“Phew, thank you for the donation!”

I kept bowing my head again and again.

Even if someone handed me ten thousand won in real life, I probably wouldn’t bow this deeply. I still have my pride.

Donations were a separate issue from self-esteem.

For the first time in a month, it felt like someone had acknowledged me.

No reaction?
Isn’t this already generous?
Does ten thousand won look like nothing to you?
Is thanking enough just because you’re a small streamer?

The emotion didn’t last long.

The actual donor didn’t say much, but the others jumped in, backseating and telling me to do a reaction.

I carefully watched the mood of the chat.

[Shiroripop has donated 10,000 won!]

It’s fine. I’m giving it because you did well. No reaction needed.

‘Is this person an angel?’

If angels lived in the clouds, would they look like this?

I felt like I was floating.

And because of that, I blurted out something I couldn’t take responsibility for.

“Tell me what to do! I’ll do anything!”

I’ll do anything.

I should give advice to junior internet streamers.

‘Never say this out loud.’

No matter what. Even if someone threatens you with a stack of cash.

At the very least, you should consider whether the amount is enough to sell your pride.

Anything?
Oh
Go go go go go go

“Ah! N-no, nothing lewd!”

I crossed my arms into an X as I spoke.

This was my last shred of pride as a man. Showing my body off like that is embarrassing too.

?
Why are you treating us like perverts?
What, are you the pervert?

Just moments ago it was all “oh,” and now this. They really are fast at switching stances.

Shiroripop: ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Only now did the donor’s nickname properly register. Judging by the name, this person wasn’t normal either.

What are the odds that someone watching a Vtuber livestream in the middle of a weekday afternoon is normal, especially my stream.

Shiroripop: Then let’s make one reaction.

“I didn’t prepare anything.”

I answered honestly. I never imagined I’d get a donation, so now that it happened, I didn’t know what to do.

Shiroripop: Didn’t you say you’d do anything?
Yeah, they said they would
A man shouldn’t go back on his word

I swallowed the words ‘but I’m a girl.’ It was obvious this was the reaction they wanted.

“As long as it’s not lewd.”

Shiroripop: Then just read what I type.

I nodded to show I agreed.

Shiroripop: Shiroring is~ scaredy-scared~ just once please.

I froze on the spot.

‘I really shouldn’t have chosen a nickname like this.’

Countless thoughts flashed through my head. Right now, my mind was the Tripitaka Koreana (the oldest lasting Korean Buddhist scriptures). The Tripitaka Koreana was on the verge of being destroyed.

The pirates had invaded. Vtuber viewers were the pirates.

Shiroripop: Is the price not right? ㅠㅠ
Wow, you won’t even do this
???: I’ll do anything!
???: I’ll do anything!

The chat was flooded with ‘I’ll do anything!’

I clenched my teeth and forced the words out.

“Shi, Shiroring is… s-scared of…”

Oh
Wow, that voice
Oh

I’d braced myself, but seeing the chat still made my head hurt.

“Shi, shi…”

I really can’t do this. I want to curse.

“Sisyphus’s Rock!”

The chat was filled with question marks. How do I get out of this?

“The, the next stream is a game called Sisyphus’s Rock! Since I got a donation, I’m just letting you know in advance! Haha!”

?
?
Shiroripop: ㅋㅋㅋㅋ ok

Amid the flood of question marks, a signal of approval appeared. As soon as the donor spoke, public opinion flipped instantly.

Sisyphus sounds fun
Are you doing Sisyphus one-try too?

Calling it public opinion when there are only 22 people, but somehow they produce this much firepower. Every single one of them is a large-caliber self-propelled gun.

“Then I’ll see you next time! Bye!”

I hurriedly turned off the stream. Someone might donate again and make me do something weird. Money is nice, but I’m not mentally ready yet.

‘Huh?’

A comment had been posted on the short notice I wrote in my channel community.

Can I cut this out?

‘Cut out? What does that mean?’

I replied.

ㄴ Sorry, what does cut out mean? I’m not sure.
ㄴ Kirinuki.

Another answer I didn’t understand.

‘What do you mean kirinuki? Are they Japanese?’

ㄴ Ah sorry, I meant can I make clips from it.

Thankfully, another reply came before I smashed my keyboard. I know what clips are. It means cutting videos into short highlights.

So-called big streamers sometimes say clips hurt their revenue, but for me, every bit of promotion matters. There was no reason to refuse.

That’s what I thought, until I saw the nickname.

‘How can someone’s nickname be “R-rated Doujinshi”?’

Is this even a person? A doujinshi means a fan-made comic, usually the lewd kind. In short, this person is seriously messed up.

I somehow kept a smile and added one line. It’s chat, so they can’t see my expression anyway.

ㄴ Yes, but nothing lewd please.
ㄴ Wow, R-rated Doujinshi is clipping?
ㄴ What is this small streamer, R-rated Doujinshi really latched on

Maybe because the stream had just ended, two replies came in right away, even though there weren’t many viewers.

