I May Be a Virtual Youtuber, but I Still Go to Work-Chapter 147

— It's Santa!!!

— Woohoo!!

— Luna-nim, thank you!!!!!!

— Great Luna!

— Luna supremacy!

— Successfully farmed subs, niiice~

— Ping

— Gifting even more subs, LOL

— Is this corporate class?

— ARGH WHY JUST ME

— There aren't any slugs who didn't get a sub, right? LOL

— WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME

— Wait, you're kidding, right? How could 150 subs miss me entirely LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL T_T T_T T_T T_T I'm gonna explode T_T T_T

:: PIN0 donated 10,000 Clouds! ::

:: I didn't get any, so I'm exploding out of frustration~ ::

— You're already premium subbed;

— Bruh

— Were you really trying to farm subs with this?

In truth, gifting 150 subs could have easily been spun as a generous flex from a big corporation.

She didn't lose on purpose, but as long as Parallel's people enjoyed it, then all was good.

Something along those lines.

But the biggest issue was the fact that a single slip-up might've exposed Luna's identity to Magia.

Actually, she'd probably already been discovered.

Magia visited the recording studio often and they'd even greeted each other there. Unless Magia had a severe face-recognition issue, it would be weird for her not to recognize Luna when they met for dinner.

Of course, she could reveal herself openly and ask Magia if she's really Fan_C. But that would only harm Natsuki Luna—no, harm IYURA more than anyone.

After all, the more someone had to lose, or the bigger their hidden truths were, the more heavily they'd feel burdened, even when sharing the same secret.

What worried her most was that the longer their dinner got delayed, the more Magia's suspicions might grow, expanding into conversations with others.

After all, people naturally share their suspicions with someone close, trying to confirm their findings, right?

Then rumors would spread like wildfire, and more and more people would discover Luna’s past life, which no one had ever managed before.

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At times like these, direct confrontation was the only solution.

Expand quickly into a friendly industry acquaintance, senior, junior kind of relationship, then appeal to her to keep it secret.

That's why Luna went into crisis mode.

Just before the stream ended, her voice rose in desperation.

“Senpai!!!”

[Whoa! You startled me. Nearly burst my eardrums.]

“Um, just in case... Wanna have dinner today, right away?! We just worked really hard on stream and... aren't you craving some late-night snacks? I know several good places open even at night!”

[As expected of someone aiming for the VTuber industry's top spot—you're even prepared for this kind of thing.]

“It's... it's all to treat my senpais! Haha! So, how about it? Wouldn't it be easier for you, Gia-senpai, to wrap everything up today too?!”

Magia surprisingly agreed without hesitation.

[Sure. If we’re having dinner, today's better. If we delay, who knows when it’ll happen. We're both incredibly busy after all.]

“Thank you!!”

— Damn, things are moving fast LOL

— This is the power of max-level friendliness doggo

— Practically missile-level speed LOL

— Please take good care of our Luna!

— Oh, our precious Gia too, please take care of her

— Nope, ours is more precious

With Movgun’s closing words, the stream ended,

and viewers dispersed warmly to their own spaces.

Luna finally relaxed a little.

The remaining issue was whether Magia would accept being persuaded.

Even if she agreed, what if she set troublesome conditions?

If Luna ended up needing to fulfill difficult requests, how would she even explain it to Taro, who'd said to always talk to the operations team if trouble came up?

Nothing looked easy.

What should she treat her to?

She'd heard Magia liked pineapple pizza, but offering pizza on a day like this didn't feel right.

The dilemma dragged on. No answers came.

Luna agonized over the menu for ten straight minutes, groaning to herself, until—

Bzzz.

“...Ah.”

Magia sent a direct message through TalkCord.

She didn't dare delay.

As someone who was currently at the lowest possible rank in this situation, Luna answered the call instantly.

“Yes, Senpai!! I was just about to contact you!!”

But what Magia said next shocked her completely.

[Let's just say we had dinner privately and lavishly. You're busy anyway.]

“Uh... eh?”

