.

Though my mental state felt thoroughly shredded.

The thing that really pisses me off about Rampage B is how it knows exactly how to scratch at those deep, hidden desires I try to bury.

"...Sigh."

As a result, mornings after Rampage B were always filled with a sense of disgust.

But hey... at least my body was intact. I had a few cuts and scrapes, but nothing a good nap couldn’t heal.

‘...I’m exhausted.’

Wandering around all night had left my eyelids feeling incredibly heavy. If I lay down now, I’d probably fall asleep instantly. So, without a second thought, I headed straight back to my cave.

The great thing about living in a cave is that the deeper you go, the darker it gets. That meant I could get some solid sleep at any time of day.

Of course, the downside was that it was always dark in there, and spending too much time in the cave made me feel like I was on the brink of insanity. But, for safety, this place was unbeatable.

Once I was back inside, I took a quick shower and crawled into my bedding. The cool air and the eerie silence welcomed me.

The cave, with its cold and colorless atmosphere, was completely void of life apart from me. Bitterness filled me as I realized this was the only space I had left. Exiled from civilization, this desolate place was the only refuge I could claim.

Sleep came easily, drained as I was.

"..."

Six hours later, the sound of a voice stirred me from my slumber.

"Excuse me! Are you there?"
"It's me, Yoo Chaerin…! Oh, I guess you're not home..."
 

This would mark their third meeting.

A week had passed since her last stream with Yor, and once again, Chaerin found herself at his doorstep. The reason was simple: she wanted to ask for permission to upload footage of him on YouTube.

Sure, she had already uploaded a video once without asking… but back then, she hadn’t felt any guilt about it.

Now, to avoid any future complications, it seemed wise to get his consent upfront.

It felt absurd—having to ask an NPC for permission to upload content to YouTube.

In truth, she didn’t really need to go this far. But Chaerin didn’t want anything weighing on her conscience. Just because an NPC couldn’t see what she was doing didn’t mean she wouldn’t get caught.

Plenty of streamers had already been caught before. A little insurance wouldn’t hurt.

So today, Chaerin had decided to stop by without starting a stream, choosing to keep things low-key.

She called out to Yor several times from in front of the cave, but unfortunately, there was no answer.

"Where could he be…?"

It was broad daylight, so maybe he was out and about. Chaerin considered waiting by the entrance, just like last time. She wasn’t bold enough to go inside, but sitting by the entrance seemed harmless.

That’s exactly what she had done during her previous visit… though it had earned her a flick to the forehead in the end.

As she debated her next move, Yor finally emerged from the cave.

"...What do you want?"

He looked utterly exhausted, causing Chaerin to catch her breath for a moment.

"Huh."

His outfit was… rather revealing. Actually, it wasn’t much different from the last time she saw him, but his coat was hanging open more than usual, giving her a clear view of his bare skin.

Chaerin quickly averted her gaze and asked, trying to act casual.

“Were you… sleeping until now?”

"Yeah… though someone woke me up."

Chaerin didn’t need to think too hard to realize that “someone” was her. She gave him a sheepish look. She hadn’t expected him to still be sleeping in the late afternoon.

Still, it seemed Yor wasn’t too happy about being woken up, as he grumbled lightly.

“You’re coming here way too often, don’t you think?”

“Oh! Uh… did I bother you? I’m really sorry! I’ll visit less frequently from now on!”

"...No, that’s not what I meant."

As Chaerin apologized profusely, Yor scratched his head awkwardly. Truth be told, she was the only person who ever visited him, so he didn’t really mind it that much. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he looked at her and sighed.

"Just come in."

Chaerin nodded and followed him into the cave.

"So... what brings you here this time?"

One notable characteristic of this dark cave was its eerie silence. When nothing disturbed the stillness, the quiet felt almost unsettling, as if the walls themselves absorbed all sound.

Yor’s voice echoed faintly through the cave. He still seemed half-asleep, rubbing his forehead with one hand.

