NoveLight ™
The match against ACL had just ended.
While I never thought we would lose, it was undeniably a match burdened with high expectations.
It would be accurate to say we had passed a significant hurdle.
Since the match had been a complete victory, the team’s atmosphere was quite positive throughout our return.
Even Outlaw, who usually spoke little, seemed visibly excited.
Especially Hekate, who was very joyful.
She had struggled quite a bit against Sparrow during the spring league.
Having successfully countered that head-on, today's match must have felt exhilarating.
Humans are creatures heavily influenced by their surroundings.
Of course, I was no exception.
I needed someone to share this feeling with, so as soon as we arrived at the dorm, I turned on the broadcast.
[Title: Just a Brief Broadcast Before Sleeping]
[‘Sigma Ga-wol’ is live.]
[ON AIR | 00:00:05 | WEBCAM]
Oh no.
I should have set up the camera beforehand.
It had been so long since I did a face-cam stream that I completely forgot.
“Hello! Can you see me well?”
I secured the camera to prevent it from shaking and checked the screen appearing on the monitor.
Aside from being a bit too close, there weren’t any major issues.
It seemed my chest was close to the camera.
I need to be more careful next time.
Anyway, even though I turned on the stream without notice, many people had come to watch.
Seeing the chat fill up so quickly put me in a good mood.
It felt like warmth was spreading inside me.
I should have grabbed a drink or something.
There should be some beer in the refrigerator downstairs.
If I’d also gotten some snacks, it would have been even better.
“I haven’t been able to stream much lately, so I thought I’d turn it on like this. It’s been a while.”
“It’s the dorm, indeed. It’s my room. Would you like to take a look? It’s nothing special, though.”
Even though my room isn’t very exciting, I didn’t mind showing it if the viewers were curious.
It was basically a room that hadn’t changed much from what Sigma provided.
I still used the furniture that was there, and I hadn’t really changed my blankets or cushions.
If I took out all my stuff, it would fit into just one suitcase.
The only notable items would be… my pajamas hanging in the closet and a rolled-up yoga mat in the corner?
I should have put away the pajamas.
I hadn’t realized I had hung them up since I had worn them for so long.
It was such a natural sight that I didn’t even think about it.
“The yoga mat is for light exercises in my room. Since my legs aren’t great, most of my exercises involve sitting or lying down. It’s convenient to have one.”
It was something my instructor had given me in the past.
Since I couldn’t go to the dojo, he had suggested I stretch instead.
Other than that, there wasn’t much else I kept in the room.
“The room looks a bit empty, right? I’m sorry if you were expecting something more. I don’t have a hobby of collecting things.”
I had always been like that since I was young.
Simply put, I lacked material desires.
I never thought much about needing to save money, but I also hadn’t had many things I wanted.
As long as I could buy what I needed at the time, that was enough.
Most of what I bought was related to kendo, anyway.
Even electronic devices like my tablet were ones my parents had bought for me, and I had used them for a long time.
Well, even if I had a hobby of spending money, I would have had to put it aside for a while.
It hadn’t been long since my bank balance had started to have some breathing room.
Just a few months ago, I was in a position where every penny mattered.
As I looked at the chat, more and more voices started to gather.
“Do you want to see me in my pajamas? I usually wear them inside, so I’m a bit shy… Um, okay. I guess pajamas should be fine. I’ll just turn the camera for a moment.”
I pointed the camera toward the wall and changed my clothes.
Since it was something I wore often, I hadn’t thought much about it, but it seemed like my chest made the shirt ride up a little.
But this should be fine.
It’s not like it’s too revealing, and there’s no way to hide it.
If I showed any signs of being self-conscious, it would only emphasize it further.
Thinking about it, this is the first time I’m showing this comfortable a side of myself.
Usually, when I appeared on broadcasts, I put in a bit of effort.
Especially when I was with Elderin, I was often half-forced into putting on makeup.
Compared to that, now I was in a relaxed state.
It wouldn’t be good if I became too relaxed, but still.
