Fenrir Translations
"…But here's the thing: there's something about this ad that none of you have noticed yet. Want to take a guess?"
As expected, the reactions were predictably confused. It was as if I’d suddenly asked a completely unrelated question. There wasn’t much point in explaining it, but in summary, the audience was collectively wondering, what in the world is she talking about?
And with an audience this large, they weren’t the type to stop guessing even if I said, “Never mind, you don’t have to figure it out.” It wasn’t just a few troublemakers; it was thousands of them. That’s the challenge.
Normally, I wouldn’t bother with this kind of thing, but since it was a sponsored stream, I figured giving some clues would make things more fun.
"Alright, how about this? If anyone guesses it correctly, I’ll send you a half-off discount code. I'll answer your questions like we're playing 20 questions."
I adjusted the floating drone cam to show a full-body view.
Because of the camera angle, it might have been hard to spot what I was referring to. The correct answer was my accessories—necklace, bracelet, earrings, and watch. Of course, the earrings were just part of my avatar; I wasn’t actually wearing any in real life.
In essence, they were virtual reality accessories—fancy cosmetic items for avatars. You could think of them as advanced versions of NFTs, I suppose.
Even with the viewership surpassing 30,000, no one had guessed correctly. Normally, someone would have taken a wild guess by now, but apparently, I’d managed to stump them all.
I picked a random question from the chat.
<Q: Is this part of the ad too?> "Yes, it’s part of the ad. In fact, the whole stream has been one big ad since I started."
Confused reactions continued to flood the chat.
On-screen, nothing seemed unusual. Maybe because it was my first real-world stream, the lighting wasn’t cooperating as much as I’d like, making the accessories harder to notice. I turned on some additional lighting to help, but the viewers still seemed puzzled.
<Q: Is it something anyone can use, regardless of age or gender?> "Technically, yes. Although certain designs suit different looks better. But in virtual reality, I think everyone can use them."
After all, in VR, most of the people I’ve met use female avatars, even if they’re men in real life. So, yeah, these sparkling, feminine accessories could totally work for them.
But idle chat alone wasn’t going to clue them in, so I moved around a bit, opening the front door to take out a pile of cardboard boxes to the hallway’s recycling bin. I carefully placed them in the collection area, along with the styrofoam from earlier.
Once I got back inside, I started opening a new box, this time with non-perishable items. Again, I used the tomahawk to cut through the tape, repeating the same process as before. Only this time, I zoomed in more on my arms and ears.
It didn’t take long for someone to catch on.
<KimbapBapKimbap donated 1,000 won.>
"KimbapBapKimbap, correct! I’ve sent you a discount code via private message. Feel free to use it later."
At the same time, I added another ad overlay to the stream, this time for Bulgari, the brand that had sent me a snake-themed watch. I wondered if anyone would actually buy it, but with tens of thousands of people watching, who knows? Not my problem, really.
I glanced at the chat again.
"…Why is everyone freaking out all of a sudden?"
"…Well, it’s not like I don’t know that 90% of you use avatars of the opposite gender anyway. This would look great on your colorful female avatars, don’t you think?"
A quick glance at the chat.
Most of the messages were filled with people joking about being hit by a harsh truth. But what could I do? It was the reality I’d come to accept while competing in KSM. Not a single male avatar in sight. That was something even I found hard to get used to.
Anyway, the ad had done its job. Time to open the next box. The recycling bin bag was getting heavy with tape and receipts, but there was always room if you compressed it.
I carefully opened the box and pulled out the contents.
"…Oh."
It was a black long puffer coat.
Interestingly, it had snap buttons on the back to accommodate a tail. For an ordinary user, the lining would prevent wind from getting inside, so there wouldn’t be any problems.
I thought about explaining that, but I kept quiet. Revealing too much might hint at my identity.
Fortunately, most of the chat was focused on getting me to try it on, without realizing the significance of the design. But I was already prepared to handle that scenario—in virtual reality, of course.
If I wore it in real life and someone asked, "How does a puffer jacket and a tail work together with motion capture?" things would get complicated.
I sat on the sofa, activated VR, and within seconds, my surroundings transformed into a virtual backdrop. I picked up the coat, unsnapped the buttons, and carefully inserted my tail through.