Judging by his appearance, one might assume he had been out drinking the night before. That’s how tired he looked, though there was no alcohol in this place.

Chaerin silently wondered to herself, What in the world happened to him last night?

She could tell he hadn’t slept much, but there was something more, something that hinted at a deeper exhaustion. Still, it didn’t seem like the kind of thing she should ask about, so she kept her thoughts to herself.

The other thing that stood out was Yor’s casual outfit—or more specifically, how revealing it was.

All he had on was a sleeveless top and a thin, open coat. The coat was draped loosely over him, and the left side had fallen open, leaving a good portion of his body exposed, which Chaerin found herself unintentionally glancing at.

She’d seen this style before. It reminded her of the kinds of outfits worn by tough guys she’d sometimes spot on the streets around 2 a.m.—the ones who looked like they smoked in high school and probably had tattoos.

Yor’s fashion sense gave off exactly that kind of vibe. Even the energy he exuded matched: a strange mix of intimidation and attraction, as if she were standing in front of a fabled "bad boy" from a rumor.

Surely he doesn’t have tattoos too, right?

Chaerin shook her head at the thought. No way. How would someone who lives in the forest all the time have tattoos?

The silence was becoming uncomfortable, so she decided it was time to get to the point.

“So, um, I came to ask you for permission about something.”

“Hm?” Yor mumbled in response.

“Well, in my world, we have this thing called YouTube...”

Chaerin began explaining, making sure to simplify things enough for him to understand. She laid out the concept clearly, though it didn’t take long for Yor to get the gist. After all, he had lived in the modern world before.

Once her explanation was over, Yor’s response was lukewarm.

“That’s... a bit inconvenient.”

From his perspective, there was nothing in it for him. With her livestreams, at least he could see the viewer reactions, which made them somewhat amusing.

But YouTube videos? He couldn’t watch those. Even so, they would likely draw more attention to him, which offered him no benefit.

While he appreciated Chaerin’s honesty in asking for permission, he wasn’t thrilled by the idea.

Chaerin had expected this, though. That’s why she had come prepared with a negotiation tactic.

“I-I’ll pay you!”

“Money? I’m not exactly short on that.”

"...!!"

Her offer was shut down in less than five seconds.

Of course, someone who could casually give away mutated monster materials as a simple errand reward wouldn’t be lacking money. It was such an obvious fact that she had momentarily forgotten, having no better cards to play.

Her face fell in disappointment. Now what? She didn’t have anything else to offer...

But just as Chaerin was stumped, Yor spoke up with a proposal of his own.

“...How about this, then?”

“Huh?”

Chaerin immediately perked up, eager to hear his suggestion.

“You could agree to do a favor for me periodically.”

Realistically speaking, YouTube didn’t offer him much. But this situation opened up a chance for negotiation, and Yor knew he could set some conditions.

After all, his connection to civilization was weak at best. Beyond just human interaction, he lacked access to essential information and resources. By establishing Chaerin as his bridge to the outside world, he could benefit in multiple ways.

Not to mention… it would give him someone to talk to.

So Yor laid out three conditions for her.

First, she would supply him with bread and holy water on a regular basis, no questions asked.

Second, she would provide him with any information about her world or the game without hiding anything.

Third, if any new information surfaced in the city, she would make sure to relay it to him.

Essentially, he was appointing her as his informant. Chaerin nodded enthusiastically.

“Ah, that’s no problem at all! I can definitely do that!”

Honestly, from her perspective, the deal was entirely in her favor. Sure, the first condition might be a little inconvenient, but the other two were no trouble at all. Plus, this gave her a solid reason to maintain regular contact with Yor.

And so, the two of them sealed the deal with smiles on their faces.

After the agreement was made, something suddenly came to Chaerin’s mind—the video she had seen a few days ago. The one featuring a new enemy, the demon child.

That incident had become a hot topic across the continent. However, Yor, living deep in the forest, likely hadn’t heard about it.

“...By the way, something happened recently.”

Chaerin quickly filled Yor in on the details.