Today, Rain felt calm.
‘Rain’ could enjoy the thrilling adventures on the continent of Astria, freely moving with a body that felt alive and real. That’s all Rain had to focus on.
Since I couldn’t burden Rain with all my worries, I, Seulbi, decided to take on the anxiety and concerns.
I’ll handle it.
It’ll be fine.
Rain doesn’t need to think about anything.
---
I sat up in the capsule and wiped the cold sweat from my face.
Today, Rain had spent the day running bus services with Chris and exploring a mountain range that seed to lead to the next area.
A major expansion pack update for *Astria Online* was announced to be coming soon.
Given that the ga was modeled after the real Astria continent, the next area already existed in so form. However, updates would be needed to fine-tune the instance dungeons and other content players would encounter there.
Now, disconnected from the ga and back in this world, it was already ti for dinner.
I idly stared at my smartphone.
**[Direct ssage]**
**[Hanwa Corp. Team Leader Han]**
**[To ‘Drizzle Rain’]**
I hadn’t opened the ssage yet.
What could it say?
There were a few possible scenarios I could predict.
While I wasn’t sure what the company could find out using their administrative powers, I doubted they’d sift through the data of countless users individually.
But there’s definitely a system in place that monitors packets sent from players for signs of hacks or exploits.
I suppose I’ve been extrely lucky to use my synchronization rate of 100% without running into major problems so far.
So, there are two likely outcos.
Either the data packets from my capsule didn’t show any red flags, or the company noticed sothing but decided to overlook it.
If it’s the forr, I’m just lucky. If it’s the latter, then the company may have been giving preferential treatnt.
But what if my body suffered serious harm from the strain of such a high synchronization rate?
Last ti, I was lucky that Chris found in ti and saved .
Thankfully, the issue was attributed to my frail health and ntal strain rather than directly linking it to my *Astria Online* gaplay.
But if I had died or been permanently injured at the ti?
In such a case, the bla wouldn’t just fall on the player for hacking the capsule. The company would be held accountable too.
If they ignored my abnormal synchronization rate, knowing the risks...
Could they afford to take such a legal risk that could shut down the entire ga’s service?
“Hmm…”
No matter how I thought about it, that seed unlikely.
It was more plausible that, for reasons unknown to , my play data hadn’t triggered any alerts, or the company simply hadn’t detected anything yet.
And now that I had drawn attention to myself by appearing in front of so many players, they probably wanted to investigate my character and capsule.
After all, Rain’s gaplay could only be explained by an unusually high synchronization rate.
But still…
I couldn’t avoid it.
To keep living on the continent of Astria…
To protect ‘Rain.’
I steeled myself, ready to open the ssage from the company.
*Knock, knock.*
“Huh!?”
Startled by the knock, I turned toward the door.
“…Rain? Can I co in?”
It was Chris.
I relaxed my tense body and let out a deep sigh before responding.
“Co in.”
Chris entered the room hesitantly, wearing a concerned expression as she looked at .
“Why the worried face, Unnie?” I tilted my head, confused.
Chris carefully helped sit up on the bed and sat beside .
“I noticed you seed deep in thought while we were running the bus today, Rain.”
“…”
I thought I had done a good job of keeping my feelings hidden today.
But Chris had seen through ‘Rain’ and sensed the anxieties of ‘Seulbi.’
Her eyes seed to peer directly into my heart.
There was sothing comforting in her gentle concern.
I didn’t need to face this alone.
I opened my mouth to speak.
“I’m… worried.”
“What are you worried about?”
“I’m afraid Rain will disappear.”
“The synchronization rate.”
I looked at Chris, surprised.
I had suspected as much, but hearing her ntion my abnormal synchronization rate confird that she knew.
I nodded slowly.
“Yes. My synchronization rate is very high.”
“…It must’ve been painful, hasn’t it?”
Her soft tone ward my heart.
Of course, it was painful, but it was sothing I had to endure. After all, pain was one of the sensations that reminded I was alive.
It was just uncomfortable that the pain Rain felt also put strain on Seulbi’s body.
*Poooof.*
Chris pulled close, pressing my head against her chest.
Soft. Warm.
“Yesterday, the ga company sent a ssage. I haven’t opened it yet.”
“They might take action or impose restrictions because of your synchronization rate.”
“Yes… but, I…”
“I know. You don’t want to give it up, do you?”
I nodded slightly.
The freedom of movent.
The vivid sensations I experienced with every step.
The refreshing air of Astria.
The real adventures I had there.
I didn’t want to give any of it up.
If they took ‘Rain’ away from , I feared I would lose myself in this colorless world once again.
Though Chris’s presence had brought so color back to my life here, I still found most of my aning and fulfillnt through ‘Rain’ in the world of Astria.
