NoveLight ™
Title: Finishing Touches on the Housing Project ٩( 'ω' )و
Eldrin is currently streaming.
The sunlight filtered into the quaint wooden house. Eldrin stood in the cozy, slightly worn interior, arranging books on a shelf. She adjusted the final book, tilted slightly, and placed a beige fabric beside the shelf.
A satisfied smile crept onto her face.
“See? Even small details like this can make a big difference… Hm? Looks like we have a lot of people watching today. Is there something special going on?”
As she checked the chat, she noticed an unusual amount of activity, mostly centered around Gawol. Occasionally, Sulbbang’s name popped up too.
The relationship between the three of them was obvious, and the chat quickly filled with requests for stories about their recent meetup.
It was a bit surprising, but Eldrin shrugged it off. Sometimes, random topics like this surfaced out of nowhere.
“Oh, stories from our meetup, huh? I guess I didn’t really talk much about it. Since I’m just about finished here, why not?”
She opened her mental library, recalling the events. The meetup had been her first time meeting Gawol and Sulbbang in person. Just because they were fellow streamers didn’t mean they’d necessarily meet offline.
Sulbbang turned out to be surprisingly normal-looking. Despite rumors that he was balding or hideously unattractive, he was just an average young guy.
She already knew about his reputation but found herself chuckling. How had he ended up with such a terrible image?
She pulled up a photo she’d taken earlier, showcasing a bright red wig, almost like something from a cosplay outfit.
“I almost gifted him this wig because everyone had these assumptions. But I ended up keeping it.”
Even though she’d mentioned Sulbbang, the audience was clearly more interested in Gawol. Not wanting to fan the flames, she decided to share a bit without crossing any lines. Maybe mentioning her impression of Gawol’s looks wouldn’t hurt.
But, in her eagerness, she almost made a slip.
“Ah… heh heh! That was close. Almost caused a stir there. Anyway, let’s just say you’d all be pretty shocked if you met Gawol in person.”
She’d almost called her “Da-eun” out loud and quickly patted her lips to recover. Fortunately, she hadn’t said anything problematic.
“Did he really have to say that?”
The chat seemed to have bits and pieces of knowledge she hadn’t expected. She’d been a bit late to stream since the meetup had happened just before the patch. So, Sulbbang must have borne the brunt of the questions.
“Oh well. For what it’s worth, Gawol is really beautiful. I’m not just saying that. Honestly, she could’ve been an idol or actress.”
“Really, it’s true! I’m telling the truth, but I don’t know how else to convince you.”
“Oh, you mean the selfie? I did save a few... hold on a sec.”
As her fingers moved to pull up the interface, the chat calmed, eagerly awaiting the reveal. She uploaded a blacked-out photo as a teaser, then smirked and revealed the image.
The viewers were greeted with a screenshot of Eldrin’s in-game character posing with Gawol’s character. In the photo, silver-haired, red-eyed Gawol looked shy, partially covering her face.
It was a commemoration photo taken after a party hunt.
The chat grew noticeably rowdier, perhaps due to Sulbbang’s usual crowd. If Gawol were to start streaming, these would likely be her viewers too.
Da-eun in real life was gentle, but Gawol in the game was mischievous. Eldrin hoped that she wouldn’t face any undue scrutiny.
As a female streamer, she was aware of how quickly rumors could start. From unicorns with aching horns to extreme shippers who imagined marriage scenarios—dealing with them wouldn’t be easy.
Putting on a smile to hide her thoughts, Eldrin spoke up again.
“Well, I can’t just show you her photos if she doesn’t want them shared. You’ll just have to trust me~”
She privately worried about her. It felt like watching over a younger sister who needed guidance. Even at the meetup, Da-eun had seemed a bit unstable, despite the fun she’d had. She laughed, but Eldrin couldn’t shake the image of her as a child on the edge of a body of water, smiling before she fell in.
Not that her concerns were solely about Da-eun’s emotional state.
Gawol’s assassin gameplay was admirable, but if viewed as a woman… well, sometimes the moves felt a bit provocative. If Da-eun ever started streaming, she’d have to be cautious with her postures and camera angles. Eldrin thought it might be a good idea to discuss this with her when they met next.
“Honestly, Gawol’s skin is so soft. She reminded me of my little sister from way back.”
“No! Not like that! I just meant her skin is like a baby’s. And those cheeks, so soft! Geez, I can’t say anything around you guys.”
She was trying to cover up a growing flame in the chat when a donation caught her eye.
「BounceBounceGymnastics has donated 30,000 Won」
「So, her body was really that soft, huh?」
「(Attached image)」
The attached image showed Gawol attempting a standing split pose, highlighting her flexibility. Eldrin felt her sensibilities shatter.
Shocked and a little horrified, she could only close her eyes, hoping the image would disappear when she opened them again. It didn’t. With a trembling voice, she asked,
“Why is she doing that...?”
Back in the game, I logged on early to synchronize with my party members. Although I arrived ahead of the agreed time, they were all already waiting.
The atmosphere was tense.
Turkel scratched his head awkwardly, Eldrin fidgeted, and Sulbbang bowed his head in front of Sanse. As soon as I joined, all eyes turned toward me.
Great. I could guess what this was about. I was pretty quick to pick up on things. Taking a seat next to Sulbbang, I bowed my head slightly.
I clasped my hands in my lap, keeping them neat and composed. No need to go all out with kneeling or anything.
“......”
Sanse fixed me with a stern gaze.
Of course, it wasn’t really that intimidating. In real life, it might have been, but here, she was just a cute Halfling bard. Still, since I was in trouble, I kept my head down.
If you mess up with others, you should take the heat together. That’s what it means to have loyalty. After a moment, Sanse broke into a grin and chuckled.
“You won’t do it again, right?”
“Of course not.”
“Be careful. Even in a game, people’s feelings can get hurt.”
“Yes…”
Part of me wondered why I had to get scolded when I hadn’t actually hurt anyone. But I also felt a warmth in being scolded by someone who cared. So, while I might be a bit devious, I enjoyed the lecture.
Fortunately, it didn’t last long. Sanse was worried, but not enough to really press the issue. She did give Sulbbang a few more words, though, asking why he hadn’t stopped me sooner.
With Turkel’s intervention, the matter was wrapped up. We had more important things to do.
[Dungeon ‘Ancient Minotaur Lair’ is now open.]
It was time for our first dungeon exploration on the New Continent.
Sulbbang, you aren't innocent in all this lolol