[Anyway, about Iyura. Do you know when I could run into her at the studio? You seem close.]

“...?”

She phrased it indirectly, but to sum it up—she wanted to cover things up here.

She basically said, "I kind of know you're Iyura, but meeting up directly would confirm our identities. So, let's not dig any deeper, and I'll help keep Iyura and Natsuki Luna separate."

If she was going to do this, why did she subtly press her so hard earlier, making her suffer?

But thinking again, it was Luna who bluntly asked, “Are you working two jobs?” right in her face first.

Though it was purely driven by her passion to collaborate on music, it was indeed way too aggressive, especially for °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° a first meeting.

Even if Magia let it slide, Luna needed to sincerely apologize as Natsuki Luna first.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

“Before anything else... I’m really sorry. About earlier, when I asked if you were working two jobs. I was terribly rude to you, Senpai! I sincerely apologize! I was just too eager to collaborate on music, and my excitement got the better of me. I'm sorry!!”

[It’s fine. Even if you'd said it live, it wouldn't have been a big issue. I would've handled it anyway. More importantly, could you help arrange a meeting with Iyura? I have something important to discuss.]

The situation was now resolving itself—and it was going exactly the way Luna wanted it to.

Refusing an extended hand from someone willing to bury everything would be sheer stupidity.

“I can arrange it even today.”

***

About two hours later.

The two people who should have met as Magia and Natsuki Luna

ended up meeting as Magia and Iyura at an upscale izakaya.

Since they had met before, their greetings were brief.

“Hello, Yura. It’s interesting seeing you outside of the recording studio like this.”

“Same here! I never expected to be having dinner with you, Gia.”

Of course, given Iyura's relatively disadvantaged position, she couldn't quite show her usual cheerful attitude.

She bowed deeper than usual during their greetings,

and remained humble even while ordering food.

Eventually, Iyura spoke up first.

“By the way... I heard from Luna that you were looking for me. She said you had something important to discuss, so I was wondering what that might be....”

“Oh, nothing too complicated. We were supposed to collaborate on a song soon, right?”

“Ah... yes, that's right.”

“I heard it was postponed indefinitely due to your personal circumstances. I wanted to ask about that. If it had a fixed duration, I'd assume you were just busy. But an indefinite postponement is concerning.”

Magia briefly mentioned the conversation from a few days ago.

Wait.

Hearing this, Iyura paused and felt something strange.

Because Magia had just spoken as if she herself was Fan_C.

“Wait, Fan_C really was you, Magia?! You said earlier you weren't!”

But by saying this, Iyura had just confirmed that she herself was Natsuki Luna.

After all, the conversation Magia mentioned had been between Magia and Luna.

“Judging by how you reacted just now, you're definitely Natsuki Luna, aren't you?”

“Agh. Ughhh! Yura...! Damn it!”

But Magia, perhaps genuinely intending to let it go, said calmly:

“Let’s just say this conversation never happened. Just as Luna said she had no intention of revealing anything elsewhere, I also have no interest in selling VTuber red pills anywhere. Wouldn't be right for someone who works at a VTuber company anyway.”

“I'm grateful for that, but then why did you put me on the spot during the stream...?”

“You suddenly asked me if I was doing double-duty, so I wondered if we were in a similar situation.”

Ah, double-duty. That word really had been the problem.

Realizing anew the difficulties of living a double life, Luna resolved to be more careful in the future.

“So, what should I call you now? Luna-chan? Or Yura?”

“Whatever you prefer. After all, this mess was caused by my own greed for music...”

“Got it. I'll alternate depending on the situation. You can call me Fan_C at times like this, too. Anyway, what's the reason for the indefinite postponement? Are you sick or something?”

“Huh?”

“Well, judging by how energetically Luna sings, it doesn't seem health-related—but you never know, it could be one final burst of energy.”

Iyura waved her hands hurriedly and mumbled,

“It’s nothing like illness or anything serious. It’s just contract issues. I signed it without thinking, so it’s my own fault, I suppose...”