I perched myself on the edge of the bed and turned the camera back.
“This is how I usually am in my room. So, since I’ve changed clothes, shall we just chat for a bit? I really wanted to get an all-kill today…”
As I spoke quietly, my hands felt a little restless.
I grabbed a pillow and hugged it, starting to speak softly again.
It was enjoyable to have someone listening to me.
I shared stories one by one, and if there were any questions, I answered them sincerely.
In the community, my broadcasts had been surprisingly praised for how well I answered questions, saying they were quite enriching.
That was something I took pride in.
I would have preferred it if the word “surprising” had been omitted, though.
As the broadcast continued for over an hour,
one viewer’s donation caught my attention.
「Soran is a Girl has donated 10,000 won」
「Are you feeling unwell? You look quite pale.」
Glancing at the mirror, it was true.
My skin was generally pale, but today it looked a bit lifeless.
I guess the fatigue had piled up more than I thought.
“Oh…? Now that you mention it, I suppose it is. I guess I’m tired. Shall we end it here for today?”
That’s strange.
I didn’t feel this bad while I was in the arena earlier.
Somehow, this condition felt strangely familiar.
Speaking of which, what day was it today?
Suddenly, chills ran down my spine.
Every woman has a visitor they meet once a month.
It’s called a period or menstruation.
Fortunately, these days, I didn’t spill blood on my blanket, but… it was still not a welcome presence.
Moreover, it seemed that my menstrual cramps were pretty severe.
In the past, I hadn’t known because I had no comparison, but these days I had other women around me.
Especially Hekate and Luche, who lived in similar spaces.
Compared to those two, my cramps were distinctly painful.
Still, it wasn’t to the point where I couldn’t move at all.
I was menstruating, not dying of a terminal illness.
“So, you came over even though you’re in pain?”
Today was the day I had promised to meet with Elderin.
It wasn’t for anything grand; we just planned to have a meal together.
Being a professional gamer doesn’t mean you don’t have days off.
Unless there’s an important tournament coming up, pushing every day without rest can lead to negative effects.
You reach a limit at some point if you keep that up.
In short, the timing of my pain was just right.
If it were my usual cycle, it wouldn’t be a huge issue for the next training or match.
“I made a promise to meet in advance, you know? I don’t have a fever or anything.”
“Do you know how terrible you look? You’re even sweating cold.”
“...I’m sorry.”
No.
In truth, that was all an excuse.
The pain I felt in my lower abdomen was indeed real.
It felt as if my lower belly were being torn apart, as if something sharp were scraping inside.
The fatigue washing over my whole body was undeniable.
But more than that, it was the mental fluctuations that were worse.
For no reason, I felt as though my life had come to an end.
When I lived alone, I usually solved it by bathing in warm water.
I could take a shower in Sigma’s dorm too, but… I didn’t want to show my weak side to my teammates just yet.
I wanted to meet someone who could be there for me as Daeun, not as Ga-wol.
So I forced myself to keep my promise with Elderin.
“Let’s skip the restaurant for now. Let’s just rest at my place for a bit.”
“Okay… I’m sorry.”
“There’s no need to apologize. If a sick person loses all their energy, that’s no good. Get better quickly.”
Even though the promise had gone awry, Elderin didn’t get angry.
Instead, she invited me home to let me take a short nap.
Was it because someone was there to provide warmth?
After napping for an hour or so, I certainly felt better.
After eating warm abalone porridge, I felt even more okay.
“Are you feeling drowsy or anything?”
“No. I wasn’t entirely sleepless today.”
“Alright. Then, do you want to lie down here for a bit?”
“...?”
Elderin patted the spot in front of her on the sofa.
When I lay down as directed, her soft hand began to gently caress my belly.
The peculiar feeling made my toes curl.
“Uh, sister?”
“You said your menstrual cramps were quite bad, right?”
“Yeah… I did?”
“If I do this, it’ll feel a bit better. I’ll rub your belly and give your uterus a massage; it should relieve some discomfort.”
For a moment, my mind stopped.
What do you mean, massage...?