I glanced at a bulky accessory rolling around on the floor next to the coat. It was long and thick enough to fit an arm, with snap buttons on the end, designed to attach to the coat… wait a minute.
Was this… a tail cover?
"…Huh, I didn’t notice this before."
I detached my tail from the coat and attached the cover, snapping it into place. The smooth fabric felt soft against my tail, making everything warmer. I’d never have to worry about the cold again.
After showing that off, I spoke again.
"This seems to be a virtual reality add-on. Anyway, here’s the long puffer coat. I already have a white one from the same brand, and since I have multiple coats at home, I’ll be giving away the extras through a raffle."
Hmm.
Of course, when I said it was a VR add-on, that wasn’t entirely true. I’d seen the real-life tail cover when I opened the box earlier, but mentioning that could’ve revealed too much about me. So, I pretended it was just for VR.
I planned to send the coat out in winter—by the time my identity would be revealed.
Naturally, there was another reason, too.
"Sending it out now would just take up space, so I’ll be shipping the coats in winter when it’s actually cold. That’s the plan."
<UjinTailThiefDice donated 50,000 won.>
"Hold up."
"Ow, no!"
BANG!
And just like that, the first casualty of today’s stream was made. I used the interview feature to publicly discipline viewers when necessary, something I’d mentioned in a past stream. Leaving behind the big-donation troll with a squashed avatar head, I tried to move on, but of course, that was impossible.
"Sigh."
What a collection of chaotic, deranged weirdos.
Anyway, back to reality. I gently repacked the puffer coat into the box. Well, as gently as I could after having ripped the top open. Close enough to the original state, though.
Another donation flashed on screen.
<SSMEntertainmentDice donated 30,000 won.>
BOOM.
Without hesitation, I activated the interview feature again, yanking Dice into view. We locked eyes for a moment as she appeared before me, kneeling while I stood over her. There was a brief exchange of emotions before everything exploded in the chat, which I barely noticed.
Pinch.
I grabbed her soft, squishy cheeks and pulled them apart with my fingers.
"Argh! What the heck is this?!"
"After treating you to a fancy meal, you're saying weird things again."
After a thorough lesson in manners, Dice was released.
There were still plenty more boxes to go through.
"And here’s something made from actual anaconda leather—a wallet and a phone case. I don’t know how to describe it exactly, but it feels… unique. I’ll add the purchase link on the stream. Obviously, I didn’t make it myself."
...What can I say? Just holding this thing feels burdensome.
And no, you're not getting my tail, okay? I glanced at my own tail out of instinct. Why do I even have this thing? I’ve gotten so used to it, but now my viewers are trying to skin it. I swear, if they keep this up, I’ll have to start mounting heads on stakes.
Like I said, I won’t be using this wallet. It’ll probably go to Dice or Harmony. Better than letting it collect dust in my house.
At least the wallet and phone case are practical.
Unlike some of the other random stuff I get.
"And next… ha. Do any of you need this? It’s reptile supplements and medicine. If you own a reptile, upload proof to my site, and I’ll send this to you."
Opening this box made me feel dizzy.
By the way, if I get hurt, where would I even go? A regular hospital? And if my tail gets injured, do I take it to a vet? Back in the day, I just went to a field medic, and they’d fix up whatever was wrong, no questions asked.
It didn’t stop there, though.
“…The next item is wax. I assume it’s for my tail, but if anyone else needs it, I’ll send it to them.”
I opened more boxes, stacking them neatly in a corner.
There was something I’d opened earlier that I wanted to give away.
It was a set of cat-eared headphones.
I knew exactly who I’d give these to.
"These are for Harmony."
Harmony, who uses a cat avatar, would love these. Plus, from what I’ve seen of her streams, she does a lot of real-life cooking streams. Unlike Dice, she could do a proper unboxing review on her platform.
I’ll take care of my people first.
<AnonymousDonor donated 1,000 won.>
"No, I was just thinking about what gifts to give my editors and others."
And in my hand, I felt a familiar weight.
Yeah.
I know exactly what to give first.
The drone cam zoomed in on the tactical tomahawk I was holding.
"I guess I could start by handing these out to the people around me."
…And as usual, my well-intentioned gestures were being horribly misunderstood.
There were still over 30 boxes left to open.