Chris hugged tightly once more before pulling away to look in the eyes.
Her gaze was firm and determined.
“Don’t worry. I’ll figure sothing out.”
“…You will?”
“Of course. You know, I have quite a bit of influence in the virtual reality industry.”
Chris grinned confidently.
Seeing that smile slowly eased my anxieties.
---
“The synchronization rate was high from the beginning, right?”
“Yes. But the ga company will still have to take so action, won’t they?”
“Probably. Whether it’s a bug or a hack, the company can’t just let it slide.”
Chris nodded.
I had nearly faced a life-threatening situation due to the pain from the high synchronization rate.
“But you can’t give it up.”
“I know it’s selfish. But…”
Even though Chris seed deeply worried, she still respected my feelings.
Sure, accepting restrictions on the synchronization rate would make my body safer.
But it would also an returning to the lifeless shell of Seulbi’s body, like I was before.
I couldn’t bear the thought of giving up the synchronization rate.
“It won’t be easy. Maybe if we fra it as a health issue, saying that we’ll monitor your condition carefully and intervene if necessary… But if only we had more ti…”
“...?”
Before I could fully process her last words, Chris pointed at my phone.
“First, let’s check that ssage.”
“Okay.”
With Chris by my side, I felt brave enough to face whatever the ssage said.
Together, we looked at the phone screen and opened the ssage.
**[Direct ssage]**
**[Hanwa Corp. Team Leader Han]**
**[To ‘Drizzle Rain’]**
**[ssage]**
Hello. This is Yeo-reum Han, Team Leader of Marketing at Hanwa Gas Corp.
…
…
As Chris read the ssage, her expression beca sowhat strange.
“…This is an advertisent model offer.”
“What!?”
“Wow, talk about aggressive marketing from a growing ga company.”
“I’ve never done any kind of ad contract before…”
“Well, since you’re technically under my company’s entertainnt division, I can handle the details if it cos to that.”
“...Entertainnt division?”
Today was the first ti I had co to Chris’s company.
We were currently sitting in a eting room at the headquarters of *Klaus Capsule Corporation* in Gangnam.
Klaus Capsule Corporation was a massive company. They also produced the capsule I used.
I didn’t realize Chris-unnie worked for such a prestigious company.
I was waiting with Chris for a eting with a person nad Yeo-reum Han, the Team Leader from *Hanwa Gas*.
“Do you think the ad contract is their only goal?”
“Hard to say. We’ll have to wait and see what they say. But if they’re from marketing, they probably won’t dig into your gaplay data.”
“R-right?”
Like Chris had explained to before, in this future world, avatars in the taverse were considered personal property.
Even if soone used their avatar in a ga, it didn’t an the ga company owned it.
If a company wanted to use soone’s avatar as an advertisent model, they’d need to sign a contract directly with that person.
“Rain, your gaplay is amazing, and your face is really pretty, so it makes sense for a ga company to want you as a model.”
Chris nodded.
Her complint made blush, and I squird awkwardly.
I still wasn’t used to receiving complints about my appearance.
“You’re the one eting with them, but are you okay with it? If you beco a model, your face will be exposed all over the dia.”
“I’ll decide after hearing them out.”
This was the first ti a ga company had reached out to directly.
I wasn’t sure if their only intention was to offer a modeling contract.
But if I did accept, there was one clear benefit.
I’d be paid well.
I could pay back the gold I owed Chris faster.
“The team leader from Hanwa Gas is here.”
“Yes. Please send them in.”
A voice from outside called out, and soon, Team Leader Yeo-reum Han entered the room.
“Oh.”
I couldn’t help but let out a small gasp.
She was
tall, with long, bright blonde hair cascading down to her shoulders.
She looked like she was in her early to mid-20s—beautiful.
Her figure was stunning. Her large chest stood out even under her office attire.
In terms of size, she was even more well-endowed than Chris.
I tugged on Chris’s sleeve and whispered to her.
“Wow, she’s so pretty.”
“Ugh.”
Chris looked down at her own chest with a frustrated expression.
Looking sowhat dejected, she fidgeted with her fingers and asked quietly.
“Do you prefer bigger chests, Rain?”
“Huh?”
I tilted my head in confusion.
What did she an?
I answered honestly.
“Unnie, I think yours are perfect.”
“Heh, hehe. Right?”
Chris’s face brightened up again.
While we were chatting, Yeo-reum Han sat down on the couch across from us in the eting room.
I glanced at her with a nervous look.
Even though she was from the marketing departnt, she was still part of the company behind *Astria Online.*
There was a chance she might bring up my synchronization rate.
This was a hurdle I would have to face.
This was Seulbi’s battle.
Reviews
All reviews (0)