“Oh. So you’ll have to focus entirely on Luna for a while. That makes sense.”

In a way, the whole project had fallen through because of Iyura's oversight, yet Magia looked visibly relieved that it wasn't a health problem.

Seeing Magia like this, Iyura couldn't help but chuckle bitterly.

After all, Iyura knew better than anyone how important a collaborative track with her would have been to a rookie utaite like Fan_C.

Why had she tried so hard to arrange a collab with Fan_C as Natsuki Luna?

Why had she insisted on asking Magia if she was an utaite, despite knowing how improbable that was?

Maybe, just maybe,

it was because she desperately wanted to make up for the missed opportunity by promoting a collaboration as Luna instead of Iyura.

Magia asked,

“But why didn’t you discuss this with CAT in advance?”

“Well... I honestly never dreamed I'd get accepted as Natsuki Luna. I also didn’t know there would be an exclusivity clause. I assumed it would be fine to continue working simultaneously, just like when I signed with CAT.”

“Well, I think it's understandable to have a restriction for the first half-year or even a year. You need time to establish your image clearly with the fans. If other activities disrupt your streaming schedule, it could cause problems.”

“Yes, half a year— Oh, wait. Was I supposed to say that?”

“Most companies do something like that.”

“Oh, I see.”

Suddenly, a thought occurred to Magia:

Maybe the impulsive, reckless persona of Natsuki Luna wasn’t entirely fictional after all.

Hidden behind the mystique of an utaite who rarely engaged in public activities outside song releases and social media, her real personality might actually be quite close to Luna’s.

“So, Luna was a hastily created character?”

“Whoa. How did you guess that so accurately?”

“I've spent six years buried in VTuber culture. It'd be weird if I didn’t know.”

“Huh... Anyway, you’re exactly right. I really made her in a hurry. You know how sometimes you suddenly feel a strong urge to challenge yourself?”

“You wondered if you'd succeed at something other than being an utaite? If you could still succeed without your original name?”

“Yes. So I auditioned with a completely different style and singing method, totally unlike my usual self, and somehow passed.”

“And since you didn’t know if you'd ever get such a chance again, you signed the contract immediately. That's how you ended up here?”

“Yes...”

“As for indefinitely postponing our collab, you probably said that because people around you scared you by saying your debut year would be insanely busy, and you didn’t want to give me false hope. Or... were you planning on leaving CAT entirely?”

Magia gave her a pointed look, causing Iyura to frantically wave her hands side-to-side.

She seemed desperate to deny it.

“If Parallel had partnered with CAT sooner, I probably would’ve applied to Parallel instead! Because of the bond we've built over time. It wasn't like CAT’s terms were bad or anything, making me want to break the contract!”

“I never said anything about that. If you're going to experience something, better to do it on a bigger stage anyway. You said yourself you didn't expect to pass.”

“Yes! I really never intended any betrayal. I didn’t realize I’d have to pause Iyura’s activities for so long... Sigh... This was all my mistake.”

Though she was teasing Iyura a little, Magia honestly didn't see it as betrayal either.

After all, in this industry, talents with both high brand value and skill get whatever they ask for. They're the ultimate commodity.

Iyura—the top utaite in the Korean scene—wanted to work with both companies, so who could blame her?

Bachubachu pulling exclusive rights in the debut phase was standard practice. And even though it was closer to Iyura’s oversight, CAT temporarily letting her go was the only realistic option.

The real issue would come after the six-month exclusivity period ended, when both companies would undoubtedly fight fiercely over her.

That's precisely why Bachubachu assigned Taro as her manager from the start.

To ensure she stayed put, and to make her produce even more content exclusively for them.

Well, Iyura had stamped that contract without thinking of the consequences.

Of course, Bachubachu wouldn’t be foolish enough to let her go easily.

Instead, they'd tempt her continuously, offering opportunities and incentives to keep her tied down—just enough to make sure she stayed.

'If things go like this...'

Honestly speaking, Magia felt there wasn't much she could do in the battle between CAT and Bachubachu (not to mention the involvement of SB behind them).