‘Could you please stop saying R-rated Doujinshi?’

It sounds like my own porn is coming out.

I don’t want to see that, about as much as the dried pollock gangjeong (intense fish savoury food) that used to occasionally appear in school lunches.

For dinner, I reheated yesterday’s leftover malatang. I ate breakfast lightly and skipped lunch because of the stream.

Eating something spicy on an empty stomach made it hurt. I stuffed it down anyway. There was nothing else to eat.

While eating, I turned on YouTube. The full video I uploaded had zero views.

‘Maybe I should’ve edited it.’

Before I became a woman, even when I wasn’t streaming live, it took me all day to upload a single video. I’m slow because I have no sense for editing.

‘Should I look for an editor?’

I shook my head. My income is zero. I can’t afford to hire anyone.

‘Well, not zero.’

I looked at the 20,000 won in donations I’d received. In reality, it’s less than that. After settlement, the platform takes 40 percent, and after tax I’ll probably get around ten thousand won.

Still, I smiled. How long has it been since I smiled like this over just ten thousand won.

Ten thousand won isn’t just ten thousand won.

* * *

It’s King Sejong. King Sejong sat on his throne, looking down at me with a benevolent smile.

“Good, you’re working hard.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”

I bowed deeply. King Sejong is a great man.

“As expected of my descendant. Ho ho ho.”
“Thank you! I’ll work hard!”
“But tell me.”

The air changed. He was still smiling, but.

“Yes!”
“Why have you thrown away the Hangul I created and started using the names of the Japanese?”
“Ah, th-that is…”

I couldn’t answer with ‘Shiroring sounds better than Baekgugu’ or ‘because otakus like it and it makes money.’ I bowed silently.

“Guards! Cut off this man’s head and chop him up to feed the livestock!”

No, Your Majesty. If you do that, the livestock will get sick. A plague will spread and Joseon will fall.

* * *

“No!”

Drooling, I woke up. It was a dream.

Thinking about it afterward, it was obviously a dream, but you never realize that while you’re inside it. Compared to the dreams I’ve had recently, it was a fairly pleasant one.

I woke up in my chair. I must have been tired and fallen asleep like that. Even though I slept in a chair, my shoulders and back were fine. What kind of body is this?

I searched YouTube for ‘Shiroring’ on the computer in front of me. Nothing related to me came up.

Searching yourself as soon as you wake up isn’t a good habit, but it’s hard to resist.

‘They said they’d make a clip.’

Absent-mindedly, I typed ‘R-rated Doujinshi’ into the search bar. Videos introducing weird comics lined up endlessly.

I was about to press X to pay my respects, until I saw my face in the thumbnail.

My heart dropped. Thankfully, it wasn’t a secondary creation using me. The uploader’s nickname was just ‘R-rated Doujinshi.’

‘Do your job, YouTube.’

My name doesn’t even show up when I search it, but this does. I hate this algorithm.

‘Wow, seventy thousand subscribers.’

I couldn’t help focusing on the number. Like the Little Prince said, adults love numbers. Nothing is more intuitive.

‘Combat power five, I guess.’

The words of a Saiyan wearing a combat power scanner echoed in my head. Subscribers are combat power.

I’m an ant. This guy is Frieza.

The video title was [The Current Level of Small Vtubers]. It’s hard to tell whether it’s praise or an insult.

Small streamer, small streamer. It means having few viewers, and it’s not a pleasant term.

But I really am a small streamer. If you don’t like it, get famous.

Isn’t there some mental training room where time stops so you can train. Not the army.

I clicked the video.

On a black background, white text appeared.

※Volume Warning※

Countdown.

3… 2… 1…

“Kyaaaaaa!”

The video started flamboyantly with my scream. I immediately stopped playback. It’s hard to watch.

‘So that’s how it looks.’

I could see how I looked. It just looks like I’m playing the game normally.

Each reaction is excessive, but my life really was on the line. It was a game of darkness.

I pressed play again. Thirty-five thousand views is too many to ignore. The video moved again, and the screams continued.

“Kyaak!”, “Uak!”, “Ggak!”

Nothing but screams. No lines at all. I thought I’d said more.

“Kyakgukkakka gukkakkakka”

Later they cut only the screams and turned them into a song. I have nothing to say.

Suddenly, background music started playing. It was the BGM from the currently popular Jjukumi Game.

“Kyaaaaa! I’ve played this game! I’ve played this game! Save me! Aaah! I already cleared it!”

The video ended.

‘Honestly, it’s kind of funny.’

I snorted. Even with a composition like this, it somehow feels cute. This must be what good editing is.

‘Can other streamers laugh when they watch their own clips?’

The thought crossed my mind. This body is mine, but I used to be a man.

The person on screen is me, but not me. It feels like I’m watching someone else.

Maybe that’s why I can laugh. Thinking about it more won’t give me an answer.

‘I’ll ask when I get a streamer friend.’

I opened the comment section. I was curious about people’s reactions.