With three corporate dinosaurs snarling at each other from two different sides,

there wasn't much Magia could actually do in this situation.

Parallel was just too small to intervene directly.

But if Iyura genuinely felt guilty towards Magia, she'd surely cooperate whenever Magia asked.

Such chances wouldn't come often, of course.

An utaite with 2.5 million global subscribers.

Iyura, a top-ranked utaite both in Korea and internationally.

Even if Magia couldn't do much, Iyura’s cooperation alone would grant enormous leverage.

Although, truthfully speaking, Magia wouldn't have cared much if her identity as Fan_C got exposed.

She'd only kept it hidden because she didn't want attention diverted away from Parallel's members. Sure, holding onto the secret for a long time might make it explode more dramatically later, but it wasn't strictly necessary.

As long as unexpected issues involving the members didn't force her into extra overtime, Magia was largely indifferent about it.

“I think a collaboration between Natsuki Luna and Fan_C will be difficult. Bachubachu, SB, and even CAT’s approval would all be needed. Too many companies are involved.”

After a short pause, Magia added calmly:

“Instead, how about we just do our original planned collaboration after your exclusivity ends—say, after about six months? That should be enough. It shouldn't affect Luna’s schedule much either.”

Iyura nodded eagerly, eyes shining.

“Although that diminishes the impact a little... In any case, I really want to make a song together. I'll push for it from my side as Luna too, even though it might be tricky.”

“Why?”

“The song! I know it’s difficult, but Luna herself wants to collaborate with Fan_C.”

“...I'm grateful, but why are you insisting on working with me? It’d be far more beneficial for you to immediately work with Taro, who's already like the king of Bachubachu.”

“Yes, it would. But do people always have to collaborate based on money alone? Sure, I'll give the company what it wants. But Fan_C is my personal choice. At least that much is certain.”

Honestly, when Na Hyun-gon had first suggested a collaborative song between Fan_C and Eula as the next project, Magia had been skeptical.

She felt the same sort of doubt she'd experienced earlier when Movgun had told her, "Your talk-show guest will be Taro."

That thought hadn't changed, and Magia still appeared unconvinced.

Seeing this, Iyura quickly spoke up:

“Ah, seriously. If Parallel had partnered with CAT sooner, I probably would’ve applied to Parallel instead! Because of our longstanding relationship. It wasn't because CAT’s terms were bad that I considered breaking the contract!”

“I never said anything about that. Anyway, since you already got this far, experiencing the bigger stage isn't bad either. Besides, you said yourself you never expected to pass.”

“Yes! I really never intended any betrayal. I didn’t think I'd have to pause Iyura's activities for so long... Ha... It's completely my mistake.”

Magia had teased her a bit, but she never seriously thought Iyura had betrayed her.

In this industry, talents with strong brands and proven skills named their price. Iyura was simply the ultimate asset.

Iyura—the absolute top of Korea’s utaite scene—wanted to work with both companies. Who could fault her?

Bachubachu securing exclusive rights in her debut was natural. Even if it was Iyura’s oversight, CAT had no real choice but to let her go temporarily.

However, after the half-year exclusivity period ended, there’d certainly be fierce competition between both sides for Iyura’s time and attention.

That's exactly why Bachubachu had already assigned Taro as her manager.

To ensure she stayed bound to them, continually producing content exclusively.

Magia spoke with certainty.

“For now, let's settle on our collaborative track. We’ll worry about the rest afterward.”

“Yes. Let's do that.”

With everything clarified, dinner became a much more relaxed affair.

Iyura—also known as Natsuki Luna—was so naturally personable that, although the situation was uncomfortable, conversation flowed without pause.

And that’s exactly why Magia started to worry.

No matter how impressive the real person was—a globally popular utaite with 2.5 million subscribers—

Iyura had trouble fully separating her identities.

“You should be careful though. You keep mixing Luna and Iyura without noticing.”

“You’re the only one who figured it out so far, Gia!”